Revolution

Revolution

In this week’s issue:
* A&Q w/G: CC’s CIO investigates Cathy Panzica’s Red Room Revolution
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Küschtik by Xela
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

This week, radically, Cleveland runs at full throttle with the fall theatre and art opening season raging out loud. One glance at all the events in Cool Cleveland This Week and reviews in Instant Karma below will blow away anyone’s complaints that “there’s nothing going on in Cleveland.” Even The Economist magazine agrees that Cleveland is the most liveable city in the US (see story below). Why is that such a revolutionary thought? This week Cool Cleveland launches a new column by our CIO George Nemeth, one of the region’s top bloggers. In A&Q w/G, George intends to throw the spotlight on the region’s tech and business leaders. In the first installment, we meet Cathy Panzica, whose Red Room Revolution has engaged the top technology CEOs and the Mayor’s office around a strategy made up of five “pillars” for supercharging Cleveland’s tech prowess. Then read about the Red Dot Project (no relation) that hopes to hook up artists and galleries with clients and patrons. Being as concerned as we are about economic development, we’re including below a link to the Policy Matters Ohio report on the secrecy surrounding the Steelyard Commons project. The Botanical Garden starts their VIP Lounge series for young professionals in the incomparable Greenhouse this Wednesday. City Artists At Work ignites 60 artists along the Superior Arts Corridor on Friday. Visiting Cleveland this week are sexy violinist Leila Josefowicz playing with the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance, new-generation blues artist Shemeikia Copeland touching down at Fat Fish Blue, poet and activist Luis Rodriguez at Cleveland Public Library, and the legendary Paul Krassner at the Barking Spider, Pickwick & Frolic and elsewhere. If you’re Downtown at noon next Wednesday, don’t miss the comp concert by GroundWorks at Playhouse Square’s Showtime at High Noon; they will change your mind about dance. And, before he embarks on his North American tour, meet the eclectic Xela, whose personal revolution consists of writing really good songs. The election season, moribund as it has been, is upon us. As expected, Mayor Jane Campbell and Council President Frank Jackson were the top 2 vote-getters in yesterday’s primary election. Unexpectedly, with an abysmally low turnout, Jackson topped Campbell by a huge 22%. So this week, a lot of potential for real change in Cleveland. And as John Lennon would say, “We’d all love to see the plan…” Raise the flag. –Thomas Mulready

A&Q w/G: Cathy Panzica
Cool Cleveland’s CIO gets some answers, has more questions

George Nemeth is Cool Cleveland’s Chief Information Officer and the voice behind Brewed Fresh Daily, one of Cleveland’s leading blogs on economic development (and coffee). Cathy Panzica is a corporate lawyer specializing in mergers & acquisitions and technology at Thompson Hine, and serves as a partner in Panzica Investments in Cleveland, where her family runs the Panzica Construction Company. She spent time in Great Britian where she advised the British government on Internet and technology issues. Recently, she has become one of Mayor Jane Campbell’s technology advisors and has created the Red Room Revolution to stimulate our region through the assiduous application of technology. A&Q w/G is George’s effort to engage newsmakers and go beyond traditional dialogue.

George Nemeth: As I looked out of the window of the Thompson Hine conference room, Cathy Panzica explained the Five Pillars of the Red Room Revolution to me. Red Room isn’t a reference to The Shining or Twin Peaks. It’s a room in Cleveland’s City Hall. The Red Room Revolution is an organization set up to launch and accelerate progressive economic growth in greater Cleveland through information technology transformation.

Cathy Panzica: “Pillars One and Two [titled ‘WOW Makeover’ and ‘There’s No Place Like Home’] came out of two Red Room Dialogs we had with 50 NEO tech executives. The Third and Fourth pillars [called ‘Go 4 It’ and ‘Welcome Mat’ respectively] I developed after reading 2000 pages of research on Atlanta, Research Triangle Park, Northern Virginia and Silicon Valley for Joe Frolick’s show on WVIZ.”

G: In June of 2005, Panzica appeared as a panelist in the Quiet Crisis episode Immigration and Inward Investment Needed for Cleveland’s Transformation. Panzica is an attorney in Thompson Hine’s Corporate Transactions & Securities group, specializing in technology transactions. She did a year’s worth of pro bono work for the OneCleveland project. The view out of the conference room looks out over the Browns Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

G: “Explain the Fifth pillar, ‘Grass with Roots’?”

CP: “It’s a ladder effect for local Clevelanders. It starts with CLIMB [Computer Learning In My Backyard]. Then up the ladder to working in advance tech centers, learning programing skills. I’ve talked to Margo Copeland of the Key Foundation about developing programs for the training centers they have in place…”
Read A&Q w/G here and add your comments here. Send your thoughts to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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Spacious Townhomes, Minutes from Edgewater Park Bridge Square Phase III is the latest new housing located in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. These spacious townhomes start at $189,900 and feature eye-catching exterior design, 1,840-1,960 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 1-2 car garages, bonus rooms, 1.5-2.5 baths, open floor plans, generous finish allowances, optional additional bath on the 1st floor, an optional deck and a great location in the heart of the revitalized Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. Special financing and 15 year tax abatement are also available. For a limited time, a $3,000 credit towards closing costs or upgrades is available. For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit www.progressiveurban.com.
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Steelyard Secrets Policy Matters Ohio has released a report, Steelyard Secrets, that reviews federal tax credits being issued for the Steelyard Commons project through a private company controlled by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. Unfortunately, the name of the report is all too apt. Some of the findings include the discovery that investors in Steelyard Commons are receiving tax subsidies worth $12.48 million over seven years; The Port Authority controls the board of the private company issuing these credits, was instrumental in that company’s success in winning the credits and received significant revenue for its part in the transaction that used them. Yet these subsidies were granted by a publicly controlled entity in virtual secrecy, with little or no opportunity for public scrutiny or debate. Check out the rest of the report at http://www.policymattersohio.org/steelyard_secrets.htm. Share your thoughts at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cleveland & Pittsburgh are the most liveable cities in the US According to The Economist magazine’s Economist Intelligence Unit Livability Ranking, which looked at conditions in 127 cities worldwide, Vancouver, BC in Canada is the most liveable, and Port Moresby in Papua New Gineau is the least. Assessed were nearly 40 indicators in five broad categories — stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Cleveland and Pittsburgh tied for 26th most liveable in the world, the highest of all American cities. For real. Read the CNN article here and the EIU press release here. Celebrate with us at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Got an art/tech project for Ingenuity ’06? After the acknowledged success of last month’s inaugural Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology, organizers James Levin and Thomas Mulready are off to a fast start for ’06 & ’07. We’re looking for “state-of-the-art exhibitions and performances that will position this festival as a unique international event, celebrating humanity’s creativity and ingenuity in the merging of the arts and technology.” Review the call for projects here, and think big (or small). Submit your brief Statement of Interest for projects between $25K to $250K by Tues 11/1. The RFP is here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/docs/Ingenuity_RFP.pdf.

Wake up, Cleveland A study of the largest metropolitan areas in our nation found that Greater Cleveland has about the same number of people, 3 million, as it did 45 years ago, and it is expected to have about the same number of people in 2030. Bad news when you consider that other metro areas are growing by leaps and bounds due to an influx of immigrants and shifts toward a smarter economy. Robert L. Smith muses about the consequences if we don’t turn things around in his PD article here. Read Sam Fulwood III’s tale of two cities, Cleveland and his native city, Charlotte, NC here and find out what we can learn from their growing city, which has attracted plenty of Cleveland ex-pats. How can we stimulate growth and attract immigrants? Share your blueprints for change at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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Broadway Excitement + Salon Offers + Dining Discounts = The New “Girls Night at Broadway” Package Grab the girls and head to Playhouse Square. With the Girls Night at Broadway package, seven exciting shows and seven great nights out await you along with exclusive discounts at local salons, restaurants & hotels. Starting at $109 – that’s just $16 per show – you can subscribe to the McDonald Financial Group Broadway Series at Playhouse Square Center and see hits like Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Little Women and more. Plus, you’ll have guaranteed tickets to the sure-to-sell-out blockbuster Wicked – the untold story of the witches of Oz. You deserve it, so give yourself seven convenient excuses to pamper yourself while reconnecting with friends. Visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com or call 216-820-7221.
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College 360 Students from various Northeast Ohio colleges challenged business and civic leaders on Wednesday to make the case for why they should stay in the region after graduation. They reminded the community leaders that if Northeast Ohio wants them to plant their roots here we’ve got to compete with larger metropolitan areas like LA, NYC and San Fran. For instance, 79% of companies with more than 50 employees offer internships on a national level; locally the number is just 30%. Learn more in the Akron Beacon Journal article here. What are your ideas for convincing future movers and shakers to stay put? Send your ideas to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Aretha & Elvis honor Sam Cooke in Cleveland The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Case Western Reserve University will celebrate the legacy of Sam Cooke during the Tenth Annual American Music Masters Series this November. The Main Tribute Concert to Sam Cooke, considered by many to be the definitive soul singer and crossover artist, a model for African-American entrepreneurship and one of the first performers to use music as a tool for social change, will be headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello. For a full list of performers for the Sat 11/5 concert at the State Theatre at 8PM and the Gospel Tribute Concert on Sun 11/6 at 6PM visit http://www.RockHall.com. Pity the poor souls who don’t live in Cleveland and can’t take advantage of this great series every year.

Call for film & video Standing Rock Cultural Arts is calling for short films and/or videos for their Third Annual Standing Rock International Short Film & Video Festival on Sat 1/28/06 at 8PM. Call 330-673-4970 or write to info@standingrock.net to find out more about submitting your work or visit http://www.StandingRock.net.

Cool Cleveland Kids Where else can your cool kids get a guided tour of great things to do in Cleveland this week? Especially when the tour is given by 9-year-old Max Mulready. And especially an audio tour that you can listen to right on your iPod or computer with no special software! Just click the link here and turn up your speakers. Check below to see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fun fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids10.07.05.mp3

The Red Dot Project is an exciting new initiative in Northeast Ohio. The Red Dot Project makes it possible for business, corporate, and individual clients, as well as, gallery owners, curators, and art consultants to view loads of art by regional artists in a variety of sizes and price ranges. Artists are encouraged to visit the RED DOT Project on Fri 10/7 and Sat 10/8 during City Artists at Work Open Studios to learn more about the project. They are located in the Tower Press Building at 1900 Superior Avenue, Suite 125. Applications are available at http://www.RedDotProject.org or by calling 664-9509.

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The Meeting of Art and Real Estate Two well-known Cleveland organizations have forged an innovative collaboration between the realms of art and real estate. The Cleveland Institute of Art and The Coral Company have created a gallery of student artwork in the newest model home at The Courtyards of Severance. The Vivaldi, like other award-winning Coral designs, exudes urban living. The most captivating model ever unveiled by The Coral Company, the Vivaldi is now available for tours. Form and fashion meet with granite countertops, hardwood floors, fireplaces, and vaulted nine- and ten-foot ceilings. The Courtyards offers liberating maintenance-free living and tax abatement. Off Mayfield between Warrensville and South Taylor, The Courtyards of Severance is open Saturdays through Wednesdays, 1PM – 5PM, and by appointment. Visit www.TheCoralCompany.com for more information.
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What to do when the grant ends Many projects begin with a great idea and some grant funding. However, even the most successful projects have trouble determining how to continue once grant funding ends. In order to sustain these valuable efforts, librarians, museums, archives and historical societies need to plan for sustainability at the beginning of projects. The Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA) will be hosting its Fall Symposium in Dublin, Ohio on Tue 10/11 from 9:30AM – 3:30PM on the topic “Sustainability: Business Planning for Cultural Heritage Institutions”. Register online at here or call 800-848-5878 ext. 6160 for more info.

Listen to the Dutch Here to show us their methods of sustainable urban redevelopment, Cleveland got an opportunity to hear the perspective of innovative Dutch architects and planners, well known for their bold, community-transforming designs and willingness to take risks. Their recommendation? Develop the Cuyahoga River valley…Duh! We did get points for development currently in progress but the Dutch believe that we should focus on smaller, less costly projects that can help to quickly rebuild housing and population downtown and find a way to make green building “sexier.” We’ll work on that. What are your thoughts on their recommendations? Read the article here and check out Chris Bongorno’s Instant Karma below. Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Warming up to climate friendly technology The Pew Center on Global Climate Change is conducting a workshop on Tue 10/18 at the Union Club of Cleveland that will examine how Ohio companies can capitalize on climate-friendly technologies. The workshop presenters will include state officials who will discuss incentives and opportunities for economic development through public-private collaboration; federal officials will explain incentives included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005; corporate execs will explain company strategies and technology development activities and independent business experts will identify economic development tools that increase competitiveness in climate-friendly technologies. Call 703-516-4146 for more info. http://www.PewClimate.org.

Sage teaches SEO SageRock.com president, Sage Lewis, is teaching a 4 week, continuing education class at Cleveland State University titled, “Search Engine Optimization for Fun and Profit.” The fall class started Tue 10/4 demonstrates just how profitable mastering search engine optimization can be. “Blogging is my personal favorite,” says Sage, “because students can conversationally write about topics they love, host Google or Yahoo! search ads, and if their topic is popular and they do the SEO right, they can make tons of money.” Call 330-379-9000 to learn more about SEO or to register for the class. http://www.SageRock.com.

Emissions from the blogsphere Matthew Kaplan, student at Oberlin College, takes over the Tech Futures blog, explaining why he left sunny California, to come to school in NEO. Case Mangament Prof Sandy Piderit encourages her readers to vote and register if they haven’t. Patrick Doyle shares his moral dilemma over a restaurant tip. Jill Miller Zimon wrote about her family’s experience during Rosh Hashana before the holiday started, setting the timer on her blog. Brian Thornton endorses Nickie Antonio for Lakewood city council. Jack Ricchuito posts a pic of the monks doing the mandala at City Hall. This week, Peter Chakerian ponders what effect the words “next year” has had on our psyche, previews an upcoming Cool Cleveland Interview with a major real estate player, ponders the mayoral primary and offers the general medicinal qualities of Yuengling. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, then add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland This Week
10.05-10.12

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Forbidden This adult-themed play chronicles the tale of Lilly, the wife of a Nazi officer and mother of four, who falls in love with Felice, a woman hiding her Jewish identity. Set in Berlin in 1943, it is based on the true story of their relationship. This riveting play about identity, racism, defiance and passion, gives an intimate look at the damage done by anti-Semitism, homophobia and fascism to those they sought to destroy, and to those who were part of the Nazi leadership. This smash hit of the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival reminds us of our common humanity and that love respects no boundaries or ideology. See the US premeire of this play on Thu, Fri & Sun at 7:30PM through Sun 10/23. Call 556-0910 for tickets or visit http://www.FeministTheatre.org. Cleveland Black Box Theatre, Inside Cabaret Dada, 1210 West 6th Street.

The Friday Drawing Group A selection of works by Amie Albert, Laura D’Alessandro, Gene Epstein, Edith Goldstein, David Kaplan, Mario Kujawski, Zenni Quante, Anita Rogoff and Jean Sommer will be on display through 10/31, Mon –Sat from 10AM-6PM. “Friday Figures” is showing at Annex Gallery of Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Boulevard, Shaker Heights. http://www.logan.com/loganberry/gallery.html.

Cleveland Botanical Garden VIP Lounge The first fall session hits this evening, Wed 10/5 from 5:30-8:30PM. Mull over a martini in the Spiny Desert of Madagascar, sip a sidecar in green cloud forest of Costa Rica, bring a friend and chill out in the beautiful Glasshouse. Call 721-1600 for info. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Boulevard. http://www.cbgarden.org/.

Darfur: Another Genocide? Although reports of large-scale government of Sudan-supported attacks have decreased, internally displaced Sudanese civilians are at great risk and need protection. Hear experts discuss the issue and form your own opinion during this important InterAct Discussion Event on Wed 10/5 from 6-8PM. Call 781-3780 for more info. Case Western University, 1914 Room, Thwing Student Center, 10900 Euclid Avenue.

IAEM Research Symposium At the request of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Authority (“CFA”), the International Association for Exhibition Managers will be holding a research symposium here in Cleveland on Thu 10/6 from 9AM-4PM to discuss the critical factors that contribute to the successful design, construction, and use of exhibition and convention centers of the future. The symposium features a variety of industry professionals and will examine the background of the development and evolution of the purpose-built convention and exhibition center. Visit http://www.iaem.org for more information. Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square.

Ohio Mart is Stan Hywet’s annual celebration of arts and crafts—with a renaissance flair set for Thu 10/6 – Sun 10/9 from 10AM-5PM. Ohio Mart features more than 100 artisans, period entertainment, delicious treats (including their famous, fresh-baked gingerbread cookies), and more. Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N Portage Path, Akron. http://www.StanHywet.org.

Prelude2Cinema building film studio The Knight Studio Movie Incubator (K.S.M.I.) will be much like the Candadian Film Centre. The first production from K.S.M.I. will be Out of Darkness, a sexy, supernatural crime thriller by Emmy-winning writer, Alex P. Michaels. The studio will focus on the cultivation of the local filmmaking community. The fundraising drive kicks off with their “Dark Wrap Five” party at the Velvet Dog at 1280 West Sixth Street on Thu 10/6 at 6PM, a party for the Out of Darkness TV series. Visit http://www.Prelude2Cinema.com for more info. Call 341-0218 to make tax-deductible donations toward the studio building efforts.

CSU Cultural Crossings Symposium CSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences announces its first symposium, “Crossing Over: Learning to Navigate the Borderlands of Intercultural Encounters.” The symposium will take place Thu 10/6 thru Sun 10/9. The keynote address will be given on Sat 9/8 at 11 AM. The keynote speaker will be Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, who will deliver his address “A World Without Borders: Gandhi’s Dream Revisited.” His talk, as well as other conference sessions, are without charge and open to the public. For further information please call 687-4646; or visit http://www.csuohio.edu/crossings/symposium/. CSU Campus, University Center 364 and UC 6.

Connect: A Multi-Media Party in 3 Acts This brave fusion of performance and party on Thu 10/6 at 7:30PM, Fri 10/7 & Sat 10/8 at 8PM and Sun 10/9 at 3PM features multi-talented composer Ryan Lott and several talented, innovative young artists in a completely original, genre-defying collaboration which bridges the synapses between media, genre, and conceptual orientation. The Silent Auction features local artwork and will benefit local charitable organizations. Call 371-3948 for info. Cleveland Public Theatre, Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue. http://www.ConnectParty.com.

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Fiery, Sexy Violinist Leila Josefowicz joins rising young conducting star James Gaffigan and The Cleveland Orchestra this weekend for performances of Copland’s Appalachian Spring (you may know it as the tune to Simple Gifts), Rachmaninoff’s lively Symphonic Dances, and John Adams’s moving and expressive Violin Concerto. Twenty-seven-year-old Josefowicz has won the hearts of audiences around the world with her honest, fresh approach to the repertoire and her dynamic virtuosity. She has been a guest on The Tonight Show and was recently profiled on CBS Sunday Morning. Concerts are Thurs 10/6, Fri 10/7, and Sat 10/8 at 8PM, and Sun 10/9 at 3PM at Severance Hall. Click here www.ClevelandOrchestra.com for tickets.
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Funding for Arts The Foundation Center is offering a full day of programs designed to help non-profit organizations obtain funding for their arts programs on Thu 10/6. First up, “Dialogue with Donors” at 10AM; “New Faces in Arts Funding” is a Brownbag Session at noon; then meet key staff members of The George Gund Foundation and The Cleveland Foundation during “An Afternoon Confab with Deena Epstein and Kathleen Cerveny” at 2:00PM. Visit www.FdnCenter.org for the full schedule of programs during their Funding for Arts Month. The Cleveland Foundation’s Steven A. Minter Conference Center, 1422 Euclid Avenue, Suite 1200.

Mending Spirits Attend the premiere of this documentary film, produced and directed by Monica A. Plunkett, which chronicles the emotional, spiritual and psychological journeys of women who have left abusive relationships, on Thu 10/6 at 7:30PM. The film features three Northeast Ohio women, the artwork of Cleveland native Constance Pierce and a powerful musical score written and performed by Ohio native Lynn Wedekind. All ticket proceeds will benefit the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. Cedar Lee Theater, 2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. www.ClevelandCinemas.com/CedarLee.

Transmitting & MC NapoleanSolo will perform as part of Passport Project’s Vibration Series on Thu 10/6 at 8PM. Experience an evening of cutting-edge avant-jazz, carefully crafted songs, spoken word, poetry and beatbox. Call 721-1055 for pricing scale. Passport Project Global Community Arts Center, 12801 Buckeye Road. http://www.PassportProject.org http://www.TransmittingOnline.com.

Disability Awareness Fair October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. To kick the month off Services for Independent Living Inc. (SIL) is hosting its “Disability Awareness Fair: It’s Not a Seasonal Thing” on Fri 10/7 from 10AM to 2PM. Social service organizations, governmental entities, businesses and vendors that offer services and products to individuals with disabilities will showcase their products, share agency/company information and disseminate materials to the general public. Euclid Square Mall concourse, 100 Euclid Square, Euclid.

CC KIDS City Artists at Work Get behind the scenes with more than 60 local artists in 13 different studios within the Superior Arts Corridor on Fri 10/7 from 5-9PM and Sat 10/8 from 12-6PM. There will be live art-making demonstrations and public participation activities in a variety of art media including glass-blowing and metal forging. Visit http://www.CityArtistsAtWork.com for a list of participating studios and artists.

Orquesta La Inspiracion Led by Ozzie Rivera and the musical directorship of Bill Meyer, this 10 piece band brings together veterans of the Salsa and Jazz scenes in Detroit to bring a fresh approach to Salsa, Merengue, folkloric percussion, Cumbia and Latin Jazz on Fri 10/7. The golden voices of “Salseros” Mickey Figueroa and Armando Vega, pay homage to the spirit of the “golden age of salsa,” the “70’s,” while also exploring new directions in hot Latin dance music. Call 781-3805 for more info. Club Moda, 1871 West 25th Street.

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Fat Fish Blue is proud to host Shemekia Copeland! See the daughter of bluesman Johnny Copeland Wed 10/12. The critics are saying: “Shemekia proves that sexual and emotional bravado is as effectively expressed in the blues as in funk, R&B, or rap . . . a vocal style that hovers between Texas twang and Harlem slur, Shemekia bridges generational and regional tastes . . . utterly contemporary . . . heartbreaking in its purity of tone and sentiment. Powerful . . . a new generation of blues woman.” -Village Voice. “Shemekia successfully inherits her father’s legacy with a powerful debut. Belts out songs with a passion rarely heard in someone so young . . . roaring with sizzling-hot intensity.” -Boston Globe. Don’t miss your chance to catch Shemekia in her only Ohio fall performance. Tickets $10. Reservations at Fat Fish Blue 216.875.6000 or www.FatFishBlue.com.
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Party with a Purpose Support Gathering Place, a non-profit organization that extends support and services to any and all touched by cancer, by bringing your usual Friday night party down to The Blind Pig on Fri 10/7 from 5-9PM. There will be a cash bar during happy hour and complimentary pizza for everyone and all tips will go to the Gathering Place as 5 volunteer bartenders kick butt behind the bar to compete with past teams in an effort to snag the prize for their favorite charity. Call 621.0001 for more info. The Blind Pig, 1228 West 6th Street, Warehouse District. http://www.TouchedByCancer.org http://www.TheBlindPig.com.

1st Amendment Awareness Project Local artist T. Grafton Lee, a D.C. transplant whose work has been on exhibit throughout Cleveland for the past two years, is inviting Clevelanders to meet him in front of the Old Courthouse on Fri 10/7 at 6PM sharp for an art performance designed to stimulate thinking about the erosion of the first amendment at the hands of the current political administration and to encourage citizens to get involved in their government. Old Courthouse, 201 Superior Avenue East.

Starloft Event This Fri 10/7 all ages show at 7:30PM includes performances by Bleeding A Memory, Midnight Passenger, Silence of a Silhouette, These Final Words, Clemency, and The Screaming Silence, with more to be announced. Doors open at 7PM. Visit http://www.Starloft.com to learn more about each of these bands and visit their websites. Pirate’s Cove, 2083 East 21st Street.

CC KIDS Harvest Homecoming Celebrate fall with tasty European pastries and strudels made by hand using recipes handed down through generations, organic meats and dairy products and late season sweet corn, melons and veggies from local growers, some of them are third generation farmers. Call 249-5455 or visit to learn more. Harvest Homecoming is on Sat 10/8 from 8AM-1PM; market hours are Wednesdays 10AM-1PM and Saturdays 8AM-1PM all year long. Coit Road Farmer’s Market, 15000 Woodworth Road, East Cleveland. http://www.CoitMarket.org/.

Paint Out Loud For the first time, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum’s official photographer Neal Hamilton puts aside his digital cameras and unveils his rock and roll art on canvas. Check out a sampling of his artwork at http://www.NealHamilton.com, and join him at MODA Nightclub on Sat 10/8 at 9PM, with proceeds benefitting the Rock Hall’s music education program, and offering 2 signed and numbered prints for each visitor. Then on Sun 10/9 (John Lennon’s birthday!), his paintings will move over to the Rock Hall as part of their fifth annual World Festival celebration from 10AM-5PM. http://www.NealHamilton.com.

CC KIDS The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe Come see the delightful performance of this C. S. Lewis play, at the Allen Theater, on Sat 10/8, at 11 AM. This adventure story tells of four children living in war-torn England who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. Call 241-6000 or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets to this Discovery Theatre Series for Families presentation. Allen Theatre, 1407 Euclid Avenue.

Post Primary Mayoral Debate The African American Women’s Agenda (AAWA) Education Foundation 2005 Post Primary Mayoral Debate will be held on Sat 10/8 at 2PM. The event is open to the public without cost and is being held in conjunction with the Cleveland State University Black Studies Program. Call 310-2750 for info. Main Classroom Auditorium, CSU campus, 1899 East 22nd Steet.

le futur: the lab {volume 2} This Sat 10/8 event at 7PM will feature futuristic performance, music, art and atmospherics by some of the most innovative and dynamic talent in the area. Featured art will include lightworks by renowned music writer, curator and artist Daiv Whaley, paintings by Asterisk Gallery owner Dana Depew and local pop artist/sculptor/painter Kevin Shahan, performance art including space animation by SAFMOD’s famed stilt walker and costume designer Alexandra (Xan) Underhill and a multi-media site performance by GROOP artist Abe Olvido and many more. Asterisk Gallery, 2393 Professor Avenue, Tremont. http://www.GetModProductions.com.

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Can a Writer Change the World? Best-selling author, poet, and activist, Luis Rodriguez, is convinced that a writer can. Best known for the 1993 memoir of gang life, Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. Rodriguez, an international best selling author, garnered a Carl Sandburg Literary Award, a Chicago Sun-Times Book Award, and was designated a New York Times Notable Book award. He will be the guest of Cleveland Public Library’s Writers and Readers Series Sun 10/9 at 2PM. Free and open to the public, the event will take place at the Main Library, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, E. 6th Street and Superior Avenue. Rodriguez is the featured writer for the Library’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. For more information contact (216) 623-2800 or www.CPL.org.
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Paul Krassner The One Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist (Seven Stories 2005) will be on hand for a no cost book reading and signing on Sun 10/9 at 6:30PM at the Barking Spider Tavern, 11310 Juniper Road. http://www.barkingspidertavern.com. He will also be performing at a benefit for Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN) on Tue 10/11 at Pickwick and Frolic/Hillarities, 2035 East 4th Street. Call 241-7425 for ticket info.

CC KIDS The Not-Dueling Organists Selections from the Dave Brubeck Mass, “To Hope”; music of Anne Wilson: Toccata for Organ, three Mystical Songs, and five settings of Shel Silverstein poems (sung by Mr. Trenney) Also organ and piano duets by Brahms & Dvorak, and transcriptions of orchestral favorites. The Sun 10/9 concert at 7:30PM will be held at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Boulevard, Cleveland Heights. Call 321-2660 for more information.

Pieces of My Mind is an exhibit which features recent paintings by Patricia Zinsmeister Parker. The work encompasses mixed media painting, assemblage, color prints and works mounted in Plexiglas. Parker will give a public gallery talk about her work on Mon 10/10 at 6PM followed by a reception. The show runs through Fri 10/28. Call 330-972-5951. Emily Davis Gallery, 150 East Exchange Street in Folk Hall on the campus of The University of Akron. http://www3.uakron.edu/art/galleries.shtml.

One-day 50% off Cleveland Opera Art lovers can snag tickets to Cleveland Opera performances for as little as $12.50 during The One Day Sale. Friday night performances of Eugene Onegin on Fri 10/28; The Elixir of Love on Fri 12/9; Romeo et Juliette on Fri 2/17/06 and Turandot on Fri 4/7/2006, all at 8PM, will be discounted 50% when you purchase them using the code OD2. Purchase tickets online at http://www.ClevelandOpera.org or by phone at 241-6000 on Mon 10/10 beginning at 10AM. All performances are at the Playhouse Square State Theatre.

Community of Minds Meeting on Tue 10/11 at 5:30PM will feature Scot Rourke, President of OneCleveland and Lev Gonick, Vice President for Information Technology Services, Case Western Reserve who are at the epicenter of the OneCleveland/Digital City initiative which has the power to transform our regional economy. Hear their thoughts and get your questions answered over hors d’oeuvres during this no cost event. Register here. 1890 at The Arcade, located in the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade, 420 Superior Avenue.

CC KIDS Aerospace Visionary Burt Rutan the design genius behind Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world without stopping to refuel, and SpaceShipOne, the world’s first privately funded spacecraft, will be the highlight of the daylong conference on “Innovation: A Strategic Imperative” on Tue 10/11 from 7:15AM-4:30PM. The Presidential Citizen’s Medal and Lindbergh Award winner will share his insight on innovation. Call 687-2929 or email nohrps@comcast.net or register online at http://www.NOHRPS.org. Tri-C’s Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights.

CC KIDS The Jasper String Quartet will perform Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in D Major Opus 20 No. 4 and Ravel’s Quartet in F Major during a Brownbag Concert on Wed 10/12 at noon. The Oberlin Conservatory quartet features J. Freivogel and Evan Few on violin, Sam Quintal on viola and Rachel Henderson on cello. Call 579-9745 or visit http://www.mandpa.org for information or a full schedule of concerts. Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue.

CC KIDS BreastFest Get your mind out of the gutter! This annual event on Wed 10/12 from 3-9PM will bring together local musicians, artists and other members of the community to raise funds for breast cancer patients. The beneficiary of this year’s event will be the Northern Ohio Breast Cancer Coalition. Visit http://www.BreastFest.net for an up to date listing of the who’s who of regional and local acts that will be performing and artists whose work will be available for sale. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, One Key Plaza.

CSU Chamber Orchestra and Winds will perform a no cost concert on Wed 10/12 at 8PM. Hear Britten’s Lachrymae for Viola and String Orchestra featuring Cleveland Orchestra member and CSU faculty member, Arthur Klima; Arensky’s Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky and Octet, Op. 71 by Théodore Gouvy. Call 687-5100. Drinko Hall, Music and Communication Building on CSU’s Campus, 2001 Euclid Avenue.

CC KIDS GroundWorks at High Noon As part of its commitment to deepen the exchange between its artists and the community, GroundWorks will perform at Tri-C’s acclaimed “Showtime At High Noon” series on Wed 10/12 at noon in a no cost concert that is a true gift to the community. Playhouse Square, Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue. http://www.GroundWorksDance.org.

WCLVnotes Tonight, Wed 10/5, WCLV 104.9 presents a CIM Live broadcast from Kulas Hall featuring faculty members performing the Beethoven Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1; and the Brahms Piano Quartet, Op. 26. On Thurs 10/6 at 9PM, we help celebrate Gerhardt Zimmermann’s 25th anniversary season with the Canton Symphony with a conversation with the maestro and previews of selections he will be conducting on Sun 10/9 at Canton. Fri 10/7 at 9PM, we broadcast last Sunday’s Norton Memorial Organ Recital from Severance Hall featuring Paul Jacobs playing selections by Bach, Messiaen, Durufle, Reger and Widor. That evening at 10PM, WCLV observes the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper with a special program hosted by Norman Wain. Details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found on line at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Xela
Küschtik
Crooked River Groove Records

This is a good week to focus on Xela. On Wed 10/12 he departs for a month-long cross-country tour which will include St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Portland, San Diego, and San Francisco, but you can hear him perform this week before he leaves. Küschtik, Xela’s most recent CD, is a collaborative effort between Xela and the Cuyahoga Community College Arts and Technology Department. It was produced by Department Head Tommy Wiggins and is the first solo artist release on his label Crooked River Groove Records. Küschtik is an “unplugged” sort of thing, but that is the only way this CD is not hooked up. It’s Xela solo on guitar, except occasionally when he is joined by double bass and a splash of some mean lip trumpet. Küschtik contains all original material, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Trying to categorize his music as one thing or the other, or making comparisons with other artists really does not do Xela justice. Never derivative or imitative, Xela’s music is an intuitively perfect combination of various aspects of the many different genres and styles of music he has studied and absorbed…

Read the review by Laura Varcho here

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14387 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Birds of a Feather You know the old adage. Given that, consider forwarding this edition of Cool Cleveland on to a friend – they get as much out of it as you do. Plus, you’ll have something else to talk about next time you get together!

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

The Dutch Experience @ CSU 9/26-27 Will Dutch design save us? According to Aaron Betsky, the Keynote Speaker at last week’s “A New Perspective for Northern Ohio: Learning from the Dutch Experience” at Cleveland State University, it will. The two-day event, held at CSU’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, featured speakers from the Netherlands, as well as local and regional experts from across Northern Ohio. More than 250 guests attended the symposium, which was hosted by CSU, Kent State and the Cleveland chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Betsky, the Director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam, was the first of seven speakers from the Netherlands. Speaking in lecture tones and proselytizing more boldly than his peers, Betsky’s American roots perhaps made him more ready to promote the Dutch design format over the lagging American one. However, he was also the first to be reminded of the differences between the two and in particular, between Amsterdam and Northern Ohio…
Read the review by Chris Bongorno here

Forbidden @ Red Hen 9/29
What: A world premiere drama about the starcrossed lesbian romance between a German soldier’s wife and a young Jewish woman living underground in Nazi Germany, based on a true story.
Reasons to go: The evening’s chief pleasure is watching Liz Conway’s sexy intelligence as the danger-courting Felice — her angular unsentimentality continually brings layers of surprise to the script. Elizabeth Wood makes hausfrau Lily both soft-hearted and occasionally soft-headed, a nice contrast. Playwright Pat Rowe has chosen tiny details to illuminate the bureaucratic oppressions of the Nazis — like Jews not being allowed to own a bicycle. It’s a fascinating story that asks questions about idealizing Holocaust victims, even as it simply presents the human tragedy.
Caveats: There’s unevenness in the acting company, the script, and the low-budget production. At times Karen Gygli’s use of the Cabaret Dada space doesn’t take into account sightlines — several key scenes staged on the floor had audience heads constantly bobbing for an unobstructed view. The sexual chemistry doesn’t always click despite Lily’s “protesteth too much” declarations of love — but there’s a slipperiness to Conway’s Felice that makes that work on another level.
Backstory: This is Red Hen’s 10th anniversary of productions as Cleveland’s feminist theatre. British playwright/journalist Pat Rowe, who fashioned her play from the memoir “Aimee and Jaguar”, was in attendance on opening night.
Target audience: Adults who are willing to take their romance with an ironic bite.
Details: Red Hen, Cleveland Black Box Theatre (in Cabaret Dada), 1210 W. 6th, Cleveland. 216-556-0910. Thru 10/23. http://www.feministtheatre.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein lindaATcoolcleveland.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severence Hall 9/29 Surely, whatever one’s musical tastes, they can be satisfied by listening to the Turangalîla-Symphonie of Olivier Messiaen. Well, except for vocal music, that is. Otherwise, everything is in there, somewhere. Lush romanticism brushes against dissonance, which gives way to piano solos of fiendish difficulty (shades of Franz Lizst) and overall, the glistening, eerie effects of the ondes martenot, an instrument that defies easy description. Last week’s concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst on the podium consisted of just two works, the first of which provided vocal music and the latter everything else….
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

TopDog/Underdog @ the Beck Center 9/30 So you think you’re an actor? Then go see Ed Blunt and Jimmie D Woody play in TopDog/Underdog for a master-class on technique. These two burn up the stage with charisma and power: different presences, different kinds of intensity, but something for every actor to learn. This is the coolest, most intense theater I’ve seen in Cleveland since John Buck and Dudley Swetland in Israel Horovitz’s The Wakefield Plays at the old Actor’s Company. But the whole audience will be enthralled, rewarded, and surprised by these actors in this play. Ed Blunt portrays the quiet brother who has given up hustling three-card monte on the street after his partner is killed. He now works in white-face portraying President Lincoln at an arcade where people pay to sneak up behind him and shoot him with blanks while he slumps dead. It’s “sitting down work”, it’s “honest work”, but he’s living with his younger brother Booth in a tiny no-water walkup apartment, drinking and making up songs. Booth is frenetic in his desire to be like Lincoln was, and renames himself “Three-card” while he practices his moves, and begs Lincoln to teach him. Lincoln resolutely refuses, but after he’s fired from his job, replaced by a wax dummy, the brotherly friction heats up. Lincoln goes back to the street hustle and that night is challenged by brother Booth to play cards for real. It gets real, all right. This is not a play for the faint-hearted or the prissy-eared. The language is R-rated, and the emotions raw and rawer right to the end when they are rawest. Jimmie Woody is all over the stage, his energy enormous to portray his character’s palpable but self-deceptive ambition. Ed Blunt is the still point in the turning circle of this play. Powerfully present with minimal movement, it’s a pleasure to watch him create his character within the restraint that Lincoln has learned to bring to his existence. While Woody is exciting, and holds his own, barely, with Blunt, Blunt is brilliant. If you miss this, you’ll miss the best performance in town through 10/23.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales marcusATdesignerglass.com

TopDog/Underdog @ Beck Center for the Arts 9/30
What: Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about the explosive rivalry between two African-American men, a former con man and his younger brother.
Reasons to go: Both actors — the coolly handsome Ed Blunt and hyperactive, dreadlocked Jimmy D. Woodie — have so much charisma to spare, you could happily watch the production in Chinese and it would still be compelling to look at. Besides snappy dialogue that veers from comedy to confrontation, Parks has given her actors marvelously theatrical things to do, from Blunt’s impersonation of a white-faced Abraham Lincoln (the character works in a carnival shooting booth) and several sleight-of-hand 3-card monte games with patter — both handle them brilliantly.
Caveats: Director Dale Shields lets the pace go slack now and then, and the between-scene music he has chosen is too literal, underlying the themes too obviously. But the acting makes it a pleasure.
Backstory: Shields, Blunt, and Woodie all have major New York credits — from Blunt’s recent stint in Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington (whom he somewhat resembles) to Woodie’s work at LaMaMa ETC.
Target audience: Adults: Parks’ work is explicit in language and content.
Details: Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. 216-521-2540. Thru 10/23. http://www.beckcenter.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Travesty @ Cleveland Public Theatre 10/1 We went to see Travesty Dance Group at Cleveland Public Theatre this Saturday. The program was as advertised, three shorter and lighter pieces preceding the featured piece of the evening, Plenty: Surviving Fear and Depression. Time Trials choreographed by co-founder Rebecca Malcolm-Naib was a duet for Malcolm-Naib and Katherine Livingston. A set piece, a large clock face that the dancers reset from time to time, was also by Malcolm-Naib. The dance’s announced purpose was to explore the destructive impact of time constrains on relationships. Accordingly, the dancers’ harmonious unison and counterpoint movements at the beginning of the dance gave way to images of turmoil in which one dancer stood astride the other. She, a solo choreographed by Karen Stokes and danced by Julie Fox initially presented the dancer imprisoned in a fabric cage that is later revealed to be an upside down skirt…
Read the review by Victor and Elsa here

As You Like It @ Ohio Theatre 10/1 Set in the 1930s, Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It isn’t very funny at the beginning, but soon moves away from the concrete, black-and-white starkness of the city into the lush, sherbet shades of the countryside, where comedy seems to grow amongst the trees and meadows of the Forest of Arden. But cross-dressing, mistaken identity, loyalty and treason also flourish in this environment. When Duke Senior is unjustly banished from the court of his younger brother, Duke Frederick, two young women are also affected. Senior’s daughter Rosalind and her cousin Celia, leave in company with the court clown Touchstone. Precipitating this latter event are the actions of another set of brothers, Oliver (the bad) and Orlando (the good). Rosalind has fallen in love with Orlando at first sight, but when Orlando’s life is threatened he leaves the court as well. She disguises herself as a young man (Ganymede) to make good her escape, protect Celia, and learn more about Orlando…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

The Designed Mourner @ CPT 10/2
What: Wallace Shawn’s play of ideas about a violent cultural revolution, featuring a “lowbrow” husband and the two people who define his life: his “highbrow” wife and the famous intellectual father she worships.
Reasons to go: The acting is splendid, starting with Randy Rollison’s caustically funny motormouth turn as the haunted narrator husband, forever feeling inferior as he takes his own emotional pulse six times a minute. Jill Levin has a lovely quiet intelligence as wife Judy, and Robert Williams, Jr. embodies a patrician sneer as famous author Howard. Director Jyana S. Gregory makes the first act tautly funny, creating a believable family dynamic that leavens the script’s incessant talkiness.
Caveats: As the play turns more political and philosophical in the second act, Shawn’s script can’t support the weight, especially as the narcissistic dimensions of his protagonist overwhelm the plot points. Is it a send-up of liberal intellectuals versus a know-nothing pop culture, or the story of an envious little man whose navel-gazing trumps all? Shawn has always been known for his unreliable narrators, but here the script’s intent is hard to read.
Backstory: CPT Artistic Director Rollison doesn’t often take the stage, but this year he has big roles in both fall CPT productions — including the role of Scrooge in the upcoming “Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge”.
Target audience: Sophisticated audiences for whom literary language and oblique tangents hold no terror.
Details: Thru 10/22, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. 216-631-2727. http://www.cptonline.org. from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On Ingenuity We went down on Sunday and we thought it was great! We especially liked what was happening on E. 4th St. We would have loved to bring the kids down for the parade on Thursday night but, that was impossible with school the next day and after school practices already started up. My suggestion is that you have the parade on Saturday at noon, like Parade the Circle.
from Cool Cleveland reader Gail Anderson gail.andersonAT worldnet.att.net

On the Cleveland Mayoral election What irks me is when a Clevelanders say something like, I would never vote for Mayor Campbell again. Then I respond, why? And then usually the conversation goes something like, well she has done a horrible job, or we are in worse shape. Then I usually challenge and say something like, specifically what has she done good or bad, and the response is usually, I don’t know. People please get educated! Do some research, investigate platforms, agendas, experience and make an informed decision before Election Day!!!
from Cool Cleveland reader Roxanne Smith smith_roxanneAThotmail.com

On Ohio foreclosures (See Ohio, foreclosure capital of the USA here) Sorry, I’m not buying the political twaddle on how the Ohio Commerce Department is “doing everything they need” as far as foreclosures go and what we need is “consumer education.” I am a legal assistant and paralegal, and our attorneys are currently being faced with inordinate quantities of foreclosures and bankruptcies due to foreclosures. From this vantage point, the blame sits squarely on the shoulders of the banks, who refuse to work with their clients, choosing instead to sue and dispossess them of their homes. It’s all a big money-grubbing game to them and the losers are, as usual, the little guy. Big Business likes to tell us how all these foreclosed people are deadbeats and cheats. While I agree that there is always the small percentage of “deadbeats” in any equation of finance, what I see here are people who are allowed credit by the banks far beyond the market price of their real estate (with the attendant exorbitant interest rates). I also find the original lenders selling their notes and mortgages to “servicing companies” like Fairbanks Capital Corporation, who was sued and required to repay millions of dollars back to its clients for unwarranted servicing fees, late fees due to their failure to notice the mortgagors of the change of agent, and so forth. This practice still goes on–they just change their names when the heat is turned up. Then there is the issue of loss of income due to unemployment, medical disabilities, or whatever else has contributed to a borrower’s inability to make the mortgage payments. When a borrower loses his income, for whatever reason, one would expect that the lender would work with them until they’re back on their feet. This is not the case. Lenders would rather sue and get the property (which they can then resell at a higher price) than work with their client. What the financial institutions need is a major overhaul and better regulations on how they lend money, establish market values, and deal with their clients, who have placed their trust in them. Once this is accomplished, the quantity of foreclosures and bankruptcies will be drastically reduced.
from Cool Cleveland reader Marge Pauls mmpaulsATsbcglobal.net

It seems to me that everyone forgets that Cleveland was made an enterprise zone by the Clinton administration. During this time period lenders like 5th 3rd bank, Sky Bank, and other introduced the zero down, 1% down programs to the City of Cleveland and also distressed suburbs. Now years later, the mortgagors who had no equity to start with, go back and refinance a property for greater than 100% of value and everyone wonders why there are problems. When I bought my first house, I put 30% down and was worried sick if I would be approved for a loan. The lender sure made me sweat out an approval. Now a days, it seems as though, if you put a mirror under someone’s nose and you see steam, LOAN APPROVED. Also, if you look at all the mortgagors out there, you see them driving giant gas guzzling SUV’S, paying auto loans for more than my house payment and wondering why they can’t make house payments. Not to mention the soon to be norm of over $3.00 per gallon. The European’s and others in the world are probably just laughing as they pay 2 – 3 Euro per liter. They see the richest nation in the world singing the blues.
from Cool Cleveland reader Richard Ramos somarkcirAThotmail.com

On Cool Cleveland Tom, not sure you’ll get this, but I wanted to thank you for your continuing efforts with Cool Cleveland. Thanks for getting the word out!
from Cool Cleveland reader Michael Novak mtnovakATchessfinancial.com

I have to tell you — (I don’t know if you even get this e-mail) — TOM, you have done a simply marvelous job on this thing. I think it’s the best reading about the city out there.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mark Avsec mavsecATbfca.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Cool Cleveland Interview Thomas gets Tim Mueller’s tips on becoming rich and famous. www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Dine For America Raising funds for Katrina victims with food. http://www.DineForAmerica.org/

3) Cleveland #24 for entrepreneurs Entrepreneur Magazine ranks the Cleveland-Akron area HIGHER than San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle and Minneapolis. www.Entrepreneur.com

4) Off The Hook! was the issue that we profiled Suzie Frazier-Mueller in. www.CoolCleveland.com

5) Bruce blog discusses Mayor’s race, GenX Get a heapin’ slice of Hotel Bruce a la blog. www.HotelBruce.com

Tired of the Same Old, Same Old? Looking for a new, effective way to advertise your client’s message? People dig us and our reach extends to tens of thousands of loyal readers every week. Round out your marketing strategy with an on-line option that gets results. Check this out: “As an organization, our challenge involves attracting a younger demographic to our concerts. With a combination of advertising and sponsorship at Cool Cleveland events, we have achieved our 2005 goals. It’s obvious when I look into the younger faces of our audience before each concert.” − Maria Armijo, Red {an orchestra}. Contact info@CoolCleveland.com for info about advertising.

Distributing the load makes all the work that goes into Cool Cleveland a bit easier. Working smarter, not harder this week is Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Marcus Bales, Laura Varcho, Victor Lucas, Elsa Johnson, Linda Eisenstein, and Kelly Ferjutz. Thanks to them and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. See the Cool Cleveland TV Update on WKYC NBC TV by clicking here. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

You say you want a revolution…?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2005 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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