Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Euclid Ave Construction

I have been pretty quiet recently about the lack of progress and the poor planning on this job because I see a handful of workers out there every day. Of course, the planners should never have counted on late November as having good enough weather to work but that’s just another example of their ineptitude.

What bugs me the most the last few days is that sections of the street are now a single lane! So, for example, turning from Mayfield onto Euclid this AM, cars were backed up in the intersection because a bus was loading/unloading a block down Euclid and there was nowhere to go. This extremely busy stretch of road that includes University Hospital (and all the emergency vehicles!), bus lines, CWRU and all the University Circle Institutions is limited to a single lane.

That’s beyond poor planning.

If there was some great new benefit that the community would enjoy because of this, the hardships would be more easily digested. But if/when this is ever completed, the quality of life won’t be improved – except for those few who were awarded huge contracts for this work.

With all the issues Cleveland has, throwing money away like this is a crime. Someone should be held accountable.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Ed Corrigan


Assistant County Prosecutor Ed Corrigan was killed Thursday morning in a car accident.

For those of you who didn't know, Ed was instrumental in the original incorporation and then the 501c3 status for Computers Assisting People (CAP) Inc.

He volunteered his time and expertise and was with CAP from the beginning. Though extremely busy as prosecutor in the major case group - prosecuting homicides and sexual assaults - he never turned down a request for help from CAP.

He was a straightshooter, hard-working and honest - the kind of guy we wish there were more of. I (and others) always asked him when he was going to run for judge. That was in his near-term plans - he was doing such great work as a prosecutor that he wanted to help there for a while longer. He would have made a fantastic judge.

He served on the CAP Board of Directors from day one.

Ed was only 48 years old.

Please keep Ed and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

He will be missed greatly.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

6 boys on Iwo Jima


Sometimes when we look at statues or monuments we think of the "old-timers" that they honor. Often, in reality, the statues honor very young people.

The "men" in the famous Iwo Jima photo and monument were teenagers with the "old man" being 24.

When you read about who the 6 boys were and what happened to them, hopefully it will open your eyes, as it did mine, to the true meaning of Veteran's Day.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

iCheap

I just got around to reading the Forbes 400 issue of Forbes Magazine. No, I didn't see my name there.

They had one section called "Cutting Big Checks" that lists the Net Worth, Donated Wealth and Percentage of Wealth given away.

As you might guess, Bill Gates leads the pack having given away $42 billion or 42% of his wealth.

Gordon Moore, Ted Turner, Eli Broad, Alfred Mann and Warren Buffett all come across pretty well too.

But of the $5.7 billion that Apple chief Steve Jobs has, he has given away ZERO, NADA, NIL to philanthropic causes. ZERO!!!

How this marketing genius keeps his "cool" image is beyond me. Having that kind of wealth and not donating any of it is iPathetic, iCheap and iDisgusting.

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union

Usually I just post reviews of business, tech or science books on the GreatLakesGeek site.

But I try to do other reading as well and just finished an interesting novel called The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michale Chabon.

As is stated in the review, "I like detective stories. I like alternative histories and I love the Yiddish language - it is so rich and descriptive. So I should have really enjoyed The Yiddish Policemen’s Union. I did enjoy it but not as much as I thought I would."


The framework of Jews finding refuge in Sitka "Alyeska" instead of Israel during/after World war II is a great place to start. But it never developed enough, in my opinion.

Yiddish is so rich, yet the alternative history development was not as deep as it could have been.

Still it's a worthwhile read. Check out my complete review.