Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Euclid Ave Construction - revisited

I haven’t written about the fiasco on Euclid Ave. for awhile. It was getting repetitious – no progress, few if any workers, blocked lanes, etc.

Just yesterday I waited (and waited) at a light at East 40th and Euclid. The several middle lanes for the bus were unused. The bike lanes were unused. But the one lane they left open for car traffic was packed.

And where a person used to be able to safely wait for the bus from the sidewalk, they now have to cross the street and walk down the middle to the bus stop.

As I waited for the light I saw two younger people jaywalk and cross Euclid to get to the bus stop. Worse, I witnessed an older woman with a cane cross at the crosswalk and laboriously make her way down to the bus stop. This is progress?

Euclid up by University Circle is still a joke. There is one lane open for traffic in each direction. That’s outrageous.

So on Monday when an emergency vehicle had to get through, all hell broke loose. I hope the delay the vehicle had to endure did not harm anyone.

On this beautiful sunny day there were zero workers between Mayfield and Chester on Euclid. 2 cops “assisting” traffic but nobody working. And that is typical.

And if you never get to, say, Playhouse Square, take a trip down just to see the mess in the streets.

Somebody should be held accountable for this.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Tim Russert

What a tragedy. Tim Russert passed away, apparently of a heart attack, at age 58 today.

Best known for hosting Meet the Press, Tim Russert is a fellow John Carroll University alumnus. In fact, he was a few years ahead of my sister Pat and they dated. We always kidded her that she made the wrong choice in marrying husband Tom, instead of Tim Russert.

I saw him speak at a benefit for Tri-C a few years back and he seemed like a very regular guy. When given a signed Cavs basketball, he showed off how he could palm it.


I reviewed his book, Big Russ and Me when it came out a few years ago. If you haven't read it yet, now's a perfect time (just before Father's Day) to check it out.

Tim was instrumental in bringing a little known band from the East Coast to JCU - a guy by the name of Bruce Springsteen and his band.

He will be missed.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Amazing new photo - Water on Mars

Even if you are not into astronomy or any kind of science, you will be amazed by the vivid colors in this photo (I believe it is the first) of water on Mars.

Check it out

Sunday, June 01, 2008

The Trash Can Icon

One of the things I like most about the PC industry is how new it is - and that I got to experience a lot of it.

In the late 1970’s, Robert X. Cringely joined the Homebrew Computer Club and met Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. They invited him to join their new company, Apple.

That kicked off an eventful career that led to his columns in InfoWorld Magazine, the book Accidental Empires and his PBS specials.

Cringely was the keynote speaker at the recent NEOSA Best of Tech Awards and I was able to capture some audio and ask a question.