What heritage are you?

I am always surprised when I do the monthly web statistics for ClevelandPeople.Com

From the population of Cleveland, I would expect the most visited groups would be German, Irish, African-American, Italian, Jewish, Hungarian, Polish, etc.

But it often is completely different.

In August the most visited groups were

#1 Filipino
#2 Irish
#3 Korean
#4 Indian (Asian)
#5 Bavarian

I guess I can understand why. We have some great videos of dancers at the Filipino Festival, pics and video from the Indian Picnic at Squire's Castle and it's almost Oktoberfest for the Bavarians.

Not eating properly?

I may not always eat the right things but I have no problem eating a lot of things. (grin)

But many older people do. If you have older relatives or are a caretaker for someone, you may be interested in the 10 Signs That Older Adults are Not Eating Properly

As the study says, "When it comes to healthy aging, good nutrition is the first line of defense in keeping seniors strong and independent, according to the results of a recent study about the effect of nutrition on older adults."

Oktoberfest

It sure feels like October out there!

Next weekend is Labor Day already and we have some free tickets to give away to the Oktoberfest at the County Fairgrounds in Berea.

Fill out the simple form at your choice of websites below.

Good Luck



ClevelandSeniors.Com

ClevelandWomen.Com

ClevelandPeople.Com

Cleveland People

It's official!

After over a year of "soft" releases, ClevelandPeople.Com has officially launched.

We had a terrific launch party at Margaret Wong's offices and a diverse and representative group of people attended.

Some great photos

Here's one I like of Councilman Mike Polensek and Mansfield Frazier.



Nice spread (from Pearl of the Orient) too!

Jessica Biel is dangerous

McAfee Inc. reported that searches for the 27-year-old actress are more likely to lead to online threats such as spyware and viruses than searches for any other celebrity.

McAfee said fans searching for the actress have a one-in-five chance of ending up at a Web site designed to damage one's computer. Its the third annual report on the subject from McAfee, which last year found that Brad Pitt was the "most dangerous" celeb online.

"Cybercriminals are star watchers, too," said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee's product development. "They latch onto popular celebrities to encourage the download of malicious software in disguise."

Following Biel in the report, in order, were Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Brady and Jessica Simpson.

McAfee noted President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are curiously safe searches, ranking no. 34 and no. 39, respectively

Steak 101

OK, I can tell a T-bone. It's got a T-bone (duh). But I must admit I don't really know a Delmonico from a Porterhouse.

But Ed Jesse from Old World Meats in Euclid does. He and his wife Sharon explained the different steaks (including why some are more expensive) in a short video for us.

Check it out.

Anyone else getting hungry?

Valdis Krebs - a different view

Valdis Krebs is a smart guy. Not only that, he brings some different opinions and strategies to the whole Social Media discussion.

While many are busy collecting followers (as if there was an award for it!) Valdis is very selective and even purges followers occasionally.

As a scientist working on network maps, Valdis' ideas can give a productivity boost to your Twitter and other Social Media strategies.

Watch some highlights and learn more in a short video from the CoolTwitter Conference.

CAP Milestone - Volunteer Video

Computers Assisting People (CAP) has refurbished and donated over 15,000 PCs to over 380 Cleveland schools and non-profits.

To celebrate, we created a short 3 minute video featuring some of our volunteers.

Pretty in Pink

I just got my driver's license renewed and - gulp - it's pink!

Of course people are never happy about their driver's license photo but this is the first time I've had a complaint about the background.

This Bud's for You

Some e-mails have been going around saying that now that Budweiser has been sold, the beloved Clydesdales will be phased out.

My friend (and horse lover/aficionado) Judy Lococo wrote to Budweiser and here's part of the reply.

Hello Judy,

Steve here with Budweiser. From one fan of the Budweiser Clydesdales to another, I am honored to hear that you rank the gentle giants up there with the symbol of our country.

I’m also glad that you wrote to us to get to the bottom of any rumors you may have heard. I can tell you first that in November we did merge with a global company. Here in the U.S. we’re still Anheuser-Busch, and the core elements of our business will remain the same. Some examples:

Anheuser-Busch beers will continue to be brewed by American workers at our 12 local breweries.

Budweiser will continue to be brewed according to the recipe laid down by our founder in 1876.

The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will continue to represent the Budweiser brand, and will be a key element in helping grow the Great American Lager in new markets all over the globe.

The ancestral home of our company’s founding Busch family, Grant’s Farm, will remain open, and continue to provide enjoyment for St. Louisans and visitors to our city as it has for the past 50 years.

Not only will we continue to support the Clydesdales, but we ran three new spots featuring the horses in the 2009 Super Bowl (you can see them on Budweiser.com), and we also just built them a new home and breeding facility.

Glad to hear it!

Business Networking event draws 1000

People are hungry. Why else would almost 1000 people venture out on a Tuesday night in July and pay $5 to mix with other people in their situation.

Drew Grdina used LinkedIn to organize the event at the Shaker Hts Country Club. It seemed that most of the crowd was looking for work and a large percentage had IT skills and/or background.

I don't know what the results of the meet-up will be. Lots of business cards were exchanged and people were aggressive in their introductions. This was not a shy, wallflower, hang-with-your-friends event.

See a video and/or listen to a podcast of event organizer Drew Grdina at the event.

If you were there, please comment with your impressions.

Is LeBron James a rat?

Well, if he doesn't re-sign with the Cavs he will be. But I mean an actual rat.




Near the new Ox sculpture at the Ohio Technical College on East 51st street was a rat sculpture that I had missed before. Yes, it was the Chosen One - LeBron James.

See more pictures of NBA MVP LeBron James rat

Not happy with laptop direction

I have a problem with the trend toward sealed batteries in laptops and other devices. Instead of the removable and replaceable batteries that we have seen, some are moving to sealed in batteries that you can't replace or carry a spare.

Dell has a new high-end laptop with sealed in batteries and of course the iPhone, iPod, etc. are sealed in. Apple seems to be converting its entire line to sealed in batteries. The new 13" and 15" MacBook Pro laptops have sealed in batteries.

They have a longer life and Apple claims they can be recharged up to 1000 times. That would last about 5 years for the average user which they say is all you need.

If the battery dies you are in trouble. You'd have to go to the Apple store for repair.

And forget about carrying a spare battery for a long trip or 'just in case.' That may be a moot point though as Walt Mossberg said less than 5% of consumer laptop owners have bought a spare battery. I have spares though and think that number is low.

My biggest problem with the sealed in battery is the planned obsolescence of the laptop. What do you do in 5 years when the battery is dead, dispose of it? Buy a new one? Many will want to buy a new device and can afford to. But many cannot.

At Computers Assisting People we get old laptops donated that are perfectly useful for the schools and non-profits that we help out. Usually the battery is dead or dying and we scour eBay and other websites for replacements to make them useful again. This could not happen with sealed in battery devices.

The people on the wrong side of the Digital Divide will again suffer.

Please let us know (vote at GreatLakesGeek.com) if you have ever bought a spare battery for a laptop or other device. Also, please leave comments about the prospect of sealed-in batteries either there or on this blog.

Cleveland's sister city in France

Did you know that Cleveland has a bunch of Sister Cities around the world? The idea is to boost trade and tourism but I'm not sure how active the relationships have been.

Mayor Frank Jackson visited one of the sister cities, Rouen France, last year and a delegation from Rouen visited Cleveland the week of the 4th of July.

The delegation met with peers at Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Lubrizol, CWRU and more.

See more including a video of Mayor Fourneyron's spech

Statue at Browns Stadium

The Bob Feller statue at the Cleveland Indians ballpark is a popular meeting place and photo op. It's hard to argue with the choice of Rapid Robert as having this honor. His skills and character made him an easy choice.

It's not so easy with the Cleveland Browns. Jim Brown is probably the greatest running back in the history of the game. But some people are concerned with his brushes with the law.

Otto Graham was a revolutionary quarterback and deserving of his place in the NFL Hall of Fame. But he played so long ago (as did other worthy candidates such as Dante Lavelli, Marion Motley, etc) that generations of fans don't know him.

Paul Brown revolutionized the game but it may be hard to honor someone who started a rival franchise in Cincinnati.

Lou 'the Toe' Groza merits consideration but a kicker/lineman isn't as vital to a team usually as a QB or running back.

Younger people may vote for Bernie Kosar, Brian Sipe, Leroy Kelly, Paul Warfield and others from the Kardiac Kids days through the present.

I'm not 100% sure yet but I think my vote would go to Jim Brown. And my choice to never be honored? Art Modell of course.

Who do you think should be honored. Vote here

#1 Milestone Document in US History

OK. This one is predictable. Its the Declaration of Independence, followed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as #3.

The People's Vote, co-sponsored by the National Archives and Records Administration, National History Day, and U.S. News & World Report, invited Americans of all ages and educational backgrounds to vote for 10 of 100 milestone documents drawn mainly from the holdings of the National Archives.

The rest of the Top 100 are interesting.

Hot enough to melt gold?

To keep the little kids happy and safe, parents often hand them a sparkler on the 4th of July. It seems like a safe way to give them the thrill of firecrackers.

I just learned from Prevent Blindness Ohio that sparklers actually burn at 1800 degrees which is hot enough to melt gold!

Sparklers also cause one half of fireworks injuries in children five years old and younger.

So let's be careful out there this weekend.

Some more interesting fireworks facts and advice

Social media - legal concerns

Many of us have been so wrapped up in social media - Linked In, Facebook, Twitter and the like - that we haven't really considered how they change things from an employer's perspective.

Can you screen job prospects by what's on their Facebook page? Can you ask an employee for their social media password?

Though we sometimes tend to think that social media is so dramatically different that it requires new rules, that is not always the case.

In this new podcast at GreatLakesGeek.com , two expert attorneys from Brouse McDowell answer some of the legal questions of social media

Year of the Ox Public Art in Cleveland

Have you seen the Ox yet?

They are spread around Asia Town (St Clair/Superior/Payne/etc) in Cleveland

Great public art to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Ox.

Look at the pitures and vote for your favorite.

Cleveland Cooks

Debbie Hanson discusses and signs Cleveland Cooks Volumes 1 and 2

Tuesday, June 30

7:00PM at Joseph Beth Booksellers at Legacy Village

Cleveland Cooks is a great compilation of fantastic recipes submitted by local celebrities and residents that give the best of Cleveland, as well as, old-world ethnic dishes grandma used to make. Food samples will be given to those in attendance!

More Information

Save our libraries

I have never been one to vote a straight party ticket. That seems ridiculous to me. But there are 2 issues that I think I have always voted for: Funding for Mental Retardation/Special Needs and the Libraries.

Our library system is the most democratic institution we have. Anyone can get a library card. Anyone can learn all that they want. It's only in recent history that books have been available to the masses and we take that for granted.

Yet we still can't purchase all the books and other information we want. Libraries are the great equalizer.

My old pal Joe was born in a poor neighborhood and he practically lived in his local branch. One summer he began reading every book in the library, one after the other.

He has the best vocabulary of anyone I ever met and is today a government lawyer in DC.

We all have our library stories.

Read Amy Kenneley's story and then get out there and let the Governor know not to cut library funding.

Don't follow that link

Lots of people have been getting the Microsoft Outlook/Outlook Express Critical Update e-mail. It is a fake. DO NOT click on the link even though it appears to be going to Microsoft site.

Spread the word

Juneteenth Celebration at African American Gardens

The 4th Annual Juneteenth Celebration was held in Cleveland Friday evening June 19, 2009 at the Cozad-Bates House and Saturday June 20, 2009 at the African American Cultural Gardens.


An explanation of Juneteenth along with some great pictures and videos are at ClevelandPeople.Com

Do NOT miss the last video of the youngsters from Peace in the Hood. I still have the "Don't fight it out..." chant in my head

Thrilla in Manila at TECHnic

Boundless Flight morphed their annual summer picnic into a joint Gathering of the Geeks on Saturday June 20, 2009. CEO Gary Baney invited other companies, user groups and various tech people to join the Boundless Flight team at the picnic grounds at St. Sava's in Parma.

Food, drink, music, raffles, networking and camaraderie were plentiful. One of the highlights was the 'Thrilla in Manila' 100 yard dash challenge between Baney and Boundless Flight Engagement Executive Heidi Hooper.

Watch the grudge match dash at TECHnic - the video does not lie!

Burning the US Flag

No, this isn't a call to anarchy. I'm talking about the respectful retirement of faded and threadworn old American flags.

For almost 20 years, Boy Scouts have been gathering at Lake View Cemetery on Flag Day with a huge pile of flags they have collected. Then they go through a process of cutting, burning and finally burying the ashes. It's fascinating to watch

Check out pictures and a video of the 2009 Flag Day retirement.

Cleveland's Madame Curie

While scientists respect Madame Marie Sklodowska Curie for her pioneering work in radioactivity, discovering the elements radium and polonium and other accomplishments, women scientists especially revere her.

Even after her first Nobel Prize, she was denied entrance to the French Academy of Science because she was a woman.

Curie was one of only two people to win 2 Nobel Prizes in 2 different fields. Linus Pauling won in Chemistry and then a Peace prize. Madame Curie won in Chemistry and Physics. Wow!

A statue of Madame Curie was dedicated Sunday in the Polish Cultural Garden in Cleveland. Several hundred people came to the event. Photos and videos from the event.

Adding to the event was the keynote given by Dr. Marie Siemionow from the Cleveland Clinic. In 2008, Dr. Siemionow led a team of six surgeons in a 22-hour surgery, performing the first face transplant in the United States.

There are many parallels between Dr. Siemionow and Madame Curie.

Watch video and see more from Dr. Siemionow's presentation.

Packy Hyland Sr.

I’d like to express my condolences to the family and friends of Packy Hyland Sr. who passed away last week at the too young age of 67.

I first ran into Packy at a meeting of the John Carroll University Private Sector Group back in 1990. He knew I was in tech and asked me a few questions about what I thought of this idea his kids had for a business.

Later he stood up at the meeting and said that his kids had an idea for a business and they thought it would be a big success. He (self-deprecatingly) said he didn’t understand it 100% but they thought it would be big. He asked the group for our opinions and support.

Of course, Hyland Software has become the most successful software story in the region. Sure the products and culture are terrific but the quality of the people, like Packy and his family, are what made Hyland succeed.

I’d run into Packy at events several times each year and he always had a good word and an interest in what would happen next. He could have easily rested on his Hyland Software laurels but he stayed active in working on new ventures. It was in his blood.

I last saw Packy when he stopped in at my church (St. Philomena’s in East Cleveland) for Mass one weekend. I was surprised to see this Westsider in my neighborhood but Packy was always trying new things. We had a good chat about business and life and went our separate ways.

I will miss these meetups with Packy. He was truly one of a kind. Heaven just got themselves a heck of an entrepreneur and a heck of a guy.

Get Well Bobby 'Bingo' Smith

Bobby ‘Bingo’ Smith is one of only 6 Cleveland Cavaliers to have his number retired and hanging from the rafters at The Q. The Cavaliers retired his jersey on Dec. 4, 1979.
Bobby Smith, played 10 seasons and over 700 games with the Cavaliers, helping to shape and mold the young expansion team into playoff contenders.

Bingo’ sweet rainbow jumpers were often the highlight of many dismal games for the young team. Fans will remember announcer Joe Tait’s cry of “Bingo!” after another swish from Smith.

In the “Miracle of Richfield” season, Bingo was a key piece of that scrappy team. In Washington for Game 2, Smith scored a team-leading 17 points and made the game-winning shot with just seconds remaining to secure the 80-79 victory. The win served as the first playoff victory for the franchise and propelled the Cavaliers past the Bullets and into the Eastern Conference Finals.

“Bingo” ranks in the top 10 all time in franchise history in nine different categories [Games Played (2nd), Field Goals Made (2nd), Field Goals Attempted (2nd), Minutes Played (3rd), Points Scored (4th), Assists (10th), Free Throws Made (10th) and Free Throws Attempted (10th)].

Recently, Bingo Smith has been fighting some health problems.
We want him to know that the Cleveland fans support him and wish him the best.

We will be at FanFest at the Q Saturday night before the game with a giant card for you to sign. You can also appear on a video greeting to #7.
If you can’t make it to the Q, please send us your messages and we will get them to Bingo.


Cards can be mailed to
Bingo
3150 Payne Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114

Or you can send them via e-mail to qa@clevelandseniors.com

Or join the Facebook page (get Well Bingo Smith)

Memorial Day Cookout for Geeks

You have to love this special grill accessory for bean counters, geeks and their ilk. See another at GreatLakesGeek.com

Always be prepared

That's the boy scout motto. Of course I was not a boy scout so things happen.
For example, I was at the terrific CWRU CollabTech last week.

At the lunch keynote there was a small cake on each table. Also a baggie with a candle, book of matches and a note not to do anything till asked.

Near the end of the keynote, speaker Larry Johnson had us all light the cakes and everyone sang Happy Birthday to CWRU CIO Lev Gonick, host of CollabTech.

Johnson sprung the announcement pretty fast so by the time I fumbled around and got my videocam out, I only caught the end of the song.



See more from the event

Horse Fest 2009

There's a lot to do this weekend but one of the coolest things is HorseFest 2009 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark.



Horses, contests, horses, demonstrations, horses, saddle demos, horses, jumping competition - and horses!

Not bad for a few miles outside the city in Kirtland.

Details of HorseFest 2009

Best and Worst countries for Mothers

An organization called Save the Children has been reporting for 10 years on the best and worst countries for mothers.

I expected the US to be in the top 2 or 3 but unfortunately we don't because of our high infant mortality rate. The US ranks # 27!

The Mothers' Index ranks the best and most difficult places to be a mother among 158 countries. Among the top 10 best places: Sweden ranks first, followed by Norway, Australia, Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands.

Among the bottom 10 places: Niger ranks last, followed by Sierra Leone, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Sudan, Angola, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Check out more details

Snow Bunnies in new Convention Center

It's refreshing to hear some new and innovative ideas. Jim Gilmore offers several for Cleveland in his interview with Team Geek columnist Tim Zaun.

For example, he says, "What we ought to do is invent the world's first convention center specifically designed to host winter events. Never-been-seen-before outdoor meeting space ought to created, ice bars ought to be integrated, venue-issued parkas provided, sled rides from one level to another built into the place, and so on. Make meeting planners want to come here in January for the wonderful winter-based experience. "

I love it!

Or how about, "I'd like to see us re-think Public Square. It's been cleaned up but needs a Wow. Think something radically different, like hiring Jon Jerde to enclose it under some uniquely designed dome."

Cool! Check out some more ideas

Do you get Twitter?

There are two kinds of people out there - those who get Twitter and those who don't.

It's easy for someone to grasp the usefulness of a social network like LinkedIn or Facebook but a lot of people have a problem understanding the value of frequent 140 character messages on Twitter.

So I asked Jason Therrien of Thunder::Tech about Twitter and he gives some good advice in this podcast.

Like you should only tweet with about the same frequency that you eat each day. 3-4 times. Listen to some more good ideas.

BTW, you can follow me at Twitter at

http://twitter.com/DanHanson for general stuff

http://twitter.com/greatlakesgeek for techie/science biz stuff and

http://twitter.com/clevelandpeople for info about the many different cultural groups and heritages we have in town.

Barbecue for Bean Counters

You know they type. Maybe you are that type. CPA's and other bean counters sometimes just can't relax - even while camping or at a summer barbecue.

Now they can order up a special grill accessory.



More Geek Fun

The way things work

The current economic conditions are forcing companies to make hard decisions. There is a risk we may have to lay off Andre.

Employee Happiness Kit

Due to the hard economic times and otherwise depressing state of the world today, all personnel will now be required to at least look happy while working.
Company-approved supplies will be provided to each employee at little or no cost.


Check out the Employee Happiness Kit

Cleveland Cavaliers spoof Heineken commercial

The Cavs are sure having fun this season. Just don't let it interfere with the One Goal (like in the 4th Q of Game 2!)

Mike Brown - NBA Coach of the Year

Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown has been named the winner of the Red Auerbach Trophy as the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2008-09 season, the NBA announced today.

Brown received a total of 355 points, including 55 first-place votes out of a possible 122, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Coaches were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

Brown directed the Cavaliers to an NBA and franchise-best 66-16 (.805) record. With the 66 victories, Cleveland became just the 12th team in NBA history to win 66 or more games in a season. The Cavaliers also posted a 39-2 (.951) record at The Q, which tied for the second-best home record in league history. Their 27-14 (.659) road record tied for the second-best road record in the league this season.

“Mike Brown is one of these rare people that has nearly every tool in his tool box. He is smart, hard working, and selfless. He is curious and hungry to learn. He is philosophically driven and derives his decision making from his strong philosophy. Mike is a man of character and integrity. He is a natural leader and has a ‘magnetic charisma’ which automatically attracts people to him and his message. He has stuck to his ‘defense first’ strategy when it would have been much easier not to. As a human being, Mike treats everyone with respect no matter who they are or where they come from,” Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert said.

“Mike Brown is a critical element as to why our franchise is growing into the kind of success we all envisioned and hoped to achieve. I believe I speak for the entire Cleveland Cavaliers organization from players, to Mike’s staff, to our front office, from the business side and the people that work the games themselves, in conveying how excited and thrilled we are for Mike Brown and his family that he has been awarded ‘Coach of the Year’. There is no man more deserving and it proves to the world that, yes, nice guys CAN indeed, finish first.”

Cleveland improved its win total by 21 games from 2007-08 (45-37), tying the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers in NBA history for the second-largest improvement in wins of all teams that won at least 45 games in the previous season. Brown also oversaw NBA bests in terms of improvements in field goal percentage (from .439 to .468), three-point percentage (.358 to .393) and defensive field goal percentage (.455 to .431). The Cavs upped their points per game average from 96.4 to 100.3, the fifth-largest improvement, and lowered their points allowed from 96.7 to 91.4, the fourth best, in 2008-09.

For the first time in franchise history, Cleveland led the NBA in points per game differential (+8.9). The Cavs defense also allowed the fewest points per game in the league (91.4), the lowest opponent three-point percentage (.333) and the second-lowest opponent field goal percentage (.431). The Cleveland defense held opponents under 100 points an NBA-high 63 times (the Cavs were 56-7 in those games).
On the offensive end, Cleveland’s three-point field goal percentage (.393) ranked second, their field goal percentage of .468 ranked sixth and their 12.7 turnovers per game were the sixth-fewest in the NBA and lowest in franchise history. The Cavs won an NBA-best 41 games by 10 or more points.

Brown earned Eastern Conference Coach of the Month honors on three different occasions this season: in Dec. 2008, in Feb. 2009 and in March 2009, when he led Cleveland to 16 victories, tying the NBA all-time record for most victories in any month. At 39 years, 24 days old, he became the fourth-youngest coach to lead a team to 60 wins in a season. He joins Bill Fitch (1975-76) as the only head coaches in franchise history to receive the coach of the year award.

In four seasons as the head coach of the Cavaliers, Brown has a .643 regular season winning percentage (211-117), the best in franchise history and third among active coaches (Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich). The Cavs are one of just four teams (Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio) to have won at least 45 games in each of the last four seasons. Brown has led the Cavs to the postseason in each of his four seasons in Cleveland and reached at least the second round of the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons (one of just three teams to accomplish the feat along with Detroit and San Antonio). With a 27-20 (.574) record in the playoffs, Brown has the highest winning percentage and most wins of any head coach in Cavaliers history.

Wearing High Heels

I have never understood how women are able to walk around in high heels. I know we all do things to conform to societal standards but high heels seem incredibly uncomfortable and unstable.

Yet I continue to see women running (!) through downtown to make an appointment or catch a bus in these long pointy contraptions.

Women get it. Guys don't.

That may be the selling point of the book The Chic Entrepreneur: Put Your Business in Higher Heels by Elizabeth W. Gordon

The tagline ‘Learn how to take your business from flats to stilettos’ is a good summary but the book is not all girly-girl fluff. The author says you have to “combine style with industriousness.”

Read a review of the book from ClevelandWomen.Com

Healthy Food at an Indians game?

Hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and other such foods are common at the ballpark. But they aren't the most healthy food choices you can make.

Until now you didn't have a lot of options if you wanted healthier snacks while watching the Cleveland Indians.

In 2009, you are able to choose healthy, and delicious, food items at Progressive Field as the Tribe teams up with Cleveland Clinic.

Go Tribe and pass the Baba ghanoush!

See more & Listen to Cleveland Clinic Chef Jim Perko

LeBron James and the Cavs - this is the year

First time in my long suffering Cleveland sports lifetime that we have the best team in the league as we go into the playoffs. OK, a case could be made that the 1995 Indians were the best but this is clear cut.

Lots of good banners/murals at the Q. Take a look.

Go Cavs!

Hidden Cleveland Treasure

As a born and bred Clevelander (still have the 'Cleveland - you've got to be tough' T-shirt) I am always surprised when I discover some place I've never been or even heard about.

That's what happened when I found the very cool Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Tremont.

The Pysanky (beautiful, intricate Ukrainian Easter Eggs) are cool of course but there is so much more than that at the Museum.



And it's free!

Check it out at ClevelandPeople.Com

How does it stay in tune?

The bandura is a Ukrainian stringed instrument. I came across a bandura at the Ukrainian Museum in Tremont while doing a story for ClevelandPeople.Com.



As a (garage-band) guitar player, I know it can be difficult to keep 6 strings in tune. This bandura has 52 strings!

Look for more from the Ukrainian Museum (a hidden Cleveland treasure) coming up next week at ClevelandPeople.Com where we celebrate the numerous ethnic groups that make Cleveland special.

Look for the ClevelandPeople.Com photo of the week too.

Kiss of Death for Zydrunas?

Oh no! Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is the recipient of the fourth annual Austin Carr Good Guy Award, presented by the local chapter of the Pro Basketball Writers Association (PBWA).

Z is a great guy and deserves the award but the previous winners were:

2007-08 – Damon Jones
2006-07 – Drew Gooden
2005-06 – Larry Hughes


None of those guys are with the Cavs (or doing very well)

Gulp!

Conficker still a threat - easy way to test your PC

Mark Minasi sent this on. Joe Stewart, a fellow who's part of a group of concerned souls called the "Conficker Working Group" -- mostly big-name security and Internet infrastructure folks -- realized that because one of Conficker's side-effects is to block your access to certain security sites (Conficker's creators didn't want you down- loading anti-Conficker tools from those sites), he could build a non-blockable way of testing for infection.

How? It's a great idea: he put together a Web page containing links to several images from those blocked-if-you're-infected sites. See it and test your system

Funny Easter Pictures

See more funny Easter pictures

No more secret ballot?

No matter what your politics, the secret ballot should be held sacrosanct in the US. The secret ballot lets people vote how they want without fear of intimidation or retribution. It’s the American way.

As Steve Forbes says in this podcast, removing secret ballots is “more of a Soviet style way of doing a union election.”

In this snippet from a conference call, Steve Forbes focuses on the two most glaring problems with the Employee Free Choice Act which he calls the Employee Forced Choice Act, the removal of the secret ballot and the binding arbitration clause.

Small business owners constantly make changes and adapt – they have to. They are independent thinkers who move and react quickly to compete with larger companies and in a global economy. How many can survive two years of government mandated orders dictating the wages, salaries, benefits, vacations, etc in their workplace? Two years can be an eternity to a small business. Learn more about the EFCA.

I don't understand

According to ClevelandWomen.Com, these are the Top Ten things only Women understand:

10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.
8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6. Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers.
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

AND, the Number One thing only women understand:

1. Other Women

Bruce Springsteen exhibit at Rock Hall

I don't listen to any Boss but... Bruuuuce. Those were common t-shirts at the preview party for the Bruce Springsteen exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland on Tuesday March 31, 2009.

The exhibit is now open to the public and takes up floors 4 and 5 of the Rock Hall. From Bruce Springsteen's motorcycle to the guitar he used on (as featured on the cover of)Born to Run, the exhibit is a must-see for fans of the Boss.



See more photos from the Bruce Sprinsgteen preview party at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Wine & Gold make Green

The Cleveland Cavaliers will participate in the inaugural “NBA Green Week 2009” April 2nd through April 10th to highlight the league’s increasing involvement in environmental initiatives.

Fast Facts About How The Q and Cleveland Clinic Courts are Going Green:

Talkin’ Trash. The Q collected over four tons of recyclable materials in 2007-08 and is on track to exceed that tonnage during the 2008-09 season. In cooperation with Allied Waste Management and an assist from Cavs fans, we will continue to be progressive in our greening recycling efforts.

Drink responsibly! Beverages at The Q are served in corn plastic cups that biodegrade in one to five years. Concessionaire ARAMARK, transitioned its beverage serviceware throughout the arena from traditional plastic to corn plastic.


See the rest of the Green Cavs news

What were you doing at age 14?

I certainly didn't have the accomplishments of young Arianna Korting.

She's already played Carnegie Hall!



Read more about this amazing young Cleveland Woman

Where is this briefcase?

Where in downtown Cleveland would you find this briefcase?


Give up?

The Ten Cannots

This has been making the rounds in e-mail lately.

William J. H. Boetcker (1873 – 1962) was an American religious leader and influential public speaker.

The Ten ‘Cannots’
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.
And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

Oh say can you seeeeeeeee

Nobody sings the National Anthem like Rocco Scotti. It seems Rocco was always doing the anthem when I went to Tribe games back at Municipal Stadium. I haven't seen much of him since the Indians moved over to Jacobs Field, now Progressive Field.

So it was great to catch up with him in this profile on ClevelandSeniors.Com

Even better was the short audio message posted that includes Rocco belting out the first couple lines of the Anthem. He's 89 now but he still has the pipes!

March Math Madness

How many games in the NCAA tourney? Assuming we don’t count the play-in game for the 64th spot you can count up 32+ 16+ 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 and get 63.

It’s easy to determine the number of games played to determine a champion in a single elimination tournament. Say there are 64 teams in the tournament. When a team loses they are out so 63 teams must lose to determine the champ. That means 63 games are needed.

In general, if there are N teams in a single elimination tournament, you need to play N-1 games to get a champ.

If you want to make sure you have a perfect bracket you’d need to do every possible combination. With the play-in game, there are 64 games played. There are two possible outcomes for each game so the possible outcomes are 2 to the 64th power or about 18 quintillion.
GreatLakesGeek.com

You say Pirohi, I say Pierogi

So what do you call them?

The good people at St. Stephen's Byzantine Church call them pirohi and they've been making them each Lent for over 20 years. We always called them Pierogi but it's all good.

See some of the people making these treats and where you can get some.

Hats Off!

I'm not much of a hat person. Even when it's cold.

I know some guys who always have a baseball cap on. Why have something on your head when you don't need to?

Women have always been more into hats. I was reminded of this at the Virginia Marti Millinery Show this week. They must be fashionable because they sure aren't practical!

Check out some more hat pics from the event.

Rock on Cleveland!

I have a long history with live music in this town. Nothing says Cleveland or rock and roll to me as much as a live band in a neighborhood bar that has character, not cookie-cutter predictability.

I'm a charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and am thrilled that the 2009 induction ceremonies are back in Cleveland. I'm also thrilled that there will be an entire week of festivities that we can all partake in.

I got excited about the week listening to Rock Hall bigwigs Terry Stewart and Joel Peresman at Landerhaven last week.

Check out the audio and pictures at GreatLakesGeek.com
But the most fun has been the reminiscing. As I was writing, I started recalling bands and clubs I used to hang out at - and some I still do. A great trip down the proverbial memory lane.

But I know my list (curse you brain cells!) is limited and I'd really like my memory to be jogged so please look at the clubs and bands I mentioned here and then tell me the bands and clubs that were your favorites (either on this blog or at the Geek article)

Rock On!

PS I just know that Joe Perry and Steven Tyler will be there to induct and jam with Run DMC!

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

First the February thaw. Then the Swimsuit issue. Forget about that groundhog in PA - spring is not too far.

It's no surprise that the issue David Letterman reveals tonight on Late Night at the stroke of midnight will be nearly 33% advertising pages "thinner" because of the economy. Still, Swimsuit 2009 fared better than at its 20th anniversary in 1984 and its 30th in 1994.

It was a powerful franchise then (thank you, Christie Brinkley and Elle Macpherson) and a mega-franchise now. Over the 45 years since Swimsuit's "modest" debut in 1964, it has put an estimated $1 billion into Time Inc.'s coffers.

See the SI swimsuit covers

Hitler and the Browns

Not for the faint of heart



In case the embedding doesn't work for you

2009 Economic Forecast

I am always a little skeptical of economic forecasts. It seems that most economists, by their own admission, are what they call two-handed economists.

This means that they make a prediction and then say “on the other hand…” and make a different prediction.

Not a lot of help.

But when an economist with the reputation of Richard DeKaser, Senior VP & Chief Economist, National City Bank, speaks you should listen.

What was perhaps the best part for Cleveland and our region were the few short comments made by Paul Clark, Regional President of National City Bank now part of PNC. (Yes, that mouthful is what they call the bank now)

So many in Cleveland are/were worried about the loss of NCB’s charitable dollars to the community. Clark tried to assuage that fear.

Give Clark a listen and see what DeKaser predicts for 2009.

One interesting note stood out. DeKaser said we need to give a stimulus check to those who don’t pay taxes because they will spend it! The tax payers who got checks were more likely to save it or apply to bills but the non-taxpaying would spend it.

Remind me of this next time I complain

This has been around for a while I guess, but it was new to me. A short video of a guy with no arms or legs speaking to a bunch of students.

It's well worth the 2 and 1/2 minutes it takes to view the video.

Check it out

A Grammar Book for You and I (...Oops, Me!)

The good sisters at St. Margaret Mary gave me a very good start in grammar but with relaxed societal expectations, built-in spelling and grammar checkers and eagle-eyed editors at Inside Business Magazine I felt that I had lost some of my grammar chops.

In this day of short message services, texting to BFFs and a preference for speed rather than grammar in e-mail, proper grammar can make you stand out.

So I decided to be less lazy with my writing and speaking and used this book as a refresher for some of my difficult areas.

Some of the rules I learned way back when still apply - as in Effect is (usually) a noun and Affect (usually) a verb.

I was bummed that my old trick of Principal being a Pal and hence a person didn't apply but most of the other stuff either was still in the old noggin or came back pretty fast.

I posted the book review on GreatLakesGeek so check it out if your grammar ain't (grin) quite what it used to be.

Don't Chalk up Brown's season to Lebron James

What a terrible game, season and team.

As a season ticket holder since I got my driver's license, I go to most of the games. This year was especially painful. But don't have the sick feeling that I usually have after a Brown's loss. Sometimes after a loss I would feel physically sick for a few days (no, not just hungover!)

But yesterday was so pathetic that it was almost laughable.

We had fun at the game though one girl's coke froze solid and our beers turned to slush. Really. The action on the field was a joke. How did Dorsey ever get on an NFL roster?

I am already enduring calls and e-mails from Steelers fans who say the bumblebees will be sending their CYO team to beat us, they don't need their pro team.

Maybe the Browns need to throw some chalk in the air before each game. Hey it works for Lebron. The Cavs are a pleasure to watch.

Lebron has a new video clip of the chalk-throwing ritual and fans will be given chalk at the Christmas game vs the Wizards so that they can join the King in the chalk throwing.

Buh-bye Romeo and Phil.

CAP needs PCs

The good news is that the volunteers of Computers Assisting People (CAP) are on schedule to refurbish and donate about 600 PCs to needy schools, community centers and other non-profits in Cleveland in 2008.

The not-so-good news is that we are running out of PCs to work on. Our stack of requests remains high but our supply is dwindling. We expected a surge as people upgraded to Windows Vista but that never took place.

So we need your (and your company’s) PCs. We can use Pentium 3 and up systems. CAP is a 501c3 and will provide a receipt for your donation. You and your accountant can figure out a value.

Remember, we not only wipe the hard drive but rewrite over the entire surface with a random series of 0’s and 1’s (DoD specification) so that your data can never be recovered.

CAP volunteers then test, configure and build up components in the system and put a legal operating system on each. (CAP was one of the first Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers in the world!)

Then we give them to local non-profits so they can fulfill their missions. Often, we set the PCs up in networks so they can be shared by a community, class or group.

See a list of the 350+ local organizations CAP has helped.

As you make upgrade plans, please consider CAP. CAP volunteers have donated over 10,000 PCs to local non-profits in our attempt to bridge the Digital Divide and make Cleveland a more productive and livable city.

Thank you,

Dan

Kenny G Holiday Show

I am listening to Mumbo Jumbo by the Tail Gators as I write this. A great, rocking, swampy tune and album.

I must admit I have never listened to an entire Kenny G CD so I can't really judge him. I can say that I respect his mastery of the saxophone and his incredible talent. But for now, it's more Gators.

But if Kenny G is more to your liking, you can win free tickets to his Holiday Show at the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square.



He will be performing Sunday December 14th and ClevelandWomen.Com has 10 free tickets to give away.

Visit the site and enter the contest - and tell me if you like Kenny G.

Female Sexual Dysfunction

I thought that title might get your attention.

I attended the annual 2008 Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit this past week. It's always a fascinating event - especially to a layperson - and draws almost 1,000 international visitors and some huge name speakers.


I'll be posting pics/video and text on GreatLakesGeek soon but in the meantime, this cracked me up.

The topic of last year's summit was the Heart. 2009 will focus on cancer. But in 2008 the topic was Urology and Gynecology. So many of the attendees were experts in the field. At lunch and other social events, experts in particular field naturally congregated together.

I was just glad I wasn't seated at this table for lunch.

Laughter is the best medicine

This is from The Comedy Barn in Tennessee. One of the guy's laugh is so funny and infectious that you will have to laugh along.

You know it's tough out there...

When a guy like Steve Bass gets the pink slip. Steve has been writing for PC World Magazine for well over 10 years. But recently, he and Steve Manes and others got the boot.

Steve will be OK - he just started up a new venture called TechBite - but it makes you wonder about the future of print journalism.

Read more and listen to a podcast with Steve Bass at GreatLakesGeek.Com

High School Girls

We held our 2nd annual ClevelandWomen.Com Future Leaders event for high school girls earlier this month.

About 150 girls from 13 schools - urban/suburban and public/private - attended.

The speakers were just incredible - Former Mayor Jane Campbell, Entrepreneur Cathy Horton, Dr. Celestin from the Cleveland Clinic, Maurielle Lue of Channel 5. Marlene Kobzowicz from Virginia Marti, Juliana Kascsak from US Bank and Dean Linda Eisenmann of JCU.

We captured photos and some video snippets of all the speakers - and some of the other activities. Check out the event here

Be sure to watch the short videos from Maurielle Lue. At only 24 years of age, this young reporter really spoke the girl's language.

Bone It!

It's painful watching the Browns - especially when we had such high expectations this year.

But take some good advice on dealing with disappointment in sports and in life from none other than the Bonelady.

The Bonelady is a regular columnist on our sister site, ClevelandWomen.com and she offers surprisingly good advice for someone wearing dog bones.

Here's her intro column and here's one after the loss to the dreaded Steelers.

Can't wait to see what she writes about the latest debacle.

It's a Bird, it's a Plane...

There's a terrific new exhibition at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. It's called Zap! Pow! Bam! The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950

By now you should know that Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster lived in Cleveland when they created and drew the Man of Steel.

The exhibit shows that many of the comic book creators were Jewish and that many of the super hero characters they created became beloved symbols of human potential and the triumph of good over evil.

Bring the kids - there are some fun activities for them too - rides in the Batmobile, a chance to draw the Joker and others, costumes to wear and a phone call from Superman himself.

Here are some photos and more info from the show.

Fannie Lewis

“You da Man!”

Those are the words Fannie Lewis yelled to me as my sister and I left her Hough home. We had been there early one Saturday morning to do a profile of the powerful Cleveland City Council member for both ClevelandSeniors.com and ClevelandWomen.com.

It was very early in the morning and Fannie was still dressed in her nightgown but she was busy working the phones as people from her neighborhood called for help. Watching her work the phones was impressive. She was decisive, firm and no-nonsense but she was also compassionate.

You could tell that her life as councilwoman in Hough was a 24x7 job. And that she loved it and the people of her Ward and the city of Cleveland.

After the interview, she asked about us and our business. She congratulated me for looking after my sister and as I walked off her porch she cried, “You da Man!” I looked back, grinned and waved and as I got into the car across the street she yelled it again.

She had no higher political ambitions – she was focused on the people in her city and especially in her beloved Hough area.

In these times of political corruption and “what’s in it for me” a dedicated, caring public servant like Fannie Lewis was will be harder and harder to find.

She will be missed.

Read our profile of Counciwoman Fannie Lewis

Cleveland Indians season

Even though the baseball season hasn't turned out like we hoped and expected, good things are still happening at Progressive Field, such as:

The Cleveland Indians Wives Association benefit for Providence House (see Pictures and Video here)


and I always get a kick out of the senior citizens band at the Tribe games. Win or lose, they make it fun. Here is a 30 second clip of Take Me out to the Ballgame from those guys. True fans.

And here are some women fans (short video) who haven't given up on the Tribe yet.

Go Tribe!

Hard Drive in Shake-o-matic paint shaker

It's sad, I know. But I am finally getting to some of my reviews and videos from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that was in Vegas way back in January.

I just posted a review and a video about a Solid State Drive I saw at one of the events.

Because it is solid state and has no moving parts, there are a lot of benefits - reliability, boot-up speed, less heat, less power, etc.

But the video really shows the difference between a traditional drive and an SSD. You would never even nudge a regular magnetic drive while in operation.

Of course, the drives are still very small capacity and very expensive but it's a first step.

Check it out.

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.

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.

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

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.

How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything...in Business (and in Life)

I've been down on a lot of the business books that have crossed my path recently. Too many take one catchy idea that could be explained in a single chapter and surround it with a few hundred pages of padding to make up a book.

I was not optimistic when I picked up How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything...in Business (and in Life)by Dov Seidman. It sounded like similar fluff.

But it is actually a pretty solid and deep presentation.

Check out the review here.

This one's on me

With those words on the official Nine Inch Nails website, Trent Reznor announced that the new NIN album would be released for free download to the fans.

The site says, "Click HERE to get the new full-length nine inch nails record: the slip (thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me)

How cool!

You have several download options - mp3 is best for most - and it is all DRM free.

Free Software - 1 day only

If you've been using PCs for awhile, you probably have multi-headed Hydra-like Laplink cables somewhere. Back in the day, you needed Laplink software and those cables (serial or parallel!) to move files from PC to PC.

Laplink has been publishing great software for the last 25 years and May 15th is their 25th anniversary.

So they are giving away the full version of PCmover, the #1 selling product to automatically set up a new PC, for free for one day only.

Get the details here.

Tijuana Margarita

Monday May 5th is Cinco de Mayo and what better way to celebrate than with a nice Tijuana Margarita and some Fiesta Guacamole. Both recipes are on our sister site.

Ever wonder what Cinco de Mayo is all about?

Check it out here.

Don't tick off an engineer

Imagine the confusion when a clerk receives this check.

It's a pretty simple calculation actually but may not be evident to the person processing the check.

For thiose interested, see the amount and how it's derived here.

So that's why road construction is so slow

Regular readers of this blog know how I've not been happy with the poor planning and lack of accomplishments with the Euclid Ave. construction.

Now I know why. Maybe the orange barrels have been partying a little too much.

The Parade after the Parade

After another fantastic St Patrick's Day Parade (see lots of pics here) I couldn't help but notice the parade after the parade.

As the last groups were lining up to start their march down Superior, I saw a line of street cleaners getting ready to start their own little parade.

Very efficient!

Channel 19's Danielle Serino and Salsa

No, I don't mean the kind of salsa you eat with chips.

When we did a profile of WOIO news anchor Danielle Serino recently, one of the things we learned was that she is a very good salsa dancer.

Who knew?

We posted a video of her dancing (wow!) in her ClevelandWomen.com profile. Check it out.

I don't think I was ever able to move like that.

Progressive Field

Yep, It's Progressive Field now. The Prog, the Pro - just not (hopefully) the P to go along with the Q across the street.

They changed thousands of signs. They save the last letter on the huge sign at the corner of Ontario and Carnegie for last.

Listen to a podcast with Tribe PR VP Bobbie DiBiasio and see some more videos here.

Here's a cople minutes of the workers lifting and placing the final letter in the sign.

Cleveland Indians 2008

It's hard to believe that it has been 15 years since the Tribe played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium and then Jacobs Field opened and it is now Progressive Field.

It's even harder to believe that it's been 60 years since 1948 - the year of our last World Championship Baseball team.

The Indians came close last year and I expect their pitching to keep them in the hunt this year - even against the huge salaries of Boston, New York and even the Detroit Tigers.

Slider's back and he has 3 new characters joining him - Ketchup, Mustard and Onion. See more pics of what's new for the 2008 season.

And check out this short (1:38) video of Indians VP of PR Bobby DiBiasio getting a special greeting from Slider.

Tell us about your first. Mine was Trash

My first store-bought personal computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1. Of course, the TRS-80 series was nicknamed Trash-80 but they were pretty good machines for the time.

It ran both a proprietary OS called TRS-DOS as well as the optional CP/M.

There were some decent apps like the Scripsit word processor and Visicalc for spreadsheets.

It was a very powerful feeling to change a variable in a spreadsheet and watch the changes ripple through an entire sheet.

Visitors to GreatLakesGeek.com are asked to tell what their first PC was - a TRS-80? Apple II? Commodore 64? TI? Or did you not get a PC till the IBM PC came out?

Tell us about your first - Vote here.

American Pi

Friday March 14th is Pi Day and the real celebration is at 1:59:26 p.m.

At that time, the numbers will be 31415926 and of course Pi starts off as 3.1415926.

If that's not geeky enough for you, here is how PI starts off so you can memorize and amaze/annoy your fellow geeky friends.

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028
841971693993751058209749
4459230781640628620899862
80348253421170679 8214
808651328230664709
38446095505822317253
594081284811174502841
0270193852110555964462294
895493038196 442
8810975665933446128475
6482337867831652712019091...

continued here

Lots more good Pi info too

Hogan and Marley and Me

I finally got around to reading the best seller, Marley & Me by John Grogan. The subtitle is “Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog.”

Actually, I listened to the audio version of the book and reader Johnny Heller does an outstanding job.

If you are a dog person, you will laugh and cry (yes, that’s a cliché but it fits) as you hear the all-too-familiar stories. Marley was a yellow lab. My current and last dog is/was a black lab. (Read Hogan’s blog) While there are some lab specific tales in the book, the human-canine relationship will be recognized by all dog owners.


Warning – just as in real life, dogs have a tragically short life span compared to humans. So the chapters leading up to Marley’s end are painful to anyone who has had to go through that experience.

But the conclusion puts it in perspective well.

People who have not had dogs will wonder how the author could put up with all the crazy activities and hassles of their pet. Dog lovers will realize that the word “pet” is a misnomer – dogs become part of the family.

As Grogan says, "Life without a dog is easier and immensely more simple." It’s a dog owner thing.

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

Johnson Chon and State Farm - stay away

Last summer, an older lady hit my car in our church parking lot. Nobody was hurt, we were friendly (just came out of church!) and she admitted she had a tough day and apologized.

We exchanged information and she said she had a former student who had a body shop and she asked if I would go see him for an estimate. No problem. No need for a police report or anything.

I went to her friend, he gave an estimate and he told her the damage (about $500)

She turned it over to her insurance company, State Farm. She gave me the number to call so they could have it fixed and send the check. So far so good.

Then I get a call from someone from State Farm named Johnson Chon. He had to be the rudest, loudest jerk I have ever dealt with on the phone.

Even though his client had admitted her fault, Johnson Chon tried to pin it on me. He asked, accusingly, why no police report. I explained. He demanded that I describe the church parking lot and said since there were no traffic signs; his client was not at fault. Traffic signs in a church parking lot?

He went on and on, getting louder and louder and more obnoxious. I reported this to the lady who hit me and she apologized and said she would call them.

In a few days she called back and said that Johnson Chon told her that maybe she didn’t hit my car because there was no police report and no traffic signs in the parking lot. He told her she/they shouldn’t have to pay. By this time, she was very confused and we commiserated about the badgering tactics of this jerk.

In a nutshell, she was so badgered and intimidated by this rude, obnoxious State Farm rep that she cancelled the claim with them.

So State Farm saved a few hundred dollars and cost an old lady some cash and badgered a few people into never doing business with them. And hopefully convincing others to not do business with them either.

I am sure Johnson Chon will go far.

2 wild videos

This first one is where a few hundred people suddenly freeze in place, at the same time, in New York's Grand Central Station. It freaks people out as you will see. Very well done.

The second is a wild salsa dance routine from none other than Ch 19's Danielle Serino.

Lots of Interesting Links

I was very surprised to run into an old pal the other day who said he reads my blog but didn't visit any of my web sites.

I explained to him that I very rarely post to the blog but the websites get new stuff every day.

So for those of you who didn't know, here are a couple of cool postings on some of my web sites.

On GreatLakesGeek.com we have some great pics and video from Jim Cookinham's retirement party.

Also more from the Tech Czar, Mike DeAloia.

On ClevelandPeople.com we have some great pics and videos from a Chinese New Years Lion Dance at Asia Plaza as well as pics from the Cleveland Cavaliers Black Heritage Celebration and the visit to Cleveland of the Ambassador from the People's Republic of China.


The ClevelandSeniors.com site has a great profile of Fox 8's Tim Taylor as well as the life of Jim Cookinham Both with tons of photos!

on ClevelandWomen.com we have new fashion and makeup experts that are getting a great response. And we have some fascinating Cleveland Women profiles about ready to post.

So as he scolded me to post more to the blog, I reminded him (and now you!) that the real action is on the websites. But I will try and do better.

Euclid Construction

We have been fortunate to have unseasonably dry and warm weather. One might expect this to positively impact the progress on Euclid Avenue repairs, no?

No, is right.

After a week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I returned for my daily commute to nice weather and one, count 'em, one solitary worker on Euclid between Mayfield and Chester.

So this vital stretch that covers University Circle, CWRU and University Hospitals is still torn up and limited to a couple of lanes that must be shared with emergency vehicles.

I'm not saying it's as bad as this photo where the guys block their van in but...

In addition I am less than impressed at the completed sections of Euclid. In the past, bus riders on Euclid, around 36th or 40th say, would simply go from the curb to the bus. Now they have to navigate and cross to that space-sapping and ugly island in the middle of the street. The 3 lanes of traffic each way are now down to 1 lane.

This is progress? Heads should roll.

Deja Vu all over Again - Kardiac Kids

I can't wait for the Browns - Bills game Sunday. I hope it snows 2 feet! The Christmas season and the return of the Kardiac Kids reminded me of this classic:

On the 12th Day of Christmas Art Model (boo! hiss!) gave to me...

Dave Logan leaping

Doug Dieken blocking

DeLeone a'hikin'

Kardiac Kids a'Winnin'

Darden interceptin'

Newsome a'catchin'

BOTH THE PRUITTS' MOVES....

Alzado attacking

Brian Sipe a'passin'

Don Cockroft Kickin'

on a Rutigliano Super Bowl Team!

Go Browns!

More on the real 12 days of Christmas including a great video by the Indiana University a capella group.