Don't Blink

I am sure (at least I hope!) that this was Photoshopped but it's still wild.

Holiday Diversity Party in Cleveland

The crowd was extremely diverse. Young and old danced together. People from dozens of ethnic groups and religions mixed and mingled. The event really showed the diversity of Cleveland and the potential that the city has if we continue to tap into a welcoming attitude.

It was nice to see "the people" using the beautiful Cleveland City Hall Rotunda for the party.

Lots of photos from the party

To Do Lists

The Holidays often seem to be filled more with stressful To Do lists rather than the peaceful enjoyment of friends and family.

Amy Kenneley wrote a great piece on this.

Bob Feller

The baseball accomplishments of "Rapid Robert" are legendary. He is arguably the greatest right-handed pitcher ever to play the game of baseball.

But there is so much more to Bob Feller than just the statistics. At the beginning of the peak of his career, Bob felt a duty to put aside baseball and go and defend his country. Two days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became an anti-aircraft gunner on the U.S.S. Alabama.

See more in our profile of Bob Feller

On a personal note, after visiting Bob and his lovely wife at their home he sent me an autographed photo of the two of us. I have had it hanging in my office ever since. He was a class guy.

Philanthropia

Philanthropia raised over $145,000 for local charities yesterday. Kudos to Harlan Diamond and Executive Caterers team, Singing Angels, Leon Bibb and all involved.

See photos from Philanthropia

Away in a... cabin?

My dad knew every word to every song for every holiday or situation for every culture. That's a slight exaggeration but not much. At a Jewish wedding, the guests would be convinced he was a Jew. At the Feast in Little Italy, they'd swear he was a paisan. Of course at an Irish event, they just knew he was from the old sod. And so on.

Besides knowing the songs (and all the verses!) he sang well and did not have a shy bone in his body. He would sing at the drop of a hat - at work, in the yard, wherever.

Most of us would be too self-conscious to just belt one out in public but he wasn't. Of course being 6'4" and built like a linebacker may have eased any shyness.

My one sister had dinner at The Cabin in Wickliffe a few weeks ago and it triggered a forgotten memory that my Mom had about my Dad. She wrote about it in her latest Chat with Pat column.

Santa Lucia Celebration

The Swedish population in Cleveland isn't the largest but they do have active groups. One of the things they do is hold an annual Santa Lucia Celebration.

Here are a few pics from yesterday's event from Forest Hills Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights

Are you man enough for a Droid?

Nielsen's latest numbers say that about 1/3rd of US cell phone subscribers now have a smartphone. They surveyed 9,200 people and Women want iPhones more than Androids (31% to 23%) while it's the opposite for Men (32% to 28%).

The latest Great Lakes Geek poll has Droid users leading 72% to 24% over iPhoners (4% none or other).

Draw your own conclusions

Lebron James or Ghoulardi?

This is a no-brainer.

As the t-shirt correctly states:



See photos from the 2010 Ghoulardifest including Big Chuck, Dick Goddard, Hoolihan, Son of Ghoul, Little John and more.

iPads, Windows tablets and other devices

There's an app for that. Are you sick of hearing that yet?

I've always had plenty of quality apps to choose from - they run on my Windows 7 devices.

Devices and gadgets have evolved significantly over the last 10 years. The key, as Microsoft Collaboration Architect Jerry Carlson told a NEOSA CIO Symposium crowd, is to match the right device to the job.

For me, multitasking is essential. And I need ports to plug stuff into. And I want to run my Windows apps, connect to Exchange, join domains, etc. The iPad doesn't meet any of those needs.

Learn more and watch the video interview about devices

Tragic rape and murder - 30 years later

Sister Dorothy Kazel, OSU and 3 others were raped and murdered 30 years ago while doing missionary work in El Salvador. She was born Dorthea Lu Kazel to Lithuanian American parents, Joseph and Malvina Kazel, in Cleveland.

A tragic story without resolution.

Dorothy Kazel story

A Christmas Story Leg Lamp

I saw that lots of people travelled to Cleveland this weekend to tour the house where the A Christmas Story movie was filmed.

At Snow Days at Progressive Field, one of the decorations would be of interest to that crowd.

See more pics from the Snolympics at Progressive Field

Snolympics at Progressive Field

Amanda Barren of WKYC TV

Before Snopening Day, the Cleveland Indians opened the Snow Days for a media preview.

Media could see the snow being made and try the fun features being finalized.

Some of the media were surprisingly agile on skates and some were, uh, not so skilled.

See pics from the Snolympics at Progressive Field

Cleveland Street named for Jesse Owens

The Nazi Olympics Berlin 1936, now showing at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood, explores the issues surrounding the 1936 Games--the Nazis' use of propaganda, the intense boycott debate, the history of the torch run and the historic performance of Jesse Owens and more.

On Monday, November 15, 2010 a ceremony was held to dedicate East Roadway (NE corner of Public Square) as Jesse Owens Way. Jesse Owens' daughter Gloria was on hand for the ceremony.

Already a track star for his accomplishments at Cleveland East Tech High School and the Ohio State University, the 1936 Olympics in Berlin made Jesse Owens a household name and a symbol who shattered Hitler's racist ideals.

Pictures and video from the Jesse Owens ceremony

Chopin in the Polish Cultural Garden

I sometimes struggle with classical music. As a mathematician I can appreciate the complexity and logic behind say Bach and his Goldberg variations but I don't want to listen to it.

Chopin is different. The melodies from the great composer are terrific background music and will get your foot tapping.

There was a ceremony to rededicate the bust of Chopin in the Polish Cultural Garden last month. A Steinway piano was brought in and no less than Dr. David Dubal, Professor of Performance and Piano at Julliard in New York City, and his prodigy Dongning Yang performed for the crowd.

Chopin performed in the Polish Cultural Garden in Cleveland


See videos and photos from the Chopin Bust rededication event including performances by the Piast dancers - on East Boulevard!

As one onlooker was heard saying, "They just don't have things like this in other cities."

1936 Nazi Olympics in Berlin

In August, 1936, all attention turned to the Olympic Games being held in Berlin. A swift young athlete from East Tech High School in Cleveland, Jesse Owens, had captured national attention for his record-breaking feats at The Ohio State University, and made the American team.

It was the undercurrent of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis that made the Olympics historic.

Now through January 23, 2011 the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is presenting The Nazi Olympics Berlin 1936, produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

It's worth a visit

See photos from the 1936 Olympics exhibit

Hugs for Jason?

I wore a Jason mask while on the porch dealing with the trick or treaters. It was pretty scary with my hood up. A lot of the kids and their parents were scared and I had to take it off to show some of the younger ones it was just a mask.

But two tiny little kids blew my mind. They must have been 5 years old. They came up on the porch and the little boy (a pirate) saw me, pointed and said "Jason!" and then threw his arms around me and hugged me! Then the little girl (a princess) did the same.

I was shocked. First that kids that young knew who Jason was (why were they watching the Friday the 13th movies at that age?) but even more so that they hugged the psycho murderer.

Good advice for Halloween

See some interesting Halloween costumes for kids

Cleveland Quiz

Why was a name chiseled out of the Cuyahoga County Court house cornerstone?

See why (and more Cleveland Photo Quizzes)

Dog-O-Lanterns for Halloween

Check out these pumpkins carved as different dog breeds for Halloween. They are not Jack-o-lanterns, but Dog-o-lanterns