Site was finally updated

Well, I got sick of looking at the imagery, especially as I take this thing to start to concentrate a little bit on Cleveland. Chances are that I will be sticking around this town for a while. I would have loved to throw my stuff in my car and head west but there are some good opportunities here and things are just starting to work and I am figuring that I might as well make some waves here right now instead of trying to come back and do it later.

I cleaned up some of the code, there are still a few things that are driving me wacky, and I have to go back in and tighten up some script. If I hadn't burnt the heck out of my hand I would have probably finished all I wanted to today.

Also, time to get some of the crew back together. Chris and Suzi headed even further off but we are going to attempt the long distance thing. Evan went all respectable like and got some responsibilities but we will see what we can do there. Anyway, the whole point is look for more stuff upcoming. We got a project being completed that will be put up, some more competitions being mulled over and hopefully whole new sources of fun information. I admit, I missed a bunch of deadlines searching for a new job and studying for exams I need to take. I'm a jerk.

Regardless, peek around, find some stuff to look at and hopefully not find any broken links. Man, they were EVERYWHERE.

Sorry.

Cleveland becomes a "Cool City"

(not to be confused withThomas Mulready's Cool Cleveland.Recently Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson signed a pledge to reduce global warming carbon dioxide pollution. Each city is responsible to achieve at least a 7% reduction below 1990 levels by 2012. That date may seem familiar to those of you who are familiar with the Kyoto treaty against global warming which the United States decided not to sign. I don't mean the entire country decided not to sign it, just some in our leadership.

Of course this didn't stop other leaders from creating their own initiatives such as the Clinton Global initiative and even Republican Gov. Schwarzenegger from signing an (Anti) Global Warming Bill.

Anyway, Cleveland is now part of the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement which has been signed by "284 mayors representing millions Americans in 44 states".

Actually, quite a few Northeast Ohio mayors have signed up.
Mayor Kenneth E. Patton - Brooklyn, OH
Mayor Edward J. Kelley - Cleveland Heights, OH
Mayor Thomas J. Longo - Garfield Heights, OH
Mayor Thomas O'Grady - North Olmstead, OH
Mayor Georgine Welo - South Euclid, OH.

I am a little upset that Mayor Thomas J. George of Lakewood, OH has not signed up yet. Or maybe he has and the Sierra Club, where I got this information hasn't updated their links. I could always just email and ask. Which I will.

And I suggest you do the same. Start bothering your representatives to get off their butts and protect yours.

Living as an artist in Northeast Ohio

Wednesday, October 4th, 2006
The Historic Tower Press Building - Wooltex Room
1900 Superior Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
4:30 - 7:30pm

The Foundation Center is celebrating their 50th anniversary. They specialize in raising money for, um, things as well as accumulating and disseminating knowledge on how to raise money for, um, things.

They can help you write grant proposals, find grants, learn about interesting programs in your area that can help you find the resources to do what you love to do. Recently an article was published in the Plain Dealer about said foundation as they released a notice that Oct. 4th they will host a..."celebration of the accomplishments of individual artists in our community." There will be opportunity to network, learn about fundraising and eat some food that will be provided.

There is an impressive list of panelists and co-sponsors so go ahead and check it out.

ps. you should reserve a seat ahead of time but you can do so online or over the phone (or even in person).

Living as an Artist in Northeast Ohio: Making it Work!"

Who hates the junk mail?

There are few things I hate as much as the copious amounts of junk email that nails my inbox. To counter the countless "P3niz 3NlargM3nt" and stock tip emails I upped my security, which means that when people send me stuff it usually gets filtered out into some weird spam folder. The one regular occurrence that bothers me even more(and deserves a special place in that very warm place deep in the bowels of the earth) is actual junk mail. The physical kind. The stuff that you see before and after your bills. The thing that hides your birthday cards and letters from friends and those wondrous magazine printed on recycled paper.

Oh, with a special passion do I loathe junk mail.

There were rumors of an easy way to get off the junk mail list, rumors of even a kit. Mostly you have to send out a ton of postcards to large bulk mail advertising companies, then there is a series of letters that you have to send to various other companies and agencies. This gets you off the list but if you donate to charity, sign up for a new magazine, order something online, sneeze when Law and Order is on you will end back up on a list and have to start all over again which makes the anti junk mail bulk mailing of your own a monthly event.

Along come Green Dimes, a monthly subscription service that for a low fee of $3.00 a month sends out the form letters to remove you from bulk mailing lists yourself.

There is a whole "green" side to this. Bulk mail uses a ton of fresh water and wood pulp (from TREES!) to print their dang letters which I know you just toss in your recycling anyway (which is nice but it would be better if you didn't even get it in the first place). As if this isn't enough, Green Dimes also plants a tree for you every month that you subscribe. So for $36.00 a year you get 12 trees planted in your name and an end to the bulk junk mail that plagues your life.

Here are the top 5 reasons the site lists for using their subscription.

Every Year...
-110 million households are annoyed
-100 million trees are cut down
-28 billion gallons of water are wasted
-800 million pounds of junk mail are delivered
-$1 billion in identity theft is committed

So, to recap, if you want to save trees and water, save the poor backs of postal workers everywhere, halt a little bit of identity theft and stop making everyone in your house so grumpy then feel free to check out Green Dimes and see if they can help you out. Or you can help them out, or someone (for the love of all things holy) help someone else out!

Consumer Reports - Helping you not only select what you purchase, but how to use it responsibly

There has been a lot in the news recently Churches asking congregates to boycott bottled water or water shortages being the next "looming crisis", etc. Most of this is founded in the basic premise that we all need water to live, that it is a basic human right (especially basic as it is necessary for survival), and that we need to learn how to use our resource more efficiently or responsibly in order to survive.

A while back Consumer Reports magazine (yes, I do read it occasionally, especially the car ones) released a report on typical American water consumption and 50 easy ways to reduce it. I read over it and yes, many of the things are rather obvious but I understand that I am probably not the norm and that sometimes you need that nudge to get the ol' brainbox turning before that light bulb goes on. Regardless, it is something you ought to take a look at anyway, just in case you can find a suggestion that is helpful.

Also, Consumer Reports plans on releasing a "Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs" and offers these 20 tips as a teaser. I like saving energy, mostly because the bottom line is that it saves money too. I like saving money. I like spending it on ice cream. It is a vicious cycle. Anyway check out the 20 ways to save energy too. See if there is a suggestion there that may help.

Judging by how thorough Consumer Reports typically is I would guess that when the "Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs" is released it will actually be a pretty good guide.

October 12th - Cleveland Public Art Workshop

Thursday, October 12th, 2006
McNulty's Bier Markt (mmmmmmmmmmmm!)
1925 West 25th Street
5:00pm

"...Many public art projects are not fabricated by the artists who designed them. They are created through a collaborative process that involves the artist and experts ranging from engineers to welders who actually build the artwork. For many emerging public artists, discovering the right fabricators and other experts can help them break into the public art realm more easily than learning new skills on their own. For builders, becoming involved in public art is a great way to broaden their portfolios and develop a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

During the October 12th event experts in the area of public art, architecture and design, and the building industry will discuss both local and national projects that were completed through design collaborations. The speakers will describe the benefits of working with individuals whose careers are different from theirs and how the overall process ensures creative, functional, and durable artworks. Questions and comments from the audience will be encouraged during the event. After the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to network with professionals in variety of artistic and construction mediums.

Benefits for Artists:
Meet potential project partners who can build your ideas
Learn who can help take your concept from an idea to a design that can be implemented

Benefits for Constructors:
Learn about how to become involved with high-profile public art projects
Meet artists who can use your expertise to make their design concepts possible

This event is FREE and open to the public. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. To pre-register, please contact Cleveland Public Art by Tuesday, October 10, 2006 by emailing contactus@clevelandpublicart.org or calling 216.621.5330."

Cleveland Public Art

Lakefront West Public Meeting - Cleveland, OH

Wednesday, September 27th, 2006
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church West
6928 Detroit Ave.
Cleveland, OH
5:00 pm

As part of ODOT's continuing development of downtown and the inner ring suburbs there will be a public presentation and discussion September 27, 2006 regarding the West Shoreway, specifically Route 2/6/20 between West Blvd. and the Main Ave. Bridge. There have been many ideas bandied about including (but not limited to) taken said West Shoreway and turning it into a boulevard along which Cleveland could attempt to develop a neighborhood (between said boulevard and existing Conrail tracks) which would attempt to tie West Cleveland to Edgewater Park.

Personally, I think the idea is founded on good principles but the execution is far from ideal. Edgewater is extremely isolated from West Cleveland. There is a very nice bike/foot path on West 65th with a very interesting mosaic and of course there is a neighborhood connection on West Blvd. However, between W 65th and the Main Ave. Bridge there isn't much to get over to except for Whiskey Island and Wendy Park (two rather amazing places that are undergoing their own renaissance without any ODOT interference). Between Edgewater and Whiskey Island there is a salt mine, water treatment facility and small grouping of marinas. Not a ton of super exciting things to go visit. Besides, there is a drastic change in topography which when combined with the proximity to the Conrail tracks (former?) and before mentioned industry would allow lots in depth of 120' from the new boulevard. If streets were used to connect the Shoreway to, say, Detroit Ave. Then you would have street frontage of around 120' (which I admit is a guestimate, I haven't measured with a tape measure, YET) which is what? 3 lots?

I agree, there should be more development to tie public access to the lake. There should be a push to pull out the giant parking lots that plague Edgewater and replace them with a more pedestrian friendly connection and create a neighborhood that connects more tightly to it but until I am shown a comprehensive plan, including phasing in of properties and development, I will continuously argue and question the merits of taking a removing and quick and easy connection from the West Side to Cleveland.

Of course, that is the whole point of these public forums. To allow nutjobs like me a voice.

Lakefront West Public Meeting Postcard

Connecting Cleveland-Waterfront District Plan

Waterfront District Plan interactive pdf

Cleveland Cultural Gardens: One World Day - 2006

Oct. 1st 2006 brings Rockefeller Park "One World Day" 2006, a celebration of the many cultural gardens and distinctive cultures that make this city so amazing.

Come on down to University Circle to take part in a celebration that this year is marked even more amazing by the unveiling of a new garden, the India Garden, which will house a 7 foot statue of Mahatma Ghandi and a...

landscape inspired by the Buddhist architecture of an ancient Indian monastery that is recognizable to many South Asians...

I think it sounds cool as heck. I am a huge fan of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens (in dire need of a website update) and have spent much time wandering the gardens there. If I wasn't on my laptop I could probably dig out some really nice photos that I have taken over the years.

Luckily for YOU there are plenty of resources online.

CSU "Crooked River Magazine" Issue 4

Cleveland Memories Project

University Circle Inc.

Even if you can't make One World Day I suggest you take the time to at least get over there and explore the gardens on your own time. Make a day of it, you won't regret it.