Vote NO on Ohio's Issue 3

OK, new job, new promotion, new school year, new client, new President, and what do I want to talk about? One whole year after the election that is changing everything (maybe), I was discouraged to find very little on the Internet encouraging folks to vote against Ohio's Issue 3 (the "casino initiative") this November.

Most of the arguments for and against seem to be mostly concerned with the accuracy, or lack thereof, of the competing commercials on TV or in print. Frankly I don't really care. Of course, there are many who do believe that the casinos will mean jobs, immediate and definitely needed in the communities where the casinos will most likely be built. And then there are the longer term service jobs at the casinos for card dealers, janitorial staff, etc. So, sure, some folks, including lower wage folks perhaps suffering the most, will benefit.

However, who is going to be going to these casinos? Who are the people that will be frequent the slots and tables? Somehow, probably not the folks who live in my neighborhood. Probably those people I mentioned above who are suffering in this economic downturn are the most likely to part with their money in the casinos. Probably those most in need of some other options in terms of better, more stable, more productive jobs.

And what about the short and long term effects of casinos on the cities that host them? Some of my friends pointed out that the impression they have is that cities with casinos seem to turn to them as a last ditch effort of development. What I would really like to know is if anyone has done in-depth studies of the long term effects of casinos on cities and their surrounding communities like the ones proposed.

I guess what I want to believe is that Cleveland, the city I love, will not stoop to this level. It will remain a great city, it will be reborn, it will find effective leaders that are smart and understand the steps necessary to bring a civic renaissance. And, if the voters are smart and understand this, I will never have to see the alternative.

Comment from the peanut gallery

"My butt has a belly button too."

Isn't self discovery grand?

Ranta Clause or Santa Fraud

So we went to see Santa last week at the mall. Of course we built the whole experience up for the kids, letting them know that Santa would be very excited to see them, that he would be especially proud of Meg and her new found ability to consistently use the potty, and that he really wanted to know what they especially wanted to find under the tree.

Now, last year we went to see Santa at a mall that was closer to my parents' house and waited in the unending line and watched as my mom took illegal pictures of the kids as they sat on Santa's lap for the first time showing no fear of the bearded stranger. This year we decided to go to our local mall and find Santa there. This mall is a rather nice one, with fancy stores and fancy people with more disposable income than I am likely to have while college for Meg and Edward looms.

After finding Santa and his helper elves, we were pleasantly surprised to find virtually no line. The kid in front of us screamed as his parents approached the rather authentic looking bearded man. The set-up for Santa was like nearly all mall Santas with the picture packages, and the associated loan officer, available for your convenience. I went over and checked with one of Santa's helpers and she confirmed that the kids could sit with Santa with no photo purchasing obligation to be borne by the parental folks. As we waited briefly in line, it became clearly apparent that somehow mom and dad missed the boat as our kids were wearing their ordinary kid clothes (although Eddie had on a rather unattractive Grandma Secondhand Sweater) while the other kids in line had been dressed by their parents like Santa was somehow giving extra credit to the kids who looked good. But, again, we did not plan on taking pictures of the kids with Santa. We simply wanted them to have the opportunity to talk to the jolly old elf and feel like he had heard their requests.

As Meg approached Santa, he and the helper dude figured out where she should go so for the best photo taking options. Anne helped Meg out, but her silly turtleneck and squinty eyes in the pictures made her look like some kind of fallen starlet who really needed an intervention of some kind for Christmas. After several weak attempts at taking pictures (and with Anne I clearly not interested in a two 3X5, 1 5X7, plus bonus coffee mug package for the low low price of $174.99) eventually the photographer elf gave up and took a short break. Meanwhile, during this entire time Santa hadn't said a word to the kids. It was like he was some sort of dress-up character at the amusement park who was a giant mute caricature. Anne stood there with the kids gently asking them to tell the Santa what they wanted for Christmas. And then, just like that, it was time for us to go. We continued to try to talk it up as we walked away and headed back through the mall, but even the kids could probably see through the semi-fraud they'd just participated in.

I understand that the mall and even Santa himself should make some money off of parents' need to maintain the illusion of magic this time of year. Hey, if people want to spend $35 on 6 pictures of their kids to capture the fleeting magic of youth and belief in a man who gives gifts with nothing expected in return, then more power to them. But, for those of us who prefer to capture the magic in our hearts, or take a hundred pictures Christmas morning, then that should be OK too. I felt a little cheated that Santa, who wasn't exactly going anywhere anyway, couldn't have opened his mouth to talk to and ears to listen to my two little disheveled children so that they could sleep at night for the next few weeks dreaming that somehow maybe their wishes would come true.

Me so fascinating

And this is why I never had a diary. I would spend just as much time reading my always insightful, generally amusing scribbles than I would actually writing. Not that I recommend naval gazing to most folks, but I have a habit of doing that. It is a problem. I write an e-mail, then I reread it once or twice, and then I feel that I need to reread it again at least once or twice after I have sent it. What the frick!? I just need to find more important things to occupy my time. Clearly.

Lots has happened lately. Thanksgiving was OK. Not as good had my wife and I actually were allowed to take the lead on cooking the feast, but no one got hurt and the little cousins were able to hang out and have fun.

I took a trip to the Big Apple for a boondoggle of training for work. The training and my accomodations were subpar but the ability to see old friends made it all worth it. I got a chance to see an old roommate who has lived in NYC for several years (well since we were roommates) and she was gracious enough to take me to two wonder restaurants. Mmmm food. I also met up with an old (girl)friend from what seems like a previous life. What I found amazing though is that we were able to chat and talk and discuss issues as easily today as we did 15 years ago (which is near as we can tell the last time we actually saw one another). But then again, I could probably talk with a door knob and keep up the conversation for 30 minutes or so, as long as I was able to talk about my wife and kids...

Finally, I just returned from a trip to Charleston SC which has been my favorite place to travel on this particular contract I have been on for the past 2 years. They have The Best Food there and I am almost never disappointed. Several recommendations that you should stop and visit if you are ever in the neighborhood: The Boathouse (either in Mt Pleasant or downtown), Vickory's (on Shem Creek), 82 Queen, and finally Water's Edge. I cannot wait until I can take Anne down there and we can share meals together there.

Introducing your 2007 American League Central Division Champions

Today is a wonderful day. Or rather yesterday was wonderful and the afterglow is still echoing into Monday morning. The Tribe has won the 2007 Central Division crown for the 7th time in 13 years. However, this is the first championship since 2001 and the first since my son was born. I am now busily trying to impart all sorts of baseball knowledge on him and although he says, "Wow!" and "Really?!" as I describe what the World Series is and how long it has been since the Indians have won one, I think his exclamations are mainly due to my enthusiasm more than anything else.

My wife and I went to the Indians' game on Friday night and she recently mentioned to me how much fun Eddie is going to have learning about baseball from me as he gets older. I hope that she's right. It's not that I am some baseball expert or that I get wrapped up in the endless statistics, but I do appreciate the history and enjoy the debate and strategies that surround the game. There is something about baseball, more than any other sport, that seems less manufactured, less altered somehow. Even with all of the controversy surrounding steroids and HGH and the like, it still seems, more than the constant violence and flash of the NFL and NBA, to have a certain aura of respect and nostalgia. I hope that's to impart that part of the game to him and with any luck, it will still have that feel to it when he has kids of his own.

Changes

Since I last posted to my blog about 2 years ago, there have been a significant number of changes that have occurred in my life. I have started a new job with a new company and new client. I have moved from Northern Virginia to Northeast Ohio. I have made the acquaintance of a number of new friends and neighbors. And I have continued to watch my kids grow and change into bigger and more incredible little people.

As I've watched my life change, in big ways and small, I've become a little more in tune with how I feel about my own personal, religious, and political beliefs. A few years ago, I was more interested in the social and, for lack of a better term, "gossipy" aspects of politics. While Drudge and Wonkette have their place and can be an enjoyable source of news, I have become much more likely to review more serious, or I guess a "higher level" of blog discourse. The link I have recently added to Andrew Sullivan is one I use quite often as his book and blog have provided for me a better understanding of what I personally believe. While I continue to struggle to find my own unique beliefs and understanding of events, it has most certainly become more important to me how I can seriously (and more than likely in a very small way) have an impact and contribution to our political nation.

More, after the break

I have no idea if I will have the energy, dedication, or time to continue to update my blog, but I have decided that with some renewed energy and a dramatic shift in emphasis, I will attempt to continue to post on this blog. The continuation will only really be in who is posting, as I will still be the person with the fingers typing badly on the keyboard. However, it is my personal opinion that I have changed significantly since I first created this slight endeavor.

At first it was a chance for me to type and write on a semi-regular basis. I had assumed that I would try to be humorous and probably do a bunch of highly edited naval gazing. However, in this change that has occurred, I feel like while I may occasionally impart some humor, it is more important for me to write about my political and social viewpoints. I have become a bit more drawn to the idea of giving my self to public service and I hope that this forum gives me the ability to work out for myself how I view current events and actions as they occur. It may also help me to understand the problems of our area and nation, and how I might suggest i would improve them, or link to others whose opinion I think makes good sense.