Hey, Lakewood, Why Don’t More Of Us Post On The Deck More?

[Scott Meeson]

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

That is a great quote, Scott!

I love it!

But, what happens when a whale constantly jumps on deck?





Matt

Matt,

Come to the realization that today may be the day:

And send my lawyerly friend to port side to further adjust the sail!

Scott

[marklingm]

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

That is a great quote, Scott!

I love it!

But, what happens when a whale constantly jumps on deck?





Matt

Matt,

Come to the realization that today may be the day:

And send my lawyerly friend to port side to further adjust the sail!

Scott

Scott,

I keep knocking ... but nobody answers!

Jimmy might be right:

What we never realized was that so many politicians would have such a hard time either signing up, or remembering their password. (Elected officials #1 answer, explains a lot about management potential, eh?)

What's the password!?!





Matt

[Will Brown]

My opinion is that, with a few exceptions, this forum is monopolized by whiners and carpers, who often display a lack of knowledge and reasoning. Accordingly, this is not the place one would go to participate in a constructive discussion of local events, and if you would run the numbers I am confident you would find an embarrassingly low level of participation. I don't think there is a way to remedy this in an open forum.

[marklingm]

My opinion is that, with a few exceptions, this forum is monopolized by whiners and carpers, who often display a lack of knowledge and reasoning. Accordingly, this is not the place one would go to participate in a constructive discussion of local events, and if you would run the numbers I am confident you would find an embarrassingly low level of participation. I don't think there is a way to remedy this in an open forum.

Will,

Below is a good 9:22 minutes that addresses some of your fine points.

It's worth a watch ... and ... a listen.





Matt

[marklingm]

So far i have to say that Matthew Lee's response brought a smile to my face.

It is hard for a volunteer citizen run effort to keep up with a multi-national, multi-billion
dollar company willing to lose $647 million dollars to date to put home grown local
community groups out of business so they can monetize the news.

Jim,

There is something unique about the 'Wood that makes The Lakewood Observer (and project) work.

I'll be shocked if a "multi-national, multi-billion dollar company willing to lose $647 million dollars to date to put home grown local community groups out of business" is around the 'Wood in 2014 ... and not just because City Hall couldn't find a way to give it a tax abatement.

Matt

... bump ...

[Jim O'Bryan]

It's worth a watch ... and ... a listen.





Matt

Spectacular, spot on.

Thanks for posting.

Civic discourse is not about winning and losing, it is about the discussion and what flows
out of it. With it, we are all winners, without it, well I would hate to think about that.

.

[marklingm]

It's worth a watch ... and ... a listen.





Matt

Spectacular, spot on.

Thanks for posting.

Civic discourse is not about winning and losing, it is about the discussion and what flows
out of it. With it, we are all winners, without it, well I would hate to think about that.

.

Thanks, Jimmy, but that's not how we roll in the 'Wood, unfortunately.

Sadly, there are still too many of the Sith among us.





Matt

[Bill Call]

I suppose the biggest reason people don't post on the deck is fear. Fear of conflict, fear of not being liked, fear of retribution or fear of "speaking" out because someone might call you out.

Here is a handy quote:



First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

Mahatma Gandhi

The response to my queries about fire department overtime illustrate the issue. My requests for information first were ignored, then ridiculed, then fought and then I got most of what I asked for.

At the time there were even some concerns expressed in Council about the nearly 300% increase in fire department overtime.

Here is a letter I sent to someone on council at the time:

First I want to thank you for your service to the community. You have your work cut out for you.

I thought I would share some thoughts on last night’s budget hearing.

Fire department officials and firefighters are avoiding the issue of sick time abuse. The fire department sick time use over the last 8 years is substantially higher than historical averages and far higher than the police department. Ms. Madigan got a slight rise from one of the fire officials when she asked about fire department sick time use compared to the use of sick time by other departments. Her question went unanswered.


Sick time hours:

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Fire 3492.5 4568.5 4510.25 7701.5 8837.5 9023.5
Police 3130.25 4090.67 2570.5 2897.75 3264.75 2500
EMS NA 588 1140 1048 1416 854


The number of response calls during that period was relatively stable. The Chief himself admited that only 4% of the overtime is related to “hold over” time, aka, fighting fires.

Response calls:

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
EMS 4959 4978 4828 4873 5133
FIRE 1673 1534 1522 1515 1492


The fire department charges $1 milion in overtime to fight 140 fires. Does that make sense? Does City wide overtime of $2.3 million make any sense?

One member of council asked about the cross training EMS workers as firefighters. The departments merged 8 (?) years ago and they still haven’t been trained? When the chief says the department can hire and train a firefighter in three months?

The real reason they haven’t been trained? From my interview with Dan Herdman a couple of years ago: “Those guys will never be firefighters”. It is a political issue and not a training issue.

Perhaps it’s time to separate the EMS from the fire department. 15 EMS workers separate from the fire department could be a stand alone self sustaining profit center.

The Fire department could then be left to explain why they need $1 million in overtime to fight 140 fires.

Councilman Butler tried to get clarification on how adding 6 fire fighters would mean less overtime. He didn’t get a good answer. Part of the answer comes from interview with Dan Herdman. When I asked him if adding fire fighters would mean less sick time he answered: “More firefighters mean more sick time”. That’s the rub.

If the City agrees to add six firefighters we will save a little for a couple of years. After a couple of years those six new employees would have accumulated sick time, vacation time, etc and you would be right back where you started. I’m sure that the firefighter’s solution would be to hire more firefighters.

A better solution? In my humble opinion:

Make an honest effort to reopen contract talks to cut $1 million from the fire department spending by reducing sick time use. Since that effort will fail that leaves:

A public airing of the issue of the sick time use along with a clear explanation of the failure of the union to agree to help control the abuse of sick time. The City should post on its web site the manpower (not person power) statistics. It would look something like this:

Shift strength: 30
Vacation: 1
Kelly days 3
Workers comp: 1
Family leave 1
Light duty 2
Sick 3

Available for work: 15

The City can cut fire department overtime by reducing minimum staffing levels by 4. That would put the burden on the City officials. A better idea? When the department is not meeting its minimum staffing levels because of absences close a fire station and transfer those firefighters to the remaing two stations. Just make a public announcement that not enough people showed up for work to man the station. Then the burden is on the union.

It’s going to be a tough fight but there is no margin for error. I think the people of this town are ready to fight that fight, are you?

As I recall the City did take some action. This was the Fire Departments Union response:

[marklingm]

I suppose the biggest reason people don't post on the deck is fear. Fear of conflict, fear of not being liked, fear of retribution or fear of "speaking" out because someone might call you out.

Here is a handy quote:


First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

Mahatma Gandhi

As to Deck fear, I think you Called it again, Bill.

And, that's a great quote.

One of my favorite Mahatma Gandhi quotes is:

Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.

Matt

[c. dawson]

well, I lurk a bit on the Deck, but then I ultimately move on, because too often it's the same 5 or 10 people dominating every conversation, and then too many of the posts devolve into anti-government conspiracy rants, excessive-back-patting about the Observer (hey, it's nice ... but it's not life-altering or earth-shaking), various attempts by some people to prove they're more Lakewood-than-thou, etc. (hey, I'm glad you graduated from LHS in whatever year, at sticky buns at Miller's since before you were born, or you're a second-generation Ed's alum ... great. But a LOT of us in Lakewood aren't from here originally, and a lot of the postings I've read make it seem like anyone not born and raised in Lakewood doesn't get to have an opinion). To be honest, if I'm actually looking for news about things going on, the LO and the Deck aren't usually the first places I'll look. If anything, I think sometimes the Deck becomes self-parodying. I keep waiting for someone to post about how it's a beautiful day, and then Bill to post about how the Illuminati Cabal of Cuyahoga County and The Cleveland Clinic conspire with the Port Authority and the Federal Government to regulate the amount of beautiful days we can have.

That's just my opinion of course ... which will result in a number of replies about how wrong I am ... The trouble with asking the question of this thread is that a small group so thoroughly fill this forum with their opinions (often done very self-righteously) that frankly, I think a lot of people get turned off. It's not the forum of everyone in Lakewood, it's a forum of the select few. And because the select few is on the Deck daily responding to every thread ... you all might not be the right people to ask this question ... or read my criticisms without being overly defensive.

[Jim O'Bryan]

well, I lurk a bit on the Deck, but then I ultimately move on, because too often it's the same 5 or 10 people dominating every conversation, and then too many of the posts devolve into anti-government conspiracy rants, excessive-back-patting about the Observer (hey, it's nice ... but it's not life-altering or earth-shaking), various attempts by some people to prove they're more Lakewood-than-thou, etc. (hey, I'm glad you graduated from LHS in whatever year, at sticky buns at Miller's since before you were born, or you're a second-generation Ed's alum ... great. But a LOT of us in Lakewood aren't from here originally, and a lot of the postings I've read make it seem like anyone not born and raised in Lakewood doesn't get to have an opinion). To be honest, if I'm actually looking for news about things going on, the LO and the Deck aren't usually the first places I'll look. If anything, I think sometimes the Deck becomes self-parodying. I keep waiting for someone to post about how it's a beautiful day, and then Bill to post about how the Illuminati Cabal of Cuyahoga County and The Cleveland Clinic conspire with the Port Authority and the Federal Government to regulate the amount of beautiful days we can have.

That's just my opinion of course ... which will result in a number of replies about how wrong I am ... The trouble with asking the question of this thread is that a small group so thoroughly fill this forum with their opinions (often done very self-righteously) that frankly, I think a lot of people get turned off. It's not the forum of everyone in Lakewood, it's a forum of the select few. And because the select few is on the Deck daily responding to every thread ... you all might not be the right people to ask this question ... or read my criticisms without being overly defensive.

C. dawson

Nice seeing your name again.

"which will result in a number of replies about how wrong I am"

How can you be wrong about an opinion?

In the early days, this was set up by a group that had like 400 years in Lakewood between
us. Many of us from the class of 72, so it surely seemed inbred. Especially when you see
that 50% of the city is rental, so one would think 40% in transit every couple years or so.

There are some other dynamics here I have noticed over the years. Most notably, if someone else is stating
or defending your view in a discussion, you tend to lurk and watch how it goes without commenting yourself,
because someone else is already saying what you would be saying, and getting the responses you would be getting.

Thanks for stopping back, we are working on the news side, you will see some changes in the next month or so.

.

[Bill Call]

If anything, I think sometimes the Deck becomes self-parodying. I keep waiting for someone to post about how it's a beautiful day, and then Bill to post about how the Illuminati Cabal of Cuyahoga County and The Cleveland Clinic conspire with the Port Authority and the Federal Government to regulate the amount of beautiful days we can have.
.

That's why this is so much fun. I don't recall mentioning the Illuminati, I never accused the Clinic of conspiring with the Port Authority and I don't think I've ever accused the Feds of trying to regulate the number of beautiful days.

Port Authority:

I have questioned the investment choices made by the Port. They back bonds for shopping centers in a region where shopping centers are selling for pennies on the dollar. I think its bad policy.

The Port Authority was all set to spend $1 billion tax dollars to relocate the Port a couple of miles East. I wrote a lot of letters to various agencies and reporters and an occasional post on this site explaining why it was a really bad idea. We are ill served by most of our regional institutions.

The Cleveland Clinic:

The Cleveland Clinic is the General Motors of the health care industry. It is using it's monopoly power to degrade Lakewood Hospital. I find that objectionable. I will continue to post my opinion until long after they turn out the lights. People don't like to hear it but in case you haven't noticed I don't really care.

[marklingm]

I will continue to post my opinion until long after they turn out the lights. People don't like to hear it but[,] in case you haven't noticed[,] I don't really care.

This just got added to my list of favorite quotes!

[marklingm]

well, I lurk a bit on the Deck, but then I ultimately move on, because too often it's the same 5 or 10 people dominating every conversation, and then too many of the posts devolve into anti-government conspiracy rants, excessive-back-patting about the Observer (hey, it's nice ... but it's not life-altering or earth-shaking), various attempts by some people to prove they're more Lakewood-than-thou, etc. (hey, I'm glad you graduated from LHS in whatever year, at sticky buns at Miller's since before you were born, or you're a second-generation Ed's alum ... great. But a LOT of us in Lakewood aren't from here originally, and a lot of the postings I've read make it seem like anyone not born and raised in Lakewood doesn't get to have an opinion). To be honest, if I'm actually looking for news about things going on, the LO and the Deck aren't usually the first places I'll look. If anything, I think sometimes the Deck becomes self-parodying. I keep waiting for someone to post about how it's a beautiful day, and then Bill to post about how the Illuminati Cabal of Cuyahoga County and The Cleveland Clinic conspire with the Port Authority and the Federal Government to regulate the amount of beautiful days we can have.

That's just my opinion of course ... which will result in a number of replies about how wrong I am ... The trouble with asking the question of this thread is that a small group so thoroughly fill this forum with their opinions (often done very self-righteously) that frankly, I think a lot of people get turned off. It's not the forum of everyone in Lakewood, it's a forum of the select few. And because the select few is on the Deck daily responding to every thread ... you all might not be the right people to ask this question ... or read my criticisms without being overly defensive.

c.,

All great points, frankly.

But, with just shy of 190 posts as of your last post, you are hardly simply a lurker.

Matt

[marklingm]

[W]e are working on the news side, you will see some changes in the next month or so.

Thanks for the news update, Jim!

Any hints?