The Observation Deck

Jim O'Bryan wrote: While not as exciting as the SWAT pigeon, it did get the Lakewood Observer to a national stage. It also fulfilled one of my dreams of having photos in the National Enquirer.

Would not even be out there without Judge Pat Carroll, and his innovative way of sentencing offenders.

Well done, Jim. It definitely put the LO on the national media map.

David Lay wrote: It definitely put the LO on the national media map.

David

I really want to stress this. The LO has been on the national media map since Volume 2 Issue 1. It was you, and Ivor, and Gordon, and Gary, and Ken, and the editors and EVERYONE involved in this project that has put us on the media map.

"Hyper-local" journalism is the new fondue, and everyone is trying to do it. The LO with the help of Steve Calhoun, and Ken Warren were able to frame the term "civic journalism" which is now on everyone's lip.

I have spoken with many publishers and groups that are well aware of the Observer and read it as much as anyone in Lakewood. Last year Ken and I did a conference on open source, including software, journalism. At that conference was a journalism professor from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a self publisher from New Orleans that came just to talk about the Observer.

As I often hint, the Observer has become a model to follow, and more we can discuss later. As these groups rise and fail, it becomes more obvious how unique this project is and the residents of this city. Lakewood the city that gave birth to Punk Music, might have just given birth to Punk Publishing!

The National Enquirer was reading the Lakewood Observer months before they asked for that article, and they still do, as do many others. The paper that was started to build the brand and get the word out is working.

Everyone has a piece of that success, everyone should be proud of everything ALL OF US have done. Lakewood succeeds on a world stage. Last month a got a letter from Cypress about a British publisher that wants to do an Observer style project in Cypress.

Recently we added two people to the Advisory Board, one is a Lakewoodite, the other is considered by many to be the Mick Jagger of print media, a name internationally known, and blown away by this project. As she said at a meeting with all Cleveland media in attendance "There seems to be a small media project in Lakewood Ohio that seems to be ten years ahead of the curve, they got it right, The Lakewood Observer."

I cannot thank everyone involved enough, together we are making history. It isn't me or that photo. It is us, working together in the arena of civic discourse, building and wonderment.



.

Jim O'Bryan wrote: I cannot thank everyone involved enough, together we are making history. It isn't me or that photo. It is us, working together in the arena of civic discourse, building and wonderment.

You couldn't have said it any better.

Back to photo of the year...

Thanks Ivor for the vote. I can think of a couple of your pics that should be there. I also recall the mic picture of David's, and Rhonda has a picture of a car (tail fin?) she took at the car show last summer that comes to mind for me.

There are a number of pictures by several people who could have pictures put into the group of best photo of the year.

For you regular and Official LO Photographers, your prize is, are you ready for this(?) - I know several of you have been patiently waiting(!), official Lakewood Observer credentials with your photo on it! Congratulations! Now you will be taken seriously wherever you go! Just kidding Jim. Sit down. Take a breath... easy now...
Smile Jim. uh oh.... Jim just got up from his computer, got into his car, and drove off. Hope he is not on his way over here...

Joe

Ivor's photos are art. His eye is very rare indeed, when his heart is in it.

My favorite was the helmet in the end-zone for a tribute.

As for credentials, I am sure this will be figured out soon. While lax on my end, it has paid solid dividends in the long run.

This is a tough one to work out. Ever since my good friend Bill Call threatened twice to sue the City of Lakewood on behalf of the Lakewood Observer for information, we can see some flaws in the credential thought process.

There is also the problem with liability on at least 5 fronts.

Then there is the card laminator that seems to be misplaced.


.

You know..I think I was the first one to complain about "badges...those stinkin' badges"...but anyway..we really don't need them anymore. In the beginning people in Lakewood did not know who we were. Now everyone knows...I'm stopped in parking lots and asked if I'm the "blond"......(that depends on what day...) that takes pictures for the Observer...I say yes..and they always say...thank you so much...I really enjoy your paper.

It's not my paper... its our paper and I am very proud to be part of it.

As for those badges....who needs those stink'in badges. I can stop the 4th of July parade for 1 pictures..and they stop on command!! Without a badge!! It is amazing!!

As for my favorite picture..it's one of Ivor's...with a girl sitting on the field..
http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/ ... -vs-stjoes

(Can some one give me a hint how to insert this pictures??)

Rhonda Loje

Rhonda loje wrote:It's not my paper... its our paper and I am very proud to be part of it.

As for those badges....who needs those stink'in badges. I can stop the 4th of July parade for 1 pictures..and they stop on command!! Without a badge!! It is amazing!!

the LO is the treasure of the cuyahoga madre

I don't even get questioned anymore. Even in Rocky River the school athletics know who I am. When I'm at St.Ed I always get the "ohhhh you do stuff for OB, tell him walsh said how's he doin'!" so they're friendly too. I was just at a Lakewood/River swim meet (pics are up in the photoblog) last night and the guy just opened the door for me and greeted me.

Jim,
funny lawsuit story. Good thing you didn't give me a credential like you promised, oh, 8 months ago!

Rhonda loje wrote:(Can some one give me a hint how to insert this pictures??)

enter:
[img]fullURLaddress[/img]

One of many ways to get the url of a hosted image is:
If using MS Explorer 7 (hope not), right click the image and select properties. There you will see the address/location. Select (click and drag or double click the line) that entire address (copy or Ctrl-C Windoze) and paste (Ctrl-v Windoze) inbetween the [img]and[/img] tags.
If using FireFox (hope so), right click the image, click on Copy Image Location, past that between the [img] tags.

That works with typical hosting. Not with hosts such as Picassa. There is a twist with that.

If that is confusing, PM me Rhonda.

If you are using a Mac, I'm sorry.

Joe Ott wrote:[
If you are using a Mac, I'm sorry.

Hey, I use a Mac!

David Lay wrote:Hey, I use a Mac!

I know.

I'll still say hi to you.

Sorry..I'm a Mac girl...can anyone help!

Rhonda

Rhonda, it would be the same. I just don't know the keyboard shortcuts to cut/copy/paste.... wait, I don't know about the right click either come to think of it....


Sorry.
Joe

Rhonda loje wrote:Sorry..I'm a Mac girl...can anyone help!

Rhonda

Rhonda, just right-click or control-click on the image and open in new tab or window. Highlight the URL, command-c for copy, then command-v for paste.

This is a great list of keyboard shortcuts for Mac:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459

Rhonda loje wrote:takes pictures for the Observer...I say yes..

Yes. That always works. In Lakewood. In River too as Ivor points out. We all do it. It works in town.

Get away from Lkwd a tad and try it. Go to the east side and try to use that line. You get either "what?", "Lakewood what?", a strange look, or a who cares type response. Try it at official events. Try it at State level athletic events. Go to an event say south of Akron where people don't even know Lkwd exists and try to cover something some Lkwd people are doing.

I know, someone will respond and say I was at blah blah blah and said I was with the Observer and was able to get in to blah blah blah... of course there are exceptions.

Just trying to raise the bar a bit for everybody that's all. No big deal. I don't benefit from it.

I understand there are legal reasons, regulatory reasons, and so on as to why they don't exist yet. Someday the LO will get that all worked out and they will.

Any other nods for photo of the year? I always liked this one:

"The winter sun sets on Lake George. This man made lake is just east of the Emerald Canyon, in Lakewood, Ohio, which many consider the Paris of Cleveland's inner ring suburbs."


Jim,

That is poetry. You paint with light.

Steve