The Observation Deck

I just got back from a meeting with some of the leaders of the Occupy Cleveland movement.
These young idealistic protesters sat down with me and gave me great insight into the
occupy movement in Cleveland and around the country.

This Saturday from 8am - 6pm Anthony Hayne, and Peter Arian will be occupying what used
to be called Sinagra Park to bring the protest and the discussion to Lakewood, Ohio. So if
you support the movement, and I have to believe most of the city is in the 99%, stop by
and say hello, and stand in protest with them. Or if you have any questions, stop by and they
will be happy to answer them, and get any input you might have.

Anthony has been involved since the beginning and Peter was a shadow for one of the ten
arrested by the Cleveland Police Friday night.

I hope to see you there.

For more information on Occupy Cleveland go to their website at:
http://occupycleveland.com/


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I moved to Lakewood because of the affordable housing and close knit neighborhood.

I support local businesses and restaurants every chance I get.

I recognize the benefits of giving voice to your thoughts.

But I write opinion pieces for a community newspaper that has never paid me a dime for my efforts, doesn't offer retirement, profit sharing or even a health care plan. All while the owner drives around town in fancy and exotic automobiles.

I am the 90%...

...of residents that have contributed to the Lakewood Observer Project.

Bret Callentine wrote:I moved to Lakewood because of the affordable housing and close knit neighborhood.

I support local businesses and restaurants every chance I get.

I recognize the benefits of giving voice to your thoughts.

But I write opinion pieces for a community newspaper that has never paid me a dime for my efforts, doesn't offer retirement, profit sharing or even a health care plan. All while the owner drives around town in fancy and exotic automobiles.

I am the 90%...

...of residents that have contributed to the Lakewood Observer Project.

Bret

While I appreciate the message, and the entire city realizes I could care what others say
about me, as 90% of that is false, or an outright lie. BUT...

Bret Callentine wrote:But I write opinion pieces for a community newspaper that has never paid me a dime for my efforts, doesn't offer retirement, profit sharing or even a health care plan.

This is not a true statement, is it?

I have spoken with most regulars at some point about pay, profit sharing, and health care.

Bret Callentine wrote:I am the 90%...

...of residents that have contributed to the Lakewood Observer Project.

As of last count we are at 10,632 members of the community that have taken part in this
project in one way or another. So that would either make you 20% of the Lakewoodites that
have taken part. Or 0.01% of the residents that have taken part.

While I admit that you have been a shining example of what this project is about, from the
way we met, to the way you have tested me again and again, and what you have risen to
as the right wing for the paper, we need to keep the Observer numbers straight.

As for the car, guilty, but my mechanic dropped over dead, and I imagine they will be
leaving the garage very soon.

Bret, you are the Observer.

Thank you.


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Jim O'Bryan wrote:I have spoken with most regulars at some point about pay, profit sharing, and health care.

Let me clarify on health care.

To date we have spoken with 6 different health care providers about healthcare. NONE will
cover volunteers. We have found a company that is working on a plan, for all Observer
projects, and projects we now operate under other names, but as of today they have not
been able to put it together. However, when they saw the numbers and the coverage, they
have a great reason to find a way to do it.

Just want to make sure, what was posted is understood.

I am completely open to many, many different ways to run this project.


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Wow Jim, good job sucking all the fun out of my post.

Gary, forget the banjo, sounds like Jim needs a beer.

P.S. if my math is correct there are only 67 days until Burning Monkey Festival

Bret Callentine wrote:Wow Jim, good job sucking all the fun out of my post.

Gary, forget the banjo, sounds like Jim needs a beer.

P.S. if my math is correct there are only 67 days until Burning Monkey Festival

I still let you poke fun at me.

I am always fair game, as is everything I do. I guess I am not as fragile as many public type
figures, that have never learned, "Sticks and stone may break my bones, but names will
never hurt me."

As I often say, unlike many in this town...

I love this city, because of the residents, not in spite of them.

All of you.

Might be something coming up before FBMF(Fabulous Burning Monkey Festival) in party
form, not connected with the Observer, but one of my projects from the past. Is 2011 the
year Jimmy's Hyena Club returns?



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Gee. I'm still waiting for the return of Jimmy's legendary white squirrel.

Bret, there are some things in life even beyond a banjo's capabilities...

Hmmm, better get back to it anyway...

There is something so deliciously ironic about the immediate turn inserted into this post
of community news. Fortune would have it that the gathering site just happens to be
at the foot of the hill that Daddy Warbucks runs his corporate controlled, and truly
mind-numbingly yellow sheet from. A true chance to stick it to the man.

I plan to spend the day pelting Observer windows with those hard to find alloy exhaust
fittings that a regular person could find if they were not crawling the streets nightly
photographing and making sense of a changing world in which I live.

The volunteer thing means just that, and if you are good at it, your organization
will ask more of you. Who knows, in a free market economy you could buy your
own gold watch.
Everything about the Observer project has always been so highly regarded.

Russ

russell dunn wrote:There is something so deliciously ironic about the immediate turn inserted into this post
of community news. Fortune would have it that the gathering site just happens to be
at the foot of the hill that Daddy Warbucks runs his corporate controlled, and truly
mind-numbingly yellow sheet from. A true chance to stick it to the man.

I plan to spend the day pelting Observer windows with those hard to find alloy exhaust
fittings that a regular person could find if they were not crawling the streets nightly
photographing and making sense of a changing world in which I live.

The volunteer thing means just that, and if you are good at it, your organization
will ask more of you. Who knows, in a free market economy you could buy your
own gold watch.
Everything about the Observer project has always been so highly regarded.

Russ

Russ

Please stop by and pelt. I always enjoy old friends stopping by for a pelting or two.

It is funny, someone mentioned a way to really piss off the 1%ers that live in Lakewood. I
am still laughing! There are no 1%ers in Lakewood. Dick Jacobs(pre-Indians) has sadly
passed on.

If throwing rocks, please aim at my office, I have been trying to get that one fixed for
6 years.





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If there were more benches along Detroit I could walk down there. A cab is about 6 bucks each way, so maybe. I'd love to be there.

sharon kinsella wrote:If there were more benches along Detroit I could walk down there. A cab is about 6 bucks each way, so maybe. I'd love to be there.

Sharon


RTA provides 2 - 4 double buses together every 1.5 - 3 hours.


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Jim O'Bryan wrote:

sharon kinsella wrote:If there were more benches along Detroit I could walk down there. A cab is about 6 bucks each way, so maybe. I'd love to be there.

Sharon

RTA provides 2 - 4 double buses together every 1.5 - 3 hours.
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And they're usually empty.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:It is funny, someone mentioned a way to really piss off the 1%ers that live in Lakewood. Iam still laughing! There are no 1%ers in Lakewood. Dick Jacobs(pre-Indians) has sadly passed on.

What? Sure there are! Isn't the "movement" mad about the greedy bankers? First Federal of Lakewood's HQ is here. There must be a greedy banker in there, somewhere...

Honestly, what is it about?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Honestly, what is it about?

That really is the question to be answered.

Roy Pitchford wrote:What? Sure there are! Isn't the "movement" mad about the greedy bankers? First Federal of Lakewood's HQ is here. There must be a greedy banker in there, somewhere...

Honestly, what is it about?

Roy

First, First Federal is one of the cleanest most honest banks I know of. They stayed out of
everything that caused the bubble, and so when it burst, they staid very healthy.

The bigger question of what it is all about?

The answer is not that different from what the tea party gripes about. I would put this
movement as nearly equal to the Tea Party in the early days. Everyone is upset with not
the banks as much as the gouging of the banks. I think we all agree that when a bank's
rate are higher than that of a mob Shylock things need to be looked at.

What is going on with colleges and college loans borders on criminal. Basically enslaving
young people, while selling them products with little or no value in today's market.

Do any of us really want the Federal Reserve printing $1.5 trillion dollars of our money to
bailout Europe, with that debit being transferred to Americans and the young.

This country is screwed, by my generation the baby boomers, and a vast majority of large
corporations, and many of the 1%ers that have bought massive amounts of influence
and regulations that never serve Americans, but can serve them.

FWIW

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