Times are tough in Cleveland. How tough? Today a story gave us some sense of the distress felt by many people. The times in Cleveland are so challenging that, when the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland announced that it was accepting applications for table game and poker dealer jobs that pay between $17 and $22 per hour, [...]
Archive for September, 2011
Looking For A Job, Any Job, In Cleveland
Posted in Ohio, The Economy, tagged casino jobs, casinos, Cleveland, economy, Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, Ohio, Unemployment, Unemployment statistics on September 30, 2011 | 2 Comments »
When Law Schools Lie
Posted in America, tagged Admissions statistics, America, education, Higher Education, Law School, LSAT scores, U.S. News and World Report rankings, University of Illinois College of Law on September 30, 2011 | 3 Comments »
Recently the University of Illinois College of Law announced that Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) and grade point average (GPA) statistics provided on the school’s website were inflated. The school posted the correct numbers, said it was conducting a thorough review of how the error happened, and placed the dean of admissions on leave as [...]
Properly Welcoming The Huskers To The Big Ten
Posted in sports, tagged Big Ten, Big Ten football, college football, Nebraska football, sports, University of Nebraska, Wisconsin on September 29, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Saturday night, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team plays its first conference game as a member of the Big Ten. When the ball is kicked off and that game begins, the long-awaited expansion of the Big Ten becomes a reality. Fittingly, Nebraska’s first game is also a big game, and one that should give them a [...]
The Economics Of Early Primaries
Posted in America, Politics, tagged 2012 Republican presidential race, America, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Politics, Primary Elections, South Carolina on September 29, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Don’t look now, but states are jockeying to move up the dates of their primaries, caucuses, and other electoral contrivances. Florida has indicated that it is going to move its primary to January 31. If it does so, expect South Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Iowa to follow suit, so they can maintain their current [...]
Running Risks With That “Ugly Sweater” Contest
Posted in Humor, Work, tagged Clolthing, Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Humor, Sweaters, The Cosby Show, Ugly Sweater Contest, Ugly Sweaters, Work on September 29, 2011 | 103 Comments »
People at our office are always coming up with events to try to keep the workplace interesting. Recently they announced that, on some date in the near future, there will be an “ugly sweater” contest. With that innocent, well-intentioned decision, they placed the fashion-challenged among us at enormous risk. The problem is that, once you [...]
The “Health Care Reform” Law Hits The High Court
Posted in Healthcare Reform, tagged Commerce Clause, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Politics, Republicans, Supreme Court, United States Constitution, United States Supreme Court on September 28, 2011 | 2 Comments »
It is looking increasingly likely that Supreme Court will hear an appeal of the ever-controversial “health care reform” law, and soon. Both sides to a lawsuit — the Department of Justice in favor of the law, and 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Businesses in opposition — have asked the Court to accept [...]
Upbeat About The Utica Shale
Posted in Environment, Ohio, Politics, Technology, tagged Chesapeake Energy Corp., Eastern Ohio, Environment, Ohio, Oil and Gas, Politics, Technology, Utica Shale Formation on September 28, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Eastern Ohio — home to many depressed communities and unemployed residents — is becoming a boom area thanks to a rock formation called the Utica Shale. The Utica Shale lies far below the surface under parts of eight states. Geologists believe that it may contain huge reserves of natural gas and oil and that one [...]
The Sock Hop Lineup Gets Set
Posted in America, Humor, Politics, tagged 2012 presidential campaign, America, Chris Christie, Humor, Politics, Republican Presidential Candidates, Sock Hops on September 28, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Last night New Jersey Governor Chris Christie rejected the musings and suggestions of anonymous sources and insiders and made clear that he is not going to join the 2012 race for President. We’ll hear some longing sighs and expressions of regret, but then we’ll move on. In some ways, our presidential selection process is like [...]
Alpine Village Revisited
Posted in America, Growing Up, Work, tagged Alpine Village, America, de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, Growing Up, Lake George, Summer Jobs, Work on September 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
When Kish and I were in upstate New York in June, we decided to visit Alpine Village, the memorable Lake George resort where I worked during the summer of 1976. I’m glad we visited, because it brought back some memories — but it made me sad at the same time. I’m happy to report that [...]
The Post-AARP-Card-In-The-Mail Blues
Posted in Humor, tagged AARP, Doggerel, Growing Old, Humor, Poetry, senior citizens, Seniors on September 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The other day I received another AARP card in the mail. Immediately my shoulders rounded a bit, I felt an irresistible impulse to hitch my trousers to nipple height, and I developed a keen interest in the weather. I’ve gotten AARP stuff in the mail before. On your 50th birthday, you inevitably get an AARP [...]
Assigning Priorities, And Saying No To Jersey Shore
Posted in Politics, TV, tagged 2012 Republican presidential race, Chris Christie, Jersey Shore, New Jersey, Politics, TV on September 26, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Today provided another reason why I wish New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would throw his hat in the ring for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Christie vetoed a $420,000 tax credit that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority was going to give to the MTV show Jersey Shore. Christie’s veto message says, “[i]n this difficult [...]
Another Week, Another Stalemate
Posted in Politics, tagged Congress, Democrats, Federal Budget, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Government spending, Politics, Republicans on September 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Ho hum. If it’s Monday, there must be another political stalemate in Washington, D.C., and another possible government shutdown looming. The contours of this dispute are familiar. Federal funds are running out and a short-term spending bill must be passed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also needs more money. As a matter of fiscal discipline, [...]
The Last Taboo
Posted in America, TV, tagged America, Boardwalk Empire, HBO, Ku Klux Klan, Michael Kenneth Williams, Racism, TV on September 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
HBO’s Boardwalk Empire started its second season last night. Fans of this terrific series were plunged once again into the 1920s world of gunrunners, bootleggers, and . . . the Ku Klux Klan? Wait a second . . . the KKK? I didn’t think I could be shocked watching TV anymore — particularly on HBO [...]
It’s Never Easy
Posted in sports, tagged Browns Football, Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy, Miami Dolphins, sports on September 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Browns won an ugly game today. As victories go, it was about as repulsive as you can get — but it was a win nevertheless. After three games, the Browns are 2-1, and will be, at worst, tied for first in their division. They won today because their defense played a good game against [...]
