Truly a Comeback City

Cleveland. The Mistake on the Lake as some people have called it. Well guess what? That so-called mistake has kicked it into high gear for the past 10 years and we look nothing like what you remember.

A dying industrial city. People leaving in droves. Crime. No entertainment. Dirty. Unaccomplished. Abandoned buildings all over the place. And no prospects for the future. This is what people have assumed about us for the past few years ever since we past our industrial and manufacturing prime. But guess what? While you were scoffing at us we were changing, growing, shaking off the rust and not looking back.

We have world class basketball, football and baseball stadiums. We have a brand new 1 million square foot convention center. We are hosting the 2015 NCAA Basketball Tournament, the 2014 Gay Games, the 2015 Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame inductions among many more and we are the finalists for the 2016 Republican National Convention with Dallas. Countless hotels are being built and remodeled to keep up with demand.

Clevelanders are getting younger and smarter. From 2006 to 2012, 60,000 people with a college degree came into Cleveland and the number of newcomers between the age of 25-34 increased 23% from 2006 to 2012 with an 11% increase from 2011 to 2012 alone.

Places like Ohio City, Tremont and the whole area encompassed by the 44113 zip code has 41 percent of its people working in the knowledge field and that the percent of working people making $40,000 a year went from just 23 percent in 2002 to 42 percent in 2011. 

The city is catering to the younger population, hosting concerts and events that draw people to the city and the dining and entertainment business is booming. Over 22 restaurants opened in downtown Cleveland in 2013 alone. Festivals and city wide parities exist on almost ever single weekend. Just look at this video from our New Year's Party for 2014. I was there, it was insane. There were thousands of people packed into Public Square and it was freezing and snowed all night, but Cleveland rocked out all night long. And better yet, it proved that Cleveland was back and better than ever. See the video here: CLE Rocks NYE

Ohio City is thriving as West 25th welcomes more new breweries and restaurants every year and the Flatts are being revived into a new entertainment district complete with new green space, apartments and our new aquarium.

Cleveland can hardly keep up with the rising demand of housing. With housing costs well below the national average, people who come here are staying here. There are more than 1,200 housing units slated to open in the next 24-months even with 800 being built in 2013. The Greater Cleveland Alliance estimates that the Downtown population will reach 15,000 by the end of 2015, the highest in the city's history.

Not only are new buildings being built, old ones are being repurposed and refurbished. The people of Cleveland have embraced the old, industrial buildings, former 20^th century boutiques and various sites once used for the maintenance of streetcars and turned them into restaurants, shops, galleries, even our aquarium. The relics of Cleveland’s past are quickly becoming the beacons of the future, bringing entertainment, quality dining, new business and so much more to the city. Cleveland’s past is supporting it’s future, paving the way for a bright, new city ready for the national stage.

Cleveland hasn't been sitting around. While everyone was making fun of us and saying that we would never amount to anything, we weren't listening. We were busy innovating. This city allows for people to get actively involved. Entrepreneurs thrive here. People with big dreams of opening clothing stores, small galleries, restaurants, bars, breweries, almost anything can find a home here. We welcome innovation and imagination. You can make a difference here.

Cleveland is back and ready for people to know it. We don't fit into a mold. We won't bend to fit the status quo. We are all different and we accept that. People who make fun of this city don't understand it, they've never been here to feel the electricity in the air during Tribe games, Festivals, and local parties. Once you get here and really experience it, you'll know why we defend this city to the death. This city is our city and it's time for the world to see how far we've come. 

Guess what? Cleveland still rocks and better yet, we never really stopped. 

Links to Sources: Shaking off the Rust, Cleveland a City Repurposed, Visualizing Cleveland's Future, DCA Annual Report

An Equal Opportunity Killer

This week the world was again shocked and saddened by the passing of an illustrious actor. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on Sunday Feb. 2, 2014 at 11 a.m.

Hoffman was found on the floor his bathroom with a syringe in his arm Sunday morning after his ex-wife raised concern about him not picking up his children.

After searching the apartment, investigators found close to 50 unopened envelopes (other sources said 70) of what is believed to be heroin. Used syringes, prescription drugs and empty bags that are suspected of once holding heroin were also found at the scene.

Hoffman's death comes after a long string of highly publicized, high profile, celebrity deaths. It seems like every few weeks we are hearing another tragic story of a celebrity found in their house, apartment or hotel room with the cause of death unknown only to have us learn later that is was due to drugs.

In the past few years, the world has watched as the death announcements of celebrities such as Corey Monteith, Amy Winehouse,Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and others have scrolled across our television screens with the title: "Cause of Death Unknown, But Suspected Overdose Likely."

I know that I felt totally shell shocked when I heard about the death of Corey Monteith. He was the first celebrity that really touched my generation and I remember the tears forming as I told my roommate the news as she looked at me in disbelief.

Drug overdoses make people angry. I remember when I mentioned Monteith to my sister, she scoffed and said "It was his own fault."

The public has a really hard time feeling sad about a preventable death especially in the case of famous people. I can tell you that I have heard "They totally had it coming" more times than I am comfortable with.

And it makes other celebrities angry. On Feb. 3, Rob Lowe tweeted, "Philip Seymour Hoffman's sad, untimely passing has me angry. I want more great work from him! I want less destruction from drugs/alcohol."

This was right after a tweet that said, "You are not smarter than your drug. Or more knowledgeable, powerful, stronger or anything else. Addiction is an equal opportunity killer."

People are missing the bigger picture with drug overdoses.

Drugs, alcohol and a carefree lifestyle permeate the culture of Hollywood. People have lots of disposable income, free time and they can pretty much get away with whatever they want. But that doesn't mean that they aren't human. And you know what? Drugs plus humans typically equals addiction, especially when you can get your drug of choice easily and in mass quantities.

Addiction is the killer.

Addiction is what drives people to the overdose. And no, it isn't a willpower thing. Doctors and professionals have proven that time and again. Addiction is a disease and you need to be treated for it like any other disease.

We incorrectly assume that people just pump these fatal cocktails into their bodies just because they can. While that may be how it starts, that is never typically how it ends.

Addiction is a terribly slippery slope and it takes incredible strength and courage for a person suffering from addiction to stand up, take ownership and get help.

It is time that we stop punishing and start helping. Stop condemning and start being compassionate. You taking ownership of your addiction or telling a friend that is it time to get help could mean the difference between life and death.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, please call the National Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Center at 1-800-784-6776 or visit your local hospital for help.

Information for this article was taken from the CNN.com article Piecing together Philip Seymour Hoffman's final hours by: Shimon Prokupecz, Jethro Mullen and Jason Carroll

Fourth Grade Reading Levels? Are We Serious?

The American education system is diseased and we aren't just talking about a common cold that can be cured with some tea and a cold compress.

I mean fatally diseased. Like Bubonic plague or Ebola.

I guess a more accurate assessment would be cancerous.

There are parts of our education system that have become almost too broken and sick to save, so the only viable option is cutting those parts away or purging it with heavy duty radiation to rid it from the system.

While I think that the whole system in general is very broken, I am actually reacting to the very disturbing study done by CNN in response to shocking data released by Mary Willingham about the reading levels of collegiate athletes at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Willingham did her own research in her position as a graduate student at UNC-Greensboro and looked at the reading levels of 183 UNC-Chapel Hill athletes who played football and basketball from 2004-2012 and found that 60 percent read between fourth- and eighth-grade levels and between 8 and 10 percent read below a third-grade level.

The issue goes beyond that too. It was exposed two years ago that student athletes from UNC were given credit for classes they did not attend, among other things. The professor at the center of the scandal was indicted by a grand jury last month for fraud.

CNN launched their own investigation in response to the data and found that the issue was present in a number of public universities. They requested the SAT and ACT scores from 40 institutions where open record laws apply and heard back from 21.

Hitting close to home from someone who lives in Ohio and habitually roots for the Buckeyes, the data from The Ohio State University is troubling.

While they initially denied CNN's request for ACT and SAT scores to be released, OSU offered up the Wide Range Achievement Test results when CNN asked for aptitude tests in lieu of the SAT/ACT scores.

The spreadsheet provided is clunky and difficult to make sense of, but it is obvious that there are a number of student athletes, specifically football players in OSU's case, that are scoring that the elementary levels in math and reading.

While the majority score at the high-school level or above, it is troubling that this problem is being taken so lightly by these big name universities.

Athletics are the lifeblood of many large universities in this nation. In 2012, the University of Louisville earned a profit of $26.9 million from its men's basketball program alone. That is 60 percent more than the $16.9 million profit that UNC had from their men's program.

But should these universities overlook the obvious academic shortcomings of the student athletes they admit just because they can make a killer three pointer or run the ball down the field for a 67-yard touchdown?

My argument...no way.

Universities should be ashamed at themselves for allowing students who are underprepared for college into their institutions just because of their athletic skills.

The argument about college athletics seems to be getting more and more intense as the years go on and more is being exposed about just how much is being hidden from the general public.

We go to college to learn. To expand our minds and become functioning contributing members of society.

Lots of students work incredibly hard academically to get into the school of their dreams. They agonize over test scores and each and every paper grade. Why should people who can throw a ball get special preference academically over those who actually study hard and want to further their education in college?

As I said, the education system in America is diseased and if we ever want to compete on a global scale education-wise, preferences and allowances for underperformance and academic negligence need to be taken off the table as options for our college athletes.

That being said, I appreciate what they do. I love watching OSU students play football and basketball. I cheer on my own college football team, but it will never be acceptable for education and learning to be put under athletics.

Because you know what they are first? Students. They are going to school to learn, not play basketball or football.

After all, the body decays and breaks down, but the mind can stay sharp and honestly, how far is the fact that you have killer footwork and a good arm going to get you in corporate America?

Education is important. Let's stop acting like it is in second place.

Violation of the First Amendment? Actually, not really.

Much of American society has been buzzing this week with the recent remarks made by Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson in a GQ interview regarding homosexuality, African-Americans and divorce among other hot-button issues. 

After the interview was released, A&E made the decision to place Robertson on suspension in response to comments that insulted, impacted and alienated a large portion of society. This decision caused an uproar among fans of the show, conservatives and Christians alike calling the move a violation of the first amendment and more. 

I saw the move called a persecution of Christians, unconstitutional,  and an attack on religion among other things. The thing is, everything can be perceived from two different sides. I know that there are a number of people who are very offended by the comments, even if they do not personally identify with any of the groups in the widespread condemnation. 

Another thing that I feel compelled to point out is that there are a fair amount of Christians who were offended by the comments and who do not see A&E's decision  as an attack on Christians at all, but as a move by a company to protect the rights of other people as well as defend their brand. 

But the thoughts and feelings of how certain groups reacted to the comments and the actions taken by A&E are not even the real conversations that society should be having right now. The conversations should really be centered around what the first amendment actually means and what it protects. 

People always use the first amendment as a blanket statement to claim protection for saying things that are out of line or in some cases, a violation of a contract. The first amendment was not designed to protect people against how society and private companies will react to or respond to what you say. The first amendment protects us from the persecution of the government in regards to free speech. 

The first amendment was designed to ensure that the government could not censor its people or tell them that they were not allowed to say certain things. 

So, was Robertson charged by the government for his comments? No. He was told by the company that he works for, the one that he gets a paycheck from, the one with whom he signed a legally binding contract with that his actions and words were not acceptable. A&E had every right to suspend Robertson. 

They did not do it to attack Christians or because they are bleeding heart liberals or any of the other strongly worded accusations that are being thrown around. They did it because they wanted to take a stand against what they think is wrong. They responded in a way that they thought was proportional to the backlash that one of their "stars" was going to receive. 

As mentioned in other columns and articles, and I am going to specifically quote here from one of LZ Granderson's columns for CNN.com in italics below, you simply cannot make comments like that and not expect violent backlash, especially in this day and age. 

"You can say some stupid stuff -- whether it's Paula Deen dropping the N-word, Alec Baldwin dropping the F-word, Jesse Jackson using a derogatory word for Jewish people as he talks about New York City -- or Bobby Knight infamously saying, "'I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it.'' -- and the First Amendment will keep you from going to jail. But it is not a get-out-of-jail-free card in the eyes of society."

Our society has been turning towards a more accepting and open-minded collaboration of people. We are more forgiving, more tolerant and honestly, more humane. It is high time that people are told that they cannot hide under rules and laws that they assume will protect them from saying anything they want, no matter how hurtful or bigoted it may be. That just is not the way it works and it is time for people to start taking real responsibility for their actions. 

Giving Tuesday

If you have been on any form of social media today, you have likely noticed a few #givingtuesday’s popping up here and there.

This little know holiday was the brainchild of a New York nonprofit called 92nd Street Y that decided to launch a different kind of commercial holiday in response to consumer driven insanity of Black Friday followed by a weekend of frantic shopping the concludes with the ever growing Cyber Monday.

Giving Tuesday started as a grassroots movement last year to promote a holiday that was focused solely on giving back after the frantic shopping of the start-of-the-holidays madness that ensues right after Thanksgiving.

The movement is in its second year. After starting in 2012 with 2,500 partner organizations, this year about 10,000 groups participating in this movement of generosity.

Giving Tuesday is a movement, not an organization. Charities and other groups participate under the “Giving Tuesday” banner in a mission to remind people what the holiday season is really about.

Black Friday grabbed headline yet again this year as companies decided to open on
Thanksgiving evening, with some stores opening at 4 p.m. (That leaves hardly enough time to digest your turkey and sweet potatoes, let alone enjoy a nice slice of pumpkin pie with your family!).

After spending a full weekend of buying, buying, buying, even if it is for gifts and then turning around and ordering more things online on Monday, it is comforting to know that there is a growing movement in this country to focus on giving back.

This country is built on the machine of consumerism and capitalism, we have the ability to buy whatever we want whenever we want (and now we can get it even faster with this Amazon drone thing that Bezos has dreamed up). But is that always a good thing?

With Black Friday deals starting so early, we don’t even get time to finish going around the table saying what we are thankful for before Aunt Linda is dragging Tom and Mary out the door to go get that iPad she saw was on sale.

The holidays are about being thankful for what you have, for taking time to spend with your family, and for doing those silly traditions like breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve.

Now I am not saying that we should stop buying gifts or toss the tree out with the trash, I am simply saying that we should take equal time to think about all of the blessings we have and maybe take a few seconds today to donate to an organization close to our hearts.

And just to prove that I am not just saying all of this, I decided to make a donation to the Humane Society of the United States because I know how much my pets mean to me and I don’t know how people can treat them the way they do. And if you don’t believe me, here is a screen shot of my donation.

So take time to participate in Giving Tuesday and remember all you have to be thankful for during this holiday season. 

Rubber Ducky You're the One

Well, I stand corrected. The world of sports has again infiltrated my life and I have no choice but to write about it.

If you have been connected to media in anyway in the past few days, you have undoubtedly heard that the Akron Aeros have officially changed their name to the RubberDucks.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Akron RubberDucks.

Akron's Double-A team unveiled their new logo and name on Oct. 29, 2013 through milb.com and the news quickly exploded on social media and many fans and locals questioned whether or not the news was serious. I had the same question and upon investigation found that yes, my beloved Orbit had been ditched for a jetpack-lacking duck of all things.

But in the administration's defense, the rational behind the change makes sense when Akron's history is taken into account. The two main goals of the new name and design are celebrating the working-class tenacity of Akron and promoting the family-friendly environment that the team is committed to.

If you don't know anything about the wonderful city that I am proud to call home, it was once home to some of the largest tire and rubber companies in the United States of America including Goodrich, General Tire, Firestone and Goodyear. This made Akron the Rubber Capitol of the World from the 1900s to the 1990s.

Although only the latter remains headquartered there and the boom created some very wicked pollution, it gave the city a population of hardworking and dedicated individuals that deserve to be celebrated as a major part of the foundation of Akron.

Therefore, the tip of the hat that the name change gave to these people was very well intentioned and I applaud the team for promoting the roots of their city. The only part that just does not make sense is the "ducks" part.

The owner of the RubberDucks (I can't even type that without smirking a little), Ken Babby, explained that one of the goals was to create a logo that emphasized that people could come and have fun as well as forget life's problems.

While this little, yellow ducky may give off that vibe, it still does not change the fact that Akron just essentially became the laughing stock of the Eastern league. I mean, how are we supposed to cheer for the Rubber Ducks? Are we supposed to quack? I think I'll pass.

All joking aside, I have to say, the new logo is pretty badass and if there is one thing us Akronites are very good at it is being quirky. We are going to be able to fully embrace this new RubberDucks thing and I hope that the administration was clued into that and took advantage of our good sense of humor.

I will say that if the players want to be taken seriously with this new name, they need to up there game a little. I am thinking that we need to at least make it to the playoffs next year (RubberDucks Dynasty anyone?). All my love to friends from Erie, but if the SeaWolves can do it, the RubberDucks sure as hell can.

I want to assure my hometown team that the name change will not affect my devotion and dedication to you in the least bit and I know that my fellow Akronites probably feel the same way. It is going to take me a while to get over losing Orbit, but I think I'll be okay.

So here's to a great 2014 season! Go RubberDucks!

Information for this article was taken from: You're the one: Akron RubberDucks

That does happen here: A case for better sexual education at JCU

*This is an OP/ED piece that was written for Her Campus JCU*

The hookup culture has become a widely discussed topic in universities across the nation and it has revived conversations about sexual education and the importance of students knowing exactly what they are getting into when engaging in hookups.

We all had the basic “birds and the bees” talk from our parents in fourth or fifth grade, but how much do we actually know about staying safe as far as sexual activities go?

In my opinion, not enough.

I have been amazed at some of the misconceptions I have encountered during my two and a half years at college. What I learned was that, a lot of the time, sexual education stops after the “Where do babies come from?” conversation.

My concern is how universities are going to be able to accurately discuss the hookup culture and all it entails without also taking the necessary steps to promote sexual education. I feel we have reached the point where the “that doesn’t happen here” theory is falling flat.

Students are becoming more and more open about sex and they want to learn about it. College newspapers all over the country like The Daily Texan at the University of Texas and The Hoya at Georgetown University have started to tackle questions about sex that everyone seems to have, but no one wants to talk about.

The initiative these college newspapers have taken has been greeted with both commendation and condemnation, but they are simply filling the education gap that is so glaringly evident at their universities. These student journalists are at the front of the push for more open conversation about sexual health because they see the lack of dialogue about this important topic.

What is troubling is that the same education gap exists at John Carroll University. While I understand and respect the Catholic ideals that are being promoted in regards to premarital sex and “promiscuous” behavior, I do think that if topics like hookups are going to be discussed at the University, it is important to take the next step and start the conversation about sexual education.

The policy of an “abstinence only” sexual health policy is slowly becoming ineffective. Students are more connected to information than ever and it would seem that all universities would want to ensure that students were getting the right information about their sexual health than false assumptions from a third party website.

Universities need to realize that students are going to engage in sexual activities whether they have the information or not and I think it is more important for colleges to promote sexual education than to turn a blind eye to something that is happening right in front of them.

This is not to say that JCU has not taken any steps to promote sexual health and education. JCU took a step in the right direction when they began offering HIV/AIDS tests in 1993 and again when they started to offer OB/GYN clinics to women where the exam included sexually transmitted infection screenings.

More recently, the current hookup culture series that started on campus at the beginning of October has opened up a conversation about what hookups mean to students, why we engage in them and what the consequences can be.

This series is the most progressive and public conversation about sexual health at the University to date and while I applaud JCU for organizing it, I do think that they next step is a discussion about safe sexual activity and a promotion of places students can go to get any information and resources they may want about sexual education. After all, information and resources about pregnancy are available, so why not information and resources about sexual health and protection?

I am in no way arguing for an total overturn of the Catholic teachings about sexual activity, I just want resources to be available for students who choose to engage in said activities. Not all of the students on campus are Catholic and even some of those who are, still hook-up with people and some even have sex.

I think it would be better for JCU to promote or at least provide information about healthy sexual relationships and precautions instead of pretending that it doesn’t happen here and in the spirit of educating the whole person, I think it is high time for the conversation to start.