Cleveland Trip #13: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

 You can't visit Cleveland, Ohio and not see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so I visited. For about 20 years in a part-time basis, I was on the radio as either a DJ, broadcast meteorologist, doing news, or engineering. I also used to listen to the American Top 40 from the late 1970s to about 1998, so I am familiar with so many of the artists in the music industry.  Of course, 2022 was the perfect year for my visit because Dolly Parton was voted in (she's one of my all-time favorite singers/songwriters/entertainers). 

HIGHLIGHT TO ME - At the top level, there was a 25 minute film produced by Dick Clark productions with clips of countless musical artists who appeared on the American Bandstand Television show- that was the best!  

I also enjoyed seeing the displays of costumes, guitars, and other memorabilia of artists from Blondie to Heart, the Beatles, Elvis, Supremes, and countless others. Below are photos of Elvis' gold suit, Aretha Franklin's display, and those from the Go Go's, Herman's Hermits, Quiet Riot, the Beatles, David Bowie, Blondie, Prince, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" song/video jacket, a photo of Madonna at the entrance of the restrooms, and the 2022 inductees. 

It took about 2 1/2 hours to go through the 5 floors of the museum, and if you love music, you'll enjoy it, too! 

NEXT: Visiting Superman Co-Creator Artist Joe Shuster's House! 

Idiot of the Week: Arizona GOP Candidate Arrested For Lewd Behavior Near Preschool

This week's idiot is a Republican running for office in Arizona, who was actually caught with his Pants down and near a Pre-school!! GROSS. SICK. This is a guy who said in his campaign post in May, he wanted “our children protected [from] the progressive left.” Looks like children need to be protected from Republicans on the right, instead. Here's the sickening story of this idiot (Whom I am sure will get votes).

Randy Kaufman was allegedly caught masturbating outside of a preschool. FACEBOOK

Arizona GOP Candidate Arizona GOP Candidate Arrested For Allegedly Masturbating In Truck Near Preschool

Maricopa County officials say it's too late to remove Randy Kaufman from the ballot in the race for a college district board.

Sebastian Murdock, H. Post

Oct 19, 2022, 11:58 AM EDT

A GOP candidate running for an Arizona college district’s governing board was arrested on a charge of public sexual indecency after an officer allegedly caught him masturbating in his truck near a preschool.

Randy Kaufman was arrested Oct. 4 but suspended his campaign Tuesday following media reports of his arrest. Kaufman is running for the governing board of the Maricopa County Community College District, and was allegedly caught masturbating by the county’s community college police.

“I fucked up,” Kaufman told an officer during his arrest, according to a police report.

The report says the incident began when an officer with the Maricopa County Community Colleges Police approached Kaufman’s parked vehicle and saw the man with his pants down.

“[Kaufman] appeared to be looking at a cell phone in one hand,” the police report said. “I immediately became alarmed as I saw [Kaufman] had his pants down mid-thigh and was exposed showing his fully erect nude penis. [Kaufman] was manipulating his genitals in a masturbatory manner.”

The officer said Kaufman didn’t seem to notice the officer at first, but that Kaufman was in view of a nearby bicyclist and a preschool where children were playing outside. When confronted, the officer said, Kaufman apologized for the act.

“I’m sorry,” Kaufman said, according to the report. “I fucked up. I’m really stressed.”

Kaufman, who told police he worked as an officer with the Arizona Department of Corrections for 27 years, said he didn’t know there was a preschool just feet away, according to the report.

“Are you going to put that in the report?” the officer said Kaufman asked.

“Don’t you see how alarming that is?” the officer responded, according to the report. “That there are children nearby, people passing on bikes and in cars where they can look and see what you are doing?”

In a Facebook post from May, Kaufman said he wanted “our children protected [from] the progressive left.”

Kaufman was charged with public sexual indecency, but 12News in Phoenix reported that Kaufman could also face a possible felony charge because of his proximity to the preschool.

Despite the charge, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office said it’s too late for Kaufman’s name to be removed from the ballot, and some people have already voted early.

In a statement about his suspended campaign, Kaufman didn’t address the arrest, but said he “will never stop fighting to protect the United States Constitution and the values that make America the greatest country in the world.”

Hero of the Week: Lost dogs: Award for UK founder of Facebook drone group

This week's hero comes from the United Kingdom and he helped establish a network of people around the U.K. who used drones to help find missing dogs and reunite them with their pet parents! Brilliant! Here's his story from BBC News.

(Image caption, Graham Burton says the award is "a privilege and an honour." Credit: BBC)

Lost dogs: Award for U.K. founder of Facebook drone group

BBC News , Oct. 14, 2022

The founder of a Facebook group which has helped to return thousands of lost dogs to their owners using drones has been given a top accolade.

Former newspaper photographer Graham Burton will receive the International Fund for Animal Welfare Award.

The 66-year-old from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, set up Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK, which uses volunteers and drones to locate missing animals.

He described reuniting owners with their pets as "the best feeling ever". Mr Burton told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: "It's amazing when you've reunited an owner with its dog.

"Even though it's not my dog, or any of the admins' dog, they get a feeling of joy and it's over and over again because we're so successful in what we do."

The group uses a network of volunteer and drones to find animals.

HOW IT WORKS:  When an owner becomes aware that their pet is missing, they will post to the group and one of the administrators will contact them to get as much information about the dog as possible.

They will then start arranging for drone operators and ground volunteers to join the search.

'I thought it was a wind-up'

Mr Burton said: "You can cover areas where people can't walk - cliff faces, or large areas of fields that would normally take hours to search by foot can be done in 20 minutes or half an hour by using a drone."

THE GROUP OF TENS OF THOUSANDS:  The group, which now has more than 64,000 members, has been responsible for reuniting more than 2,750 dogs with their distressed owners.

It comprises a volunteer network of more than 3,000 drone pilots and more than 2,500 ground searchers across the UK and Ireland.

Reacting to the recognition, Mr Burton - who will be presented with the award at the House of Lords on Wednesday - added: "I thought it was a wind-up, to be honest. It's a privilege and an honour. "I am absolutely over the moon."

Cleveland Trip #12: Franklin's Spirit visit & Giant Stamp Sculpture!

 Today's Cleveland blog is about 2 quirky things. One is a giant sculpture and the other is a sign from our dog Franklin in spirit.

THE FREE STAMP

WHAT'S THE STORY OF THE "FREE STAMP" ? - IN 1985, MAJOR OIL COMPANY Standard Oil of Ohio, aka “Sohio,” opened up the 45-floor Sohio Building in downtown Cleveland. At the height of 659 feet, the mundane corporate headquarters needed some color and distinctiveness to brighten it up, and Sohio CEO Alton Whitehouse had just the plan.

Whitehouse commissioned husband and wife sculptors Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen to design the world’s largest rubber stamp. The pair worked together for weeks to create a giant, 49-foot red stamp with the word “free” printed on the bottom.

The word “free” was chosen because the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument of Cleveland was located directly across the street from the Sohio Building, which honors soldiers from the Civil War and freedom from slavery.

WHO CREATED THE FREE STAMP SCULPTURE - Claes Oldenburg, the world-famous pop artist known in Cleveland for creating the beloved and controversial “Free Stamp” sculpture at Willard Park The aluminum and steel structure is 49 feet long, 28 feet high and weighs 70,000 pounds.

WHERE IS IT? - Willard Park is a public park in downtown Cleveland, in the U.S. state of Ohio. The park sits at the northwest corner of East 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue, adjacent to Cleveland City Hall, and is within the boundaries of the Cleveland Mall historic district.

FRANKLIN'S SPIRIT VISIT- Our people and pets who have passed often find interesting ways to let us know they are around. One night, I met my friend Ryan for dinner. 

Right next to the restaurant was "Franklin Street" next to a Dog day care and I knew immediately that our Dachshund, Franklin (who passed in 2020) was letting me know that he is still very much around. It's all about recognizing the signs! 

(Photo: Franklin in May 2020) 

NEXT: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Cleveland Trip #11: Visited Home of Jerry Siegel - Superman Co-Creator / Lois Lane Model

In today's blog, I visited the boyhood home of Jerry Siegel, one of the two Superman co-creators. Although you can't go in the house because it's privately owned, they do have a Superman insignia and plaque outside of the house for fans. Today's blog is filled with photos and Superman history.

SPECIAL STREET NAME - Jerry Siegel was the writer and creator of Superman, while his friend Joe Shuster was the illustrator. Jerry grew up on Kimberely Street, and it has been given the additional name of "Jerry Siegel Lane." 

What happened to the Siegel home? 

Upon the sale of Jerry Siegel’s boyhood home on Kimberley Avenue in 1950, the family moved to University Heights. Over the decades, the house fell into disrepair and was sold again in 1983. When some dedicated comic aficionados and Clevelanders decided to recognize the achievements of Superman’s creators, they formed the Siegel & Shuster Society. As their first initiative, they raised funds to restore the Siegel home as the “Birthplace of Superman.” 

They also worked to create a permanent Superman display at Cleveland Hopkins Airport and campaigned to produce an Ohio license plate emblazed with the iconic “S” shield and the motto “Truth, Justice and the American Way.” These efforts helped promote Cleveland as Superman’s original home.

JERRY'S DESK & HIGH SCHOOL - The desk that Jerry Seigel used to write Superman stories is now on exhibit in the Cleveland Public Library. He purchased this desk in 1940 when he moved to University Heights, Ohio. He wrote hundreds of scripts on this desk for Superman comics and newspaper strips as well as his other character creations like the Spectre (another of my favorites), the Star Spangled Kid, Slam Bradley and Robotman. 

  His daughter, Laura Siegel Larson donated the desk to the Cleveland Public Library in 2017 where is on display. 

   At the Library, there's also a photo of the high school where he and his friend Joe Shushter went to high school. 

THE MODEL WHO BECAME "LOIS LANE"  - Jolan Kovacs was hired by Superman artist Joe Shuster to serve as a model for Lois Lane, Superman's girl friend (later wife). Joanne Siegel was an American model, who in the 1930s worked with Superman artist Joe Shuster as the model for Lois Lane, Superman's love interest. She later married Superman's co-creator Jerry Siegel and sued for restoration of her husband's authorship copyright in the Superman character.

  HOW IT HAPPENED -   In 1935, while still attending high school, she placed an advertisement in Cleveland's The Plain Dealer offering her services as a model.^[1] The ad stated: "Situation Wanted — Female ARTIST MODEL: No experience."^[2] Joe Shuster, who was working on a new comic character, Superman, responded to the ad. Prior to the modeling sessions, Shuster's co-creator, Jerry Siegel, had developed an idea for a journalist to be Superman's love interest, Lois Lane. Shuster hired her as a model for Lois, and his depiction of Lois was based on his drawings of her hairstyle and facial features. Interviewed in 1996 by The Plain Dealer, she recalled, "I remember the day I met Jerry in Joe's living room. Jerry was the model for Superman. He was standing there in a Superman-like pose. He said their character was going to fly through the air, and he leaped off the couch to demonstrate."

Cleveland Trip #10: Superman Exhibit at the Cleveland Library

 This is one of my favorite blog posts from my Cleveland adventure, because Superman is one of the main reasons I visited the city. Superman was created by two Cleveland area high school boys in the late 1930s. On my city tour, I learned about the exhibit in the library and it was awesome! There's a large statue of Superman on the second floor of the library that serves as a starting place. Today's blog has all the photos of the extensive exhibit!!

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT - The Cleveland Public Library has a huge Superman exhibit on the second floor. Exhibits feature memorabilia including art, movie and television posters, toys, comics and artifacts from the Mike Curtis Collection of Superman Memorabilia and other prominent collectors.

For more information, contact the Literature Department: 216-623-2881 or Literature@cpl.org

Who created the character of Superman?

Two young men in Cleveland, Jerry Siegel (1914-1996) and Joe Shuster (1914-1992), created Superman in 1933. Siegel and Shuster each lived with their Jewish immigrant parents in the working-class Glenville neighborhood in Cleveland. Siegel initially conceived of Superman, and Shuster brought the character to life through sketches, sometimes drawing his creations on brown wrapping paper or the back of wallpaper. The two friends drafted the first Superman comics in Siegel’s childhood home in Glenville. After struggling to promote Superman for several years, Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to DC Comics in 1938 for $130, an amount that would be equivalent to just over $2,000 in 2017.

SOME FAVORITE EXHIBITS- There was a copy of the cover of Action Comics #1 from June 1938, the debut of Superman. A poster of Henry Cavill urging kids to read (he played Superman in the Man of Steel and Justice League Films of the 2020s). 

There was a poster from the 1950s TV show pilot with George Reeves as Superman in "Superman and the Mole men." 

Cleveland Trip #9: Playhouse Square and What Halle Berry was Named After

 In today's blog about my short trip to Cleveland, you'll read what inspired actress Halle Berry's name and learn about Playhouse Square- One of the biggest areas of live shows outside of Broadway with one of the world's largest outdoor chandeliers! 

HALLE BERRY CONNECTION - My Cleveland city tour guide explained that actress Halle Berry was named after the department store in Cleveland! Halle Berry was born as Maria Halle Berry (and later switched first and middle names). Her parents selected her name after a local landmark, the grand old Halle Building that housed the Halle Brother Departmental Store, in the place of her birth, Cleveland, Ohio.  

ABOUT THE HALLE BUILDING - The Halle Building, formerly known as the Pope Building and after 2014 as The Residences at Halle, is an 11-story Chicago School mixed-use structure located in Downtown Cleveland 

WHAT IS PLAYHOUSE SQUARE? - Playhouse Square is a theater district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is the largest performing arts center in the US outside of New York City. Constructed in a span of 19 months in the early 1920s, the theaters were subsequently closed down but were revived through a grassroots effort.

11 THEATRES TODAY  - Today Playhouse Square's 11 performance spaces include the Allen, Hanna, The Helen, Mimi Ohio, Outcalt, KeyBank State and Westfield Studio Theatres, as well as the Connor Palace, Kennedy's Cabaret, Upper Allen and U.S. Bank Plaza.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST OUTDOOR CHANDELIERS - The chandelier hanging outside in Playhouse Square was a part of a revitalization for Cleveland's theater district. On May 2, 2014 Cleveland dedicated the 4,200 crystal light illuminated by 70 GE Infusion Modules. The 20-foot-tall structure is suspended 44-feet above the intersection of East 14th Street and Euclid Avenue.

NEXT: The Superman Exhibit at the Public Library!

Highlights from Jan. 6th Committee Meeting on 10/13 : 'Trump was central player'.

Today's blog provides a QUICK READ of highlights from the Oct. 13th, 2022 January 6th Investigative Committee Meeting-   They have proven, beyond a doubt, that Trump and his team orchestrated the Jan. 6, 2020 Insurrection weeks and months before it happened.  Now Trump has been subpoenaed and like Bannon, he'll skip out. Maybe they'll finally arrest him, too.  In one of its most riveting exhibits, the panel showed previously unseen footage of congressional leaders phoning for help during the assault as Trump refused to call off the mob. Here are the highlights and LINKS to Short Videos:

QUICK RECAP of the Jan. 6th Committee's Explosive Findings on Oct 13, 2022

 NPR Oct. 13, 2022

1) Trump had long planned to declare victory, no matter the results. 

   Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said Brad Parscale, Trump's former campaign manager, told the panel he understood that Trump planned as early as July to insist he won the November election, no matter the results. Video clips presented show Trump's ally Roger Stone speaking with the Danish filmmaker Christoffer Guldbrandsen about plans for election night. "I really do suspect it will still be up in the air," Stone said. "When that happens, the key thing to do is to claim victory. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. No, we won, f*** you." SEE THE VIDEO: CLICK to hear Roger Stone

2) Despite publicly declaring he won, Trump privately admitted he lost the election. Testimony from former White House officials demonstrate that while the president was publicly forging a campaign to overturn the election, he privately was acknowledging his loss.

In an audio clip, Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that while in the Oval Office, Trump said something to the effect of "We lost, we need to let that issue go to the next guy." VIDEO: CLICK FOR short Twitter Video

Communications Director Alyssa Farah recalled this comment from Trump: "I popped into the Oval just to give the president the headlines and see how he was doing. And he was looking at the TV and he said, 'Can you believe I lost to this f***ing guy?' "

3) Secret Service had tips about expected violence on Jan. 6. 

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on Dec. 26, a Secret Service field office shared a tip that had been received by the FBI. The source said the Proud Boys, a right-wing extremist group, planned to march into D.C. with weapons. 

"They think that they will have a large enough group to march into D.C. armed and will outnumber the police so they can't be stopped," a Secret Service email read. "Their plan is to literally kill people," the source wrote. "Please, please take this tip seriously and investigate further." On Dec. 31, 2020, agents had sent out reports that Trump supporters planned to march and occupy the Capitol.

4) New footage was played of lawmakers as they were taken to a secure location during the attack. The committee showed video footage of House and Senate leaders of both parties meeting in a secure location as the attack raged on.

5) Secret Service feared for Pence's safety. New documents from the agency show that after Trump tweeted his disappointment with his no. 2 on Jan. 6, an agent warned that it was "probably not going to be good for Pence." Another agent noted there were 24,000 likes on Trump's tweet within two minutes. Anika Navaroli, a former Twitter employee, testified that the rioters were "literally calling for assassination" as Trump's tweet on Pence went out. 

6) Mick Mulvaney confirms GOP Rep's account of McCarthy's call to Trump. GOP Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington had previously shared details of a conversation between Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and Trump on Jan. 6, in which McCarthy asked Trump to call off his supporters as his staff was "running for their lives."

She said the president responded: "I guess they're just more upset about the election theft than you are." And Trump STILL DID NOTHING.

7) 'Trump was central player'. The hearing went into more details on then-President Trump's state of mind after he lost the election and continued to pursue avenues to overturn the election results.

"[Trump] tried to take away the voice of the American people in choosing their president and replace the will of the voters with his will to remain in power," said Thompson. "He is the one person at the center of the story of what happened on Jan. 6."

NINE DAYS AFTER TRUMP WAS TOLD THE VOTING MACHINES WERE FINE BY THE ATTY GENERAL:  Video of Trump Lying About Voting Machines

Idiot of the Week: Maine Politician Compares Lobster Regulations To Child Rape

This week's idiot is from Maine, and has made the most Idiotic comment of the week. 

 Maine Congressional Candidate Compares Lobster Regulations To Child Rape 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration "wants to rape you and your family," Republican Ed Thelander told rally attendees Wednesday.

Chris D'Angelo Huff post / VICE.com Oct 12, 2022, 07:13 PM EDT

At a lobster industry rally Wednesday in Portland, a Republican candidate for Maine’s 1st Congressional District compared federal rules aimed at protecting the endangered right whale to sex crimes against children.

“NOAA wants to rape you and your family, and they’re saying ‘pick a child,’” said GOP hopeful Ed Thelander, referring to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “You don’t negotiate with a rapist, and that’s what’s happening.”

A clip of Thelander’s comments, posted to Twitter by the Maine Democratic Party, shows a small crowd react with total silence. A man holding a yellow sign reading “Don’t Tread on ME Lobster” visibly cringes at the candidate’s remark.

LISTEN TO THELANDER ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MaineDems/status/1580282210225385473 

The Maine Democratic Party condemned Thelander’s comparison as “disgusting and unproductive.”

“Comments like these show he’s unfit for office,” the party wrote.

Thelander, a former Navy SEAL, is vying to unseat Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree.

Thelander’s campaign did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. But he apologized for his disturbing remarks during a candidate debate Wednesday evening.

“My comments were over the top and I apologize for that,” he said, adding he’s “very passionate” about the issue and has a close relationship with families in the lobster industry.

The Portland rally was held to protest what organizers described as “devastating rules and regulations on Maine’s lobster industry” and to call on the state’s attorney general to sue NOAA. Among other things, the agency is planning to limit to the number of vertical lobster lines in Maine waters and implement new seasonal zone restrictions in an effort to protect right whales, whose populations have plummeted in recent decades.

Heroes of the Week: Animal Rescue League of Boston Helps Kitten with glass jar stuck on its head

This week's "hero" blog is a good news story about a homeless kitten who had lodged her head in a glass jar, and was helped thanks to the Animal Rescue League of Boston!

(Photo: The cat, Buzz Lightyear was found with a jar on her head in Fall River. Credit: ARL)

Kitten with glass jar stuck on its head rescued in Fall River, Mass. 

 WCVB    Oct 7, 2022

FALL RIVER, Mass. — A kitten found with a jar stuck on its head was rescued in Fall River, the Animal Rescue League of Boston said.

The six-month-old kitten, now named Buzz Lightyear, was spotted along Danforth Street by a resident who has been monitoring and feeding cats in the area. The resident contacted Fall River Animal Control, who alerted ARL’s Field Services team.

Upon arrival, the kitten was seen wandering along the roadway, and while it took a bit of time, Buzz was eventually captured by the use of a drop trap.

Since the kitten could not smell food because of the jar on its head, officials lured its siblings into a trap with food, and Buzz followed.

Once secured, ARL’s Field Services agents were able to handle the kitten and remove the glass jar, and took Buzz to ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center.

The kitten was dirty from living on the streets, but she was determined to be in good health. The kitten was given vaccines and spayed.

(Photo: Buzz Lightyear without the jar. Credit: ARL) 

“Buzz has settled into her new surroundings, however, because she is still learning to trust humans, she will need time for ARL staff and volunteers to help socialize the young cat, and she is not yet available for adoption,” the ARL said.

Additionally, the ARL said while rescuing the kitten, they identified a previously unknown cat colony, and will begin trapping the other cats in the colony to provide medical treatment, spay/neuter surgery, and assess behavior to possibly place other cats from the colony into homes.

Cleveland Trip #8: Cleveland Trust Now a High-End Grocery

One of the most interesting buildings on the tour of Cleveland is the former Cleveland Trust Company, now inhabited by a high-end grocery store. The building is stunning inside and outside. Today's blog will give you a look and some history.

ABOUT THE CLEVELAND TRUST - The Cleveland Trust Company Building is a 1907 building designed by George B. Post and located at the intersection of East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland's Nine-Twelve District.

ABOUT THE ARCHITECT AND ARCHITECTURE - Renowned architect George B. Post, who also designed the New York Stock Exchange, won a contest for the opportunity to create the building. It was built in Beaux-Arts style with three stories of white granite facing. The building is a mix of Beaux-Arts, Neoclassical, and Renaissance Revival architectural styles. The building’s rotunda is the dominant feature with an eighty-five-foot dome ceiling. There are Tiffany-style glass panels and fluted columns as well as marble floors and walls. Artist Francis David Millett completed the thirteen murals that adorn the walls just below the dome.

OVER TIME - Years later, the bank hired architect Marcel Breuer to add two towers framing the rotunda; only one was built. The collapse of the real estate market in the 1980s substantially hurt the bank, then known as AmeriTrust and one of the biggest institutions in the country. Society Corporation bought out AmeriTrust in 1991 and the building later closed in 1996. It was empty for nearly twenty years.

In 2013, the building and adjacent tower were converted to a hotel and apartments. A Cleveland grocery-store chain turned the rotunda and an adjacent building into a 27,000-square-foot supermarket, which was completed and opened in 2015.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.