Visit Cleveland commercial !

[Barklessdog]

[uwe]

Is the river really that polluted? German rivers were like that in the seventies, but things have come a long way since then. While the water in the Rhine and Main is still not quite drinking safe (too much bacteria), thirty species of fish live in it again (in the seventies it was something like three - only the strong survived), including salmon and sturgeon.

[Barklessdog]

It was back in the 60's, but now since most the industrial plants are closed the river is better and probably no worse or better than any other big city river.

[Dave W]

The Cuyahoga River did catch on fire in the 60s. It was cleaned up quite a bit even before most of the industry moved away.

Cleveland still seems to be a sad place.

[Rocker949]

The Cuyahoga River did catch on fire in the 60s. It was cleaned up quite a bit even before most of the industry moved away.

Cleveland still seems to be a sad place.

It is somewhat of a sad place.  I had a temporary job there once long ago for three months.  I had to drive from Florida and the change in climate was tremendous, to say the least.  I got there in early April and they were having a big snow.  The motel where I was staying had a very weird guy in it right down from me who would play "Highway to Hell" over and over and over.  I hope to God I never have to hear that song again.  While I was there, I met a distant relative that my parents told me to look up.  She had an uncanny resemblance to a younger Deborah Harry.  However, this was turning into quite a problem for her because so many people really did think she was Deborah Harry and she was getting very tired of it.  She was nice, although obviously troubled about a lot of things.  Overall, though, I found Cleveland drab and unfriendly.  I do find that video hilarious, though.   

[TBird1958]

Drab, unfriendly? Maybe..........

But "At least it's not Detroit!"       

[Rocker949]

Drab, unfriendly? Maybe..........

But "At least it's not Detroit!"       

LOL.  That video truly cracks me up.  I've already watched it twice.  The horrible singing makes it even funnier. 

[jmcgliss]

The varieties of beer from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewery make a trip to their website worthwhile.  They commemorate historical events from the Great Lakes region.  Edmund Fitzgerald Porter is cool (as is the T-shirt).  Commodore Perry Ale honors the warship he commanded on Lake Erie during the War of 1812 - which I visited a few times in Erie, PA as a young pup.  There's another one that refers to the burning of the Cayahoga River.

I find the new Camaro print ads and auto mag reviews rather sad...with crumbling Detroit factories and infrastructure in the background.  Doesn't send a very positive message.

[gweimer]

I can get the Great Lakes Brewery beers here in Columbus.  I can chill with the really good Edmund Fitzgerald Porter without having to actually go to Cleveland!

[jmcgliss]

Yup, we get many of the Great Lakes brews in Chicago also.  Over a beer maybe I can draft a plan to get all the once-proud rust belt towns working again. I'm originally from upstate NY and watched furniture and industrial plants move away - starting in the 60s.

[Highlander]

Been through the airport, twice... Ian Hunter wrote a nice song about Cleveland... my "Packers" buddy was most disgruntled that I nearly bought him a "Browns" souvenir... 

[Pilgrim]

...my "Packers" buddy was most disgruntled that I nearly bought him a "Browns" souvenir... 

You made a major North-Central-American cultural gaffe there!!

[gweimer]

Been through the airport, twice... Ian Hunter wrote a nice song about Cleveland... my "Packers" buddy was most disgruntled that I nearly bought him a "Browns" souvenir... 

Actually, Ian Hunter didn't write the song about Cleveland at all.  The original song was called "England Rocks".  He changed the lyrics and re-recorded it after getting signed to Epic/Cleveland Records.

[Dave W]

Who wrote England Rocks?

[gweimer]

Ian Hunter.  He recorded it the first time with Overnight Angels.