Gloria Ferris

Since my heart attacks, strokes and cancer two years ago,  I have paid much more attention to the role vitamins play in good health. Recently due to problems with muscle weakness and muscle pain, which I believe is due to a serious side effect from the statins—crestor and Lipitor, I have been taking. I have become very aware of Vitamin C’s role in heart health.

Now, today,  I read this article on Vitamin D’s role in cancer prevention, heart health and diabetes control.  At my six month check up, my primary doctor and cardiologist both said that my vitamin levels, enzymes and cholestrol readings were at good levels.  Next time, I intend to ask questions about the meaning of that sentence “What is good?” and “how could we enhance those levels”?  Vitamin K and I are already very good friends since the control of my intake of that vitamin is vital to my INR level remaining stable.  INR readings are used to make sure that your blood level stays within an acceptable range for clotting, and too much or not enough Vitamin K can alter those readings.  Obviously, Vitamin C and D are very beneficial to the health of the human body as well as the mind and spirit.  Optimally, getting Vitamin C thru diet is an option, but the “sunshine” vitamin not so much.  How could supplementing our bodies with these vitamins hurt us? Other questions I will ask my doctors’  are: What is the role of  the enzyme COQ10 in heart health  and how can I boost my body’s quotient?

May I suggest you ask your doctor these questions as well?  Granted, we have life giving drugs that can help us when  we are gravely ill,  but shouldn’t “healthy lifestyle” questions be part of every conversation with our doctors as we strive to become healthier and less dependent on “our drug culture”? It remains a mystery to me that our vitamin levels are based on studies made in the 30’s and 40’s when our society was much more agrarian in nature and the need to supplement vitamins was probably not the same as today in a fast paced world with little time for the outdoors and well balanced meals.  If this is not an endorsement for the ”local food” economy, I am not sure where else we could find one.  If we are to become the “healthy” society we can be, it starts with our conversations with our doctors and nurse practitioners.   I’m not sure that I am comfortable with a government agency relying on studies of sixty years ago and pharma companies dependent on the drugs they sell for revenue deciding how my doctor and I should control “my health”.  Are you?      

She was exactly 11 hours and 20 minutes old.  This morning as I do every year on my daughter’s birthday I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.  Although each year added creates a distance from the “main event” of the memorable Thanksgiving holiday, I mark off each memory and smile just as I did then.

Tim won a turkey from the Knights of Columbus yearly turkey raffle at Blessed Sacrament and decided that we should have his family over for the holiday meal.  He asked them all, and when he had their RSVP’s in hand he informed me that I would not have to do a thing; he would be cooking the turkey.  Thanksgiving was November 28th that year, and as all the “old wives” were telling me the first baby is ALWAYS late. My due date was December 2, 1985.

What was I thinking? Obviously I wasn’t because there I was with my little helper. Maureen. baking pies on Thanksgiving Eve.  After the pies were done, I decided that the kitchen floor needed mopping immediately.  Forget that Tim would be cooking all day Thursday and the floor would undoubtedly need mopping again.  On second thought, maybe I was guarding against a dropped turkey or some such other disaster. I should have known this task was not a good idea when Mo (Maureen) had to bend over repeatedly to pick up the mop and/or bucket as I laboriously worked from one end of the kitchen to the other.  Anyone who has had that first baby will see this for what it was:nesting on steroids.

Thanksgiving Day  dawned bright and early with frost definitely on the pumpkin. Tim’s turkey that year was exquisite and he handled the cooking quite well. For some reason, he retired that year.  The family arrived and just as we sat down to dessert, my mother-in-law Jeanne asked me if i was okay. I asked why and she said that my face was as red as the jumper I was wearing.  i told her that now that she mentioned it my stomach was cramping fiercely. All the women but me flew into action knowing that Katie Anne was on her way. They pushed us out the door telling us to forget about the dishes and Mo and Lady the dog. They would handle everything. 

We arrived at MacDonald House in a record fifteen minutes. Tim says twelve minutes, but I have really never thought that humanly possible.  As we entered with our portrait of a turkey designed by Mo, Tim’s pom pom shaker and our mix tape of Led Zeppelin tunes, we were prepared to spend the night awaiting Katie’s birth.  One resident had other ideas.  She told me that I needed to go home, put my feet up, have a glass of wine, relax, and I would come back tomorrow to have my baby.  When she left the room, I told Tim that there was no way that I was leaving that hospital.  Luckily, the nurse who patted my hand told me that I was going nowhere. She had already called my obstetrician.This vignette happened at 11:30 pm.  Katherine Anne Ferris was born at 4:11 am November 29.  

During my stay in the hospital, I dreamed of that piece of pumpkin pie I left on the dining room table. When Baby Kate was settled in with her Mamaw and big sister, I went to the refrigerator where there was nary a crumb of ANY dessert left.  When I turned toward Tim, his response was”I didn’t want it to spoil”.  I was gone for two days!  I immediately remembered that we had the sweetest “little punkin” who would be with us each and every day.  And KT, you knew I would say it didn’t you?  

I Received the following from a friend of mine in Brooklyn Centre.  He is right. I have seldom if ever heard Bob speak his political views at a community meeting.  Therefore, I can only surmise that the incident must have been pretty reprehensible for Bob to send this missive to his email list.  I must concur that he is right this political season has had some of the most reprehensible and downright disgusting advertising I have seen in my lifetime.  And, yes, I have turned away and said nothing as so many, but where to start and how to end, but my friend speaks the truth.  We MUST fight back by not succumbing to their intimidation tactics and to use our own words to bring reason and sanity back to our political process.

Bob’s email:

Friends:
I try to limit my political views, but I can only do so to a point. I was at a community meeting earlier this evening where a local public official noted that it’s good we’re going to see "change" during this election. He didn’t clarify however whether he was referring to just county offices (thank god were seeing change there) or to all levels of government. (state and national) Just that we’re "going to see change".

What the hell is going on in this country that so many people are sitting back, accepting and even believing the Republicans, Tea baggers and other right wing extremists as they continue with their distortions and the type of political philosophy that got this county in the economic mess we’re now in? Not to mention their troubling domestic and international policy agendas.

Make no mistake folks, the bulk of the American public lies closer to the middle, despite the efforts of the major media (Plain Dealer included) that naively struggles to bring "balance" to their readership by steering them towards the extreme right. I’m afraid due to their success and the lack of courage on the part of so many others, this country will take a drastic turn for the worse. Please everyone – many of you being public officials yourself – prove me wrong, speak-up and spread the word that we need to stand up to the extremists and stay, and even strengthen the course, before its too late.  
Feel free to forward this message.

Robert H. Gardin
Cleveland, Ohio 44109

My response:

Well said, Bob!  Besides being an educated voter and voting EVERY time, I think that as citizens we need to do what you do Bob and attend these meetings and voice our opinions.  Unfortunately, I see too many people –elected officials, government employees, private citizens who do not express their opinions in public, and therefore, we have no dialogue only demagoguery.  We need to allow for differences of approach and ideas in civic engagement, but too often there is no civility.  I believe we need to embrace freedom of speech and have "true" town hall meetings.  Too often, one side or the other takes the reins and shouts down everyone else, and therefore, our society as a whole is made poorer because we have not been enriched by many ideas and actions, but are governed by only a few, not because the plan was made by using best practices but the loudest. 

My friend Jill Miller Zimon  has been incensed by how many well-qualified women candidates have either been vilified or ignored  by so many citizen and mass media journalists. My apologies for the choice but the title is just so wonderful and it gets readers to where I wanted them to go.   She has also called out Josh Mandel and his ill-disguised attempt to use religious intolerance to capture “voting by fear”. my term not hers.  How sad to see how far we have fallen because of silence.  I am truly blessed to have friends like Bob and Jill.  They keep me centered.

Not much time to write before my ride for day two of this conference arrives.  So, right now I will only offer impressions of the first day.  If these next two days are anything like the first all us Clevelanders are going to be puffing out our chests and bursting with pride.  First comment heard from one of the organizers was How great to step off the plane, step on a train and be at your hotel in a matter of minutes.

I attended the training session on Receivership of property.  Very interesting and I will write more later.  The welcome session with the Mayors of Flint and Memphis was a very important perspective on this problem of urban sprawl.  I will write more later.  Took good notes so I should be able to call up the memories.

Off to another day of learning with I bet more compliments about our great city!

and much, much more swirling in my head.  Where should I begin?  First of all, there are three entrances to the event. One at the east end and two on the west end of the High Level Bridge. Taking the train and/or riding a bicycle are very viable modes of transportation.  If you think you need the freedom of a car, your best bet is to enter at the west end where the parking at Massimo’s and/or street parking is available.  Actually, bus, train or bicycle may give you more freedom.  Think about it.

We entered through Massimo’s walking down the stairs through the subway entrance.  The event this year is FREE, but believe me the $5.00 goodwill donation is a real bargain because there is so much to see, hear, and do once you enter the venue.  So, if possible be generous because as my friend, Adam said, “this festival is the best thing I’ve ever seen in Cleveland”.  When Adam said that, Tim and I knew we were in for a treat.   The space itself unleashed some incredible examples of creativity. There is no way I could do  justice to descriptions of them in this post. Instead, I will mention a few  that  were highlights of the evening for me.  Believe me, you will have your own favorites after you visit this incredible place. And, these are just a few of many, many things I saw.   People were so enthusiastic that complete strangers would walk by and tell you “New Orleans has the Mardi Gras, but we have the Ingenuity Fest”. There was a Mardi Gras feel to it or maybe more of a European feel-the streets of Paris, Amsterdam. Whatever it is, the energy and enthusiasm is certainly something that Cleveland can use. 

First, we met the Underground Ballerina, Lisa Lock, who is again performing an incredible dance that needs to be seen to be believed.  Be sure to step behind the curtain at Cat Walk and make the kinetic sculpture move for others.  Again, Melissa Daubert with her students have used shadows to create a unique experience for festival goers.  Be sure to stop and talk with artists along the way.  They just love to share their techniques and artistry. The waterfall is extremely beautiful at night because of the lighting used, but I am sure it would be a sight to see at any time of day. Along the length of the bridge, there are spots where sidewalk artists can create canvases to put up along the sides of the bridge.  There is a chance for budding artists to try their hand at Graffiti. The screen is hooked to a computer which enables the artist to design, erase, and save.  If we had planned to stay longer I would have tried my hand at aerosol art.

Gypsy Beans and Baking Company has a coffee/pastry stand set up for noshes as does BOGO Pizza.  There was other food available but we just had to stop and see Nikki on our way across the bridge. At the east end of the bridge, we listened to a talented band, called “Turntables on the Hudson”.  They had everybody dancing in the street.   We heard that today’s line up of bands are the headliners of the festival, but let me tell you that the bands we heard were pretty darn good. 

Sarah Morrison’s dance troupe wore their signature striped leggings while performing an intriguing dance using “Sarah’s Egg”.  I hope you get to see them today.  Also I hope “The Mirror Mime” is in attendance when you visit as well as the “Fashion Week” models who were decked out in duct tape. cotton batting, plastic, and various other recyclables.   There were dinosaurs,, banshees made from can lids, and all sorts of “things”.  Be sure to stop at Baker and Iris, Inc. and try your hand at building a bridge using pencils and other materials.   But enough about what I saw and experienced.  It’s time for you to have your own Ingenuity Festival!       

Cleveland Area History posted this article today and I commented.  Decided to also post the comment here since it speaks to a question, situation, or attitude  that residents in our park neighborhood  by the zoo contemplate and discuss quite often.

Here is my comment:

Unfortunately, in this town, building and housing codes are not enforced as a matter of course for  keeping the housing stock safe and healthy but too often as a big stick to whack at people.  I believe this situation is caused by a complaint driven system.  There are no systematic policies in place and too often absentee landlords or banks are allowed to skate until violations "expire".  We have seen this happen time and again while other neighbors almost seem to be subjected to a personal vendetta type of handling.  Building and housing has to be one of the more dysfunctional departments in our fair city. Also when the Landmarks Commission was put under the umbrella of planning instead of a stand alone commission, more and more it was used as a big stick rather than the advisory capacity that was envisioned for it. Hence, we have a city that does not pride itself in its rich historic heritage but rather one which almost has a "disposable mentality" which reinforces newer, shinier, functional, and cheaper are words of the day.

At Monday’s City of Cleveland Council meeting, Councilman Brancatelli, Cummins, and Kelley submitted emergency  Resolution 375-10 opposing the above referenced application.

The resolution was read three times, and then,  council voted.  It passed with all eighteen members present voting “yea”.  Councilman Cummins verified that this mining permit application does have a connection to Bradley Road landfill.  Councilman Brancatelli confirmed that information on TY Inc. has been difficult to obtain at this point.

Several people have submitted letters of objection.  Chris Trepal, executive director of Earth Day Coalition notified me her letter of objection has been mailed.  Robyn Sandys, executive director of Old Brooklyn CDC emailed me to tell me that OBCDC would be formally objecting.  I learned today that the objection was unanimously approved at last night’s board meeting.

At this point, not much is known about the details of the application or the ramifications of what such a permit would have to the community.  Many city departments are compiling data, city council has objected and asked for answers, OBCDC is gathering information, and most importantly, private citizens are aware and asking questions.    

until March 31, 2010 when the time for public comment is closed on Mineral Mining Permit Application #10428 which would allow strip mining for sand and clay  between Sky Lane and Bradley Road.

Here is the letter I sent to the Chief of Mineral Resources at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.  Feel free to use it in its entirity adding your own concerns, use parts of it our write you own letter.  Just WRITE!

March 22, 2010

Chief John Husted

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Mineral Resources Management

2045 Morse Road, Building H3

Columbus, OH 43229-6693

Dear Mr. Husted:

I object to the application #10428 Request for Mineral Mining between Sky Lane and Bradley Road in the City of Cleveland. My reasons include but are not limited to the following:

Effect of Strip Mining on Neighborhood: How will the strip mining affect residents of Sky Lane and Bradley Roads? How much noise, dust and traffic will be created? Can the infrastructure handle the strain of heavy machinery and trucks? What impact will this have on property values and even the ability to sell at all? How far into the neighborhood will this effect reach?
Effect on Watershed: Will the ecosystems of two creeks be compromised?  What will ensure that they are not?   What is the Ohio EPA’s position on covering over streams?

Effect on Air Quality: What particulate matter will be added to the atmosphere?

Effect on Community: Will this set a precedent for other vacant land within the city limits of Cleveland? What rights do the City of Cleveland and its citizens have in such a matter?

Need for Transparency: What is Ty Inc. and what assurance do we have that the corporation has the expertise to take on this undertaking? Who will the partners be in this operation? How will the public be assured that they will not be burdened with a failed enterprise? What will the transparency of such a major undertaking be? Will all contracts be approved in the light of day? What assurances will the public have that the corporation and partners are financially able to underwrite the endeavor?

I request a public hearing to be held so that the residential neighbors in this area as well as their fellow Clevelanders can ask questions and speak to the impact the awarding of a 15 year permit for mineral mining would have on our city and the community of Old Brooklyn.

Sincerely,

Today’s Cleveland City Council Meeting is of major importance for those community members who are lobbying for pedestrian and bicicyle access on the planned Innerbelt bridge. Rally at 6:30 on steps of City Hall.

During the City Council Meeting which starts a 7 pm Councilman Brancatelli will be introducing a  formal objection to introucing mineral mining with Old Brooklyn.

Well, not really, but The Cleveland Geological Society, one of the associated societies of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History,  is going to tell you why there is something shaky going on in NEO. The Society’s monthly meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm in Classroom A on C Floor at the Museum.

The talk at the February 17 meeting will be:

"There’s Something Shaky About this Place

and,  We Have the Data to Prove It"

This will be about the 100 plus year history of seismology in Cleveland, the museum’s part in that history, and the Ohio Seismic Network (OhioSeis). A tour of the museum’s seismic observatory will follow this talk.
http://tinyurl.com/yggz4c2

CGS Program Chair.
Douglas Dunn
Assistant, Invertebrate Paleontology
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
1 Wade Oval Dr.
Cleveland, Oh. 44106-1767
1.216.231.4600 x 3240
1.800.317.9155 x 3240
1.216.231.5919 CMNH fax
CMNH Invertebrate Paleontology website entry point:
http://tinyurl.com/yhm8jek
Search our collection database:
http://www.s15276997.onlinehome-server.com/DefaultWebSearch/advanced.jsp

The kickoff rally for the health and human services Renewal Levy will be12:30 pm at MetroHealth today.  This is a renewal and will not raise taxes but will continue services at  the  current level.  This levy is essential for people who need the miraculous services of MetroHealth (me),  the Alcohol and Mental Health Board,  reentry programs,children’s services, and too many others to name here  

Being a child of the Sixties, I have aged with this Hubert Humphrey quote in my mind :

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

and  The Golden Rule: 

¹²So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

   I believe all religions  have a form of  The Golden Rule , and therefore, religious or not, we should be able to come together to support  our brothers and sisters that need us myself included.

I will be watching to see which county council candidates rise to the occasion and support a large chunk of the core mission of county government, not with words but with action.