Been busy today, so unless you folks are interested in tips for refinishing hardwood floors without a big sanding machine or hearing the praises of Benjamin Moore "no priming" Aura paint... we’ll just take a short pictorial trip to Toledo.
Not Spain.
Ohio.
I don’t live there, just visited. But I found some quaint beautiful places and some hardrock union pubs. Water and nature are a big component of Toledo, as well as its artwork, recreation and tourist spots. Sitting right on the Maumee River (and Lake Erie) contributes to that riparian focus.
The Maumee River is 130 miles long and starts out in Fort Wayne, Indiana and winds its way up to Toledo where it flows into Lake Erie.
With almost four thousand miles of streams, creeks, and rivers emptying into the Maumee River, the Maumee also has the largest watershed of any river flowing into a Great Lake.
Toledo, known as the Glass City, is the glassmaking capital of the world. It is home to Owens Corning and Libbey Glass amongst others. As such, Toledo is poised to rebound from the "rustbelt" moniker that plagues the Midwest as it leads the way with solar energy research and green jobs from its skilled union workforce.
Already, 6,000 people in the Toledo area are employed at firms contributing to solar cell development and manufacturing, according to the Regional Growth Partnership, a nonprofit economic development group.
...
"I think that Toledo really is on the threshold of being a leader in solar technology and solar manufacturing," Fallows said. "It’s only one element, but it’s one element that could attract other elements and parallel industries and manufacturers to support it."
Ryan Reiter, assistant for economic development to Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, said solar panel makers are not the only alternative industries to show promise. Toledo’s manufacturing expertise and advantages as a distribution hub are attracting "green" entrepreneurs of all types from around the country, he said.
"Over the last two or three years, it’s really started to pick up," Reiter said. "A lot of these guys are coming from the East and West Coast. These guys are known for their innovation, but they don’t have skilled labor out there."
And, let’s not forget that renown newspaper, The Toledo Blade, with some of the best investigative reporting in the country.
Gloria Steinem, Anita Baker, P J O’Rourke, Danny Thomas, Katie Holmes and Jamie Farr all called Toledo home.
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Sandpiper Pier
Seagulls along Sandpiper’s Pier.
Fifth Third Field Baseball – 3rd Base Gate
Foxy Boxy... it may lack the je ne sais quoi of Lesbian Bondage, but it’s hardrocking for Toledoans.
And here’s a sign of the union flavor of this city at a local pub. You won’t see this south of the Mason-Dixon line. A banner hung above a pub advertising the Nightly Specials: Sunday - Industry Night, Monday - Blue Grass Night, Tuesday - Ladies Night, Wednesday - Local Union Night, Thursday - Wing Night, Friday - Hall of Foam Night
Toledo Zoo statue
The renowned Toledo Blade, some of the best investigative reporting in the nation.
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And that’s the short pictorial trip to Toledo. Ohio.
It’s not exotic, but it’s buzzing with creativity and an appreciation of natural beauty and lots of water sports. And it’s our city. With our people. And our unions. And our jobs. Of the future.
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Now it’s on to the TOP COMMENTS OF THE DAY submitted from our Kossack readers today in the Top Comments’ mailbox... TYVM to everyone who sent these excellent comments!
From Hedwig:
Hedwig says this comment by don mikulecky is probaby an old joke that he hadn't heard, but it just seemed perfect... for Orinoco's diary Fundamental Understanding of Mathematics LXII.
From mdmslle:
Penon ponders the pronounciation skills of the dud, dud, dud hatemailer in kos' regularly scheduled Saturday-Hate-Mail-a-palooza.
From addisnana:
JanF sums up Arizona so well in NCrissieB's diary Morning Feature: Privilege, Apologies, and Thank Yous (Not an Ask Ms. Crissie).
From RLMiller:
This diary by bondibox asked the question "What will climate change deniers be saying in 50 years?" and WarrenS answered:
"Conservatives have always recognized the reality of changing climate, and the power of the free market to cope with its effects. Liberals have been trying for decades to prevent you from coping with climate change, with their free-spending, big-government ways, and their sinful baby-killing anti-family values. The only way to cope with devastating floods, wildfires, food chain collapses and oceanic acidification? Tax cuts!"
From Dragon5616:
LaughingPlanet has a new slogan for the GOP in clammyc's oily drilly diary.
From Light Emitting Pickle:
Pickle says SBandini made her laugh wondering if a site subscription could be paid for in the blogosphere’s newest currency: chickens... in SFOrange’s diary Kos The Ads are Killing Me.
From Eddie C:
Randy Flagg offers the simplest solution and gjohnsit added Adblock Plus works too.
From bronte17 (tonight’s diarist):
This comment from Trenz Pruca in his diary (rescued) sums up the work we do here at dkos.
It is us who make the politicians fight. If we give up because our elected politician is a weakling we get what we deserve. Look at it this way, if progressives can get Harry Read to act like a flaming liberal we can do anything. Politics is perseverance and hard work. There is no place in the preservation of liberty for despair.
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