Entries for May 2005
Cuyahoga Valley Civilization
As a recent import into the US from the Indus Valley Civilization (2600-1900 BC) area , I was wondering whether the lessons from ancient river valley civilizations can be used to analyze the rise and fall of Cuyahoga Valley Civilization (Read Cleveland in particular). The ancient river valley civilizations where the first forms of organized settlement in the homo sapien history, harnassed benefits of river for transportation, trade and attracting new people and enlarge the settlements. Apart from organizing agriculture the ancient river valley civilizations is where the metal forming took root ( The story sounds too familiat to Cleveland) and the metals were used to strengthen the civilization's power, they also developed arts, literature and laid the foundation for modern science. Alas, but all the ancient civilizations collapsed undertheir own weight.
Cleveland reflects the characterisics of ancient river valley civilizations, therefore it begs the question "is decay inevitable"?
Probably, modern river valley civiizations will not go away , because of increased collective memory, but continue beyond their heydays with the benefit of reflected glory of their past. There is no precedent of river valley civilizations regaining the past glory, but those where the days without Tax Abatements and Economic Development Organizations. So there is a strong need to ask what is the common thread in the DNA of river valley civilizations and how it can be maipulated using modern knowledge, to return to former glory.
Any Comments ?
Missing Water Front My View
http://blog.case.edu/bac2/mt-tb.cgi/1283 , This entry assumes that everybody who complain about lack of water front are lazy sacks, who need help to what is happening in Cleveland. No we don't, we have discovered Gordon park and edge water park despite the fact these two places are effectively concealed by I 90 and route 2.
All I said and was acknowledeged in the above mentioned blog was the need for more access to water front.
Regarding the river front the above mentioned blog says directs us to a website to the cleveland rowing team. I thought a big city with an excellent water front will have excellent an trail along the river and some quays, where row boats can be stored and used. While people at Sherwin William river front office ave a nice park along the river front and a basketball court to play on during summer. We ordinary mortals have to pay thru our noses to sit thru shooters to get a glimpse of river front if the ben's advice taken
My single point is " River and Lake Front are natural resources that have to be made available to people and not concealed ad make peple discover"
Missing water Front
It remains a mystery, why Cleveland goes great extent to hide its various water fronts. The lake Erie is made accessible in patches at various points in the Cuyahoga county, probably the powers that be have decided, due to cold northern weather, the access to water should be restricted. Another mystery is the river front, there is no significant usage of the river front except for industrial storage, there seems to be no significant plan for river front. It is high time the processs of discovery of the water bodies, if found and put into good use.
P S : It is an oft repeated topic I believe one more voice will add to the momentum to create something.