Cleveland design officials give thumbs down to giant

mural of LeBron James

Nike Inc.City planners today tabled a request by Nike Inc. to hang this 10-story image of LeBron James from a downtown office buildingCLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland design officials sent Nike Inc. and LeBron James back to the drawing board this morning, saying a proposed 10-story mural of the basketball star crosses the line from civic art into a giant ad for Nike products.

The Cleveland Planning Commission tabled Nike’s request to replace a massive mural of James that hangs from an office building across from The Q. Nike wants to take down the arms-spread image of James for one showing him bare-chested, his skin a scaly armor.

The commission approved the arms-srpead image two years ago as a civic graphic of a local sports hero. A small Nike swoosh and the words “We are all witnesses” were not considered overt advertising, which would have made the mural a big piece of “off-premise advertising” — in other words, a billboard, which are restricted by size and location in downtown Cleveland.

James’ scaly skin in the proposed mural mimics the padded texture of the new Pro Combat apparel that Nike is selling.

“You’re going over the line to market a Nike product,” commission Chairman Tony Coyne said. The commission voted to table the request. Coyne and others also criticized the lack of of a “Cleveland’ or “Cavaliers” presence on the mural.

Coyne said he felt the “combat” reference is also inappropriate, at a time when U.S. soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

David Sternberg, of Gigantic Media in Solon, presented the proposed mural to the commission. After the vote, Sternberg said he would take the commission’s comments “back to Nike and their creative department and they will take it under consideration.”

courtesy of www.cleveland.com

Oprah just made her big announcement live on her show — revealing the “real” reason she’s walking away after 25 years.

She started strong, then began to cry, then regained her composure — and in between shameless promotion for her next season, Oprah told her audience that pulling the plug, “feels right.”

“I love this show … this show has been my life and I love it enough to know when it’s time to say goodbye. 25 years feels right in my bones and my spirit. It’s the perfect number, the exact right time.”

And then there was this moment:

“For some of you, long time Oprah viewers, you have literally grown up with me … we’ve grown together … you had your family and you raised your children and you left a spot for me in your morning or afternoon — depending on when the Oprah show airs in your town.”

According to officials, Miley was on a bus that was part of a 4-vehicle caravan which included the bus that crashed.

We’re told Miley’s bus was not involved in the crash..

Officials also confirmed the driver of the bus was the only fatality — one other person was transported to a local hospital due to injury.

Officials are investigating whether the driver died before the crash or after — which could explain why the bus drifted off the road.

Officials also tell us the roads were really wet from overnight rain.

A rep from Dinwiddie Fire and EMS tells us the bus had been carrying Miley’s concert production crew — the rep also tells us there were 14 passengers on-board.

Miley’s manager tell us, “It was one of our tour buses, but not Miley’s. It was one of our buses that transported our lighting crew.”

Miley Cyrus‘ tour bus driver was reportedly killed last night after a bus, believed to be the one she usually travels in, flipped over on a highway in Virginia.

courtesy of www.tmz.com

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What’s happened at your workplace?  Send me an e-mail, or leave a comment here and we’ll chat at 1:15pm today.  I love this pic LOL