I've written for some time about the importance of Education as the most fundamental need for our region.  Specifically, we need our programs to be intergenerational, experiential, and service-based.   More heartening news comes down the news wire just recently, reported on MSN Careers and local

Norm Roulet - November 5, 2001, Opinion Editorial in the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Joe Frolik's Oct. 21 (2001) column, "The high-tech route to City Hall," finally starts focusing attention on the Cleveland area's only hope for economic and social renewal: information technology.

Independent studies prove Cleveland is deficient in its use of information technology in government and in supporting the needs and interests of citizens. As a result, the community and the local economy have suffered.

Cleveland must move to the forefront of the information technology revolution by doing two things quickly and effectively:

Achieve universal access for our people.

Develop an optimal virtual community.

Who would deny a patient his meds? If you think about realNEO as a means to strenghten social well being, where a diverse community of individuals is welcomed... This is an interesting perspective: BLOGS AND THE RISE OF THE GLOBAL CHEAP VITAMIN

ICEarth - Information Community Earth - Conceptual Framework - normALST 02/07/01

The Emergence of “Info Mediated Enterprise”

One of today’s most critical global imperatives is "universal access." In our world’s now thoroughly computerized, internetworked economic, social and cultural environment, all people must have access to like information technology (IT) tools, resources and capabilities. As access becomes increasingly universal, exciting interpersonal dynamics become possible; like distant learning, telemedicine, virtual community, and 'infomediation,' a core interest of this document that enables the other dynamics listed before and many still to be seen on our virtual horizons.

Conceptualized and organized by George Fifield, the Boston Cyberarts Festival is an electo-digital fine arts festival “dedicated to the presentation and exploration of artists working with new technologies.“  See the art and interview at ::::: Art Digital Magazine :::::

Dust off your bike and RIDE.

Mark your calendars and check out this super cool new drupal website...

http://www.clevelandbicycleweek.org/about

Information technology pioneer and visionary - and Oberlin graduate - Marc Canter helped me launch REALNEO.US, in 2004... from San Francisco. Now, five years of social community and technology building and innovation later, I've convinced Marc to personally return to Northeast Ohio to collaborate with government, citizens and organizations in the community to make the open web a core economic and social strength of our region, at the global level.

Location

The Tri-C Jazzfest runs April 24-May 3, 2009. 

Order your tickets today for great performances at great venues throughout NEO.  For more information on upcoming events in the CITY--click here.

Proposed to Hitchcock a month ago and Open Roads Conference just a week ago - by Kade Social Ventures  (to assist realneo)

Introduction

We are a trade association representing 1200 companies who are potential suppliers to the wind / solar equipment manufacturers. We are working with wind and solar associations to assemble a supply cahin for these industries. Any assistance will be appreciated.

Thanks

How come there isn’t more coverage of the interview Fareed Zakaria did with Elliot Spitzer on Friday?

Wouldn't it be great if a community could use videophone technology - like what you can get for free from Skype - to help each other?

If someone had a question - all they'd have to do is videophone up somebody and ask an answer.

The idea is that experts can support newbies in almost any area - and vice versa.

So if you were working on a home repair job or winterizing and you needed an experts advice, you could find him/her.

And if they needed help in creating a web site or balancing your companies books - they could help you.

I was surprised to see a letter to the editor printed and on-line in the Sunday, March 22, 2009, Cleveland Plain Dealer - "A flag of peace is found out of order at the St. Patrick's Day parade", by Lou Pumphrey. It starts: "Being half-Irish (on me mudder's side), off work on St. Patrick's Day and knowing the day would be sunny and warm, I vaguely considered donning my 41-year-old U.S. Army dress uniform and joining the St. Paddy's Day parade downtown, carrying my flag." But there was no accompanying picture of Lou or the Flag of Peace.

In the print edition, there was a file photo of a parade, but it was hardly relevant.

I wrote this post on my blog - on a series of strategies that are all connected together.

If you're into it - go check it out. Its pretty nerdy stuff for this REALNEO crowd and it includes lots of insider issues, politics and dogma.

But hey!  You may enjoy it.

Once a year, during the brief run of the Cleveland International Film Festival, Cleveland feels like one of the great cities of the world. For a little more than a week the grand space of Tower City is filled with life; diverse crowds of art lovers flow in and out, steadily buzzing with excitement for what they are experiencing. Because it only happens once a year, it is easy to overlook The Cleveland International Film Festival as one of Cleveland's greatest assets.
 

Howdy.

My name is Marc Canter.  I was the guy who first introduced Norm Roulet to Drupal like 5 years ago. (or was it four? - it's hard to keep track.)

Anyway I've recently been working with Norm on a new proposal called the 'Citizen Dashboard'.  Its been fashioned for Cuyahoga County - but could (obviously) be used anywhere. I've posted it on my blog and facebook today and I'll be flogging this horse as I collect input from you folks.  That's my next step.

So please - HAVE AT IT!

May 20, 2009, 7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.: Environmental Division Meeting
Shula’s 2, DoubleTree Cleveland South, 6200 Quarry Lane, Independence
Discuss upcoming CES events, updates on regulatory issues, and whatever interests you. Free to attend, breakfast is on your own. Register online:  http://www.cesnet.org/evtView.asp?evtID=166

May 27, 2009, 7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.: Climate Change Roundtable

The Drupal brand of geek is to me a tasteful breed -- a nice mashup of programmers, designers, and administrators -- and those for whom these interests/skills overlap.

I've never been able to relate extremely well with the hardcore Linux kernel hackers. Folks with that incredible sort of domain-specific brilliance definitely abound in the Drupal community, but, (I may piss off said hackers to say,) the Drupal folks tend to have their heads more in this world.

Until we get an in person report from Jeff S., here's a way to get a brief taste of how the conference began. Since this is a Drupal site, the more all of us learn the better.

Strategic direction : it's such an important thing, as Ed Morrison has long driven home.  Strategic doing, to me, involves careful planning and action - and its reassuring to see the core of talented thought leaders that have comprised this collective.