I recently returned from Austin, Texas, with a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for the rich cultural landscape here in Northeast Ohio. 

The photo I have included here shows a family engaging in a Texas rite of spring--the annual blue bonnet photo.

Perhaps, those of us in NEO need to establish our own rite of spring as a reminder that life goes on.  Plant a seed.

In reflecting on the future of the food economy in America, one must understand the role of genetically engineered crops, which have blown-apart food economics and ecology in America and increasingly worldwode since their monopoly-mounted introduction 14 short years ago, driven by Monsanto covering the Earth in Roundup, AKA glyphosate.

CLEVELAND, OH—The City Club of Cleveland will host the Democratic Debate for U.S. Senate tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13 at the Cleveland Marriott Hotel, 127 Public Square from noon to 1:30 p.m. All candidates on the ballot will participate: Jennifer Brunner and Lee Fisher. 

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

Live on WCPN: 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
WVIZ: 11:00 PM
WVIZ/Ohio Channel: 1:30 PM-2:30 PM

Location

CLEVELAND, OH — Douglas A. Blackmon, an author and winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in the General Nonfiction category for Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, will address The City Club of Cleveland at noon on Friday, April 16, 2010, atThe City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Ave., Second Floor. 

Location

I received an email from Earl Pike about the upcoming ArtCares benefit for the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland, at Saigon Plaza - here are some details from the Plain Dealer - this sounds like a great and clearly worthwhile event:

Location

European Trader in a Hammock, 1800s
Wood, pigment
Unknown artist
Bembe, Congo-Brazzaville

Living in Cleveland, when I think of businesspeople from Detroit I picture someone very much like the European trader depicted in the African carving above - big-game-trader, big-thinker Dan Gilbert, coming from the West to transform Cleveland through gambling... carried through our streets by our native leaders and their subjects. I expect about as great an outcome for Cleveland as such "Westerner" infestation brought to Africa, looking more like complete annihilation than salvation... except in the art, where change may be beautiful, despite being tragic.

I wouldn't go to Detroit or anywhere for a casino, but I am planning to visit the "Motor City" shortly for their museum, to celebrate "Through African Eyes," a major exhibition exploring the European presence in African art that opens April 18 (through August 8, 2010) at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) - the images featured here are from this exhibition. I won't hold Detroit's gambling interests against that city, when their leaders at the DIA have traditionally sought to elevate the community above the annihilation of their local culture.

There can be no question Ohio has a dismal record on public policy and the environment - we are a national disaster. The Governor-appointed Public Utility Commission has failed to protect the public interests of citizens and has embarassed the citizens of the state in countless ways, most recently with matters surrounding an absurd light bulb subsidy program they divised with First Energy, report on realNEO here..."Let Me Introduce To You Five Public Servants Who Just Cost Citizens Of Unreal NEO Millions Of Dollars, While Poisoning Them".

Today, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports energy policy in Ohio is moving from laughable to criminal... damn-well communist... announcing that "Governor pushes for permanent discounts on all-electric heating", leading off with the following:

Here's an opportunity to hear one of the world's most acclaimed writers on the Nuclear Age. Jonathan Schell, author of the landmark 1982 book, "Fate of the Earth," will speak at Case Law School, Monday, April 12, from 12 noon to 1 pm. The program is free and open to the public. He will speak on "Obama's Nuclear Disarmament Pledge: Has the Time Come?"

Location

I've been printing out many of the unique panorama photo collages of real NEO that I have created over the past six years, which I have displayed as headers on realNEO, as I plan to sell editions of some favorite images to raise money for realNEO. I'm currently producing a series from many shoots at Whiskey Island, in memory of my friend Ed Hauser.

They are stunning, printed in their full glory. Composed of often dozens of high resolution images, these panoramas are 100s of megapixels in size and, printed at 300x300 ppi resolution, they are around 8 feet long... and some may be printed up to 36 feet long, while still holding a strong image.

How low will Cleveland and Northeast Ohio sink in the global new economy, as a result of the embarrassment the leadership of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and their Newhouse parents have brought upon this community, as a result of their pathetic if not illegal misuse of information technology and the Internet here? It doesn't get much lower than this... "Cuyahoga County Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold files $50 million lawsuit against The Plain Dealer and others".

Linked above is the PD spin on this case. Read the actual lawsuit linked as a PDF here (1.13 MB)... and read all the way to the end, where it concludes "Plaintiffs demand a trial by jury by the maximum number of jurors permitted". Smart move for the citizens-Saffold to choose to be judged by their peers.

"Entrepreneurs" do not maintain résumés for employment, but they do need to maintain a running tally about their professional lives, for various purposes... something I refer to as a curriculum vitae (CV). As I'm growing many entrepreneurial initiatives, I'm updating my CV... so I tracked down my latest version, from 2000. Since then, I've launched ICEarth, realNEO, Star Neighborhood Development, 7Gen, and Bigbang Tech, which I must now add to my life-list below... useful information for someone first getting to know me... but is that good enough for Ireland?

Parade at Tower City Center
Thursday, April 15
5:00 p.m.
Shaw High School Marching Band

Location

One Cleveland urban church that is still attracting a young, diverse, fun community is The Church of the Covenant, on Euclid Avenue, in University Circle... Claes has decided he likes going to church! I like going to University Circle on any beautiful Sunday, and watching children play.

Psychic Hearts is a solo album by Sonic Youth member Thurston Moore. The album was released in 1995 through Geffen Records.

 Eggs a sign of the resurection and new life, but just a days work for my hens.  (A view inside my hen house.)

Coincidence or global warming? The rhubarb I planted last year has justed started to come up and already I have had to water it. Look at the soil and you might think we are experiencing a late summer draught.

On April 13th you can benefit IRTF, Cleveland Peace Action, and Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice simply by grocery shopping. The Food Coop will generously donate a portion of your total on the second Tuesday of every month.

Just mention one of the organizations to the cashier when you check out.

Location

Dining Out for Peace continues on Tuesday, April 6, at 56 West - 

16300 Detroit Ave., Lakewood - 4:30pm - 2:30am

By doing so, you will benefit IRTF, Cleveland Peace Action, and Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice.

Location

Sent to me in an e-mail by a friend...

I include below in its' entirety the most irresponsible words ever published by a newspaper, and I include the profiles of the Editorial Board of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that published these words, on this day, for the permanent record, for all history. I include this editorial here because the Plain Dealer has a history of hiding their online content, and this content is terrorism that may not leave the free public view and record ever... this Plain Dealer editorial is the equivalent of bio-terrorism and should be prosecuted by the Federal Department of Homeland Security. The line: "Many youngsters and some adults suffer from respiratory problems, particularly in the summer, when smoggy days can be pure misery" is especially harmful and insulting to the citizens of Northeast Ohio, who live under health-crisis conditions here. The Plain Dealer is highly responsible for the poor health of our citizens, and the poor state of the regional and global environment, even as their editors deny the reality of climate change. They are hereby disgraced forever.

Would any Realneo members like to participate in a seed and plant swap? I would be happy to host. Please post your thoughts on possible dates and times. We could also include garden tools and other gardeing related items if people are interested.

Growing up on punk, in the 1970s and 1980s, I like a direct, open, honest approach to decry injustice... and the Clash offer some of the best expressions of that ever. Enjoy.