Max Eternity - A network of Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats are rallying around Barack Obama, the man Michael Moore now describes as "New War President".  A core aspect of this Rovian strategy, concealing Obama's duplicity, is to hijack the Progressive Left through a campaign of infiltration, disinformation and COINTELPRO-styled intimidation.

Democracy Now! - Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa also traveled to Copenhagen this weekend to urge world leaders to tackle the climate crisis. The longtime anti-apartheid campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate spoke on Saturday at a candlelight vigil just outside the UN climate summit.  Visit site.

The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Victor Liva today at Zion United Church of Christ in Tremont today--was transcendent.

The music felt like chocolate for the soul, after subsisting on bread and water for too long. 

Max Eternity - Quoting Fredrick Douglass on the subject of politics and power, celebrated journalist and independent TV host of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman, commented recently that "Power concedes nothing without a demand." Goodman was being interviewed by PBS TV host, Tavis Smiley, when she made the statement, referring to the fact that even with a Democrat in the White House, progressive change will not occur if citizens do not hold leadership to account.

Average Unique Monthly Visitors for REALNEO Benchmarking Sample
November 2008 - November 2009

REALNEO/COOP members, we own this... we accomplished this... in just our fifth year of operations. Congratulations!

Norman Solomon for TruthOut - Eloquence in Oslo cannot change the realities of war.

As President Obama neared the close of his Nobel address, he called for "the continued expansion of our moral imagination." Yet, his speech was tightly circumscribed by the policies that his oratory labored to justify.

Today's long journey...had some rewards...a prayer for peace.

Max Eternity - Following in the footsteps of civil rights icons, Coretta Scott King and Julian Bond, both of whom affirmed that "gay rights are civil rights", rock and roll legend Bruce Springteen has joined in the call for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Quoting the words of Springsteen from the official Bruce Springsteen website, he says:

ODOT and the control over ODOT to determine real estate and land use in NEO has been a reign of terror and an abuse of absolute power.  Whole neighborhoods and communities have been systematically wiped out.  Neighbors are expendable.

In the past, it was apparent that the man with absolute power was Albert S. Porter, County Engineer and Democratic Party Chair.*  

As the day becomes night, should we fear the darkness?

Max Eternity - The state of Michigan has opened the first cannabis college in the United States. 

It's a decision that could, in the long-term, prove a shrewd move--benefiting the state's economy.

Too, in a broader context, with medical marijuana now being legal in a few states, certain questions arise:

Exquisite decay.

On Thanksgiving eve, a little over a year following the death of Ed Hauser - the primary community activist for preservation of the National Historic Landmark Dyer Coast Guard Station, on Whiskey Island - I went Hauser Way to photograph this best location in the nation, to share with you on Thanksgiving day. Enjoy.

Start Thanksgiving with a smile, and a new perspective on urban settlements in America - enjoy "Veronica Moss Visits Times Square". I found this video at Rob Pitingolo's very cool NEO-based blog - Extraordinary Observations (since September, 2004)... originally from StreetFilms.org.

Definitely check out Extraordinary Observations , which we should add to our blogroll, if it isn't there... and welcome to our newest REALNEO/REAL COOP member, Rob Pitingolo... "progressive, urbanist, entrepreneur, blogger, thinker"... REALNEO's kind of guy!

One of my most valued resources for insight on health, the environment and aging is The Myth Of Alzheimer's, and I strongly recommend anyone reading this post subscribe to their e-mail updates and read that site regularly - it updates nearly daily.

The Myth Of Alzheimer's is absolutely about you, your family, your friends, and all our futures, as we all age together on this human-changing world until we die.

Amy Goodman @ TruthDig - “In the next 60 seconds, 10 children will die of hunger,” says a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) online video. It continues, “For the first time in humanity, over 1 billion people are chronically hungry.”

Citizen Ed Hauser, Victorious In The Battle Of Whiskey Island - "Ask Not What Your Planet Can Do For You..."

It has been a year since Northeast Ohio lost our selfless civic activist "Citizen" Ed Hauser, silencing the great voice in the community saying that "The Process is Broken".

November 14, 2009 - the one-year anniversary of Ed's death - a group of family and friends came together on the beautiful Whiskey Island Ed saved, before a late Autumn setting sun, to toast a glorious man, and mourn a most cursed and horrible year in Northeast Ohio without Ed.

What does the dawn hold for this long-suffering region, in the second year without Citizen Hauser?

Max Eternity - Measured in 2008 dollars, in 1968 the minimum wage was $9.15, and it is for this reason two economist--David O. Meltzer and Zhuo Chen--have authored a paper entitled "The Impact of Minimum Wage Rates on Body Weight in the United States" making the case that at least 10% of the overall obesity increase in America comes as a direct result of last wages over the past 30 years.  The summary for the paper states:

In two days, November 14, it will be a year since Ed Hauser died unnecessarily, for lack of adequate public healthcare in America.

A year ago today, Ed's death could have been prevented, if he had access to better preventative healthcare, along the way... doctors visits, testing, and warning about a broken heart.

Public Recreation in Cleveland in 2013?

PD reports: "Visitors to Cleveland's public swimming pools -- now free -- would have to pay admission if the city enacts recommendations of a consultant submitted Tuesday."

It is not surprising, the release of "Management & Efficiency Study – Cleveland, Ohio" (download as .PDF here) by Public Finance Management seems to have Northeast Ohio leadership heads spinning. At least, that is the appearance from coverage of related news - and lack thereof - in the PD.

Robert Maschke Architects is pleased to sponsor the arrival of a traveling exhibit featuring winning and top submissions from the d3 Natural Systems international design competition.   The exhibition will be on display at 1point618 located in Gordon Square at