Norm Roulet writes:

While not obviously ED related, it is worth considering the following study linking high fat diets - especially those high in trans-fats - to learning problems. My conclusion - stay far away from trans-fats, and keep NEO kids trans-fat free, for the sake of a better learning workforce for the future… and there is clearly opportunity for any region and foods related business to lead and prosper from excelling in the healthy food sectors…

Good point, Norm. How is Northeast Ohio as a place for the healthy food industry?

From Chris Corrigan’s Parking Lot:

Inspired by the blogger driven audio recroding of Lawrence Lessig’s book Free Culture, Alexander Kjerulf initiated a project earlier this year to produce a free audio version of Harrison Owen’s latest book, The Practice of Peace. Thanks to the folks at Human Systems Dynamics Institute, the book is now available for download in all its mp3 glory. Readers from around the world contributed to the project, all of them (I believe) Open Space Technology facilitators. The Practice of Peace is the latest journey in Harrison’s work with Open Space Technology. Since the book came out in 2003 it has spawned a variety of gatherings, projects and activities around the world. Have a listen.

Indeed.

“Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience.” - Hyman Rickover

William Baldwin writes:

“We shouldn’t be so admiring of the factory jobs of yore. They were dreary, low-paid and repetitive and gave rise to strikes for a good reason. The safer course is to admire the machines that were made, but be thankful that today Americans have better jobs designing phones and selling boom boxes. “

Amen to that. How many people that are trying to bring back manufacturing jobs have ever done time in a factory? Let me tell you, if they had, they’d be thankful their gone. They’d be a lot more passionate about workforce development if they knew what they were sparing their brothers and sisters from

Yesterday at Le Oui Oui Cafe, I noticed they were preparing something called “french press espresso”. I ordered it and was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it was. I asked Lisa, our server [who’s a musician looking for other serious musicians who want to do original music 80’s style…] how it was done. She explained that they use an espresso roast and grind in a special french press that has a finer screen on it.

Looks like I need to get another press, maybe one of the finer screens from Sweet Maria’s…

Foodgoat and Ladygoat start Tryout Tuesdays, where they pick a resturant that they’ve never been to and give it a try. I’ve been to John Christie’s for drinks, but never dinner. Make sure you click through to check out the pics. My favorite is Foodgoat with the plate of perogies and the raised brow.

Hey, here’s a thought. Maybe some of us would joing Foodgoat and Ladygoat on their culinary adventures? I know I would. You?

Another good reason why wooing big boxes to the neighborhood ain’t all it’s cracked up to be:

A new retail study for a Chicago neighborhood discovered that for every $100 spent on an independent business, $73 went back into the local community. However, for every $100 spent on chain businesses, only $43 went back into the local economy.

The study, completed by Civic Economics, the leading firm in the country for conducting these kinds of analyses, found that independents had 26% more of their staff locally, bought more than twice as much of their goods and services locally, kept more profits locally, and spent more on local charities.

Check out more studies on how independents contribute more to you than chains here, and through a dedicated news resource at New Rules’ Hometown Advantage reports.

Thanks, Neil!

Kurtiss has a banner up on his site advertising CASE, that was taken from CNN.com. It describes the social scene as “slammin’”.

I’m not really sure what to say about that. What do you think?