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Information Technology Jobs Employment in IT occupations in non-IT industries as a share of total jobs. rank: 29 score: 1.3%

"Dubbed the 'modern-day Gutenberg', Dr. Charles M. Geschke helped revolutionize the desktop publishing era through Adobe Systems, the company he co-founded in 1982 with John Warnock. Without the applications Adobe developed, desktop publishing, and now Web publishing, would not be the same." "Geschke, like so many other key figures in computing history, did not stumble on to his success. He was well educated and had a wealth of experience in computing before founding Adobe. But, as was the case with many other notables, he benefited from some fortuitous timing." "Geschke was born in 1941, and he first studied at Xavier University in Ohio, earning a bachelor's degree in classics and a master's degree in mathematics. From 1963 to 1968, he taught mathematics at John Carroll University but decided to seek further education himself."

Shy people could become happier if they acted more outgoing, believes William Fleeson, Wake Forest University associate professor of psychology. When study participants were asked to act outgoing, adventurous, or assertive -such as asking a question in class or flirting with someone attractive - they reported that they were having fun and felt happy, says Fleeson. When asked to act more passive and shy, the same participants reported feeling unhappy. "As a society, we tend to think of happiness as something that comes from outside us. It's kind of a radical idea that we have some control of happiness, that personality is a factor in happiness, and that, to some extent, we have control over our personalities," Fleeson says. "The research demonstrates that extroversion can actually cause happiness."

State Business Churning Figures (1998-2001) The U.S economy experienced a turbulent year in 2001. However, small businesses demonstrated resilience and strength according to the Small Business Economic Indicators for 2001, a report released by the SBA Office of Advocacy. The February 2003 report states that although economic activity was sluggish in the months leading up to September 2001, economic output grew for the year as a whole. In comparison to 2000, small businesses seemed to hold steady in 2001. The levels of employer firms and the self-employed were relatively consistent with previous year totals. While employer firm births showed a slight downward movement during the year and firm closures increased slightly, the most alarming number was the rise in business bankruptcies. SSTI has prepared a table presenting "business churning" statistics and rankings for all 50 states and the District of Columbia over a four-year period from 1998-2001 using data from the SBA indicator report. Business churning is a measure of new firm births and existing firm deaths as a share of total firms. This churning increases as the number of new start-ups and existing business failures per year increases. Business churning is seen as a major driver of innovation and growth. The entire table is available here. Other state level data available in the report include the number of self-employed, business bankruptcies, and financial information. Industrial level data is provided for nonfarm private employment and the fastest and largest growing industries in 2000-2001. Other macro-level indicators for the U.S. economy are presented as well. Small Business Economic Indicators for 2001 can be downloaded here.

"Cleveland, like its sister cities of similar size and challenges around the country, is said to have a self-esteem issue. However anyone attending the last couple Connections Series events might consider otherwise. There is a critical mass of people who are daily practitioners of appreciative inquiry relative to the business, arts, spiritual, social, and ethnic communities woven into our dynamic fabric..."

Tucked away in basements and hidden corners of buildings that radiate the aura of callus-causing labor typical of Cleveland's industrial glory days are a cluster of technology and creative companies. These companies operate independently, yet they collectively are weaving a pattern for Cleveland's economic future and are reshaping the city's Midtown Corridor. Those who work at these small firms run into each other day after day in the local greasy spoons. On a busy day, they might exchange only a quick 'how's it going?' when picking up their gravy fries, but there's no need for extensive conversation. Without a word, they acknowledge an unspoken bond among fledgling companies that are dedicated to making a group of streets in Midtown into a place where creativity and capitalism thrive.

In the research for this best-selling business book, authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner set out to discover what it took to become a leader. They wanted to know the common practices of ordinary men and women when they were at their leadership best. Their analysis of thousands of cases and surveys revealed The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. The No. 2 practice on the list: "Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. Through their magnetism and quiet persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future." Leaders must "Inspire a Shared Vision."

"Five years ago, my wife and I boxed our belongings, loaded them in a truck and hit the freeway. We headed east, from Portland, Ore., - a Mecca for young professionals such as ourselves - to our native Cleveland. I left a great job at one of the world's elite technology companies, Intel, at the peak of a chip-making boom that would land its chairman, Andy Grove, on the cover of Time magazine as that year's Man of the Year." "Why did we do it? We wanted to begin a family in an environment conducive to raising children. And I wanted to start my own technology consulting company. You could say I wanted to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. And somewhere in that combination of motives, I would argue, is at least the beginnings of an answer to the community's riddle over our economic future, so ably chronicled in The Plain Dealer's "Quiet Crisis" series."

"A man is measured by the size of things that anger him." - Geof Greenleaf

"Most places experiencing brain drain see it as a problem impacting their economic development potential. Most believe they need to do more to improve their local environment to retain and attract people with knowledge and skills. In many ways, this is true. At the same time, we need to be sensitive to our existing talent and ensure that we offer them the same opportunities as we offer newcomers. I believe in the final analysis, the answer to this problem rests in helping everyone advance themselves and renew their knowledge and skills on a regular basis. One bit of advice: Avoid potential bidding wars that cause us to overpay for talent of any type. That is a major problem in economic development today. Don't replicate this problem in the high-talent labor market. Do we really want to emulate the salary strategies found in professional sports or Hollywood today?

"What about those of us who earned our advanced degrees outside of Ohio, and started businesses outside of Ohio, and brought all of that back home? What are our counts? Do we balance out those that left? Does anybody care?"

"As Gov. Linda Lingle makes her rounds in Washington next week, a small but significant item on her agenda is to persuade the White House to serve only Hawai'i-grown coffee to its guests." "Lingle, who arrived in the capital yesterday, is toting a basket with a selection of coffee grown on the Big Island, O'ahu, Moloka'i, Maui and Kaua'i along with a letter 'suggesting this would be a nice thing to do since we're the only state in the union that grows coffee commercially,' said Steve Bretschneider, chief marketing officer for the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism."

"After September 11, Valdis Krebs, a management consultant who normally uses network theory to analyze corporate communications, assembled a map [using his software, I might add] of the nineteen hijackers aboard the four planes involved in the attacks and the fifteen people who authorities claimed to have been connected to them. Krebs carefully entered all publicly disclosed contacts between these thirty-four individuals, weighting links based on the known closeness of the relationship. The obtained web is extremely revealing for anybody who wants to understand the inner workings of the deadly cell that carried out the attacks."

FareStart transforms the lives of homeless and disadvantaged men and women, building self-sufficiency through job training and placement in the food services industry, transforming our community so that all have a sense of belonging, enrichment, and hope. Our mission is to create a place where:

• All experience the power of contributing, the gift of giving and the joy of helping.
• All have access to the resources and opportunities necessary to flourish through gainful employment.
• All people in our diverse community realize their full potential.
• "Homelessness", "hunger", "loneliness" and "hopelessness" do not exist in our communities.

So here's the Big Idea: Train people to be food service entrepreneurs! Whether it's Coffee Shops, Pastry Chefs, Restauranteurs, Sous Chefs, Chirzo Sausauge Stuffers, whatever! Show 'em how to can pickels! Teach inner city kids how to make, package, distribute, profit from making their Grandma's Sweet Potatoe Pie. Anything! Get them to figure out a better way to make potatoe chips or something.

Think about it. How many restaurants are in the Northeast Ohio region? How many different ethnic groups that have their own wonderful regional cuisines? How many of the businesses that startup annually are related to the food service industry? What sort of company was the largest company to move its HQ here in 30 years? (I'll give you a hint: SYSCO food service) How many restaurateurs in the area have wonderful education and experience they went someplace else to get?

Yeah. It ain't glamorous. Yeah. It ain't BioTech, or Advanced Materials, or even IT. But it's a wonderful mix of Cuisine, Culture, Entertainment, Diversity, and Entrepreneurialism. If Cleveland is trying to promote it's tourism destination, I think it's a natural fit.

Of all the talk I hear at these networking events I go to about what NEO should be doing I've never heard anyone mention anything about it. Sure, it's a simple idea, but I say Occam's Razor. Look what June Holley is doing at the Appalachian Center for Economic Development Networks (talk about a Freudian slip, E and D ALWAYS go together, not E and N)! I'd be interested in hearing your comments. Please leave them below, or email them to me.

"Are we living in a world of scarcity? Are more and more people competing for shares of a dwindling pool of resources? Most people view the world through the lens of scarcity. And when you have a scarcity mentality, you tend to be fearful, greedy and need-oriented... Is your approach to leadership characterized by a scarcity mind set or an abundance mentality?"

"The ragtag army of 8,000 was trapped in Yorktown, with its back to the river and its front to 21,000 crack British troops. Although the circumstances were desperate, two things drove them as they retreated to their last stand along the river: their burning desire for freedom and their hope for better lives for their children."

"When buying espresso beverages at Starbucks, I always get the middle size, because it provides the optimal espresso-to-money ratio. The small size (inexplicably called "tall") provides only one shot of espresso. The middle size ("grande") provides two shots. The large size ("venti") also provides two shots, simply diluting the drink with extra milk."

"Beyond those entities, Research Triangle is a region that hosts some 150 biotechnology companies, the development of which is encouraged by a support network of venture capitalists and professional service firms, as well as by well-focused entrepreneurial development programs and regional marketing efforts."

The quality of your life, whether you're talking about your professional or personal life, is determined by habits. Success is often the result of simply doing the right things over and over again. In sales and marketing, consistency is one of the most important facets of business survival, and it can make or break you, depending on the nature and quality of your habits.

The 10 Secrets of a Master Networker - "Keith Ferrazzi needs two PalmPilots to keep track of all his contacts, people like Bill Clinton and Michael Milken." Keith has been networking since his college days. He rips lists out of magazines�people he wants to meet�other CEOs, up-and- coming business people, intellectuals, artists� He enters all of the names in a database and calls that database his "aspirational contacts." Those are all of the people he does not yet know�but he wants to! Then, dear readers, do you know what Keith Ferrazzi, this "Master Networker" and CEO, does? Keith picks up the telephone, calls the people on his "aspirational" list and introduces himself! Hmmm� sounds like a "cold call" to me.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us: it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.- Marianne Williamson I came across the last one when Nelson Mandela quoted it in his Inaugural speech in 1994.

What I point out to you is only that You shouldn�t allow yourselves To be confused by others. Act when you need to, Without further hesitation or doubt. People today can�t do this. What is their affliction? Their affliction is in their Lack of self-confidence. If you do not spontaneously Trust yourself sufficiently, You will be in a frantic state, Pursuing all sorts of objects And being changed by those objects, Unable to be independent. - Linji (d.867)

- Bob Boldman

The rage in many cities these days is "branding," a marketing term that means building an image that's distinct, positive and memorable � like Rolex and luxury watches or Target and discount shopping. But it's a whole lot harder to come up with an image for a complex and skeptical city than it is for a business, as marketing whizzes in Pittsburgh are learning. Background: In 2002, several economic development groups pooled $200,000 to develop a coherent message for the Pittsburgh area. They hired some marketing pros, who did a competent job of polling people around the country on their impressions of Pittsburgh and brainstorming about images that could fill what they called the "image gap."

Problem is, they released their first-blush ideas, which sounded awful � a rambling 45-word string of clich�s. And it didn't help that, in trying to explain what they were doing, the marketers used nearly indecipherable jargon like "core differentiating brand equities." The public responded by hooting at the effort in letters to newspapers and radio talk shows. But to their credit, the marketers have plugged along, and the result is five "attributes" that describe Pittsburgh. Things like, "world-class urban setting resources (and) small-town feel," "pride in working, making and doing," "a genuine opportunity to make an impact." (To see all five, visit www.brandpittsburghregion.info.) Now they're seeking public comment on the attributes, which they'll refine and combine into a single "core message." That message, promised one marketer, will "be less than 45 words, I can assure you."

Online gaming for Armchair Economic Developers - "Everyone involved in civic work knows this all too well, as citizens and, sometimes, elected officials make eye-rolling pronouncements on everything from spending ("Just cut the budget!") to taxation ("Just tax the businesses!"). Wouldn't it be great if you could sit these simpletons in front of a computer screen and say, "Try it your way and see what happens in 40 years"?

Well, now you can. A pair of academics at the University of British Columbia have developed a program that allows citizens to change zoning, taxes, transportation funding and environmental regulations for the Vancouver area and then see how the area looks in 2040. The program, called QUEST, has been played online by more than 30,000 people so far."

Want to know what's weird? I swear I was thinking about this on the way into work today! I think I was behind this really slow truck and thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be great if I could fly to work on a train, surfing the net as I went?" That's the kind of big idea that would change the region. What if you could take a high speed rail from here to Columbus thru to Cinncinati? I'd do it just for fun! Or from Pittsburgh to Chicago thru Cleveland. That would be great!

"We are doing breakfast again this month at Bobby's in Midtown. We are aiming for Friday the 21st at 7:30 am. For those that couldn't make it last month, Bobby's is on E. 40th Street and it is a pretty good "greasy spoon" kind of restaurant. It is fairly central between East and West sides, so everyone just needs to get to I-90 and get off at the Chester Exit. Bobby's is on the corner of E. 40th and Payne Ave. Payne Ave is located between Chester and Superior. Email me if you need more specific directions.

Death is a Star
Atom Tan
Straight to Hell
That one song they always played on the radio
That other song they always played on the radio
Car Jamming
Know Your Rights
Rinse
Repeat
Enjoy!

We're still knitting at the Quiet Storm on Saturdays from 3-5pm. Anyone's welcome, we'll show you how to knit if you don't know how. Bring needles and yarn, any kind will do for learning. We're knitting fast and furiously so we can finish our scarves, hats, etc. in time for the upcoming nuclear winter!

"the anxiety you feel about asking a colleague to be your "friend" or "contact" on Ryze and similar systems. The reason is that there is no context for asking. The question doesn't correspond to a social form in real life. In real life, you don't ask someone if they'll be your friend (not if you're older than 5 or 6). 1. You start a conversation, and the conversation continues. 2. You join an established group (work, social, hobby), you participate together in shared activities, and enjoy the company of other participants. 3. You invite someone to something, or you accept an invitation. Online friend lists, like Ryze and its conceptual ancestor Six-Degrees, really are socially weird. You ask someone to be your friend without any of the social context of a shared activity or conversation."

On a side note, the opening segment discussing Case Western Reserve University's recent colloquim had a great shot of CrainTech's Chris Thompson. Nice one, Chris!

Luva will be playing Gallery U in the Colonial Marketplace on Valentine's Day, Friday February 14th 2003 from 6- 9 pm. Also joining us will be dj Jimmy D from Speaker/Cranker. Come see live electronica at this hip gallery in Cleveland's newest arts area, the ARTcade.

"Caffeine is an addictive drug. Among its many actions, it operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines, cocaine and heroin use to stimulate the brain. On a spectrum, caffeine's effects are more mild than amphetamines, cocaine and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels, and that is one of the things that gives caffeine its addictive qualities. If you feel like you cannot function without it and must consume it every day, then you are addicted to caffeine."

"Nobody is bolting the gate. Nobody's in the watchtower. There's no moat full of crocodiles to cross. If you're willing to pay the price, there is always room at the top in any era, in any economy."

"If you've developed the habit of speaking harshly, start changing that habit today. When someone crosses you on the job, at school, or wherever, and you're tempted to tear into them with cruel words, stop!

Take a few moments to give thanks and praise to God. Once you begin thinking about how good God is, more often than not, those harsh, angry words will just slip away unspoken."

"Network analysis and interorganizational theory are gaining more attention in the economic development field in the U.S. and abroad where circumstances of high uncertainty exist, which is now practically everywhere. In these cases, economic development organizations (EDO's) seek strategic alliances, conducting their activities more cooperatively, as well as competitively, to achieve common goals. The key to forming a successful development cluster within a region is forging stronger linkages with the private marketplace and public sector resource allocation systems. EDO's must go beyond themselves and build new relationships to private markets and government systems. Every region in this sense as an "Economic Development Cluster (EDC)," which provides acts as a catalyst and safety net for job and business development and wealth creation within the region. ION alliances are functionally interdependent, basing their operations on the control of activities, resources and increasingly information, knowledge and communication. Networks are defined structurally by both their actual and latent relations, and by their positioning--both horizontally across organizations and vertically within organizations. This is the rationale for the network ION model of economic development." Source: Understanding the Development Cluster in Regional Economic Development, forthcoming working paper by Donald T. Iannone, Spring 2003.

Art/Tech/Dance Party Again Back by popular demand, Cool Cleveland presents the follow-up to our sold-out Art/Tech/Dance party, designed to bring together the arts, business and tech communities of this great city. Now the party moves downtown to the Tower Press Building at 1900 Superior, with over 80 live/work lofts designed for artists and professionals. Featuring multiple rooms of digital art by Cleveland artists on huge video screens, dancing to HeadrushMusic.com DJs, refreshments from MyOhioWine.com, design by Nesnadny+Schwartz (www.NSideas.com), digital art from NewCAT, tech power by IdeaStar.com, much more. Thu 2/20 4PM-9PM. Get ready for some serious Made In Cleveland art, food and drink. Tour the lofts, dance with a designer. December's event was sold out with over 400 people. Don't miss the party this time: register now.

Standing alone beneath a solitary pine Quickly the time passes. Overhead the endless sky Who can I call to join me on this path? - Ryokan (1758-1831)

On a positive note, Jason and I had lunch at the Club yesterday. I was telling him about the Connection Series event meeting we had on Friday. He said "Speaking of the Mayor, she's at a table behind you." I hope she was having the Grilled Tenderloin Sandwich and the Vegatable Gumbo. I sure she had the Snicker pie for dessert!

On another way positive note, my wife received a contract from Janet Kay, who has agreed to represent her! My wife has been writing poetry for a long time and has been published in a number of periodicals. Next step, a collection of poems!

Sounds like something out of a Bruce Sterling novel!

I almost broke down when I posted it and looked at the page for the first time. Nice work, Jeff.

"Kenneth Cook, an Air Force weapons analyst with an exemplary record of achievement, was a highly regarded physicist and mathematician and was listed in American Men of Service. Asked to falsify reports, it so violated his conscience that he refused. If the government couldn't trust his reports, he thought, to what extent could it trust any other reports? So he complained that his commanding officer was distorting reports regarding the ICBM missile defense system." "Cook was fired, declared incompetent, and denied due process of law. He fought to be cleared and reinstated, but he was unsuccessful. He spent his money, including savings, on legal fees and court costs until all his resources were depleted. The hearings were kept private so no one knew what was happening to him. No one came to his rescue." "Reduced to living on a few hundred dollars a month from a pension, Cook walked miles just to save bus fare. His clothes became tattered. A meager diet took its toll, and he began to suffer from malnutrition. Impoverished and embittered, this man who simply wanted truth and justice dropped dead of a heart attack in a department store."

Do you want to take a quantum leap forward in the way you communicate as a leader? Then start showing a genuine interest in people. Caring means more than asking the occasional "How are you doing?" Of course, caring alone, devoid of the other leadership qualities, does not produce an effective leader. But leaders who lack a caring attitude will eventually be disliked by so many people that their leadership light will dim. Few leaders survive on respect alone. That means effective leaders can and must do two things at once�care about organizational goals and care about people. "Do the people around you sense genuine concern for their well being?"

Anyway, you gotta respect the guy for articulating his principles. I found it interesting to that he "found great success in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Milwaukee and Akron, following his fallout with White". Could be a model for all of our sucess, right Don? Besides, he's doing some interesting things creating modern, livable space out of large industrial complexes. Just the kind of thing we need for the post-industrial society we live in.

"Ilan Ramon, 48, a colonel in Israel's air force and the first Israeli in space. His mother and grandmother survived Auschwitz death camp. Father fought for Israel's statehood alongside grandfather. Mr. Ramon fought in Yom Kippur War 1973 and Lebanon War 1982. He served as a fighter pilot 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, flew F-16s and F-4s. He was chosen as Israel's first astronaut in 1997, then moved to Houston the next year to train for shuttle flight. His wife and four children live in Tel Aviv.

'One of the most frequently overlooked communication mistakes leaders make is the tendency to over-communicate. Over-communication is communication that lacks focus. Some poor communicators sound like an entire newspaper instead of an article focused on a subject. They say a great deal about everything, but when they finish, people ask, "What was the point?" When leaders communicate, less is often more. Maybe that's why the book of Proverbs says, "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise." My question for you is, "Are you making the leadership mistake of over-communicating?"'

Disquiet is a website of "reflections on ambient/electronic music, and interviews with the people who make it." If you're into that sort of thing(I'm not sure why you wouldn't be!), check out Disquiet.com. Of particular interest is the Crate and Pessoa's Trunk.

Update: Here's what the newsletter says regarding, well, me:

The Winner: In the last Disquiet CD giveaway, a copy of the first 'Clicks and Cuts' compilation CD was won by George Nemeth of Painseville, Ohio, and hotmail.com.

By collaborating, brainstorming with really interesting people with great and exciting ideas, I think we were able to create an evening that involves and engages a greater number of people than the last event. Which is hard to do! There were nearly 200 people that attended CS3. A significant number of them volunteered to participate in small groups applying their talents to better the Greater Cleveland community.

If the meetings that I've been attending with my CAT and this planning session are any indication of the excitement and enthusiasm at the event on the 25^th, LOOK OUT! It'll be an intense experience. I hope you Clevelanders are ready for it.