Brewed Fresh Daily

"Mapping Bush and Kerry to well-known product and corporate brands reveals how each candidate is viewed and suggests brand strategies each can employ to potentially sway the critical undecided voter group."

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves." - Carl Jung

Congratulations to The Plain Dealer and other me dia outlets in Cleveland. After several years of regurgitating various lists detailing what a bad place Cleveland is to live, they've finally convinced me. I give up. While it's too late for me and my wife (we're here for the duration), we are counseling both of our children, both of whom are attending schools outside of Ohio, not to come back. Apparently, this is not a good place to be, for any reason. And even if this is counterintuitive, perception is reality... And now we learn that Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell is calling on a group of 40 community leaders to address the poverty issue. While the makeup of the group is as yet unknown, I suspect that we all know most of the people who will be on the list: the usual suspects... This town has a vibrant small business community and a first- class middle-market professional community. Many of these people are ready, willing and able to be part of the solution, without any personal or monetary agendas other than to make Cleveland a better place to work and live. But there will not be, nor has there ever been, a place at the table for us.

A post on an indymedia website says activist Joshua Kinberg -- inventor of a wireless, bike-mounted, dot-matrix printer for spraying protest messages in the street -- was arrested yesterday at the RNC in NYC... Kinberg's invention allows users to spray messages transmitted to the bike-printer by way of the 'Net or SMS. They're painted in a water-soluble chalk solution that washes away with water (not spray-paint, as misreported elsewhere).

Article/puff piece on residential living in downtown Cleveland. The great piece was in the "Forum" section, by PD technology writer and blogger Chris Seper. This piece has some great recommendations for encouraging people to live downtown -- well it would if the whole damn piece was on the site. For some reason -- presumably a technical glitch -- most of the article is not online. I disagree with some of the larger recommendations (foreclosing the East Bank of the Flats for condos), but the smaller livability issues are more doable and practical (cheap parking permits for residents). There are plenty of other things that could be done, but this is a good starting point for ideas. Sadly, I doubt the city will actually try them.

Casinos don't make communities. Nestled in Cleveland's downtown, where developers would build casinos and convention centers, new families are growing, college graduates are settling into their first apartments and jet-setting yuppies are sipping mojitos in downtown bars. Some want to invigorate the downtown by adding new buildings. What it really needs is more feet in the street - both coming from the growing number of apartments filling the landscape and from cash-flush customers patronizing downtown businesses. No One Big Idea is going to make downtown Cleveland hum. I lived in the city's Warehouse District for two years and realized that small ideas must be stacked to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with grand innovations. The city needs everything from pizza to new party centers to get itself going. And everyone - from politicians to property managers - can pitch in. The following list may not be completely realistic. But consider these ideas for a few moments; they could squirt some verve into a downtown in need of bodies, life and community...

Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.

I know you all love hearing bout my mis-adventures that result from one too many martinis at the Velvet Tango Room, so go show Paulius some love....vote the Tango Room the best martini and singles scene in Cleveland!

"There's always been an alliance between hacker-technicals and direct-action-in-the-street people," said Yale anthropology professor and anarchist organizer David Graeber. "Natalie is one of the only ones who has feet in both worlds, and actually brings them together." Months ago, it became clear that the RNC counter-demonstrations were relying on digital technology. But most of the gadgetry involved was household stuff -- text messages to report cops' whereabouts, or web pages to arrange housing. Jeremijenko and her group have gone beyond that, hand-crafting devices meant to level, just a bit, law enforcement's technology advantage over activists. Their devices include a 10-foot balloon, for counting crowds; a set of pirate transmitters, for taking over local radio stations; and 1,400 face masks that measure the level of pollution in the Manhattan air. Think of the group as a kind of Darpa of dissent -- with Jeremijenko's loft as the headquarters. "To me, social issues are technical issues, and vice versa," she said, as her rabbit, Sally, skittered across the hardwood floors. "So I'm interested in how do you exploit technology for just social policies."

Programmers and artists from ROAM-NET are bringing a mutant art car, and a public terminal kiosk for this year's Burning Man festival in the Nevada Black Rock Desert. DOOM, their telecommunicative vehicle is equipped with a wireless public terminal, a GPS system, and two webcams. All along Burning Man (from the 30th through the 6th), they will be uploading photos to the igargoyle website of interesting technology from the festival and blog the event on the ROAM-NET newsfeed. The goal of this project is to establish a roaming platform for signalling to, and interacting with event participants, be it through event publishing, blogging, photo sharing, or signalling to your friends where you are.

Measure the coffee to be used and measure the volume of your coffee cup. I can't stress how important this is. One six-ounce cup of coffee needs two tablespoons of coffee beans. If that sounds like a lot then you have probably been making less than full strength coffee as I was. For years I was making coffee with less robust flavors because I had too large a cup for the amount of coffee I was using. When I finally did begin measuring, my coffee drinking experience was transformed into the delightful, pleasing experience that remains constant if I follow these simple directions.

Dave Pollard has a great list of things about which you can be optimistic.  Great way to start the week!

• There are more people writing, articulately and eloquently and with the weight of excellent information and argument behind them, about the need for radical change to our culture than ever before. This is a groundswell of awareness and deep caring, possibly unprecedented in the history of man. Something important is happening here.
• The Internet has given us two powerful weapons for change: knowledge exchange and organizing capacity. We're learning to use them well.
• Women are slowly gaining power and influence in our society. Young women are better educated and better informed than any generation in our history.
• Not having children is no longer, for the first time in our culture, considered selfish or anti-social.
• The Wisdom of Crowds.
• In the next decade much of the baby boom generation will be retiring. That means a huge number of people, a generation with a penchant for change, will suddenly have an enormous amount of time to think, to learn, to do things for reasons other than financial gain.
• Stories have immense power to change minds. We are learning the process of crafting astonishing stories.
• The Power of Community.
• In our search for models and leaders and inspirations, we are becoming skeptical of arrogance and glibness and the cult of personality, and looking instead for humility, honesty, flexibility, collaboration.
• A World of Ends. There is a large and growing appreciation that small and decentralized just works better. And is smarter and more agile.

Filmmaker Michael Gramaglia's biography of the legendary punk band, the Ramones. Filmed over a span of nearly a decade, this documentary tells the story of the 20+ year career of the Ramones, the New York based band that is most credited for inventing and popularizing the guitar sound that would become known as punk rock.

"Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will have to ram it down their throats." - Howard Aiken

Thanks for the help Thanks for the ear Thanks for the words Thanks for the hug Thanks for your heart Thanks for your presence

[The following comes partially from the archetype, but mostly from my own dealings with ENFPs.] General: ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They want to both help (at least, their own definition of "help") and be liked and admired by other people, on bo th an individual and a humanitarian level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another. Social/Personal Relationships: ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (l ots of PDA), and disconcertingly spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances, forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time. Less mature E NFPs may need to feel they are the center of attention all the time, to reassure them that everyone thinks they're a wonderful and fascinating person. ENFPs often have strong, if unconvential, convictions on various issues related to their Cosmic View. They usually try to use their social skills and contacts to persuade people gently of the rightness of these views; his sometimes results in their negle cting their nearest and dearest while flitting around trying to save the world. Work Environment: ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work with. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in brainstorming sessions. Followthrough tends to be a problem, however; they tend to get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about meeting hard deadlines and about performing any small, uninteresting tasks that they've been assigned. ENFPs are at their most useful when working in a group w ith a J or two to take up the slack. ENFPs hate bureaucracy, both in principle and in practice; they will always make a point of launching one of their crusades against some aspect of it.

It's axiomatic that work in a knowledge economy depends upon effective communication. However, communication is not merely a function of proximity or technology. It requires a functional level of trust that is inhibited in an organization where management is a rank rather than a role...

"It's hard to be smart with poor communication."

Roldo [Bartimole will] be honored at a dinner at Windows on the River in the Flats on the evening of October 28th. I hope you'll keep that date open, and join us in Filling The Room For Roldo. We expect to use this occasion, and the weeks and month leading up to it and after it, to find various ways to celebrate Roldo's vital life work and his unique legacy for community and alternative journalism in this town. His life and his work constitute a walking, talking curriculum on journalism as community activism and engaged citizenship. For two generations, through his Point of View newsletter and his columns in the Cleveland Edition and the Free Times, and now in his columns distributed by Cool Cleveland and the What's Up in Northeast Ohio listserv, he's been an example to literally thousands of journalists, writers, activists, theologians, urban planners, government figures, academics--you name it. And he's been a personal mentor to easily hundreds, constantly giving his time to educate, arouse and inform anyone who sought him out. In short, he's been--and continues to be--a community treasure. Now, my friends, it's payback time...

A lot of what I talk about on this blog really boils down to simple authenticity. Making your decisions based on who you are at the core, and not trying to be someone you're not in your career. Here's an article that offers ten tips for living authentically. 1. Know your purpose 2. Know your values 3. Know your needs 4. Know your passions 5. Live from the inside out 6. Honor your strengths 7. Take time to play 8. Be aware of your self-talk 9. Surround yourself with inspiration 10. Serve others

SolarAccess.com has an extended summary [of] Fortune's four-point plan includes [that]: Improving fuel efficiency; more spending on alternative fuels; redoubled commitment to efficiency; and getting serious about solar and wind. Hardly a radical agenda, but as these ideas increasingly become the conventional wisdom of the business world, more radical approaches become much more thinkable.

the Olympics the IOC (International Olympics Committee AKA "Interests Of Cash") has banned blogging by anyone connected to Olympic teams. They see blogging and participatory journalism as infringement on the cash paying media. What a fear filled short sighted view.

I talked to my spiritual mentor Victoria Wilson recently. She mentioned some wisdom that has stuck with her for years which she learned reading the book The Four Fold Way by Angeles Arriel. The wisdom is four simple guidelines...which acutally remind me of Don Migeul Ruiz's book The Four Agreements. 1. Show up 2. Pay attention 3. Speak your Truth 4. Let go of the Outcome It brings me such peace to know that as the journey takes one to deeper and deeper levels of understanding and the complexity of the universe is acknowldged, the rules for the journey become fewer and simpler.

A computer connected to 100 computers is economically more powerful than a PC linked to only 10 - that's the network effect. It turns out that the same holds for workers and their personal connections to companies. While the Internet's breadth may offer individuals the chance to post their qualifications for millions of employers to see, about half of all jobs are still found through personal contacts of some sort. And the more connections you have, the more you end up being paid. Why? Companies that make judgments based solely on a r�sum� are flying blind, to a degree. By contrast, if a job applicant once worked with a current company employee, or attends the same church as a company worker, the company can glean hints about how that applicant will perform. Such personal information - about reliability, or a sense of humor - can lead companies to bid more aggressively for someone's services. But such data is conveyed almost exclusively through personal network connections. And if the information is available to 10 potential employers instead of 2, wages are more likely to be bid higher.

How does an established, traditional community re-invigorate business, service and entertain (different) day and night audiences - and engage commercial and residential investment entrepreneurs? One solution: "Considering Lee Road: An Exhibition" - a graphic collection of development projects underway, proposed and imagined. Learn more here Join civic, business and government thought leaders to talk about tomorrow's innovative communities. Guests: Julie Langan, Executive Director, FutureHeights; Mark Majewski, President, Northstar Planning; Chuck Miller, Doty and Miller Architects Time & Place: Tuesday, August 24, 4 P.M. to 5:45 P.M., Peter B. Lewis Building, Room 201 Admission: Free & Open to the public Parking: Campus Center Garage, entrance adjacent to Severance Hall on East Blvd, $1.00/per 30 minutes. Metered parking may also be available on the street. Join us to discuss innovation happening here and in other regions across the country. We'll talk together about best practices, lessons learned and how we can apply new ideas to build a prosperous, globally competitive, Northeast Ohio.

"For centuries, we have attempted communication 'downward'. This however, cannot work, no matter how hard and how intelligently we try. It cannot work, first, because it focuses on what we want to say. It assumes, in other words, that the utterer communicates. There can be no communication if it is conceived as going from 'I' to 'thou.' Communication works only from one member of 'us' to 'another.'" - Peter Drucker, legendary management consultant (via FusionBranding: How to Forge Your Brand for the Future, by Nick Wreden)

Chris Corrigan, of ParkingLot fame, gave me a little gift this evening. I mentioned that we've got tickets to see Utah Phillips in a few weeks here in Chicago. Chris, of course, had a story. And since it's way too late here, I'm going to skip to the punchline: If you ask people about the things they know about, they'll always tell you the truth. This, as opposed to asking them about the stuff they merely absorb from books and media and such. The stuff they do is the stuff they know. Ask the cowboy about cowboy songs, not politics. Ask the rancher about his work, not about Indians and treaties. Ask everyone about their own work and such, and then find the connections to your own process and the rest of what you know.

good one! ;-P

It's August 19th, it's raining, it's cold. All summer it's been raining and cold. I love the Cleveland area. My whole family is here. I just recently moved back here from Columbus (holy COW town) and now I'm wondering why? Wouldn't someplace like Charlotte or Charleston SC be better? If only for the weather! I do know why, I am a Proud Clevelander, you have to be from somewhere and I'm from Cleveland.

Forbes includes Cleveland as a Bohemian Bargain in their list of 60 Cheap Places To Live, describing the city as "clean, green and surprisingly sophisticated."

On Monday, Costco Wholesale Corp., better known for bulk chicken and cases of soda, started test marketing caskets along side mattresses at a North Side Chicago store and one in suburban Oak Brook. Each of the six models from the Universal Casket Co., in colors including lilac and Neapolitan blue, is priced at $799.99, made of 18-gauge steel, considered medium weight for caskets, and can be delivered within 48 hours.

Some thoughts as promised , offered as tentative suggestions - My premise: The kind of network Cleveland needs is very unlike the one in Athens (I spent a few minutes looking that over). Those appear to be self-sustaining or at most creating a minor multiplier effect. It is actually baffling that someone would suggest Cleveland should follow the model in �Athens, Ohio� rather than a model from a large city. Why? Any initiative in Cleveland � by it a network or otherwise - will have high initial costs (startup costs � some of these will be sunk costs) and high operating costs + it will have to have a large multiplier � on entire groups/populations (the hardworking people in the city and the suburbs). Hence, there is a need for network players with large resources. Remember also that a Cleveland, network based initiative will likely have to be on a large scale � and will be competing with other networks from large cities. Both unlike agrarian/coop style networks of Athens. - So, how can resources enter the network? Two action steps - First, stop doing something (there are opportunity costs to doing useless things). Drop the current time/investment in weak networks. They are on a path that will never create or bring in resources. So, stop the talk-fests and stop funding organizations that keep demanding public support and media support for sponsoring talk-fests. Stop hiring retooled and �serial� economic development bureaucrats who just talk and talk � using complex sounding terms and sentences that mean nothing but sound like they are profound. Second, start doing a few things differently. Use political/business leads to leverage existing strong networks with resources. The mayor and cabinet appears completely unable to do this � and have been caught up with the talk fests and bringing in small-time, self-aggrandizing entrepreneurs (who drain rather than build the local economy). Instead, leaders should informally rather than publicly work with (read NETWORK WITH) leaders at the larger firms to a. retain them and keep them happy and b. identify potential recruits to bring in � from the business/social networks of these leaders in other cities � so tap into networks with resources. That should be the day-in, day-out focus of anyone interested in the economy of Cleveland. Create packages, sops, anything to do this � spend the money there. (and stop the sour grapes talk of �old boy� networks � there are young, smart, women leaders in these firms.) Even one strong connection of this type (one powerful charge across a synapse) is better than extensive, rich, multinodal networks of weak resources. Imagine the impact of another large firm leaving town � or even one well-known firm deciding to locate in town. I have the luxury of living in a city where, after a bad few years, everyday there is an announcement of a large firm moving hundreds of jobs to the area. Ironically, this area also rates as one of the top few areas for entrepreneurs. Cleveland should focus on bringing in the large firms � the entrepreneurs will follow . There�s my annual contribution to the dialog. I continue to hope and pray for a strong rebound for the city..Thanks for the indulgence, George.

Hey, buddy do you got the time? No I don't got a watch can you spare a dime, But I got two olives and a couple of limes, Guessin' that means it's martini time. The Martinis that brought you the loss, I didn't even ask or care what they cost, I lost my job for no reason or rhyme, Guessin' that means it's martini time. Martini time (vodka ice shaker!), Martini time (olive or lime!), Martini time (gotta have glasses!), Make it with a layer of ice this time. Dirty, dry up, or in between, From the very first sip you know what I mean, When you're out with a babe you don't nickel or dime, Guessin' that means it's martini time. Martini time (vodka ice shaker!), Martini time (olive or lime!), Martini time (gotta have glasses!), Make it with a layer of ice this time. It's martini time. I live my life for a layer of ice Just like those poured by my bartender vice Any taste of vermouth would be really sublime, When you have a good martini time! It's Martini time (vodka ice shaker!), Martini time (olive or lime!), Martini time (gotta have glasses!), Perfectly poured and top of the line. It's martini time It's martini time - Rev. Horton Heat

Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. You have neither solicited nor received ours. We did not invite you. You do not know us, nor do you know our world. Cyberspace does not lie within your borders. Do not think that you can build it, as though it were a public construction project. You cannot. It is an act of nature and it grows itself through our collective actions. You have not engaged in our great and gathering conversation, nor did you create the wealth of our marketplaces. You do not know our culture, our ethics, or the unwritten codes that already provide our society more order than could be obtained by any of your impositions. You claim there are problems among us that you need to solve. You use this claim as an excuse to invade our precincts. Many of these problems don't exist. Where there are real conflicts, where there are wrongs, we will identify them and address them by our means. We are forming our own Social Contract . This governance will arise according to the conditions of our world, not yours. Our world is different. Cyberspace consists of transactions, relationships, and thought itself, arrayed like a standing wave in the web of our communications. Ours is a world that is both everywhere and nowhere, but it is not where bodies live. We are creating a world that all may enter without privilege or prejudice accorded by race, economic power, military force, or station of birth. We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity...

John: You jump to fast, I think. You have participated in a few too many meetings that end nowhere. Your cynicism is showing. A process means setting goals and driving toward those goals. But first, we need to listen. Listening helps build consensus toward the goals we can share. Through listening we learn to co-create value...a critical skill in a networked economy. That's what they are doing in Athens -- building the civic skills to drive toward real outcomes through collaboration. They have built a fast, reliable process of identifying opportunities and driving toward them. In short, economic development is a process that requires both open participation and leadership direction...both divergent and convergent thinking. We have to ask and answer both "What's possible?" and "What's next?" Hoping and praying for good outcomes -- while worthwhile perhaps -- is no substitute for the design of productive civic processes.

In 1929, the London Underground, the city's subway system, produced what's now considered a classic advertising poster. It shows a group of umbrellas, presumably held by damp, shivering people, on a gray, rainy street. Almost hidden behind one of the umbrellas is the cheerful red Underground sign. Underneath are four words, "No Wet, No Cold." Not a bad reminder for today's urban transit systems. After all, what are the things people value most in their daily journeys? Their time, their money and their comfort. Which brings us to the subject of bus stops. Buses may be a wonderful way of getting to work cheaply and even quickly (many systems are experimenting with dedicated bus lanes and traffic-signal overrides to speed up their journeys). But there's still the dismal prospect of waiting at a bus stop, many of which are nothing more than a wide spot in the sidewalk. What happens if the weather's bad? You get wet and cold. Small wonder that buses are so unpopular. The good news, though, is that some transit systems recognize the problem and are trying to do something about it. Cleveland's transit system surveyed its riders not long ago to find out what would make waiting at bus stops more bearable. The unsurprising answers: Where there are no transit shelters, build them; where there are shelters, make them nicer. But what makes a bus shelter nice? Riders said that, aside from protection from the elements and a place to sit down, lighting, information about approaching buses and trash cans are the most desired improvements. The Cleveland system is experimenting with some of these things. There are solar-powered light systems at several shelters; people entering the shelter can push a button to turn on the lights, which switch off after a while. And there are electronic signs at the busiest stops, telling riders how long until the next bus arrives. Now the transit system is working on appearance. But with so many bus stops (there are 8,500 in the region), there's no way the system can keep them all clean and attractive. That's why it's looking for neighborhood groups or businesses to help out. "There's no greater disincentive (for transit) than to sit in a dirty or unkempt shelter," said one transit board member. "Every community has their local garden club. Maybe they could plant flowers around the shelters. Anything that could be done would help."

In a prior blog entry, Halley Suitt asks - "Is the Brand Called You still relevant?" If you are a SlowCompany kinda guy, someone looking to be stepped on and stepped over. If you prefer to be the crowd, not above it, well then the answer is quite easy. However, for many of us, we want to be Fast, we want to be heard. We want people to stop and ask, tell me more about what you do! For this group of people, "The Brand Called You" is highly relevant, and as Tom Peter's stated in a more recent article, it's a mandate.

George! Julia Child is dead! Long Live Julia! I am officially going into a depression. I will honor her memory by drinking a bottle of French wine with a cheeseburger. Dott

Economic development is nether a process nor an event - its an outcome. Which means there is a goal, a decision, a program, and action to be taken -with measurable outcomes. Good processes are necessary drivers of outcomes. However, focusing on process can lead to processes being mistaken as outcomes. So dialogs, talk-fests, collaborative technologies (which support) dialog are likely to be counted as an ends rather than a means. Hence the ongoing paralysis - and unending talk of networks, collaborations, connections...all just means... Without power and money in the networks they will exist in a parallel universe with action and never intersect. Here's hoping and praying for good outcomes in Cleveland.

J Galt, you knock process but want to "hope and pray"??? You should visit Athens, OH [yes THAT Athens] and see how networks, collaboration, process is put into action with measurable results such as new businesses and new jobs all forming on top of a learning/knowledge/social network. In Athens they don't argue about words and phrases, and concepts, they JUST DO IT!

My statement said �Good processes are necessary drivers of outcomes�. Quite a twist to suggest this was knocking process. I only �knocked� misplaced priorities that focus on processes as outcomes. So, sponsored talk-fests, collaborative talk-fests, coffee enabled talk-fests are fine as long as they involve people/firms with money/resources to invest. Else, they could lead to a succession of talk-fests, which then become an end in themselves...as if they are an outcome, rather than an means. And what�s wrong with praying and hoping for a good outcome? And how is that contradicting with the above sentiment? Lacking a strong, rational, cognition-based sense of confidence that good outcomes will be achieved, I am resorting to affect-laden, faith-based, appeals to a higher power - as a well-wisher of your city.

In Cleveland�s case, are we trying to attract people from all over, or are we trying to bring in the people from the suburbs? Is the main purpose to set a vibe for the city or to attract tourism? I think answering those can define how the fair is flavored.

"Regional economic development is a process, not an event. Reports and reorganizations will not provide answers in the absence of new civic habits of collaboration."

Great Duncan Watts piece on the dangers of centralized intelligence, his argument being that while centrally controlled organizations can respond well to situations they�ve forseen, only decentralized but coordinated groups can respond to unexpected catastrophe.

I think what struck me the most was the conversation about risk. Many people talk about the fact that Northeast Ohio is a risk averse culture. Ed Morrison wisely pointed out that this comes down personal fear. Much of our collective community...which is made up of individuals.. is rooted in fear. When people are in fear, they don't feel safe to explore. They don't feel enabled to take initiative. They don't feel empowered to speak their mind. As "woo woo" as this may sound, some of the most impacting action we as individuals can take for our region is to personally move from being rooted in fear to being rooted in love. Love - in the "agape" sense of the word - is the greatest empowerer, enabler, inspirer and transformer we have on this planet.

There was a great article in Fast Company (back in May) by Nate Nickerson (former FC managing editor): "Priorities, on the Brink". In it, he posed an awesome question: When you go to work, whose dream are you making a reality? Wow, what a question! In the article Nate candidly talks about managing his career (life) in an open and very heartfelt way. I was personally touched by his words and what he shared. The article got me thinking - do we work for money or for some emotional benefit?

Brazil has created the world's first DNA map of the coffee plant to cut production costs and create beans that cater to the rich tastes of U.S. and European consumers, the country's government said on Tuesday. After over two years of work, the world's biggest coffee grower is using the DNA map to create the world's biggest genetic data base on the plant. It contains information on the 200,000 DNA sequences, and 35,000 genes that create different aromas and caffeine levels in the beloved tropical bean. Brazil, known for mass-market "junk" coffee, hopes to use the data to raise production of gourmet, organic and new caffeine-free beans within two years. It also plans to cut coffee prices in Brazil, the world's second-largest coffee consumer. "We are going to create a super coffee that everyone can benefit from eventually," Brazilian Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues told reporters in Brasilia.

Open Space yesterday with civic entrepreneurs talking about taking talk to action. Even in an hour and a half, it was the usual amazing experience of a group with diverse agendas and few common projects moving toward self-organizing coherence. People talking about what matters most at the intersection of passion, freedom, and connectivity.

I explained to her that just about everyone that worked at that particular store had been laid off from other, higher-paying jobs: the guy she complained about was a computer programmer; the gal behind the counter was a nurse; we have a former office manager, two other computer professionals, two retirees, a graphic artist and me, a web designer, working there at this particular time. I told her that he really cared about doing a proper job, and that I understood his momentary frustration. I also told her that she was welcome to fill out a comment card and mail it in to our corporate offices, and they would dispense the appropriate discipline. She declined and went on her way, seemingly intent that she had gotten her point across. She did, but I don�t think she quite understood it; people who discriminate against others rarely do: they don�t value or respect human life � even their own. I started thinking about how we are losing jobs daily to overseas competition, how people are losing their homes and having to do with substantially less because the only jobs available are service-oriented jobs that pay substantially less, and how little some people are concerned about this situation; it�s a serious situation that everyone in the country should fear: disposable people...

"Extreme democracy" is a political philosophy of the information era that puts people in charge of the entire political process. It suggests a deliberative process that places total confidence in the people, opening the policy-making process to many centers of power through deeply networked coalitions that can be organized around local, national and international issues. The choice of the word "extreme" reflects the lessons of the extreme programming movement in technology that has allowed small teams to make rapid progress on complex projects through concentrated projects that yield results far greater than previous labor-intensive programming practices. Extreme democracy emphasizes the importance of tools designed to break down barriers to collaboration and access to power, acknowledging that political realities can be altered by building on rapidly advancing generations of technology and that human organizations are transformed by new political expectations and practices made possible by technology...

What defines public opinion today? What does it truly consist of and what are its various facets? How is public opinion formed? How is it projected? How is it used? Is public opinion the same as public consensus? Is public opinion the voice of democracy or is democracy the game of forming public opinion? How is it that public opinion is probed, researched, projected and utilized daily yet public participation is limited to scarce and exclusive methods of voting?

�Talk2Action: How can we take contemplation to collaboration?� In the past few years, we in this region have become better at networking, dreaming, and talking about our passions, strengths, and ideas. Now we need to get good at taking action to make differences at the scale of our dreams and resources. This requires using our capabilities, networks, resources, and opportunities in new ways. This session will utilize a dynamic Open Space model of dialogue. The invitation to you: come and bring people you would like to take action with, or just show up and get energized for taking your next steps toward action. - Jack Ricchiuto Time & Place: Every Tuesday, 4 P.M. - 5:45 P.M. at the Peter B. Lewis Building Free & Open to the Public. Map: http://www.case.edu/visit/map/ Parking: Campus Center Garage, entrance adjacent to Severance Hall on East Blvd, $1.00/per 30 minutes. Metered parking may also be available on the street.

Duluth is quite a bit like Cleveland, although not nearly as large, but has suffered some of the same challenges. An economy dependent upon a dwindling industry (Cleveland = manufacturing, Duluth = Mining). A refocus on tourism (Duluth DOES have a convention center which pumps a bunch of money into the local economy and with the lake, the North Shore, the main road up to the Boundary Waters and all the outdoor activities available, a thriving tourism trade). A legacy of old-school, good ol' boy, back-room deals being overshadowed by grass roots efforts of the locals. A relatively new focus on regional economic development using "what we know best" as the foundation (Cleveland = manufacturing, alternative fuels, bio science, technology, Duluth = aviation, mining science, technology). One thing I learned about while I was back home over the last week was the new mayor's E-City initiative which includes Internet kiosks and (are you ready for it?) a large Wi-Fi footprint in downtown, which covers the Canal Park area which is popular for tourists, conventioneers and the growing number of funky offices for knowledge workers moving from Minneapolis to Duluth. The other initiative is Duluth's Soft Center...

A Zen poet said... Masters in the art of living make little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure, their minds and their bodies, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their visions of excellence and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them, they are always doing both.

According to the latest Bay Area Council survey, 31% of companies had thought about moving at least part of their businesses elsewhere - including 14% who considered moving their whole businesses. Of those contacted, 18% also said they either had or planned to move some operations offshore.

Greetings head bangers and rocker chicks, and welcome to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located in Cleveland, Ohio! Since no cameras are allowed inside, the beans only have proof of their visit from outdoors, but take their word for it - they had a swell time...

I get so tired of seeing companies react through fear and ignorance. They could have turned this around for them - advertised the tourism site on her blog, encouraged her to do a tourism blog... Companies, wake the hell up and smell the coffee!

"When commenting on a blog post, please remain on topic and avoid questions related to other aspects of the service. Tangents can be a good thing, but this blog will be more useful to other readers when it contains posts and comments that stay on topic."

What is "blighted area" a code word for? How blighted do you feel if your father tended his father's business to feed his family and eventually hand the business to you before lung cancer took him, and you've nurtured the business long past your retail neighbors all went extinct from personal and communal despair, and you've managed to survive, only now to be declared "blighted" by the city power brokers rich enough not to need work and who want to sacrifice your business by eminent domain for the next strip of national chain stores that only suck money out of the community into the pockets of non-local market gamblers?

"Academic researchers, for their part, organize interdisciplinary conferences and working groups that serve to introduce disciplinary specialists who turn out to have complementary knowledge or skill sets, but who otherwise would never have had occasion to meet. And business firms from the automotive to high-tech and finance industries deliberately cross-pollinate their intellectual capital by fostering worker exchanges across divisions or even firms, building problem-solving teams around tasks rather than departments, emphasizing informal agreements and collaborations over formal contracts, and organizing sophisticated team-building exercises for geographically dispersed junior executives."

We are a nation at war with an enemy that hides amidst innocents, an enemy that hates the very things that we love most; freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Undoubtedly, the war on terror and national security are not the only issues that Americans face. We are slowly digging ourselves out of an economic downturn with more Americans than ever gambling each day without access to affordable healthcare. The national deficit has ballooned to astronomical proportions and the President is digging deeper for more money to fund a war that a large percentage of Americans opposed, which as it turns out, was waged, based on erroneous information. Oh, do we have issues and none are easily solved or decided...

�Considering Lee Road: An Exhibition of Community Ideas and Plans� will be on display for five days beginning Saturday, August 21st. Sponsored by FutureHeights, a community-based nonprofit in Cleveland Heights, the exhibit will be shown at HeightsArts Gallery, 2173 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. An opening reception on Saturday from 6:00 � 9:00 p.m. is open to the public. The exhibit will highlight approximately fifteen projects, both real and imagined, along the Lee Road corridor. The purpose of the exhibit is to show the public what planners, architects, students and everyday citizens have dreamed about for the Lee Road corridor. The projects to be showcased include several commercial storefront improvement projects, the Cleveland Heights/University Heights Library, an addition to Church of the Savior, as well as residential developments. The layout of the exhibit is designed to solicit comments and suggestions from the viewers which will be compiled and published following the close of the exhibit. The gallery will be open on Saturday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., on Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 and Monday through Wednesday from 3:00 � 9:00 p.m. For more information call (216) 320-1423 or visit www.futureheights.org.

If you think these municipal wireless networks are a waste of time and money, check out this comment I received from a resident of Scottsburg, Indiana: "I am one of the medical transcriptionists in Scottsburg and I absolutely LOVE this system, without it I would have had to either relocate or quit my job and I doubt it would have been the latter. Thanks to our wonderful mayor and the people of C3bb for such a wonderful job!!!"

What is the role of a civic expert's expert knowledge in facilitating authentic dialogue in a community? How can experts not allow their expertise to get in the way of people connecting in new ways?

"After the horrific destruction of the Twin Towers in September 2001, the media quoted academic and corporate economists assuring us that the government's response to the attacks would help bring an end to the recession. What was never mentioned was that resources devoted to repair, security, and war-fighting are resources that cannot be devoted to creating consumer goods, building new infrastructure, or enhancing our civilization. We are worse off because of 9-11." "A second fallacy is the idea of war as an engine of prosperity. Students are taught that World War II ended the Depression; many Americans seem to believe that tax revenues spent on defense contractors (creating jobs) are no loss to the productive economy; and our political leaders continue to believe that expanded government spending is an effective way of bringing an end to a recession and reviving the economy. The truth is that war, and the preparation for it, is economically wasteful and destructive. Apart from the spoils gained by winning (if it is won) war and defense spending squander labor, resources, and wealth, leaving the country poorer in the end than if these things had been devoted to peaceful endeavors. During war, the productive powers of a country are diverted to producing weapons and ammunition, transporting armaments and supplies, and supporting the armies in the field."

A CoolTown needs a world class invisible technology system to feed the voracious entrepreneurial appetite of its population. That essentially means ultra-high-speed wireless internet - everywhere. Currently, municipalities are a little behind the wave, focused too much on providing the infrastructure rather than what to do with it. For instance, there are many policies promoting the construction of cell phone networks, wifi hot spots and fiber optic grids, but few policies on how to turn them into jobs and gazelles. Based on what the American Planning Association recommends, here are four elements needed for an effective 'gazelle' plan: Technology infrastructure: Yes, you need the infrastructure, but this is just one of four parts, not the only one. In fact, it's not even the largest one. Policy considerations: Imagine the DMV on a slow day, and you'll understand why some neighborhoods take forever to get broadband. Municipalities need to streamline the process for getting you the fastest internet connections, like via King County, WA's eGov Alliance. Applications: This is the golden goose egg - how to establish demand for all the supply being provided. The simplest emphasis for economic development agencies should be figuring out how to aggressively apply technology to advance their existing industries. Institutions: Think MIT Media Lab, then think of how MIT helped make Cambridge the 23rd largest economy in the world. There's no doubt universities play a major role in the CoolTown genesis.

An editorial in the Plain Dealer supports the creation of the Northeast Ohio League of Leadership and Advocacy, an alliance of governments from throughout the region. The group will help establish a regional agenda and call for assistance from the state and federal governments.

The goal of Leadership Cleveland is to take established city leaders and turn them into better civic leaders by exposing them to urban issues, networking opportunities, and actual municipal problems, thus ensuring that leadership in the city is strong and vital. When Hubben took the reins of the organization, she instituted the first strategic change since its inception by introducing Focus Projects. This year's projects included a feasibility study of a downtown youth hostel; a project sponsored by Cleveland Public Arts on how to animate civic space (specifically turning the grassy area near Public Square into a pedestrian-friendly area); a project applying high-speed network communications to high schools; and a project promoting environmental sustainability in Cleveland, including exploring the use of wind turbines to create renewable energy sources.

Fri. Aug. 6 The Derailers, Lords of The Highway A honky tonk band following the tradition set by Buck Owens, Austin, TX's Derailers were led by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tony Villanueva and lead guitarist Brian Hofeldt, longtime friends who grew up together in Oregon. After playing in various Portland-area rockabilly outfits, Villanueva relocated to Texas at the age of 19, and Hofeldt soon tagged along; after settling in Austin, the duo joined forces with Vic Gerard Ziolkowski, the bassist in a band called Two Hoots & a Holler, and began focusing on playing straightforward honky tonk music. In 1995, the Derailers issued their first LP, Live Tracks; following their second release, 1996's Jackpot, Terry Kirkendall became the group's permanent drummer. Reverb Deluxe appeared in 1997, and two years later the Derailers returned with Full Western Dress. By this point the lineup had shifted to include drummer Scott Matthews and bassist Ed Adkins. Here Come the Derailers appeared in 2001; it was the band's first for Sony's Lucky Dog imprint, and featured a slicker version of their signature sound, designed for larger exposure. Genuine, their second effort for the major label, appeared in March 2003. It included songwriting contributions from Jim Lauderdale and Al Anderson. (All Music Guide) 9 PM, $10, Ballroom Show really starts at 9pm! Lords of the Highway play at 9pm! Beachland Ballroom and Tavern 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland OH 44110 216-383-1124 www.beachlandballroom.com www.LordsoftheHighway.com

The Thea Bowman Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to be an ongoing beacon of HOPE to the Mt Pleasant Community. It is committed to the people of the community by: Helping people by encouraging and enhancing healthy relationships. Organizing programs of assistance and mentoring. Promoting empowerment of the community. Educating people through social, health and wellness, cultural, and spiritual activities

The J-Lab at the University of Maryland is looking for Community Media projects:

J-LAB RESEARCH: Nominate a Community Media Possibility
Is there a civic group, nonprofit, or university in your community that has a vision for a micro-local citizen media project? J-Lab wants to know about them as part of a research grant for the Knight Foundation. E-mail Jan Schaffer at jans@j-lab.org. Supply contact information.

J-Lab also points us to five "EMERGING: Hyperlocal Citizens Media Initiatives"

GothamGazette.com's Community Gazettes:
Medill School of Journalism's Skokie, IL site
Neighborhood Forum
NYC schools
Bakersfield Californian's The Northwest Voice

Anyone? Anyone?

posted by George Nemeth  # 8/03/2004 12:37:00 PM

The Thing Theory of Economic Development holds that you need a Big Thing to promote economic development. Just about any Big Thing will do: a convention center, a really big convention, a casino, a bunch of casinos, a stadium, a bunch of stadiums (the Olympics).

It turns out, though, that these Big Things don't really help economic development much at all.

In Boston, the Democratic Convention produced far less economic impact than projected. Read more. (Free registration required.) In Athens, the numbers for the Olympics don't add up either. Read more.

In a global economy where value is embedded in knowledge, brainpower matters. Innovation and entrepreneurship networks matter (to translate brainpower into wealth). But Big Things don't matter much at all.

We are not elite, we are grassroots. We may not be insiders, but we are not naive. We are here for the long haul and not for the fast buck. And we are finally beginning to realize that by combining the sincerity of our hearts with the collective energy of our creativity we can make good things happen here.

Hello, I just wanted to send a quick message, because I heard something today I thought you all might appreciate. I had the unique opportunity to hear Bishop Anthony M. Pilla deliver a Homily today at St. John the Evangelist downtown. It was his Silver Jubilee of his episcopal ordination. Naturally in hearing someone of his stature speak I was very in-tuned to listen for words for wisdom and guidance. I wasn't disappointed. Of the many things he talked about, he shared a story that I found rather interesting. His story was about Mother Teresa, and a time when she was being interviewed by a rather famous reporter. He said the reporter was quick to point out to Mother Teresa, that for all her efforts and labors; little seemed to be getting done. Mother Teresa's reply to this was that at times, what is important is not that you were successful, what is important is that you have kept your faith. - -keep the faith. Whatever your endeavors may be; keep the faith. Hope that makes sense. Even if you're not religious, I hope you can see how this can