(Continued from the web site)
“This was truly a wonderful experience for so many reasons. First, I learned a lot about murals, especially since I've never done one outside before! I also got really good at climbing scaffolding with an armload of painting stuff. But besides all of that, I saw personally what an impact positive public art makes in a community. Because I was there working on it for 6 weeks I got to see a lot of the people of the neighborhood and no matter what their lives were like all the rest of the time, for the few minutes that they stopped to look at the mural or to talk to me, they were happy. I got to see the people driving by slow down and crane their necks around to see what was on the side of the building and many times people would shout compliments or encouragements out their window as they passed by. The experience gave me a first hand look at how art affects people's lives. I want to make the distinction that most of the people who witnessed my mural getting painted and who will see it forever afterwards are the not the type of people who get exposed to art in either museums or galleries. They were in no way conditioned to see things in a certain way or with a certain attitude. The reaction I got from people was a pure unfiltered response from the heart.
Art has the ability to communicate to all of us through very simple means. People respond to things that are aesthetically pleasing and beautiful and when art can embody those basic principles it has the capability to reach out into the soul of Everyman and begin to awaken our higher self. Because art has the means to become the key, more people need to be exposed to art, not just any art, but art that can establish that raw and pure connection to our very core. This, in my opinion is the goal of public art. Our world today needs all the positive influence it can get and having something available in the community that can passively affect everyone that walks or drives by it is essential.”

From: http://www.transcendentbird.com/about12.html  

November 28, 2007, renowned architect Carl Stein, FAIA, Principal of elemental architecture, llc, of New York City, shared his valuable understanding about the environment in Northeast Ohio and the world, focusing on the energy of buildings and a specific analysis of the Breuer Cleveland Trust Tower, in downtown Cleveland. This is the only high-rise by revolutionary architect Marcel Breuer, and it is globally appreciated as a masterpiece of modern design and construction... yet it is planned for demolition by Cuyahoga County Commissioners Dimora and Hagan.  Stein worked with Breuer for many years, including when Breuer built the Cleveland Trust Tower, and Stein's conclusion is there is no rational excuse for demolishing the Breuer. As Stein states, "just that Breuer and this building are so important is enough reason to preserve the Breuer"... although Stein gives many other reasons!

One environmental fundamental is NOT consuming the wrong things wrongly or unnecessarily - when you must consume then do so as smartly, locally and close to good sources as possible. In that sense, buying from artists and crafts people can't be beat, and there are many opportunities these days to buy local arts and crafts for gifts for the "holiday" season (when all are encouraged to over-consume at all levels). One very cool such shoppening, that brought a huge crowd together at E4th and Prospect, this weekend, was the Bazaar Bizarre... featured on today's header (full size here).

Cleveland is rightfully championing local hero Mike Symon for his national recognition.  Tremont has hung a banner in his honor.  We should all be thankful, at this time of year, to live in a part of the country that knows how to live well.  

You can see for yourself... (the good stuff is after the intro which runs about 45 seconds or so)

Powers of Ten - and old video. I have a copy of it in book form. I like the book better, but I can't post a book here :-)

Internet Maps Illustrate Environmental Woes

By KEVIN J. DELANEY
November 15, 2007; Page B4

No Idea who came up with this one or what it means, but there is a star strung between the toxin-belching smokestacks of one of Mittal's cancer factories in the Cuyahoga Valley Superfund Site, known as The Flats. Perhaps this is a public service to educate area residents on what they would see in the sky if they lived away from the pollution of Mittal... stars.

 We have a web site!  Stay tuned.

The beautiful girl below is a talented musical student, athlete, artist and writer in Brooklyn Centre--click on the photo for more information about Joyful Noise. 

 

I spent time today cutting up an old dog house - for firewood. 

 

Third and Last of 3 Bauhaus-Breuer events this week: Wednesday, November 28 at 6 pm at Judson Manor —Green building and modernism; are they antithetical?  (I'm  posting this for Susan Miller who's one of the organizers)

Susan Miller had mentioned a strong statement on cell phone use at Dewey's Coffee House, on Shaker Square, in Cleveland, and I happened to be here tonight and saw this posted on their front counter... it is thought provoking, and Dewey's is an excellent place... latest Sunday night free wifi coffee house I know in this part of town (10 PM).

Having promised to Susan I would bring more angels and sunshine to REALNEO, I set out today to find flowers, in Cleveland, in the end of November, after first snowfall... so I sought harsh conditions where survival in winter was nothing compared to surviving in day to day environmental crisis... the Flats. It didn't take long to come across some strapping sunflower-looking blossoms still holding the hopes of life at the end of an especially toxic year.

I love animals and always enjoy the company of dogs... here is my current pup, shown at around 8 and 14 weeks. She's a Cane Corso so will be big and eat more than the scraps my family will produce. I know having a dog raises environmental issues, including what to feed it. I don't know of any local dog food sources, or good dog food sources of any sort... there is the transportation, and to the extent you feed dogs what people need, or what harms the environment to produce, you are putting a dog before a human, which may not be wrong. In any case, I'm interested in finding a locally-sourced, healthy, organic food for my beast... anyone know af any solutions or want to join in creating one, if needed?

CHAPTER ONE Recently, when I spoke with a conductor on the Albany-Boston Amtrak coach, he told me that he had been working on that run for the last four years and the train had NEVER arrived on time.  Consistent with his experience, we arrived an hour late.

 

FOUR YEARS!?  Well, right off the bat you’ve gotta find that that is intentional. 

 

So why? What seems to be going on?

Stories like this one make me envious of Geologists who actually make a living studying this stuff... 

Scientists reveal secrets of ancient ocean in new book

This morning when I was out with Tucker (the dog) this deer got his attention. Tucker stood still and stared at the deer, and the deer stood still, while slow-motion lifting his front left leg up and down to softly stomp his hoof on the leaves.

Every few months, I get the opportunity to review what I learned by preparing for classes at the Economic Development Institute. For a number of years, I have taught the Advanced Strategy Lab. This class is a four-hour session in which I introduce students (economic development professionals from around the country) to some of the newer thinking in economic development strategy. We spent some of the time working in small groups, as I provide workshop exercises that simulate the strategy sessions in which I frequently participate.

Trees For Every Purpose

 

By Therese Ciesinski

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. - Chinese proverb

Add beauty and value to your home, provide essential food and shelter for wildlife, and help reduce carbon in the atmosphere in one simple step: planting a tree. And right now, autumn, is the time to plant because warm soil coaxes new growth from roots, while cool nights and rainy skies minimize evaporation and water stress.

The mood in the United States is changing towards people who don’t look like they are from here.

For years I have traveled around the US and around the world and, besides being inspected and asked to produce my passport at the physical border crossing between nations, I have only been stopped inside a county once - in the 70’s – by soldados in Patagonia when Argentina was governed by the military right before Peron returned to power.

I had one of those experiences a few months ago... One of my pre-teen kids plays on a soccer team in Euclid that travels to other local communities to play soccer... thus they call it a "travel" team.  It is considered by some to be elite.  I am not so sure; I think it might be that it is primarily just the kids who have parents who are willing to go all over for their kids.

Be sure to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art and see the Modern Master’s.  Really, it is way too much to take in during one visit. 

 

I just got back from hearing Sherman Alexie speak at the Cleveland Public Library.   My sides hurt from laughing so much and, yet, at the same time, I want to cry.  His voice is true and his message needs to be heard.