Since June, 2003, bio-defense industry world-leader Ronald B. (Ronn) Richard has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Foundation, the nation's oldest community foundation. Since January, 2005, Richard has also served as a Director of Emergent BioSolutions Inc., a leading biopharmaceutical company whose marketed product is BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), the only FDA-licensed vaccine available for pre-exposure protection against anthrax infection - www.emergentbiosolutions.com.

A song for the day to our failed and disgraced leadership of Northeast Ohio, and those who want to be... "The Dope Show", by Canton native-son Marilyn Manson:

There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
Who want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low
And blow your mind

Dear Cleveland Cavaliers,

As you well know, 100,000,000s of people look up to you as community leaders and role models - these are responsibilities you accept as sports and public figures who are intentionally "in the news", for profit.

Series Theme: Engineering & Technology: Growing Your Own Best Workforce

Speaker: Jack H. Schron, President, Jergens Inc.
Title: Taking the Lead: The Role of Industry in Workforce Development

Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. Earn 1 Continuing Professional Development hour.

Program Sponsorships available.

Location

Series Theme: Engineering & Technology: Growing Your Own Best Workforce

Speaker: Dr. Roy A. Church, President, Lorain County Community College
Title: Specialized Talent Development for the Technology Industry: The Role of the Two-Year College

Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. Earn 1 Continuing Professional Development hour.

Program Sponsorships available.

Location

Severe Particulate Matter 2.5 Hourly Reading in Cleveland at 8:00 AM on 09/23/09 - see current here

There is clear evidence the leadership of Northeast Ohio has failed to create an environment encouraging world-class monitoring, analysis, research, notification and controls of pollution created in our region of Ohio, and the consequences on residents and society. As a result, the people of this region have suffered significant health consequences, including early death, and impaired learning ability, crippling our schools and workforce, and society and the regional economy have suffered greatly. As much of our pollution is exported beyond our region, our failure to be world-class addressing pollution here causes harm world-wide.

I've spent several years now developing theoretical pieces toward a sustainable future and now seek to apply the theory to effect pragmatic positive change for our region.

This program will draw on the proven expertise of local beauty salon owners. Participants will hear the business histories of our speakers, learn what worked and what didn’t, and obtain free resources that can increase their chances of running an enduring and profitable beauty salon business. This program is meant to be informal, with a lengthy question and answer section following each presentation.

The program will take place on September 26th, from 1:00-2:30 PM at the Cleveland Public Library, Hough Branch located at 1566 Crawford Road.

For more information contact: Stephanie Tyus @ 216.623.6997 or Aaron Mason @ 216.623.2927

Max Eternity - After an entire summer of heated discussions and culture clashes at town hall meetings created by the government as a forum to discuss healthcare reform in America, the specter of Southern white supremacy tied-at-the-hip with a particular slice of the blue collar white, working and middle class, erupted in sea of vitriol; putting on full display the racist slant that a portion of America's collective has of the current state of affairs in the United States and its current president--a bi-racial, black man named Barack Obama.

It recently came to my attention that one of the most serious sources of pollution in Cuyahoga County is literally in my back yard. Less than two kilometers upwind from my home are the coal and natural gas fired external boilers at the power plant shown above, at University Hospitals, operated by Medical Center Company (MCCo), polluting the surrounding neighborhoods since the 1930s.

For the 30+ years of my life spent in Northeast Ohio, in childhood and as an adult, University Circle has been at the center of my universe. What Place is at the Center of Your Universe?

Thanks to REALNEO's lmcshane for pointing out one of the most interesting developments in the American "sustainability movement" ever - what appears to be Chicago's real news source, The Chicago Reader, broke the news, September 4, 2009, that "The Green Mayor's Green Policy Maker Leaves for Vancouver". This is the story of former Cleveland and Chicago area sustainability guru Sadhu Johnston, now set to become the deputy city manager of Vancouver.

The Real Coop Local Food and Info proposal submitted to Cuyahoga County, for new economic and workforce development in Northeast Ohio, is designed to create 1,000s of new jobs in Northeast Ohio in career fields as diverse as journalism, communications, engineering, building trades, farming, food processing, warehousing and transportation.

If nothing else, today proved to me the power of magic realism.  Nelson Cintron is a good man, a kind man and a man gifted with the power to transform.  He is not a perfect man, but like all of us, when he tries, he can perform magic. 

How will reform help county government become more efficient?
How will council members be elected?
How will health and human services be affected?
The push to reform Cuyahoga County government is on and so is the debate over what the restructuring should look like. Competing reform plans are slated to appear on the November ballot. On September 17, a panel of representative from each of the reform proposals will inform you about reform.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Registration and Reception, 5:45 p.m.
Program 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Location

In an effort to un-depress myself, I am trying to conjure in my mind the most charming places in NEO to go to when you want to watch people and feel hopeful about life.  Now, I know I can go to the middle of a forest somewhere and meditate, but I need to hear laughter and watch boats bobbing on the water. 

Why is it so hard to make it happen here in NEO?  Do you have a favorite place to share???  Please post your thoughts here.

Max Eternity - While it's not advisable that we create a clean energy "monoculture", research does show that with a small amount of land mass devoted to harvesting solar energy, all the energy needs of the entire planet can easily be met. 

Click here to see enlarged chart(s) and to read more.