Midtown Wednesdays

One of a Thousand Inconvenient Truth Leaders...

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 18:05:00 +0000

Don't miss this week's 2007 Midtown Brews Series kick off conversation -

Thursday, January 11, 2007

''Our Global Imperative,'' conversation is lead by Jeff Friedman, partner in Webtego, an Ohio based technology company. Jeff is one of a thousand Inconvenient Truth National Leaders telling the story about planet sustainability challenges and solutions. You can learn more about The Climate Project here.

Cleveland Casinos impact on Midtown

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 19:23:00 +0000

Ed Morrison has recently published an articulate and simple look at the disastrous consequences of Casinos in Cleveland to Midtown.

View the presentation "Impact of Cleveland Casinos on Midtown," by Ed Morrison, Director, I-Open here.

You can read the Crains Cleveland opinion piece, "Time for a New Cleveland Business Leadership?" by Ed Morrison here.

The Cleveland Empowerment Zone Business Development Partners Group

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:48:00 +0000

Here is the list sent by our partner, A.C. Alrey:

The Cleveland Empowerment Zone Business Development Partners Group

City of Cleveland Departments/Divisions/Offices
1. Cleveland Empowerment Zone Office Staff (those with direct contact to businesses)
2. Workforce Development Division of Econ. Development Department
3. Mayor’s Office of Equal Opportunity
4. Department of Community Development
5. Planning Department

CDCs involved in the initial creation of the EZ
6. Consortium for Economic & Community Development (Hough)
7. Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation
8. Glenville Development Corporation – Darren Harris
9. MidTown Cleveland, Inc.

CDCs located within the EZ and Buffer Areas
10. St. Clair – Superior Development Corporation
11. Burton, Bell, Carr Development Corporation
12. Northeastern Neighborhood Development Corporation
13. Maingate Business Development Corporation
14. The Quadrangle, Inc. -- Bill Beckenbach, Ex. Dir.
15. Garrett Square Economic Development Corporation (currently a defunct group, but may be revived in the future)

Financial, Technical Assistance & Business Services Organizations located within or focused on the EZ
17. Cuyahoga County Development Department
18. The Urban League/SBDC Multicultural Business Development Center -- Debra Meager
19. The Entrepreneurial Academy
20. The WECO Fund, Inc. -
21. Shorebank / Shorebank Enterprises – Courtney McClain
22. Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce – Melvin Hendrix
23. Christian Business League
24. The Northeast Ohio Immigrant & Minority Business Alliance (IMBA)
25. Alex CDC
26. The Institute for Open Economic Networks (I-Open)
27. Various labor force vendors that have contracts with the EZ Office

Area Financial Institutions located within or focused on the EZ
28. KeyBank
29. First Merit
30. SkyBank
31. National City
32. US Bank
33. Charter One
34. Huntington
35. Fifth Third
36. Chase (Bank One)
37. Merrill Lynch – Theron Cyrus

Various Ward Offices located within the EZ Boundaries
36. Wards 4
37. Wards 5
38. Wards 6
39. Wards 7
40. Wards 8
41. Wards 9
42. Wards 10
43. Wards 13

If you would like to contact A.C. please do at:

A. C. Alrey
Manager, Business & Community Affairs
Cleveland Empowerment Zone Office
Department of Economic Development
3634 Euclid Avenue, Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44115

Phone: 216/664-4170 x230
Fax: 216/420-8522
Email: acalrey@city.cleveland.oh.us
City Webpage: www.cleveland-oh.gov

Disruption

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 13:23:00 +0000

Ed Morrison recently received a note from a long time EDPro reader suggesting the online newsletter, Byvation, whose editor writes about creativity, innovation and disruption. If you are interested, you can sign up for the free letter here.

The June issue features the article, "Shh...Don't Wake Up the Big Dog". Here are excerpts offering advice to entrepreneurs:

"...Make new friends In the early days, it's best to operate in stealth mode. Create prototypes, acquire funding quietly (i.e. friends, family, and angels), and most importantly - get customers...Making friends with bigger dogs offers you protection. And, when you're growing up - that's what you need. Joint Ventures, Alliances, and Strategic Partnerships opens doors to customers and lets you deal with others from a position of strength - instead of weakness. When the big dogs throw up legal and marketing roadblocks, you'll be able to persist in the fight...

...As an upstart - either a classic entrepreneur or a newly created corporate spinoff, you need to think disruptively. Like a growing puppy, you need to tip-toe around the big dogs. If they growl, back away. Find a new angle of attack. Think about who you need as strategic partners, know when you'll need them, and how you'll persuade them to join your cause.

In the end, your choices are 1) To compete with the big dogs, or 2) Strike disruptively. If you chose to mix it up with the big dogs, the odds are against you. And, even if you win, you'll probably end up in a no-profit zone, just like the auto industry or the airlines. At least disruption gives you a fighting chance."

...I especially like the author's focus on disruptive products and strategies. But there is another important application of disruption: as it applies to behavior.

Our first impulse is to think of non-status quo behavior as negative. But what if the established behavior no longer provides value? Disruptive appreciative behavior means the resulting activities will be different. This is how change occurs.

Disruptive behavior is critical to enable shifts to occur in environments if mature patterns of behavior stifle innovation and entrepreneurship. This is the case in Northeast Ohio. Entrepreneurs struggle for value in an environment still modeling post industrial hierarchical thinking, behavior and activity, stifling innovation.

Byvation offers good advice. I can think of no better way than to work "under the radar"; this allows new work to move forward creatively and uninterrupted in a continuous test environment, at least in the early stages.

One point that needs to be appreciated: leaders who are inventing and building new methods for innovation need to "lean into" each other.

A kind of banding together. Not necessarily work together, but like in chamber music performance, play forward relentlessly and powerfully, appreciate and be aware of fellow colleagues efforts, but constantly look for new avenues of opportunity - disruptive as they may be.

New Fun with Drupal: GoinOn.com

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 17:36:00 +0000

Check out this Drupal site called GoingOn.com

Awesome functionality!

Here is the Midtown My Town home page here.

Sign on and get your account networked!

Thinking about NEO in New and Different Ways: MegaRegions & Networks of Capability

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:06:00 +0000

Ed Morrison sends this link to America 2050 - addressing mega regions, their capabilities and potential for regional development alignment.

You can download a very interesting presentation by Kip Bergstrom to the recent Fifth Annual State of the Region Conference: “Responding to A Changing World” in Toledo, Ohio this past May 22, 2006. "Thinking About Regions as Networks of Capability" here.

Bergstrom refers to work done by Bob Yaro of the NY/NJ/CT Regional Plan Association and Armando Carbonell of the Lincoln Institute.

Ed Morrison continues...

"The Fund for Our Economic Future could accelerate its efforts by learning how other regions are promoting innovation through open networks.

We have distilled this model as Open Source Economic Development. We are now teaching this model to other economic development professionals:

We are deploying this model in Indiana under Leadership Indiana, the governor's Accelerating Growth initiative and the workforce innovation initiative (WIRED) guided by Purdue. It is also the model we are following with CuyahogaNext.

Among the interesting insights, is one on the last page. I quote it below.

...'Why is it better for Toledo to position itself as part of the greater Detroit metro as opposed to just focusing on the Toledo metro?

It has to do with the role of networks in innovation. The network is the common denominator between the traditional notion of a cluster and the new focus on capability. The clusters which Michael Porter describes in his work are the relatively static arrangement of galaxies and stars and planets after the big bang of disruptive innovation.

There is still movement in the system (sustaining innovation), but nothing like the explosive energy that created the system in the first place. As Mike Carroll notes, the cluster is not the economic geography of the regional market…that is simply the stage set for social networks among individuals in organizations. Likewise, disruptive innovation is enabled by dense, deep and broad social networks, which create new clusters by combining elements of existing clusters in new ways… specifically through new business models that combine people, products and processes to create value that someone is willing to pay for.

These networks cannot just exist in virtual space, because too much of the knowledge required for innovation is tacit and therefore difficult to communicate electronically. Innovation emerges from intense face-to-face interaction among diverse teams of people with complimentary capabilities. This need for face-to-face interaction to drive innovation is the primary source of regional competitive advantage.

The physical extent of easy, regular, face-to-face interaction defines the possible geographic scope of the region. The interstate highway system enables easy face-to-face interaction at the metro scale. High speed rail may someday enable it at the super city or mega regional scale.' "

This is excellent guidance for all of us working in Northeast Ohio to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship by leveraging new practices and tools for Open Source Economic Development. Take a look at the report, it's pretty cool and contains good information.

Updates on the Charleston Digital Corridor: Model for Midtown

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 12:37:00 +0000

The Charleston Digital Corridor is our model for Midtown.

Ernest Andrade, the city economic development official who launched the Charleston Digital Corridor, is stepping down after 18 years in municipal government. He will go into private consultancy to teach other regions how to apply best thinking. Read the article here.

The CDCorridor website offers a thorough and brilliant definition of organization, alignment and creative approaches to initiating and strengthening a technology industry destination. Visit the site here.

Ed Morrison is a Founding Director of the CDCorridor. We will ask Ernest to come to Cleveland to share his knowledge with entrepreneurs in Midtown.

Digital Corridor chief resigns: Architect of Charleston program to become private consultant

BY KYLE STOCK
The Post and Courier

Ernest Andrade, the city economic development official who launched the Charleston Digital Corridor, is stepping down after 18 years in municipal government to take his strategies on the road.

He has incorporated a consultancy dubbed Andrade Economics to teach other communities the techniques he used to cultivate a budding technology industry in Charleston. His last day as a city employee will be Aug. 30.

"I am professionally at my creative best and I want to be able to share with the rest of the world what I've learned," Andrade said. "This isn't something that necessarily needs to be kept in a bottle."

It was unclear Friday if the city has a succession plan. Mayor Joe Riley could not be reached for comment, and only a few members of City Council had heard of the resignation.

During his time with the city, Andrade, 42, didn't dangle incentives, wine and dine CEOs or cold-call prospects. He was also not much for meetings, studies and bureaucracy. Instead, Andrade took small, quick steps to fertilize Charleston's tech landscape, such as lining up parking, tracking open office space and plugging newcomers into the network of area financiers and like-minded techies.

"The position we've taken is to hit small singles every day, so even if that big economic development home run doesn't come, you're going to have successes," he said. "It's the epitome of an initiative crafted by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs."

Savannah's Creative Coast, a nonprofit economic development organization, studied the Digital Corridor's model before it launched in 2003, according to executive director Chris Miller.

"(Andrade) is clearly ahead of his time," Miller said. "We're talking about small, fast, flexible entrepreneurs. They don't have time for bull and bureaucracy."

Andrade's approach helped win Digital Lifestyle Outfitters, a Raleigh-based company that sells iPod gadgets, which moved here in mid-2004. Jeff Grady, the company's chief executive officer, said Andrade was an ambassador when his team came to check out Charleston.

"It was a very personal experience," he said. "(Andrade) picked us up and drove us around town and had some potential office space already identified for us to look at. ... I don't even think the people in Raleigh knew what we were doing."

Since relocating here, Digital Lifestyle has grown from four local workers to 20 and from $22 million in annual revenue to more than $100 million.

City Councilman Henry Fishburne said results like that will be missed when Andrade goes.

"I was always impressed with his intelligence level and his effort, his dedication," Fishburne said. "If he leaves the community and if he leaves the peninsula, it will leave a gap there. I hope we can fill it sometime in some way."

Andrade was born in Kuwait, grew up in India and immigrated to the U.S. in 1981. He earned a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston and a master's in public administration from the University of South Carolina before joining the city's Planning Department 18 years ago, and later moving to economic development.

Having seen both sides of outsourcing, Andrade shifted his focus away from industrial businesses and launched the Digital Corridor initiative in 2001.

"There was no ah-ha moment," he said. "But there were moments when you pulled people aside privately and asked them to be very candid. And out of that candor came the strategy."

Since its inception the Corridor has grown from 18 to 78 member companies. The initiative's major accomplishments include setting up an online "talent portal" connecting local companies to job seekers and building a "touchdown space" where a small startup or relocating business can work until it secures office space. The Digital Corridor was also the driving force behind the city's free wireless Internet, which has been spreading slowly across the peninsula since March.

Andrade said the initiative was "painfully underfunded" since its inception, but he pointed out that tight finances helped his organization run efficiently. The corridor budget was $142,000 last year, a sum that included the salaries of Andrade and development coordinator Kimberly Demetriades.

Fishburne said he thought Andrade felt unappreciated and was frustrated with the city's financial commitment. "I think in general he was hoping for more support and hoping to do bigger and better things," he said.

Andrade will continue to serve as director of the Digital Corridor Foundation, a nonprofit made up of local tech executives that loans money to area startups. He will also do some work with Keane & Co., a consultancy launched in late 2004 by Tim Keane, former city planning director. Andrade is a silent investor in the firm.

Reach Kyle Stock at 937-5763 or kstock@postandcourier.com.

A Good Overview of Network Theory Applied to Neighborhood Rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 10:32:00 +0000

Here is an excellent story about network theory applied to community engagement from Lawrence, Massachusetts.

"Network Organizing: A Strategy for Building Community Engagement" by William J. Traynor and Jessica Andors, describes a community not unlike Midtown, an environment that suffers from social deficits and subsequently lack of network infrastructure.

These kinds of landscapes, the result of mature aging hierarchical environments, offers tremendous opportunity to those ready to grasp fresh community rebuilding activity.

Read the article and explore the National Housing Institute website here.

LIVE BLOG: Kudzai Shava: Empowering People with Disabilities: Education is the Key

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:36:00 +0000

Kudzai works for the Midland State university and Dir., for the Disability Students. The job is to integrate students into activities. Kudzai was sighted until 3 years until due to measles became blinded. In Africa, as in most other countries, any children suffering disability is a great handicap to the entire family. Kudzai was sent to school by his family as the demands of taking care of him were too great for the family. Many students train for public service because they are supported by charity. Because of this support Kudzai feels indebted to society and has dedicated his work to helping others.

Just being here in the United States is an honor. Kudzai and a sighted student did research and data collection and then came to the US as a scholar. Kudzai could see an opportunity to provide information for the blind about disease. Africans wondered that this must be because society wanted them to die.

Several people in the room have visited Zimbabwe. There are many networked connections in the room. It is a beautiful place.

Every country needs to have some sort of education. The vehicle to empowerment is education; this allows women and children to excel.

Zimbabwe population is 12,000,000
Disabled population is 1,200,000
Resourcves are lacking even to substantiate exact statistics
Limited opportunities and resources for empowering of the disabled: education, employment, support/sustenance

The main problem - even outside of HIV - is education. There is also the predjudice factor. Just like the US, the traditional methods of financing demand collateral. What kinds of collateral do the disabled have? This is itself, a prejudice.

Baseline research: Pilot Study

Findings: there are significant gaps in youth's knowledge about sexuality, HIV and AIDS/Usual methods of obtaining information: Hearsay, Overheard conversation, Experimentation; Preferred methods: Braille, Audio, Drama, Music, Poetry and Asking Questions/Eager to become peer educators

In the pilot study a lot of disturbing things were identified:
Young women were not familiar with what a condom feels like; they did not know what the difference is between HIV and AIDS (We are looking at some of the pictures of the children)

Peer Education Training
Blind people who can talk with peers who are trained about HIV and AIDS; 27 visually impaired studetns and 4 blind teachers
With a small grant from Hiram College blind students and 4 teachers were trained over 2 weeks with discussions, drama, music, poetry . 118 interviews were conducted of random selections. This is the contribution of culutral heritage to training. Certification was awarded to the interviewees who went on to train others.

Need for Empowerment and Support
Educated adults who are visually impaired: 110 school teachers; 10 social workers; 10 lawyers; 6 rehabilitation technicians
Alternative methods of sustenance: blind school drops outs gop to live in blind communities; begging on the street; emigration to neighboring countries to beg ( similar to the Mexican border dilemia
Now there is a problem with funding of students as funding for universities are cut.

Education in Zimbabwe
Literacy rate is 80 to 90%; over the past 5 years governmental support has been cut for universities;

Proposed Solution
Extend peer education project & HIV and AIDS education to all Zimbabwe schools where disabled live

Micro-Financing Revolving Fund
Income generating projects: to support academic schoalrships, to support practical skills training; develop business plans for income generating projects

Academic Scholarship Fund
High schools tudetns going into terit

Practical Skills Training
Form groups; Train group memebers in basic bookkeeping and financial administration; skils and knowledge in crafts market gardening, farming, other marketing projects. Start internet cafes.

It is not that people with disabilities cannot do it; it is that they need to be taught. By growing simple things, like mushrooms, you are growing healthy foods and making money to feed your family.

Cross-Cultural Networking Efforts
Funding, Educational exchange programs: professional, studetn internships; sharing ideas and capacity building through seminars and workshops. There is little money coming into Zimbabwe. This is the time to bring resources and gather groups to share knowledge and resources.

I-Open is a very appropriate name; we are not talking about seeing with the eye, but we're talking about opening the eye in you and opening the opportunities in Ohio, Kentucky, Oklahoma. In the research panel at the meeting this morning today the research panel began to look 10 years out - to look out and see the possibilities.

We should see opportunities where other people are blinded and they cannot see. Some people can see things that others cannot see. We as I-Open should try to promote and help each other to see new opporutnities. We, as I-Open, should set an example for others and work together to help see opportunities.

Question: I s there an opportunity in Zimbabwe to provide managment and managment training.
Yes! There are efforts going on which are ready for joint entrepreneurial ventures.

Question:
Julia Zellner visitied Zimbabwe in 1991. By American standards, it was bad.
A: Now it is 200,000 of exchange for every 1 American dollar. On the Black Market - a more realistic rate - is closer to 300,000 per $1. There are stampeeds at the supermarkets.

$100,000 dollar bill is the largest denomination. But this does not buy anything of substance. Groceries for a family of 4 are several million.

Marimba band performed by students earns money to feed the students. A new band is needed as the instruments are too old. The students are also dancing and could be choreographed.

Question:
What is done for people who have been diagnosed to have contracted the disease?
A: There are 300 organizations that address HIV and AIDS. But none of these address the blind. People with disabilities are left out of programs. That is why we are still at the awareness stage: how to be tested, what the disease is about and counseling.
Awarenss is still being developed; Kudzai's school addresses some of these needs.

Q: where and what other groups will host you to speak?
A: Cleveland Sight Center. Can you suggest any other places where Kudzai could speak? It is important to visit groups with similar interests to exchange learning and best practices.

Please contact Kudzai if you are interested in working or sharing information listed below:

Mosh Pit as Innovation Model

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 19:35:00 +0000

Here's a relatively new blog with an entry about Old and New models for innovation. They offer a good comparison below:

Make sense to you? Learn more here.

LIVE BLOG: Building Sustainable Food Networks

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 21:20:00 +0000

Our partner and Director of Library at Myers University, Rich Brhel, is reviewing the Myers Business Directory; a platform to serve the local business community. Survey Monkey is the Internet platform used for the 18 survey questions developed by Rich and Joyce Banjac, Dean of the Myers Business School. The survey is directed to companies, organizations. This is a trial phase and the University is looking for feedback on the questions for the official roll out in July. Rich is also coordinating a list of library resources that connect to the various listings. If the University develops classes on information literacy, the research could be done by the students, offering another way to integrate students with business. One of the questions addresses whether or not the company would be willing to engage students.

There are several ways to engage others in Midtown. Forums are new open "civic" spaces that offer anyone who has initiative to come together and to work on transformative white papers, proposals and new business development.

Melvin Hendrix leads the forum today. Melvin thinks deeply about the urgency of innovation for all ways sustainable. Melvin's passions are in cultivating soil and good water management. He has in depth experience as a practitioner working across the world and, in Africa. Melvin specializes in writting curriuclum to teach others about these subjects and practical next steps in new applications.

There is a need for new approaches for local agriculture and new thinking around how we will feed the next generation. We need to focus on how each community is going to address local food needs. Refer to the Leopold Institute. The following sections are organized into areas of connectivity that if strengthened, can accelerate useful innovation.

Leveraging Global Networks: Holland, for example, is know for international trade. Holland 20 years ago was a super charged hub of international business. Melvin studied in Holland and was involved in many early initiatives. One example was an effort to bring bikes into Holland; groups found manufacturers from all over the world who could supply various styles of bikes.

Delivery and Logistics of Product: The current system of agriculture is not sustainable. The peach you had this morning came from California; was fertilized by prodcut manufacturered in the Middle East. We are focused on siloed production resources.

We have lost 4M farms in 50 years. If you see barren patches in the midsts of fertile land; not reducing hunger - hunger is rising, we are eating more nutrient poor foods than ever before. This is a case of garbarge in and garbage out.

What do we need?
We need a new way of looking at things and long term. Also difficult for individuals to look at solving food problems. You are operating alone - this is why Farmer's Markets are successful because alot of like-minded people come together to share conversation. The farmers markets do not build a better economy though. A combination of rural and urban begins to rebuild rural, urban and sustainable communities. The need to be there is not as necessary because of the virtual opportunity today.

We need a system to protect our water resources. Especially here in this region. We need a system that encourages environmental stewardship and social diversity; something that promotes biodiversity among all of us, is a strength. We need a system that expands the resources we have but conserves through better distribution of higher quality products.

A good book to read: The Planet of Sloums, Mike Davis. Go here.

Here's what needs to change:

1) Agriculture policy to strengthen small and mid sized farms
2) Diminishing of Agri-businesses and a strengthening of Horticulutre which is local and collaborative. Farming is no longer a career; corporate farms are dominating corporate farms

Achieving Food Security:
What we can do:
1.) Change of behaviors and habits; this the year of Benjamin Franklin and he would start with himself...then we begin to pull in our friends and family
2.) Supports for:
- Electoral politics must be changed. No one individual can be registered. In Ohio, when every individual turns 18 they should be automatically registered to vote. Other states
- Zoning laws need to be changed. So that systems are more flexible; for example Europe has residential and rural ...A block Party network needs to be connected to the Farmers Market in Midtown.
- communication through block clubs
- Education, mentoring, constructing
- Profitability

Experiments are being started in other parts of the world where the optimum population is 80,000 people. How for example, can you lice in a syscraper that is 100 flooers. Factories and more factories are single floors. In China, alternate spaces balconies and rooftops are used to grow. Just how high are we willing to live and walk up?

Q: Will populations be only around areas that can support land based growing?
A: we don't need to have land based agriculture anymore. We don't need to wait 6 years to be qualified as organic soil. Some crops require land based orientation but most do not. We don't need to keep pushing grain down livestock to satisfy our traditional diets.

We are being starved by eating too much. A story: Melvin was in Malrusha; he purchased a kabob of goat. Melvin was never able to chew the field range meat - like we are accustomed to chew in the US. However, the

Baroqu Obama: recently made a speech

Brad has the model of City Fresh: they are looking for distribution. This could revitalize local farmers and provide the income for them to consider reinvigorating their lands.

Rather than waiting for government, there are entrepreneurs who can move forward on the opportunities. There are individuals in the government who do get it and who people can connect with to move ideas and enterprises forward.

The Paw Paw is a good example of local food that create an excitement and help people to connect.

If you are in a municipality you will find people who are moving forward. How about a field trip to Athens to visit and learn from ACENet and the community.

Jim Herget: working with local municipalities the important thing is to let others discover over time what is a good idea. Leverage the newspapers to affect the politians.

Here's how too often politians think: Least hassle and maximum glory.

A good lesson from the I-Open curriculum is to evaluate your networks.

What are some of the other businesses that might apply to

growing , processing, distributing, to buyers. This is a wholistic system. Compost itself is a pest control itself.

Michigan State had a joint program going with McDonalds to move around garbage. Brand this as Homeland Security --- Food Security.
Why not use 4 - 5 floors for growing?

Isn't this a question of networks? Sometimes the wholesale prices don't cover the cost of food. We still need the intermeidary still to give the farmer a good price and get the food sold. The current price matrix's are unreasonable.

1.) There is a need for a network
2.) We lack political support to get it done
3.) Have people think in profitability terms that this is not a hobby

JULY 1 FOOD FESTIVAL IN MIDTOWN 2007
In the MidWest we have July 1 targets for peas and potatoes. Other states don't have this. What can we do July 1st next year in Midtown? Grow from the ground.

We need to wake up and laugh
We are trying to take the weather, fertilizer, energy and labor out of this. This is the HEZ model.

What can the HEX model look like?
This has an urban focus with linkages to the small farms in NEO. We are talking about processing, production a whole system approach.

Build many community gardens with great rewards; beautiful to the eye
Global water harnessing systems.
Sustainable locval jobs based on daily needs. Local nursery's cannot get enough labor...why not exchange labor for food and a little labor. We should be able to make this work.
Use renewable and sustianble energies...how to link geo-thermal in Midtown to Trinity Cathedral for examle.
Green construction businesses
This will stablize families and create secure neighborhoods

(There is a big difference between rich soil and dirt. Melvin grew up in the South where you can smell the rain comign because you can smell the earth. This smell is no longer there.)

Who can help get a HEZ started in Midtown? Get a demonstration project going.

Build linkages. This is a collaborative venture with people who already have an interest in aligned activities. Melvin has written three proposals this week.

Creating an Environment of Transparency: Open Standards Open Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 23:44:00 +0000

It's tough to dare to be transparent it you are not accustomed to behaving that way. The change is like holding your nose and jumping off into a pool of what you know will be cold water. But once you're in and begin to see the benefits, it starts to make sense and you will wonder what took you soooo long.

On the ground, the new behavior standards look like blogging, building wikis, working on new projects with groups of people, sharing your calendar link with others, sending and returning group emails, responding appreciatively when someone behaves poorly, listening to others and valuing their ideas. Transparency sounds like positive, open, pro-active conversation about new ideas, invitations, contacts and funding resources. Sharing and building trust. First grade stuff.

The CED has published a new report on what transparency needs to look like for research. The Committee for Economic Development published "Open Standards, Open Source, Open Innovation: Harnessing the Benefits of Openness" April 17, 2006.

Read the news release here.

Open innovation, whether on the ground or within the walls of any institution, takes the discipline of new standards to guarantee the neutral environments entrepreneurs need to pursue opportunities quickly and move out ahead of the curve.

Creative Destruction

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 23:20:00 +0000

Joseph Schumpeter, Economist
(1883-1950)

Schumpeter achieved prominence for his theories about the vital importance of the entrepreneur in business, emphasizing the entrepreneur's role in stimulating investment and innovation, thereby causing "creative destruction." Creative destruction occurs when innovation makes old ideas and technologies obsolete.

Schumpeter also predicted the sociopolitical disintegration of capitalism, which, he maintained, would be undermined eventually by its own success because it would create a class of intellectuals who would attack it. In addition, government controls would destroy the entrepreneur and innovation and would lead to a form of socialism.

Read more here.

Not all meetings are the same...

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 18:07:00 +0000

Ever get a little sleepy at Board Meetings?

Well, you won't at Midtown Mornings!

Take a peek at the progress we've made in the last couple of months. This PDF tells it all!

Click here.

A National Symposium: Global Health Care Justice

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:53:00 +0000

June 22 through June 25 at Hiram College Center for Literature and Medicine and In partnership with Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care and with the co-sponsorship of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Department of Bioethics.

With faculty: Lorraine Bonner, M.D., Oakland, CA.; Gilbert Doho, Ph.D., Insoo Hyun, Ph.D., Maghboeba Mosavel, Ph.D., and Chris Simon, Ph.D, Case Western Reserve University; David Hilfiker, M.D., Washington, D.C.; Richard Selzer, M.D., New Haven, CT; Masalakulangwa Mabula, M.A., Hubert Kairuki Memorial Univ., Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Read more here.

A Business Dean's Letter on Open Source Economic Development

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 14:18:00 +0000

Joyce A. Banjac, Ph.D. Dean of the McDonald School of Business, Myers University, our Midtown Wednesdays forum host, describes the value of collaborative partnerships between industry, regions and society as it pertains to their own experience partnering with Open Source Economic Development activities in Midtown. Read more here.

Dr. Banjac published research on the value of building collaborative partnerships between industry and academic institutions and their affect on regional innovation. You can read the report, Universities as Knowledge Managers: Are Collaborative Efforts Between Schools of Business and the Business Community Contributing to Knowledge Capital? presented by Dr Veronica Kalich (United States) and Dr Joyce A. Banjac (United States) presented at the Fourth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture and Change, University of Greenwich, London.

The paper examines the proposition that knowledge assets are developed due to collaborative alliances between universities and the private business sector.

Read more here.
Email Dr. Banjac for the full paper at: jbanjac@myers.edu

A good study on clusters

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:55:00 +0000

Karla Krodel [kmkrodel@ysu.edu] Youngstown State University, has alerted us to the release of the report, "Cluster Initiatives in Developing and Transition Economies" by Christian Ketels, Göran Lindqvist and Örjan Sölvell. The report draws on a recent survey (GCIS 2005) to provide a basis for improving cluster initiatives as a tool for economic development.

Karla's group participated in this second global cluster research study. You can download the report off the right side of Stockholm School of Economics website.

You can meet Karla and some of her colleagues at the June 28th Building Innovation Zones meeting. Updates here. For questions and to register, email betseymerkel@gmail.com.

Building Networks: Strengthening Relationships with our Farming Community & Accelerating Local Food Entrepreneurship

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:28:00 +0000

There are many leaders in our region thinking and acting on strengthening local food networks.

Kari Moore, Program Coordinator, for the Local FoodWorks Initiative, Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy is one regional leader who thinks about food entrepreneurship. She has offered suggestions about exciting projects on the ground for future forums. You can read about the Local FoodWorks Program here. Kari can be contacted at Tel: 330.657.2178/Cell: 216.225.6311/Email: kmoore@cvcountryside.org.

Regional food leaders think in terms of connected food sheds. How can building open networks support buying from local restaurants? What kind of infrastructure needs to be built to strengthen and increase activity around local food entrepreneurship?

Building open economic networks (mutually economically beneficial collaborations) begins with building relationships with local farmers. New research can address what the challenges may be to doing this and how to accelerate building sustainable networks.

Here are Kari's suggestions for who to keep a look out for and support:
ASIA: Asian Services in Action, Inc.
Contact: May Chen, MA, LPCC, Executive Director
email: may.chen@asiainc-ohio.org
These folks started a community garden project in the mid-town area a while back and were interested in revitalizing that project.

CLEVELAND ORIGINALS: They are working to promote locally owned restaurants in Cleveland and may have interesting info to share. Contact: Myra Orenstein, tel: 216.932.3322

Additional ideas include:
THE LEARNING GARDEN/Cleveland Botanical Garden contact Maurice Small 216.849.8224
CITY FRESH: contact Brad Masi 440.774.2906

Midtown: Comeback for the Core of the Poorest City?

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 02:44:00 +0000

Here's a note from Rich Brhel, Director of Library Resources at Myers University and our host for Midtown Wednesdays.

...This article is almost 2 years old Pittsburgh Post Gazettebut it references the report from the Census citing Cleveland as the poorest city in the nation. Notice Myers University and Midtown are mentioned. If the Midtown Innovation Zone takes off, what a great comeback story it would be (comeback of one of the poorest areas of the poorest city in the nation). You can access the story here.

I think with all of the great innovation going on in Midtown now, we've got a terrific story already! Keep it up Midtown Entrepreneurs!

Midtown Public Computer Center/Digital Media

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 16:20:00 +0000

You can visit the Midtown My Town site to learn of other exciting initiatives happening in Midtown. To participate on this initiative, contact Kevin Cronin (see information below)

I wanted to post information about the potential value, and
steps required, in creating a public computer center/digital media
center. The center could be an important economic development
resource for the neighborhood, as well as a tool for low-income area
residents, solo artists and entrepreneurs.

Kevin Cronin, Attorney at Law
The Brown Hoist Building
4403 Saint Clair Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44103-1125

Ph: 216.377.0615 or 216.374.7578
Fx: 216.881.3928
______________________________________________________________
A Computer and Digital Media Center for Midtown?

I wanted to post information about the potential value, and steps
required, in creating a public computer center/digital media center.
The center could be an important economic development resource for the
neighborhood, as well as a tool for low-income area residents, solo
artists and entrepreneurs. The computer/digital media center could
operate in conjunction with other nonprofit activities (including the
bike station I have talked about, with activities on separate levels
to segregate the traffic).

Here's a quick take on one of Cleveland's challenges:
* Poor Schools: The years of problems in the public schools, and low
graduation rates, are well known, but I don't want to debate their
origin or school reform strategies here. Let's just work on a
strategy to work on the problem.

* Growth Aversion: Many Cleveland residents demonstrate a historic
reliance on the theory that, despite a low level of formal education,
individuals could get decent work and support a family on machining
and manufacturing. While this theory may have worked for dad or
grandpa, with tough international competition for manufacturing and
the growing sophistication of manufacturing itself, manufacturing jobs
are harder to find and even entry jobs take a certain level of
computer skills.

Cleveland has a low level of high school attainment and low level of
computer access and computer skills. With the right training, current
computer/work force skills can help individuals get decent work in
today's economy. Families face fierce challenges with their time,
balancing work (maybe several jobs), education and family obligations.
A computer center can be a neighborhood resource to help those
without computer skills get them, right in the neighborhood, during
evening and week-end hours when individuals may have time. The center
would also serve a resource for those who have skills, but don't have
a computer, need special hardware, software or higher speed, more
reliable connection to the Internet. While computers and computer
skills are often taken for granted, city residents often have little
computer experience, habits of use, computers at home or the
high-speed connection needed for content-rich education applications.

So what are the needed tools for a neighborhood computer center? The
answer, of course, evolves, as a computer center can evolve grow and
become more valuable with each donation or purchase of equipment (for
models, go to the national Community Technology Center Network,
ctcnet.org, or the Ohio Community Computing Center Network,
www.occcn.org). Here are some ideas:

Hardware: Hardware may be the simplest of the needs to address, with
refurbished, business-donated computers available from a variety of
local refurbishers. At various times, I have volunteered in a
computer center, assisted in setting up computer centers, donated
computers to individuals for their home, or helped ship off
refurbished computers for disaster relief (earlier this year, over 600
computers went from RET3, a local refurbisher, to gulf states for
Hurricane Katrina relief, but others, including nonprofit Computers
Assisting People, www.capinc.org, have also provided assistance).
Basic computers, scanners, printers, and software can be secured
through donation or acquired at subsidized rates (see the nonprofit
supplier, www.techsoup.org).

Space: Basically, the project would need an empty storefront (I think
the area has a few of them), with wide entry, adequate power and
access to the Internet. Ideally, there would be areas that could
serve as an office and a reception area. Ideally, the space would be
donated by a owner or rent would be paid by a neighborhood development
group. The facility would need adequate security arrangements.

Staff: The facility would need a project coordinator, to secure
donations and volunteers, open the door and pay the bills.

Volunteers: The heart of all endeavors, a committed group of
volunteers and users could provide the training for non-users and
hands-on assistance, as well as provide marketing and solicit
donations.

Enhancements: The center can be augmented by donations for a variety
of applications. Building developer David Perkowski (Hyacinth Lofts
in the Slavic Village/Broadway area), has provided a digital lab for
audio and video artists as a building asset. Computer center users
can serve as recruiters and solicitors of donations and other
volunteers. In some cases, the model borrows from co-op models for
needs and activities.

This is just a quick note to summarize the needs and steps involved in
creating a community computer/ digital media center. I helped use
similar strategies when I was the director of Digital Vision, the
group that helped Cleveland City Council create a $3 million
Neighborhood technology Fund, as well as worked at the nonprofit
social service organization, University Settlement, in Broadway/Slavic
Village, helped to raise money for what would become the Magic
Johnson/HP Inventor Center, a 25-computer lab supported by the
businessman and former basketball star. The computer center could be
a terrific neighborhood asset, offering education, training and
resources for those without affordable technology access. I'd welcome
the thoughts from others on this ide

Cool Blog: Designing for Civil Society

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:53:00 +0000

Here is an excellent blog I think you will enjoy reading as well as viewing.

David Wilcox on technology, engagement and governance here.

LIVE BLOG: Building Global Literacy Networks

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 20:56:00 +0000

Global Literacy – Bob Cheshire & Gwen Fischer

Yuganda in 1994 visited medical library - they had finest medical school in that part of the world. (Director of Kelvin Smith Lib. – best on Case campus) Bob told class he would send them some books – they all applauded – he has been back twice.

Do not have books in schools. Publish same books every year: childrens books – very little public in indigenous languages. 52 languages in Yaganda tribe. Childrens’s books in English or Swahilii. Frm 3rd grade on – everyone learns English.

Need strong networks when shipping books overseas

The problems in Africa are exactly like problems in Cleveland – find commonality in problems. Bob Worked with schools and catholic priests went to a number of schools – only had 4 boxes of books. Why is problem with literacy & books so difficult.

Books here are institutionalized
Had career day in K-6 at Case School. Talked to 2 hispanic girls – one said she didn’t read much – the other read all Harry Potter books. Then the 1st girls said she wanted to read it too and Bob offered to get her the Harry Potter books. Broought in book, she read first one and read the others in fast succession.

Looking for common networking, common problems, common solutions between US and Uganda. Learned more networking from Jesuit Prists at St. Ignatius than from anyone.

Sent 25,000 book – textbooks 12,000. If they go to Jesuit priest, the books get there. They are the intellectuals. Has helped Bob to do more for the children in Cleveland by sending books to Uganda. At Case school, Gray’s publishing showed Bob a book that was not selling very well – what’s so good about Cleveland, OH – a children’s book. Beautfilly illustrated. Shows all landmarks in Cleve. – only one child in the school actually saw those landmarks in person. Gave kids Bob’s collections – had an affect. Bob gets every book that comes out of Shaker Hts. Brecksville, Broadview Hts. He packs them up and sends to South Africa near Zimbabwe.

The Denton Program – Dept. of State, Defense & USAID – you would pack books and first shipment was 52 boxes of books – if you pay to get to closest air force base, then it goes over to Africa free of charge. The program stopped because of corruption in Africa.

Wayne Dudley, The books professor (sent millions of books to Africa) in Mass. Introduced by Gwen. The network is developing overseas.

The problem with publishing in Africa – dealing with beaucracy.

Barbara Byrd Bennett – 75,000 students, 20,000 teachers, 30,000 other employee. She made $270,000 per year. Then you are taking on the parents.

How do you gets kids to read?

Gwen:
Led groups of students from Hiram to Zimbabwe since 1994. Visited a program Girl Child Network – after school programs for girls started by a teacher who worried about girls dropping out, who are abused and parents not interested in their education. Now there are school girls clubs all over the country.

Gwen read in PD that there was a woman at Patrick Henry starting a girl’s club for the same reasons the women in Zimbabwe did. Managed to get a pen pal thing going. Letters sounded almost identical about what was going on in both countries. Again, the commonalities here and in Africa.

Spent time in Zimbabwe & Tanzania – problems are the same. Spend 3-1/2 weeks for each trip. Africa looks scary to Americans. Her ideal would be to have student exchanges. Would like to get students to come to Hiram and find out about education and maybe go to Tanzania.

Gwen collected 9,000 books at Hiram and sent to Dudley in Boston and combined with his – have to find a network so that books will get through customs and to the destination. The rotary club would store them and then contact the schools to pick up. The schools are comprised of a teacher, cement block bldg,. and a bunch of children. No desks, no books, no supplles.

Need a good network that has international presence that are committed to doing good. Constantly seeking people to represent you overseas. Need network so that books get to right people – not privateers who sell them at auction.

How do you build recognition and value in books to children in Africa. in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. How do we translate that idea in greater Cleveland. It works when the teacher hands the kids books. Hooking kids in Cleveland to know that kids in Africa would love to have books so that they would value them.

Satellite Country School in Uganda– kids in contact with students in schools Maryland. A great communication opportunity.

Bob gets several e-mails a day from Africa. Aids causes great problems. Lose parents and then they don’t go to school. Then they don’t learn to read.

Minister land, air & water interested in the books and education. Kids in Cleveland do not have access to all kinds of books (books that actually belong to them).

Kudzai idea - Set up internet cafes for blind kids during the day and open up to public in evening.

In 3rd world there is athirst for books – not in Cleveland.

Receive 3 free computers. Will go to schools and create computer labs but not allowed to hook up to network.

Bangalor India one of the great technological centers. Puts CA to shame. Set up kiosks with computers so kids could use them.

Bob has 60 – 70,000 books and 40,000 in flats. Lots of volunteers helping. Teams Learnig to Connect from Shaker Hts. Borders helps by giving equipment to store books. Also has suppies for Cleveland schools. Gives to teachers free. He met a teacher recently who visited him and said she knew nothing about him.

I-Open has brought awareness of people doing work like this and builds networks around this.

Have to pick your places carefully so that books will get there.

Getting container to Congo from S. Africa took 6 months. (4500). If you send to Uganda, 4300. Network becomes crucial to help books get over there without exhorbitant price. A kid in Uganda would “kill to get a book”. Be careful where you sent books.

If you want to assist developing countries, help girls.

Gramein Bank only lends to women. 95% payback.

LIVE BLOG: Global Sustainable Business Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Wed, 31 May 2006 22:45:00 +0000

Question: how can I-Open leverage the social network mapping to idetnify resources and capabilities for initiatives and entrepreneurial activity occuring in Midtown? How can others access the social network maps in a dynamic way?

Michael Salkin: talking about the implications of building sustainable business in a challenging global market.

NEO is an attractive location for global businesses desiring to set up business in a US market. Two items bring people together: economics and defense. Cities aggregated and eventually expanded to cities and city states. Countries as an entity are only about a couple of hundred years old. The same things that drove people together as a unit are now driving us together as a global society. It is nearly implossible to defend countries in this global state.

Offshoring is not a disaster and is part of the economic evolution happening across the globe. For every dollar outsourced, the US economy gains $1.19 and the developing country economy gains $0.33. Profits should be re-invested in upskill of employees. The $.33 profit has a significant value in the developing country and is capable of creating new demands and economies.

What is the predominant opportunity?

What is the intelligent response for leaders and politicians reagrding the global market? What is the government's role? The significant role is in the private enterprise. Government can help the private enterprise.

Energy: the US has the cheapest prices in the world. For the past thirty years we have known of the energy crisis.

LED lights use 60% less energy and the bulbs last 100,000 hours. There are many more people realizing - espeically in corporations - that the dollar, mangement and technology resources exisit to redirect activities in a more sustainable manner. Great technology and management opportunities are available for those ready to grasp them.

Environmental stress: global warming. Challenge: is to address how we maintain quality of life.

Widespread poverty: this is the largest market opportunity

Nine Sigma: The Internet has delivered 150%. Business can be created and taken to market without even meeting individuals. Look at the proiblem itself: this is a great time - software is available, Internet high speed broadband. language is not a problem: the communication just needs to be in the software code and architecture. IP issues is a big issue: in the US the company that pays for the work owns it. Everyone needs to think diversely and globally.

Reaching to the Base of the Pyramid: volume makes up for a lower level of individual wealth. This is an opportunity and a new challenge that will drive affordable technologies. 80% of the world's population makes $2.00 per day. This is a great market opportunity - however, the wealthy (companies) are proficient at producing products for the wealthy socieities.

Need technology, organization, managment to be able to create the new opportunities.

We should be investing in places where there is high public value. (reference: Ed Morrison)

Lever Shakti Video: 12% of the world's population live in rural Indian places. Shakti has taken on the challenge to network self help groups. People pool resources to invest in a larger business investment. This is a model for large corporations to reach down to provide self help (especially to women) to the masses. The goal is to encourage self improvement.

This is not something WalMart will be able to do. Cell phones and internet access by the minute is purchased allowing window access to say...the daily farmer's market. Another example of this is single use package of product - more profitable than in larger quantities. This is similar to the Shaklee, Avon type of marketing approaches.

Only a handful of companies are practicing this new approach.

If you are looking for a future role in this: Environmental Impact - Population X Affluence X Technology

The Private Sector will lead societal innovation

1) R & D

2) Education

3) Sustianability

What is the role of the governmennt and the private sector? Years ago innovation was driven by government; this has flipped and is now lead by private interests. Industry spends more than any other entity on education. Life long learning is the most important value. In the future: we need to recognize that education is the responsibiltiy of society.

Sustainability - most companies are talking about the triple bottome line - financials and human resources. A good example is LTV. ISG bought the company and had Bill Brig lead the company. Bill was trained in some of the new thinking, ie., we are in this together and need to collaborate. Part of sustainability - and the most important part - is the human part. As a result of these efforts the company excelled. Brigs talks about spending most of his time changing the culture in business.

In summary: there are many opportunties for new work - technololgy

We need to fix education. The private sector needs to play a larger role in this. Companies need to be more conscious of the role education plays in the changing of employees. The real bottom line: first religion - then state government entities - and now today the greatest opportunity lies in business.

While working in Connecticut, Michael started a correspondence network to think about the technological opportutnities in developing corporations to innovate solutions through intelligent exchange of knowledge. Many times the solutions are less expensive and ideally, environmentally aware.

Question: should there be a standardization of regulations state, federal level?

Government is being driven by private interests: ie., in Deli the high level of smog was addressed by the private sector. The people sued the government for cleaner air and won. The improvements in society will be driven by the base of the pyramid.

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Wed, 31 May 2006 21:17:00 +0000

ED MORRISON WILL SPEAK AT WORKFORCE INNOVATIONS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

On July 12th, Ed Morrison will be a speaker at Workforce Innovations 2006 in Annaheim, California. Co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), Workforce Innovations is the premier annual conference where local, state and national workforce leaders and their partners from industry, education, and economic development gather to sort through issues and confront the workforce challenges facing our country. This year’s conference theme, “Regional Strategies… Global Results: Talent Driving Prosperity,” will explore the important role of workforce professionals and their partners in meeting the national challenge of global competition. Over 3,000 attendees are expected.

Go to www.WorkforceInnovations.org for more information.

LIVE BLOG: MIDTOWN WEDNESDAYS

noreply@blogger.com (Betsey Merkel) — Wed, 24 May 2006 21:22:00 +0000

We should celebrate the small entrepreneurs who are here in NEO. how do you acknoledge success here without bragging...this is something that needs to come from a larger group.

Every business sector needs to step outside of ourselves and identify what is good. The Crain's directories herlad success and largess.

Cleveland mentality is such that if you are working in Cleveland you must not be doing well...Cleveland is full of lots of great things...

Why don't we have civic organizations standing up and celebrating their successes?

Does the region have a large inferiority complex? Or, is it a lack of ability to accept failure? Local organizations talk alot about what they are going to do, what they dream but fail to do something.

What would be the context of celebrating businesses? I-Open can provide support network for people who may have failed. There are not alot of support networks here in Cleveland.

Should we concentrate on positive behaviors? It is good to stay connected with the people who get it.

I-Open teaches new ways of seeing things and then new ways of doing things. Cleveland has alot more things than what other regions have. There just seems to be less sharing.

When good things happen we should celebrate our work.

Alex Michaels: talking about developing branded entertainment medium...Alex moved his direction toward including branded product placement in the story. By including products in the stories, new attention is given to Midtown businesses. Massimos was featured in one of the detective show Alex produced. For the last couple of years, Alex has been connecting closer with businesses.

One model that came out of the Katrina disaster was the model of big businesses adopting and mentoring small businesses. We need to do more of this and do it on a larger scale with the businesses here. Appreciative behavior and use of products is productive.

What about creating a network of Midtown businesses that supports business placement in local shows? Commercials are being replaced by product placemen in the stories. Traditional businesses are still buying traditional advertising. Content is being put on line - this cuts out the local and national television station.

There is a new program "Saved" to put exclusively on the web with no commercials. Another unexpected move: the growing audience for late late night programming.

Alex currently shows on Google TV. Virgin Mobile is sponsoring new formats and content.

Next steps: getting more businesses involved.

Team NEO will help Alex by providing some suggestions for new resources.

STA Strategic Technology Alliance helps by connecting to nonprofits to vendors. The benefit is to work co-op buying power and to network among industry peers to have learn best practices. The advantage of this is to accelerate connectivity.

Case will host the New Media Consortium (NMC) conference June 7 through 9. The conference will talk about how to leverage technology for learning. NMC is talking about using new gaming for learning.

Phoenix Coffee sponsors coffee for the I-Open forums. Please thank them.