Thanks to Sudhir, I had the opportunity to check out the Flobots at Peabody's, Sunday night. If I'd browsed the Cleveland Scene Magazine concert preview, beforehand, I probably wouldn't have bothered going. The 100s of fans who enjoyed the show agreed that would have been a mistake.

Kids understand basic shapes, sizes, colors. 
How can kids get on board and help to fix America?

What is wrong with this picture?  (Extra credit to any one who can identify the location)  Hint: Back to school!

What's your vision for Cleveland?

Enter to Win $1,000

10,000 Visions of Cleveland Event

Date: September 6, 2008

Northeast Ohio has some of the dirtiest water and beaches in the world, because we have some of the dirtiest leadership in the world, and that is very poor for Cleveland's image and economy. Fortunately, it seems the region is now positioned to clean up at least one of our messes.

Who was W.C. Reed?  Tremont is fortunate to have a large green space--Lincoln Park--which serves to provide a community center to one Cleveland neighborhood. 

Graphics speak louder than words, but, of course, the kids know that!!!

I received an email that should be open to discussion, as requested. All I know about the Sun Press is that there isn't a newspaper for East Cleveland, so I don't read their product. My parents do, so I'll get their opinion on whether the Sun Press matters to them, or not. What about to you? Here's what one realneo reader thinks....

The June 8, 2008 NYT Magazine was entitled Next City. 

My question would be--Next City?

One fascinating thing about REALNEO is the interconnection it enables - in July 2007 I posted an article about some tagging in my new neighborhood of the time, at W. 45th and Detroit, by HEK. Since then, HEK tags have spread to every corner of the community, and I've never seen an explanation Who, Why, Where, When and What the HEK? Well, today I received an email from a stranger who found my posting through a Google search and has some very personal concerns about HEK, beyond vandalism.

Awhile back, Roldo mentioned that the newspaper still has relevance. Today, this article proves it.
Strongsville senior reels in science fair award Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Ten days ago I noticed a robin's next with three new-born chicks, and protective parents, living early Spring to the fullest. Already, the chicks are fledglings, having jumped yesterday from the safety of the nest to thrive or die on the ground, until their wings are strong enough to fly. I watched this fledgling hop and flap around for a while, as mom and dad protested from above. Certainly a critical time in the life of the robin, and I wonder how our three chicks did - are they still alive the next day - are they now part of the chorus of nature making NEO a great theater. Do we humans fledge our children as well, and make the theater of life better or worse for all living?.

This certainly has been a perfect spring for flowering trees, still exploding with color all over the near East Side. Here are some views at Lakeview Cemetery, where the plantings are exceptional any time of year, and especially about now. Check it out!

Can we lead a citizen charge to clean our house by making Kathleen Barber County Executive?

What is a "Green Roof" and what does it look like?

At the house on Roxbury, the green roof is where the raccoons still live.

Little Italy has always been core to my REAL NEO experience. From earliest childhood memories,  my family has always had many meals at various Little Italy restaurants, each year, as well as picking-up an occasional pizza (where else in NEO but Mama Santas or Valentino's... well, do try the Gelatoria at Fairhill). I also love getting Lemon Ice and other goodies at Corbos. with their unusual greeting of "Leave the gun, take the cannoli"... as authentic as life gets, in NEO. Last night, I noticed Corbos moved next door to their old home, to a remodeled new space (much as Prestis did, a few years ago) Little Italy has always been a great hyper-local neighborhood, where people live, work, eat and socialize together within, and interact well with the world without. There's always lots of private rehab and strong entrepreneurial business activity here, off the Med-O-Mart grid. Which makes me ask you, what matters to the hyper-local economy in your neighborhood, and how is that doing.

Passport Project is thrilled to announce that we have been selected to host a group of Women Leaders from Korea on Tuesday, May 6 th from 2:00 - 3:30pm . This project consists of six visitors (accompanied by two State Department Interpreters) who are invited to the U.S. under the auspices of the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program (http://exchanges.state.gov/education/ivp/overview.htm) , and will spend three weeks traveling around to different U.S. cities, Cleveland being one of them.

How would you change the boundaries of this map?

As we begin a new Spring - a new beginning - what are you doing to green your republic?

I remember the attention I received for wearing clothing hand-made by my grandmother.  Do kids today wear hand-made clothes?

Over the past few weeks, I've noticed strange Clevelandesque slogans posted on billboards around town, with the attribution "Mind of Cleveland". I remember wondering if this was another Cleveland+hype campaign... or about AIDS prevention... and planned to google it later...

Change.  Wow, it is happening.  Thank you Obama and Hillary. Today, Kevin O'Brien declares himself a Democrat (?).  His change of attitude has me pondering my own cultural make-up.  Do we have in-breed, unpleasant cultural traits that need to be evaluated and addressed from time-to-time?