"O mio babbino caro" - Gianni Schicchi - Puccini - performed by Amy Irvine (August 9, 2009)

Many beautiful worlds collided the evening of Sunday, August 9, 2009, at "OPERA IN THE ITALIAN CULTURAL GARDEN", a free outdoor evening concert of favorite Italian opera classics, beautifully performed by Opera Per Tutti (Opera For All), held in the spectacular Italian Cultural Garden, in one of the greatest public parks in the world, The Cleveland Cultural Gardens, presented by the Italian Cultural Garden Foundation, Northern Ohio Opera League, and the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation.

Los Angeles Times - Fish oil, rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and derived from oily fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel -- is already recommended by the American Heart Assn. to help prevent cardiovascular disease. It has been shown to reduce blood triglyceride levels and slightly lower blood pressure, lowering the risk for heart attacks and strokes.

Perhaps a complete diet overhaul -- difficult though that may be -- would be a better strategy. The Mediterranean diet, named for the region in which it originated, has many anti-inflammatory features.

CREDIBLE CRITICS OF THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF 9/11 

While I was sitting behind Food On The Move, at St. Clair and East 140th, where a friend works, I noticed a pear tree in the lot next door, full of rippening pears. While the lot is well tended, and does not appear "vacant", the lone pear tree is the only occupant. And nobody seems to notice it is there, despite its bounty of free food. There are 100s of pears on the tree - in a market, they would be worth $100s. This lot could contain dozens of pear trees - perhaps 100s - producing $10,000s in income for the owners and those who tended them.

One of the first planning meetings with Richard Fleischman... December, 2008

“The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite”
Amy Goodman interviews Dr. David Kessler on Democracy Now!
 

The US Marine Corps decision to ban social media, citing concerns for operation and mission security, is an issue every employer wrestles with, but banning social media is on excessive response, one that forfeits important value for social media, including military recruiting.  Employers, military or otherwise, should develop fine-tuned policies on social media, not comprehensive bans or unqualified endorsements. 

Location

How will the 2010 census define our country? Is it time to change the way we census the United States?

I often leave Cleveland's great classical music radio station WCLV on while I work, and have been enjoying the Cleveland International Piano Compeition live, most of this week.

Right now (10 PM, July 31st) is a stunning performance by a 19 year old Chinese student - second round!... tune in if you read this around now... WCLV, Cleveland FM 104.9... Here is WCLV live on the Internet

Free School Supplies--To receive supplies, books, and carnival tickets, parents/guardians must -bring:
--Student's assignment letter
--Attend 2 workshops held during the Round-Up
(Note: School supplies are limited to 2 packs/family)

Location

 From August 12-14, Mayor Frank G. Jackson will host a three-day summit, bringing together a diverse group of people vested in and dedicated to Cleveland to use their vast knowledge and imagination to create an action plan for building a green economy for Cleveland’s future. This summit will be facilitated by Dr. David Cooperrider of the Fowler Center for Sustainable Value (my teacher, advisor, mentor and friend) at Case Western Reserve University, my alma mater (x2).

Sometimes there's no bigger impact than hearing from City leadership itself.  There is no excuse not to apply and attend - to have your voice heard, and to make a difference !   Come help us.

This will be a fantastic opportunity to meet a great local leader and our district's representative in the House, Marcia Fudge.   Held on the first night of the City Sustainability Forum, at the cozy confines of my own Alma Mater, Case Western Reserve University.  This will be a special time for Cleveland, indeed.  RSVP early!

The Raw Story - US obesity rates grew 37 percent between 1998 and 2006, pushing obesity-related spending up another 40 billion dollars a year, according to the study published by Health Affairs. "The medical costs attributable to obesity are almost entirely a result of costs generated from treating the diseases that obesity promotes," said lead author Eric Finkelstein, who heads RTI International's Public Health Economic Program. "Obesity will continue to impose a significant burden on the healthcare system as long as obesity prevalence remains high."

Just a photo to lighten the mood--wouldn't it be great, if NEO became the first city in the world to reduce energy costs by actually observing interfaith sabbath on Friday, Saturday and Sunday?  No cars, just bikes and pedestrians :)

Please join us as Cleveland Public Library Director, Felton Thomas, discusses where we are, where we're going and The Cleveland Public Library's commitment to our community.

There are four in person opportunities to learn more:

The Cleveland Public Library is sponsoring an Adult College Fair on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 (11 AM to 2 PM) in conjunction with the Cleveland Area College Consortium. The focus of this fair is to promote educational opportunities for adults interested in furthering their education or retooling their career. There will be sixteen area college and university representatives available to answer any questions. This event is free and open to the public. No appointment is necessary!

Dear REAL NEO,

I had an idea to start a scholarship fund in Ward 14 for graduates of Lincoln West High School, honoring Rocco Olivero.  I wrote up all the concepts from my experience to motivate and promote civic involvement and inspire community service from our local students. 

I wish I could put this book in the hands of every American.  

Late on the 4th of July, there was a big fight in my neighborhood. Thankfully, I wasn't there. A friend who was there described it as around 100 people - some from East Cleveland and some from Cleveland - who just plain wanted to fight. No gang or drug issues - no girl in the middle - just a bunch of people so stressed and freaked out by life that they needed to pound somebody. On that night, those folks settled for pounding each other, and little harm was caused.