Two weeks ago saw the second birthday of REALNEO. I started REALNEO in October, 2004, to provide “Regional Economic Action Links for North East Ohio” and implement for the region some exciting open source social networking technology. While the outcomes have not been entirely what I expected, and these years have in ways been rough, I've been thrilled to help drive and support some great developments in the community.

I am really appreciative, this morning. After posting what was certainly the saddest news I can imagine, about the hardship my staff has suffered as a result of a lack of appreciation from my former business associate, Peter Holmes, I opened up this week's CoolCleveland and found that their crew had featured TWO postings from REALNEO. I am very touched and thankful to Thomas and his team for noticing REALNEO and taking an interest in the thoughts posted here - thank you. Please show appreciation back to CoolCleveland... if you are not a member, see what you've been missing... subscribe at CoolCleveland - all free - this is a real NEO must,  and send feedback to CoolCleveland letters at the links below, and supporting the upcoming CoolCleveland/Tech/Ingenuity party at Fat Fish Blue, July 13, and the Ingenuity Festival, as described below... but first, here's the nice write-up about REALNEO from CoolCleveland today, July 5, 2006:

 The following story with its links ran in CASE Daily (Case's online newpaper) today. Do feel like you have entrepreneurial genes? I think I do! Please post your thoughts
"Do genes influence who will be entrepreneurs?"

ABC News (Reuters), June 5, 2006
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2041245

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The speaker for the next meeting of the Digital Photography Special Interest Group is George Nemeth, who will talk about photo weblogs. George has been at the forefront of blogging in our region and has helped many people understand and "get it" as to what the phenomenon of blogging is all about. Since 2002, George has run his blog, Brewed Fresh Daily, a civic-focused site dealing with many regional issues, and keeping readers throughout the area connected and informed.

Over a period of roundtable "world cafe" discussions, participants at the Storm the Palace table wrote the following summary ideas on a flip chart or post-it to the idea wall - each idea is being posted to the "Community Forums: Technology" on REALNEO focused on this category... read on:

The Ohio Community Computing Center Network, the umbrella organization for free public computer centers and teaching centers, has provided testimony to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio stating that the SBC/AT&T Merger and the Verizon/MCI Merger are not in the best interests of the public.   The following is a summary, raising the concern that further telecom consolidation will reduce vital high-speed Internet opportunities for low-income urban and rural areas.  Today, high-speed Internet is critical for education, work and other activities of daily life.  While technological advances in more robust networks, immense Internet speed and additional services are exciting, if only a portion of spciety can participate in yet another technological evolution, Ohio will again be left struggling.  The testimony called for efforts to reduce the divide that finds low-income and rural communities with lower levels of broadband access and an end to telecom efforts to limit the rights of cities to invest in broadband services directly, on behalf of their residents.

Earlier this month, REALNEO IT Analyst Derek Arnold attended the O'Reilly Open Source Convention and Drupal Conference in Portland, Oregon, and he brought back more than new code, knowledge and relationships - he brought back the State of Oregon's vision of being "an epicenter for Open Technology (Linux and Open Source-enabled hardware, software and services)". The State of NEO needs to embrace such a vision!

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Hear One of the Most Successful Entrepreneurial Stories to Ever Hit Cleveland!

Business Unusual: “BrandMuscle: An Entrepreneur’s Story!� Phil Alexander

Ever hear of someone starting a new business and turning it into gold and find yourself saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?� Well a lot of people have dreams of starting their own business but few actually take the leap because of the risks, hard work and dedication involved.

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Try Speed Dating For Your Business! Attraction, infatuation, going steady,
engagement…and finally marriage! Sounds like the evolution of your relationship
with your significant other, right? Well your business relationships are no
different. And COSE has a way you can form a new business relationship and take
it straight to the altar!   Speed dating for your business is the idea behind
COSE’s Power 50 Networking event. You’ll take your turn making your company’s
pitch to the other people seated at your table. Then, every fifteen minutes
you’ll switch tables to address a new group of four tablemates, until you have
met face-to-face will all 49 other attendees. This event, COSE’s most popular networking event
last year, is limited to the first 50 members who register, and has consistently
sold-out. Don’t wait…register now! For more information, call Amanda Flood at (216)
592-2207.  

Power 50 - Tuesday, April 12,
2005, 5:30pm to 7:30pmDownload this event to your Personal Information
Manager   Who should
attend: Anyone looking to make new business
contacts!

Member
Price: $19.00

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Creating Web User Interfaces that Work - After 10 years of changing web design trends, the
enduring truth is that web sites are most successful when form and function work
seamlessly together. A website’s orientation, the clarity of layout and
terminology, and a common-sense, visitor-oriented approach are consistently
rewarded by internal and external customers.

The Scenario: An Internet design professional, new to NEO, you hear about the Web Association and want to join. So starts a revealing look into usability testing and user thought process hosted by Progressive Insurance's Jeff Janis.

"Searching for Success" - Leslie Carruthers of The Search Guru and moderator stresses the importance of application of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques being discussed. The topics included both pay per click and organic ranking of all major spidering search engines.

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NEOSA Hits the Alleys at NeTT Tech Thursday
Networking, spares and
strikes will be in order as NEOSA holds its first NeTT Tech Thursday networking
event for 2005, sponsored by Aztek, on March 24 at Winking Lizard Lanes in
Lakewood. Click HERE
to register.

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How Search Engines Can Rev-up Your Business
“Search Engine
Optimization� is the topic of the next NEOSA Monthly Meeting on Wed., Mar.
16 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Cole Center at CSU. Click HERE

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Pinker is best known for his books on language: The Language Instinct (1994), How the Mind Works (1997) and Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language. In 2002 he published The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature, which explored the political, moral and emotional colorings of human nature. The Distinguished Lecture series is designed to bring prominent

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HIPAA & BEYOND: Business Opportunities at the Intersection of Privacy, Technology, & Healthcare

NEOSA & BioEnterprise
Thursday, February 17, 2005, 5:30pm to 7:30pm

FREE (everyone welcome)Venue: HealthSpace

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Come and meet serial and aspiring entrepreneurs, supporters of entrepreneurship, community leaders, business leaders, deal makers, and investors at Northeast Ohio's premier networking event at Pickwick & Frolic. Make new contacts and connections while enjoying an assortment of drinks and hors d'oeuvres.Individuals from JumpStart's new portfolio companies will also be present to share their stories and insights.

Over 600 are expected. Space is Limited. Register Now!

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NEOSA NeTT Cast - “Your Personal Computer: Proactive
Maintenance for the 21st Century�

Wednesday, January 12, 2005, 11:00am to 11:45am

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NEOSA Sales & Marketing SIG - “Creating A Compelling
Value Proposition�

Thursday, January 20, 2005, 7:30am to 9:00am

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NEOSA Monthly Meeting - “Blogs and RSS Boot Camp: Profiting
From the New Personal Publishing Tools�

Wednesday, January 19, 2005, 7:30am to 9:00am