During the April meeting of the Social Media Club - Cleveland, the good people at Thunder::Tech had the great idea of getting some of the local “rock stars” and “evangelists” to talk about and define social media. (Please note a brief cameo by yours truly.) A fantastic video! Really proud of the Social Media Club - Cleveland and all they are doing. Enjoy the video.

I am proud to announce the 2009 Cleveland Twestival, which will take place on February 12^th @ 6:00pm. The event will be held at the Harry Buffalo on E. 4^th Street in Downtown Cleveland. Cleveland will be one of 175 other cities around the globe that will be hosting Twestivals which will bring together Twitter communities for an evening of fun and charity. Join us (it is an inexpensive ticket) at www.cleveland.twestival.com. Sponsors included Harry Buffalo, Akhia, LeanDog, Positively Cleveland, the Social Media Club of Cleveland, thunder::tech and the Tech Czar.

Sign up today, my friends: www.cleveland.twestival.com.

Cleveland starts off the year with an exciting victory – having won the Start-up Week-end Event. Everyone in the City should get behind this amazing event. Read the email from Doug Craver below.

WOOHOO! Startup weekend is coming to Cleveland. What awesome news to start the New Year off with. Rise up Cleveland! An email I received yesterday from Andrew Kavanaugh:

Hi Everybody,

If you are receiving this email then I believe you are an invaluable member of the Cleveland Entrepreneurial Community and I’d like to ask you for a bit of help with the Startup Weekend - Cleveland event.  Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event that brings together developers, graphic artists, business & marketing, legal and more for a fun filled weekend of pitching ideas and bringing the popular ideas to life.  There have been nearly 30 Startup Weekend Events in the United States, Canada and, most recently, in Greece - including an event in our backyard (Columbus).  After a great run of votes on http://startupweekend.com/cityvote/- I’m happy to announce that we’re bringing the party to Cleveland.

We’re still putting together the logistics of the entire event and talking with a few different venues in order to get enough space for the 80-150 expected attendees.  But in order to make this event a true success, I need a good team of people that can execute this event with me.  I’m looking for 5-6 people to assist in planning the event, specifically, people that can:

1)  Spread the word - the size of the event will dictate its’ success and ensure that we can continue to have these types of events in the future.
2)  Raise sponsorship dollars - since we’re providing food, entertainment, some legal advice, etc; we need to raise about $5,000 and possibly more or less depending on the venue’s level of generosity.
3)  Swag - who doesn’t like a gift bag for showing up to the event.  Someone that can help with the design of our logo & tshirts would be great as well.
4)  Help run the event - the event starts with registration, drinks, dinner, elevator pitches & voting, we’ll need a few volunteers to keep things running smoothly at all of these stages.

Crain’s Cleveland is running an article on the event in January and I hope to get The Plain Dealer involved in spreading the word shortly - this is shaping up to be quite the event and I hope that you can all assist or attend.  If you would like to be involved or know someone that can help, please contact me at your earliest convenience.  Everybody that replies will be invited to our first meeting in January where we can talk the logistics & roles.

Thanks for your consideration and Happy New Year,

-AK

THANKS ANDREW and everyone who voted Cleveland to the top!!!!!

I am sure everyone has seen this already but Startup Weekend is taking a national vote on which city gets the Startup Weekend extravaganza Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event bringing together brilliant tech minds together to create a compay (or as many of them the community wants) from concept to launch. This is brilliant stuff.

Go vote for Cleveland – we want this event! http://startupweekend.com/cityvote/.

My good friend Jack Ricciuto writes a very provocative blog called Jack/Zen (www.jackzen.com) and recently he wrote about what the voters should look for in new public officials. I believe Jack is on the mark. Take a read at http://www.jackzen.com/2008/11/30/public-office-requirements/. A new era of progressives must make their way into office and challenge the status quo, especially in Cleveland. The old ways of the political machines just simply do not work in the new (and ever changing) economy.

As always I am trying to bring all my peeps together for a good morning meeting. So please join me at the Cleveland Social Media Club meeting on September 24^th, 2008 @ 8am. The Social Media Club (www.socialmediaclub.com) is being organized for the purpose of sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards, and promoting media literacy around the emerging area of social media.

For stimulating conversation (and so early in the morn), interesting people (this I can guarantee) and to learn more about what Cleveland SMC has to offer please attend its first meeting again on September 24^th, 2008 @ 8am. Meeting will take place at Spaces Gallery located at 2220 Superior Viaduct, Suite 3, Cleveland, OH 44113.

And because it’s the most important meal of the day, breakfast will be enjoyed: you bring the cereal and SMC will supply the milk.

For more information visit:  www.clevelandsmc.ning.com.

I know the frustration many of us have with the lack of lake front development in Cleveland. During my time in the Campbell Administration there was a lot of work done in creating a long-term, and very provocative might I say, lake front plan. What was lacking I believe was a catalyst development that would stoke future development and enhance what has already been created on Cleveland’s lakefront – meaning the Stadium, Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It gives me a thrill to announce the Rockometer. The Rockometer is a uniquely themed special events center to further enhance Cleveland’s rock music legacy. My dear, dear friend Christopher Axelrod has created a dynamic lake front development idea. Take a peak my friends – www.therockometer.com. One you enter the site click on some renderings but more importantly click on “Learn More About the Rockometer” and download the PDF. Let me know what you think. This is creative, but realistic, concept that could really spur lakefront development in a fun, creative way.

NOTACON, an annual conference held in Cleveland, Ohio, explores and showcases technologies, philosophy and creativity often overlooked at other “hacker cons”. The desire of Notacon is not to supplant other events, but complement them and strike a balance that has gone unnoticed in the Cleveland community for far too long.

With each new year Notacon builds upon the successes and knowledge of the previous years. The goal is to enlighten, educate, and entertain attendees, presenters, and staff alike. The conference tries to accomplish this by finding new ways to apply technology to graphics, art, music, or social interaction.

I had the honor of speaking to this engaged group a few years back during my days as “Tech Czar,” and it was a great event that is critical to the success of Cleveland.

Notacon is creativity: Participate in North America’s largest demoparty, Blockparty. Try your hand at powerpoint karaoke.
Notacon is technology: Rural technology, academic internet studies, personal privacy and computer security.
Notacon is music: Learn to create and use circuit bending instruments. Engage in experimental music performances.
Notacon is imagination: Move data using Anything but Ethernet.
Notacon is participation: Talk on Notacon Radio. Create a competition entry. Enjoy interactive art.

Get connected at Notacon.

www.notacon.org