The panel is called “A Digital Rolling Stone: Disruptive Technology & Music” and it will “analyze the current digital ecosystem to reveal the disruptive technologies and methods that will revolutionize the way music is created and experienced in the future.” More information available on the panel link below.

At this point, I humbly ask you to consider voting. To vote for his panel, you will first need to create a free PanelPicker account (annoying, I know). After that, give “A Digital Rolling Stone: Disruptive Technology & Music” a “thumbs up.” Voting will close on Friday, August 27th.

• Create a free PanelPicker account here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/users/register

• Vote for “A Digital Rolling Stone: Disruptive Technology & Music” here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/7731

If the panel receives enough votes, he will be speaking as well as organizing a panel of the leading strategists, technologists and thinkers in digital music to speak at the 2011 SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas in March 2011. It’s a great opportunity for him personally, however, I also feel that it’s important to continue to promote smart thinking from Cleveland and help us continue to brand this city as a great place for the “creative class” to work + thrive.

The list is in a PDF format so feel free to download and print the  Twitter Chat Schedule.

My personal life is pretty much the same way. I have side-projects that are all over the place, from running ‘TisCleveland.com to chipping in with a day spa my friend has recently started. But to be honest, while I am interested in all of these pursuits in some fashion, they are not my true passion.

I have discovered I am passionate about a lot of things. I am passionate about proving people wrong, passionate about developing myself into a character driven and servant based leader and passionate about my family.

I’m also incredibly passionate about Basketball, in fact, I love it.

The problem has been finding a place to play, a consistent schedule for games and getting into b-ball condition. After evaluating my lifestyle and my free time I’ve decided that instead of pursuing my passion on a personal level and trying to play, I could teach instead. Teaching basketball would meet all of my needs at the moment.

1. I get to spend a lot of time around the game of basketball
2. I get to transfer my passion for basketball
3. I get to see what how my effort is manifested in others.

To accomplish this, I could find a coaching gig, take my test to become an official or I could volunteer.

I’ve decided to opt for the latter and volunteer. My friend Josh who works over at The City Mission was kind enough to give me a tour last week. He walked me through the campus of The City Mission and explained their values and approach to helping people. I had goosebumps through most of it and was humbled by the selfless work these folks do day-in and day-out. They also run programs for youth, adults and entire families who want to become more active. One of the programs is a basketball camp/league. Josh and I spoke about the possibility of getting me involved with the basketball program which would be a great opportunity for me. It has since dawned on me that one way to pursue your passion is to teach it. Passionate about sports but can’t play anymore? Passionate about cars but don’t have the resources to work on them all of the time? Passionate about sewing? Perhaps it would behoove you to look into teaching it? Furthermore, teaching it to someone who may be less fortunate than you.

What will you get from this?
1. A renewed appreciation for your passion.
2. The joy of helping someone else.
3. The chance to learn from someone you may have never met before.

The list of benefits is much, much greater than this…I could wax philosophically forever but you can imagine how you would create a positive impact in your life and in the life of the people you come in contact with.

I’m excited because I think I’ve finally found a way to leverage my passion for basketball by combining it with my passion to help and continue to develop myself. So I ask, could you try something similar to help you pursue your passion?

To reach the level of maturity you’ll require to handle life’s challenges you’ll need to face more adversity. You’ll need to get knocked down. You’ll need to get bruised and beaten. You’ll need to pick yourself and keep rolling. By facing life’s challenges and maintaining an optimistic attitude will you experience growth.

My advice is to simply accept the fact that the road ahead is riddled with pebbles, boulders and mountains. The boulders and mountains are easy to see and prepare for. It’s the pebbles you need to keep an eye on.

When I think about how LeBron went out it does make me mad. But I got over it pretty quick. I started to think of the character I can build into myself by teaching myself a lesson and learning from what I think was a mistake by a young, ambitious, Gordon Gekko type in LeBron.

I can see how his fame and power would be hard to harness. I can see how that would make it hard to be humble. However, I think that the really unique, successful people in the world figure out how to do this. They practice being humble and make an art of it. Think Richard Branson, Phil Jackson, Eddie Vedder. These are guys that despite having a ton of success and access to power remain down-to-earth. Sure, they all have moments, like when Branson tries to sail around the world on a balloon. But that is more about the adventure than ego.

Money is nice, but having respect, that feels even better.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. No matter where you go, coffee is usually available. Yet, until recently there’s been very little research on the effects of coffee on our health. The researcher’s are waking up however. There have recently been studies completed on a variety of health benefits to drinking that simply delicious cup of coffee.

In a study in Italy, it was proven that that brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. When compared to other caffeine containing beverages like tea and cocoa, coffee proved to be the best in helping to prevent disease.

Caffeine in Coffee – Good or Bad?

The caffeine in coffee has often been a source of concern for many. Most people have problems sleeping when they drink coffee right before bedtime. Others will drink coffee to give them that boost of energy caffeine provides. Some even feel their heart rate increase if they drink too much coffee.

Did you know there are also benefits to the caffeine found in coffee? Coffee intake ( due to the caffeine) was associated with a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, independently of other possible confounding variables. These results, with future prospective studies, may have a major impact on the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Another benefit of drinking coffee has been studied in China. Their research clinically proved the caffeine in coffee helps to prevent Parkinson’s disease. Many of us have been led to believe that caffeine is bad for us. True enough, large quantities may hurt us, but the evidence is strong for the benefits it provides.

Coffee – Healthy Tonic for the Liver?

Studies completed in Japan indicated that people who drink more than a cup of coffee a day are less likely to develop liver cancer than those who do not, Japanese researchers say. Coffee also helped lower the risk of cirrhosis of the liver. Chlorogenic acid present in coffee beans has been proven in studies to also reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Harvard Medical School completed a study in 2004 that strongly suggest coffee has preventative qualities for Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. The authors found an inverse association between coffee intake and type 2 diabetes after adjustment for age, body mass index, and other risk factors. Total caffeine intake from coffee and other sources was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for diabetes in both men and women. These data suggest that long-term coffee consumption is associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

Coffee and Physical Fitness

The amounts of water, carbohydrate and salt that athletes are advised to consume during exercise are based upon their effectiveness in preventing both fatigue as well as illness due to hyperthermia, dehydration or hyper hydration. The old issues concerning coffee and caffeine were that it acts as a diuretic, thus causing more fluid loss during activity. Studies have caused researchers to re think this point. These studies suggest that consuming caffeine does not have this effect and can even have beneficial effects on keeping the body fit.

Caffeine does not improve maximal oxygen capacity directly, but could permit the athlete to train at a greater power output and/or to train longer. It has also been shown to increase speed and/or power output in simulated race conditions. These effects have been found in activities that last as little as 60 seconds or as long as 2 hours. There is less information about the effects of caffeine on strength; however, recent work suggests no effect on maximal ability, but enhanced endurance or resistance to fatigue. There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion before exercise leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or any other adverse effects.

What about the negative effects of coffee?

Coffee is enjoyed as a drink by millions of people worldwide. It contains caffeine, which is a mild stimulant, and in many people coffee enhances alertness, concentration and performance. Although it contains a wide variety of substances, it is generally accepted that caffeine is responsible for many of coffee’s physiological effects. Because caffeine influences the central nervous system in a number of ways and because a small number of people may be particularly sensitive to these effects, some people have attributed coffee to all sorts of health problems.

Caffeine is not recognized as a drug of abuse and there is no evidence for caffeine dependence. Some particularly sensitive people may suffer mild symptoms of withdrawal after sudden abstention from coffee drinking. A 150ml cup of instant coffee contains about 60mg caffeine, filtered coffee slightly more; for those who like coffee but are sensitive to caffeine, the decaffeinated beverage contains only 3mg per cup.

Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no evidence that coffee drinking is a risk for the development of cancer. For several types of cancer there is disagreement between studies but again, other aspects of lifestyle may be implicated. There is even a strong suggestion that coffee may have a protective effect against colon cancer. A possible explanation may lie in the many antioxidant substances present in coffee and which are currently subjects of active research.

In some sensitive individuals, ingestion of coffee after a period of abstinence may cause a temporary rise in blood pressure but there is no hypertensive effect in the long term. Coffee made by the Scandinavian method of boiling or by the cafetiere method may cause mild elevation of plasma cholesterol concentration in some people, but instant, filter coffee, and liquid coffee extract have no such effects. Overall there is no influence of coffee drinking on heart disease risk.

There is no sound scientific evidence that modest consumption of coffee has any effects on outcomes of pregnancy or on the wellbeing of the child. Bone health is not affected by coffee drinking. Adverse effects in some published studies have been attributed to aspects of lifestyle that are often shared by coffee drinkers, such as smoking and inactivity. Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no reason for people who are prone to ulcers to avoid coffee.

Research continues and must be subjected to critical scrutiny and re-evaluation. At the present time, there is no reason to forego the pleasurable experience of moderate coffee drinking for health reasons. Go ahead… have a cup of coffee!

The Cleveland Social Media Club (SMC) has a very active group and meets at least once a month to bring everyone together.  They even wrote a book on social media that can be downloaded.

We also have some really savvy agencies in town. I happen to work for the best.

We’ve also produced some great social media content on blogs like Social Media Blogger Guy, Tech Czar and View From W6th. Speaking of blogs, Cleveland has a robust blogging scene. We boast a wide array of blogs focusing on topics as niche as being a Chef’s Widow, being a Cleveland Bachelor,  and of course Cleveland Nightlife.  For more on the Cleveland blogging scene check out this link.

So while many of the the largest cities in the US get critical acclaim for being technology hubs, Cleveland silently and patiently builds its reputation as a resource for social and digital marketing talent.  If you happen to stumble upon this post, are from Cleveland and want to get a shout-out via my blog, sound off on this post or simply add a link to your blog/twitter/facebook below.

Comments are welcome and my blog is “DoFollow”, which means that Google will notice your link on my site and pass a little “link-juice” to you and help you gain more traffic.

In the past, Saint Patrick’s Day was celebrated as a religious holiday. It became a public holiday in 1903, by the Money Bank. (Ireland) Act 1903, an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by the Irish MP James O’Mara.[8] O’Mara later introduced the law which required that pubs be closed on 17 March, a provision which was repealed only in the 1970s. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade held in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931 and was reviewed by the then Minister of Defense Desmond Fitzgerald. Although secular celebrations now exist, the holiday remains a religious observance in Ireland, for both the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Church.

It was only in the mid-1990s that the Irish government began a campaign to use Saint Patrick’s Day to showcase Ireland and its culture.[9] The government set up a group called St. Patrick’s Festival, with the aim to:

— Offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world and promote excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots involvement, and marketing activity.
— Provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent, (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations.
— Project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal, as we approach the new millennium.[10]

The first Saint Patrick’s Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; over 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade.

The topic of the 2004 St. Patrick’s Symposium was “Talking Irish,” during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success, and the future were discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting a fluid and inclusive notion of “Irishness” rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance. The week around Saint Patrick’s Day usually involves Irish language speakers using more Irish during seachtain na Gaeilge (“Irish Week”).

As well as Dublin, many other Irish cities, towns and villages hold their own parades and festivals, including Cork, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, and Waterford.

The biggest celebrations outside Dublin are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is rumoured to be buried following his death on 17 March, 461. In 2004, according to Down District Council, the week-long St. Patrick’s Festival had over 2,000 participants and 82 floats, bands, and performers, and was watched by over 30,000 people.

Belfast City Council recently agreed to give public funds to its parade for the very first time. In previous years funding was refused by pro-British Unionist councillors in the city for not being inclusive of Unionist citizens, the refusal to fund it was labelled as “anti-Irish racism” by Nationalist Belfast councillors. Also the Ulster Schools Cup final is annually held on this day which is the 2nd oldest rugby cup in the world.
Everyone’s Irish on March 17th.
Sign on a beam in the Guinness Storehouse.

Christian leaders in Ireland have expressed concern about the secularisation of St Patrick’s Day. Writing in The Word magazine’s March 2007 issue, Fr. Vincent Twomey stated that, “it is time to reclaim St Patrick’s Day as a church festival”. He questioned the need for “mindless alcohol-fuelled revelry” and concluded that, “it is time to bring the piety and the fun together”.

Not sure what to do for your baby’s’ fever? Tweet it and a doctor will respond.

I’m going to guess that this will become a popular service, especially since most recent studies indicate that a large percentage of women and mothers spend a great deal of time using social media. This will add yet another reason to hop online and check your recent status messages.

This will also be a great branding tool for hospitals and health care facilities that have doctors who participate.  I can envision a service like this turning into a Yelp like review site where the doctors that provide the best or most “liked” answers will get more business and more recognition for themselves and their respected employers.

Of course there will obviously be a few caveats, and hospitals and doctors will need to be careful about what advice they provide but I think that once the rules are defined this is a win-win for everyone.