By David Brooks, The New York Times, July 29, 2008

Between 1870 and 1950, the average American’s level of education rose by 0.8 years per decade. By 1910, it was 9.6 years, and by 1960, it was nearly 14 years. America’s edge boosted productivity and growth. But the happy era ended around 1970 when America’s educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments stagnated completely. Since then, progress has been modest. America’s lead over its economic rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many nations surging ahead in school attainment. Read more>>

By Cornelia Dean, The New York Times, July 22, 2008

John Davis, a chemist in Bloomington, Ill., knows about concrete. For example, he knows that if you keep concrete vibrating it won’t set up before you can use it. It will still pour like a liquid. Now he has applied that knowledge to a seemingly unrelated problem thousands of miles away. He figured out that devices that keep concrete vibrating can be adapted to keep oil in Alaskan storage tanks from freezing. The Oil Spill Recovery Institute of Cordova, Alaska, paid him $20,000 for his idea. The chemist and the institute came together through InnoCentive, a company that links organizations (seekers) with problems (challenges) to people all over the world (solvers) who win cash prizes for resolving them. Read more>>

By Dominick Tao, The St. Petersburg Times, July 20, 2008

Christy Schmitz, 23, is a University of Florida grad student with a spry confidence and an electric resume to match. Obscene undergrad GPA. Manchester Business school in England. A marketing stint with Macy's in New York. And now that she is just a few months from handing in her thesis, sealing the deal on years preparing for the big leap — her first professional job — the international business major faces a tough choice. She wants to wholly immerse herself in that perfect career. But she also loves Tampa, her home. Combining the two, though, just isn't something she sees working out. Read more>>

By Sean Daly, The St. Petersburg Times, July 20, 2008

These are the days of DIY pop dreams, of manufacturing musical fame and fortune (or at least really rockin' tunes) in the comfort of your studio apartment. Got a computer? Got a guitar? Got bedhead and morning breath? Go for it. Think of this: You can't make a major motion picture in your attic. But thanks to the growing popularity and technology of the home recording studio, you can make an album that sounds just as sweet as whatever's topping the charts. Read more>>

Decorating Downtown Tampa with Sculpture
By Jessica Cordero

artLOUD! Sculpture is seeking artists to create kinetic sculpture in Downtown Tampa. This artwork will beautify our city and create an exciting urban walking experience, while increasing public awareness of just how important arts and culture are to our community. We must limit this opportunity to a maximum of 20 artists.

artLOUD! Sculpture is in conjunction with “Adopt Downtown”, a committee formed by CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women - www.crewtampabay.org) Tampa Bay in an effort to revitalize Downtown Tampa.

We are accepting applications for both existing and proposed works that move in response to our environment - air, light, weather, etc. Artists will have to look at our unique environment to make sure their artwork relates to it. Along with the application, artists will submit their bio/resume, a small mock-up of sculpture, drawings/sketches, and/or photos, and their website address. The deadline for submissions is August 29, 2008. Artists that are selected will have until December 1, 2008 to complete their work. All works will be installed before Tampa hosts the Superbowl in February 2009. Selected artists should expect national attention when the media arrives and spotlights all the interesting features of our creative city, which includes artLOUD! Sculpture.

Please contact us with any questions about the process - Deanna (813) 758-4111. Email deanna@impactgrafx.com for an application. artLOUD! Sculpture also has a group page on Brand Tampa (http://brandtampa.ning.com/). We look forward to your submission!

Jessica Cordero is Assistant Vice President of Commercial Real Estate for SunTrust Bank, member of Commercial Real Estate Women Tampa Bay and co-chair of the artLOUD! Sculpture Task Force.

A Tool for Building Healthier Public Projects and Policies
By Lori Williams, WorldChanging.com, Aug. 1, 2008

We know our environment, and the rules we live by, affect our health. The city around us influences how much time we spend walking, how clean our air is, even how anxious we feel. So how can we plan effective local infrastructure that also helps to keep our community as healthy as possible? An analytical tool called a health impact assessment (HIA), which has a long history of use in Europe, is now gaining popularity in the U.S. as a practical means of putting the wellbeing of people back into the policy-making process. These studies evaluate all potential public health effects (both negative and beneficial) of a project, program or policy. Read more>>

LEED AP Exam Review Course and Study Group
Fri., Aug. 1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Are you interested in becoming a LEED Accredited Professional? The U.S. Green Building Council - Florida Gulf Coast Chapter is hosting a review session and study group to assist you in preparing for the LEED AP Exam. Format: One full day review session taught by LEED-accredited professional. Location: Tampa Bay Trane Learning Center, 902 N. Himes Ave., Tampa. Cost: $100 – USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Members; $175 – Non-Members. Fee includes study material - how to prepare for the exam; LEED v2.2 Reference Guide must be purchased separately. We will review of all sections of the LEED NC v2.2 Rating System. Attendees will receive helpful study materials. In addition we will discuss logistics of the LEED AP Exam including exam format and content. To register, visit our online website www.sustainabletampabay.org or for more information contact Colleen Mackin at colleenm@tampabay.rr.com or call 727 372-3814.

Tampa Realistic Artists
Aug. 5-Sept. 30

TECO Plaza Art Gallery presents a group exhibition by artist members of Tampa Realistic Artists (TRA) opening Aug. 5–Sept. 30. Included in the exhibition is new work by artists who have been award winners at recent TRA exhibitions including Tatyana Hankinson, Frank Bolock, Michael Hanlon, Margaret Hylton, Chris Hoyer, Ruby Alvara, Kathy Durdin, Wendy Smiekel, Terry Klaaren, Dave Gutcher, Joanna Karpay, Sandra Jarrett, Sandra Lallemand, Sonia Astifidis, and Dee Lobo. The TECO Public Art Gallery is located at 702 North Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602. It is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For information about this exhibition or to contact an artist, please contact Debra Jo Radke at 813.767.1600 or dradke1@tampabay.rr.com. Or contact TRA’s Ruby Alvara, 813-624-7253 or Kathy Durdin, 813-220-5800. You may visit their website www.tamparealisticartists.com or www.myspace.com/tamparealart for further information.

Developing an Effective Elevator Pitch
Thurs., Aug. 7; registration and networking, 7:30 a.m.; seminar, 8-10 a.m.

How would you explain your business and make a sale if fate placed you in an elevator with your dream prospect and you only had the time it takes to get from the top of the building to the bottom? An "elevator pitch" is a quick and concise way to communicate who you are, what you do, and why you do it better. In this program you will learn how to: define your elevator pitch; use the elevator pitch as a communication tool; incorporate the four W's in your elevator pitch; and create your elevator pitch to be clear, concise, and credible. Who should attend? This workshop is geared towards the entrepreneur or salesperson, but is also very relevant to all business professionals. Held at The Corporate Training Center @ HCC, 39 Columbia Drive, Davis Islands, Tampa, FL 33606. For more information, go to www.tampachamber.com.

Tech Jam
Thurs., Aug. 7, 6 p.m.

Tech Jam is a summer party with a purpose. All proceeds benefit the youth in our community through the Tampa Bay Technology Forum Foundation. Last year, we had over 1,000 enjoy an evening of networking and having fun. The TBTF Foundation mission is to encourage and equip “at risk” you of Tampa Bay to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We've had to keep this under wraps for a while, but we can finally let the cat out of the bag. Ken Block and Drew Copeland from double platinum selling Sister Hazel will perform live at this year's Tech Jam. Tickets for TBTF members can be purchased through the Tech Jam web site, www.tampabaytechjam.com, and will also be available through Ticketmaster.

Book signing: True Kin
Thurs., Aug. 7, 7 p.m.

On Thursday, August 7, at 7 p.m. at Inkwood Books, Ric Jahna reads and signs True Kin, his award-winning collection of nine stories and a novella, ranging from central Florida to the desert southwest, with a cast of recurring characters. Settings include a lakeside family barbeque with long-held grudges threatening dangerous consequences, a hurricane party where a student and teacher have a violent confrontation, and more, while Jahna's characters struggle with the search for community, meaning, and love. For more information, go to www.inkwoodbooks.com.

The Odd Couple
Fri.-Sat., Aug. 8-9, 7 p.m.; Sun., Aug. 10, 2 p.m.

Join the Society Players of Lakeland as they present Neil Simon's zany classic, The Odd Couple, as a benefit for the Polk Museum of Art’s Summer Art Camp. The story revolves around two men who are recently divorced and move in together in order to share expenses. The problem is that they're complete opposites! One is neat, and the other is a slob. Add poker nights and coo-coo neighbors to the mix, and you've got a recipe for laughs. Cost: $12 per person, $9 Students & Seniors. For more information, go to www.polkmuseumofart.org.

The Girlie Show: Under the Big Top
August 8-17

Step right up for the second annual Girlie Show, presented by Twenty@620. After 4 sell-out performances last year, the girls are back under their "Big Top" with a review that's sure to keep your blood boiling all summer long. You won't believe your eyes at what lies behind their curtain of oddities. With 8 performances this year there is no excuse to miss this three-ring spectacle. Reserve your seat today! Learn More: http://www.studio620.org/620/girlieshow08.php

Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys
Fri., Aug. 8, 8 p.m.

WMNF presents Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys. New Orleans-based singer, songwriter and fiddler Amanda Shaw is part of a new breed of young, roots-based musicians who have embraced both traditional and pop sounds. At the age of 16, Shaw is a seasoned entertainer with a substantial audience across the southern U.S., and for the past three years, her self-released CD was among the top ten best sellers at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She’s also received numerous local awards, including a Big Easy Award for Best Female Entertainer when she was only 14. At Skipper’s Smokehouse. Advance: $12; at the door: $15. For more information, go to www.wmnf.org.

National Marina Day
Sat., Aug. 9, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Clearwater Municipal Marina, located at 25 Causeway Blvd., will host an Open House on Saturday, Aug. 9, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. to celebrate National Marina Day. At the Open House, learn more about your local marina and it’s full fleet of boating services, as well as the new downtown boat slips that will be built near Coachman Park. Take a tour of the dinner cruise boats; watch boating demonstrations; and take advantage of special offers from various boating businesses. There will be free hot dogs and pasta while they last. National Marina Day is celebrated in conjunction with the Association of Marina Industries, the national trade association of the marina industry. For more information, call (727) 462-6954.

Vegetable Gardening Workshop
Sat., Aug. 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Growing vegetables in the garden may help take some of the bite out of growing food costs. The scoop on successful cultivation is the subject of a free Vegetable Gardening Workshop, Saturday, Aug. 9, to be held from 9 a.m. to noon at Pinellas County Extension in Largo. The workshop is just in time to prepare for the vegetable growing season in Pinellas County, from mid-September through mid-May. Pinellas County Extension horticulture agent Pam Brown and Master Gardener John Kingsbury will provide a wealth of information about these gardening topics and more. To register for the Vegetable Gardening Workshop, call (727) 582-2673. Pinellas County Extension is located at 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo. For more information, call (727) 582-2100 or visit www.pinellascountyextension.org.

8/’08/80
Aug. 9-Sept. 4; reception Sat., Aug. 9, 5:30-9 p.m.

Nationally recognized artist Rose Marie Prins will present “8/’08/80,” an juried exhibition of her former and current students’ artwork at Art du Monde gallery, August 9 through September 4. Art du Monde is located at 2109 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District. The opening reception on Saturday, August 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. is free and open to the public. The works featured in the show were created over the past eight years by Prins’ students who studied with her at The Arts Center in St. Petersburg, and in Eckerd College’s Program for Experienced Learners (PEL). For more information about about Rose Marie Prins, visit www.rosemarieprins.com.

Illuminations 33701
Sat., Aug. 9, 8:30 p.m.

Our art comes from play. Through experimentation and improvised performance, we hope to create and share a temporarily transformed urban environment. Please join us for the remaining live performance by Illuminations 33701, held in conjunction with the exhibit Film Lingual II. Film Lingual II is an exhibition exploring reproducible medium testing medium specific boundaries. This is a group exhibition of mixed media, photography, sculpture and video installation. Artists include Nancy Cervenka, Carolina Cleere, MK Foltz and many more. The exhibition runs through August 16 at C. Emerson Fine Arts, 909 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, www.c-emersonfinearts.com.

JUMP Initiative Information Session
Tues., August 12, 1-3 p.m.

The Nonprofit Capacity-Building Collaborative of Tampa Bay is excited to announce the JUMP Initiative: Journey to Unlock Management Potential. JUMP is a forward thinking initiative designed to support the capacity-building and sustainability efforts of nonprofit organizations. JUMP is designed for nonprofit organizations serving residents of Hillsborough and/or Pinellas Counties with annual budgets between $500,000 and $5,000,000 and an Executive Director or Leader in their current position for at least one year. Organizational missions should be in-line with that of our major funding partner, Allegany Franciscan Ministries (www.afmfl.org). JUMP will include Executive Directors, Staff, and Board Members working together to build stronger nonprofit organizations. An innovations workshop will provide access to local and national experts in nonprofit capacity building and sustainability. Learning labs will support the work of organizational teams over a two-year period. An unrestricted award of $30,000 will be provided to serve as a catalyst for the organization’s capacity-building team to creatively address capacity and sustainability potential. An information session will take place on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at the St. Petersburg College Collaborative Labs in Pinellas County. Please join us to learn about this competitive funding and learning opportunity. Send an email to jumpinfo@afmfl.org that includes the name, organization, title, and phone number of the individual(s) planning to attend. A confirmation and reminder e-mail with driving directions will be sent prior to the information session.

Clearwater Citizen’s Academy
Sept. 2-Nov. 14

Applications are being accepted for the seventh annual Citizen’s Academy, Clearwater 101, a ten-week program providing citizens with a hands-on learning experience about the people, equipment and infrastructure it takes to run Pinellas County’s second-largest city. The program will be Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8:30 p.m., September 2 to November 14 and is open to all Clearwater residents. This interactive program is a unique, educational experience for Clearwater citizens interested in city affairs. Sessions are led by a variety of elected officials, department directors and city staff who share information about the city’s operations as well as key issues facing the city today. Program graduates will be honored at a special ceremony during a fall City Council meeting. A selection committee will choose 20 participants from the received applications. The committee will judge applications based on responses to questions while ensuring that the class reflects the diversity of our community, with representatives from different neighborhoods and sections of the city. Applications are available online at www.myclearwater.com or by calling (727) 562-4681. Applications are due by August 14.

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Special thanks to this week’s BUZZ volunteers:
Editor: Megan Voeller
Creative Contributors: Donna Manion and Deanne Roberts.
Design and Distribution: Sean Kelly