Rust Belt Bloggers

Rust Belt Bloggers is dead. Long live Rust Belt Bloggers. Since Ning is now asking me to pony up some jingle to keep the network alive, I've migrated the group to Facebook. I haven't put any energy into this effort for quite some time. The move has motivated me to reassess and retool. I think there is some value in connecting people concerned with the economic development of America's urban frontier.

One member has offered hosting services if we are interested in launching a network website. I'm using the Facebook page to survey ideas about how we might go forward. Let's see what we can accomplish using pro bono social media tools. I'm soliciting input, so please chime in if you care about such things. A good model is Phil Kidd's Defend Youngstown campaign.

Something I'd like to explore is a virtual think tank about Rust Belt issues. Again, this would be a sweat equity project. There is already a lot of sophisticated analysis going on among bloggers. I hope we could channel that energy in a productive direction that results in positive changes for our communities that share so many difficult problems.