The front page of today’s Blade offered an apt metaphor for the state of our region: the prospect of a potentially positive and brighter future while economic troubles still hang over our heads (literally, due to the Blade’s page 1-A lay-out).

Noting a call by President Obama to increase the nation’s clean energy electricity generation dramatically over the next 25 years, Blade writer Joe Vardon spoke with UT and community leaders about the ways the University’s and the region’s alternative energy focus seemed to mesh closely with the president’s vision.

As the story highlights, UT has partnered with Dow Corning on a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy that, if approved, could bring tens of millions of dollars to northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan to further alternative energy commercialization. The grant is specifically geared at encouraging public-private partnerships, a theme President Jacobs emphasized in last year’s Address to the Community.

But just above that story was another: “5 public pension funds make offer to cut benefits.” An argument could certainly be made that successes in alternative energy and economic development by UT indirectly benefit all who live in the region and work at UT. However, the connection between the proposed retirement benefit cuts is much more direct, personal and immediate.

No matter where you are in your career, this is news you should be aware of – even as we work hard for that positive, prosperous future.

The cars of the future are pretty cool.

Walking around the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it was quite clear how my 11-year-old car lacks in the technology of today. There were hybrids, electric vehicles, sports cars, family cars – so much more than I imagined existed!

But I wasn’t there to shop around. I have the honor of helping produce the University’s monthly radio program Environmentally Sound, which is a partnership with UT and WJR 760 AM in Detroit. Lawrence J. Burns, UT Vice President for External Affairs, eloquently hosts the show each month and for this episode he was joined by WJR radio personality Paul W. Smith for some car talk (Not the Click and Clack show, but that also is good radio).

Environmentally Sound host Larry Burns talks about the auto show with WJR's Paul W. Smith

In setting up this automotive episode I learned that the 2011 auto show, which was ongoing and bustling at the time, was on pace to surpass 2010’s nearly 40 vehicle unveilings and 715,000 attendees. Did you know that more than 5,000 international media are drawn there from 60 countries for the latest in automotive news?

It was great to hear that Toledo’s own Dana Holding Corp. auto supply company makes parts on both the car and truck of the year. The company, now headquartered in Maumee, supplies the battery cooling technology for the Chevy Volt and axles on the Ford Explorer. Dana also is heavily involved in parts for other electric vehicles in process.

It was great to see the Detroit Three (for you non Michiganders and car folks, that’s GM, Chrysler and Ford) doing well and representing. Ford had the largest display at the show with 75 vehicles, 22 interactive vehicles, and 67 product specialists. The WJR booth was located in the Ford exhibit actually right next to a convertible that was mounted on the wall! (You can see the rear wheel above and to the left of my head in the photo below)

I'm breathing a sigh of relief as the last guest is being interviewed during a successful on-site broadcast!

There is literally too much going on in the automotive industry to even break the surface in this blog. But want to learn more? Tune in tonight at 7 to listen to Environmentally Sound on WJR 760 AM!

Larry and Paul chat with Bill Perkins, vice chairman of the auto show; Ted Zielinski, director of advanced engineering for Dana, and Susan Cischke, Ford’s vice president ofsustainability, environment and safety engineering.

Here’s to having a new car by the 2012 auto show!

Too often what the community hears about The University of Toledo focuses on topics like the budget, a grant for faculty research, or lately, the relationship between administration and faculty. Those are all important topics, sure, but the students are the reason we’re all here.

That’s why I was happy The Blade shared with its readers information about the new student-centered taxi program.

UT Rides uses a prepaid card that allows students a safe taxi ride back to campus after visiting Toledo attractions such as a Mud Hens game downtown or dinner with friends at The Docks. It would be a real shame if students spend their years here and never take in a game from the Roost or taste the baked ziti or pizza at Zia’s.

And if students decide for a night out downtown at a bar like The Blarney or maybe a stop uptown at Wesleys, a taxi ride is a guaranteed safe way to get back home.

UT Vice President for External Affairs Lawrence J. Burns notes in the article that UT Rides could be a great way to encourage students to take part in more of what the city has to offer.

Mr. Burns said the “UT Rides Transportation Card” could make the university more attractive to prospects as it helps cultivate an urban cab culture that he’s seen develop on other university campuses. His office studies other campuses to see which university programs and aspects of student culture are successful at promoting student safety and quality of life.

The research and his personal experience of visiting his nieces at the University of South Carolina in Columbia point to cab life as a large and useful part of student life, he said.

“[At the University of South Carolina], they have restaurants, nightclubs, sporting events, and clothing stores. Having a ready, available cab service makes that more obtainable,” he said. “It’s a close, inexpensive ride. And I don’t believe we as a university have taken advantage of those possibilities. I would say at all of the other universities I visit, cabs are a much more regular way of life for students.”

Some parents and students have already begun participating in UT Rides, which just started a couple months ago. Now that the word is out, maybe we’ll see more Black & White cabs on Bancroft transporting students to and from downtown.