Meet my new super best friends: Kim-BenEzekial Cortez, Daryl Martin, HoNszx Mae, Aukos D Jirachivanant, Stefan Grozdanov Petrov, Udeshi Wijesiri, Dexter Mas, Nur Hafizah Mohd Zin, Klajdi Xhemali, Kristi Kristuli, Emant Eleister, Novz Dizon, Apple Grace Tecson and, of course, Tantra Druglord.
I recently set up a Facebook fan page — “How to create a fan page and transfer admin when I leave my company” — to test functionality. Into the honey pot of a very nonexciting page landed my new super best friends.

Why would this group of Facebook friends have any interest in liking my lonesome fan page? Probably, they are very likely interested in harvesting my personal info — wall posts, friendships, photos and demographic information.
So consider that if you’re busy grubbing 933 social media followers you probably have inadvertently selected more than a few like Kim-BenEzekial Cortez.
Spambot or bimbot?
Is Kim-BenEzekial Cortez real or just a spambot created to harvest personal info from her friends (and their friends)? Kim-BenEzekial Cortez appears to be a mutation of a few public personas mashed into one. There are multiple Ben Ezekials in the United Kingdom, including a prominent distance runner. Creating spambots with fragments of real people adds a dollop of legitimacy to a Facebook friend request.
You may have also experienced bimbots — very attractive profile photos of people that have amazingly similar tastes in books and music. These profiles are set up by spammers to exploit holes in Facebook’s architecture and your personal profile. If you confirm the friend request the profile scrapes your personal information, while you end up asking yourself, “How do I not remember this person as attending my very large high school?”
What’s the real motive of these Facebook profiles, besides general creepiness?
An amusing byproduct is the many influential tech, media and political types who accept friend requests from attractive people and bots they don’t know. Amazing how strong a celebrity’s need for affirmation can be.
Curious if you’ve been friended by a bot? Be safe by simply sending a hello message, which you can do on Facebook without adding this person as a friend.
True security is in actually knowing your neighbors. Build a strong social media core by asking this question with every friend or follower request: Can we share enough valuable information to mutually benefit each other?
If you can’t answer that question in the affirmative then resist the urge to win that social media prize of I-have-more-friends-than-you.
Curious case of Nicole Bally
Henry Copeland in BlogAds continues to track the mysterious Facebook profile of Nicole Bally, who has racked up Facebook friends like Sean Parker, Arianna Huffington, Dana Milbank, Camille Paglia, Curtis Sliwa and Jimmy Wales with merely an attractive profile photo. Bally’s profile contains no content or conversation and merely accepts friend requests. Great job if you can get it.
Don’t laugh. You may be sharing way too much with strangers, too.
I’m charmed that my new super best friends want to like my Facebook fan test page. The page was created to test transferring administrator ability (Facebook has since allowed this functionality). Now when the original creator of a business fan page is downsized or moves on, other administrators can jump right in.
But Tantra, Apple and especially Kim-BenEzekial Cortez are steadfast. They’re not going anywhere. They’ve stuck with me for the potential opportunity to add delicious spam to my Facebook page. I appreciate their interest, but I’ll pass.

Kevin Cesarz is director of social media and Web project manager at Thread Marketing Group in Maumee (www.threadgroup.com). He also helps create storytelling content for MrElshMedia (www.mrelshmedia.com). Find more ideas about social media at klcesarz.wordpress.com/.

Fruchtman Marketing of Toledo is celebrating 30 years in business in 2011 — and the launch of a national consumer advertising campaign for a major client.
Ellen Fruchtman started the business out of her home in 1981 while raising two children. Fruchtman, who has a background in television production, said she saw an opportunity to make some income through her own business.
“I thought local TV ads were terrible and thought I could do better,” Ellen Fruchtman said.
She established Ad-In Concepts and produced TV commercials for a former retail client in Toledo, using a freelance designer and media buyer for the campaign.
Fruchtman began producing advertising for Harold Jaffe Jewelers in 1994. The firm has also created advertising and marketing for two long-time local clients, Gross Electric and Tom’s Tire & Auto.

Ellen’s husband Michael joined the firm as a partner in 1997 to focus on the business side. He previously served in executive roles for his family’s businesses and has 30 years of marketing and financial management experience.
Today, Fruchtman Marketing is a full-service marketing firm specializing in the jewelry industry, which comprises about 90 percent of its business. She said they represent some of the finest jewelry manufacturers, retailers and industry organizations such as the American Gem Society and Palladium Alliance International (PAI). The PAI promotes the attributes and use of palladium, the third most expensive metal behind platinum and gold, in jewelry.
Palladium reportedly has all the attributes of platinum but is lighter and less expensive.
Fruchtman Marketing launched an $8 million national consumer advertising campaign for palladium that debuted in the September issues of fashion magazines with a digital premiere on Facebook and other social media.
“It’s the big time for a small agency from Toledo, Ohio,” Ellen said. “We wanted to do something totally different to educate people about palladium jewelry.”
They created a campaign that features three well-known celebrities, including actresses Pamela Anderson (“Baywatch”), Rose McGowan (“Charmed”) and Kelly Osbourne (E! series “Fashion Police”), daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne.
The full-page print ads feature one of the celebrities wearing palladium jewelry with the headline, “I’m so over heavy metal.” The ads appear in Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR, In Style, Marie Claire, People, People Style Watch and W.
“The celebrities we selected are very recognizable. We went to LA to work with a world-renowned fashion photographer and had a fabulous experience shooting all three celebrities in one day,” Ellen said.
The local agency also produced a separate trade campaign for the jewelry industry sponsored by the PAI and Stillwater Mining Company, a large palladium miner in the U.S.
The firm was hired most recently by a large foreign jewelry manufacturer that sought them out for their worldwide reputation in the jewelry business, Michael said.
With other new accounts in addition to PAI, the agency recently added several positions and promoted some staffers to cover the new business.
“Like many of our clients, we are growing despite the economy. The growth is a positive trend for the Toledo area,” Michael said.
“Where we come from has never been an obstacle to our business,” Ellen said. “The majority of our clients are not in Toledo but we chose to stay in Toledo because we believe in it and our people are here.”
“Our best ideas come from the people who work here. We really have a sense of family, respect people and their families, and don’t succeed at the expense of family,” Michael said.
“We empower people who work here to be the best they can possibly be professionally and personally with no ceiling or limitations. We built our business by treating our employees, vendors and suppliers as friends and partners in our business,” Ellen said.
Michael said their success has given them “great opportunity to give back to the community.”
The firm supports its employees who do charitable work in the community.
Angela Ash started as an intern in design and is now  a senior account executive. She currently serves as president of the board for Susan G. Komen For the Cure.
The company also supports local charities such as the American Red Cross of Toledo and the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the firm established a scholarship at the Gemological Institute of America, where individuals receive training to become professional jewelers.
The Fruchtmans pointed out the difference between advertising and marketing. The latter is how you sell yourself to your customers and is a package of advertising, media planning, interactive media, public relations, promotions, research and so much more, according to the couple.
“Think about your marketing as a holistic approach to your business — a unified approach with creativity,” they stated on the firm’s website at www.fruchtman.com.

Republic Services announced Aug. 25 that the public will be able to register for “My Republic Rewards,” the company’s program designed to reward citizens for recycling.
“The My Republic Rewards program rewards citizens on their recycling efforts,” General Manager of Republic Services David Vossmer said.
“We want to make sure that people continue to recycle so that the landfill spaces last a little longer and to just basically protect the world.”
After citizens sign up, the program will record how much recycling each group contributes. Republic Services will weigh the route’s total haul and distribute the weight evenly toward each home’s point total.
When certain point levels are reached, the citizens receive coupons. Among those contributing to the program include Imagination Station, The Toledo Zoo, Quiznos and The Andersons. Citizens will begin receiving fliers in the coming days with details on how to enlist in the program.
“We have built it up,” Vossmer said. “We took over the recycling and then we have started to take over the trash [in Toledo]. We are just building up to the point where the citizens can begin signing up for the My Republic Rewards program.”
Republic Services began to handle the trash and recycling pick up in mid-July after Toledo Mayor Mike Bell transferred the services from the city. Republic operates 348 collection companies in 40 states and Puerto Rico.
“I think it is going to be good,” Vossmer said. “So far we have not had any issues as far as getting the trash and recycling picked up. With the My Republic Rewards program, we are just hoping that it just gets people more involved in recycling and that it just gets the ball rolling.”

Tim Cortazzo

UT wide receiver Tim Cortazzo will be unavailable for the 2011 season after leaving the program. The fifth-year senior started five games last year for the Rockets.
“Cortazzo has decided not to play his fifth year,” UT Head Coach Tim Beckman said. “He has graduated and will start his career.”
Cortazzo recorded 11 catches for 133 yards and one touchdown in 2010, including a career-high four receptions for 55 yards in the Little Caesars Bowl. He was listed as a starting wide receiver in the preseason depth chart released in April but fell to second string behind sophomore Bernard Reedy on the July 8 depth chart.

Toledo Public Schools received its Ohio Performance Report for the 2011-12 school year on Aug. 24 which showed overall improvement in the Toledo area.

TPS received an 83.1 district score out of Ohio’s 120-point scale, up 0.5 from last year and four points from 2006-07. Toledo’s scores have risen in each of the last four years.

“There are some successes to celebrate,” Chief Academic Officer Jim Gault said. “We have moved up and we are continuing to move up but we believe we can do it at a much quicker rate.”

Among Toledo’s 54 schools 35 rank as “Continuous Improvement” or higher on the five-grade scale. At the top grade, five schools were ranked as “Excellent” followed by 13 as “Effective” and 17 as “Continuous Improvement.”

“Today was a time of congratulating the district and those who did well in the district and addressing the concerns that we need to address as we go into the future,” TPS Assistant Superintendent Romules Durant said.

As for the lowest two grades, 19 schools finished with that designation. Among that group, nine schools finished on “Academic Watch” and 10 were given the lowest rating of “Academic Emergency.”

TPS is continuing to implement their plans so that schools in Academic Emergency can emerge stronger, as Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy for Boys did this year. The school moved to the Continuous Improvement level after being at the bottom last year.

“This was a school that was underperforming and losing population,” Gault said. “It was basically a dying school. We brought in additional support and outside organizations that came in to support the students and make them well rounded and you can see the results today.”

To help improve schools like ‘King,’ TPS installed a transformation plan last year which brought in programs such as the United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters into the schools from the kindergarten through eight grade. They funded the programs through grant money.

“We were hoping for better results but we knew last year that we had to change the system,” Gault said. “We knew we weren’t progressing as quickly as we liked or as the students deserved.”

In effort to help improve some of the other schools that have landed on the Academic Emergency list, TPS will also be taking other steps into the future to help keep the scores improving.

“We need the community to partner with us, our success will be theirs,” Gault said. “We also will continue to work our plan. We will look at teacher evaluations and administrative evaluations, which are based on student performance, and begin putting that next plan in.”

TPS has given itself a two-year window to which it expects to see greater results. While next year’s reports will be a good marker, Gault said that the process ultimately will face challenges and that 2013 is when to expect more significant improvement.

“We do have a vision and a plan for this district and we will be effective in two years and we will celebrate those successes when they happen,” Gault said.

The Lucas County Democratic Party released video by two volunteer campaign workers on Aug. 24 showing a man destroy Michelle Wagner’s judicial campaign signs. Since June, 55 signs have been stolen or destroyed, including four in Wagner’s own backyard.

Toledo native Douglas Black has been charged by the Toledo Municipal Court with stealing and destroying signs. The total damage from losing 55 signs has cost the campaign  $1,484 of damage. The majority of the signs have disappeared or been destroyed since June in the area of Reynolds Road and Heatherdowns.

To prevent future thefts in her backyard, Wagner had a wooden structure built to hold the signs in her  trees.

“If it would have stopped 2-3 weeks ago it probably would have just been dropped and forgotten about but any time we put up a sign it was gone the next day,” said Wagner for Judge Campaign Manager Josh Thurston. “Whoever was doing this was going into people’s yards and destroying their property. Not only that they are hindering free speech.”

Black, 66, has been charged with two separate charges including “petty theft with purpose to deprive knowingly obtain or exert control without consent of owner” as well as “criminal damaging or endangering knowingly cause or create substantial risk of physical harm.”

Thurston said the Wagner campaign had no previous knowledge of the alleged man but says “it’s definitely political and definitely targeted.” He claims that in the video, the man passes a campaign sign for Wagner’s opponent, Mark Davis, before targeting another of their signs.

“What is it about this guy that elicits this kind of response, a hard-working mother of three that works 40-50 hours a week?” Thurston asked.

Thurston also denied the allegations raised by Davis and Lucas County Republican Chairman Jon Stainbrook that Wagner’s campaign had accused them of being involved.

“There have been no public accusations,” Thurston said. “We have people out there that are supportive of Michelle and we can’t control what they say on things like Facebook. I am the only paid campaign worker and Michelle is the candidate and neither of us has publicly said that Mark Davis is doing this, Dave Toska is doing this or Jon Stainbrook is doing this.

“All we are saying is it really looks fishy to see where these are happening, how they are happening and when they are happening.”

Thurston was involved in Marcy Kaptur’s campaign last year for U.S. Congress where opponent Rich Iott was photographed wearing a Nazi uniform in reenactment. A storm of controversy ensued but Thurston said that even that incident didn’t compare to the sign controversy.

“The Rich Iott stuff was amazing, it was a crazy thing to be a part of but this is criminal,” Thurston said. “Rich Iott made a bad judgement by reenacting Nazis but this is beyond that this is criminal. If this was a coordinated thing it is a big deal. I’m not saying it is or not, but it doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Black has been summoned to appear for arraignment on Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. at the Toledo Municipal Court.

“We are going to let the courts do what they do best,” Thurston said. “He will have his day in court and I look forward to that.”

I think it was in May of this year when I met local singer/songwriter Meaghan Roberts. I was playing music on an art bench on South St. Clair Street in the Warehouse District and she was on her way to have some pizza at Home Slice with a mutual friend. They approached, and our friend introduced us by saying, “You’re both chick singers, so you probably can’t like each other.”
We each smiled and assured him there was no need for competition; there is room enough for us both on the Toledo music scene.  Since then, we have shared a stage at the Old West End Festival,  we’ve tried a couple of duets, and she even handed me her enormous shoes to fill as the co-host of Manhattan’s Monday night Open Mic Night with Jason Quick while she goes back to school for the fall.
This weekly open mic night, incidentally, has been going strong for five years and attracts some really quality players with hearts the size of the whole room. Meaghan has been training me for the past couple of weeks and I have been watching her very closely.

I am so impressed and inspired by her skill and professionalism as a musician, but even more by how easily she supports other musicians. The atmosphere she and Jason and the staff of Manhattan’s provide for those coming in to try out their stage legs makes my heart warm and I instantly felt like I was in a room full of respect and nurturing.
This brings me to a slight point of frustration I’ve encountered enough times lately to remark on. Little worms of sabotage and discouragement have made their way into my awareness and it’s getting on my nerves. I know that I am unreasonably optimistic most of the time. I know the look that people get when they talk to me, right before they start shaking their heads slightly at my audacity in thinking that everything is always just fine. Perfect, in fact.  So, I’m probably extra sensitive to negativity because I feel like it’s my responsibility to squash it.
The reason for this is because the balance we’ve achieved in Toledo at this moment in time hovers so delicately between risk-taking, creativity and being entrepreneurial that any wind that threatens to blow us over
must be diligently withstood if we are going to continue building something solid.  Not only are many of us trying our dreams on for size to make this a lively, vibrant, magical place to live, but most of us understand that we are all on the same team in these efforts.
Having that basic comfort provides us with very sure footing that helps us continue.  So, the people who participate in the culture, but who also play a bit of Jenga by poking holes in other artists’ participation should consider focusing on their own skills and contributions rather than diluting their energies by undercutting the work of their fellow culture creators.
This is not to say that constructive criticism and respectful critique should be outlawed. But the underlying support and acceptance from the community must always be evident. We must never wish failure on each other.
We should only build each other’s confidence and loudly exclaim to one another that we can achieve better and more, as individuals and as a city. Self-loathing is only funny some of the time. And when it manifests in undermining the talents of your neighbors, it can do real damage.  Toledo has nearly talked itself all the way out of its historically crippling inferiority complex. The signs are becoming more and more clear that the city is starting to feel pretty damn good about itself. This, of course, means that the best is yet to come. It’s not too late for the crabby apples to jump onboard. We’ll still have you. But if you can’t encourage the success of your fellow artists, we’ll be forced to leave you behind.

Rachel Richardson is a musician, activist and product of Toledo.

“Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn’t know was there.” – Clara Hill

Dear Lauri,
I dreamed I was in Dr. Phil’s car. It was a super nice car. All of a sudden, he leaned over and kissed me! What does that mean? – Irene 61, West Chester, PA

Lauri: Dr. Phil’s car shows that you are moving forward in your life in an emotionally and psychologically healthy direction. You also describe his car as “super nice.” What, in your life, feels super nice right now? Are you being super nice, maybe? His kiss suggests that you must have recently had a healthy conversation with someone because – like kissing – it takes two mouths to communicate. I believe the message of this dream is that you need to keep up your momentum and keep up this healthy way of communicating because whatever it is you are doing seems to have the Dr. Phil seal of approval!

Irene replies: I think you’re right on. I’ve been doing volunteer work that has changed me so much. I’m a hospice volunteer. I feel very positive and happy and have many healthy conversations with almost everyone I meet. I’m psychologically at a place I’ve never been to before.

Fascinating Dream Fact:
Did you know each dream you have throughout the night progresses in duration? Your first dream will be about 3 minutes long. The last dream you have before awakening can be 45 minutes long!

Anti-gay protests outside military funerals, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allies (LGBTQA) teens committing suicide after being bullied, the perspective of a child being raised by two moms … these are just some of the national headlines that rip through newspapers from day to day, but how much does our entire community really know about being gay in America? How much does our community really know about being gay in Toledo?
Toledo?s LGBTQA community is one of great diversity. We cross every economic, racial, religious, ethnic and gender line. We are lawyers, we are grandparents, we write newspaper columns, we serve our country, we patrol your streets and while these headlines may not directly affect us, they do indirectly shape our futures as a community, as employees, and as human beings.

Having pride for the gay community is a feeling of unwavering advocacy and, through this regular Toledo Free Press Star column, I hope to provide a strong sense of that pride by trying to open the minds and change the perspectives of our opposition and educate and inspire our straight allies as well as the entire Toledo LGBTQA community.
I write this column for all the members of the LGBTQA community who feel they do not have a voice. I write this column to bring awareness to the issues that truly affect our city, from LGBTQA youth becoming homeless just because they came out to LGBTQA seniors going back into the closet, out in fear of being mistreated in nursing homes. Those are the headlines behind the scenes and while most would believe that in 2011 we wouldn’t be at such a place, the truth is we are and now is the time to address those issues and many more.
It’s time to conquer the fear of forever being closeted due to our sexual orientation because, in the end, that does not define us as human beings. It does not define me as a human being. I am a young woman who comes from a spectacular family. I have an outstanding career and work with amazing people. I graduated from the University of Toledo. I would like to have a wife and children one day. I have found a new love for gardening. I am proud to live in Toledo and while my sexual orientation does not shape everything about me, it does hold me back from everything I want to accomplish.
Believe it or not, I can be fired from my job just for being gay, which means I can?t continue building my strong career. Believe it or not, it is illegal for me to have a wife because the state of Ohio declared? marriage is only between a man and a woman. Believe it or not, any children I have with my partner can be taken away from her if I die, just because she can?t legally adopt them.
Believe it or not, it is 2011 and those in our LGBTQA community still do not have their most basic rights. In the end, we are all just human beings fighting for our basic right to love, be open about that love and have that love and all it creates recognized.
With that being said, I am very aware that this column may also draw some strong opposition, but know that I am one that holds great respect for the opinions of others so long as I am shown the same respect in return. Regardless of any opposition, I am so proud to be on the side of Toledo LGBTQA pride.

Emily Hickey is a strong advocate for the LGBTQA community through her work with Toledo Pride and Outskirts Toledo. For more information or to contact Emily, visit www.toledopride.com or Outskirts Toledo on Facebook.

As I prepare to be in Toledo’s first Gay Pride Parade, I can’t help but think back to a time not so long ago when I thought there would never be a black president in my lifetime, much less gay marriage legalized or a gay pride festival in my hometown. Well, here it is 2011 and all these have happened — and I’m not even an old man yet. I now have hope that before I die all 50 states will make gay marriage legal and a gay/lesbian person has a shot at being the president of the United States.
Things are changing quickly and for the better, my gay friends and allies. I feel so blessed I was born when I was and can experience my own gay history as it unfolds. I know many people don’t understand the importance of the gay pride movement and the events that surround it. My straight friends ask me why gays and lesbians need parades and festivals — they only see it as a protest.
Well, heterosexuality is assumed of everyone and there is no shame cast upon it if you are born that way. When you are born gay — and I truly believe we are — society forces judgment, shame and unequal rights upon us. Many people are ashamed of being gay because ignorant people have told them it is wrong; they are discriminated against, harassed and threatened.
Gay pride is important because it brings awareness to issues and needs many GLBTQA (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allies) people deal with daily. It is also a celebration of pride within ourselves and our gay community. It is a great way to come together as one and try to bring hope and change to America. Something as big as a festival with so many people involved showing their support shows that there is nothing to be afraid of and nothing to hide. It is so liberating to set yourself free and celebrate who you are without fear or shame. It takes a strong and proud person to stand up for their rights and walk through this world with no shame in the fact they were born attracted to the same sex. We’re not asking for special rights, just equal rights.
It saddens me that many of the gay youth coming out today do not appreciate the great strides the older members of the gay community have made for our acceptance. Today it is much easier to be gay in school or the workplace and to come out to family and friends. Although we still have a long way to go, I hope they will join in and support our efforts in bettering the lives of gay people. The gay pride festival is about having fun but there is a purpose behind it.
Toledo is the fourth-largest city in Ohio and there is no reason why we can’t have an annual gay pride festival and parade here. Columbus just celebrated its 30th annual gay pride parade and it is one
of the largest in the nation. I’m proud to be a part of Toledo’s annual gay pride festival and the support we have received from the city, Mayor Mike Bell and all the corporate sponsors. My friend, Lexi Staples, deserves major credit for spearheading this event and bringing it to life with the Pride committee — thank you!
I’d also like to extend a big hug to Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller, Publisher Tom Pounds and the entire staff at Toledo Free Press Star for its embrace of the gay community and its willingness to publish this gay pride issue.
I look forward to continuing our partnership with Toledo Free Press for the 34th annual Holiday with Heart dinner and dance for the GLBT community, which will take place Dec. 3 at the Toledo Club (more information on that event is available at www.holidaywithheart.org).
I can tell you now that I am proud to be a gay man. I’ve not always felt that way about myself or the society I live in. I am proud to live in a world filled with people of so many different characteristics. I am proud to join my fellow citizens as we march for acceptance and celebrate who we are. We are all human beings and fellow citizens. We should all celebrate that together and strive for the day when there is no need for demonstrations, marches or coming out. Pride is power!