We Swim in an Ocean of Media

More than two-thirds of our waking moments involves some kind of media usage according to a new study by the Center for Media Design at Ball State University.

It's not just the young and tech saavy, multi-tasking while using media ranges across all age groups.

"Quite remarkable," "A Cambrian explosion of media usage" are some of the comments in the USA Today article, We Swim in an Ocean of Media.

Housewives or Mousewives

Women have so integrated the Internet into their families' lives, it's become another domestic appliance according to a recent study that shows 'Mousewives' drive the Net revolution.

It shows that half of all women who go online have moved the home PC into the living room so it can play a central role in family life.

Two-thirds of women now research their families' health online, it says, while one third have replaced Watch with Mother with Surf with Mother as they accompany their children online to do homework or play.

Women with a computer in the household also turn out to be 'all-hours' users, with half logging on before breakfast and a fifth getting up in the middle of the night to access the internet. The main reasons cited are that the PC is becoming the social hub for gossip with family and friends as well as a means of bargain hunting, without leaving the living room.

Punishment has also changed, the research has found. Removing internet privileges for children is becoming commonplace as e-grounding replaces more traditional chastisements for bad behaviour.

Third Age Blog

Since July, I've been contributing to a new group blog at Third Age.

I'm one voice in a group of talented people each with a distinctive voice, experience and expertise: Connie Goldman, Jacqueline Marcell, Jed Diamond, Lisa Haneberg, Rinatte Paries, Ronni Bennett, Sharon Whiteley, Susan Anderson, Susan Mitchell, Tom Blake and Yvonne Divita.

I write about many of the same things I do on Business of Life and Legacy Matters but often in a more personal way.

Until I can get me on of those doohickies that signifies a new post on another blog, I'm just going to periodically round-up a group of posts and link them here in reverse chronological order.

Rules of Life
Responding to Suffering
Make Haste for a Neighborhood Barbecue
Lessons of Katrina
Afraid to Get Prepared?
Intensely Alive While Dying
Why Can't We Talk About the Important Things?
A Gift of Stories
Good enough is good enough
Learning from Life

Make Meaning

From Guy Kawaski, managing partner of Garage Technologies and author of The Art of the Start, comes Rule No. 1: Make Meaning.

People who change the world aren't motivated by money. The ones who succeed as entrepreneurs are those who want to make meaning and create products they would use themselves.

There are three principal ways of making meaning.
1. Increase the quality of life for your customer.
2. Right a wrong
3. Perpetuate something good.

Louisiana Lawyers Trademark Katrina Drink

Tony Blair pulls plug on Kyoto treaty

On the first day of Clinton's Global Initiative, Tony Blair pulled the plug on the Kyoto Treaty and started talking sense.

From James Pinkerton at Tech Central Station.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was going to speak with "brutal honesty" about Kyoto and global warming, and he did.
---
Blair, a longtime supporter of the Kyoto treaty, further prefaced his remarks by noting, "My thinking has changed in the past three or four years." So what does he think now? "No country, he declared, "is going to cut its growth." That is, no country is going to allow the Kyoto treaty, or any other such global-warming treaty, to crimp -- some say cripple -- its economy.
 --
Looking ahead to future climate-change negotiations, Blair said of such fast-growing countries as India and China, "They're not going to start negotiating another treaty like Kyoto." India and China, of course, weren't covered by Kyoto in the first place, which was one of the fatal flaws in the treaty. But now Blair is acknowledging the obvious: that after the current Kyoto treaty -- which the US never acceded to -- expires in 2012, there's not going to be another worldwide deal like it.
--
So what will happen instead? Blair answered: "What countries will do is work together to develop the science and technology….There is no way that we are going to tackle this problem unless we develop the science and technology to do it." Bingo! That's what eco-realists have been saying all along, of course -- that the only feasible way to deal with the issue of greenhouse gases and global warming is through technological breakthroughs, not draconian cutbacks.

1000% circulation boost

Daytrade team reports that its "Trading Tips" article feeds have increased in circulation by over 1000% since being produced in RSS/XML formats.

Retail Banking Trends

Number of branches (1994 – 2004) up 6%
Number of banks (1994 – 2004) down 29%
Average retail banking customer attrition rate: 12% to 15%
Cost to acquire a new customer: 5 to 10 times more than retaining an existing one

From an invitation for a free web seminar hosted by Microsoft and Getronics and featuring the Tower Group.

People Blog as Therapy

Via Blogspotting's Heather Green (who also has the download link for a summary of the study), a new AOL survey on blogging that finds most bloggers aren't wannabe journalists or political activists, they blog as a form of therapy.

• One third of bloggers write about self-help and self-esteem topics.
• 54 % like to share their thoughts and feelings with others.
• 43% like to chronicle their life and interests.
• 31% turn to blogs for help and counseling.

In times of need or high anxiety, one-out-of-three people (31%) say they turn to either writing in their blog or reading the blogs of other people who are experiencing similar issues; that's six times as many people who prefer to seek help and counseling from a professional (5%). The No. 1 answer was seeking advice from family and friends: 32% vs. 31% who turn to blogs

Rippling curtains of light

Aurora Alert

This photograph by Daryl Pederson was taken September 10 in Alaska, just one of the many aurora images at spaceweather.   

Racing toward earth is a coronal mass ejection (CME) that could spark a severe geomagnetic storm when it arrives today, September 15th.  All of this from giant sunspot 798 facing earth and just crackling with solar flares. 

HT. Doc Searls.

Hydrogen tablet

While hydrogen is a clean fuel, it's also a light gas that occupies much too much volume and is highly flammable to boot.

That's why the news from Denmark about a hydrogen tablet that's safe and inexpensive is so exciting.

New hydrogen storage technology  via Boing Boing

Human Evolution Linked to Climate Change

The earliest of humans probably evolved quickly in response to a rapidly changing environment.      Support for this theory was presented recently at the annual conference of the Royal Geographic Society.

Evidence shows that during the three wet and humid periods – there was a specific diversification in human evolution. After each period, it was found that the brain size of these early humans increased and became more complex. Dr Maslin argues that this is an indication of adaptation and re-adaptation to the environmental stress caused by appearing and disappearing water sources.

SmartWater reveals burglars

From the BBC.  Guilty burglars detected by glow.

A sprinkler system which showers burglars with an invisible liquid is being used to cut crime in Newcastle.

SmartWater, which shows up under ultra-violet light, contains a unique DNA-style code.  When a break-in happens the thief is sprayed with the liquid, which cannot be washed off and lasts for months.  Custody offices are now fitted with ultra-violet arches which every prisoner will pass through to show if they have been sprayed.

WOW! What if this works?

Wow!    If this report from the Rocky Mountain News bears out and Shell Oil has figured out a way to get oil out of shale at about $30/barrel in a very environmentally sound way, this will change everything.  Shell's Ingenious Approach to Oil Shale is Pretty Slick

Shell's method, which it calls "in situ conversion," is simplicity itself in concept but exquisitely ingenious in execution

I remember, but am not sure of my facts, that the size of U.S. shale oil deposits is about four times that of the oil deposits in the Arabian peninsula.

UPDATE:  Did I mention that most of the oil shale is on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management?  Private companies will bid for leases with lease revenue going to the federal government.

Having worked at the Department of the Interior, I can tell you that revenues from oil leases is the 2nd biggest inflow of revenues to the federal government after the Internal Revenue Service. 

Technorati Tags: Shell, oil shale

A Brilliant Idea, Independent of Government

The most innovative idea for Katrina recovery from Hugh Hewitt reminds me of what  Shoshanna Zuboff envisioned in The Support Economy.

Hewitt's article entitled Rebuilding the Gulf Coast, One Group at a Time at the Weekly Standard says the only way to rebuild the societies battered by Katrina is getting specialized groups find each other using the internet.

With this disaster, America confronts for the first time the daunting reconstruction of complex social and political organizations.
It is a task which may be beyond the ability of the local, state, and federal governments to manage. How, for example, does a government--at any level--presume to assist a shattered church in the reconstruction of its walls and its Sunday School programs, an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter in the care of its members, a community theater in the reconstruction of its playhouse, or scores and scores of high school athletes in the completion -of their senior year schedules so that colleges and universities can offer talented kids a chance at a free education?
---------------
The only way such a multitude of specialized needs can be met is for the vast, vast numbers of their counterparts across the United States to act--independently of government--to come to their aid in a reconstruction effort.

THIS SORT OF SYSTEM is common in small-scale disasters where neighbors know what needs to be done and simply do it. Using the internet, that same generous impulse can be channeled on a large scale.

He expands on the idea at his blog.

Example: A family fo five with no job to return to and an apartment that's been gutted. They have family in Atlanta. They are willing to make a go of it there. The colonel tells the soldier "Relocate these people to Atlanta, to a two bedroom apartment at a reasonable rent. Pay first and last and for the four months in between. Pay for some furniture and some clothes. And try and find a local church to "adopt" the family."


This is the boat people model, on fiscal steroids. It requires judgment, not rules. And it takes cash money and credit cards.


Just do it. The prospect of American refugee camps and the costs/miseries/dysfunctions of such places cannot be allowed to just evolve for want of a plan. If there are 100,000 displaced folks flat o their backs, that's about 25,000 individual relief plans and relocation efforts. Not easy, but much less costly to move quickly to relocate in this fashion than for an ad hoc relief agency to assemble and slowly --ever so slowly-- come up with blueprints and rules, plans and codes of conduct. Mistakes will be made and money wasted. But it is a far, far better approach than the drift that led to the Superdome and Convention Center crises.

This makes so much sense.  It's faster, cheaper and more efficient.  And it  gets people making new personal connections across the country, working together to create a better future, knitting new bonds and uniting the country one person at a time.

After Hugh's first idea to set aside a Blogburst for Katrina day, N.Z Bear  took the challenge and organized the sign up of blogs from 20 countries, (blog burst now extended through the weekend), is going to kick-start Hugh's idea as he explains in his blog relief update.

Zuboff and Maxim argue that corporations are not meeting the deep needs of their clients and those who can figure out how to do so using technology in what The Support Economy calls "federated networks." will succeed and be part of the next great episode of wealth creation.

Government is failing in the same way corporations are.  They can't meet the needs of individuals aside from providing tools  - money, grants and other resources.    Hewitt's idea of specialized groups finding each other using the internet has a touch of grace about it.

The Internet is a marketplace connecting people.  The marketplace is conversations.  It's people finding just what they need from other people who share the same interests.  People joining other people in groups to reach a common goal.  The Internet is only the means.  Blogs and other social networking tools are only the tools.    In the end it's all about people.  It's people who are the agents of grace.  They want with their whole hearts to do something good and important.  People who have lost everything need so much.  But they still can give purpose and meaning to those who have so much.

Here's the link to  "The Support Economy: Why Corporations Are Failing Individuals and The Next Episode of Capitalism" (Shoshana  Zuboff, James  Maxmin)-----

I'm blogging at Business of Life for the Blogburst for Katrina .  My preferred charity is the American Red Cross where you can donate and volunteer. 

UPDATE:  It's beginning.

Technorati Tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina

A Brilliant Idea, Independent of Government

The most innovative idea for Katrina recovery from Hugh Hewitt reminds me of what  Shoshanna Zuboff envisioned in The Support Economy.

Hewitt's article entitled Rebuilding the Gulf Coast, One Group at a Time at the Weekly Standard says the only way to rebuild the societies battered by Katrina is getting specialized groups find each other using the internet.

With this disaster, America confronts for the first time the daunting reconstruction of complex social and political organizations.
It is a task which may be beyond the ability of the local, state, and federal governments to manage. How, for example, does a government--at any level--presume to assist a shattered church in the reconstruction of its walls and its Sunday School programs, an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter in the care of its members, a community theater in the reconstruction of its playhouse, or scores and scores of high school athletes in the completion -of their senior year schedules so that colleges and universities can offer talented kids a chance at a free education?
---------------
The only way such a multitude of specialized needs can be met is for the vast, vast numbers of their counterparts across the United States to act--independently of government--to come to their aid in a reconstruction effort.

THIS SORT OF SYSTEM is common in small-scale disasters where neighbors know what needs to be done and simply do it. Using the internet, that same generous impulse can be channeled on a large scale.

He expands on the idea at his blog.

Example: A family fo five with no job to return to and an apartment that's been gutted. They have family in Atlanta. They are willing to make a go of it there. The colonel tells the soldier "Relocate these people to Atlanta, to a two bedroom apartment at a reasonable rent. Pay first and last and for the four months in between. Pay for some furniture and some clothes. And try and find a local church to "adopt" the family."


This is the boat people model, on fiscal steroids. It requires judgment, not rules. And it takes cash money and credit cards.


Just do it. The prospect of American refugee camps and the costs/miseries/dysfunctions of such places cannot be allowed to just evolve for want of a plan. If there are 100,000 displaced folks flat o their backs, that's about 25,000 individual relief plans and relocation efforts. Not easy, but much less costly to move quickly to relocate in this fashion than for an ad hoc relief agency to assemble and slowly --ever so slowly-- come up with blueprints and rules, plans and codes of conduct. Mistakes will be made and money wasted. But it is a far, far better approach than the drift that led to the Superdome and Convention Center crises.

This makes so much sense.  It's faster, cheaper and more efficient.  And it  gets people making new personal connections across the country, working together to create a better future, knitting new bonds and uniting the country one person at a time.

After Hugh's first idea to set aside a Blogburst for Katrina day, N.Z Bear  took the challenge and organized the sign up of blogs from 20 countries, (blog burst now extended through the weekend), is going to kick-start Hugh's idea as he explains in his blog relief update.

Zuboff and Maxim argue that corporations are not meeting the deep needs of their clients and those who can figure out how to do so using technology in what The Support Economy calls "federated networks." will succeed and be part of the next great episode of wealth creation.

Government is failing in the same way corporations are.  They can't meet the needs of individuals aside from providing tools  - money, grants and other resources.    Hewitt's idea of specialized groups finding each other using the internet has a touch of grace about it.

The Internet is a marketplace connecting people.  The marketplace is conversations.  It's people finding just what they need from other people who share the same interests.  People joining other people in groups to reach a common goal.  The Internet is only the means.  Blogs and other social networking tools are only the tools.    In the end it's all about people.  It's people who are the agents of grace.  They want with their whole hearts to do something good and important.  People who have lost everything need so much.  But they still can give purpose and meaning to those who have so much.

Here's the link to  "The Support Economy: Why Corporations Are Failing Individuals and The Next Episode of Capitalism" (Shoshana  Zuboff, James  Maxmin)-----

I'm blogging at Business of Life for the Blogburst for Katrina .  My preferred charity is the American Red Cross where you can donate and volunteer. 

Technorati Tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina

Katrina corporate contributions

Compare the contributions - some very generous, others not, of American corporations to Katrina relief.

The one I liked the best was the only one given by an individual, Papa John's franchise owner  Keith Sullens in Houston.  He's using his location next door to the Astradome

to provide up to 10,000 Pizzas to people arriving at the Astrodome from the Superdome. He is also offering 150 delivery jobs open across the Houston area to people evacuated from New Orleans as a chance for them to get back on their feet. On the corporate Papa Johns will provide water to people evacuated to the Astrodome

It's personal, person to person.  A great American.

Technorati Tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina

Generation IPOD

Call it Generation IPOD - Insecure, Pressured, Overtaxed and Debt-ridden.

Twenty and thirty somethings in England consider emigration to avoid paying for a welfare state that will not benefit them.

Camilla Cavenidish in the London Times on a Generation Hexed.