Community Mobilization

POP! Tech notes

Below are my notes on the conference. I wish I had a WIKI to put this to but I don't so ...

Amazing speakers, so I hope you can follow the notes.

Download POPtech notes.doc (52.0K)

Reflections on POP!

It is Monday and I am back in the rat race but want o make a few reflections on POP! Tech. I will post my complete set of notes (15 hand written pages) once I type them up.

First I am glad I did not live blog the conference. There was so much to absorb and I know if I was typing and listening I would have missed something amazing, and three was a lot of amazing. Although the topics and speakers were not particularly categorized for a niche audience I found each one interesting and thought provoking … everyone but the special effects fellow from the LOTR movies … he was just cool.

What I walked away from POP! Tech with was a better understanding of my work ecology. I condensed a number of presentations on Biomimicry, Global strife, Artic Crossings, Choice, Art, and Happiness into a comprehensive view of where I work. I am trying to affect my outlook of office, and view it more through ecological terms.

Programs and people are like organisms and there is a clear symbiotic and self supportive relationship here. The golden ticket is understanding what changes can upset the balance of the ecology, prepare for them, and actively work to smoothly integrate them. Ecologies always like to stay balanced, quid pro quo. In my view I think a little upsetting of the ecology here will catalyze the growth of new aspects of our society, enhancing and fortifying us from future disturbances.

The POP! Continues

POP! Tehc has been filled with some amazing speakers talking about some very pressing issues. Yesterday there was a complete session on Human Nature, and Global Creativity. So far the best presentation was Ze Frank who presented on Happiness. Actually he just did some great bits. It was a welcome break from the presenters.

POP! Tech

We arrived in Camden Maine this evening and picked up a passenger along the way, another POP! Techie who was stranded due to slow baggage at the Portland Jetport. Looking over the speakers, I have yet to do it, I am getting excited about hearing some of the newest stuff in people’s heads. Forget about the pipeline. Things in the pipeline are already scrubbed and prepped for mass consumption. I am eager to hear about the communities and their interfaces and how they are going to morph in the next 20 years.

Starlight Starbright Animation

The Starlight Starbright children's foundation is now hosting a ‘Coping with Chemo’ set of flash animation that follows two youths in their fight against cancer. I find this is a good tool in the way that we can connect with youth on their level. After reading the Tipping Point, I realize now that communication to people where they are is amazingly important. The content in these shorts is great and it talks straight about the chemotherapy experience.

RFID to Hold Medical Information

The AP reports that Applied Digital Solutions is requesting FDA approval for RFID chip implants in humans for the purpose of carrying medical information. This from the company that brought you the Baja Club implants granting VIP access to selected Spanish night club attendees. In a previous post I ponder the value of having this type of personal information in the palm of your hand. There are clearly privacy issues to consider.

The Bowloff is here

The Great American Bowloff is here! Today across America hopefully thousands of Democrats and Republicans will engage in bowling tournaments against their political rivals. More important than politics is the bowling, and more important than bowling is not bowling alone.

“Bowling Alone” by Dr. Robert Putnam was a major inspiration in the creation of Meetup.com and I am very happy for Scott and Matt. Their desire is to get the American community re-gelled, and according to Putnam bowling league participation is a good indicator of the cohesiveness of society. So a salute to Matt and Scott and to the bowling leagues of America, the true glue of our society!

Blue Note Gives a Lesson in Community Mobilization

There is a fundamental question that we are talking over here at work. What role does the community owner have in altering / changing the community if it begins to morph into something the users don’t care for? Many-To-Many posts an interesting occurrence at Blue Note records that is applicable anywhere.

Blue Note record label has a new star. She does not fit the typical mold of a Blue Note act, and the stalwarts in their online community revolt. Blue Note suppresses them triggering a mass exodus of loyal supports who roam the internet like a pack of hungry wolves, crashing every known traditional Jazz forum with their sheer weight and size because they are looking for a new place to congregate.

The lesson in this case study is that overgrowth of a community can lead to its immediate demise. Furthermore if you are not in tune with your community you will surely alienate them eventually. Ergo remember who you are servicing. Here is the original article Many To Many references from MediaPost.