The intersection of online journalism and the democratization of the Internet is now daily evidenced in the rapid development of what is called: Social Media.

Sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, MySpace and many more offer millions of earth citizens connective links as never before witnessed in the age of humans.

Communities – virtual and online – are popping up offering group publishing opportunities as well as individual working platforms – at a mind boggling pace.

Here’s a sampling of what I came across today.

NewAssignment.Net

Here you have a research project  from the New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute.  Directed by the blog (Press Think) author, professor Jay Rosen.  As you might expect this project’s mission is to spark innovation in ‘open platform journalism’.  Rosen launched this project, like many bloggers , in a blog post, back in 2006.  He has attracted funding to keep it going.  It’s Rosen’s belief that the hybredization of professional and amateur contributors to the journalism efforts of society will become the strongest form the ‘open platform’ will present.  I do tend to agree.  But I am biased since I have been a strong supporter of the citizen journalism movement.  This will be a fun site to watch.

Spot.us

Now into a similar but different venue.  One may well say this is the ‘rubber meeting the road’ version of the previous piece.  Spot.us is all about putting together news pieces with meat.  Well researched. Verified. And worth knowing.  It’s their method of paying for this news gathering, collating and distributing that sets them apart.  They offer you – and me – the opportunity to sponsor the news.

Spot.us is a non-profit project of the Center for Media Change and is funded by a variety of groups; Knight Foundation being one.  They are ‘open source’ in their approach to ‘community funded reporting’.  Basically they offer you a tax deductible entry into paying for news reporting. Sort of like the NPR approach, but with a more personal involvement.  Spot.us is very intent on covering  the local area of the specific ’spot group’. Not all areas of the US have ’spots’, but they are working for a wider coverage.

Women’s Outdoor News

This is an example of the personal journalism that is taking off like gangbusters.  Look out world.  Journalism will never be the same.

Technorati Tags: beyonddaripples, beyondtheripples, btr, “new media”, publishing, “NewAssignment.net”, “Spot.us”, “Women’s Outdoor News”

Tags: "Beyond the Ripples", "new media", beyonddaripples, BTR, NewAssignment.net, publishing, Spot.us, Women's Outdoor News

BTR 09.14.08

Customer relationship management (CRM) consists of the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with its current and prospective customers. CRM software is used to support these processes; the software system can be accessed, and information about customers and customer interactions can be entered, stored and accessed by employees in different company departments. Typical CRM goals are to improve services provided to customers, and to use customer contact information for targeted marketing. – Wikipedia

Much has been written over the last few years about this engaging topic. Most of it from a marketing perspective. After all, it’s origin is in marketing. But is there more? Can CRM play an important part in relationships outside of the marketing sphere?

On this day’s journey I encountered some interesting elements dealing with CRM.

The CRM FORUM … I will state up-front that I am NOT a fan if either Microsoft, nor Oracle. But that does not preclude me from visiting sites that do promote their products, propaganda and persuasion. In this case the CRM Forum is a very interesting read because it is a very active community. Thus the content is wide, varied and fresh. So, the CRM Forum ends up being a very good source for ‘listening’ to the needs, wants and frustrations of the business world in the hot-topic areas on – learning about, configuring and implementing a CRM installation.

After reading the comments in CRM Forum, even I, with a long history in reading about, evangelizing and initiating CRM, wanted to get back to a clear definition of the term. In my early days of CRM evangelizing, I was constantly messing up the acronym. I was forever calling it Consumer Retention Management. Which, BTW – though it is NOT the correct iteration of CRM – it is a good definition!

In an effort to find that clear definition I Googled the term: CRM. Several returns came up [roughly 55M to be roughly-exact!! Would seem it's a bit popular, eh? ]. One of those megabitic returns [yes, I get to create words, too: cool one though, eh?] was Wikipedia [imagine that!] so, I ventured over to Wikipedia to read what they had to say about CRM. Part of the Wikipedia revelation was my lead in; in case you hadn’t caught it.

In another of the Google-returns, I found a link to MyCustomer.com. What struck me about this site was it offered me a British point-of-view on their CRM efforts. I’m fairly well versed on the US posture, but thought a visit to the neighbors across the ‘big pond’ might be fun. Well, I was right. It was quite fun. The Brits are all quite enthused (well those involved in marketing technology at least!) with the whole CRM idea.

I also noticed that Neil Davey was a member of the ‘Head of Editorial’ for the site. I’ve read Neil’s commentaries for a few years and have rather enjoyed his perspective. So I continued on.

• But WHY did I continue on?

This poses a good question and a fine segue into how I break into and reveal the guts of a site.

The first thing I look for is an ‘About Us’ page; which BTW, every site should have one!!. The About US page gives you the ‘lay of the land’, so-to-speak, of a site. A reveal of the character behind the site, it’s mission and WHO is involved. I’m both a fan of history and a student.

It is my firm belief that we can avoid a lot of pain and wasted effort through attentive detail to historical actions and their results. So, the history of a site – reveals much about the value – or waste – in continued exposure.

If I find information that compels me to be interested, I will forge on to find out more. I believe, this is one of the top five most important issues for site construction:

• #2. Build your site, regardless of platform or architecture, so that people are given a reason beyond ‘data’ or ‘documentation’ to be there. Give them INFORMATION that is relevant to their quest, or highly compelling to find out more about you.

Yes, this is all relevant to today’s BTR topic because this is the essence of CRM.

1. A visitor to your web presence is a CUSTOMER.
2. The experience that Customer feels on your site is the start of a RELATIONSHIP.
3. The conversation between you and the Customer is MANAGED by your actions – or lack of – communication.

What? you ask. You’re not selling a product or a service.

Oh, you’re not? Then what do you call posting all those opinions – and maybe a few facts – on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Ning, assorted Forums… or other Social Network – aka, Personal Journalism – efforts? !!!

You’re selling your ideas and opinions with the hopes that someone will INVEST their TIME [aka, BUYING YOUR LINE with the most precious commodity in anyone's life!!] to read your publication. That my friend [aka: Customer!] is SALES!  Your readers are therefore CUSTOMERS with whom you build RELATIONSHIPS and all contact is the method – good, bad or ugly – in which you MANAGE it all.

So in answer to my question above: Can CRM play an important part in relationships outside of the marketing sphere? I believe the answer is a resounding YES IT MUST!

My father was an insurance salesman and a very successful one.  He was successful on all levels.  He led, or was in the top 5, in his company, year-in-and-year-out in sales volume.  He also led the company – in 5 states! – in customer service.  And in what I believe to be his greatest honor, when he died from a tragic wood-cutting accident, my mother continued to receive monthly checks at the maximum allowed rate- based upon the renewals of his insurance policy sales – for a full 8 years AFTER he sold those policies.  That is not only unheard of, it has never – nor likely to happen – again in that company.  Entire communities bonded together; some with nothing more in-common than the insurance policy sold by my father; to keep their insurance and not allowing any other agent or company to replace it.  Solely so that my mother; my father’s widow; would be taken care of.

What else would you call that but, a great reward for extremely high quality – CRM.  And he did it with no technology any more sophisticated than a smile, a handshake and the assurance that with one phone call, he was in motion to help his customers. And would see that promise through with the utmost of human capability.  A point many in business could learn from today.  History.  We won’t last – long – without remebering and learning from it.  Remember well the words of George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

NMATC … New Media Arts Training Centers, Inc.
If you are looking for a top-of-the-line certification source for the more popular and used! tools for New Media creation and deployment, then NMATC is sure to be included in the top of your choice list.  Located in Madison, Wisconsin, NMATC is easily accessible to many NM artists in the US and Canada. The courses are not cheap, but neither is the instruction.  A quick read of the people who make up the trainers should give any potential student a buzz for the quality of education and experience that awaits them.

My readers will remember that the byline of BTR is, “… an eclectic journey….”.  This said, you know the topics covered in this blog are wide, varied and often time have little relationship to one another, except – they came through my mouse clicks.  To me – and I hope to my readers as well – that’s part of the fun in this.  Just like Forest Gump’s mamma said, “Life was like a box of chocholates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

With this in mind…

Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) …
51years ago, the citizens of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin, and quite frankly the entire country, were given their own ‘eye on the world’, when Milwaukee Public Television began broadcasting. Visionaries from all walks of life and professions lobbied long and hard to get the license and finally their efforts paid off when on October 28, 1957 MPTV began flowing into the homes of its viewers.  Over a glorious career of bringing the finest of Public Television programming to its viewers MPTV has itself been a pioneer in Public Television.  Being one of the first PBS stations to offer regular programs in color. MPTV offered its own in-house prodcution in 1960 with, The Inquiring Mind.  In 1984, Outdoor Wisconsin, now in it’s 27th year, first appeared.  The host then – and now – is Dan Small.  Dan and I are personal friends, colleagues (outdoor communicators and members of OWAA) and he’s a client.

While doing some research for a newsletter I do for Dan’s Outdoor Radio show (Dan Small Outdoors Radio) I came to the MPTV site for one of the shows he did there.  That search started my look inside MPTV.   Because of one of the shows on that search spoke about Lead Shot and its effect on wildlife and the environment,  I followed up with a Google on <lead shot> which took me to this Wikipedia page on … Lead Shot.

And with that, Beyond The Ripples closes the book on another days, “serendipitous encounters from eclectic online journeys”.  Until the next time … enjoy the chance luck of the draw. You just never know what you’re gonna get.

BTR

Tags: "new media", beyond, beyondtheripples, crm, customers, Dan Small, eclectic, Madison, management, marketing, MPTV, outdoors, Public Television, radio, relationship, ripples, serendipity, training, Wisconsin

While doing a search for the number of active scientists around the world, I found this list from 2004. It’s safe to assume the numbers have not reduced; more likely increased. But even if a decrease has occurred, I would doubt it would be by much.

The reason for conducting the search was spawned by an email I received the other day containing a link to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. This is the committee on which the infamous Oklahoma Senator, James Inhofe resides as the minority (Republican) chair.

This is a list of the committee membership:

Senate Majority Committee Members Barbara Boxer (Chairman) Max Baucus Joseph I. Lieberman Thomas R. Carper Hillary Rodham Clinton Frank R. Lautenberg Benjamin L. Cardin Bernard Sanders Amy Klobuchar Sheldon Whitehouse

Senate Minority Committee Members James M. Inhofe () John Warner George V. Voinovich Johnny Isakson David Vitter John Barrasso Larry E. Craig Lamar Alexander Christopher S. Bond

The lineup, especially on the Republican side, certainly has more than a few members of the US Government ‘doubters squad’ to be sure. But that isn’t what gave rise to the search. That was due to the headlines gracing the website’s landing page.

U.S. Senate Report: Over 400 Prominent Scientists Disputed Man-Made Global Warming Claims in 2007

Senate Report Debunks “Consensus”

The email that contained the link led with a subject line saying, The Debate is Over .. I guess referring to the subtitle on the Senate report.

Hmm. At differing times over the past 30 years, I’ve had either ‘very close’ or ‘at least approximate’ relationships with numerous areas of study, having had some part in the ongoing debate over Global Climate Change (GCC). Consequently, I have a feeling the ‘debate’ has only just begun. But aside from this, I had a question.

How many scientists exist, worldwide?

How many people, having at least an M.S. degree, regardless of field, who are devoted to scientific study, guided by critical thinking and the basic search for hypothesis guided information seeking, actually exist out there? I had a feeling there would a lot of them. But I wanted a number. A tangile, scientific number that could be quantified.

I sought Google and queried: scientists active worldwide.

A whopping 165,000 returns were spit out. Yes, we all know the unlikelihood of ever getting to all those returns, but the first 50 offered a lot of very interesting material.

The list below provided the most accessible numbers of relative freshness; only 3 years old.

Why the numbers of scientists?

Simple. In the link to the CEPW report this bold statement, ‘… over 400 prominent scientists …’, seemed like a large number of scientists. It was impressive. It seemed a rather large field of expertise. But was it? What percentage, of the worldwide scientific community, did that ‘over 400‘ number truly represent?

Just taking the documented numbers for active members from the listings below, we get a total of 347,580 scientists. A cursory view of the list of organizations represented, reveals many prominent scientific organizations are not listed. Therefore, this large number, would no doubt become far larger if a true census of the scientific community were conducted.

But, never-the-less, let’s work with the numbers at hand and see what we find.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume duplications exit in the numbers. Meaning, that a person could be listed on the rosters of more than one of the listed organizations. Therefore, let’s reduce the total number by 10% for redundancy. Leaving a working number of 312,822.

Now, lets say that only half of these are actual research scientists whose work would be germane to the issue of GCC. That leaves 156,411 members of the scientific community that this sampling represents.

With this number we see that the, ‘over 400‘ number (even assuming the number to be the maximum possible of 499) … is still only 3/10ths of 1% (.00319) of this sample of the community of scientists worldwide. Not exactly a commanding number. Especially when compared to the likely, far larger, community of scientists that actually exists.

There are many elements within the report itself that promote serious debate on its validity and genuine scientific integrity.

But, that this committee chose to market their report as being upheld by such a commanding number of scientists, “… over 400…”, a number whose reality is an extremely small percentile of a sampled guesstimate of the actual community of scientists worldwide – alerts us to question – at least – these two elements of this committee report:

1. level of sincerity and genuine interest in providing solution(s) to a serious problem
2. validity of the report and those producing it

One quote, from the report is worth noting here as well. It really struck me as an odd comment and a rather, potentially, enlightening view into the driving force behind those who deny the existence of GCC.

Scientists from Around the World Dissent

 

This new report details how teams of international scientists are dissenting from the UN IPCC’s view of climate science. In such nations as Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Russia, New Zealand and France, nations, scientists banded together in 2007 to oppose climate alarmism. In addition, over 100 prominent international scientists sent an open letter in December 2007 to the UN stating attempts to control climate were “futile.” (LINK)

 

[NOTE: all links remain live. I suggest you read them and become familiar with what this group of eminent scientists have to say on this issue.]

 

 

 

So, what do I find problematic in the above quote? This comment really stood out.

 

“…international scientists sent an open letter in December 2007 to the UN stating attempts to control climate were “futile.”

In thousands of serious discussions on the issue of GCC, I have never heard a platform for debate to say anything about, attempting to ‘control the climate’. I have heard many points of argument and debate on both sides of this issue. Discussions varying from personal opinions from all points of the galaxy, to seriously interesting points worthy of further investigation. But, at no time, have I been privy to any reasonable presentation claiming that we – or anyone – could ‘control the climate’. The heart of the debate is whether or not the ‘actions of mankind’ have accelerated – by adding to – the changes we are now experiencing.

The point has been, and remains, concerning GCC and the ‘affects of possible man made influence’, on the planet’s climate … this:

If we are adding to the effects causing the current GCC, then we should halt – immediately – any and all such negative actions, in the hope doing so would – at least – lessen the eventual changes that will be experienced by all life on the planet.

The statement sets forth these important points:

I believe to say the debate is over, is very much premature. Much in the same vein as such infamous foot-in-mouth declarations as, “… the world is flat.”, “If man were meant to fly, he’d have been given wings.” and, “… there is no need for further study or research, we’ve learned all there is to know.”

It’s not over ’till the … well, until the outcome reveals itself.

The only thing about that reality is this… When we can see it, it’s too late.

Beyond The Ripples

---

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
is the world’s largest general scientific society, publisher of Science.

American Chemical Society (ACS)
organization that consists of more than 163,000 members at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry.

American Chemical Society – Division of Colloid & Surface Science
with approximately 2500 members throughout the world. American Physical Society (APS)
more than 40,000 members in the arena of national, international, and governmental affairs American Vacuum Society (AVS)
AVS is comprised of 10 technical divisions, 2 technical groups, 18 local-area chapters and about 6000 members worldwide.

CATS – Catalyst testing and evaluation service
CATS is a service aimed at evaluating, optimising and commercialising new compounds and materials as catalysts Catalysis Section of the Royal Dutch Chemical Society
an organization with about 700 members , both in academia and in industry.Catalysis Society of JapanChemical Society of Japan

DECHEMA Catalysis Activities (Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie )
Mehr als 5.000 Naturwissenschaftler, Ingenieure, Firmen, Organisationen und Institute gehören ihr heute als Mitglieder an.

Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG)
die älteste und mit mehr als 45.000 Mitgliedern die größte physikalische Fachgesellschaft. Die Namen der Mitglieder – s

Electrochemical Society

ECS has 8,000 scientists and engineers in over 75 countries worldwide who hold individual membership, as well as roughly 100 corporations and laboratories who hold contributing membership.

European Federation of Catalysis Societies (EFCATS)
EFCATS is a federation of catalysis societies from 24 European countries.

European Materials Research Society
non profit scientific association founded in 1983,

Federation of European Materials Research Societies
Networking for European materials scientists and engineers.

Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
is a leading international body, providing services for and representing the interests of those involved in chemical, biochemical and process engineering world-wide.

Institute of Applied Catalysis
The institute currently has 13 industrial members along with over 70 individual academics from nearly forty universities.

Institute of Clean Air Companies (ICAC)
The nonprofit national association of companies that supply air pollution monitoring and control systems, equipment, and services for stationary sources.

Institute of Nanotechnology
established since January 1997… history …goes back even further… Centre in Scotland for Nanotechnology, … between 1994 and 1996. … major EU contract to lead a 2.7 million euro NanoNetwork of Networks

Institute of Physics (IOP)
a leading international professional body and learned society, established to promote the advancement and dissemination of physics.

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
scientific, international, non-governmental and objective body, IUPAC can address many global issues involving the chemical sciences.

International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)
stimulate and facilitate international cooperation in physics and the worldwide development of science.

Italian Group of Catalysis
an interdivisional group of the Italian Chemical Society ( Società Chimica Italiana , SCI). More than 500 academic and industrial researchers belong to this group.

Materials Research Society (MRS)
a non-profit organization which brings together scientists, engineers and research managers from industry, government, academia and research laboratories to share findings in the research and development of new materials of technological importance. Founded in 1973…consists of more than 12,000 members from the United States and over 50 other countries.

Nanoscale Physics & Technology Group of the IOP
research, technology and public awareness, related to the physics of nanoscale structures.

National Academies (USA)
consist of four organizations: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council…created in 1863 by a congressional charter approved by President Abraham Lincoln.

National Nanotechnology Initiative (USA)

NICE – A Network for Industrial Catalysis in Europe
a group of companies with diverse interests in catalysis and catalytic processes

North American Catalysis Society (NACS)
to promote and encourage the growth and development of the science of catalysis and those scientific disciplines ancillary thereto

Physical Society of Japan
an organization of some 20,000 physicists, researchers as well as educators, and engineers.

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
a network of 45,000 members worldwide and an internationally acclaimed publishing business

Royal Society of Chemistry, Applied Catalysis Group
to promote the interests, both within the RSC and externally, of all members of the Industrial Affairs Division working in or having a professional interest in applied catalysis.

Royal Society of Chemistry, SURCAT group
specialist interest group represents those with interests, experimental or theoretical, directed towards reaction processes involving solid surfaces, and especially chemisorption and heterogeneous catalysis. …membership of ca.380 is from both UK and international laboratories and has extensive representation from industry.

Societies Index from the Royal Society of Chemistry

Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation
dedicated to exploring creative solutions to technical challenges at the BioInterface by fostering education and multidisciplinary cooperation among industrial, academic, clinical, and regulatory communities.

User Groups & Bulletin Boards
The purpose of this list is to provide information about User Groups, relevant sub-groups of national societies and surface science bulletin boards. Please feel free to e-mail new additions and corrections to r.m.nix@qmul.ac.uk

Maintained by kolasinski@virginia.edu

Last Modified: 3 December 2004

Tags: 18, 19, 20, 24, 27, 9

Once again the magic of serendipity pays off! I never thought I’d find a replacement for Firefox .. but I have! It’s called Flock, the Social Networking Browser. It’s extremely cool. I am writing this post in the ScribeFire Add-on that is written for Firefox .. but it works great in Flock! I’ve found a number of Firefox Add-ons that work in Flock. In fact, everyone that I’ve tried, works in Flock. So, I have switched to Flock. I really don’t see a reason – at this time – to go back to Firefox.

I have nothing against Firefox .. it’s a great browser. But Flock is just more intuitive for working with Blogs and other Social Networking tools. The access to these tools is either built into Flock or works with it so seemlessly that it feels like it’s built there.

One other thing. For those who work in the Linux OS arena … Flock is YOUR browser, too. Now there is no reason not to work in Linux if you’re concentration is on NewMedia and Social Networking tools. The only thing I still hold out for on Windoze, is the use of the Adobe products I need that have just not been ported over to Linux. Hopefully one day soon, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Freehand, InDesign and Acrobat will all be ported to run on the Linux OS.

In the meantime, Flock is a new satisfier in the seemingly endless path of the ever changing world of technology. Change or die. That is the mantra for today’s face of technology. Tools like Flock keep you wide awake and very much alive.

BTR

Tags: scribefire, flock, browser, linux

Tags: 10, 11, 13, 16, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29

This is a test of the Blogging took inside Flock Browser.  I have a couple of things I’d like to see in this WYSIWYG Editor. But for the most part, this is a great tool.  The ability to JUSTIFY the type would be nice.  But it has most everything else needed.

Tags: browser, flock, replacement, flock, web