WeirdGuy Blog Needs You!

Message From Eric - a.k.a. the WeirdGuy

As a reader of WeirdGuy blog I’d like to humbly ask you to help me. I have a short 10 question survey running from August 28 – September 7, 2008 on Zoomerang.  The survey should take 2-3 minutes to run through. Your thoughtful responses will aid me in future developments for this blog.

I realize I am asking you to volunteer your time, but I value your opinion. Please follow the link provided today — the survey is only available for 10 days.

And, if the survey takes longer than 2-3 minutes then you can feel free to spam me with your hate mail.

Thank you for your patronage…can I say “patronage”?…whatever, you know what I mean.

By the way, I’ll reveal the findings here on WeirdGuy when the survey is up, so if you want your response to count, now is the time to act…now! If you do not care, then what are you doing here at WeirdGuy blog to begin with?

10 Jobs For The Future – They Are Closer Than You Think!

Quick! Change your major and prepare for the jobs of the future.

1. Organic food producers, retailers
2. Computational biologists
3. Parallel programmers
4. Data technologists
5. Simulation engineers
6. Boomer companions, caretakers
7. Genetic counseling
8. Brain analysts
9. Space tour guide
10. Robot builders, tenders

So, what are you waiting for? Strap on your rocket pack and zoom over to the nearest talent agency. You may be the outer space entrepreneur.

Time Off WeirdGuy Blog – Just One Week

By E. Brown

I’ll be taking a week off to focus on closing out a project (July 28-August 1). More to come from the lessons learned during this engagement. It’s a really cool online course with custom hooks into a client app. The back-end was designed as “plug and play” so content can quickly and easily be swapped out while still being applicable to the course testing and grading scenarios.

See you in a week.

Weird Week In Review – Feb. 1

Your one stop to review all things on WeirdGuy. Have Fun!

Steve Jobs vs. Amazon’s Kindle
Is Steve out of touch with reality or is he onto the next “insanely great” idea? Read for yourself. Read More

Can Starbucks Come Back?
Wise up Starbucks! You are no longer the only player in this space. Read More

USA Today and Creative Learning — About Time!
Hmmm…sounds vaguely familiar. How can we use these tools to creatively teach and communicate? Read More

Designer Chair For Dr. Evil? (PIC)
OK, this made me laugh. I mean, it is a legit design and I am sure it is very comfortable, but… Read More

Eco Friendly Creative Learning Game
Here, from Sust, is another creative learning game. Teach your child how to build an Eco-Friendly house and more… Read More

Creative Ways To Make Complex Information Simple
I applaud the creativity used and out-of-the-box presenting of complex information. Take this for instance — an org chart. Typically they are presented… Read More

Related Links
- Weird Week In Review (Jan. 25)
- Weird Week In Review (Jan. 18)
- Weird Week In Review (Jan. 11)

Eco Friendly Creative Learning Game

Here, from Sust, is another creative learning game. Teach your child how to build an Eco-Friendly house and more… Enjoy!

clipped from dustbowl.wordpress.com

Environmental Stewardship

In his book, Saving God’s Green Earth, author Tri Robinson defines Environmental Stewardship as:

Environmental stewardship is the idea that we should care for, manage, and nurture what we have been given.

Tri goes on to say, we have four major areas that require our attention when it comes to environmental stewardship:

Resource and Provision – we must understand that environmental stewardship views nature as a resource and provision.

Accountability – there must be a balance between the use and protection of the environment.

Miracle – we must see the splendor and beauty of nature as we look at the miracle of our environment.

Passing It Down - stewardship is a value to be passed down from generation to generation.

As we understand our role in stewardship, we can then start making an impact within our sphere of influence. While I was recently at Callaway Gardens, the ranger made this comment -

Start small. Start in your own back yard. One back yard at a time can help toward changing a community. One community at a time can help toward changing a city. One city at a time can help toward changing a State….

You get the idea.

Related Articles
- The Ripple Effect of Environmentalism
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- A Greener Apple

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Buy Your Own Google Hemp Footie Bags

From: CNet News Blog

Google is going green with its online store.

That means the company is selling organic cotton T-shirts, pencils made of recycled blue jeans, and other recycled and eco-friendly materials. And instead of plastic polybagging, it is using recycled wraps and stickers when shipping items. This is great news because plastic bags are a HUGE ecological problem.

read more…

Related Articles
- The Ripple Effect of Environmentalism
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- A Greener Apple

Share This With Others

The Ripple Effect of Environmentalism

By E. Brown

Where does environmentalism start? Does it start with current initiatives around the world, in North America, in Alaska? No. It starts in each of us — one person at a time.

Tri Robinson, in his book, Saving God’s Green Earth, discusses how change has historically happened as a ripple effect. It typically starts in one individual and then ripples outward. Tri notes there are seven ripples of environmental transformation that impact our lives:

The first ripple impacts our hearts – What is the environmental condition of your heart? Our inner motivations affect our actions. Are we motivated by a cause bigger than ourselves or by anger? If by anger, it is doomed to fail for the consequences are only short term.

The second ripple impacts our minds – What is polluting your mind? The heart impacts the mind as the ripple spreads outward. Are you controlled by anger, jealousy, resentment, or bitterness? Don’t let your mind be polluted.

The third ripple impacts our bodies – What is polluting your body? If you want to be a steward of the earth, you first need to be a steward of your body. The ripple spreads out and your mind controls your actions. How can you steward the world when you cannot begin with yourself?

The fourth ripple impacts our homes – What is polluting my home, my family, my children, and my marriage? There are very practical and moral applications here.

The fifth ripple impacts the church – What is the condition of the church? The spiritual institutions of our time have veered off course. They used to impact communities and culture, taking the lead in societal issues. The ripple continues to spread.

The sixth ripple impacts our communities and neighborhoods – What is the environmental condition of your community? Again, there are practical and societal applications here. Practical = clean litter off the streets or plant a flower garden . Societal = Host community social events or visit neighbors.

The seventh ripple impacts our planet – Now we begin to see the bigger picture, one that includes making a difference throughout the entire world.

Editor’s note: This article is part of the Blog Action Day movement: thousands of blogs talking about the environment on October 15.

Additional Articles
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- A Greener Apple
- Blog Action Day

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October 15th Reminder…

Blog Action Day Is Coming

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind – the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic.

Currently, over 4,400 blogs are participating with a reach of over 3,400,000 readers. Network with other bloggers and make an impact on culture.

Join now…

Related Links
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- Q Conference 2007

Trash Talk

One employee with a little inquisitiveness, made a big splash in her part of the green pond.

(By Linda Tischler at Fast Company Blog) It’s not easy being green. Anybody who’s ever really tried to minimize his or her carbon footprint, knows that even when you’re committed to recycling and responsible purchasing, you can be foiled by forces outside your control. You buy a new set of tiny earbuds, and they come encased in a mound of nasty plastic and Styrofoam. You order lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and get a portion big enough for three (the upside: I now feel virtuous instead of cheap for my unrepentant doggie bag habit, and my predilection for tap over bottled water). You buy something online, only to trigger a torrent of unwanted catalogs.

Like many other design firms these days, the folks at Frog Design have been grappling with what sustainability means from a design standpoint. How can they be more responsible in conceiving objects so that they have less of an impact on our natural resources, and the life of our planet?

But recently, one of Frog’s staffers, Ashley Menger, a design analyst in Austin, decided to launch an experiment to see how much trash she, personally, was generating.

read more…

Green, Greener, Greenest

By E. Brown

As Kermit, the frog, rightfully says, “It’s not easy being green.”

Look around and you will see more and more “green” technology taking shape. The new buzz word in global business and tech is GREEN. Cover stories are popping up green. China is feverishly working on cleaning up their environment and waste. I even saw a television commercial the other night from Wal-Mart about “green” pajamas and I have several friends that are starting up eco-friendly initiatives.

Are you going green? It’s kinda like trying to eat healthy — it does not come naturally. Conservation, recycling, and low energy emissions are not easy for us. Plus, it seems to cost more to be environmentally friendly…or does it? I think you’ll find that in the long run, it is actually cheaper and better to go green.

The Comparison of Eating Healthy
If you eat unnatural processed food a lot (and why not? It’s quick and easy, right?) you’ll very possibly find yourself visiting the doctor or hospital with adult onset diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, autoimmune issues, allergies, or the like. Add up those doctor visits and that is expensive! You might say, “Yes, but it all evens out in the financial long run,” and you may be right but, I’d rather live healthy and energized during my time here on Earth, than not. How about you?

So, Back To Green…
Whether you’re undecided or powering your home with solar panels, below is a list of Green resources to encourage you to learn more. Pick a few items and try them out. You will often find that many of the products you buy will have a portion of the profits helping needy areas around the world.

Green
- Weekly Grist (Entertaining Green News and Commentary)
- Begin recycling (separating paper, aluminum, and plastics)
- Get outdoors to play and exercise

Greener
- Life On Terra (Offers a great podcast as well on iTunes)
- Carpool to work
- Buy energy efficient lightbulbs
- Recycle as a company/business

Greenest
- Plant a garden
- Get an Energy Audit
- Get involved in environmental projects
- Become a conscientious consumer

Tell me some of the sites, blogs, and resources you recommend.

Q Conference 2007

By E. Brown

Questions create dialogue and fuel creativity. This is the essence behind Q. In the spirit of Socratic learning and the European education system, enjoy an environment where honest questions can be asked, debated, and discussed. We desire that you draw conclusions and discover answers based upon your theology, experience, cultural context, dialogue, and learning. And by all means, ask a question.

This was the copy that appeared on the inside of the Q conference program.

Simply named “Q”, this was the inaugural event, hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, that drew thinkers, futurists, creatives, musicians, theologians, entrepreneurs, media personalities, political activists, educators, and technologists from around the U.S. and the world. The goal of the conference was to start an ongoing dialog and expose idea makers to such questions as:

- What will Culture look like in the next 50-100 years?
- What will the Arts look like in the next 50-100 years?
- What will the Church, Technology, News and Media, and the World look like in the next 50-100 years?

The event lasted three days in downtown Atlanta. Hosted for Days 1 & 2 at The Tabernacle (formerly The House of Blues) and concluding on the the third day at the historic Fox Theatre, the event was an instant hit amongst invitees. Part of Day 2 included a series of field trips that sent half of the 500+ attendees to the CNN Studios, while the other half visited the High Museum of Art to tour the Louvre Exhibit.

To stimulate the crowd and give credence to its name, the daily speakers were asked to keep their content within an 18 minute time frame — causing them to boil down their talks to “meaty” richness and leave out any time consuming “fat.” At times the audience entered into the dialogue but Q&A times were specifically reserved for TalkBack sessions that occurred once every day where one could sit with a specific speaker in order to drill down on any concepts, thoughts, questions, or revelations they had.

Some of the speakers included:
Kevin Kelly, Editor-at-large, WIRED Magazine,
Catherine Rohr, Founder, Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP),
Rick McKinley, Founding pastor, Imago Dei Community,
Jeff Johnson, Producer, BET,
Blake Mycoskie, Founder, TOMS Shoes,
Jon Foreman, Lead singer, Switchfoot,
Majora Carter, Founder, Sustainable South Bronx,
Susan Grant, EVP, CNN,
And more…

Some of the partners for the event were:
Apple Computer,
Catalyst,
Equal Exchange,
Paste Magazine,
And more…

Q plans on becoming an annual event. Cities slated for the years ahead are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Seattle to name a few. At this time, my understanding is that these events are attended by invitation only.

My Take-Aways
For me, Q was unique and inspirational. It was unique in the that the entire conference was an ongoing dialogue. Unlike other conferences I have been to, where you are given tools and material to take and apply, Q was more open-ended. Certainly, tools and material were provided but not so much as an end, as much as they were for exposure and reflection. For instance, volunteers passed out “question cards” between sessions, designed to create conversation during breaks, while at lunch or dinner, or to encourage introspection — to wrestle with forms of personal application (of which this blog is highly oriented).

The event was inspirational in that it exposed me to a variety of ideas, organizations, and people that had passion and creativity about reaching out and changing culture and the world. The caliber and quality of attendees, inspired innovation, energy, and excellence.

I look forward to continuing the dialogue, getting to know others on the journey, and seeing how and being a part of the catalyst that Q will become.

Related Links
- Wired Online
- Fermi Project
- Green The Ghetto
- Photos from Q

A Greener Apple

“Green” is in, but before is became a mainstream popular buzz word, Apple was already on the bandwagon. They have been recycling since the early 90′s. Read Steve Job’s official stance on Apple’s recycling efforts.

read more | digg story