“A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” - Harry Truman
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Is SOPA Really a Bad Thing?
All this talk about SOPA being a bad thing. The acronym is for Stop Online Piracy Act. The headline says it all, right? SOPA might even make us all better at this social media thing.
We wouldn’t waste our time watching remixes and animated gifs, and we wouldn’t get any new ideas from those things we see.
Probably because we’d be scared if we did. And because the creative minds behind the ideas would be in jail. Fahrenheit 451 anyone?
Facebook and YouTube would probably be shut down. We wouldn’t have to worry what to write on our blog anymore. And lawyers on earth strike me down (and they will) if I ever use a Disney example to punctuate a point or a metaphor from most other media or corporate entity.
We wouldn’t have to think about following someone we don’t know from other lands, because who knows what they’ve pointed to. No more “global economy” or “flat classroom”. Let’s re-open the factories and stand in line to go back to work (and get fed).
And the “pirates” this thing is supposed to stop? They would flourish. Putting bars on a window almost guarantees it gets hit. Always checking your wallet in your pocket makes sure you get picked. Stopping Piracy by breaking the Internet will handcuff everyone … but the pirates.
Would we have iTunes if not for Napster? Would Hulu or Netflix be streaming if not for the pirates showing what the public desired? I’m not saying piracy is good, it’s not. It’s stealing. But we do get some ideas from their action.
This bill should not, cannot simply be delayed. It must be destroyed. Rather, keep the web open. A global economy is at stake.
Related articles
- SOPA And PIPA May Cripple The Web Video Ecosystem, Unless We Fight It (reelseo.com)
- Tim O’Reilly: Why I’m fighting SOPA (gigaom.com)
- Everything Marketers Need to Know About SOPA (hubspot.com)
- Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in Plain English (thetechscoop.net)
- We Need to Talk about Piracy (But We Must Stop SOPA First) (blogher.com)
Martin Luther King said …
Many of us celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr today. Some of his greatest quotes can be found at GoodReads:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches“I have decided to stick to love…Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.“Not only will we have to repent for the sins of bad people; but we also will have to repent for the appalling silence of good people.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
Life Delivers Turbulence: Adjust or Start Over?
On the first day of 2012, my wife and I were excited to begin our first full calendar year together. Focus. Excitement. We had big plans for the new year.
On the second day of 2012, life threw us a curve ball. Angela’s dad had a “heart episode” and was taken to the hospital. Only two hours away (a commute for many, but in the country that’s a trip), we quickly grabbed a few things and headed home to help.
We remained for 11 days. Dad’s doing great in his recovery. Physically, Mentally, Spiritually. We were blessed to be able to spend time with him. And today, we wake up in our own home for the second time this year.
We met some great people during our stay, and many stories and lessons sure to appear on this blog in the short future.
We heard one message from a preacher about setting goals for the new year and sticking to them.
Setting goals for the new year, and sticking to them. That’s what we’re doing. We grew in many ways during our 11-day hiatus from our design for 2012.
Consider the airliner flying from Atlanta to Seattle. They have a flight plan heading out though wind and weather may change things a bit … turbulence causes some adjustment and modification … but they don’t go back to the airport to start over and they don’t give up over Denver and do something different.
I know several people have had well-intentioned plans or goals for 2012 and have already given up or given in. If the plan was good to begin with, modify and keep going. It’s still very early in the year.
On this, the 14th day of 2012, I’m saying “Happy New Year” – can hardly wait to see what unfolds:-)
PS. Big thanks fo my wonderful wife, her sisters, and her fantastic parents; the medical teams that cared for Dad; everyone praying for quick recovery (and He who answers prayer). Also much thanks for Ali and the community at Dialing 8 for not only carrying the ball, but lifting D8 to great heights. Big thanks!
Modified image. Original Image: dream designs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Resolve Towards Results in 2012
Maybe you’re one of those folks not “into making resolutions” as a New Year’s rite.
Maybe you’re also one of those folks that don’t like Barry Manilow, but you know all the words to his songs.
Maybe at the last minute you’ll make a resolution, and in the first minute next year – break it.
Remember this:
- Rules are for Schools,
- Rites are for Organized Religion,
- Results are for Business.
The whole thing is this: Don’t let your resolutions rule you, nor should you make resolutions (or not) because that’s the thing to do at this time of year. Shoot for Results in 2012.
Things can change quickly. If you miss your target – or your target moves, say around January 17th or May 4th – let that be the first day of the rest of the year. Each day begins as a new beginning.
Here are some of the things I’m shooting for to begin 2012.
- Zero Inbox: At the end of each day, before going to sleep. No more loose ends or renegotiated deadlines
- 20 Minute Movements: There are 72 chunks of 20 minutes in a day. At least one of these each day will be focused on exercise. 20-Minutes will be a recurring theme for me in Twenty-Twelve.
- At least 2,500 Words a Day (and 1 Photo and 1 video): In 2012, I’m going to spill my head and heart (a lot of it towards Dialing 8). The content is becoming premium. This is the doing of the thing.
- Stories: Movies and Books. I love movies and books, but it’s been years since I made time for them on a regular basis. 2012 will be different. Stories increase my muscles of Imaginosity, Writing, and Listening. One of each a week.
- POTSC: Not asking for it. Giving in an abundant, over-the-top, radical manner. Results manifest in ways I’ll probably never see. And I don’t need to wait around to see its reception. If I can make myself obsolete by my example, I’ve done well.
So those are my things for the early part of 2012. What are yours?
Top Posts on ConverStations in 2011
It’s often fun looking back in reflection. Personally, 2011 was my best ever (good timing after 2010). Professionally, Dialing 8 launched softly and we’re ready for a fantastic 2012.
Here are the “best” posts of 2011:
- A “Peak” Into a Life in Love
- Why and How I Use Twitter
- Social Media ROI: What Are You Counting On?
- 10 Legit Ways to Gain a Fast Friend Following on Twitter
- Facebook vs. Google+ (Let’s Move On)
- 8 Spokes on a Social Media Dial: Spheres of Influence
- Perception vs Alternative Reality: Change Your Mind
- Intended Audience of Attending Audience
- 5 Things About Your Intended Audience
- Digital Natives or Combining Imagination and Imitation
- Don’t Speak TO Your Audience, Speak Through Your Audience
- Pinterest: A Place to Let Your Business Hair Down
- Driving the Streets of Social Media
- Content Marketing Examples of Home Depot
- Gone Fishing?
Interesting to note: Analytics shows of my most viewed pages in 2011, only 6 of the top 25 were pages written in 2011.
A few of the all-timers:
- Twitter + Yahoo Pipes = Signal (March 2008)
- What’s the Difference Between a Blog & a Wiki (October 2008)
- 64 Different Kinds of Blog Posts to Keep Your Writing Fresh (September 2010)
- A Blog Site is Like an Orange (July 2009)
- Apply SCAMPER to Your Blogging (July 2007)
- The Bookstore Lesson (October 2010)
- Blog Posts are Inventory, Blog Sites are Displays (September 2007)
- What to Write About? Listen to Your Day (August 2010)
- Blog Posting: Give ‘Em Eye Rests (August 2007)
- Congratulations! It’s a Baby Blog (December 2006)
Here’s to a great 2012. Go create valuable and relevant page depth!.
Stay contagious and courageous!
More or Less in 2012: Peering Ahead
When I’m driving down a stretch of road with a green light 200 yards away and cars sitting at their read waiting to go across the intersection, I anticipate my light turning yellow any minute. It’s not a prediction. But I don’t know what to call it – a likelihood based on various factors?
Based on what I’ve seen, I anticipate more or less of these things in 2012
Rising in 2012:
Mobile Apps and Sites – Though some businesses will still think of these two things as the same thing, mobile applications and mobile versions of web sites will rise (and crash) and rise some more. If you want to get a head start, learn how to go mobile
Premium Content – Whether premium content delivered in eBook format or behind pay walls, this will start to climb and may be the hottest thing for 2013. Dialing 8 is one example.
Infographics – Yes, these will continue to grow but with better purpose. I think we’ll see the data become also available outside of the graphic (possibly as a footnote). Further, I hope to see sections that can be embedded as a standalone.
Video – Finally, after years and years of everyone predicting video as the next big thing … well, we may wait another year. It’s not the equipment or ease that holds this back anymore. It’s fear.
Snark – Unfortunately, controversy and snarky remarks regained a foothold in 2011. And with such success comes copycats. I fear 2012 will see more finger-pointing, hate-remarking, traffic-driving, high-school-hallways writing. Leave that to the pundits though
Shrinking in 2012:
Google+ – Google Plus will start to be recognized as it should’ve always been seen. As Google. Plus some very cool social aspects. Plus some great new stuff. Plus the other 52-104 things they add to the plate in 2012. It’s Google. Plus a whole lot more.
Soloprenuers – Free Agency will continue to rise, though strategic partnerings will be a key to a fast and steady growth. Notice the plurality of “partnerings” Putting all your eggs in one basket is dangerous.
Television – The Super Bowl being live streamed this year should be a clear indication. This holiday, I played my own Criminal Minds mini-marathon and can stream The Wonder Years (a blog ahead of its time) any time I want.
Relationships – While engagement is and always be very important, we’ll see businesses qualifying their engagement more than previous years. Intended audience (potential customers, current customer, influencers of either) over Attending audience.
Hoping for Great Things in 2012:
Twitter: Looking forward to the “best tweet at top” and how business pages work.
Pittsburgh Pirates: They were in 1st place on my birthday (July26) for the first time since … I don’t remember, 1989?
POTSC: Too many grudges, and life is too short. We all have “reasons” to hold a grudge, none of us are perfect. Here’s to “radical grace” in 2012. Overthrow Judgment, Liberate Love #POTSC
Would Walt Disney Support Internet Prohibition? No on SOPA
We see it in the blogosphere too often. Great headline, yawn of a blog post. Yet, because of its killer title, it gets shared across the Twitterverse without being read.
SOPA [Stop Online Piracy Act] may be a great headline. But the bill itself is a disappointment and dangerous to the Internet we know now and the creative, communicative power of tomorrow.
Looking over The Domino Project’s listing of who supports SOPA (mostly entertainment and publishing corporate execs – not the artists and authors per se). After following the link to this article about Everything is a Remix and watching the video, I noticed this bit:
An example of this would be Walt Disney making beautiful art of such stories as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Alice In Wonderland. Disney played absolutely no part in the creation of these stories, but he did adapt them, giving the public classic films that have stood the test of time. With that in mind, let’s see what happens if one of us — members of the general public — try to make use of characters from the The Lion King.
Wait a minute. Disney was one of the corporations list in supporting SOPA. And if SOPA existed in Walt’s day, would that mean no Snow White, no Alice, no rabbit hole?
If SOPA goes through, the world stops being freely flat and we won’t have to be concerned about having a global reach. Who knows, maybe the Prohibition Act will make a comeback.
SOPA will make it harder to do the good and creative things. Putting bars up will raise the rate of the crime they are trying to stop.
A video on SOPA found via Fred Wilson’s site:
And for an example of Everything is a Remix:
Become Comfortable with Crap
This is for the crap writers . . .
The ones who believe they can’t
But do it anyway
Who recognize the only way to get better
Is to get going and get doing
Those who forge ahead knowing
that by sharing what we know
we know better and create capacity for more
more to share, and more people to share with
For the ones who care without concern
whether they have a face for radio
or a voice best whispered
and start drawing with an Ish frame of mind
Thank you for what you’re about to do
and for leading those who are about to read
for standing up to The Flinch in your brain
and getting through the crap that holds you back
Because the reality just may be
Once you get through today’s crap
different crap will greet you tomorrow
Different – but better. Because now . . .
You’re Comfortable with Crap
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