Monthly Archive for December, 2003

Taxpayer or Citizen?

Published
by
Paul
on 30 December 2003
in Politics
. 0 Comments

Brand Activism: Taxpayers or citizens

Over at the Mutualist Manifesto Johnny points to this delightful quote from an article on Citizenship in the Pacific Northwest Inlander:

Taxpayers are just full of anxiety. Citizens seek to participate in a constructive manner. Taxpayers seek always to reduce public life to a balance sheet. Citizens seek ways of broadening and deepening public life. Taxpayers, by definition, live in a private world, and they don’t much like government penetrating that world. The word “taxes” symbolizes that penetration. Citizens seek life in the polis. Citizens live in a world of values, which, when agreed upon, determine how we will live…. The citizen is up to something very different. The citizen is concerned with what urbanist James Kunstler terms “the public realm.” Kunstler defines the public realm as “the connective tissue of our everyday world.

And Johnny’s comment:

This is the kind of awareness that mutualism promotes, a deeper sense of what is to be a citizen, part of the community.

Here, here my friend, here, here.
Take some steps today to connect with your community, whether at work, in your neighbourhood. Understand what’s going on and engage. For my part its the work realm where I could do with engaging more. Don’t let ‘alienation’, that sense of being outside effect you - make a difference and have that conversation, listen and above all act.

I wish you a wonderful time!

Published
by
Paul
on 24 December 2003
in Site Administration
. 1 Comment

Firstly, Merry Christmas from me and best wishes for this festive time. I hope you have a time full of joy and happiness.

Secondly, I expect to be back posting more regualrly in the New Year following a period of slight downtime. My brain, body and psyche need a good recharge and that’s what I have been trying to give them.

In the meantime don’t forget to keep reading other wondeful blogs like Johnny’s Ourhouse blog, The Mutualist Manifesto and Beyond Branding.

Also a quick mention for Frank Whitestone’s blog, Funtime Franky who for some reason I managed to miss from my previous posting about blogs who like me (as he kindly pointed out in the comments). Frank - cock up not conspiracy I’m afraid :)
Best wishes all!

Rural mutualism is the future?

Published
by
Paul
on 15 December 2003
in Mutualism
. 1 Comment

BBC NEWS | England | Devon | ‘Ghost towns’ warning

A warning on the perils of rural life in the 21st century, but also a glimpse of optimism and the value of mutuality:

But the report by the independent think-tank, New Economics Foundation (NEF), holds up Rackenford in north Devon as an example of how villages can help themselves.

Villagers there clubbed together to buy the local shop and post office.

Sally Child from the village says they were faced with a stark future if they had not gone ahead.

She said: “I think that if we had lost the shop, the fact that you have to drive so far for a newspaper or a pint of milk would really have made a difference.

“Then we might have started to look like a ghost town or a purely dormitory village which we really aren’t at the moment.”

This links in very nicely with Tim’s recent posting on Mutual Manifesto (Mutuals on A High Wire)which suggest Mutuals work best in an atmosphere of pressure for collaborative action, to ensure that they maintain their reason for existence. Obvious Rackenford has this pressure and has responded positively in an area where the market just isn’t working to meet the needs of people.

Andrew Sims of NEF goes on to say:

A new retail feudalism is emerging across Britain as a handful of brands take over our shopping.

“Unless it is challenged, ghost town Britain will become a daily reality.

“If things carry on as they are, before long, we will be facing a commercial one-party state.”

Is choice always good? Some choice definitely and where choice is taken away because the market cannot fulfill a need then Mutualism can step in and makes tremendous sense. The aspect of a community also comes across as important - there is a fundamanetal difference between the scale of application of the Brand organisation (as described above) and the Mutual organisation. Can Mutuals be actively sustained for larger organisations or across mutliple communities? I believe so but it is harder and much more of the high wire act, than in this instance.

Mutuals have far more applications which need to be explored and pushed forward as viable alternatives to markets or Government organisations.

Reciprocating the links - or blogs who like me!

Published
by
Paul
on 12 December 2003
in Blogging
. 2 Comments

According to the wonderful technorati I now have even more people linking to me. Thanks to those that do and I hope you are enjoying the ride. Do drop me a line or post a comment, it makes a change from the Spam.

Of particular interest are those new people linking.

First up is monkeymagic ablog by Piers Young who has some fascinating posts on Genetics and evolution. His blog doesn’t seem to have a direct link to the mainsite, which outlines his MSc dissertation. The blog itself has such gems as this article on how new theories folow a pattern through rejection to ultimately conscription into the mainstream (with recognition of thier limitations), sobering stuff. Worth addng to your reading list if you are interested in such things (as I am).

And Secondly is In the Arms of Strangers. This blog is written by Alex (who happens to be Danny’s line manager of Evil Monkey blog) both of which are worth having a look at not least because they both inhabit the madness of ntl and secondly becuase they know a good deal about web based design (and as I’ve said about Danny before) are wasted at ntl. Anyway worth a gander…

Of course longer standing linkers according to Technorti include:

John Procaro - Microsoft Marketing Guru - well wortha read for technology, marketing and mangement and the Microsoft culture…

Stuart Smith - an ex-colleague whose blog ne_strife seems not to have been updated in a while
(come on Stu get writing)

Curt Rosengren - Occupational Adventure, where passion in your career is brought to life :) reciprocation is what you need…

Mike Taht - Postcards from the Bleeding Edge - musings on life, surfing, space and Linux

Gary Lawrence Murphy - TeleDyn - of particular interest are Gary’s thoughts on new models for music (including Slay the RIAA) but in addition other little gems on marketing and business models appear. (I get a link courtesy of my donation to Slay the RIAA by the way not because of my content - must work harder to be interesting).

And last but by no means least, a man I feel priveleged to now call friend (can I ham this up any more?)

Johnny Moore’s Our House blog - marketing, branding, authenticity and a sense of humour - what more could one want? He also writes as part of Beyond Branding, is a third of Mutual Marketing and also contributes to the Mutualist Manifesto (along with yours truely). This also links to Broadband and Me so I’ll also reference Tim Kitchen’s site Steal this Brand as he put the link up originally (and I don’t want him feeling left out as he recommends excellent books to read - even if he doesn’t like Lord of the Rings) also commenting on marketing, branding, CSR and the environment.

Dear reader - go forth and read blogs :)

3 million BB users

Published
by
Paul
on 12 December 2003
in Broadband
. 0 Comments

BBC NEWS | Technology | UK hits 3 million broadband mark

Fantastic figures from the Broadband market 3 million is a huge number - ntl make up just under a third of that. Not bad going for a company that covers only about a third of the UK.

Some interesting developments in the market over the next 6 months will see whether the pure access model has peaked and now users will start to expect more form their basic service. While early adopters have tended to be the ‘net savvy’ consumer, more and more of the early and late majority are net newbies or occasional users who may perhaps need more of an expereince before really taking up broadband.

BT have obviously partnered with Yahoo and various other deal have been muted. Ntl’s Broadband Plus offering has been getting good reviews and has been well received by customers. I would suggest more of the same next year with further deals, inclusion of more applications and more service linked to Broadband - home security is one that is mentioned a lot.

Maybe 2004 will also see Voip roled out properly in the UK - having seen a video phone proposition today from ntl’s modem suppliers Ambit, I expect this to start moving next year (although how ntl will be involved if at all is another matter).

I do expect Consumer devices to start to have ethernet connections as standard and for them to have some form of Internet link either to content or services and also to start talking to each other via ethernet. Again whether anyone can find the so called killer app remains to be seen but to paraphrase my favourite Chinese curse “we live in interesting times”.

Earliest form of Branding?

Published
by
Paul
on 12 December 2003
in Identity
. 0 Comments

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Cave colours reveal mental leap

Early humans used a red ochre (?) colour to symbolise burials. Is this the earliest form of Branding?

Answers via the comments form :)

Dangerous Fun

Published
by
Paul
on 12 December 2003
in Blogging
. 0 Comments

The Ourhouse Weblog: Who says fun is dangerous?

Absolutely priceless. Go read this at Johnny’s blog about Qantas pilots and groundcrew entering into dialogue. I haven’t laughed so much in ages…

More Reorganisation

Published
by
Paul
on 11 December 2003
in Management Theory
. 0 Comments

ntl is reorganising again. This time (after October’s fun) it is more fundamental in that ntl’s Home business unit is effectively being divided into Product Management and Marketing (new ntlhome) and Customer Operations and Business Improvement (COBI) which is all field operations and service including call centres.

The team within which I currently reside is moving to Group IT, which probably makes sense for the technically people but moves me even further away from my core competency and my aspirations. I feel like someone just kicked me in the head when I was down.

Ignoring my whinging, its an interesting turn of events to reorganise. It puts a divide between the operations and marketing & sales, which used to exist but had been missing for about 3 years. Expect more trimming of staff in February, but maybe some new twists.

The current organisation is beginning to feel the cuts in places, despite lots being desired and needing to be done, not enough people are about to fulfill aspirations and get the work done. Priority setting has become a major past time along with the endless metrics, reporting and general look at me comms designed to cover your arse and show how ‘well’ we are all doing. If some people actually took decisons a number of problems being expereinced now would have been resolved.

Its a simple enough idea though - live by the numbers die by the numbers… at the moment the numbers maybe moving the right way but the underlying infrastructure (err that’s people by the way) is rapidly degrading.

Diversity not homogenity

Published
by
Paul
on 7 December 2003
in Management Theory
. 1 Comment

Flemming Funch (great name!) highlights in Diversity is as big as the universe a piece by Tom Atlee (interesting guy - great beard) from Co-intelligence.

A quote from Co-intelligence outlining what its is:

Co-intelligence is the capacity to live well WITH each other and life, creatively using diversity and uniqueness, consciously evolving together in partnership with nature, and consciously transforming culture. Co-intelligence is intrinsic in all living systems and can always be improved. Use it for organizational development, better family relations, community renewal, and creating a more just, democratic and sustainable society.

Wow. This certainly piqued my interest.

A short quote from the Diversity article:

Relationship, community, interdependence, mutuality — even the entire economic system with all its different jobs and products and services and forms of exchange — are all totally dependent on diversity.

As is freedom. Uniqueness is the inside face of diversity. If I want to “be myself” and “do things my way,” I have to live in a culture that respects diversity. The more free a society, the more diversity it tends to generate. And that diversity tends to beget even more diversity as diverse people, stimulated by each other, find new ways to be unique…

Diversity is key to resilience

This fits in with a lot of my thinking on politics, complexity and in some of the work I’m helpig with on Brand Activism.

Some definite reading time needed here…

To celebrate a battle or not?

Published
by
Paul
on 7 December 2003
in Politics
. 0 Comments

BBC NEWS | UK | MoD denies Trafalgar party snub

Lord Nelson led the famous victory in 1805 against French and Spanish fleets.

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, wants to bring together warships from around the world, including French and Spanish vessels, for what would be the centrepiece of the bi-centenary celebrations, the Telegraph said.

Other celebrations could feature a parade through Trafalgar Square and the Navy is negotiating with Spain about sending a warship to Cape Trafalgar to lay a wreath and have a gun salute.

A spokesman for the MoD said: “A committee has been set up to look at a number of different ideas and suggestions.

“These celebrations have got to be funded and financial scrutiny is important to ensure that public money is used most effectively.”

This article from the Beeb interested me for a number of reasons:

1) Should we celebrate a battle and loss of life despite its significance?
2) Shouldn’t we have a joint memorial with France and Spain?
3) Money should be spent on better things - but then the MOD have got it anyway…

Trafalgar is a massive part of English history (usually presented as British history but don’t let that fool you) and along with 1066, probably the only story that School children generally remember (strangely both involve death following an eye injury).

I guess the English psyche cannot let go of such ‘victoris’ because as with most English military success it tended to be the plucky outgunned English beating the foreign hoards by intelligence rather than might of numbers or superior equipment.

So rambling about a bit my main point is why do we celebrate military engagement but not other more positive developments on a national level. True tomorrow we have acelebration for England winning the Rugby World Cup, next year will see celebrations for the bicentenntial of rail travel but they always seem to pale into the background when comparing military events.

Perhaps modern / post modern / new Britain needs to look very hard at itself and the way it presents itself nationally and internationally.