Bruce Winter

So What If Keystone XL Pipleline Isn't Built

2011-09-03T22:56:00.001-06:00

Trans Canada Pipeline wants to put $7B of capital to work. Build a pipeline from Hardisty to Houston.

Is that the best use of the capital? From what I've read, the pipe line will end a distribution blockage at Cushing, Oklahoma, in the short-term. In the mid-term, it will create over capacity, in the pipeline system. That will be taken up over time by more production, in Alberta. And elsewhere, if the price of oil stays high. That's a reasonable Except, oil use for gasoline, in the US is declining. High prices are a contributing factor.

So if that was your $7B, some of it is. Your pension fund is likely vested in Trans Canada, would up make that bet?

So what if, love the what if game, Keystone isn't built. What then? Alberta Energy Minister, Ron Liepert, might need resuscitation. He's has quite the gift for influencing people . By the time the Keystone XL decision is made, Alberta will have a new premier. Perhaps a new government. Who knows who will be running the provincial energy department in January 2012.

With no KeystoneXL, oilsands oil gets to market, as it does now. Though major players including ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Cenovus Energy Inc., Valero Energy Corp., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., won't be too pleased.

We take a 20$/b haircut on the raw stalk because of the glut in Cushing and decreasing American demand. That's $45M a day!

"There is enough spare pipeline capacity in markets outside the U.S. Gulf Coast and Canada’s West Coast to absorb oil sands growth, until near the end of the decade, but new capacity would have to be available after that" Greg Stringham, vice-president, oil sands and markets at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Without Keystone XL, the pace of the oilsands development slows. Is that bad? Would it be 'better' if there was time to create extraction efficiencies. Eighty percent of the resource is too deep for mining. SAGD needs to be better than it is now.

With more time can the industry walk its' efficiency talk. Be more efficient? Live its' social licence to operate. Use less water, less natural ga in the SAGD process. Well, use less of everything. Doesn't that drive costs down? Create better balance sheets?

Does no Keystone XL make local upgrading economic? Right now, apparently it isn't . The existing upgrader capacity is cheaper to run, than building a new green field operations. Wonder why it was such a good idea to build locally, a few years back, and now not so much? Perhaps we need to look beyond just the business economics and look at some social ones, as well.

Like long-term community prosperity tied to resource extraction. Not just dig it .Extract it. Ship it. We aren't going to replace that oil. We can mitigate the extraction by creating some long-term community value, not just hedge fund and CEO bonus value. Norway seems to have captured some. We have a deficit. Norwegians have $500B in the bank!

Now my understanding is, the industry doesn't like Alberta's Bitumen in Kind program. Distorts the market the industry says. The proposed North-West Refinery gets a deal on the bitumen. Gee this guys don't like royalties. Don't like BRIK. Not much long-term community prosperity, in those positions.

If, still playing the what if game, if there is no Keystone XL, then up-grading locally may-be economic. Up-grade here, use existing pipelines. Ship to refineries that can take the upgraded stock. Not all refineries are bitumen able. And there are no plans, anywhere, to increase refinery capacity.

Except may-be right here, in Alberta's Industrial Heartland. Perhaps, there is value added product we can sell. Like biodiesel for the aviation industry, or the trucking industry. The folks in Ontario seem to think that a good bet. And their stock is coming from forestry waste. Competition coming? Might just be a bit better for the environment too.

So no KeystoneXL won't please Trans Canada Pipeline. However it might just create some options. Long term community value is one of them.

So if you had $7B, are you betting Keystone XL, or betting local, where's the value proposition for you?

Canadian Oil Sands - US Council on Foreign Relations

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Learn Engage & Riding a Mountain Bike

2011-08-07T15:08:00.001-06:00

It's always a good day when you learn something. Today is a good day. Had planned to do some mountain biking in Canmore. Plans can go a rye.Sure had s lot of rides though. Made s middle of the night visit to Emergency, at the Canmore Hospital . Of course didn't know exactly where it was. Bumped into 3 RCMP constables during my search. Advised to park my car and got my first ride. Even got an offer for a pick up, if my visit proved to be short. Alas the burning sensation in the middle of my chest was to dictate otherwise. Of course self diagnosis was asthma or bronchitis. Figured in and out in an hour or two . Uh no!. Emergency crew in Canmore , deliberate , professional empathetic and much more knowledgeable than the would not be patient. Several tests coupled with symptoms revealed my ticker was toking as well as ticking. In combination that's not necessarily a good thing. So it was a good thing I was where I was. Thanks Canmore RCMP! So it was determined the mountain bike ride was off. And now the good folks in Canmore had ample evidence s higher level of care was needed. First thought Calgary of course. Nope Calgary didn't 't want me. No offense. preferred home, in YEG, in this circumstance. So in s heart beat, a plan hatched to Medic- Vac to YEG. Second ride up coming. But belongings in hotel room and rental car parked in down town Canmore. Quick call and folks at Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge pack up my room and delver my belongings. Thanks Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge. Quick call to Budget and they say we'll pick up vehicle and deliver your stuff. Thanks Budget! And thanks nurse Sue and docs Anita and Mansur ( sic) And Canmore EMS Chris and her partner for ride two , to Medi - Vac at YYC.. Not sure how long that ride took, was a little engaged in how the ticker was toking. And it was doing ok. So now ride three with Lang ,Chris ,and Byron Cslgary EMS and the medi-vac pilots.Forty nine minutes and TD at YEG muni. and transport to Sturgeon Valley. Hospital Don't ask. Yes several closer, suspect vacancy rate might have s lot to do with the locale. Now under watchful eye of SVH nursing staff, snd Dr Fadi Khaour. Angiogram is slated for Monday, as long as the ticking and toking remain in synch, which they are at this writing. O and the learning, a whole gaggle of Alberts Health Services people made my day today. and likely a whole bunch more. Thanks!

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Albert - Power Politics and the Grid

2011-06-01T13:48:00.001-06:00

It's getting a tad nasty in Tory ville. Calgary's power brokers are fired up on power. It started with Calgary Herald calling out Tory leadership candidate, Ted Morton, on transmission lines.

Morton pushed back.

Tory Leadership game on!

All prompted by Wikileaks suggesting exporting power is the rationale for the new transmission lines.

The government says power export is not the reason for the upgrade.

Follow the link. You decide.

Nothing overly sinister about exporting power. It's imported and exported all the time. That's the essence of a grid system. Power is consumed on demand. Moves to where it's needed.

It's good there's a modicum of discussion, now. Not so good there wasn't much, over the last two years.The issue is complex. Curious to me how myopic the focus is. Disclosure, I worked as consultant for the Heartland Transmission Project, the capital region sector of the proposed transmission line up grade.

How did transmission capacity become the key solution to our power needs. Why limited discussion on intrinsically related issues? Our power comes from coal. How does generation impact our GHG emissions? How does our 'dirty' power system impact our reputation?

Dirty oil, dirty power, dirty Alberta, I'm tired of being called dirty, you? What's the value of our reputation? How does that translate into the cost of our power? Should it?

With a singular focus on transmission, we missed an opportunity to consider an array of options. Conservation and managing demand. Making the grid smarter. Decentralizing distribution. Integrating alternative sources, wind, geothermal, solar, and natural gas. Crucial elements to creating a thorough solution to our power needs.

We squandered an opportunity to derive value from our grid. Manage our reputation. There's lots of value for wire line companies, AtlaLink, Epcor, and Atco. We pay for the up grade, they own the lines. Reap the value from export sales. Does that work for you?

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Eskimos Way is Done-Good!

2010-08-19T10:56:00.001-06:00

Just read Curtis Stock's take on Dan Kepley's resignation. It's insightful, contextual and passionate, as I expect from one of his berg's premier play pen scribblers. I wish he surfaced more often, in the paper and on line.

I don't agree with Stock's take. The organization owed Kepley some thing for his distinguished service. I agree the Eskimos Way is done. That's a good thing. It isn't working. There's a glut of nostalgia selling by our pro sports teams. It needs to end. Kepley's resignation did that with the thundering resonance of one of his shuddering tackles.

I know Danny, too, not as well as Curtis. Well enough to know his resignation, though dramatic is exactly what the organization needs. The "Eskimos Way" a legacy left by his coach, Hugh Campbell, is tired forlorn navel gazing, backwards. It's not Dan Kepley's way. It's a legacy the organization has taken too long to jettison.

There's only conjecture, speculation and innuendo, as to the real reason why he resigned. When he tells us, we'll know. Curtis, when one is not happy in their employ, for whatever reason, and tells the boss, the situation is untenable. I resign. The door slams hard and fast. It caught my butt, in a couple of sports gigs in this town. One thing about the boss, right or wrong, he is.

Kepley's resignation is a catalyst, the neutron dressing room clearing bomb to move the Eskimos forward. Kepley, as he has always, puts the team ahead of himself. There's a message for those left behind. Lead. Do the right thing, when it is hard to do. As the saying goes, it doesn't matter what happens. What matters is what you do.

So Curtis, when you tee it up with #42 next week. Ask him if he believes the organization owes him one. My bet, he says no.

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Not All Business...

2010-08-13T15:51:00.006-06:00

Just good business. Wise words from an old friend. An apt description of the announcement of the 189 room. CourtYard Marriott to be in business, at Edmonton International Airport, by 2012. Just when the terminal expansion is completed.

So what makes this good business. And it's not all about the money. The money, the profits come as a result of good business.

" We can't afford to have our brand fail" said Michael Beckley, Senior VP of Lodging for Marriott Canada.

Download now or watch on posterous

Beckley.mov (3432 KB)

When the brand does $6 Billion worth of business worth of business throughout it's website. That's an a significant order of magnitude. A major vote of confidence in Edmonton's present and future. Nice partners to have.

"We build and operate hotels that's the core of what we do", said Ali Meghji, Principal at Platinum Investments. Been doing it for 35 years in Edmonton.

Download now or watch on posterous

Meghi.mov (2980 KB)

For Edmonton Airports the project delvers a long term lease, cash flow. Provides capacity to keep costs to airlines down, which effects the price you pay for a ticket.

For travellers there's a recognized facility that will make for easier travel. Moving you in comfort, with a dash of style.

Good business, you tell me.

Here's a glimpse of what you can expect at the Court Yard Marriott,at Edmonton Airports.

Download now or watch on posterous

EIA-Marriot_HD-2.mov (2655 KB)

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Small Planes FLY EIA too!

2010-08-02T20:37:00.001-06:00

Toured EIA last week. Got a look at the General Aviation area.

Here's what I learned.

There's lots of hanger space available.

Inside Refurbished Ward Air Hanger 120,000 Sq Feet of maintenance and parking space.

Sufficient space to accommodate a 747, or a 'fleet' of small aircraft.

General Aviation Tarmac

Suncor is major user of EIA's General Aviation facility.

Private Air Charter companies like Calgary based Air Sprint and SunWest use the facility.

Kevin Costner flew in, and out this weekend, on his was to Big Valley Jamboree.

Passenger & Cargo operations like Canadian North links the North through EIA.

Six NHL teams, including the Oilers, use this facility . Eskimos use it too.

Nice tidy business.

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4 Take Aways from Arena Day

2010-07-22T16:09:00.001-06:00

PR & Communications

Mayor open preceding thanking Darryl for coming and acknowledging his parents and family were in attendance.--- reaching out . In his opening remarks Katz said ''we haven't made it easy", in reference to the process." I'm apologize for that."--- reaching out.

Suggest he do more of that. Take the lead. Talk more. We need and expect him to talk more, not at us, with us. He was the best performer, in his entourage. We'd like to know him better.

When he linked the Heritage Classic, as the catalyst for the lucrative NHL Outdoor Classic, he touched a nerve that resonates in Edmonton. We take risk. We expect a reasonable return. We share. Katz's NHL partners are the beneficiaries of Edmonton's expertise. We relate to that. Build on it.

Transparency

Now, apparently, the Katz Group will go all in, with a $400M investment, $200M to buy the Oilers, $100M for complimentary investment. He did commit, again I think, the $100M for the arena.“If that’s what it takes to move this project forward, I will do that,” Katz said.

When asked if the $100M for the arena included the land, equivocation. Legal Council John Karvellas said that was part of the negotiation. At that point, Mr Katz could have said, land is in or land is out. He said nothing. So though the headlines say he's in, I'm not so sure that part of the $100M for the arena is the land.

Accountability

Financial questions were stone walled. "As a private company we are not obliged to divulge our financial statements" said several times by Paul Marcaccio, the chief financial officer of the Katz Group. True and beside the point. We need to verify the numbers. Partners do that.

Apparently the Oilers have lost money 7 of the last 10 years. If true, is that a company 'we' want to partner with? They argue the rink is too small, needs more seats. And of course all that ancillary revenue that now goes to Northlands.

It can be argued current business practices by NHL teams, Oilers included, do not warrant subsidization. Subsidizing reckless and irresponsible business practices, makes one poorer. Is reckless behaviour, signing players to inflated contracts, enabled by public subsidy?

Community Awareness

Edmonton is a small town. The Katz group have not grasped the significance of Edmonton Northlands. They dismissed it. "We tried to negotiate with Northlands and we couldn't reach an agreement. We've moved on", said John Karvellas.

The city hasn't and neither has Northlands. Maybe KS&E sailed too soon. Northlands could be the bank, here. Northlands has access to federal funds. Same taxpayer just a different pocket.

Katz Sports& Entertainment is grasping for Edmonton's Concert business. Northlands hosted 42 of them last year. The Katz Group thinks it can do better. AEG may be able to bring in the acts. However, if all the revenue, goes to the private operator,what's the civic benefit? Good for the operator, may be not so good for the city.

I've not heard AEG outline the order of magnitude of the concert and large show business, in Edmonton. Seem lots of video about what's doable in LA, London, and Berlin. Nice but not relevant to this market.

The glitz business depends on disposable income. In small town, one trick, oil can, Edmonton, can we support more than a concert, or large show a week? Key questions when you propose funding a $400M entertainment complex. It's managing the risk.

Your thoughts?

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$112M Superior Value for Community Rec Centre

2010-07-13T13:16:00.002-06:00

A $100M is a big number, a popular figure, in Edmonton, these days.

Actually, $112M is the cost for the new North Central Community Recreation Centr e, under construction, at Commonwealth Stadium. A hundred million dollars is the amount the Katz Group offered, then withdrew, to fund the new arena project.

North Central Community Recreation Centre-meet and play be fit and well

So I wondered, how much value does $112M buy? Lots, when there's collaborative effort in raising and spending it. The NCCRC was originally conceived as a field house. The Eskimos had $15 from the province for up grades to the stadium. Cost for the field house is $40M. So they ponied up another $5M. The city matched the Esks contribution. Voila, a field house! There's more.

The city was reviewing plans for recreation centre up grades. When a city deal with NAIT fell through, the Eskimos went back to city and said what about a recreation centre up grade, at the stadium. "It just made a lot of sense," says Esks CEO Rick Lelacheur. "One management group, for the field house, the pool, there were just a lot of common threads," he adds .

And more cash required. The cost went from $40M for the field house to $112M for the field house and recreation centre. The Esks ponied up another $2.5M. Their direct investment, $7.5M, mostly from proceeds of the Edmonton Trappers sale. Plus the $15M they received from the province for stadium upgrades for a total of $22.5M, or 20% of the project cost. That's equivalent to a down payment we'd make on a house. Opens the door for conventional municipal financing. The city was on the hook for the balance $89.5M

The need was readily identified. A community centre chartered to improve health and wellness, in a part of town bereft of such amenities. Still, no matter how worthwhile, a $112M project price tag is a prescription for political heart palpitations, cold feet, and limited support. "We spent a lot of time working with city administration, and we went jointly to council and got 100% approval, says Lelacheur.

" It was significant effort by the Eskimos that enabled us to get get support and funding, says Rob Smyth, Community and Facility Services branch manager, at the city. Without their work behind the scenes, it's doubtful the we'd have been able to go ahead," he adds.

So why did it work? It started with a community vision. Build a legacy asset. Produce a community dividend. It's an example of Higher Purpose business practice, an element traditionally and sorely, in short supply. An element whose time may be nigh, according to Umair Haque, writing in the Harvard Business Review :

"... if we want to allocate precious talent, energy, and time to what matters instead of what glitters, if we want to create fundamentally new advantages— it's time to give the economy a higher purpose."

A $112M buys superior value, when it's well managed . A neighbourhood gets a facility, it could not afford, on it's own. The rest of us get to use it. It's an LRT ride away. Amplifying the city strategy to connect us with recreation and entertainment facilities, while leaving our cars parked. The Eskimos get field house to train, a new dressing room, some office space. The value proposition seems well served to me.

When it's about all of us, it's possible to garner support for just about anything in this berg. What say you?

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Arena & Airport Edmonton's Dysfunctional Under Belly

2010-07-07T15:33:00.001-06:00

Let's connect some disparate dots, the floundering Arena Project and the enigmatic City Centre Airport.

The protagonists are Mayor Stephen Mandel and Cal Nichols .

Nichols is the respected Founder of Gasland Properties, Chair of the Alberta Enterprise Group, former Chair of the Oilers Investors Group and current Chair and Alternative Governor of the Oilers. Cal is the chair, of the Katz group arena project, the influence guy.

Last year, about this time, the city conducted a detailed study on airport lands. Cal resigned his position with the Oilers, to head the AEG campaign to keep the airport open. He did that to avoid conflict with his position for the Katz Group, on the arena project. That campaign failed. City Council voted to close the airport slowly, over 15 years.

Don't think, Cal was pleased with the decision. Votes, public will, and process don't seem to matter to ECCA proponents . May Day! Envision Edmonton cleared to land. Mayor Mandel, safe to say is a big supporter of revitalizing the airport lands.

Me thinks, Cal and Stephen have some issues. If body language, at a recent public event, is a metric, personal relations are strained, at best. I caught both, at the Memorial for Gary McPherson, a few weeks back. When their paths crossed, 2 feet in front of me, there was no contact, no acknowledgement, no interaction. Thought that odd for the two guys leading the parade, on major issues affecting the city. Debris from the City Centre Airport decision smoulders.

Let's look a some other dots.The $100M Katz Group 'proposed' to invest in the Arena. That got the Mayor's attention. Think of the $100M, as 20% of the proposed cost of $500M to build the arena. That's pretty close to qualifying for traditional mortgage financing. Makes the project commercially, as in non publicly, financeable. The Mayor could and did support an arena funded that way. With the city committed to tossing in complimentary infrastructure, not a paltry commitment, there was potential for a viable partnership.

Until, oops,not so fast. The Katz $100M is not for the arena, but for unspecified ancillary development, at some undetermined future date. The Mayor was not happy, with that move. Nor the next one. Just for good measure, the Katz group said they want all the arena revenue. And Northlands, get stuffed. Don't need ya. Throw a partner under the bus, when another comes along. Happens in business.

A couple of caveats to the numbers above. First the $500M cost has not been verified. Consider it a floor not a ceiling. I'll take the 'over' on the over/under, bet any day.

Now the Mayor is more than a little disgruntled with the "Pocklingtonesque", you pay, I get, manoeuvre. He too has a vision, more importantly a plan, a public one. The Quarters is a significant development proposed for the east end of downtown. It's the catalyst to re develop downtown. The Arena District scooped the notion, in a PR coup of sorts to create Revitalize Edmonton with the arena as the focal point.

The Quarters is heavy on high density housing. The Arena District is highly commercial. Synergies are possible. The Arena District could be the play-pen for the Quarters.

They are only a few blocks apart. Walking distance. Walking, is going to be' the mode ' of transport, in the new down town

We are three years into The Quarters proposal. Progress is tedious. A new Downtown Redevelopment Plan has been approved. Re Zoning is completed. A Public Financing Plan will be presented to Council, in August. The urban planning process pretty mundane.

There's private interest in building a hotel on the corner of Jasper and 96h street. Currently that site is a parking lot. Subject to approvals construction could start, next spring. Assuming it is economically prudent to do so. Lots of caveats in development. When it proceeds the hotel will be he first private foray into downtown redevelopment.

"We've asked developers for expressions of interest, on other city own land,in the Quarters, says Kathleen Young , development manager, in the city's special projects office. "Responses have just started to come in," she says.

So the Mayor's plan in the Quarters is inching forward. The Arena District is stalled, momentarily. It's clear the Mayor and Cal Nichols, Katz Group Chairman, have some issues. Certainly a few crucial things they don't agree on. It's a bromide to say; we'll agree to disagree. No solution in that remedy. Theatre of the absurd? Waste of time and public money? Power brokers, broken? No leaders or leadership? Settling scores? What do you think?

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Boondoggle - Edmonton Arena District

2010-06-28T16:27:00.001-06:00

Boondoggle...

Term for a scheme that wastes time and money

So why does a golden opportunity become a boondoggle?

"What seems to be missing in the arena planning exercise is a co-operative spirit toward achieving an excellent downtown design. It seems to have turned into a funding shell game without a proper cost-and-benefit assessment of various development and operational options." Architect Gene Dub

Why, when the Arena District is an opportunity to do business better and do better business...

"The basics of the business are that you need all of the revenue sources, ancillary and direct, to create a business case that works. It's very, very difficult, perhaps even impossible, to live on pure gate receipts and revenues that are directly associated with hockey."

Oilers' President Pat Laforge

... do intelligent men seek to 'game' the system?

" I've said all along that we can't count on the largesse of the owner's Visa card to keep hockey in Edmonton and the building provides the sustainability model that you need through good times and bad."Oilers' President Pat Laforge

Why is business, as it is done, so short-sighted, so greedy so manipulative so abusive, so condescending?

"funding is a big concern with many taxpayers, but that issue is part of the process that will be

addressed later."

Bob Black VP Katz Sports&Entertainment

...when there is opportunity ...To be open and forthcoming

Why are public proceedings, processes, rules, procedures, so myopic, so limiting, so closed, so complicated?

Download now or watch on posterous

Arena Process.mov (1297 KB)

Zoning Public Meeting listen up, we going to tell you some stuff!

...when they can be simple, open, and understandable.

Why is it, or has it become so divisive,

questions about the funding model "have been distracting from the zoning application." Bob Black VP Katz Sports&Entertainment

...When there is such great promise ...To engage

...not enrage.

...When there is such potential t

o Unite

... not divide

... To Set New Standards

Download now or watch on posterous

Standards.mov (1200 KB)

LEED Recognized Standards let's make them better

... not adapt current ones.

Why is the fire that ignites the engine, propels us forward, creates value, delivers benefit, without exception, without exclusion, defused?

We set standards, daily, in Edmonton. We don't cherry pick them. We set the bar, not reach for it. We accept reasonable risk. We expect enduring reward for doing so. We are generous, not greedy. We are inclusive not exclusive. We embrace open, honest accountable, dialogue, debate, and discussion, not closed, authoritarian, deceitful, dictation.

... We believe in Edmonton. We believe in the promise of this city and its people. We see all the positive things happening downtown and want to be a part of it. And we believe that, together, we have the chance to do something extraordinary.

... excerpt from the Edmonton Arena District vision statement.

Together that's good, when do we meet? Will be a first when 'we' do. You'll know us, when you see us. We're Edmontonians.

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Hired to Be Fired

2010-06-16T09:36:00.001-06:00

Professional sports coaches live by the axiom. Actually we all do. Been fired, hired, and done the firing, only one of those is pleasant. Two are brutally difficult, suspect there's folks who relate.

Don't know Rob Daum personally, can relate to how he feels. At best abandoned, at worst angry, and somewhere in the middle, a little panicked to regenerate cash flow.

Local sports media respect him. His coaching record is good. If the metric is last season's record, then all the coaches in the organization should be replaced. His loyalty to the programs he's worked in is unquestioned.

Bad things happen to good people too. Why? Why have the Oilers mishandled another personnel issue? Is their some merit in what Sheldon Souray said a while back Roundly dismissed then as disgruntled player comments, perhaps now there's some legitimacy to his claims. Actions suggest there's some legitimacy to Souray's claims.

Communication is not a strong suit in the organization. Skillful communication, internally and externally is an art, a manifestation of leadership. It's not the message that matters so much. Talk after all is easy. It is what you do and how it is done. There's a 'correct' way to 'fire' or not "re-hire" in this case. It's a process which is sorely inept in all of business practice. I thought this was a good read on the topic.

Leadership inspires, creates allegiance motivates. It is compassionate. Not in the modern sense. In the latin sense "with passion", understanding and empathy. Like a skilled power forward Leadership is a big need for the local hockey side .

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Culture +Dogma=Inertia at Grant MacEwan U

2010-06-14T21:42:00.001-06:00

There's sentiment our institutions and corporations are so cluttered by culture and dogma, policies and procedures, they are paralyzed. When it comes to Grant MacEwan University's Wellness Centre, it's a sad and true commentary. Remember the great pool closure fiasco, 3 months ago?

Closed minds prevail. It appears the systemic neglect, which characterized pool operations for the last 3 years, is back on. I don't understand how discontinuing swim lessons engages the community, or creates potential to increase revenue to off set the operating costs.

Granted community swim lessons are not a panacea by any means. Community contact is though. And the Wellness Centre is caught in a huge dilemma. Half of its' revenue comes from community membership.So community should be pretty important. It doesn't seem to be. Unless of course the con is on.

So here's my suggestion. Be bold. Act. Create. Be and do better. Expand the fitness area by building a two storey addition to the south, towards 4h AVE. That solves the space issue for the fitness area, provides for more program offerings, and more membership opportunities. More community contact. Heck may be even some extension course take up. Imagine that!

Be bold, brand the Corner of 4th Ave & 9th Street, the MacEwan Wellness Corner, a two storey block of Wellness related businesses, running north from 4th Ave to 5th Ave.

Create two revenue streams, rent and revenue share. Do the latter by discounting the rent, slightly below market. Take an equity position in each businesses' sales. Help them win and the University wins. Be better. Do business a little differently.

Create a Wellness Centre Foundation. Revenue flows in to off-set costs of running the Wellness Centre, including the pool.
The word on the street is the University will get the pool closure right, this time. The various groups analyzing the situation are merely pawns, in a ruse. I have no way to measure that word. I've heard it. What I do know is across the street, to the west, Christenson Developments has new Seniors Housing coming. Down the street to the east, there's an Arena and Entertainment District, coming. At the corner of 4th Ave & 5th Street, to the south, there's a large condo, in the final stages of construction. I see customers living there.

Healy Ford is on the move. More high density housing is coming to the neighbourhood. And when the city moves ahead with the LRT expansion, which is in high gear, at the moment, there will be a station at 4th Ave & 5th Street. That brings the entire city to the campus door step.

Opportunity is in the neighbourhood, knocking a the door. My goodness a neighbourhood where you could live, work, learn, be well, and entertained within 8 blocks. Sure hope Grant MacEwan U hears the knock and answers the bell. Not optimistic though, your thoughts?

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Tale of two Edmonton Events - Expo 2017 and ArenaDistrict

2010-06-01T16:24:00.001-06:00

Fired up? Inspired by the Edmonton Arena District? Itching to do something.

What about by Expo 2017, top of mind, do you care?

Two projects, portending great vision for our city. Which gets your attention, time, interest and energy? I like Expo 2017. Why? Leadership, leaders who invite participation, coalesce a cause, and collaborate. There's a sense of ease to the Expo bid. Like the North Saskatchewan meandering through town in the spring, the Expo Bid process flows, relentlessly.

There are tangible results. Introduced last fall, six months later it has garnered qualified provincial support. City support with an accelerated plan for the LRT. Regional support with airport expansion. Tangible infrastructure assets to show the feds, we have 'skin' in the game. Demonstrate to the Expo people, we are equipped to surpass their hosting standards. All because the first question, in the Expo Bid is "why"? The purpose, what the leadership believes. Not want the leadership 'wants'.

Leaders are powerful people, who 'peddle' influence. Leadership inspires action. Examining the ArenaDistrict and Expo leadership under the inspiration metric, ArenaDistrict comes second. Katz Sports and Entertainment tells us what they want. Pay for the arena. Wants first. Vision second. It's them and us. For the Expo leadership, is just us, all of us.

Why is unanswered Edmonton revitalization question. Why, the purpose, the belief, the inspiration behind all this revitalization 'talk' . Creating an 'entertainment district', is a result. That's not why?

Why, missing from revitalization, is the top priority for Expo '17. On why, the two groups go east and west. It's not buy-in. It's inspiration. Getting an entire community 'fired-up" in the vernacular of the time. Paraphrasing Martin Luther King; he said, "I believe...," not I have a comprehensive plan, minus the details which we'll talk about later.

So why might be: Edmonton is city which challenges norms. We believe 'we' can re-design down town Edmonton to make it a better place to 'live". How, by tapping the collective wisdom of the community, in an open frank discussion. What, re build downtown Edmonton, deploying new made in Edmonton standards for financing, engineering, environmental stewardship, (zero waste, alternative energy systems). Create a new city centre which offers an array of new housing options. Accommodates current area residents. Attracts the best in Global Entertainment. Drives Tourism. Supports local business. Do you want to help?

Fired up?

If you had 10 hours to volunteer your time and expertise, which group would get it? Edmonton ArenaAD, or Expo2017 Why? Which group do you think would accept your offer ?

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5 Snippets from the EIA AGM At AGA

2010-05-13T10:38:00.004-06:00

At Edmonton International Airports' Annual General Meeting at the AGA tonight, I learned...

1) One million passengers use Calgary instead of EIA. That's 20, 737's fully loaded a day. Use it or lose it folks! More jobs here, if those flights originate here!

2) Six million folks used EIA in 2009, down from 6.4 million, in 2008 Revenue $126.9M Earnings $7M, both down from 2008 due to the recession.

3) Ten thousand folks work at EIA, or in related business pull in $450M in wages. That's an economic driver for the region.

4) Recession cut terminal expansion costs by 25%. On a Billion $, that's $250M. Expansion 2012 is on target, and eh under budget.

Click to watch EIA Terminal Video

5) Bus Service to EIA coming real soon, "We're committed" said Edmonton Councillor Don Iveson, during a question and answer session.

On the bus service, according to EIA CEO Reg Milley, a deal was reached a year ago. It's unclear why it lost momentum. However not this time. Edmonton, Leduc, Leduc County, and EIA are in. They are going ahead. Capital Regional Board meets May 20Th. Expect a rubber stamp of approval and other municipalities to step up. Service possibly by July, maybe sooner from the Century Park LRT Station.

This a step in an accelerated LRT expansion plan, announced earlier this month. Interestingly, count on LRT to the Airport. "We have designed a route and a building to accommodate the LRT", Milley said.

The driver for that is Expo 2017. Skeptics on that event, take note. There is an unseen undercurrent of support percolating for Expo. A LRT plan to service sites and the airport could be key elements in securing the bid.

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Summer Musings on Alberta Spring Day

2010-05-04T14:17:00.003-06:00

Ruminating hard today, about a recent foray to the Oakanagan. The tough decision, drive 10 hours, flyeia with West Jet, 52 minutes. Well not quite, need to factor airport hassle time. So real travel time was 2 hours and 20 minutes, my house to YLW. Cost with seat sale, less than driving by large order of magnitude.

Golf wine and real estate were on the agenda. Golf for the focus for this post. Played The Pinnacle, 9-holer next to Gallagher's Canyon. Great little track to 'figure' it out on, after winter of benign neglect. Will be good for in season adjustments, too.

Better, if you are inclined to practice, is the range facility, at Gallagher's. Doubled ended range, large, well expansive, grass tee box. Sand trap and chipping area. Lessons available as you would expect.

Played the Harvest, too. Now this little devil can fool you with elevations and wind. Greens were mid April speed. Can just imagine what they'd be like now, eh mid summer, remember that? The par three, 16th is a nice little challenge. Above the pin on mid summer greens, mid summer nightmare!

Black Mountain is Melcor Golf facility, in north Kelowna. Needs some finishing touches before it deserves the Score Canada rating it has. No warm up area, or putting green. Not sure how that can be,but it is. Course itself is set in on bench high above Kelowna. Typical Melcor track, real estate surrounding it. Hope they don't build the houses too close.

Six par 4's under 380 may deter big hitters. However can attest staying 3 over on those is a pretty good challenge. Holes 13-17 will make or break the outing.

Par 3 11 th at Black Mountain 184 or 154 yds

Here, you get 2 par 3s, over 200 yards and 3, par 4's under 375. Have fun! And trust me 360 yard par fours can be a lot of eh, fun, combined with fair amount of muttering. As always straight is 'good'. Despite some missing ingredients I'd play it again for that stretch of holes.

Got to Osoyoos too. Played the Desert Gold at the Country Club. Another mountain track with spectacular vistas, short par fours, again in the 340 to 385 range. Accuracy is the game of choice. And when you tackle the 527 yard par 5, 6th, use a hybrid twice to get in place for your approach to the green.

My playing partners had serious case of lock-jaw, when I pulled out the driver and hit two, into the toolies.

Eh left is no good here, just trust me.

They made amends for themselves over lunch, though. Food at the Osoyoos GC is very good and reasonably priced.

The best part of the south Oakanagan is sunny warm weather. Actually hot +25 two weeks ago. They tell me t'was the same here, then, remember?

And for two small, albeit tourist oriented towns, Oliver and Osoyoos, boost 81 holes of golf and more coming. There's 36 at the Osoyoos Country, 9 with 9 more coming at Sonora Dunes, owned by the Osoyoos Indian band. Didn't play Fairview Mountain this time but will, next trip. NK'Mip another OIB facility, is also on the radar.

Sunny days ahead, and o yes one more little gem tucked off the beaten path, Saint Andrews on the Lake. This deserves a visit just to take a photograph. Huge clubhouse, worth a stop for lunch and a beverage.

Just Stop in

Musings on a spring day in Edmonton.

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Global's Trouble Shooter - New News Old News Better News

2010-04-03T14:05:00.002-06:00

Watched my first local news cast, in long while, last Thursday night, April 1. Sad and true, I don't watch much TV anymore. Like the Edmonontian Generation, hardly ever watch the news.

By the time 6 o'clock comes, I pretty much know the issues. Researched what I need to know, on the net. Use the hour better at the pool, at Grant MacEwan University.

Now, the however, last Thursday's, April 1, Global TVs Trouble Shooter report got my attention. Titled Landscaping Nightmare, it's a report of a landscaping project gone bad. It's an example of how local television fails and could succeed.

Watch it .

This is old news style production, present the story. Gee, that's too bad. Buyer beware, We're done .

Instead of the end to a trouble shooting report. Lets resolve the issue. Bring resources to bear. Perhaps like this. Global News, decided to do something about this. We contacted the Landscaping class, at Nait. The students have agreed to take on the restoration as a class project. Donate their time and labor.

Our sponsor, Salisbury Green House has agreed to over see the students. Make sure the design will work. Get the project finished. We are going to document the effort and keep you informed on the progress, here on the News at Six at GlobalEdmonton.com on our FaceBook Page and Twitter.

Collaboration, relationship building, facilitation, news as a service, imagine that. Add value to a sponsorship. Ah yes, solve a problem. Create a reputation for problem solving. Collaborate with viewers, sources, and contributors, all the same folks by the way.

Time to re-brand the Trouble Shooter. Position locals news as a community service. Create solutions, not trouble shoot them. No CRTC save local news regulation required. Good likelihood of attracting more participating eye balls and sponsors too.

What do you think?

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MacEwan U Pool Now What

2010-03-22T14:23:00.004-06:00

So Journalist Jeff asked "So, was this a bad decision made without consultation or is the squeaky wheel just getting oil"?, about

Pool at MacEwan city centre campus to stay open

Neither and both if I may proffer a response.

Neither:

In 2006 Board of Governors gave the Administration a three-year window to address the issues of cost and use, lower the former increase the latter. Both are proving to be more difficult than anticipated to resolve.

Students and patrons united to show the facility is valuable to them, well us, I'm one. Got squeaky well squawked a bit, got oiled, as JJ might say, now what.

Now and what are all that matters. Sink or swim by June 2011.

Three Suggestions, One question to Revitalize the MacEwan U Aquatic Centre

Lets:

Crowd Source

Ask patrons and the community to contribute to a solution.

Explore synergies with the City, and Regional municipalities.

There are 21 pools in Metro Edmonton and 4 more coming. Is there a network effect in there? Is the public library system a model to emulate?

Think beyond facility to health education and community.

Question

Are there 5 more corporate visionaries willing to emulate Greg Christenson?

Initiate Collaborate and Revitalize. Sink or swim. We'll know shortly.

Suggestions Welcome!

Revitalize Thinking at MacEwan U.

2010-03-08T16:17:00.004-07:00

Addition by subtraction is zero.

Addition: MacEwan University is amalgamating 3 satellite campuses down town and spending $20M on a Staff Service Centre. Lots of money.

Subtraction : MacEwan University is closing the Aquatic Centre No money!

How does closing a strategic community asset revitalize, enable, engage, and entice people to come down town?

Full disclosure, I'm a 15 year patron, at the Wellness Centre. I use the pool 3 times a week. Journey down town from the south side regularly.The Aquatic Centre is allegedly expensive to run and not busy enough.

By The Numbers
The University allegedly lost $5.5 M due to government funding cuts. The University will allegedly save $500K by closing the Aquatic Centre.

Except

MacEwan spokesman David Beharry clarified the school's position Friday, saying the $500,000 in savings won't be immediate."It will come over the long-term," he said. The university will spend $700,000 to renovate the pool space. There will be additional costs for buying weights and cardio machines. Edmonton Journal .

More numbers

"The institution will be able to cover the drop in funding with a $14-million reserve fund built up over the last several years", said Brent Quinton, MacEwan's vice-president university services. "Our plan is to use the $14 million over the next three years."
Edmonton Journal

So if we apply $4.6M from the reserve to this year's operating loss, then the loss is $400K not $5.5M. All numbers supplied by Grant MacEwan University.

Wow, there's a lot of figuring going on, at MacEwan U. Do those numbers make any sense? Not to me. How about you?

Lets move on.

Exploring solutions to the cost challenges of running an aquatic centre.
Let's agree operating costs are a high. Let's cut the energy by 50% over three years. How about a solar based Down Town District, Distributed Energy plant. Enmax built a Distributed Energy Centre, in Calgary.

Why can't 'we' do that here? Use solar energy with natural gas as a back up. How about capturing the energy leakage? Capital Power have you got any suggestions? Epcor, Stantec, PCL what about you? We could always ask Enmax too.

Benefits
Tap community expertise in Renewable Energy
Commercialize Renewable Energy Research
Reduce Energy Footprint
Reduce Aquatic Centre Energy Costs
Demonstrate what a smart city is

Aquatic Centre as an asset.
Here's a suggestion. If students are too busy during the day to use the Aquatic Centre, open it to Wellness Entrepreneurs in the community, like Flo Stomp at FJS Rehab.

FJS offers aquatic based physiotherapy. It's a niche rehabilitation procedure for folks who are unable to do traditional physio. The aquatic centre is an ideal site for a service like that. Even more so with new Seniors Condos coming.

Possibilities Might the rehab specialists at the Glenrose Hospital be interested in using the aquatic centre? Could a relationship between the MacEwan Wellness Centre and the Glenrose lead to study, research, and breakthroughs in aquatic rehabilitation exercise?

Might that attract the best and brightest in that field, not just down town, but to Edmonton itself? Is that not a core value of the "Revitalize Edmonton" movement, not to mention MacEwan University? How about DND? Do our vets need a facility to heal and rehab. MacEwan's got one.

Benefits

Create strategic community relationships
Establish the MacEwan University brand in the community

Lots of revitalization platitudes on You Tube from the Arena District promoters, recently

Is this revitalize stuff real, or just PR? EdmontonAD, here's a neighbourhood asset to revitalize. It comes complete with Health Education and Community core principles of your movement.

Let's put some ' do' in revitalize. Build a new box. Jettison the empty one!

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New Arena is Boring

2010-03-01T09:27:00.001-07:00

RIP Arena 1.0!

Were you inspired, last week, by Mr Katz's video? Do you share his vision? Do you know what it is? Are you captivated by the PR campaign?

Is the Mayor's idea of a $5 ticket tax, yet another ticket tax, on top of the current one, anything but a lame, lazy, politically expedient traditional financing model. Why don't we just pay cash for it? Is any one thinking how that could be done? Why does the community need to create more debt? How is creating more debt a benefit?

The financing 'deal' as proposed, is unacceptable. Can you imagine any one on the Arena committee accepting this deal, if it was presented to them. Ok it's an opening salvo. That's an old strategy, too. An old closed non-transparent way of doing business. The way things are done. Is the best, our business and political elite has to offer.

Surely, Mr Elzinga will do better than grease the skids for slot machines. And surely he won't recommend taking the gaming license away from the Horse Racing industry and give it to The Oilers Community Foundation. That's a zero sum game. Do we need more gambling?

Mayor Stephen, what happen to your vision of east end re development? Where did it go? Gosh wasn't this revitalization supposed to be dramatic inspirational, new and different? Engage the community. Tap it's collective expertise.

Why do we need another Casino, hotel, franchised coffee shops, and bars, we've got those on every corner, now.

Why do we use Los Angeles, Columbus, and Indianapolis, as standards.

Why are we not creating our own and have other communities use ours?

Is this all there is? I've asked that before.

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Gamers Chart New Course-Virtual Reality Meets Dirt

2010-02-25T15:03:00.006-07:00

Previously we introduced 3DI Interactive Inc., an Edmonton Alberta, company specializing in High Fidelity Simulation. Integrating gaming realism with point of view simulation is the magic 3DI sauce. The company is moving gaming beyond aimless destruction into realistic, practical, presentation. Augmenting simulation by extending a narrow, cockpit-point-of-view perspective, to encompass an entire environment. And most importantly monetizing the process.

With realism nailed, what's next? Perspective! Change it . While doing that, show people how to use and take care of the equipment. Make training more intuitive, memorable, and affordable. There's a very focused business proposition, here. Solve some problems. Create value.

There's more than dirt to this simulation business. There's a host of resource opportunities to pursue. The latest venture is an oil and natural gas simulator. Bring the rig just about anywhere. Show how to run it, safely. Shorten the training cycle, reduce risk.

Innovation is magic. Find something that shortens a production cycle, resolves a bottleneck, or makes a process safer. 3DI stumbled into one with the Snubco simulator.

That blue valve icon to the right, in the picture above, was an in-house creation to aid the coders in building the simulator. It doesn't exist on the platform control panel. Snubco liked the idea and is now working to add it to the platform control screen so that operators can see right in to the. Virtual reality becomes real.

Going forward. Backward is not practical. The vision is remotely controlled machines operated from a central control room, perhaps a living room and a smart phone, or the cab of a truck and a tablet, OK, iPad! Makes sense as the resources become harder to get from remote environments.

"Don't go where the path may lead.
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson American poet and philosopher .

There are risks, benefits, and rewards, exercising that option. Seems an apt mantra for what's going on at 3DI. Smart crew, rendering its own path, in real-time, with Pure Light .

Links

3DI Interactive Inc.
Ray Tracing
Snubco
Caterpillar
Mack Male's 3DI Profile

Virtual Reality Meets Dirt

2010-02-25T14:55:00.005-07:00

Now, that's a core gaming activity! It's tough to take the gamer completely out of the game. Gaming, the virtual kind, is a huge business. For those over 30 who don't get it,hang in here for a moment. The gamers at 3DI Interactive INC., are on a mission to change things.

3DI is one of those small, under the radar, 'smart companies', which Edmonton likes to brag about.'That's our boys', may become a tag line, when Edmonton knows more about them and what they are doing.

The enterprisers at 3DI have scoped an opportunity. Moving dirt and maintaining the machines that do, is big business in Alberta. A cost reducing solution can be a winner! 3DI is working on several. They're meshing gaming's highly authentic graphics, and point of view simulation, into a heavy equipment training and operational safety solution. Virtual Reality meets dirt!

Affable Andrew Czarnietzki leads a like-minded, highly skilled group, with extensive computer programming, engineering, design, and mathematical backgrounds. Like a lot of local gamers, Andrew thought he'd make a career designing games at BioWare. Wasn't to be.

With a keen collective eye for innovation, the group turned a $8K gaming license into a thriving new business. 3DI cut a deal with Epic Games to license the Unreal Gaming Engine, differentiating themselves in the market place, in the process. There was one caveat with Epic Games. The license could not be used for gaming.

Though dirt is the focus now, 3DI started in architectural rendering. Like most start-ups, failure is common. It can spark innovation, seed an opportunity, or lead to oblivion.

The challenge make 'renderings' more authentic. Do it in real-time. Compress the time it takes to create a project. Make the process seamless to the user. Create more realistic lighting.

Pure Light simplifies and shortens the work flow. It's a game changer. Now a product offering. Interestingly, 3DI licensed one of their architectural clients, which enabled them to offer a more efficient, cost-effective, in-house solution to their clients.

That may seem counter productive; however, the client has been repositioned as a customer for Pure Light updates and revisions. Create value. Capture some of it . Enable the client. Smart ! A recipe for success, and a catalyst for bigger solutions such as big machine simulation, coming up in part 2.

Links

3DI Interactive Inc.
Ray Tracing
Snubco
Caterpillar
Mack Male's 3DI Profile

ThinkTank - Ask your friends,customers,citizens...

2010-02-17T18:52:00.001-07:00

ThinkTank

Ask your friends

ThinkTank is an installable web application that captures and organizes replies to your status updates on Twitter.

Get the ThinkTank source code, follow @thinktankapp on Twitter, and join the mailing list.

Screenshots of ThinkTank in action:

Twitter threads compiled by ThinkTank:

What was your best gadget/gizmo acquisition of the year?

What do you eat first thing in the morning?

What do you do to protect your laptop's data on open networks and in case of theft?

Free/cheap image editor for the Mac? Something more than Preview, less than Photoshop... what do you use?

Here's more on archiving, curating, and republishing public Twitter conversations.

Recently on the ThinkTank Mailing List
License?
by Thong Kuah
-
2 minutes ago
Hi I got here via [link]. This matches something I had in mind for some time. Thinking of trying it out. May I know what is ...
Re: [ThinkTank App] ThinkTank now at Expert Labs, will help the White House's Grand Challenges initiative
by Dan Brickley
-
3 hours ago
Congrats! Glad to see this work get some recognition... Dan
Re: [ThinkTank App] ThinkTank now at Expert Labs, will help the White House's Grand Challenges initiative
by Christoffer Viken
-
3 hours ago
Great news... If free is "free as in freedom" then count me in... Once I can actually afford a computer I'll have ...
Re: [ThinkTank App] ThinkTank now at Expert Labs, will help the White House's Grand Challenges initiative
by Wmfox3
-
3 hours ago
Wow, Gina. That's huge. How might this accelerate the timetable? Sent from my iPhone

This is the project formerly known as Twitalytic by Gina Trapani.

It is nice to be nice.

via thinktankapp.com

This could be very usefu tool to enable discussion and particiaption in all the various civic issues in Edmonton, these days.

How about a community wide real and virtual think tank on the new arena. A benefit of our hpyer connected world, it would only take moments to implement to start gathering information.

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Arena 1.0 DOA

2010-02-16T16:37:00.004-07:00

Is that all there is?

All there is, an arena, casino, skating rink, hotel?

I mean really, is that all, there is?

Really, all there is, another River Cree Resort, downtown...

Vision

Well then, lets keep dancing! Let's bring out the best, the brightest, lets enable, engage, enlist and share.

An ' Entertainment District' implies 'community' of people. Last week's vision for the entertainment district is rather limited. Actually, there wasn't much about 'district' at all. It was bereft of people. There's got to be more than the lowest denominator of things we already have.

Let's start with Purpose. Outcomes before incomes. Why before who and how. So if we are talking Entertainment District, why are we talking about it? Then, how will it, if it's still on the table, relate to the Art Gallery, the Citadel Theater, the Library, Shaw Conference Centre, neighbourhood hotels, the icons, institutions, in the neighbourhood. What of the artisans and entrepreneurs? The little guys who'll bring life, energy, esprit, business, and people to the district and actually live there.

Need more Vision.

Leadership

Missing in action, so far, don't you think? The current Oilers' owner is presented and packaged as different more capable guy, than the last private owner. He has the potential to be. He's got some pretty cool relationships, which could enable the community. One with Astral Media connects him to Warner Music. Think concerts. Well, just imagine.

Need more Leadership

Greed

Arena 1.0 is so 1990's! Need all the cash. Be unabashedly greedy. Marginalize those who disagree. Polarize the debate. Classical hall marks of a dysfunctional command and control business as usual system. A lame and boring practice which devalues community. Portrays Edmontonians as rubes to be cajoled and manipulated.

Only the greedy find a need to bamboozle.

"The city could borrow money to build the arena, which it would own, then pay off the loan with a "community revitalization levy" using property taxes generated by the rest of the development," said Bob Black, the company's vice-president of sports and entertainment. Edmonton Journal

Except, times are different disingenuous assertions dissolve, instantly, with insight ...

" not our City’s place to give private industry access to government borrowing power. We are fortunate enough as municipalities in Alberta to borrow through something called Alberta Capital Finance, which – thanks to the fiscal discipline of both local governments and the province – enjoys among the best credit ratings you’ll find (and thus lowest interest rates) anywhere. The public sector has earned this. The private sector has not." Don Iveson

... investigation and analysis,

" According to Gary Klassen, the city's general manager of planning and development, a big downtown development like Edmonton City Centre pays 1.4 per cent of its assessed value in property taxes. So even if -- and it's a big if -- all the developments spurred by the arena had a total assessed property value of $1 billion, they'd generate $14 million a year in taxes"... Edmonton Journal

Transparency is difficult, when playing in a cloistered sand box. It's better than exposing one self, though. There's a tendency to be overwhelmed by the complexity of the current macro financial morass. Seems complicated, complex and a lot of work. No need, to be confused. New Arena 1.0 is our quagmire.

Greed is why our business and financial system is morally bankrupt, dysfunctional and perpetually gamed. Why there is less wealth, than 3 years ago. Greed is local, too. Capitalism on the way up. Socialism everywhere else. Pass the costs to whoever can be enlisted to accept them.

It can be different.

Need less Greed

Great

Great companies start a movement and build a consensus. Imagine the Entertainment District with an articulated consensus. Imagine, if everybody understood 'why'.

Capital is formed when people agree that something has value, in a hyper-connected world, millions of people can debate, discuss, and decide in the blink of an eye. It's never been easier to capitalize something. Capital is not scare.

Need More Great.

Good

The toughest things for any business to do is to rethink how their business is done. What it could look like in the future. New is risky, unproven, takes work, requires energy, encourages ideas, listens, fails and restarts. Not that hard to do, when the page is blank. Good companies enable all, exclude no one.

Need more Good.

Call to Action

Read Good to Great. Great to Good.

Invest an hour Watch

Mr Katz re-start with a proposal which enables your son and includes my grandson!

Failure is OK. Arena 1.0 is dead. Next!

Your thoughts...

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Pandora Back from Dead, Not in Canada

2010-01-12T16:07:00.001-07:00

For long time, a few years back, probably 4 now, Pandora was my in house radio. Then of course music industry tried to shut it down with hugely excessive royalty rates. They succeeded in True North Strong and Free. Still not available. I've asked Tim Westergren for an update.

Elsewhere though it's making a comeback big time. Got $35 million in VC cash. Someone thinks there's a successful business. Going forward you'll get it in your car, on your ipod, off your TV, just not in Canada of course.

Gigaom thinks its game changer, it isn't. Until it changes the local game, It doesn't. It doesn't exist.

Just another example of Canada being left behind, technologically. Google Voice and Nexus other examples of a small country, with small thinkers. Instead of enabling Canadian artists we disable them. Recording industry pleased about that. Keeps them in control, they think, with small minds of course.

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Free Start for Personal Makeover

2010-01-06T11:22:00.001-07:00

Free is my favourite price, wellness my advocation. I define it as:

“an integrated method of living, oriented to maximizing individual potential and performance, requiring balance and purposeful direction, within the environment where we function.”

So I hit up, Reg Nugent, the Supervisor at Grant MacEwan Sport and Wellness Centre, for 4 free passes.

For dropping in, you get full facility access, fitness area, pool, steam room. A guided tour with certified trainer and 15 minute mini consult, on what you would like, need, to accomplish.

So what's your need? Nutrition, injury rehab, sport specific training advice, a starter, or group program, the MacEwan staff will collaborate to set you on the right path.

As long time member, here's some names to remember when you take up the offer.

Sport Specific Training

Rochelle

Re Hab

Joanna

Avaleigh

Christina

And here's a link to the staff.

Send me a DM via Twitter, with your email, date and time. We'll set it up.

Be Well, Be Effective, B !

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Tablets Offer Promise for Print

2009-12-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

Two iterations of the tablet reader/ computer caught my attention. Sports Illustrated's prototype, the initial foray by Timer Warner gives us a glimpse of tomorrow's magazine.

Secondly, from the Bonnier Group a simply elegant design, enabling interaction and facilitating the tactile element of "print" . The design puts the reader in control of the experience and gets out of the way.

<p>Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.</p>

Seems the technology is enabling, wonder if the content producers will be so inclined.

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Even A Smart Grid Can Freeze

2009-12-14T15:01:00.002-07:00

Saturday's power outage, in my neighbourhood, about an hour, and two hours on Sunday, in Sherwood Park, got me thinking about power security. The grid is wonderful thing. However there's only one. When it fails. It's an issue. When it fails at - 30, it could be a calamity.

I wondered? If I had a solar 'power' system would it shut down, when the grid goes down? Gorden Howell, at Howell Maythew Engineering told me I need a battery bank and an inverter to create an Uninterruptible Power System, if I want to stay warm at -30, when the grid freezes!

Not knocking the grid, it's a wonder it works at -30. It froze twice at minus 40, over the weekend! And bless the guys and gals who go out and fix it ! Why would my solar system, if I had one, shut down, when the grid goes down?

Gordon says :

"If the grid is not supposed to be energised because it is needing repair (which is what happens during an outage) then all sources of energy into the grid need to be shut down in order that the linemen can safely work on it. It is not about "power going into the grid" it is about voltage being present on the line, which is what happens when any electrical energy source is connected into wires. The flow of energy is not the point. Electrical current is what kills people. Voltage is the electrical pressure that moves electrical current."

An interruptible power system is worth considering from a self preservation perspective, when the grid catches a cold, or gets hypothermia at -30!

Edmonton can be a cold place, warm, and stout hearted, cold though. Why strategic thinking, planing, and acting about your own personal power source may be a life saver. I thought, if I own a solar based power system, I'd be free from the vagaries of the grid. Takes a little more gear and know how. And another post well probably several. Going to get to know this solar stuff better. Will share what I find out.

Oilers Net Cast First Step to Intertactive TV {{tags: #yeg}} {{tags: #oilers}}

2009-12-10T14:12:00.001-07:00

Enlightening to hear Oiler fans opinions, on the Net Cast of the Tampa Game. Jason Gregor, At Just a Game invited fans to offer their preference, Oilers Net Cast or Pay View. Follow this link to the podcast and go to the 16 minute mark, in hour 3. Jason also wanted to know the fans' value of twitter during a broadcast.

Here's what I ferreted out of the conversation. In a Pay per View or Net Cast option, fans prefer pay per view. They like TV production values and the large screen.

They don't like the latency, the lag of the net cast. They feel it's too much bother to hook up the computer to the large screen. The small screen is too small.

Latency can be solved. It's an Internet Service Provider Issue. There's an array of them. Shaw has a service called Nitro. Just dig into your wallet to get it. There is a problem though, reality trails marketing.

As for the twitter question, I was surprised no one called in. The Oilers used Twitter, in the Tampa Game, to test interactivity. For a decade or more there's been much talk and little action on interactive television, where the viewer gets to participate, live.

The Oilers gave it a go. Gave away some gift certificates. Fans were able to comment on the game. What else to fans do. Twitter is the current iteration of an interactive platform. Biggest benefit, it's free.

So for an initial foray, good on the Oil for a triple mash up, Local Florida TV to the Net, Streamed Live in Edmonton, with Twitter as mechanism for interactivity.

So will it replace Pay Per View? Not yet! The future though is interactivity and interactive advertising. And that means convergence of the little screen and the big one.

However, there's another angle to pursue, on Oilers 'casting' in all its' forms. Could it be back to the future with a local television package. That's tomorrow's post.

4 Things I know After Expo Open House

2009-12-09T16:37:00.001-07:00

Dropped by the Expo '17 Open House, one of 60 or so who did. Turn out was small, tiny actually. However, that was an opportunity to get some questions answered.

City of Edmonton Photo

Four things I know, now .

1 Quebec is the wild card. Expo '17 is being positioned as 'the national event' to celebrate 150 years of the country's existence, just line Expo 67 was for the 100th birthday party. With Expo '17s $2.5 price tag, 85 % coming from government, Quebec will want and usually gets Federal cash to off set what's being spent elsewhere. Not right, but that's Canada. Quebec is the wild card!

2) The budget, revenue and expense is 'work in progress. The Economic model is an estimate based on similar events world wide and locally. The number currently translate into a single ticket price of $25, with array of discounting for multiple days , groups etc. Far from an exact science guaranteed the budget will change.

3) The 'energy' theme is intended to encompass energy generically, in all its forms. There's nice dash of irony in the resource component of that. A successful bid cajoles an industry and government to demonstrate innovation. Neither is known for it. For sure the Energy Industry will be hit up for a big sponsorship investment.

4) Most intriguing to this observer is the dance behind the scenes. It's choreographed by an influential well connected, diverse group of this berg's business women. The gals are better collaborators and more adept when it comes to inclusion than their male counter parts, in our city. Sensitive sensible consensus building collaboration may just be a winning strategy. Why, there's a reasonable chance of landing Expo' 17.

Seen and been a part of a few of these events. Remember a key influencer saying to me the 2001 IAAF championship had no chance, in Edmonton. He ended up the CEO of it.

If stars align there's possibility Expo 17 could catch lightning in a bottle like Expo 67 did. If!

Never under estimate the power of a bunch of gals on a mission.

That in itself is paradigm shift in this berg.

#eng

Bruce Winter

Communication Strategies

780 464 7992

Skype: nitguy

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Three Year Anniversary

2009-12-06T14:49:00.001-07:00

Life changing moment 3 years ago this very one. Was in operating room, on the table getting left hip replaced. Good news still here to report on it. Bad news, it didn't go well. No need to re-hash that part. Did it to be rid of pain, be more mobile, be more engaging. Pain makes one quite grumpy. I can be good at grumpy.

Download now or watch on posterous

Hip Movie Two.mov (5941 KB)

Dec 2006 9PM

Still got the pain. Because of that, over used my right side, left hip was replaced, so now right side is quite cranky. My recommendation, avoid the surgery. One in 7 hip surgeries, in Alberta, have complications. Determine if your hip is actually the source of the pain. I didn't do that .

My pelvis is the source of my pain issues. It's out of alignment. Working on adjusting that. Do that every day. Physiotherapy and exercise can mitigate allot of pain.

Be well

#yeg

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Expensive Power is Real Good Thing

2009-12-03T11:25:00.003-07:00

It's a good day, when something is learned. Had another one, when I took in a presentation by Gordon Howell. He's likely our city's leading advocate for solar energy systems and sustainable communities.

"The most expensive power there, that's what I want" he told 300 people, at CN Theatre at Grant McEwan College. He sees expensive power as a path to Grid Parity. That's close at hand. Solar power systems could be at cost parity with grid power by 2013. Didn't know that!

Howell has crunched his numbers, and believes the cost of operating a house size solar system power system and the cost of buying grid power will be equivalent, by 2013.

"Price drives behavioural change. When things cost more, we change how we use them. Applied to power there's two things high prices will do. We'll use less of it. We'll develop more efficient products systems and process to do that", according to Howell

Here's why he thinks Grid Parity is coming, quickly,

Cost of power is increasing 4.5% annually.

Cost of house sized Solar Systems are decreasing 4.5% Annually

The real cost of power is 10.54 cents kWh/h in Edmonton.

Real cost of power delivered by a $30000 solar system, amortized over 25 years, is 27 cents/kWh

That's a 17 cent /kWh disconnect. How will that be made up in 4 years?

Cost of grid power is increasing annually 4.5%

New costs for grid power are coming.

Transmission Lines will add 10 cents. /kWh (more than that if lines are buried)

Carbon taxes will increase natural gas and coal costs. Alberta, (we, us) is ' investing' in carbon capture to the tune of $2 billion. That's going to show up as a tax, or a fee, on our power bill somewhere, hopefully in plain sight! Those taxes are coming, in the next two years.

However for this initial discussion, we'll leave those costs at zero. Take a look at these numbers.

In 2013 the cost of power, in Edmonton, adjusted for the annual increase will be 14.33 cents / kWh.

Now add the cost of the new transmission lines 10cents/ kWh,

In 2013, we can expect the cost of power to be 24.33 cents /kWh .

So by 2013, the disconnect between the grid and your own solar system is 3 cents.

That will be made up by the decrease, in the cost of the solar systems. Those costs have been coming down by 4.5% a year for the last 15, according to Howell.

It will cost us 22.14 cents for power from a solar system that will deliver 6600 kWh/ yr . That's current average in Alberta. Hate averages, however it's a catch all, when we summarize. It will cost 24.33 cents to buy the same amount of power from the grid.

So who will you buy your power from, in 2013 the utility company or yourself.

I had no idea Grid Parity is so close at hand.

Did you.

Be real interesting to watch how fossil fuel companies, the utilities, and the government respond. Wonder if they'll enable or hinder?

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Lost and Found Lots of Money!

2009-11-30T07:00:00.007-07:00

Discovered we leave an estimated $360,000 worth of our belongings at EIA , every year. All manner of stuff too, from cell phones and glasses to cold hard cash!

Lost and Found is an important service offering at airports. Our perception seems to be if we leave it behind, it's gone. That's not necessarily so. There's a 90% chance of getting it back, with a modicum of effort on our part.

EIA holds items for 90 days before it's donated to various local charities for disposal. The time lag is the key to retrieval.

There's room for better coordination between the airlines and the airports, too. Currently, there are two independent systems trying to solve the same problem. One would do a better job.

If you leave your belongings on the plane, they'll likely end up in a centralized airline site, far away from you. If you can get through to the Airline Lost and Found department, if they have one, reuniting you and your belongings depends on your description matching the detail inputted into their data base. Lots of 'if's' there. The major dis-connect is trying to get through to any airline, via telephone. That's an excruciating process.

A simpler customer focused solution takes two steps. Consign items, left on the plane to the local airport lost and found. Airlines can enable local airport customer service desks by sharing passenger data with them. The airlines know every passenger by seat number. They know where they came from. Where they went.

Consigning items left on board and sharing passenger data to proactive local Airport Customer Service Desks increases the probability we'll get our stuff back. Local, in this case, is where the flight originates. It might only take a single call, assuming it wasn't your cell phone, you left behind!

Three benefits to that approach.
Airlines drop a service they do poorly, reduce costs, save and make more money.
Higher probability of reuniting owners and belongings
Greater Customer satisfaction

Wonder if EIA and West Jest would consider a pilot project. Interestingly, couldn't find a link to West Jet's Lost and Found, on their website.

Got a lost and found story, share it.

Canadian Airport Lost and Found List
Canadian Airport Lost and Found List 2

Airport and Airline Links

Open Closed and Social- The Ultimate Mashup- #yeg

2009-11-28T16:02:00.001-07:00

Three seemingly unconnected net experiences just got my attention .

Content throttling based, on geo tagging, is incipiently eating the ubiquity of indvidual internet experience Restricting consumption to where media companies deem it appropriate to protect bogus legacy distribution agreements. Bogus because the agreements are an overlay of monopolistic notions of copy right.

Open, collaborative, transparent, efficient, dissemination of information with " News" as a core element is Jeff Jarvis' mantra which may be morphing into a lament.

And Chris Brogan, at the 6 minute mark of the video below, asks key questions. What matters in the open collaborative and transparent space that Jarvis seeks?

Not sure how they connect, feel they do, and you?

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Video Test

2009-11-27T20:20:00.001-07:00

Ok will try out the video side of Posterous. These experiments usually don't work for me, so we'll do it anyway.

Download now or watch on posterous

3 Tips # 1.mov (2765 KB)

Now in real post we want to script it like this and then add another clip.

Download now or watch on posterous

3 Tips # 2.mov (1681 KB)

Ok then more script a list of things would go here.
So here goes, let's see .

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Open Source the Arena Project

2009-11-22T13:32:00.006-07:00

Wonder if an there's an undertow of distrust building on the new Arena Project . The project's disappeared from public view. After a concerted media blitz a month ago, it's been very quiet, publicly, recently.

There's fulminating concern about a tax payer subsidy. Not sure why. Tax payers subsidize everything. That's how our current economic and business system works. All public enterprise is subsidized. Roads, transit systems, libraries, are generally considered community benefits funded communally by taxes.

The debate begins, when there is a private public partnership. Perception intervenes. Positions are staked. Polarization clouds the picture. Focus on the new arena, as a worthy public enterprise, a deserving candidate for community investment, is legitimate public discourse. As it is for the new Art Gallery, the Over Pass at 23rd Avenue, and every other enabling infrastructure project.

There was great public influence in getting the bridge, at 23rd Ave built. Cost, though an issue, was trumped by the value the bridge brings to city. A piece of that value is enabling the commerce at South Edmonton Common. Value is the proposition that needs to be addressed, in the arena discourse.

At this stage, one thing the Arena project offers is opportunity. The project is a laboratory, or could be. Let's 'open source' it! Let's collect, archive, catalog, curate all the information, in all it's forms.

Make it accessible, easily search-able, findable and hence valuable! Coalesce, the talents, resources, and skills of private, public, and citizen media, the city, the developer, and the public library to do that. Open all the information, including lobbyists' discussions and reports. If gaming legislation needs to be changed, report why and the benefit to everyone!

Use the arena project to create new collaborative business practices, based on open respectful dialogue, public discussion, full and complete disclosure. Demonstrate, by building the project, those practices can work. Change the way business is conducted in this berg.

Lots of value in that, what do you think?

First Demo Camp, local 'geeks' deserve more scrutiny.

2009-11-20T10:54:00.001-07:00

Took in Demo Camp Edmonton. It's a regular gathering of a segment of the technology community. A couple hundred enthusiasts, and programmers filled a lecture hall, in the Enginerring Building, at the University of Alberta.

As an outsider, well I'm not a programmer, I wondered? What's the utility the value? Didn't see it at first, in the games presented. However upon review, games are well games, fun is ok.

There were four presentations that got my attention.

BookThat Bet, built on the Facebook Platform "scratches an itch", says inventor, Reg Cheramy. A testosterone soother for guys and hormone modifier for gals, in the friendly wager realm. I'll take the Riders over the Stamps and the Als over the Lions for a six pack. Knowing Cheramy, he'll take that bet. Not many he won't. The viral component is interesting. Using Facebook friends and connections can get in on the action. However, in quick perusal there's several similar offerings out there.

Selfchecker.com is a tool designed to enhance the on line learning experience. Enable students and teachers to monitor progress. Facilitate testing as a learning process. The idea going forward is to build communities around the platform that would eliminate jurisdictional issues associated with curriculum.

3DI is an impressive group. They taken game and simulation technology put them together. Created a business which reduces equipment training costs, and may eventually lead to remote controlled robotic operation of heavy equipment for the mining and oil and gas industry.

Caterpillar and the US Army are amongst this company's clients.

CIE, Central Institute for Exploration is an interactive, community based, on and offline learning tool. Go and sign up for the Beta test. It's designed for kids 8-12 years old and their parents. Find it here . This is truly an impressive award winning tool.

Talented, passionate, and somewhat entrepreneurial and most importantly local, this is an enterprising group, in our town, which deserves closer scrutiny and mentoring from the larger business community.

#yeg #in

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$75 Grand And They'll Find Your Stuff! #yeg #in

2009-11-18T11:13:00.001-07:00

"This is pretty boring stuff. Nothing sexy about this technology." That's how Bruce Beecher, from Edmonton's IT department, describes the software, a simple database, that tracks our stuff, things we leave behind, on the Edmonton Transit System.

Boring, I don't think so. The stuff that's found is tagged and stored in 20x 20 foot room. The program is administered and managed by 8 people. Some 1700 items are returned or sold within 30 days. That's a going concern, feels like a small business opportunity. That's not boring. It's rather sexy.

The city needs to up-grade, actually, replace the database. A pilot project Leverage Tech Edmonton Locally has been created to do that. The program pulls together the City, TECH Edmonton and the local tech business community. I suspect there might be some growth and confidence issues within that group. Well, everything today is 'beta' anyway. Relationships evolve, confidence builds when expectations intersect. Collaboration is an emerging concept in business too. There's no harm in exploring new business practices.

Local tech companies are invited to propose on the project. Find the details here. The contract is worth $75K. That's reasonably sexy to me. How about you? And contrary to most government RFPs, small businesses are welcome. Certainly expertise is required. The creative approach will determine the successful bid.

There's more. Always is, when you check under the hood, or let you imagination wonder a little. Who else might need an up grade to their lost and found tracking and accounting system? Are their organizations willing to contact out the service? Universities and Colleges, Law Enforcement Agencies, Shopping Malls , Stadiums, Resorts, Recreation Centres are targets. It seems this boring project could scale.

And the winning bid, what might that mean to the company? Well some cash, that's pretty sexy! How about City of Edmonton as client, cache in that, potentially sexy.

The Lost and Found business probably needs a name change. Maybe, Loose It We'll Find It. Suspect there might be allot of money in building a business around the "Find It" piece. Don't think this is boring any longer. How about you?

Bet you'll be quite pleased, when you leave your Blackberry, on the bus and you can check on line to see if it's been found. Now you can call to see if ETS has your stuff.

Odd, here we have a pilot project engaging local expertise, developing new business practices, creating commerce, real sexy stuff, don't you think. And there wasn't a local journalist in attendance to tell us about it. Why? Mac Male was there with this perspective.

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Let's take over Local Television #in #yeg #savelocaltv

2009-11-17T14:06:00.001-07:00

Disingenuous, a classical misinformation campaign, are good descriptors for "Save Local TV", a campaign launched by CTV. A bold induction to the CRTC to pick our pockets to save an industry that isn't worth it. Harsh, yet apt indictment of the local broadcast business in Canada, and in Edmonton. Where I made a living, by the way.

The local television business is in the same, miserable, financial shape as local newspapers.Abhorrence of technology, arrogance and ignorance have decimated a once thriving local industry. Consolidation in the 1990's breeds insolvency now. Consolidation approved by the regulator. Laws were rewritten to facilitate cross media ownership. Huge amounts of debt secured to facilitate the mergers. Too much debt is the reasons the business is failing.

So now what. In chaos there's opportunity. And there's lots of chaos. So here's a prescription. Let's not save local TV. Let's re invent it, locally, on a business basis without government subsidy and conglomerate control. Make local TV, local.

The Antidote:

See information through the prism of how people use it.

Loose the brand.

Save the brand. CTV Edmonton NEWS, Global Edmonton News, is Edmonton's news. It does not belong to a brand. However, a brand can be a trusted source. When the consumer deems it. Brand is what people say when you are not in the room. There's more to information than 'news' too!

Aggregate curate archive and create new information products and services.

Collaborate, local television companies have shown no appetite to innovate, invest in new platforms, work with each other, or the community. It's time to embrace and coalesce the community. Bring together leading edge information entrepreneurs, like Mack Male, and Chris Labossiere, local leading edge practitioners theedmontontian.com, UnknownStudio and their ilk, information institutions, the public library ( the entire system ) the museum, and local financiers. Consider a community coalition to reinvent a local industry, create commerce, devise new services, build new tools to facilitate the enterprise, be recognized as thought leader.

Enough hand ringing. No more running to the government to create yet another fee and tax to support business that does not work, now, and won't work going forward. That is socialism at its' worst. Communications regulation, in Canada, is also the worst of corporate socialism. Another post, I digress.

Missing in action, so far, are the folks with the dough, in our berg. If the Edmonton 2030 folks are serious, it's time for those leaders to act. Bring their financial expertise, the how-to of business, and yes their money and put it on the table. Time to invest in ideas, not just the ground, in this community.

If you controlled RN (aka CTV Edmonton and ITV (aka Global TV Edmonton) what kind of Television Station would they be? What would those businesses look like? What would they do? What problem would they solve? How could they make money?

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Four Hundred Million Dollars down and shut down. Globalive is an example of Canadian telecommunication innovation. #yeg #CRTC

2009-11-16T12:36:00.001-07:00

If you spent $440 Million to do business in Canada, and just when you were going to launch it, were told you couldn't, what would you do? That's the fate of Glolbalive, an Egyptian owned global cell phone company, which spent that $440 Million to set up a national cell phone network, in Canada.

Windmobile Canada is the new company; the CRTC hung up on, last month, at the behest of course of the incumbent Canadian operators.

The CRTC says Globalive is not Canadian enough. As if Canadian ownership benefits Canadian consumers. It does not. We enjoy the third highest cell phone rates, on the planet. That translates into great profit margins,restricted access, and ponderous innovation.

There are two troubling issues: Industry control of the regulator and the disingenuousness of the regulator when it comes to ownership and control of a Canadian business. For most of us, share ownership is an eye roller.

Globalive is one example, where a tiny group controls a large share of the commerce that takes place every day, in Canada, with limited ownership of the enterprise. That's called dual class share structure. Now if you really want to investigate dual class shares, go here. And, yes it's really dry stuff.

Dual class shares are a unique made in and controlled in Canada, work around, regulations. Ingenious on one hand, sad on other. The latter because of the waste of time, talent, and resources creating scarcity. Instead of investing those resources in creating abundance, more cell phone services that Canadians would use to facilitate their lives and business.

Industry Canada is hearing submissions, till Wednesday, on whether to over rule the CRTC

What's your biggest issue with your cell phone provider?

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Scenes from today's hike, McTaggart Sanctuary SW Edmonton

2009-10-25T20:31:00.001-06:00

Berries on a Brrook

Wild Berries near stream

Brook from the Pines

Late fall by the River

Busy Critter

Muskrat Gathering

Brook in Fall

Over Looking a Brook

"Woody"

Wood Pecker in action

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Blog post Oilers creating new revenue by streaming pre season games. #yeg #oilers #nhl

2009-09-16T07:05:00.001-06:00

Monetizing ' free' is the holy grail of new media. How stumps content producers. There are signs that's changing.

At least glimmers, some content produces are willing to experiment, invest, and explore to solve the elusive new media revenue riddle.

The Edmonton Oilers, are streaming their NHL, pre season games. Try here for tonights game with the Islanders. According to Allan Watt, VP Broadcast, they drew 60,000 for one effort. Not a big number by TV standards. A really big number in terms of a live event, gate, equivalent to over three sell outs at Rexall Place.

So there's a market. Production is enabled by lower cost digital technology. Distribution, via the internet, is cheap. The reach is global. Seems like opportunity for sponsorship, advertising and host of revenue generating interactivity. However, the Oilers are prevented by NHL convention, league rules, from maximizing the opportunity.

According to President, Pat LaForge, the pre-season games are 'geographically gated'. Net distribution is restricted to Oilers market footprint, Western Canada and the NorthWest Territories. Hmm, typical old business model. Create scarcity in the face of abundance. Restrict instead of enable.

The net is a global distribution platform. The NHL and other content producers, still, believe they need to protect themselves, from each other. So they create artificial markets and loose money in the process.LaForge says, "We don't want the Maple Leafs' games streamed, in our market, we agree not to stream ours in theirs". Why?

This suggests head to head, the Leaf brand is more appealing, than the Oiler brand. The latter needs protection. The Leaf brand is appealing to Western hockey fans, no question. So why not take advantage of it. Why not give fans a choice, Leaf Brand and Oiler brand! Charge the Leafs a fee for the privilege, say 50% of the revenue, they might garner from a live streaming event. New revenue to them. Additional revenue, though not triple A margin revenue, revenue just the same, for the Oilers.

Choice and options always create massive value. Value earns premium revenue. In this case, both teams have the potential to generate more revenue. There's no scarcity, no restriction. Isn't business about competition? Well in theory. Business doesn't like competition at all. That's why business seeks to control markets through convention, or regulation.

This territorial rights issue is, exactly, what Jim Balsile is fighting about, in his attempted take over of the Phoenix Coyotes. Despite claims to the contrary, territorial rights do exist, in professional sports. They don't have to be restrictive. Ironically, they could be a key in unlocking the mystery to making money, in the free digital economy.

What do you think?

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Neighbour's Garden a canvass in soil, in July

2009-07-23T08:57:00.001-06:00

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Bruce Winter
Communication Strategies
780 464 7992
Skype: nitguy

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Twitter Key Tool in Solving problem with Direct Energy tags: Edmonton, Direct Energy , Social Media

2009-07-19T10:45:00.001-06:00

I'm on the move. Pretty chaotic chore. Last week, got hung up with gas company trying to cancel one service, at the old address, and re start, at the new. Started the process on line. It didn't work well. Direct Energy has policy requiring 20 days advance notice to process a move.

The company is organized, as 3 separate companies. Direct Energy Regulated Services is the one, I was dealing with. Initially, it was frustrating and ineffective experience. After four attempts, on line and 3, 800# calls, I sent out some tweets, in frustration. DE's silo organization enables the company, not the customer.

Tweets got picked up by Lynzey MacRae, in DE's PR department. She offered to help, took up her offer. She solved my problems. Happy ending. Received follow up call, from Don Carter, also in Customer Service. He advised, Direct Energy companies not allowed, under provincial privacy laws to share information, with each other. I wasn't asking anyone to share information. I was asking the CSRs to refer me to the right company. Three of the four I talked to, wouldn't, didn't. Dumped me back into the call centre cue. One, simply gave up.

So PR and CSR need to get on the same page, inside large organizations. There should not be a gotcha, if the customer calls the wrong number, or visits the wrong website. Customers don't, intentionally, do that. Customers don't know, nor should they need to know, how a company organizes itself.

To the execs at Direct Energy, Twitter was key tool, in solving this problem. Once identified, it was solved in a matter of hours, though the episode took a couple of days. That's a metric. Albeit a small one, measurable, just the same. Call it Conversion Time, in problem resolution.

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Sunday Video, The Internet

2009-05-17T19:00:00.000-06:00

Gosh some holes in the blog over the last little while. Several projects on the go. So the blog has been idling. Thought this might be useful. Take a moment to reflect how the net impacts your life. If it wasn't there, how would that change things for you?

Here's a glimpse of where we are and where we may be going.

Tech Saturday

2009-05-16T12:23:00.003-06:00

Musings about technology we can use, make, or enjoy. Mostly to learn how we can change consumption and still benefit from abundance.

To all deep thinkers, in Edmonton, those who'll make lots of money from the downtown redevelopment, a trip to Taiwan may be provide insight. Hello Rexall Sports and Entertainment.

Taiwan's Solar Stadium

For Bikers and Green Geeks, solar powered bicycle, ah fooled ya, sharing system, in Montreal.
What a simple way to get folks to the River Valley, in our berg. Of course 'we' need to want to get them there, in the first place.

Bike Sharing System

Cut it Green. Electric riding mower, that's quiet ! Great for sustaining neighbourly relations.

Practical crowd sourcing event created by Airbus to learn how to clean up air travel.

Green Skies

Sunday Video Monetize Free

2009-04-19T07:00:00.004-06:00

The news debate continues. How to get it paid for? Associated Press still thinks it is 'their' content. They create it. They do the research to find it. They distribute it. They own it. Yep they do all of it.

BUT once it is out, it has no value. The information belongs to the consumer. The consumer can now be Associated Press, and redistribute it. That's syndication. It can be monetized. However, most old mass media companies don't understand that.

That's the part of the new emerging business model that confounds the media barons.
Well it's their barronhood (sic) that's under attack. That's the real issue.

With 150 million users, could Facebook be Associated Press. In a way, it is for the demographic, which uses Facebook. They don't know and don't care, who AP is. AP and its' mass media conglomerate benefactors might want to note that.

Take a look, this video might offer a better understanding, why Newspapers and Broadcasters are in distress, financially.

Charlie Rose understands it. I can redistribute his video material. Do it often. Could not do that with AP Video.

AP is vast and important player. They aren't the only player. They don't get that yet.

Neither do local media, in our town. That's why reporters continue to get laid off.

Here's what old media thinks will work.

Will you buy it?

Here's what new thinkers think

What say you?

Saturday Tech Day

2009-04-19T00:23:00.002-06:00

Useful, well we hope so, energy and conservation solutions.

Composter from Costco

Hydrogen Power Home

Solar Powered Home Theatre

Net Buffet - Slimmer Pickins Coming

2009-04-17T14:39:00.005-06:00

Keep an eye out. The all you can eat Internet buffet is on it's way out. For a decade or so, we've enjoyed unfettered access to the net. Access is under severe attack, by incumbent telephone and cable companies.

The phone companies say they need to manage, aka protect their networks from over use. So everyone gets a minimum level of service. Gosh you would think if demand exceeds supply there is money to made supplying more. Seems logical, right?

What is over use? Who says, some one is over using? It is the guy next door, downloading a movie, or several. It it the kid down the street updating his music collection? Is it the researcher, at the UofA , crunching data, with colleagues in India.

ISPs want more money. Metered Billing is the way to get. That's classical old economy thinking.
Control and ration. Create scarcity, where there is abundance. Old thinking, that has brought on the current economic crisis, made us all poorer, stifled innovation.

Oligopolies get away with it because they control the regulatory process, by controlling the regulator, in this case the CRTC.

"...The CRTC's vice-chairman, Leonard Katz, spent 17 years working for Rogers and 11 for Bell. Canada's Telecom Telecommunications Policy Review Panel,..."

What"s good for Bell, et al is not good for you. First by capping your bandwidth, your connections are slow. Try sending a 5 MB picture, in an email. Capping, controlling and rationing, there's no need to innovate, or invest. Margins are high, profits too. Who cares about efficiency, or innovation? No need to improve the network, beyond a minimum standard. Our standard is low and slow, when compared to other countries.

Creating scarcity, under a false flag of network security and equanimity, is the ruse. There's a coordinated campaign, afoot to take control of the net. Access is the control point.

Content regulation is coming too. Music, Movie, and News industries, the mass media content providers and producers are in alignment, on dispatching net neutrality to the dust bin. Capping works for them too. Package content bundles are coming to the net. Think cable television. How much control do you have over the programming packages. None!

We are witnessing, if we care to see, how capitalism works and fails us. Don't be fooled. Less, is not more, never was. Network regulation is code for control, scarcity, rationing, and higher costs for us.

Further reading.

Coordinated Government action :

France Australia More on Australia New Zealand

Regulation in Canada

Capping The net

Lowest Possible Standard

Metered Billing

Sunday Video Web 2.0 What is it

2009-04-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

Lots of notions about what web2.0 is.

No better person to explain than then guy who invented the term, Tim O'Reillly, no relation to Bill O'Reilly.

Read on, some current web history.

Skyped Out

2009-04-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Reg, he's my buddy. Actually, my very good tech buddy. Everyone needs one of those. So how's Skype working, on at that Fido/Rogers iphone? Rogers and Fido are the providers of iPhone service, in Canada.

Skype is, world's largest phone company. Except it isn't a phone company, as we know phone companies. Skype lets you make cheap calls, over and through the internet, and now via wifi, with the iphone.

Now, I know, any new iphone app is a stop the presses moment. However, Skype mobile is also on a host of other cell phones, too. Phones that don't have a wifi connection. You know, lower tech phones, which are less smart, than smart phones, and whole bunch less expensive!

Skype came to the iphone yesterday, in a limited Apple command and control sort of way, via wifi only. Well sort of, Skype for the iphone is every where on the planet, expect Canada.

Another example of the progressive thinking that infects Canadian life. Rogers is afraid. Really afraid it'll lose money. Skype on cell networks is working well in Europe. No phone companies going broke there. Just another example of the way things work, in Canada. Well off the leading edge that's for sure.

So Reg how is Skype, on that iphone working for ya. Working around it with Fring? Or this maybe? Just wondering? Skype me!

Sunday Video Google's Eric Schmidt

2009-03-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

What is Google doing. Does it apply to your business?
Take a look.

Tech Day

2009-03-28T20:36:00.004-06:00

Waste not, save money, unplug what you don't use.

Power from plants, and water in the house.

If you knew how much you spent on power, would you use less?

Cool, literally and warm too, new house designs.

Social Media How To

2009-03-24T10:54:00.006-06:00

Trying to get a grasp on Social Media.

How it works, or can. How it can help a business.

Took in a CNW Webinar, this morning. April Dunford was speaking.

Understand communication is 'live', always on, these days.

Dunford's presentation was anecdotal, her real life experiences, at Nortel and IBM, plus a recent media relations fiasco.

Beware of talking when you are grumpy. Must remember these words!

Use Video to talk about what you are doing.

Kicker here,the entire campaign was a throw away. Dunford didn't think it had any value, as Nortel had being Telecomputing,for a long time.

Lesson, assumptions are limiting, aren't they?

Nortel Blog is recommended as good corporate example to follow.
IBM following their lead, is good idea.

Sunday Video Government Transparency

2009-03-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Can a leopard change its' spots.

Lightchaser

Can collaborative and inclusive , trump command and control?

Not sure, what about you?

Lean in or back and watch.

Going Green on Saturday

2009-03-21T12:13:00.003-06:00

Now that spring is officially arrived, going Green regularly on Saturday. Start today with some links. Primary focus is on household level things 'we' can do, to make a cumulative difference, plus neat, well OK cool stuff.

Solar Device Charger uses USB

SunCatcher Golf Cart

Energy Monitoring software, know what you spend

Homeless Shelter

Wow! Green and socially responsible.

Fido Bad Dog!

2009-03-20T10:49:00.006-06:00

Fido lied. Well not the mascot. Thelma, the customer service rep did. She said Sherwood Park is outside of urban coverage zone. I would have to pay long distance, on every call.

No it isn't! OK, Thelma made a mistake. Not her fault. She's coerced by a corporate culture, which views customers as the enemy. In that space, there's no enabling. All Thelma could do, and she worked at it, was up sell, things I didn't need. Like a wireless router . I didn't buy, Fido. When Thelma lied, I lost trust. Hate that!

Other options are fraught with same corporate mentality. The communication oligopoly Rogers, Shaw, Bell, Telus, tell us what we can't do, scarcity.

When I tried to buy the basic $2o/m plan, Thelma said, plus a $35 activation fee. Waived, if I bought the $25 plan. Difference, $120, more over 2 years. Gotcha, well me! Imagine, if customer service, actually, enabled the customer, what a difference that would make. Might I, we, buy more, without being up sold. Hate that too!

Maximizing take out is the mantra of scarcity. Charging what the market will bear is great for margins, in a tiny market. Canada's mobile penetration rate is 69% . Good for top 30 in the world, not very good. Where is Canada's Global presence, in anything to do with mobile? Korea has two brand name manufacturers. Finland one, the largest.

Unfortunately, the oligopoly is what it is. Does all it can to create scarcity, enabled by the regulator. Other countries use technology to enable themselves. Become Global leaders. In Canada, we create scarcity and enable nothing.Wonder why? Our singular Global brand, bankrupt. An example of why the current rendition of capitalism is broken.

Might be some hope though, new service coming.

All A Twitter

2009-03-18T14:26:00.004-06:00

Two day user of Twitter. Nod to Mack Male.

Man, I can sure turn 'sign up', into an adventure!

Wondering about this Twitter business. What's the value proposition?

'They" say research is one. Crowd sourcing another. Perhaps if you trust the crowd.

Mack hooked me, when he asked:
"For the locals - if you could teach @ctvedmonton ONE thing about Twitter, what would it be?

Worked for Mack, he got insight from the crowd, which became an element, in his Twitter presentation to the CTV folks.

OK, a good first lesson, into the value proposition for Twitter.

However, Twitter isn't going to save local news, or media jobs, in this berg. Journalism is. The art and the craft are not well practiced, here.

This little nugget from Jeff Jarvis is worth contemplating.

"All these parties must collaborate, not compete. They must create complementary content that fills out their local news worlds so that each of them adds value and stands out for it. Writing the same story everyone else is covering does not do that; it never did."

The Muni Airport issue is a good local application of Jarvis' theory. The value proposition is getting past the rhetoric and posturing. Duplicating the same clip of Cal Nichols is not journalism.

Monitoring the conversation , joining it, can generate leads, provide perspective and distinguish, the journalist and the organization, which vacates the pack. Value for them and the news consumer.

There's little perspective, analysis, or discussion, in our local news.

"The City of Edmonton will channel $1.5 million from red-light camera tickets into a new University of Alberta research chair position focused on traffic safety research."

That's the last paragraph in this story, from the Journal.

A million and a half dollars is not chump change, is it? Photo radar and red light camera infractions are now a critical revenue source. The safety angle is bogus, a straw man. City budgets and University programs are now addicted to surveillance technology. Partners in sustaining the rationale for it, wrapped in a dubious unsubstantiated smoke screen of safety and security. Does it matter? Where's the journalism?

Sunday Video Kindle Reading

2009-03-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Lots of buzz, geek speak, for consumer interest in the Kindle .

Steve Rubel thinks it can be a game changer for the publishing industry.

Om Malik thinks Apple is developing something similar and more powerful.

Jeff Jarvis doesn't like it.

Three thought leaders on internet trends, I read allot.

Take a look, at this . Render your own verdict.

Globe and Mail is Live

2009-03-10T12:01:00.006-06:00

The Globe and Mail is 'live blogging ' the CRTC hearings. Normally, that's not a stop the press story. However, it's a new innovative deployment of technology that benefits the reader, at no extra cost to him and her. Standard definition of value add, may I add.

'Live' is always good; says the old independent media guy. Can't hide during live, sort of naked, well metaphorically. Just about impossible to filter and spin, live, though folks try it every day.

Take a look.

There is some life, emotion, in the flow of the text. Sounds as though Shaw is quite ticked. That's good.

This is a challenging time for mass media. The business model is falling apart. The silos of Information creation, publication and distribution are broken. It's a commodity business, now.

Enabled by the net; we get our info, where we choose to get it. Not from where, they say we should get it, exclusively from them. Unfortunately, for them, and us, consumers and employees, they chose to ignore the net.

There's lots of consternation about the mass media business death spiral. The demand for information is increasing, old media companies are dying, a conundrum indeed,

The Globe is following the NYT . Trying new things like live blogging, audio and video to accompany and amplify reportage. Imagine a newspaper, acting like a broadcaster. It's true! The benefit is a richer, more valuable reader experience. The challenge, how to re-aggregate the audience and increase revenue.

That's much better than asking the government to 'regulate', create scarcity, where there isn't any.

Heats and Minds Part 2

2009-03-09T10:09:00.010-06:00

Here's a couple of links to help you sort out the City Centre Airport issue.

City Centre Airport wiki

City Centre Airport Review

I see a big problem emerging. First the public consultation is being handled by an Ottawa firm. Why? No intent to disparage that company, surely there's a local firm that could do the job?

Typically consultation is a top down, command and control endeavor. Already, a public input session has been completed. A survey drew 108 responses. That's hardly comprehensive. There's more insight, in the comments section of on line stories, in the Edmonton Journal.

Why does public input stop now? The process is dynamic, on going. It's possible to update discussion, as it happens. Google has started to curate a news archive.

The discussion, needs to be well, easily accessible, easy to review. It's pretty easy to participate.

Comprehensive, not quite. Let's get all the discussion on one place. Make it easy to learn, discuss, and participate.

Sunday Video Be Happy Don't Worry

2009-03-08T12:57:00.004-06:00

Be and don't , now those two commands are easy to say harder to eh do.

Pretty safe to say, we all want to be happy. However maybe it's just sufficient just to be.

Any way lean in or back and see if there's an answer or issue, to happy.

Hearts and Minds

2009-03-07T21:34:00.010-07:00

The Great Airport debate is on, once again in our berg. Quite fascinating to observe the communication strategies. Some old, some new.

The old getting on the news. Get the message out.

click to watch

Stake a position

click to watch

There's a difference this time. You, we, are part of the discussion. New media and internet based communication tools and platforms, give us a voice, we've never had before.

Expect positions to be staked, in the news. Look for transparency , in the comments.

Know you can be heard, engage, and contribute to the conversation.

What a great opportunity for local media companies to create platforms to facilitate the discussion.

Could the newspapers create an Edmonton Air Transportation Wiki like the Globe and Mail has done, on national issues. Here's the current City Centre Airport wiki.

Could they do it together, a cross media, cross company collaborative effort? That would be a press stopper!

Sure they could. Will they?

Engagement

2009-03-03T11:09:00.003-07:00

Here's an excerpted email, I got from Adobe, today.

Hello Bruce,

My name is Laura Kake and I am following up on a webinar on Adobe® Acrobat Connect Professional to see if I could be of any assistance...

Laura Kake | Inside Sales Associate

This is an engagement pitch, not a conversation. I consider it a pitch because I didn't ask for it.

Follow up is always good. However, the webinar Laura refers to was a technical disaster. Never got to attend, Dan Health's Made to Stick. The Adobe conferencing system, did not work that day.

"Due to technical issues with the Connect Pro meeting a recording link is being offered....We apologize for any inconvenience.
Regards, Registration Support | Event Services Group | Technical Support | 1.800.493.1594"

Apology accepted, thanks. Several questions emerge, here. Should Laura know, there was a glitch? If she did, I'm confident her pitch changes. For example, I have misplaced the recorded link, alluded to above. So one thing she could do is get that to me, again. Now, if that happens then my entire experiences changes.

Right now, Abobe's Connect Pro, is a technology that does not work for me. Have you ever tried it?

Customer engagement is the marketing mantra, these days. This attempt, though well intentioned, misses the mark. The link between technical operations and marketing is broken. Better, all divisions need to understand their roles, as a customer engagement specialists.

What could the technical guys have done? Fix the problem, obviously, Hard to do in a live event, when the clock is ticking. Glitches are part of the live event landscape. Plan "B" is a must have in 'live'. Post event, tell the marketing folks, there was a glitch. The latter is a game changer. The piece that was missed here. What would you do?

WWGD on Line "Free"

2009-03-01T13:38:00.003-07:00

Took a little sleuthing, here's the on line version of WWGD.

So it's available in all iterations from free to pay, on line, hard cover, video audio and excerpts.

That certainly meets Jarvis' mantra . Fresh updated content. Permanent dialog. Continual consistent review and revision. Create value, by creating more using the same platform.

Seems to be working. He's everywhere, at this moment. Likely making more in speaking and consulting, than the book. That's the message. Do you think?

Sunday Video WWGD Buzz

2009-03-01T07:00:00.004-07:00

Gosh, Jeff Jarvis, has hit a nerve, with his book, What Would Google Do.

What Would Google Do is, all over the place. Well, the buzz, the conversation is.

Jarvis took some heat for capitalizing on it. He's newspaper guy, who understands, embraces, and executes, on the digital trend, we live.

He's been criticized for selling, as opposed to giving his book away. Hm, a living example of how to monetize free? Both the selling and the monetizing are over the top, right now.

Actually, he gave the book away, in experts for a month. Wish I had saved them. Read them. Now can't find them. Darn, might have to buy the book. Must admit free is my favorite price. However, given the economy, we currently struggle in, free is difficult to eat.

In publishing, books and newspapers Jarvis opines, content needs to be dynamic, continually, organically, and originally refreshed. That's where the value is. That's when a market can be created. Opinion is commodity. Analysis is value.

When it comes to books, it's the ideas, we buy. Well, I think it is. What do you think. What prompts you to buy a book?

While we ponder. Here's Jarvis.

Originally, we had a Business Week video,here. Detected a glitch with the BW embed process. Pulled a Jarvis, sent them a flash. A polite, but pointed one. Got an automated response. I have a ticket #. It is Sunday. We'll see what Monday brings.
In the Interim, plucked a couple of Jarvis videos from, You Tube, eh Google. Sort of fits, don't you think?

What Would Google Do?

Sunday Video Media Trends

2009-02-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Always elucidating to learn from key players in the media world, be it old or new.

Enjoy this Charlies Rose session, with Marc Andreessen, co founder of Netscape, Ning and host of other internet based enterprises.

Winter Interlude

2009-02-17T12:51:00.006-07:00

Gosh, it's been awhile.

Been off writing a Business Plan for a location based entertainment project, 'we' are working on. Once, I get out of my way, one sure learns allot, in these exercises.

Lots of 'stuff' gone by, in the interlude. When I checked in with Google Reader, I had 745 feeds to read. Let that reading go a day, and the river of news overflows.

A couple of nuggets surfaced, yesterday. Steve Rubel had this, on a blogging journalist, covering the Yankees training camp. Sent the link to my son in-law. No help for him, when it comes to the Yanks.

Mathew Ingram, at the Globe and Mail has a policy wiki going, on Canada's role in Afghanistan. A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone, who accesses it to contribute or modify content. Lots of thought provoking reading, there. Plus, an opportunity to be heard by contributing to the discussion.

There's lots of that type of engagement happening in the US government policy, now. Lord knows, it's needed, there and here, oops! Why is it always easier to find US 'stuff'' ?

These digital tools are enabling. Well, they can, if journalists, publishing companies, your company, learn how to use them, actually practice some journalism, and develop new approaches to engaging audiences and customers.

Locally, I follow Mack Male. By traditional standards, he would not be considered a journalist. However, in his niche, leading edge technology application in Edmonton, he's an informed well connected go to source. Look for Edmonton Transit to announced Google Transit Edmonton, tomorrow. That's enabling!

Can't remember, when I read a meaningful, personally applicable, local ,technology piece, in the Journal, or the Sun. Can You? Better, where are the local newspapers, when it comes to developing meaningful local applications, services, and platforms?

Google Earth 5.0

2009-02-02T11:50:00.003-07:00

Google Earth, Google's planet mapping application is updated. Check it out

TV broadcasters use Google Earth extensively.How often do you use a map app? Ever consider time travel?

Consider mapping and archiving the next vacation, as a personal time capsule.

That's a head shaker!

Grumpy Thinkers!

2009-02-01T14:32:00.004-07:00

Several of the 'thinkers' I read are out sorts.

Dave Pollard says, " This world is fucked !

H mm, now got my attention. Profanity is unusual for Dave! Not in the moment either, as Tolle would say.

Dave, could not get away with a lead like that in print. Imagine it, as a front page summary of the Canadian budget. I wonder, would it offend, or ignite grass roots discussion. What to do, individually, as neighbors, as local communities, now, that "they" the experts, brokers, bankers, auto makers, have failed, us ?

Jeff Jarvis has been on about the Davos Economic Conference. No trust, transparency, leadership there. Not sure why 'we'd expect to find any. Those folks, create the agenda. On the financial side, make everyone less wealthy. It's working!

Exhibit 'A' government budget policy, just created more debt for you. Sure, a tax break, on home renovations is a, modest, benefit. It's your money, 'they' are using to create the benefit. How do you feel about that? Is consumerism worth it?

And so, Tolle would say.

Mark Evans asks; Are Newspapers Dinosaurs? "Yep", I said, responding to his question.

The newspaper platform is dead.

Canadian newspaper and media companies missed it, with RSS.

"They" never got it. Still don't. "They" don't understand their own business model, audience aggregation, on the net.

"They" don't understand it's my (our) news, not theirs. They don't see any value in me aggregating my news, from, or better, on their platform and syndicating it.

"They" produce and re-purpose more content, in a commodity market. Then, wonder why there is limited value.

"They" gave away 'classifieds'. They don't understand how to monetize 'free'!

"They", media companies, which own papers, refused to invest, in or create new business models. Transaction facilitation might be one! Could have been, when 'they' had an audience!

Their response to dwindling revenue, cut costs, people, facilities. How does a business grow, by cutting production? Margins may,short term. Business does not!

Independent journalism, an oxymoron, is dead, too. Locked down, like the borders into Gaza, by vested interests, with a web of contacts to support the power of their will, from there to Yonge and Bloor!

Today's reportage and analysis is agenda driven propaganda. Independent journalism long eviscerated by the toxic atmosphere of 'regulated', government approved, media monopoly.

Compromised, by vested third party think tank expertise. Manifested, on a local level, by non analytical press conference boosterism, masquerading as journalism.

A neat and tidy, controlled, complex, 'information vertical' organized and supported by a shared mutually, vested, beneficial will!

Truth, trust, and transparency is not 'their' will! Media and automotive companies, banks, oops I digress!

Perhaps the collapse of the newspaper business, if there ever was such a business, is a metaphor for the disintegration of monopoly?

Hope so!

Grumpy is catchy . Off to the gym!

' Mindless ' On Sunday Video

2009-02-01T07:00:00.005-07:00

Eckhard Tolle's Power of Now is a challenge.

Learn to be mindless. That's crazy, right!

I was introduced to Tolle about a year, while traveling in Costa Rica. Then, he and Oprah put on a 10 week on-line seminar. As you might expect that garnered a large audience. More the power of Oprah, then now!

However, I was struck by the number of people, in my small circle, who were 'watching'. Never thought, 'they' would do that. Didn't ' think' I would.

That's the point, 'thinking' tricks me every time!

What about you? Every thought about how your, ( my ) ' thinking' distorts the real picture.

Give it a try !

More below.

Ultimate Mashup

2009-01-31T19:40:00.005-07:00

During Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, in the second period, between the Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins, HNIC gave up a television commercial position to produce a live in venue , on air, feature.

A 90 second tribute to former Maple Leaf captain, Doug Gilmore, was simultaneously, produced, in the arena and on TV.

The Leafs retired Gilmore's sweater prior to the game. The feature was a value add for TV fans, who did not get to see the pre-game tribute live. A live in stadium interview with Don Cherry, created an astute melding of the entire fan experience.

With all stadiums television equipped, could this be a trend linking the two complimentary, and distinct fan bases. Wonder how this will evolve ?

Sunday Video - Millenials

2009-01-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our children, our legacy, they reap what we sow. Can, will, they do better? Gosh I hope so! They're labeled. It's difficult to describe define and examine any group or anything without first creating a category for reference. Wonder if our kids will move beyond labels?

Full Moon

2009-01-16T13:33:00.001-07:00

Full Moon on my Street

Posted via Pixelpipe.

Moon & Venus

2009-01-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

Planets Talking

Posted via Pixelpipe.

ISP Trumps Image Well

2009-01-13T23:27:00.006-07:00

Customer Engagement has, well eh, engaged me. I've been reading lots, on the topic. Starting awhile back with reading Good to Great.

Always been curious about what it takes to make, and keep a good customer.

About a month ago, I started tracking my customer engagements. I'm a customer. I engage allot of businesses.

Here are two case studies, from yesterday.

My internet connection seemed slow. So I contacted my ISP. First on the net, then by phone. Wait time, about ten minutes, before I was speaking with a human being. Outlined the problem. Off we went for a speed test.

After testing both the modem and the router, we determined the issue was not theirs. I'm satisfied. We did what we could. Process took 20 minutes. Good experience, even if the sluggishness is still there.

It's a browser issue. FireFox 3.1 Beta 2 is flaky!

Next is Imagine Well, a nifty little paint and draw program, I've used for 3 years. The basic edition was free.

Recently, Xtralean created a fee based premium product.

Fine.

Good Business decision. Suggests the product is viable. There's an install base willing to pay.

There's value.

So I thought I try out the premium version.

Didn't know that when I loaded it. My original 'free version' , with basic features was deleted.

That's a sneaky.

So I 'm not buying, not because the product isn't useful, because the company took advantage of me, or at least tried.

They assumed I'd buy the new features.

Here's a how we engaged .

... long time user of original product. Got a big surprise when my old 'free software' was deleted, when I tried out the the pro version. Not enough value to keep me. Actually, quite displeased that the working copy of the older software was deleted, over written by the new.

Won't be buying, just deleted Image Well, not because the product isn't useful, your business practices are less than stellar.

...

LOL
...

Your Best?
...
Do I really care if you're so miffed that you won't sport a couple bucks to us? Nope, most people that try Image Well don't buy it. You're no different and certainly not special.

All the best,

Hagen Kaye

On 13-Jan-09, at 9:42 AM, Support wrote:

Hey, we're just a husband and wife team that gave away ImageWell for free for 5 years. Expenses for development came out of our own pockets. We enjoyed giving it away.

If you want to have a childish rant about it now being $20 CAD (which works out to $16 US) and saying we have less than stellar business practices then go right ahead. For a small price we can work on improving the product full time and we have a generous upgrade policy, our next version ImageWell 4 is a free upgrade.

Glad you enjoyed the free version, while it lasted and

You're Welcome.

On 13-Jan-09, at 12:05 PM, Bruce Winter wrote:

Thanks for your reply. As I said, it is not the $20, or the product. It's you, not personally you. It's your corporate attitude. There is a cost to free. Now, we both endure that. No sale for you. No product for me.

When you have a moment may I suggest you re read your email, with customer engagement in mind. You've got lots of good stuff to work with. After, you get out of your way.

Bruce Winter

All the best,

Hagen

There's an easier way, more lucrative way. Always is. Image Well could have 'bonus-ed' the earlier adopters, with a specially priced, time specific offer to up grade. After all, the early adopters are calling for improvements.

Consider the in tel, free product research. Value the customer's 'contribution' to product development. Bonus them back. One of many would a, could a, might have, options missed.

What's you favorite customer engagement experience?

Coach for the Day

2009-01-13T12:20:00.005-07:00

We're in the playpen today. Let's play.

As the leader of your organization, what do you do, when results are spotty? Individual performance is inconsistent? Customers are unhappy, but still buying? At least buying the product. Not necessarily, the public relations message.

That's the issue confronting the Edmonton Oilers' management team. The coach, as the first level of management, has been direct and consistent, in his public, and likely, private assessment of his team, collectively and individually.

Public admonition of lack of effort has improved some individual performance. Collectively, the team underachieves. Results remain spotty. A dilemma!

Apply that circumstance to your own business, or organization. Now what do you do? Outside the playpen, most motivational engagements are closed door affairs. Well they should be. Embarrassment usually breeds resentment, or worse. Neither are conducive to big picture thinking, enduing relationships, and optimum performance.

Creating and articulating the value proposition between the individual and the big picture, the desired result of the collective action is the challenge. One, I'd certainly could have used some help with, in a past fling, at running a business.

It's all attitude. No matter what we do. When, we think we can. We do. The leader's challenge. Meld the attitude. Motivate. Inspire consistent performance. Recognize the value of an individual contribution. Connect the dots from the individual to the collective effort, which delivers the anticipated organizational result.

What do you think? Better, how do you do it?

Sunday Video Wisdom or Chaos

2009-01-11T07:00:00.001-07:00

"There is no evidence that one can become expert in something as broad as decision-making, policy, or strategy...or perhaps even management. ... Large groups of diverse individuals will make more intelligent decisions than even the most skilled decision-maker."

James Surowiecki Wisdom of the Crowds.

Whose the expert, the Surgeon, or the group of patients who survived the surgery? Perhaps both, one in surgical process, the other in recovery.

Who do you trust the expert, the pitch man, or someone in your net work? Is there wisdom in the collective publishing of individuals on You Tube, Facebook, or My Space? All now known as social media enabled by the technologies of Web 2.0.

Is this crowd wisdom or chaos? Settle in and watch.

Wiki Can SEE

2009-01-08T11:59:00.004-07:00

Stumbled on Visual Wikipedia yesterday.

It's an an extension of Wikipedia , adding graphics and video to go with the familiar encyclopedic text. Context to the text, if you will. Creates richer, eh more useful researching experience.

Gosh a virtual reality anatomy lesson, delivered via teleconference. First presented, in real time, now archived and ready for distribution. That's a bit of a head shaker, don't you think?

Visual Wiki is going to be a boon to my current efforts over on Good Health.

May be helpful in your research you too.

Via Micro Persuasion

Skyped Out- No Engagement

2009-01-07T15:00:00.007-07:00

Had some connectivity issues with Skype, yesterday. Couldn't connect with a cell phone. Well not quite. Connection was made, expect the person I was calling couldn't hear me. I guess that qualifies as not connecting.

So tried Skye Customer Service. Their response:

"... Please try to call this number from an ordinary (landline or mobile) phone.
If you can reach the number, please report back and we will investigate the matter at Skype.
If the number is not reachable with an ordinary phone then you (or your contact at the other end) should contact the telephone service provider for the information."

Hmm, what's the value proposition with Skype, if I need a land line, or cell phone, to trouble shoot. Contact the phone company, at either end. Gosh that sounds like major time waster.

No customer solutions here. Hardly engagement either. Might as well Skype Jajah.

Sunday Video

2009-01-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Enjoy coffee and the Dalli Lami

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Plugged in..to the Sun

2009-01-02T23:45:00.001-07:00

Saturday, an alternative kind of a day.

Would you wear these?

Maybe. They are Solar powered sun glasses. Not to power your eyes. No x ray vision. Power your gadgets.

This application might be a tad early.

I see a use. Pretty soon you'll be ' eh ' required' to park that cell phone, while driving. Hands free only.

Imagine keeping it powered and out out your hands! Yes yes Bluetooth can keep it out of your hands.
Maybe a combo unit connectivity and power delivered by your sun glasses.

The discussion is quite interesting.

Ditching batteries would be good. They make an awful mess, in landfills. Not to mention the energy it takes to make 'em.

Where might this go? What do you think?

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Useful Gadget

2008-12-30T11:37:00.004-07:00

Still struggling, in the cell phone maze. However while here, found this nifty little gadget.

Now, don't often get into gadget blogging. There's more than enough of that. However, my physician could really use this. That's one profession trapped in the paper, computer abyss .
For that group, the smart pen keeps things familiar, permanent and accessible. Sounds pretty good to me.

Downside can't get them in Canada yet. Amazon and Costco in the US, only

Going Wireless

2008-12-28T11:57:00.003-07:00

It's not easy. Lyrics to a song. The title escapes me, momentarily.

Going wireless is not easy. Which cell phone to buy, which plan to select?

What to do? When?

You don't trust the phone companies. Why? Ultimately, they are responsible for creating the confusion. It works for them. That makes it difficult to create a beneficial business relationship. Win lose is lose.

Crowd sourcing adds another layer of confusion. I've learned. The devices, generally, work well. Customer service, problem solving is abysmal. Particularly, if it is a billing issue.

" Don't be surprised by your first monthly, bill".

That's the opener, from Koodo on their billing practices. The first bill is pro-rated. Billing starts, from the date you activate your account. It ends, when the billing cycle ends. OK, works for them. Scares me! Sample above. Reference it here, in small print, at the bottom of the plan page. There's that trust issue!

Here's my wireless business plan.

Need Ditch the land line
Benefit Phone is with me

Phone
Need Basic phone
Want iPhone
Application Local calls minimal text
Features mp3 camera

Plan
Need No contract
Need No pseudo contract-IE TAB by Koodo
Need May be pay as I go?
Need Per second billing
Need Unlimited Evenings and weekends
Need Easy to decipher
Need Electronic billing and payment

Koodo almost had me. Upon review, discovered the phone I was considering was a TAB deal. Don't like TAB. Need to see what the phone costs without it? Still looking. Open to suggestions and assistance.

Wireless is do able, just takes some more work!

Found the song

Kermit's version

Enjoy!

Apple of MY Eye

2008-12-17T14:54:00.007-07:00

Some consternation this week, when Apple decided to exit from Mac World. The annual trade show, where new "New Apples", are announced and demonstrated. It's held in, January, in San Francisco. Apple said it's time to move on.

It didn't take long. On Wednesday morning, I got a bright Apple email entitled, "Just in Time". Got me. I'm ready for some upgrades. Apple doesn't know that! Santa does, though.

My chances of getting to Mac World, not great. Apples chances of getting me in the store. Excellent, I'm there, 11 am Sunday. Customer engagement indeed!

OH NO!

2008-12-16T13:00:00.004-07:00

More jobs cut, 600, this time at Quebecor and Sun Media.,

That follows Canwest Global Communications Corp, cutting 210 workers, at its broadcast operations, another 350, at its publishing division. CTV Inc. cut 105 jobs, in November. Torstar Corp cut 270 jobs, across its stable of urban and regional newspapers, in the first nine months of the year.

Job and expense cutting is a race to the bottom for traditional media. Where is revenue generation? That's difficult when subscriptions are declining, advertising revenue too! Classifieds are now the domain of Craigslist and .Kijiji

It's a strategic planning failure. Repositioning print properties, on the net, under a subscription business model didn't work. Newspaper Publishers wouldn't and won't invest in learning how to create new business models.

The Edmonton Journal, still, locks up it's content. They won't allow me to create, My Journal. Share it, with my friends. Why?

The New York Times does. The Times does video.

'Times Extra' More Sources

The Times aggregates and syndicates. Links to third party news sources, on their front page. That's understanding reader value.

Why isn't the Edmonton Journal doing that? Why didn't the Journal, or the Edmonton Sun, create their own Craigslist? They have the platform. Local classifieds. Change the business model. Facilitate. Provide the ad. Charge for the platform. Take a piece of the transaction. Nothing is free. Create a service.

Too bad they missed it. Lots of skilled, talented, people out of work. Quality of the product is diminished. There 'll be less local news. Fewer readers. Death spiral.

Great Secret in Plain View

2008-12-15T10:29:00.010-07:00

Ever wonder how manipulation works.? Why an issue becomes an issue? Who wins? Who looses? Is the Wall Street Journal in distortion mode, on Net Neutrality? Some folks think so. Does that make it true? Why care?

Manipulation is the Great Secret

Consider two issues: WMD and Net Neutrality. First, pick on someone, or entity. Position them, as, well, evil, a threat to the status-quo through a perceived ill, or wrong doing.

Crank up the media to support the thesis. Force the target to re- act to your agenda. Reaction is commonly, perceived as quilt. It must be true, right? Because someone, an expert, said, it's so.

Here's how it's done.

LMG uses a “political campaign model” that integrates expertise in the subject matter, message development, aggressive, research-driven paid and earned media, on-the-ground coalition building, preparation of analytical and other policy papers, and a host of next-generation services such as viral and online campaigns.... Law Media Group

Are we witnessing a WMD type attack on net neutrality. Barrack Obama favors open access. Is this the political hill to die on, as the first conflict, he addresses?

Hearings are coming, in January, in the US, in February in Canada. Unless of course, we have an election. That would give Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Telus lots of time to chart the course, here. The table is being set. Global Telcos and cable companies are in, high, distortion mode.

Manipulation is, everywhere. Consider Bell Canada's recent throttling of it's network, effectively, limiting competition, aided and abetted by the CRTC. In February, the CRTC is going to investigate Net Neutrality. Hmm, closing the barn door comes to mind. Why hearings, after a decision? Optics? Creating perception?

What is net neutrality? Why is it important to you?

Consider subscribing here, and here to stay tuned.

Net's Not Neutral Anymore

2008-12-15T00:01:00.006-07:00

Last year Barrack Obama was big time supporter of equal and open access to the net.

Things have change dramatically in a year.

NO ACCE$$ HERE

The Wall Street Journal is reporting Google is setting up their own servers, within ISP facilities.

Google has denied that effects their net neutrality position. Google claims their servers are for edge caching. Ever heard of that? Me neither.

"....A cache is a temporary storage area where frequently accessed data can be stored for rapid access. Once the data is stored in the cache, future use can be made by accessing the cached copy rather than re-fetching or recomputing the original data, so that the average access time is shorter"...

More here ! Thanks Wikipedia!

In the last year, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google have signed on with the phone and cable companies, in a variety of partnerships. Hence the burgeoning change, in net neutrality policy.

Look for a regulated, fee based, tiered, internet, in your future. It'll be positioned under the ruse of rationality, or edge caching to speed up access to eh Google's content.

Ration the resource. Create a better economic reality. You'll be paying more for bandwidth, and content. Or paying the same, and getting allot less.

Sunday Video ... Leadership

2008-12-14T00:03:00.002-07:00

Coffee time ... grab one, lean in and watch...

From Charlie Rose...

Roaming the Archives

2008-12-11T23:24:00.009-07:00

On my way back to explore the Google News Archive, I bumped in to the CBC archive.

Historical calendar of events is a fun way to explore, compare, and learn.

Marshall McLuhan coined the phase the Medium is the Message back in the 1960's. I always wondered what he meant by that? When I wonder, I try Wikipedia.

Marshall McLuhan argues in The Medium is the Massage that the dominant communication media of our time will shape the way humans think, act, and ultimately perceive the world around them

We take instant global access to and distribution of information for granted. Get upset, when it isn't instantaneous . Content may be king, the medium is indeed the message- Changes how we do things . Enables facilitation ,community, and collaboration.

How will you use the medium and enable the message?

Click the picture to read the book