End-of-Week/Quarter Economic News:
Glass Half Full Or…?
Don’t call us stupid. We know it’s the economy. It is of central importance to our political, philanthropic, aesthetic, and working decisions. So for the end of this week MKCREATIVE tapped into the bright minds at The Atlantic Magazine as some of its economists commented on the recent numbers released for Q1 2010. The numbers beg for the rhetorical question of whether the glass is half full or half empty, for some of the numbers are wonderful, though, as Derek Thompson also points out, we are still dragging a ‘heavy anchor,’ namely, the housing sector.
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Roundup Of Some Social Media Developments
(Part 2 of 2): The Experts
Yesterday we outlined some success stories of philanthropic and social-action groups who have been able to leverage social media to help with fundraising. As promised, today we look at the backside of some social media developments, and it is not always pretty. The truth of the matter is, many have built up claims to be social-media experts, but most of them are promoters of self, not strategists who can help your organization move through the wealth of opportunity (and desultory time-wasting) made possible by the technology. The self-appointed Expert receives a good deal of roasting in any profession, but the grilling of the social-media guru can be pretty hot. And why not? She/he is being called out by the very producers of content (and the consumers) who he/she claims to be able to help.
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Roundup Of Some Social Media Developments
(Part 1 of 2)
Facebook has gotten most of the press lately, and the MKCREATIVE blog discussed some of that buzz earlier this week. Facebook’s staff seek to build and weave together the new ‘Social Graphs’ of one’s “Friends” with the use of the already nearly-ubiquitous “Like” button. But another site is under development by Chris Hugues (one of the founding developers of Facebook) that seems to have similar ambitions within the world of mission-based businesses and philanthropy groups. That site is Jumo.com, a name meant to convey ‘working together.’ Though not the first site to try to bring together these constituencies, the knowhow of Mr. Hugues and his colleagues in the area of social networking might give Jumo a big jump once it is presented some time this fall. One can register an email online to get updates (and, of course, to register one’s ‘Like’ of the site) as they progress.
How has social networking fared as a qualitative and quantitative part of the philanthropic and mission-based communities?
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Greening Your Business Requires A Recipe For Success
Earth Days and Ecofests help keep us motivated and connected in our efforts to go green. When it comes to baking in long-term and structural improvements, though, we need tried-and-true ingredients and good guidance. Julie Gabrielli, founder of GoForChange has provided just such a recipe to move us all toward a greener work environment and a greener economy all around. The company’s general mission (and one that was founded in the early days of interest in any greening movement) is to work with small- and mission-based companies to improve their eco-standards and their bottom lines:
Julie Gabrielli, from her site GoForChange.com
GOforChange has a big vision for a community that is life-affirming in all senses. We work with small business owners who want to find simple, practical ways to increase their profitability, satisfaction and success by going green. We’ve been at this for 20 years, so green isn’t a fad or trend to us. We know how to go right to the heart of the matter, cut through the clutter and get to the gold. Using timeless, grounded frameworks, we work with you to customize a plan that fits your unique values and interests
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
A Conversation with Dave Michaels of Ecoprint
Image via Wikipedia
This month marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and once again green is back in fashion. For some companies, like Ecoprint, green has always been in season. Based just north of Washington D.C., this printing company was founded by an environmental activist who participated in the first Earth Day and proudly proclaims its “environmental leadership since 1977.” Today Ecoprint is forging ahead on a number of fronts, demonstrating many ways for graphic arts businesses to become more sustainable environmental stewards.
MKCREATIVE has worked with many printers over the years and has always required they use soy-based inks and paper from sustainable sources on clients’ print jobs. We’ve also required that they take other longer-term measures to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. Ecoprint ‘s commitment is on another order of magnitude. We see them as kindred spirits: both Ecoprint and MKCREATIVE are run as businesses that are trying to create positive social change through sustainable practices. Both organizations are providing services to clients who make a difference in their own communities, while also offering education and guidance.
Popularity: unranked | Category Climate Change, Community, Nonprofit, Sustainability, interview, printing | | View Comments
Written by: Marco Kathuria
Folks Like Facebook And Facebook Links the Likes
Back in March we posted access to a wonderful video sendup of the Fox News/Glen Beck phenomenon – a video that can, if you allow it, tap into your Facebook information to have you stand at the center of the conspiracy working to bring Communism to the United States. After the cackles died down (and the secret handshakes of the Illuminati were shared), we at MKCREATIVE wondered about the privacy implications of such a video. One short-term point we made, and one that bears repeating, is that by enjoying the video with our own mugs and friends-as-co-conspirators we are simply drawing from information we have already chosen to make public about ourselves. But the possibility of our semi-private (pseudo-private?) information running away from our control has been further heightened by Facebook’s latest move to have us link our likes around the net – what CEO Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook calls the ‘Social Graph‘: “We’re building toward a web where the default is social. Every application and product will be redesigned from the ground up to use a person’s real identity and friends.” Who will vouch for that ‘real identity’ and what will be bought and sold with the information linked are but two questions worth asking.
Popularity: unranked | Category Education: Technology, Software Review, Technology, Web and Print | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Some Green Goodness To Sum Up Green Week
We have posted a number of tidbits about Green Week, from Baltimore Green Works’ EcoFest through various local and national events this week. We must keep the enthusiasm up, of course. Green Week draws to a close, but not the need to be creative and disciplined with our use of resources and our development of sustainable technologies. But in the spirit of a well-earned Friday afternoon, we wanted to end this week’s series with a few local and a (surprising?) international marks of success.
We have already praised Baltimore City for (finally) getting hybrid-technology buses on the road, and we note the development again. But Baltimore is full of projects and efforts that are greening urban neighborhoods, giving options to driving cars, and producing green products for us to enjoy.
Popularity: unranked | Category Climate Change, Community, Greening, Sustainability | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
E-Seminar “Freelance Writing for Nonprofits” Filling Fast – Sign Up Now!
Today’s topic is just too topical, and critical, to pass by or put in with other materials. Kivi Leroux Miller (whose work and whose guidance MKCREATIVE have often referred to) is hosting a four-week seminar on “Freelance Writing for Nonprofits,” which is limited to but ten quick registrants (actually, SEVEN as of last count!). If you are writing for nonprofits or want to do so, or if you want to sharpen your game for your nonprofit, get to the registration page quickly.
Why?
Popularity: unranked | Category Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Public Option in Health Care Still On The Table, Because We Aren’t Getting What We Pay For
The Atlantic Magazine sponsored a forum on health care on Monday in Washington DC, at which Henry Waxman gave the keynote address. According to the write-up of the moderator, Atlantic editor Joshua Green, the public option remains the go-to strategy if the current plan of establishing insurance exchanges does not create the sorts of health-care coverage and competition demanded. Mr. Green also pointed out that such monumental legislation takes on its own life, which means it needs constant monitoring and reconsideration as the US healthcare environment changes. To assist in that monitoring, Gerard F. Anderson and Patricia Markovich of Johns Hopkins University (with support from The Commonwealth Fund) have recently posted a statistical report entitled “Multinational Comparisons of Health Systems Data, 2008.” Though statistical, the report presents a series of easy-to-grasp comparative charts that compare spending and outcomes of a number of advanced western economies/countries.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Healthcare, National/International, Opinion, Politics | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Colleges And Universities Are Greening Up For Spring
“Education: a debt due from present to future generations.” (George Peabody)
Though much is owed to future generations, and each of us must do our part to pay forward our share, the MKCREATIVE team have taken a particular interest in the greening/sustainability/new-energy nexus of our economy and environment. We were thus especially pleased to read some recent articles about how college students are working with and beyond their institutions of higher education to expand Green Week into a personal habit and a drive for sustainable change throughout the economy.
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
EcoFest Success and Green Construction in Baltimore
EcoFest Drum Circle
Baltimore GreenWorks pulled off another great EcoFest (the first being in 2005) this past week! Weather was a bit cool, but sunny and the MKCREATIVE team members who attended this small gathering had a great time. Many folks came out to enjoy good food, music, and bonding. A number of eco-engaged sponsors and merchants were there as well, which made a great reminder of how public interest and private enterprise can work together for the enrichment of both. (more…)
Popularity: unranked | Category Affordable Housing, Community, Greening, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Oil Companies Attempt to Evade California’s CO2 Emission Laws
Image via Wikipedia
Ex-Vice President Al Gore has recently posted from his blog a series of legal moves by a number of Texas-based oil refinement companies to finagle or simply by-pass California’ CO2 emissions laws. Mr. Gore was responding (at least) to an article by John M. Broder and Clifford Krauss in the New York Times, which explores the digging done by Valero Energy Corporation to circumvent California’s cap-and-trade laws (California’s laws are seen by many throughout the US as the best ‘laboratory’ on how such a market might function).
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
UK Election: Three way clashes in historic TV debate
Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Gordon Brown in TV Prime ministerial debate
Gordon Brown and David Cameron have clashed over spending cuts, tax and political reform in the UK’s first prime ministerial TV debate.
The Labour leader went on the attack against Mr Cameron during the historic 90-minute encounter, accusing him of “airbrushing” planned spending cuts.
The Tory leader accused Mr Brown of trying to “frighten” voters.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said neither of them were being “straight” about the scale of cuts needed.
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said the biggest impact of the contest will be the insertion of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats into the nation’s consciousness but nothing the other leaders said had fundamentally altered the general election debate.
The abiding memory of the contest could be “the other leaders saying ‘I agree with Nick,” he added.
Two opinion polls taken immediately after the debate, by YouGov and Populus respectively, suggested Mr Clegg won.
The debate on ITV1 was the first of three over the coming weeks, in the run up to the general election on 6 May. (more…)
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Written by: Marco Kathuria
A Scholarly Presentation On An Unstable Economy (And How To Avoid It)
US retail sales, March 2010
(from theatlantic.com)
Recent news on the economy is decidedly mixed. The Atlantic Blog stated it nicely: “Seven Reasons to be Pessimistic and Optimistic about the Economy.” Indeed, released reports show U.S. Retail Sales Up 1.6% in March, an uptick for the third consecutive month. As I write the Dow Jones is up almost 104 points and should close over 11,120 points. We posted a couple of weeks ago that home-purchase ‘futures’ are also up, although those numbers are muted by the fact that they are meant to predict future home purchases based on visitations and statements of intent, not pens on checks. What we might not recall is that news on the markets and the larger economy in 2007 was, um, decidedly mixed.
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Baltimore Hosting A Number of Homeownership & Greening Events
The approach of Tax Day can cloud memories of other opportunities, so we wanted to post reminders of a number of upcoming events for the greening of Our Fair City. First off, please do not forget the fun we will have at Druid Hill Park this Saturday, 17 April, from 12:pm to 6:pm. EcoFest hosted by the Baltimore GreenWorks and a myriad of local vendors and greening organizations. The weather prognosis looks good for the weekend, and what a great way to wash away memories of sweating over your 1040?
Popularity: 1% | Category Affordable Housing, Community, Conference/Congress, Education: General, Greening, Local/Maryland, Politics | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
The Weight of Long-Term Unemployment According to Pew Trust
Many of us are fortunate enough to read (or write) these tweets and blog postings from work, yet the topic of this Monday’s post concerns the ongoing effects of longer-term unemployment. We noted in late January an article in The Atlantic magazine on the fundamental and difficult-to-realign economic and social ramifications of long-term unemployment. The dangers go beyond the people looking for work, as families and neighbors can get pulled into downward social and psychological struggles. The Pew Economic Policy Group have just published a white paper entitled “A YEAR OR MORE: The high Cost of Long-Term Unemployment,” which puts some hard numbers on the kinds of trends discussed in the Atlantic article.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Upcoming Greening Events in Baltimore To Highlight Sustainability Successes
On our entry for 25 March we touted some notable greening projects in New York City, including Annie Novak’s rooftop farm. We also noted opportunities for Baltimore’s citizens to get involved in similar projects. Today we follow on with that call-to-action to draw your attention to a couple of festivals and conferences meant to inspire and educate the Baltimore community to strive for environmental and economic sustainability. We also want to offer kudos to Towson University’s students, staff, and faculty who recycled 140 tons of materials in the fourth annual “RecycleMania” competition held among Maryland’s institutions of higher learning. They far exceeded their goal of 120 tons, itself an expansion over the 114 tons recycled last year. And they did so despite those crippling blizzards in February smack dab in the middle of the competition. (Cue sappy music) Of course, Maryland’s citizenry and environment are the big winners, as schools across the state competed in the 10-week competition.
Popularity: unranked | Category Automobiles, Climate Change, Community, Conference/Congress, Education: General, Greening, Local/Maryland, Nonprofit, Politics, Sustainability | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
A (Giga)Bit More on Net Neutrality Debate In Wake of Appeals Court Ruling
The decision from the Federal Appeals Court continues to reverberate within the news cycle, as debate continues about the viability (or mythology) of neutrality in the marketplace and how sternly the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should oversee the industry. For those of you wanting to hear a lively discussion of the issue, a bit of its history, and proponents from both sides of the decision, may we recommend today’s one-hour discussion on The Diane Rhem Show?
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Marketing, National/International, Opinion, Politics, Technology, Web and Print | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Net Neutrality Loses (First?) Appeal
The MKCREATIVE blog has posted on issues of net neutrality, network infrastructures, and the impending Google gigabit network for some fortunate community in these United States. So our antennae were twitching as the decision/appeal concerning the FCC’s statute of ‘net neutrality.’ And the court has decided that the FCC’s statutes are unconstitutional. Here is a nice introduction from The Wall Street Journal (including the fact that the pundits interviewed do not expect the Obama Administration to spend political capital appealing the appeal:
Of course, the issue is not resolved (any more than health care is ‘resolved’).
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Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Recent Developments in MA Show Economic Opportunities and Pressures on Community Housing
The Neighborhood Housing Service of Springfield Massachusetts has recently sponsored the building of low-income modular homes in their Old Hill neighborhood. The project is notable for at least two great reasons: First, the Springfield NHS built the homes on what had been ‘trash strewn vacant lots,’ so the entire community enjoys aesthetic and economic boosts. Second, the modular buildings used for the homes have inspired the NHS board to “work strictly in modular … we’re very pleased with the quality of the work.” Thus even low-cost housing will include bamboo-wood floors (bamboo being easily sustainable/replaceable) and central heating and air. A growing market in such modular housing could help keep prices down, even as further improvements are made.
Popularity: unranked | Category Affordable Housing, Banking & Finance, Community, News and Current Affairs, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Resources And Tips To Start Writing Grant Proposals
As the tax season rushes upon us all, we wanted to offer a few resources for those who will be searching for and/or expanding their outreach to grant-giving organizations. One of the points that almost every one of the consultants we researched made is the fact that those grant-giving organizations WANT to give away their money. What they are looking for is a good, focused, and enthusiastic ‘sell.’
This video from ‘The Nonprofit Toolbox’ is an interview with Jane B Ford, a teacher and writer who has worked the the non-profit sector for three decades. Her interview begins with a discussion of her company, The Joy Path, which focuses on small to mid-size community based non-profit organizations. From there she discusses some great tactics to help anyone set up a successful grant application. For example, she stresses the fact that ‘the clarity of the mission… then the focus, and the people (who are getting the organization to succeed in its mission).’ And she also points out the trend of even national philanthropic groups is to seek out well-situated local missions with local ambitions.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, interview | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
A Primer on Social Media – Chapter One: Getting Started (And Why)
Getting started with the use of social media can be a daunting task. There are blogs, Twitter accounts, GoogleBuzz!, instant-messaging tools by the dozens, Facebook… The list goes on-and-on, and it will only continue to lengthen for the foreseeable future. All that access to information can be overwhelming. We at MKCREATIVE will post some ideas and suggestions over the next few weeks that might help calm fears and perhaps clarify some misconceptions about social media and online networking. For today’s entry, we wanted to touch on the ‘concepts’ of social networking and how to get involved, as well as why. In later postings we will turn to software and ‘work habits’ that we have found useful, and you might too.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Education: General, Tweets | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
iPad is Released, And Mobile Computing Grows That Bit More Important
Apple's iPad Launches April 2, 2010
A few weeks ago we posted a two-part preview on Apple’s latest device, the iPad, and (perhaps more importantly) how such a device will move the computing world towards portable devices and ‘cloud computing.’ Well, the day has arrived, and the iPad is on the launching pad. Stores will be presenting it Saturday, so get in line early.
The MKCREATIVE team have not had the honor of receiving a prototype (although we will be testing it at our local Apple store in Towson, Maryland on launch day), and we will make no claims about the device beyond what the reviewers have to say. Our two go-to reviewers are David Pogue at The New York Times, and Walt Mossberg at The Wall Street Journal, but other professional tech reviewers have weighed in with their own experiences. But one reviewer whose more – shall we say “humanist”? – approach might provide a key to how the nonprofit community should embrace this technology.
Popularity: 1% | Category Apple, Education: Technology, Hardware Review, Reviews, Technology, iDevice | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D