Random thoughts on a Friday ...

(Overcome All Difficulties)

Long Island 3.0 is a methodology that allows all Long Islanders to collaborate in a dynamic manner, presuming they wish to do so. How do we maintain a collective focus with Long Island 3.0 so as to deflect the actions of those who wish to have little or no change? Can we encourage our great Long Island colleges and universities to expand the concept of "Long Island Studies" to incorporate some or all of the Long Island 3.0 concepts and create a whole army of professional Long Island "synthesizers," folks who see the big picture and know how to bring disparate elements together for a common purpose?

How can we show that by cooperating, we enlarge the opportunities for those already established? To enact change those in power, who obviously believe they have the most to lose (maybe they're correct, depending on the circumstances) must cooperate. Leadership, on some level, is the absence of fear. Established organizations must show that they are willing to "sacrifice" at some level for the greater good. Give a little now, reap the benefits of a more prosperous Long Island later. Perhaps we should call it the "One Long Island Project."

Opinion is important. Ideas are important. But employing some type of "Long Island Scientific Method" is critical to sustainable positive change. It is always tougher to argue with a demonstrated reality than with an opinion, no matter how well formed. Long Island 3.0 provides some of the framework needed to establish a "Long Island Scientific Method."

Giving up is not an option. Just complaining is not an option. Creating controversy for personal or organizational advantage is not an option. Having an idea or an opinion that you are unwilling to defend is not an option. Failure is not an option.

How do we make competitors into collaborators for the public good on Long Island? By freeing up the exchange of information through the various concepts contained in Long Island 3.0 (and elsewhere of course) we create opportunities we perhaps never knew existed. For example through ideas like the "Citizen Media Network" (an outgrowth of the Community Congress idea of the early 90's) and a companion of the Virtual Long Island Congress and all the other Long Island 3.0 ideas, we enable all not-for-profit groups (who do so much to help Long Islanders) obtain access to thousands (millions?) of additional contacts that they would not normally have access to otherwise.

We must begin the process of reshaping Long Island now, not just for short term and based upon immediate needs, but we must change the very manner in which we think about Long Island and how we communicate with one another ..... Interesting article ..... "So if we can't predict the future, why try? Because we have to." ..... Different, but interesting nevertheless.