Breaking Down Silos

We've posted multiple times about the need to "speak a common language" and to create an a "dynamic interaction of organizations and information" as part of our Long Island 3.0/Long Island Congress leitmotif.

The following (click for entire article) does a good job of explaining the process in a corporate setting which, of course, closely parallels what we hope to achieve on a larger scale here on Long Island. We may have more "moving parts" but the concepts are still valid.

"Using mapped folksonomy to break corporate silos
A problem in getting people in corporate silos to communicate is that they do not speak the same language even when they are talking about the same thing. Mapped folksonomy can bridge the language gap. The trick is to have people participating in the folksonomy label a good number of the same underlying things so you can see how the labels correlate across participants."

Meta-Editorialism: Part Four

''A smart mob is a form of self-structuring social organization through technology-mediated, intelligent "emergent behavior". The concept was introduced by Howard Rheingold in his book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. According to Rheingold, smart mobs are an indication of the evolving communication technologies that will empower the people.''
Wikipedia, Smart Mob

What does this mean for the ability of mainstream media to influence public opinion and drive public policy? What does it mean for political parties? What does it mean for Long Island?

It is absolutely a brave new world folks. Will it help Long Island come together or drive us further apart?

I prefer to think the former rather than the latter.

What do you think?

What do we want?

What do Long Islanders want?

Like most folks, I would imagine it is "maximum liberty with minimal governmental intrusion." This is not a plug for the libertarians out there or any other ideology, it is just a simple observation of how most folks live their lives.

The issue then remains what "liberty" and "governmental intrusion" mean to the individual. Is it an intrusion on my liberty not to have health care provided to me for the taxes I pay? Is it an intrusion on my liberty to pay taxes for health care I do not want? The liberty-intrusion formula is a complicated and ever shifting dynamic.

I would say that most Long Islanders want and expect safe neighborhoods, a clean environment, opportunity for good paying jobs, reasonable services at a fair tax rate, you know, all the perennial favorites.

I would also say that most people on Long Island are fair-minded, clear thinking individuals who care a great deal about their communities. The same can be said for the multitude of organizations that abound on Long Island.

Diversity and individuality must be part of the Long Island psyche. Does this mean Long Islanders won't cooperate? Not at all.

What has been missing from the "Long Island equation" is the ability of organizations and individuals to communicate clearly and rationally with one another. Thankfully we live in age where the communication revolution is in full swing. What is needed now is to take a step back, take a deep breath, assess where we are and devise a flexible plan to move us forward as a region while maintaining the individuality and diversity that still make Long Island a place many folks want to call home.

Hopefully our Long Island Congress and Long Island 3.0 concepts will play a small part in the "new" Long Island model.

I think we all know what we want.

Now it is time to get it done.

More required reading ...

"Second is the forging of new partnerships and strategies of governance beyond just the role of government. This is really important to me because it defines the essence of what public policy's all about. Thirty years ago, public policy was largely about training students and doing research that related to the role of government and in making public policies at the state and national level. The needs then were to make the work of government more rational and more analytical. Today, public policy involves a lot more than government. It involves the non-profit sector. It involves the roles of NGOs (non-governmental organizations), international government organizations, foundations. It involves the private sector playing different kinds of roles and engaging in new ways in the public policy arena."

Some good news ...

Apparently, all my writing and ideas have not been for naught.

We should have some good news about the creation of a Long Island Congress and a plan to implement some Long Island 3.0 concepts pretty soon.

Thanks to all who have agreed to participate.

Connect the Dots Redux

Another good proposal by Senator LaValle.

How does it connect to this or any of the dozens of other good ideas out there?

Long Island 3.0/Long Island Congress will give us the means and opportunity to cooperate.

What it won't give us is the will.

Maybe Blue Gene can help?

Long Island Must Help Itself.

"When Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced plans to expand the "I Love New York" tourism campaign, his office issued a release saying it would "foster economic development throughout the state." But as Moke McGowan, president of the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission, points out, the release also said the initiative would "encourage greater upstate tourism.""Right now, [the initiative] is not going to do a whole lot for Long Island," McGowan said. But he later tempered his comments by saying a stronger New York brand would help Long Island. He added that the bureau has operations of its own - particularly those focused on Internet-based and international marketing - that are paying dividends in local tourism. McGowan talked with Newsday's Daniel Wagner ... Then what will be the impact of the governor's spending? It's going to take them five years to develop the state agency, both structurally and organizationally. I think the low-hanging fruit is, Saatchi & Saatchi is going to take the money to develop a media plan for fall and winter. "

Granted this is tourism, an important part of the Long Island economy, but only part of the economy nevertheless.

Long Island can no longer wait on the "good graces of others" to develop itself into a regional powerhouse. Yes, New York State must help all regions, especially the economically depressed upstate region, but we should be able to do more than one thing at a time and do it well, shouldn't we?

Long Island must make itself a priority which contributes to the state economy, but is not dependent on NYS government to move forward on its initiatives. Yes, Long Island should get its "fair share" of state resources, but we must deal from a position of strength.

This is why I believe the time has come for a Long Island Congress and related Long Island 3.0 ideas. Maybe the State of Long Island is a bit extreme (today anyway!), but a coordinated and powerful Long Island is not.


February 1950

Congressman James Delaney of Astoria raised eyebrows in February 1950 when he announced, somewhat tongue in cheek, that he wanted to make the State of Long Island. A member of the House Rules Committee investigating admitting Hawaii and Alaska as states, he claimed that Long Island would make a much better case for statehood, and “if you throw in New York City, there is no comparison.” He continued, “Alaska, with 90,000, has 1/4 the members of my district.” The proposed state, with 26 members in Congress, would have about the same sized congressional delegation as California or Illinois. Jamaica would be the proposed capital of the state of 9 million.

It is time to become self sufficient.

If there's an e-Trikala, why not a Long Island 3.0?

Interesting approach to a new way of providing government services here.

While the Long Island 3.0, New York 3.0 and Long Island Congress concepts take in to account more than government, the above article does provide guidance as to some of what is possible.

Use a Scalpel, Not a Sledgehammer

"Warning: Consolidation can save some money (administrative costs), but will not make big change in tax situation. In past few months, studies in Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, other states have disappointed many by finding that school districts consolidations won't save big bucks. It's about service, decision-making, rationale planning. Special districts are service districts. Start there. "

Interesting history of special districts above (click for entire article) and well worth reading. Good information here as well.

I had the pleasure of watching the Glenwood Fire Company's 100th Anniversary Parade this past Saturday in my hometown of Glen Head. Many of the local fire departments were present.

Although I know many of the volunteers from my days as a Town Councilman (I had the pleasure of creating the first or one of the first Fire Advisory Boards to foster cooperation between the town and the fire service) and from growing up in the area, it still gives me a sense of pride in community to see the level of professionalism and sacrifice these folks make on our behalf. There was a large crowd present and they too gave the volunteers a great response.

There is just something special about Long Island and the way it works that we need to be cognisant of before making wholesale changes. It is almost like a great intricate clock filled with moving parts that work in unison to create the heartbeat of our island. Whether it is the fire service or the environment or any of the dozens of other community causes and organizations on our Island, we all share a sense of pride in our communities.

Why do people still want to live on Long Island and continue to move here? I believe most folks know the good far outweighs the bad and they enjoy the sense of a "smaller community" that they have more control over while still having the opportunities that exist within a larger metropolitan area.

Long Island is a unique mix. We can look to other areas of the country and the world for ideas on how we can make Long Island better, but trying to "force" Long Island to become some other region, I think, is ultimately a fool's errand. We have to take what we have, understand what we are and make it work better. That requires a deeper level of analysis and commitment than garden variety comparisons and lists of complaints.

The Community Congress (and now Virtual Community Congress and Long Island Congress) concepts are ideas about how to harness this positive energy for the common good. I also had the pleasure of starting one of the first Marine Education Day educational programs here on Long Island which has now exposed tens of thousands of school children to our environment and how to protect it. This too was part of the Community Congress concept.

I admit to at least a little bias when it comes to our fire companies and volunteers and the the pride residents of Long Island take in their individual communities on all levels. When I was a young man I used to march in bands all over Long Island playing my trumpet and countless Sousa marches in hundreds of community celebrations. You really get a sense of how Long Island ticks at the grass roots level in these unguarded celebratory moments when a community comes together to celebrate itself and its accomplishments.

Do we need to change on Long Island to prepare for a better future? Yes.

Do we also need to preserve the elements that make Long Island a unique and good place to live? Yes.

Can we do both? Absolutely.

All the Long Island 3.0/ Long Island Congress ideas are geared towards a cooperative, productive Long Island. We will always have many "moving parts" on our island, even if the parts change from time to time. If we do not have a methodology to address change in a dynamic way, we will always be "behind the curve" in our decision making capabilities.

Let's be smart about change. Think before we act.

Use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer

Long Island Congress ... Lux Perpetua.

The creation of a Long Island Congress will create a vehicle for the unbiased, clear thinking analysis all Long Islanders require to make rational decisions.

This "public policy lux perpetua (ceaseless light)" will allow decisions to be made openly and without distortion.

It has been my experience as both a public official and private citizen that, while various advocacy organizations and individuals will have strong opinions and use "tough" tactics to push their cause, most, with some exceptions know how to cooperate and compromise.

The one thing we can not do is allow the public or organizations to think that information is being withheld or otherwise skewed to allow for a predetermined outcome. Let unreasonable people be unreasonable. Eventually, they only harm themselves and become irrelevant.

Obviously we live on an island. We have limited resources as would any islander. We must work smarter and in a more coordinated manner for all the reasons we've discussed in previous posts.

No one is naive enough to think a major change like this will be without a few bumps in the road. It has been my experience that most public officials want to cooperate with one another to make their communities better. Given the opportunity they, along with the rest of us, can achieve great things for Long Island.

For example this is the type of big idea we need to look at with a serious and unbiased eye. There are many good ideas like this out there from many different sources just waiting to be examined, analyzed and implemented.

We must think of Long Island not as a destination to somewhere else or a temporary state of affairs. Instead we must commit fully to a coordinated, strong Long Island able to hold its own with any other region; nationally or internationally.

A Long Island Congress (containing Long Island 3.0 concepts) with its "public policy lux perpetua "of objectivity and reason can be a major assistance in shaping a brighter Long Island future.

More thoughts on a Long Island Congress.

Is the creation of a "Long Island Congress" even possible?

It is, but it will take a change in how we approach public policy problem solving.

Instead of viewing ourselves as part of one organization or another, concerned with only one issue or another; we must instead think as a "pan-Long Island-ist" practicing "pan-Long Island-ism" (general term for the various movements or approaches on Long Island that have as their common goal the unity of Long Island and the fostering of non-confrontational, cooperative interaction between all Long Island organizations).

That is to say, how do all Long Island issues connect in the broadest sense and how do we create an environment conducive to the long term health of all Long Islanders?

First issue. Please leave your ego and ambition at the door. The Long Island Congress can not be viewed as a "launching pad" for political office or as a forum to "dominate" some sector of the debate.

Second issue. Have some humility. No one has all the answers and those who are not naturally assertive may in fact have the missing piece to the puzzle. The Long Island Congress must be inclusive.

Third issue. Learn to compromise and think of ways to build bridges between your position and others. Many times we think we have the whole solution when in fact we only have a part of it.

Fourth issue. Long Island must be unified in most issues to survive any adverse economic downturn, loss of political power or other "global" crises. If we don' t have a coordinated approach to solving Long Island's issues, we may be easily "divided and conquered" by interests outside of Long Island. For Long Island to remain "relevant" not only in New York State affairs, but as a region that has relevance in the wider world at large, we must be united.

Fifth issue. We must allow for our unique differences while cooperating as a region. Let's start simple and work up to the bigger issues. Success breeds success. Here is an example of some folks starting to think in the right direction, although it is not clear if there must be a major consolidation of these groups. Consolidation follows cooperation; it is not a means to an end in and of itself.

These are just some initial thoughts. More to follow.

How about a Long Island Congress?

We've talked previously about a "Community Congress" or a "Virtual Community Congress" and while there have been attempts to bring organizations and individuals together on Long Island for specific issues, I'm unaware of any attempt to have an ongoing dialogue amongst government leaders and relevant organizations and individuals on, let's say, a quarterly basis to discuss all of the major issues of the day.

Furthermore, this "Long Island Congress" can also be virtual (to maintain the dynamic interaction we've previously spoken about) and should not cost much to maintain. This is NOT a new bureaucracy. This is a method and a forum to bring the best and brightest together on Long Island in a non-confrontational, cooperative manner to find solutions to the issues that affect Long Islanders. Most of the Long Island 3.0 ideas lend themselves perfectly to this type of interaction.

Over the next few posts we'll attempt to create a specific framework that would encourage the Long Island Congress to be created and to be successful.

What do you think?

Newsday and the Long Island Business News are actively soliciting public input as to what the public believes are the most important issues facing Long Island. This is both an interesting and positive development.

I suspect that what they will find at the end of the day is what they already suspect or know the issues to be; taxes, housing, transportation, energy, real estate development and perhaps open space, job development and a number of other quality of life issues.

Long Island is, right now, a pretty nice place to live for most folks and Newsday and others properly point out that we must start planning now so that it remains in good shape.

Of course Newsday and LI Business are also reacting to the new way people get their information and are, as they should, attempting to stay current. That aside, what they are doing does help create part of the open dynamic we've are striving for in our Long Island 3.0 and New York 3.0 concepts.

Identifying the issues is probably the easy part. Solving them is not.

To solve the issues we need a new approach to public policy. Organizations, of all stripes, must think outside their "silos" and find real approaches to cooperate with one another. We've suggested a number here on LIIF, but as we've also said, Long Island is home to some of the smartest folks on the planet. There are many good, workable ideas out there just waiting for leadership.

If you were an engineer and had a "design flaw" in your project, would you keep trying to get the design to work or would you change your design? Using the same methods for approaching Long Island issues is analogous to a "design flaw." No matter how hard you try the results will never come out the way you want them to be.

Leadership may be political, the media or from a host of other sources. Leadership requires sacrifice not only on those the "leaders" are attempting to motivate, but on the "leaders" as well.

The idea of sacrifice for the common good is essential for long term positive change. It is what got our parents and grandparents through World War II. Big changes require big sacrifice.

People must "buy in " to the change and trust that the information they get is accurate and fairly presented. We've attempted in some past posts to begin to construct a "decision model" for Long Island which is essential in entering a new phase of Long Island's future.

Can we put aside partisan and pre-established opinions and methods of thinking to forge a new Long Island? Time will tell.

I prefer to think we're up to the challenge. How about you?

What do you think?

Another Piece of the Long Island Puzzle

Good article below and well worth reading. Long Island Colleges and Universities must, as we've stated previously, must play an integral role in the creation of any long term public policy solutions and are a major part of the Long Island 3.0 (and New York 3.0) concepts.


"Economic growth, university-style, on Long Island
By Robert A. Scott
Friday, June 8, 2007 (LI Business News)

Imagine a community chamber of commerce that decided to start a strategic planning process for economic development, including the following principles and priorities.
First, they want to recruit an enterprise that would produce a product or service of which everyone could be proud. Second, they want an enterprise whose employees are highly educated and willing to be active in community organizations. Third, they want an enterprise that is respectful of the environment. Fourth, they want an enterprise willing to partner with schools, the civic community and businesses. Fifth, they want an enterprise that would have a significant and positive impact on the local economy through taxes paid and both operating and capital expendures.
On Long Island, that enterprise is higher education. There are 19 colleges and universities here with combined annual budgets totaling over $3.2 billion – that easily translates into a $4 billion economic impact, and this does not count the effects of more than $1 billion in capital investments committed for the next five years.
Nor does it count FICA, federal and state income taxes and other taxes collected. And when one adds in the restaurant, hotel and other expenditures of those who visit campuses during the year (for homecoming, reunions, cultural events, graduations and sports events), the economic impact grows even larger – and we haven’t even mentioned the expenditures of nearly 175,000 students and 38,000 employees.
Universities are teachers, models and partners in economic and community development. We use our intellectual, cultural and capital assets to prepare professionals, managers and artists; to contribute to the quality of life that attracts and sustains businesses; and to create jobs and wealth. This is economic development, university-style: the community developer’s dream partner."

Robert A. Scott is president of Adelphi University in Garden City.

Some additional interesting thoughts:

Newsday 6/8/07 Letters to the Editor

Use Avis site for affordable homesIt is common knowledge through the work of the Long Island Association and the Rauch Foundation's Long Island Index that Nassau and Suffolk counties lack adequate supplies of affordable housing for young professionals and service workers. As a consequence, businesses, schools and colleges find it difficult to recruit those with critical skills. The challenge for the business sector is so severe that we now refer to the "Top 75" public companies, not the "Top 100."Too much of new housing is for those 55 and older with no school-age children. Rental apartments at affordable rates are hard to find.County, state and federal properties no longer used for their public purpose should be zoned, in whole or in part, for multiple-dwelling workforce, or "starter," housing.Now on Old Country Road at the site of the old Avis property in Westbury, we have an opportunity to build housing for young professionals and others who could fill critical job needs and become the consumers and taxpayers Nassau County needs.With some imagination, special zoning and Hempstead support, a new housing development could help revitalize an area that could easily become blighted if attention is not given to our highest priorities.Surely, this must be of interest to the county executive, the Town of Hempstead and Simon Properties, owners of nearby Roosevelt Field Mall.

Robert A. Scott Editor's note: The writer is president of Adelphi University.Garden City

Static Thinking versus Dynamic Thinking

A few more examples of "static" thinking here, here and here. Not bad ideas, just limited.

As we explored in 1993 and more recently here and here among many other posts, the key to change is cooperation and "dynamic interaction."

Change is a continuous process and public officials as well as others need the tools and the correct approach to problem solving to create good, comprehensive public policy.

Reports and commissions are helpful. But if the information is not dynamic, it still may have some result, but it will never be a long term building block for sustainable growth and change.

The LI Regional Planning Board has an interesting proposal here on affordable housing.

Unfortunately we do not yet have a comprehensive method for analyzing all these potentially good ideas as a unified concept. Long Island 3.0 is one possible solution.

New Thinking. Not New Bureaucracy.

" ... the reception of a new paradigm often necessitates a redefinition of the corresponding science. Some old problems may be relegated to another science or declared entirely "unscientific." [e.g. alchemy] Others that were previously non-existent or trivial may, with a new paradigm, become the very archetypes of significant scientific achievement. [e.g., tidology, the study of the tides] The normal-scientific tradition that emerges from a scientific revolution is not only incompatible but often actually incommensurable with that which has gone before. "

Long Island 3.0 (and/or New York 3.0) is as much about how we approach a set of issues as how we ultimately resolve these issues and the methods we use to do so.

As we have stated previously, we need to be open to all relevant new ideas, no matter what the source, and create an environment where these ideas are fully vetted and incorporated into the decision-making processes and organization designs.

New York State XML Update? New York 3.0?

I was looking at the New York State OFT website, queried XML and came up with this. Here's what NYSTAR has been up to with XML.

It looks a little restrictive as to what's allowable if, in fact, the RFP process was ever completed.

It would probably be in the state's best interests to take a broader view toward xml standards and open data standards in general for all New York State agencies and authorities and all New York State political subdivisions.

Just as we're proposing a Long Island 3.0 approach to public policy solutions, perhaps New York should take a similar approach as well.

Open architecture, multiple platforms, multiple API. The more businesses we can interest in developing products for New York, the better it is for the New York economy.

The state (and/or Long Island) should lead the way in promoting creative thinking and innovative products and should, in essence, be a laboratory for their implementation.

Connect the dots ...

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them." Albert Einstein

Excellent project by Congressman Israel.

Will his project work in a coordinated way with this excellent project from Senator Skelos?

And with these as well?

The Long Island 3.0 project we are proposing could be the "glue" that coordinates these and other projects.

Redux

Another blast from the past.

More good ideas ...

Congressman Bishop has a good idea for issuing public alerts in the event of an unhealthy sewer treatment plant discharge.

All we need to do is add this to the selectable XML Public Alert Feed lists we talked about earlier and this project will have a simple resolution.

When we get the details regarding Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security Mike Balboni's NYS alert project we will attempt to integrate our ideas with his if necessary.

Congressman Bishop's idea and Senator Skelos' Campus Alert idea really all should be interconnected with Mr. Balboni's idea (or vice versa) and other ideas that may be feasible.

As we've said previously, all alert projects (and general public information as well) must, at a minimum, be based on an open architecture with multiple API and available on multiple platforms.

XML for the New York State Unified Court System?

Here are some examples of court systems and related sites utilizing XML/RSS technology to make information concerning the court system more accessible to attorneys and the public. The NYS Justice Courts seem to be off to a good start and heading in the right direction.

Utah State Courts

West Virginia Supreme Court

The Philadelphia Courts

Maryland Judiciary

St. Louis Circuit Court

New Mexico District Court

xmlLegal

Oasis

XML and related technology should speed up the transmission of information in the NYS Courts just as it has in other disciplines.

It would also position the courts for greater participation in Web 2.0 and emerging Web 3.0 technologies and allow for greater interaction between all parties in all aspects of court administration.

These are the only New York State RSS/XML feeds I've been able to locate so far for all agencies including what it says is the Unified Court System but actually appears to be the Justice Court feed. Please let me know if you locate any other feeds. Also NYSTAR has a feed.

All of this, of course, needs to be standardized in a simple, flexible manner and spread to all state agencies, authorities etc. and to all political subdivisions of New York State.

Future Uses of Social Software

A lot of great ideas here.

Much of it is right on point with our Long Island 3.0 project.

We'll do a more complete analysis and specific integration in future posts, beyond what we've already accomplished.

More here on how people are adopting a different method of learning and acquiring knowledge.

More on building trust ...

Good article on what it takes to build trust and get things done in a "knowledge economy."

Trusting the "process" is essential in building a Long Island 3.0 model.

More old stuff...

I was clearing out some old files and I came across this chart.

It represents how autonomous or related entities (organizational, conceptual, advocacy based etc.) can maintain their autonomy and identity while cooperating and interacting with the larger world through the utilization of XML technology.

Just one part of the puzzle.

Meta-Editorialism: Part Three

Good article on the concept of "crowd sourcing" and its application for online marketing.

While the information here is probably a little too broad for our present purposes, it does point what direction the web is headed and how it may affect the method by which the public interacts with media and government.

It also reinforces the idea of a multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving we talked about in previous posts.

Whether we are marketing products or marketing ideas, opinions and concepts, the processes for distributing the information are pretty similar.

Long Island Decision Model: Part Three

Here's a good article on something called "Boyd Cycle Theory" and how to anticipate and react to changes in your environment.

While not exactly on point for our purposes, it does offer useful guidance in the area of how to create good public policy in a rapidly changing environment.

This is also an interesting article on the use of artificial intelligence and the creation of public policy.

A Common Data Architecture for Long Island

We've discussed previously on multiple posts the need to share data on Long Island (and to import relevant data from outside Long Island) and to analyze all in a rigorous and coordinated manner.

One possible method for attempting to gather and organize all relevant Long Island data is perhaps to develop universal or standard Long Island Metadata tags.

Another is to create a completely unique Long Island data architecture model which nevertheless is open and compatible with other data sources.

Then we ("Long Island 3.0") must partner with a flexible company or series of flexible companies in designing the proper methodology for vetting, accessing and analyzing this data (metadata) so that we arrive at a reasonable series of policy choices from which to decide.

While this may seem to be a monumental task, it is possible to accomplish this all in a reasonably short period of time.

All we need is leadership, focus and cooperation. The money, intelligence and organization is already in place to achieve the task at hand.

XML Feed Lists for Public Information and Alerts

In previous posts we've talked about the need to have all public information (or, at a minimum, public alerts) available through XML/RSS technology.

We've also explored the need to make all public information available through multiple platforms and on a variety of devices.

Of course we can not force individuals to receive information they don't want to receive. However, at a minimum, there should be a list of XML Alert feeds available, simple instructions on how to use them and accessibility to free devices for those few who do not already have the ability to receive the information.

Alerts should be available from, among others, all governmental agencies, schools, law enforcement agencies, first responders, health agencies, amber alerts and sex offender registries. Furthermore all media should voluntarily conform to a uniform standard with government as one of the methods they use to distribute emergency information.

XML/RSS notification is not the total answer to notifying the public, but it is an effective, low cost solution to granting easy access to important information for public consumption.

Additionally, XML/RSS enabled information will fit very well into the Long Island 3.0 concept, the Long Island Meta-Portal concept and all the other ideas we've explored over the past few months in an effort to create a more coordinated flow of information and enable better public policy as a result of our efforts.

Long Island Decision Model:Part Two

The above chart, reproduced from this excellent article, helps explain part of the process we need to implement on Long Island to achieve coordinated, cogent public policy.

It isn't 100% on point for our purposes, but it is a model we can work with and modify.

Long Island Decision Model:Part One

Many of the decisions made on Long Island or about Long Island are done in isolation from one another; even decisions on the same or related subjects.

The above chart is a simple representation of the issue.

While ideas like LIU's Information Innovation Exchange are a welcome addition to the process, Long Island really needs its own "Meta-Portal" dedicated to Long Island issues and solutions. This "Meta-Portal" will certainly draw information and ideas from beyond Long Island, but will do it in a more coordinated way, a way that will allow for the "meta analysis" of large amounts of data and advanced concepts quickly and simply.

I'll propose some additional "real world" solutions in upcoming posts.

Who do we trust?

A key component in the distribution of information is, obviously, the validity of the information to be distributed and by whom. This chart and additional information may help us begin the discussion about how we start that process here on Long Island.

This is of some interest as well. We'll continue to look for a model most folks can support. Some additional information on metadata and metadata anylysis here , here and here.

By way of review ...

I've introduced, in varying states of detail, a number of themes on the Long Island Idea Factory over the past few months in an effort to create an extended form model for the Long Island 2.0/3.0 concept. A sort of organization by composition in keeping with our multidisciplinary approach.

I thought it might be time to put together a simple recap of at least some of the main concepts.

Here goes:

1. Long Island data must be unified, flexible and available.

2. A broad range of talent is necessary to achieve a cohesive Long Island identity.

3. Technology and money is available now to achieve a better method of determining public policy.

4. Public policy should be determined by generally accepted standards for analysis.

5. Technology used for public purposes should be held to compatible, flexible standards.

6. Organizations should be permitted autonomy within a unified Long Island "vision."

7. Public technology will change despite efforts (intentional or unintentional) to slow down progress.

8. Public systems must be designed to anticipate rapid change.

9. The barriers between government, media and the public will continue to lessen.

10. The public has the potential to assume a greater ability to inform and govern itself.

11. Agreement on common data and common formulae has the potential to lessen strife among organizations and lead to a better approach to public policy.

Those are some of the main themes we've looked at.

Of course there are other sub-themes contained in the original posts so we'll try to fully develop everything as we go along so that, in the end, we have something that makes sense and is easy on the ear.

Putting the "public" in a public alert system

Remember the old Civil Defense concept?

Any "mass alert/communication" process should include the general public as a vital component. With the advent of the semantic web, data is broken up into smaller units which then may be reformed into metadata sets and other "use specific" tasks. It allows the web to become, in essence, one big relational database. (Click on image for a larger view).

Traditional organizations and government of course will play the primary role in any distribution of "official" data. But with more and more data becoming available and the ability to use this data becoming more flexible, it is probable that over the near term, the "general public" will use this new found freedom to create its own sophisticated information gathering and "alert" systems outside the traditional sources.

New York State Alert System: A simple start?

I came across this product which allows blogs and other web based solutions to send out free SMS posts. How quickly it sends the alerts is not clear. I know there are other low cost solutions which allow the user or administrator to "force" an alert more quickly than general information.

It is illustrative of the direction technology is heading and how abundant simple XML, SMS and other similar types of solutions are becoming. New York State should look to utilize this type of product (among others) and solutions in its overall "alert" and "general" information distribution plans.

I hope to have a few minutes later to hook this product up and test it out.

From the "You Can Ignore It, But It Will Still Happen" department ...

It seems that every day there is a new and easy way for groups and individuals to communicate with one another.

Yackpack is another in the long and growing line of products designed to foster mass communication. Many are free or little cost.

As we began to explore in the idea for a NYS Alert/General Information System these types of new communication devices can all be made to work together a positive, productive part of a "collective mind" (Long Island, New York and beyond) for effective results in the area of public policy.

As we explore some additional Long Island 2.o concepts and designs, I'll try to incorporate as many of these new communication devices as I can into the mix.

The main point is that New York State or anyone or any organization seeking to deliver relevant information now has many devices at their disposal. Give people choice and make it easy to use and you're more than halfway home.

"I do not say that the attainment of profound knowledge comes straight away; on the contrary, it comes by a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice."

Yes, your blog can talk...

Good article here about different methods for converting your blog into a podcast.

I tried Talkr to convert the text on my blog to a podcast feed and downloaded Juice to listen to Long Island Idea Factory, or any podcast for that matter (although Talkr has a pretty good web-based podcast receiver as well). Odiogo is a good choice as well (see the sidebar).

Both products are free and work pretty well from what I can see so far.

Then go here or here or here and let the world hear what you have to say.

A little HAL-like, but effective nevertheless.

Another good idea ...

New York State Senator LaValle is on the right track with his new proposal.

We now need to take all the good work proposed by Senators LaValle and Skelos and others both inside and outside of government and create a vehicle for long term cooperation and development on Long Island.

Perhaps Long Island 2.0 or a similar type of idea would be helpful.

Any other ideas out there?

Getting Started with Long Island 2.0

Perhaps the quickest way to get underway with the Long Island 2.0 concept (although maybe we will call it Long Island 3.0 before too long) , including LIWIKI, LI Metadata, Virtual Community Congress, Public Alert Systems and all the other elements we've examined over the past few weeks, is to get some of Long Island's "big players" to create the framework for a successful enterprise.

Perhaps organizations like Cablevision, the Long Island Association, Keyspan/LIPA, Stony Brook University, Long Island Forum for Technology, our Library System(s), New York State and local government in partnership with other significant organizations with the financial and technical ability to put together a comprehensive system and have the "clout" to bring it to a great number of individuals and organizations quickly and effectively is an intelligent way to proceed.

Long Island 2.o could serve as a model "private-public" partnership demonstrating a region's ability pool its resources for the common good.

New York State Alert System: Preliminary Draft

Here is a preliminary draft of what a New York State Alert system might look like. Click on the image for a larger view.

As I've stated before, I think Senator Skelos is on the right track with his NYS Campus Alert project. But, while we're at it, we might as well create a system that will encompass all NYS Alerts and general information.

Common API: Part Two

Common or shared or open API are part of the process for producing usable data for productive analysis. "Recycling" analysis and policy determinations back into the mix are essential for maintaining the validity of current policies.

The above graphic is a preliminary look at the process. Click on it for a larger view.

Long Island 2.0: Part Three

If we accept the premise that information on Long Island (and the world) will become more and more accessible no matter what types of restrictions are placed upon it, then we must decide how best to "harness" this information for productive purposes.

We can, of course, continue to expose only that information which is advantageous to our point of view or to promote our cause or organization, but that only serves gain short term victories for one issue or another and ultimately to perpetuate the status quo. This is the essence of public policy by "chasing one's tail." It all sounds good in a press release but never really amounts to much.We need a long term strategic approach to problem solving and a commitment to engaging in collaborative efforts. Organizations and individuals must relinquish a portion of their self interest and autonomy for the greater good.

This was the basic premise of the Community Congress in Oyster Bay 2000, and it remains the thrust of the Virtual Community Congress as part of Long Island 2.0.

It is somewhat ironic that the perceived decline in influence of political parties is coinciding with the decline in circulation and influence of traditional media. The thing that traditional media rails against most is the same thing that is contributing to their demise. That is "loss of control." Traditional media fights against the political "machines" which suppress public debate while at the same time they themselves engage in vicious turf wars to be the "primary" source of news and information (influence) in a particular region. Those days may be over as the world of information becomes more "democratic."

Over the next number of posts, we'll explore additional methods for enhancing the sharing of information in a productive manner for the benefit of all Long Islanders. Naive as it may sound, I believe we live in an age where this is now possible and more than that, essential for the promotion of Long Island as an autonomous region within and cooperating with the larger world.We need to create a mechanism for "perpetual process" so that all decisions are made based upon the most current and accurate information available. Even decisions completed must be kept in the "analysis loop" in order to maintain their current viability.

Long Islanders must, as they say "hang together" or "swing alone."

Good sites for Blogger Users

If you use Blogger (the blog software used for Long Island Idea Factory) these sites may be helpful to you.

Feed2JS and BetaBlogger 4 Dummies

The new Library of Congress feed on our site was created with Feed2JS. Very easy to use.

Long Island Solar Energy Consortium?

How about a "Long Island Solar Energy Consortium" comprised of all governmental and large business entities on Long Island? Perhaps that would allow us to achieve the critical mass necessary to make solar energy a cost effective solution (with this company or others) to some of our energy needs.

Just a thought. I'm sure there are studies on this out there somewhere. Please let me know if you find any. The Energy Blog may also be of interest to you as well as GreenGamma.com , reegle and RELI. Also read the Solar Energy Center's information.

I checked into this company as a follow-up to a previous post to see if this type of program was available on Long Island and what the current guidelines are. Below is part of the response I received (note: please check directly with the company if any of this is of interest to you).


Hello Solar enthusiast,

I want to first thank you all for your inquires; it has been an amazing week for SunEdison. We have had a 100-fold increase in inquires over the last few days. Between our mention on PBS’s NOVA program and our various Press Releases, we have had a great deal of interest in our Solar Services and we want to thank you again for your patience waiting for our response.

As some of you may or may not know, SunEdison is North America’s largest Solar Energy Service Provider delivering turn-key, predictably-priced renewable electricity services at or below local utility rates for commercial, government and utility customers without capital outlays traditionally associated with solar solutions. Using industry proven technology, SunEdison delivers a complete service we finance, install, own, operate and maintain photovoltaic power plants at the customer’s facility. Our customers pay only for solar electricity, not solar equipment.

Now that we have you interested in our services, please read below to see if you fit into our rating criteria.

SunEdison is not capable of delivering our services to just anyone anywhere in the U.S.; we rely highly on state and federal incentive programs to help us finance our solar systems. Here is a list of criteria that we have to adhere to in order for us to deliver our services:

1) Facility Size – Locations with more than 30,000 sq. ft. of available roof space; this will exclude most, if not all residence, residential development and any small commercial sites.

2) Customer Size – Companies with more than 15 properties in there portfolio.

3) Location - The 5 states in the U.S. with incentives that allow us to offer our solar services are California, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut and Hawaii. You must have facilities in these states to able to receive SunEdison’s solar services at this time.

4) Credit Rating - In order to finance a project, we need an investment-grade credit score. However, if you are privately held company or a non-profit, we will need to see 3 years of audited financials.

There are a few exceptions to the above guidelines

1) If you have a Facility Size that is over 150,000 sq. ft. in the correct Location, we can deliver to a Customer Size with less than 15 properties.

2) If you have a Customer Size of over 50 facilities, that are the correct Facility Size, we can deliver to facilities that may not be located in the correct Locations.

3) If you are a Government entity, you are generally exempt from the Credit Rating process.

4) If you have a Location that fit the above criteria in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Arizona, South Carolina or New Mexico, we may be able to begin lining up your locations for future solar programs. Within the next 9 to 18 months, there should be an applicable program in any or all of these states.

What you need to do if you DO fit the SunEdison criteria:


What you need to do if you DO NOT fit the SunEdison criteria:

RESIDENTIAL/ REIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS/ SMALL COMMERCIAL CLIENTS
Please check a website called www.findsolar.com; there are many companies all over the U.S. that are able to offer solar to both small commercial and residential clients where state incentives are only available for smaller project sizes. If you find yourself in a state where there are no incentives for solar and the economics are not viable, please contact http://www.votesolar.org/get-involved.html. They can help you get in touch with local politicians and begin the process for bringing solar to your state.

LARGE COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITES
Please reply to this email and we will connect you to our Regulatory Affairs group, and if you so desire, you can help us in our effort to education local and state-wide policy makers.

Meta-Editorialism:Part Two

A preliminary diagram (I'm sure I missed something).

Word and other types of filters are critical to the end user's ability to access the great amount of information available. This information will only grow with Web 2.0 and the advancements of the Semantic (Knowledge) Web or Web 3.0.

We'll explore this in future posts.

Meta-Editorialism:Part One

How do editorial writers (editors/producers) stay relevant in the new Web 2.0 environment ?

Question. Why does the public care what an editorial writer thinks when there are so many bloggers and others out there with an opinion? Isn't their opinion as valid as the traditional editorial writer/producer?

There is a lot of content on the internet but how much of it is relevant content that furthers the public debate in a productive way?

Web 2.0 is content driven and has an insatiable need for new content every day. How can a traditional editorial staff provide this content? Maybe the answer is that it no longer can.

Perhaps editorial writers/producers must morph into "meta-editorialists" (A meta-editorial is "a researched and evaluated contribution") who act as gatekeepers, moderators and sometimes collaborators with the "best and brightest" minds in the region. This way there should be an endless stream of productive ideas, thoughts and opinions to draw upon and utilize.

On Long Island, there is a wealth of talent and many organizations and individuals who have much to add to the public discourse. The problem is access to traditional media and the built in audience it provides. One can build a large audience over the internet for not a lot of capital, but that still takes quite awhile to accomplish.

By giving a productive voice to a wide range of organizations and individuals, (not just the usual bulletin board "raves" and blog "flames" and YouTube "gotchas") to offer ideas and collaborate in a real way (LIWIKI etc.) traditional media can still serve its function of "neutral observer, dispenser of facts and opinion generator" while playing an active role in the reorganization of Long Island into regional powerhouse and a coordinated entity: Long Island 2.0.