Citizen Alert Network redux ...

"The Nassau County Legislature unanimously approved a bill Monday creating a Silver Alert system for reporting elderly people who wander away, similar to an Amber Alert system in place for missing children.

"It was an idea that had been percolating in my mind since last year, when an old and dear friend of mine, Hal Doliner, got the car keys and drove off and ended up killing himself in a one-car accident," Legis. Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn) said after the vote.

"We have had too many cases of older people wandering off and winding up in hospitals before they are reunited with their families," Wink said.

The bill requires Nassau County police to establish a registry into which families can put the names of adults with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Police would send out immediate alerts to the media, hospitals and other police departments if they are reported missing."

Here is another worthwhile program disconnected from other similar (Amber Alert etc) ideas.

If the county (and government in general, Long Island in particular) could establish a "set of flexible standards" as proposed here with the "Citizen Alert Network" along with other One Long Island collaborative ideas, it would be a simple matter for the police department to have this program up immediately upon passage.

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.

A good start

Senator Skelos is heading in the right direction here with his "Campus Emergency Alert System."

I hope the DCJS will now begin to incorporate some of the ideas promoted here and here and that the state will not stop at this project but will create a simple emergency alert system for all entities in New York State.

Here's a recent article on an SMS based alert system. There are a ton of good systems out there. The trick is to make sure the state requires an open API so that any system or systems utilized don't become the "only" system or systems the state can use in the long term. Additionally, any alert system developed must operate on multiple platforms.

Hats off to Senator Skelos for getting the ball rolling.

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.

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.

"Viral" Information Systems: Part One

I think most folks have heard of "viral" marketing by now.

So what if we use some of those techniques to enhance information flow on Long Island (and elsewhere)? What is the best method to do so?

We've posted previously about the attributes of the flexibility and cost effectiveness and of an XML based system. We've also posted previously about how, with the advent of new Web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies Long Islanders (and others) can create an environment whereby they are active participants in the information flow (New York State Alert System, Citizen Media Network and Citizen Alert Network etc.).

We've also seen recently the use of text messaging (SMS) to alert student of possible dangers on their campuses.

The above graphic (click on the graphic for a larger view) illustrates how an XML based system (in all its variants and bridge attributes) can be used to create a "viral" information system where information can be distributed to many from single or multiple points of origin.

More in part two.

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.

Create a simple public alert system

In our initial post (although posted in another blogging software many months ago) we advocated for an XML based alert system (and general information system) for all political subdivisions of New York State and for other entities with essential public information.

It's inexpensive to accomplish and the information can be received on a variety of devices. It may even be coupled with SMS and other technologies to form a very inexpensive way to contact the general public for any emergency notification.

Government could even create its own inexpensive software and devices to distribute free to the public for those few who do not have access to the technology already. With a little coordination and training there is really no reason anyone in the public should be without access to immediate emergency information.

XML. Inexpensive, easy and effective.

Meta-editorialism: Part Five

A logical outgrowth of the Long Island 3.0 concept is a virtual mass communications network.

This would include all of the elements we have previously talked about including LIWIKI, Long Island Metadata Portal, Long Island Alert System(s) and the Long Island Congress (Virtual Community Congress, Long Island Citizen Media Network/Long Island Citizen Alert Network) inclusive) among the major concepts.

What does this mean for the traditional forms of mass communication? As the semantic or knowledge based web advances it obviously allows more choice not only in the type of information available, but how we receive it.

Traditional sources will still maintain a level of respect, but people will expect more from them. As the web 2.0 is beginning to demonstrate, there is an explosion of information and ideas available and the manner in which we interact with one another is becoming more and more sophisticated.

What is needed now is more structure to, what seems to be, chaos. It isn't really chaotic, its just that we have not fully developed the tools or the conceptual approach to use the abundance of information at our disposal in a consistently productive manner.

Long Island 3.0 in all its various current and yet to be developed forms, is an attempt to give some structure to the chaos so that we may use all available information for productive purposes.

More Citizen Alert ideas ...

"Three state senators called on Gov. David A. Paterson to sign into law a bill that would create a statewide e-mail alert program notifying people when a convicted sex offender moves into a neighborhood.

But the executive director of Parents for Megan's Law - a Stony Brook-based nonprofit group that provides the same service and allows visitors to its Web site to map where offenders are located with thumbnail sketches complete with pictures - said such a program may be redundant."

Here we have yet the latest example of a worthwhile program running into an "implementation" problem.

Putting aside the issues that the alerts should be more than email (xml etc) and as we have previously stated, ideas of this sort should be "plug and play."

That is, there should be existing, dynamic and flexible open standards in place to immediately execute the ideas of our elected officials and our concerned citizens and organizations.

"One Long Island" contains suggestions for this type of open system.

Dynamic Media Reformulation: Part One

OK, so there is this huge amount of information out there on a particular subject (or series of related subjects) and we want to gather it, vet it, analyze it, outline it, read it in brief, read it in detail, share it and promote it. How do we do accomplish this task?

Clearly there are search engines and software programs available today which do a pretty good job of getting most of this accomplished, but how easy is it to use? How effective? How available? 

What we're proposing within the overarching context of Long Island 3.o is a Citizen Media Network (and related integrated Citizen Alert Network) which will not only allow all citizens of Long Island to access information, but to create, in effect, their own manner of understanding the subject matter and maybe more importantly, how others are perceiving the same subject matter and to share and organize along those lines.

For example say the subject is energy which we've discussed in previous posts. How does anyone ascertain what the reliable information and facts are on the subject? Do we rely on the energy suppliers? Do we depend on the regulators? Do we depend on the media? Or ... do we depend on ourselves and our neighbors?

What if we can draw information from any sector and, among other actions, analyze it based on established protocols and algorithms (with the ability for those more advanced users to develop their own and share it with the rest of us mere mortals) and "reformulate it" to answer the questions we pose in a simple and flexible manner? Impossible?

Not impossible even with today's technology with more powerful products designed every day.

We must realize however that, with this new way of communicating someone's "ox is going to be gored." Even as "mega media" goliaths are being formed and re-formed, information has a need to become "unshackled." Traditional media is already struggling to compete with the new information dynamics. To be sure, good journalism and good journalists will always be in demand. But good journalism will not necessarily always be a profitable business. And good journalists may be found everywhere, not just in traditional media outlets.

What we propose as part of our Long Island 3.0 project is to create an outlet for this new media and information dynamic here on Long Island with the Citizens Media Network and Citizens Alert Network under the premise that more accurate information is better and more public participation is better still.

More in Part Two.

Plug n' Play ...

Here is yet another good idea and worthwhile program to benefit those citizens with Alzheimer’s.

Here's the question. What similar types of programs are currently available and how are they run? What programs currently exist not directly on point but similar (Amber Alert etc) that might be used as a model?

We've previously opined on the need for a flexible "common language" for Long Island (and indeed New York State and maybe the federal government as well). Without this "common language" there is minimal coordination and much wasted effort.

If, for example, the Alzheimer's program (legislation) described above could be "plugged in" to an existing technical framework, it would be much easier to establish connections with "complimentary" programs and legislation.

One Long Island offers, among other concepts, ideas on how to create this "framework" for the rapid and collaborative implementation of public policy.

A "unified theory"of sorts for public policy.

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.

If you build it ... Part Two

So much of the news and information we receive is "bundled" and delivered from multiple sources.

Those of us who use RSS/XML readers on a regular basis know that there is a universe of information out there to be delivered in virtual real time for those willing to do a little exploration.

So if we were constructing a Long Island news and information "portal" or a series of collaborative "portals" what would we need to do?

First of all, let's be clear. The news and information is already generated by us. We may pay others for a service to distribute it and analyze it, but we are the news and information. 

This is not to diminish what media folks do or a particular expertise they may bring to a particular subject, but without us they're out of business. Much as we elect representatives from the various forms of government to work for our common interests and confer that privilege upon them, so too do we confer the same privilege upon the media.

Much of what we've discussed over the past year or so (even back to 1993 for that matter) is directly applicable to this particular product. In fact we've explored this theme with the Citizen Media and Citizen Alert posts (among many others) some time ago. I tend to see most of this as inter-related.

A good portion of information is free and one can very easily create a robust information portal and in fact can create a portal that the end user (us) can customize to their own particular viewing preferences. 

Moreover we can integrate LYDIA technology (as we are in a number of One Long Island projects already) to create a powerful news and information analysis tool.

The individual will be able to discern what is accurate and factual. How about that!

Ah ha you say, what about the hard hitting investigative reporting we all need to make sure those in high places are not up to low down and dirty deeds!

Again. Think of where most of the leads come from to expose wrong doing. That's right. You and me.

Will we always need professional investigative journalists? Of course. But they are simply an outgrowth of an investigative public, active and knowledgeable in its own affairs with access to the information and tools necessary in a representative democracy. 

We really shouldn't depend on journalists or elected officials or others to do our homework for us.

Am I advocating the dissolution of all profit based media? No. Advertising dollars pay salaries. Reporters aren't going to work for free. Someone has to gather up even the "bundled" news although over time this need may dissipate as well.

Am I advocating the fact that an organized and collaborative public can inform itself on an equal, or in some cases superior manner? Yes.

More in Part Three.

Possible applications of a Virtual Long Island Constitution

So how do we solve our housing issues?

If we agree with the premise (subject to the dynamic meta-analyses we've been preaching for the past 100 or so posts) that there is a need for more housing to keep our young workers and families here on Long Island (and to attract more professionals of all types), then let us take a simple, common sense approach to the issue.

Let's also agree that we be able to, with reasonable certainty, analyze and come to a defensible position on the who, what, where, how much, time frame (solves issue for 10 years, 20 years, 50 or more years?) and all the various environmental and quality of life concerns of the issue (I know it sounds like a lot, but it is reasonably simple to do accurate projections with the right modeling software).

Let's also agree that this issue is a shared issue amongst all Long Islanders.

Then we can agree that a Long Island Constitution (virtual or otherwise) could, as one of its outcomes, design a plan where all political subdivisions agree to construct (or allow to be constructed) X number of housing units at Y cost (sort of Long Island Meta-Leadership concept). We should also include all New York State owned land, school district property, and all other possible locations for housing.

In short, let's take a comprehensive, inclusive, well analyzed approach to the matter and enter into a "contract" of sorts (LI Constitution) to get the job done for the future health of Long Island.

Why is this important? Shouldn't our leaders (political and otherwise) just know how to get this done?

Well, yes and no.

It is not only the responsibility of our "leaders" to get this (and all other issues important for Long Island's future) done, it is really our responsibility. We must give our leaders the courage and the backing to make positive change for Long Island. We must reward innovation if we wish to remain competitive as a region.

Our "leaders" don't want to be the first to go "too far out on a limb" and be perceived as causing their "constituents" to bear an unfair share of the burden for, in this case, new housing development. This is a perfectly reasonable and rational view.

I believe most Long Islanders will support any effort to improve Long Island if they believe the process is fair and equitable. Additionally, I don't think it is productive for media (and others) to slam elected officials and other leaders in isolation (or at all for that matter, critique yes, personal attacks, no). If there are issues to be solved on Long Island, they are issues for all of us to solve. The media should foster cooperation while obviously fulfilling it's traditional obligation as a "public watchdog." But a good watchdog should see things that are actually there, not bark at every sound that it hears.

In the end, again, the public is its own best watchdog (see the Citizen Media Network and Citizen Alert Network concepts on this site).


A Long Island Constitution (virtual or otherwise), based upon fair and accurate information, properly analyzed is a necessary step in solving any of the long term issues for Long Island.

Nice to see ...

... NY - Alert now has XML/RSS feeds. 

Hopefully this will start a trend for all New York Political Subdivisions and other public entities (federal, state and local) as we stated in previous posts on this site.

Let's hope this is the beginning of an integrated communications platform.

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.

How to make the sun shine brighter ...

Project Sunlight is an interesting and potentially helpful new site started by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo designed to "promote your right to know and to monitor governmental decision-making."

One suggestion. The Attorney General may want to connect with the University of Stony Brook's LYDIA/TextMap program as a way to help the public "connect the dots" in a more robust manner.

Additionally, and as we have previously stated, all Long Island/New York State technology should be designed to be "interconnected" via secure open standards. Perhaps Project Sunshine is already designed in this manner. They probably should add, among other improvements, XML and cross-platform alert capability as well at some point.

Our "One Long Island" project will certainly incorporate LYDIA/TextMap technology into our "universe of ideas and applications."

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."