Is it true?

One of the overriding benefits of the One Long Island series of projects is the gradual construction of a "self regulating" or "self policing" system of information vetting and analysis.

Sites such as this one are useful, but are still dependent on traditional means of gathering and analyzing information. These practices will continue to be useful, but will not be enough as information becomes (or has already become) more voluminous, more nuanced and available in more and different formats. The human brain needs assistance in analyzing information accurately and quickly.

One Long Island attempts to anticipate Web 3.0 technologies even while we work to get the Island up to Web 2.0 standards.

As we've previously stated, a major impediment to creating sound public policy (in its broadest definition) is the lack of flexible, dynamic systems and standards for gathering, vetting, analyzing and distributing information. This is obviously not just an issue for Long Island, but I believe we have the tools on Long Island to create a model for other regions around the world.

If you want the general public, elected officials and other organizations and leaders to "get on the same page" for the benefit of Long Island, we first must have a way to satisfy most reasonable people that the information they have is accurate and has been fairly analyzed in the most complete possible manner.

Because until we can do this, we will always be behind the curve in creating and implementing innovative public policy for Long Island.

The "reverse engineering" of Long Island: Part One

"Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object or system through analysis of its structure, function and operation. It often involves taking something (e.g. a mechanical device, electronic component, or software program) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, usually to try to make a new device or program that does the same thing without copying anything from the original."

OK. So I'm not 100% against taking things from "the original" as it relates to the "re-organization" of our governing structures and policies if, after careful examination, they work and are able to adapt to a dynamic view of Long Island as opposed to a static one. We've examined many of these ideas in previous posts.

But in order to create a Long Island for the next 50 to 100 years (technology may actually make that too long a window) we must re-examine everything we do.

As we've previously stated, new study, no matter how comprehensive and worthwhile, will become just another "layer" on the information pile if it is static.

It will be almost impossible to mobilize the public sentiment to achieve large scale positive change because we are not "singing from the same hymnal." The Long Island "hymnal" must be a collaborative creation.

So if we're serious about real change (in whatever form that ultimately takes), then we have to do a comprehensive, thorough analysis of what type of Long Island we want and what is even possible give our inherent physical limitations within a dynamic structure that allows for dynamic real time change and analysis and "meta-collaborative" participation.

With out a shared "Long Island Philosophy" it will be difficult for any Long Islander to trust that the information they are receiving is accurate and trustworthy.

More in Part Two.

Another plan ...

More static planning?

Not that this a bad idea, in fact it may turn out to be very productive.

But the idea of, once again, one group trying to plan an entire region's future strikes me as more of the same. A new report, no matter how professional, divorced from or marginally connected to all the other projects, ideas, organizations etc, won't get the job done.

As one example in hundreds, how will the creators of this report interact with the study being conducted at Dowling regarding a possible 51st state? Aren't both looking at many related issues?

Another example. How will the creators of this report interact with the many planned and operating business incubators/accelerators to determine potential business growth and the type of business growth for the next 50 years or so?

The point is that almost everything on Long Island has some bearing on everything else occurring on Long Island. Changing one thing potentially creates a domino effect.

We must know with reasonable certainty what these outcomes are likely to be or making change will be almost impossible to sell to elected officials, general public and Long Island organizations.

We need dynamic, real time planning. It must be inclusive and collaborative. It can not be mandated, it must contain many options and it must contain productive public input (not complaints or NIMBYism) from a diverse assortment of individuals and groups.

Before you plan, you must know what and who you're planning for. What type of future are you planning for Long Island?

Traditional planning models and techniques may be helpful, but they are not enough to change the course of Long Island history in a meaningful, sustainable manner.

Create a Long Island philosophy. Rethink how everything is done.

Editorial: LI needs new planning blueprint

April 9, 2008

Long Island can't go on like this: choking traffic, little mass transit, lack of affordable housing, threats to open space, unbearable property tax burdens and a sputtering economy - to name a few of our problems. We need a smart plan to recommend specific actions, and we need the commitment of our public officials to carry it out.

The Long Island Regional Planning Board took a first step yesterday toward that kind of plan. It looked westward to New York City, whose PlaNYC is a model of both crunching the numbers and laying out doable recommendations.

The consulting firm that had a lot to do with creating that plan is McKinsey & Co. And Long Island's planning board served notice yesterday that it intends to hire McKinsey to create a blueprint for sustainability here - unless another firm offers a better proposal. Local not-for-profits have offered $500,000 toward the eventual $1.5 million to $2 million cost of the study if McKinsey does it.

To be a success, any plan must have strong action recommendations, plus staunch political backing. A word of warning: One of the 127 initiatives in PlaNYC was congestion pricing, which timid Albany lawmakers have just killed. The lesson is not that we don't need a plan, but that even the best blueprints need courageous politicians. Whatever McKinsey recommends, if the top leaders of the two counties don't fight for the tough changes this study is likely to urge, we'll be stuck in the same sad rut.

Long Island: The 51st State - Part Two

Some have found it amusing that this subject has reappeared. In fact, some have dismissed it out of hand.

But we should look at it as an opportunity to do some real analysis in a dynamic manner.

The folks at Dowling will, I have no doubt, do a thorough and professional job on the analysis, just as Mr. Koppelman and others have done previously.

But what will happen with the results?

Will they sit on a shelf somewhere never to be seen again?

As we have stated previously, there are many good ideas and intelligent folks on Long Island. What is missing is a coordinated approach to the issues.

Dowling should reach out to other universities (Stony Brook comes to mind on the technology end) and create a dynamic, sustainable dialogue about how government operates and how best to provide services among many issues to be addressed.

For example, what would the "perfect" government structure be? Form follows function as they say. What functions do we require on Long Island for the next 100 to 200 years? Can we achieve what is necessary with existing organizations and laws?

Is there something that can take the place of government in providing these services? How do we make the public (who own the government after all) more involved in the governing of Long Island?

The results can not go on a shelf (or even a static web site) or they will become useless.

The process of being or becoming excellent never really takes a break. Our new organization(s) and governing structures must be dynamic, collaborative and perpetual as we've described in many previous posts.

More in part three.

Long Island: The 51st State?

Interesting article here about a renewed effort to create the State of Long Island.

We've already pointed out a few previous efforts.

The idea has merit, if only as a serious intellectual exercise for now. So let's put some of Long Island's universities and organizations to work on the idea and vet it completely. Good job for a Long Island Community Congress (or Virtual Long Island Constitution, Long Island Virtual Community Congress or Long Island Virtual Think Tank).

How about a Long Island Virtual Constitutional Convention?

This is a perfect opportunity to discuss all of the "One Long Island" concepts and all of the other great ideas out there for creating a new Long Island.

Because it only makes sense to create the State of Long Island if we are going to do it in a new and different way.

To replicate what we have now or base it solely on existing New York State government organization and existing Long Island organizational structures makes little sense and will only perpetuate existing problems.

But let's have a serious discussion and see what we can come up with. Even if a new state isn't the final outcome, this exercise might provide valuable insight into how sustainable, positive change may occur on Long Island.

Who knows? This time five or ten years from now we may indeed have the State of Long Island.

Long Island School of Meta-Interdisciplinary Study: Lesson One

We've posted previously about the need to create an environment where we can all learn to think in a "cross disciplinary" manner.

Meta-interdisciplinary simply means you are exhausting all possible means of determining the correct public policy by leaving no one or no possible solution or idea out of the equation.

Here is a simple exercise.

Take 100 randomly selected "things" (concepts, ideas, existing programs, physical structures what have you) and put them on index cards. Next, select five cards. Create three possible connections (collaborative activities) between all of the five cards selected.

As you get more adept at the process increase 100 to 200, five to ten, three to five and so on until your brain starts to hurt. Now we're thinking "out of the box."

If you are a software savvy, there are "randomizer" programs out there that connect to databases to achieve the same results.

It doesn't matter that some or most of the ideas won't work. That isn't the purpose of the exercise.

The purpose of the exercise is to get us to think differently.

The purpose of the exercise is to break the "cycle of stagnation" we've talked about on a number of occasions.

More in Lesson Two.

Updates ...

(Photo credit: Scott Savinetti)

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. No, I haven't run out of ideas, at least not yet.

Putting the finishing touches on the first "One Long Island" real word project. Never easy when coordinating large organizations, but hopefully it will get easier as more of the "One Long Island" principles are put into place.

In the meantime, here is a new piece for piano I've been working on in my spare time.

More updates (and ideas) soon.

"One Long Island" Metachart 3.14.08

(Select image for a larger view)

Long Island Internet Referendum Initiative: Part Two

OK, so in part one I gave you a logo and you thought, is that all there is? Well no, but sometimes life intervenes between my thought processes and the computer keyboard so here is a little more info for now.

In 1993 or thereabouts I proposed a Community Congress as a part of the whole Oyster Bay 2000 concept to facilitate cooperation between the various organizations.

I don't know about you, but I find it unacceptable and a bit unnerving that in this day and age accurate, dynamic public information still seems to be difficult to maneuver. How do you ever know what is true? How can you possibly make good public policy like this?

This is one of the reasons for the whole "One Long Island" series of concepts we've been promoting for the last year or so.

What if, using the great minds we have at our local universities, designed an secure, verifiable, easy to use, public referendum model for the Internet and integrated it into the "Long Island Meta Data" concept and the other One Long Island concepts we've been promoting? (It should be noted that all One Long Island projects are designed to work with all other One Long Island projects or subgroups of One Long Island projects).

At first it can be used to gauge public sentiment on public policies but eventually it can be turned into a full blown "Internet Voting" module.

Good for Long Island public policy and potentially a boon for the Long Island economy as an exportable product or service.

More in part three.

Long Island Internet Referendum Initiative: Part One

Long Island Self-Governance: Part One

Interesting reading ...

"Put simply, Long Island is not creating the right environment for technology entrepreneurship. And Long Island is not creating the right companies - not enough of them, anyway - the ones that will create jobs and spawn spinoffs."

It seems that a more comprehensive, collaborative approach is taking shape in the "technology community" on Long Island. That's a good thing.

We still need to broaden the scope of our thinking however.

There is still a tendency to maintain a "silo" effect for the different disciplines, when in reality they all have a lot in common and a lot to offer one another.

We require, among other things, a common Long Island Philosophy and shared accurate information to get the ball rolling.

The One Long Island series of concepts is designed to help accomplish those tasks.

More on Green Business Acceleration ...

Here is another great site on "Green Business Acceleration."

It contains many additional excellent ideas as well.

Making the Transition: Part One

The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations
Roman Emperor, A.D. 161-180 (121 AD - 180 AD)

We harp quite a bit on structure the Long Island Idea Factory in the form of the One Long Island series of projects.

Why?

Because without the proper flexible, dynamic structure sustainable positive change is difficult to achieve.

I have my own ideas about what change is important, but so what?

No one person or organization has all the answers. We have to believe that with the correct structure and methodology the correct change will occur, in whatever form that change manifests itself.

So how to go about change? How do we transition from where we are to where we wish to be?

How do we go from mere rhetoric to substance?

How do we create a Long Island "meta-transition?"

More in Part II.

Long Island "Green" Business Accelerator

I've been reading with great interest all the new focus on "green" energy and its possible positive impact on the Long Island economy.

"The Green Guide" and "Long Island's Next Big Thing" among others are great additions to the cause and are doing splendid work in highlighting the issues and attempting to take a comprehensive approach to energy production on Long Island.

I would suggest all involved consider a Long Island "Green" Business Accelerator model along the lines of the Port of Technology in Philadelphia and other business "accelerator" models we've discussed in previous posts over the past year. Here is another example of an "alternative energy accelerator" in Michigan.

I've had some very preliminary talks with some folks out at Stony Brook (a natural location given their new alternative energy center) and other folks in the industry who feel the idea has merit and some potential.

Of course there may be multiple "accelerators" so long as they work collaboratively (this is the meta acceleration we spoke about previously) and for a common purpose. There should also be "cross pollination" of ideas and business among and between accelerators engaged in green energy and accelerators and incubators engaged in different but potentially mutually helpful work.

Depending on governmental resources to launch this initiative into high gear is, perhaps, dooming it to at best mediocrity. Again, it must be a "dynamic" process, not the stagnant "static" process which has formed so much of our current policy.

We need all the resources at our disposal to create a "green" Long Island.

Long Island Best Practices WIKI: Part 2

We've been reading quite a bit of local news recently on how government operates on Long Island and in New York State generally. This is separate and apart from the "meta-issues" involved in the presidential campaign.

Some advocate getting "mad as hell."

It has been my humble experience that getting "mad" does not cause fundamental change. It only makes things worse.

It's easy to be against something. It is much harder to be for something.

So how do we lower the temperature and at the same time inform and engage the public and governmental entities of all types in a substantive dialogue?

Many of the One Long Island proposals are designed to do just that.

But how about we make an attempt at defining some standards of performance for the types of services we currently have and wish to have in the future, then see who is providing those services in the most effective manner. Then use those ideas as a base line for developing our future service structure(s).

Compare "apples to apples" and be honest with yourself and the public.

"Cherry picking" (enough fruit metaphors) issues and pitting one group against another will not solve anything to any one's satisfaction.

No dogma. Take a fresh look at everything. Collaborate and engage the public.

Then we can make some rational and potentially difficult choices together.

More in Part 3.

Avoiding the Suppression of Progress: Part II

Did you ever notice that the same voices are heard repeatedly?

When we say the same voices, we are primarily speaking about "institutional voices" with a built in large readership or large numbers of viewers or organizational members, not letters or comments to the editor. We are not even talking about the occasional op-ed or the blogosphere. Institutional voices control the flow of information and, as importantly, the frequency with which the information is printed or broadcast.

Whether in the regional newspapers, the local newspapers, major organizations, government, the local cable editorials, guest panelists, guest columnists what have you, we seem to hear the same or similar voices heard almost exclusively.

Why does this happen?

Well certainly, if you have a point of view and you are in control of how information and opinions are released, you are certainly within your rights to proceed in any legal manner you wish. Additionally, most media and large organizations have a financial interest (and maybe a philosophical interest) in "staying alive."

But does this really help achieve progress on Long Island (or elsewhere for that matter)?

To believe it helps achieve progress, you would have to believe in the almost absolute certainty of your opinion, the information you are dispensing and the method(s) you used to arrive at your conclusions.

I believe the suppression of information and access to "institutional media" and other major information outlets prevents long term sustainable progress because it is essentially a violation of the public trust. It contributes to the "cycle of stagnation" by insuring only certain opinions and information is given "legitimate status" based upon potentially limited methodologies.

Without the public trust, long term progress (however defined) is virtually impossible.

This is why we have proposed the Meta-Portal and Citizen Media Network ideas among many others, as part of the One Long Island project. Open communication is vital in building the public trust and creating long term, sustainable progress.

Certainly events like this one are helpful as a part of the process. But, as we stated previously, isn't it really a perpetuation of the old "static" way of doing things?

New thinking needs a new "support system." One Long Island is potentially part of that solution.

More in Part III.

A brief intermission ...

Sorry about the lack of posts recently.

I'm actually engaged in attempting to put some of the "One Long Island" theories into practice.

I should have a few updates soon.

Acceleration, not incubation ...

Turning the former Navy property in Bethpage into a "jobs incubator" is potentially a very good idea, although the "incubator" concept should really be an "accelerator" concept as we have described in previous posts linked to all other Long Island Accelerators (meta acceleration).

Again we have an example of a good idea which could be made even better if it linked to "similar" projects and concepts being planned or underway on Long Island.We should first look for links on Long Island and "consolidate" concepts and programs where it makes sense to do so.

I understand there is an inherent competitiveness and need for autonomy between jurisdictions, but "regional planning" and "consolidation" does not only refer to land use issues and organizations.

Maybe regional planning is a somewhat outdated term. Perhaps it should be a "shared regional philosophy" instead.

A "Long Island Philosophy."

Creating Dynamic Commissions:Part One

We have posted many times previously about the creation of commissions that in turn create "static" reports not connected to any other report or body of knowledge on the same or related subject.

Here now is a new one. I have no doubt the parade of commissions will continue since we seem to be in love with the concept. We'll assume for the moment that the findings of the commission have not been "preordained" and that this commission (or any commission for that matter) is being convened to take an impartial, objective look at the issue(s) rather than being convened to certify an end result that an individual or individuals wish to effectuate.

It isn't as though creating commissions and issuing reports or findings is a bad thing. Quite the contrary, it can be of enormous value if done properly.

But think of what a commission is composed of. Usually it is composed of highly educated and/or experienced folks who are well thought of in their "community." They are busy people who nevertheless have consented to serve on a commission because they believe they can be helpful.

But their time is limited. As intelligent as they are, their knowledge and experience is limited. Their access to information is limited by the very nature of how information is organized in New York and elsewhere at present.

They will get the job done and issue a professional report. But it will be yet another "static" report and therefore limited in usefulness and subject to attack by dissenters. Maybe it will have an effect maybe not. At best it will solve only part of the issue.

"Dynamic Commissions" utilize the "dynamic, collaborative concepts" we've talked about on this site ad nauseum.

In Part Two we'll take a shot at constructing a "how to" manual for creating a dynamic commission.

Avoiding the Suppression of Progress: Part One

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." James Madison

Who are the gatekeepers of information and opinion? Media? Government? Large organizations of varying stripes?

Who prevents us or assists us in ensuring that diverse opinions, ideas and information are integrated into the "common dialogue" so that all realistic avenues of progress are debated, analyzed and enacted?

What I find fascinating about the current presidential contests is the continued focus of our fellow citizens on "looking for a leader" who will somehow have the answer to all our questions. No one individual, no matter how bright, can solve all our issues.

At best they can only find people smarter than they are with a broader and more diverse scope of knowledge, give them the tools to work collaboratively with the citizenry to solve problems. One's judgment and ability to formulate collaborative solutions which integrate a wide cross section of the citizenry is, to me, more important than some vague reference to leadership.

In short, what are your ideas and how specifically are going to implement them? We don't expect perfection. We will allow you to change your positions without demagoging the issue. The vast majority of people just want a sincere effort, an honest answer and an opportunity to be heard.

Of course tell us the truth. But, more importantly tell us how you arrived at what you believe the truth to be. It may not always be the best politics. It may not even be winning politics. But it is good for the overall health of the public discourse.

Most people are reasonable, hard working citizens. Most people are tolerant of opposing views. Most people will participate if given the opportunity and believe that their voice, even if it doesn't carry the day, will be heard.

Bottom up generally works better than top down. Smaller more diverse groups working collaboratively are generally better than a monolithic entity dictating policy.

None of this works however without the active participation of you and me.

So who can suppress progress here on Long Island and elsewhere?

With the free flow of information and the tools to empower the public, no one.

Who has the ultimate responsibility to solve problems? We do.

I don't see how there can be a "silent majority" or a silent anything in the future. Maybe even the very near future.

Enough sermonizing.

More in Part Two.

Good article on "Meta-leadership"

"Meta-leadership" refers to guidance, direction and momentum across organizational lines that develops into a shared course of actions and commonality of purpose among people and agencies that are doing what appears to be very different work."

More here.

LIA Breakfast ...

I attended the LIA breakfast this morning featuring the Nassau and Suffolk County Executives as I do most years. It is always a well run, well attended event and this morning was no different.

Both individuals are bright fellows, it seems, and their hearts are in the right place. But I came away more convinced than ever of the need for better communication and collaboration along the lines of the efforts we're engaged in with our One Long Island series of projects.

Without going into too much detail, there is a disconnect between all of the various projects, commissions, ideas, between organizations, between the various levels of government, between existing projects and proposed projects ...

Healthy competition is great, so long as we can shake hands after the competition and get things done. To the victor belongs the responsibility to reach out and collaborate, even with his or her oppponents. Long Island requires this type of magnanimity to move forward.

Whether its the new "tax cap" commission" leaving out school administrators (there may be good reasons for this) or Suffolk and Nassau talking about creating alternative energy centers when Stony Brook is already in the lead on that issue (again there may be valid reasons for this) or a whole host of issues which require the type of "dynamic collaboration" we've been promoting, again, there is just a "disconnect" which prevents us from acting as a region while the reasonable amount of autonomy and local control that residents seem to like and demand.

For all the talk about consolidation and streamlining and all the benefits it may bring, we don't seem to be able quite yet to consolidate or streamline our ability to organizate projects and ideas for the greater good.

The good news is that more folks are recognizing that we're in this together, regardless of affiliation of whatever type, and that we must find a way to "get things done." And as I stated many times previously, I'm always impressed by the sheer number of bright folks we have at our disposal her on Long Island.

We just need to break this "cycle of stagnation" which impacts on all Long Islanders.

I'll keep trying to do my small part.

More interesting information about how we think ...

"Situationism is premised on the social scientific insight that the naïve psychology—that is, the highly simplified, affirming, and widely held model for understanding human thinking and behavior—on which our laws and institutions are based is largely wrong. Situationists (including critical realists, behavioral realists, and related neo-realists) seek first to establish a view of the human animal that is as realistic as possible before turning to legal theory or policy. To do so, situationists rely on the insights of scientific disciplines devoted to understanding how humans make sense of their world—including social psychology, social cognition, and related disciplines—and the practices of institutions devoted to understanding, predicting, and influencing people’s conduct—particularly market practices."

Constituent Expansion and Interchange: Part One

One of the more powerful aspects of the One Long Island series of projects is the ability to "share" constituencies and even "share" constituencies which may at first seem to have nothing to do with one another.

This is the "meta relational" aspect to what we are working on. Once information is more freely available in an "open" format and the public is given the tools to access the information and to collaborate with one another, relationships will become apparent which were heretofore not realized.

Who would be for this type of access? Individuals and organizations who want real information, collaboration and who wish to build broad based coalitions to effect a positive outcome for Long Island.

More in part two.

Friday random thoughts ...

I was watching a show on PBS last evening about absolute zero.

What you may ask does that have to do with Long Island and the One Long Island project? Maybe nothing, maybe something.

What I found interesting in particular, among the many concepts explored, was the Bose-Einstein condensate concept wherein at a certain temperature gases, liquids and solids become a unique entity.

If they can do it in physics, we can do it organizationally on Long Island. If we "cool" the level of hostility, posturing and rhetoric that exists between individuals and groups, then we can begin to see a type of "condensation" of our own in a manner we began to explore here. Groups and individuals "condensate" to form "new organizational structures" to solve or collaborate on one or multiple issues.

Debates must be about ideas, not about what keeps individuals and organizations in "power." The One Long Island series of ideas can return "power" and decision making back into the hands of Long Islanders in a way Thomas Paine might have enjoyed.

It is as much art as science, even in the field of physics, hence the need for a (meta) multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems.

What uses does this have? I mean why work so hard for something that has no immediate payoff? Scientists are still exploring the potential uses including the generation of energy from alternative sources.

The point is the stretch the boundaries of knowledge and to explore what is possible without having to justify an immediate practical application.

Knowledge and ideas are then, in a sense, a means to an end in and of themselves.

Why do I say this?

Well, some folks tell me that while they enjoy this site, they can see no immediate practical application to my ideas. I hope to remedy that, at least in part very soon with the help of some of my new found friends and colleagues with a couple of "real world" One Long Island projects.

As I've stated before, we need to operate on many different levels simultaneously if we are to be successful. So working in the practical world and the theoretical world is certainly something we need to do as well.

The point is that if you don't think out of the box, sometimes WAY out of the box, you never really know what is possible.

If you don't draw on the lessons of other disciplines you are unreasonably limiting yourself and your organization and, by extension, the future of Long Island.

So what does absolute zero have to do with Long Island?

That's really up to you.

Hometown Democracy Amendment ...

I was in Florida for a few (too few) days and ran across this unique project which I thought might be of some interest to you.

We know that people care about the place where they live and trust the people to make decisions that will protect their community's future. The Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment seeks to take this faith in the people and make the current land use system more accountable by giving the power over certain land use changes (comprehensive plan amendments) to the voters.Property owners in Florida have the right to use their property in accord with the comprehensive plan designation. For example, if a property is designated agricultural, the property owner has the right to use it for any and all agricultural purposes. Agricultural land owners do not have the right to use their land for high-density residential and commercial purposes.Citizens in a community have rights, too. We have the right to demand that our "quality of life" not be harmed by endless construction.Comprehensive plan amendments, which typically allow for more density or intensity of development on a particular parcel of land, are political decisions. These changes should not be granted unless our elected commissioners make a determination that the community's well-being will not be harmed. Our elected officials take an oath to protect the public interest. But too many county and city commissioners just can not say no to comprehensive plan amendments that are destructive to a community's well being.The Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment will mandate referenda for comprehensive plan amendments approved by city and county commissions. Because these plan changes are just about the most important decisions that local governments make, the voters should have the final word about decisions that can make or break their community's future.

More here.

Change ...

With all the talk about "change" in this presidential election, I thought I would republish this post as I think it has some relevance to the current debate.

Long Island Podcast Network ....

The Long Island Podcast Network fills an important role in the Long Island communications "matrix" and are to be commended for their ambitious agenda and success thus far. The more independent voices we have the better.

As with all new ventures they could use your support. They have an anniversary party on February 9th.

I think they are a project that is well worth your support. As you can see, "One Long Island" has already become a sponsor.

By the way, if you don't have a podcast yet, you should really add it to your "arsenal" of communication tools.

"One Long Island" Metachart 1.7.08

(Click on the image for a larger view)

Interesting reading ...

Think about Long Island as our "organization." It has many diverse parts which we would like to see operate with a greater degree of efficiency through more effective collaboration. Hence "One Long Island."

Companies like Hewlett-Packard and Intel have created some of the infrastructure that enables
effective collaboration across boundaries. Pioneering companies, such as W.L.
Gore & Associates, Inc., provide examples of fully implemented collaborative
designs. The two questions here are

1. What creates the foundation for achieving effective collaboration in all
parts of the organization?

2. What additional practices could companies like HP and Intel design that
would take them to the next level of collaborative capacity?

Some thoughts on a new year ....

First of all, let me thank all of you who have made the Long Island Idea Factory site a success beyond anything I'd imagined it could be. We're off to a good start but we have a lot more work to do if any of these ideas are to become a reality.

Secondly, we're entering into an important year as we pick a new President. We'll hear a lot of talk about leadership, legacy and change.

To me, leadership is about ideas and how to work collaboratively to implement those ideas. Leadership is not about "idol worship." Idol worship only makes the population lazy in that we expect our "leaders" to do most of the work for us and, surprise, surprise, we are almost always disappointed in the results.

One of the overriding hopes for our One Long Island series of projects is that we create an environment wherein our leaders play a part in the progress of Long Island, but are not expected to shoulder the whole load. That is an unfair and impracticable burden to place upon anyone in a "representative democracy" and leads to a cycle of disappointment and stagnation.

We all have an important part to play. The key is to play the part at the right time and "in tune." If we can achieve a different and more creative dynamic here on Long Island with all its organizational diversity, there is no reason why our ideas can not be exported to other regions. As we've stated previously, Long Island has some of the best talent on the planet. We just need the tools and mindset to achieve great things.

Legacy is an overused and sometimes embarrassing word. I mean, other than family and close friends, who really cares about an individual legacy? Even then, they look at who you are and how you conduct your life rather than what you've "accomplished."

You live in the moment, plan for the future, continually seek knowledge and do the best job you know how. Metaphorically speaking, to have a pigeon use your statue as a lavatory 100 years from now is sort of irrelevant to the process of making a better life for your fellow Long Islanders. Do good work and move on.

If what you've done has helped in some way, great. That's really all you should expect out of it. Concern about individual legacy often times leads to poor decision-making based upon personal expediency rather than the long term common good.

The dust bin of history is littered with those who thought they would be immortal.

Change comes from good ideas, good organization and collaboration. It is easy to work with someone when you agree with them. It is obviously more difficult to work together when you disagree.

I always make it a point to try to find a way to build bridges with whomever I meet. Believe me, sometimes it would be much easier not to try!

But in the interest of being honest with myself and putting my words into practice, it is essential to make the effort.

So, I hope everyone out there has a happy and healthy New Year. I look forward to continuing the progress we've started and more importantly I look forward to meeting new people with new ideas who want to work collaboratively for a better Long Island and a better America.

Long Island Meta-Advocacy Council: Part One

What if Long Island could speak with one voice on the important issues of the day and on the issues that will shape our future?

How powerful would that be?

More in Part Two.

Interesting viewing ...

"Sanford Levinson is a heretic in some people's eyes — he has the temerity to suggest that not only is the Constitution not written in stone but that it's actually in some ways quite undemocratic.
Among its flaws; a veto power that allows presidents to stop legislation 95% of the time; a contradiction of the "one person, one vote" principle in the Senate which gives Wyoming, with one-seventieth of the population of California, the same political power... "

Long Island Best Practices WIKI: Part One

As an outgrowth of the One Long Island project, We may envision a "Long Island Best Practices WIKI" which will allow collaboration between and amongst the different disciplines on Long Island.

Who has the best ideas (or partial ideas) in education? Government? Non-profits?

What works? What doesn't?

It may even allow us, over time, to create a realistic One Long Island "business plan."

We know there is a lot of good work going on out there but unfortunately it seems only the negative gets highlighted. There is a big difference between opinion and criticism, no matter how well informed, and creative thinking, hard work and collaboration.

Here is a national study from 1997 which might serve as one part of an overall structure.

New York State might want to look at this type of program as well.

More in Part Two.

Another way to use Lydia/TextMap ...

We posted previously about how we believe the Lydia/TextMap project at Stony Brook would improve New York State's Project Sunlight.

Now imagine a way to access all Long Island Information (although it is really applicable to any size region) and to assess through sophisticated analysis the veracity and accuracy of the information?

For example, is what we're being told more likely or less likely to be accurate based upon all the relevant available data and additionally, based upon all the relationships and secondary and tertiary sources related to this data?

Holy cow Batman, I think we're on to something!

Again the trick is to get access to all the relevant data (government, libraries, newspapers, internet etc...) in a flexible yet secure manner that will allow us to do predetermined and ad hoc queries (and metaqueries).

More on this later.

Collaborative Spheres of Influence: Part One

We've previously posted about organizational autonomy on Long Island (and elsewhere) and the apparent affinity most people have for smaller groups over which they feel they have some influence.

One way to change this is through consolidation, mandated by law or otherwise.

As stated previously, another way to effectuate change is to create an environment where organizations may maintain their autonomy but have the tools to work collaboratively.

The above diagram shows the "organic" nature of the later, wherein the collaborative participants literally come together to "breathe in" or otherwise "absorb" the "nutrients" from other similar or preferably diverse organizations then return to their "spheres" energized with new ideas and methods for improving their performance. This is a continuous process necessary for the health of the entire "organism" (Long Island).

More in part Two.

Interesting hearing ...

E-Government 2.0:
Improving Innovation, Collaboration, and Access
Statement of Chairman Joseph Lieberman
December 11, 2007

Good morning and welcome to our hearing today. Five years ago this month, the president signed into law the E-Government Act of 2002 - a bill I was privileged to cosponsor with Senators Conrad Burns and Fred Thompson - to bring the federal government into the Internet Age and better serve the public. The goal of the bill, as I said at the time, was to “exchange what is… cumbersome, static, and often bewildering for a dynamic, interactive, and user-friendly government.”
Today we will ask how close the government has come to reaching that goal. Is it responding and adapting to user habits and new technologies to increase public participation, promote interagency cooperation, and make itself more transparent and accountable? While I think we have made much progress, I think our witness would agree that there’s more the government as a whole could and should be doing ..... (more)

We made another blogroll ...

American Solutions for Winning the Future has added the Long Island Idea Factory to its "BlogRolls (see right hand column of the graphic)."

"We recently launched American Solutions for Winning the Future, a unique non-partisan organization designed to rise above traditional gridlocked partisanship, to provide real, significant solutions to the most important issues facing our country.
The breakthrough impact of this organization is driven by its powerful approach:
Broad scale engagement of elected officials and candidates of both parties at all levels of government, interested citizens, private sectors leaders, reporters, scholars and students.
Development of big, real, breakthrough solutions to the most important issues facing this country - education, energy, more effective homeland and national security, a new model of retirement savings, a renewed sense of American civilization and citizenship, creating efficient, information age government and more.
A process to educate, ignite collaboration and implement these solutions across all levels of government with widespread ..."

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."

Another energy idea ...

A friend of mine directed me to this site recently. Personal wind power (no jokes please).

One is apparently installed at the Stony Brook Southampton Campus. It would be interesting to see how effective it is.

How about we put these right down the spine of the LIE? On existing water towers and smoke stacks? On light poles? On all compatible public property? How effective would it be?

Add that to the SunEdison concept and other "complete solarization" ideas and the Plasma Converter projects we spoke about earlier and where does that get us?

What if all the garbage/solid waste companies and municipalities on Long Island got together and built one Plasma Converter in Nassau and one in Suffolk? How much energy would it create? How many landfills could be reclaimed? How much less gas would be used? What about (you fill in the question) ...

How about energy from the ocean ? How about an earth battery ?

How many cost effective megawatts can we really generate from alternative sources if we put our minds to it? When you give the public accurate data about the cost benefit analysis and impact on the environment, then they can make rational choices about aesthetics and other issues.

The point is, unless you ask "out of the box" questions, maybe even seemingly "crazy," creative questions and then do the analysis, you never really know what is possible.

What is known is that we will have to make major changes to the way we create and consume energy on Long Island if we are to have energy that is remotely affordable.

Alternative energy, another good candidate for our "One Long Island" metadata analysis concept.

"Dare to be Different."

A couple of quick points ...

First, we are assembling a good team of highly competent diverse folks for the implementation phase of the "One Long Island" series of projects. If you are interested in participating please contact me.

Second, I won't publish comments on this blog without knowing who is making the comment and having a way to respond to them. I invite criticism and alternative views, just not anonymous criticism and alternative views.

There are plenty of other sites for that and they do serve a purpose by letting folks vent and to opine without any repercussions. Its part of the "rich tapestry of life" as they say. These sites generally don't hurt and some good ideas sometimes rise through the fog, but if you're not willing to stand behind your convictions, in the end, what have you really accomplished?

"One Long Island" is all about collaboration. Collaboration is at the very least however, a two way street between folks trying to work through and solve difficult issues.

"One Long Island" is also, among other things, about building bridges between issues, individuals and organizations. It is not about one single issue. It is not about the promotion of one view or organization over another. There would be no point to the project if it was.

Are all the ideas here winners? Of course not. But I hope it helps in some way to encourage others to have the courage of their convictions and to publicly express your advocacy in a positive, collaborative way.

Long Island needs teamwork, not individual heroes. No one person or organization has all the answers. With the "One Long Island" project we are trying to assemble a "critical mass" of folks who wish to collaborate in a positive way on Long Island.

If we are successful things will change for the better, and will change for the better pretty quickly.

Evolutionary Long Island: Part Three

What is "Evolutionary Long Island?"

I know, this should have been part one. Sorry. That's just how my brain works sometimes.

"Evolutionary Long Island" is the process that takes hold when the "One Long Island" concepts have become ingrained in the way we "do business" on Long Island.

It is the "self correcting and self adapting" process we've previously discussed that allows Long Island to anticipate change and prepare itself to "take advantage of" the opportunities that change presents. It removes bureaucratic lethargy, "personal agendas" and other non-productive "agents" by focusing on collaboration and results.

If "One Long Island" can help create a "Long Island Philosophy," it can also help put the processes into effect that will shape our region for the foreseeable future. The three elements (plus many others) are intertwined.

Think, collaborate, create, implement, repeat. The "One Long Island Creative Loop."

More in Part Four.

Evolutionary Long Island: Part Two

Evolutionary Long Island: Part One

Fluid versus Static Intelligence

"An individual's level of fluid intelligence can be determined based on the degree to which he or she is able to let go of previously held conceptions on encountering reliable information or experiences which show these conceptions to be mistaken or overly simplistic.

At the other end of the spectrum from fluid intelligence is static intelligence.

When those with a high degree of static intelligence encounter information which seriously questions the established paradigm, they attempt to discredit the new information using laws and principles previously agreed upon under the old paradigm. If they fail at this, the new information is then deemed not worthy of study and discarded. At worst, the new evidence is actively attacked as being irrational or unscientific, even though it may be easily verified."

Athens on Long Island?

I was watching a show on PBS the other evening on democracy in ancient Athens.

While it was by no means a perfect system, I found the idea of a broader, more inclusive voting system on issues to be interesting and thought that perhaps it could be incorporated into the "One Long Island" project in some way.

I will explore this concept further as time permits.

Some additional Long Island Wiki ideas ...

Monday comments ...

Thanks to all of you who have called and emailed since the NY Times ran the article on this blog. I'm pleased to say that the vast majority of the responses have been positive.

Some have criticized me for not being "more detailed" or more "opinionated" on specific issues that are of interest to the writers and to specific sections of Long Island generally.

Fair enough, but that isn't the purpose of this site. I do feel we are very detailed on how to construct a process for arriving at good public policy for Long Island. We are probably up to over 200 or so pages of ideas (some more specific than others) to date on methods to construct a more productive system and "philosophy" for solving problems and addressing issues.

Quite frankly, my personal opinion on specific issues is irrelevant to the process or to bringing the "One Long Island" project to the implementation phase. What is important is creating an organizational structure that permits diverse entitles to work together for a common purpose.

We'll get back to work this week on "Phase II" of the One Long Island project.

Please keep the comments and suggestions coming. If there is any part of the project you are interested in becoming a part of (or the whole project generally), please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks to the LI Biz Blog ...

Long Island Idea Factory in the news

November 15, 2007 by Henry E. Powderly II

LI Biz Blog has been keeping an eye on the Long Island Idea Factory for a while, even listing it in its list of must-read blogs. Though, we have to admit, to call the ideas featured on the site dense would be an understatement.

LIIF, run by Louis G. Savinetti, is a eccentric application of scientific methods to civic responsibility, including meta-charts, wikis and plans for integrating technology into the attempt to fix the woes of Long Island.

And above all, the site wants collaboration, unity, on Long Island, evidenced by its “One Long Island” slogan.

But LI Biz Blog is not the only news organization to track the site. In fact, as of today you could say we’re one of the smaller news organizations to track the Long Island Idea Factory.

Today, The New York Times ran a feature article about Savinetti’s brain-child.

Check out the story. Here’s an excerpt:

Asked to sum up on his blog what it’s about, he wrote: “Simply stated, ‘One Long Island’ is a series of interrelated projects designed to foster productive collaboration on Long Island through the utilization of common technology, interdisciplinary education, public participation and a shared Long Island philosophy. In short it is a way to change the way we solve problems on Long Island in a sustainable manner.”

He figured he needed a reality check before he went too far. “I’m out there writing this stuff, and maybe I’m insane. You don’t know,” he said. So he sent it off to some serious people, who took it seriously.

John Murcott, a successful Long Island software entrepreneur, whose current project, 411Karma.com, is a social networking site for the nonprofit world, and Yacov Shamash, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University, both said the site filled a void and reflected a logical intersection of technology and public policy.

Dr. Shamash, in fact, is meeting with Mr. Savinetti to forge a partnership with Stony Brook that would build a Long Island virtual think tank with more technological sophistication than Mr. Savinetti’s homemade one. “There are great ideas here, but the question is, what kind of controls are you going to put on, and what kind of structure and organization do you put up around it?” Dr. Shamash said.

(http://libizblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/long-island-idea-factory-in-the-news/)

Posted in Long Island Idea Factory, Web sites, action | No Comments »

Thanks to the New York Times ...

Our Towns

On the Web With Big Concepts for a Fragmented Long Island

By PETER APPLEBOME

Published: November 15, 2007

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.

Those whose first thoughts about Long Island usually don’t begin with high-concept, big-think, high-tech regional planning analysis might be surprised by some of the vapors emanating from there these days.

There’s the Long Island Plasma Converter Project, the Long Island Innovation Council and the Long Island 3.0 Open Code Library, which is not to be confused with the Long Island Internet Public Library or the Long Island Info Grid. There’s the Long Island Idea Bank, the Long Island School of Meta Interdisciplinary Studies, the One Long Island Virtual Constitution and {hellip}well, you get the idea. There’s a lot more.

Of course, to be technical, none of it actually exists outside the brain and Web site of Louis G. Savinetti, an unpretentious Long Island native with gray hair and glasses, and family roots in Sea Cliff, Locust Valley, Glen Head and Glen Cove, who is a former member of the Oyster Bay Town Council and now serves as the town’s human resources commissioner.

But sitting at Taby’s Burger House, with its antique map of the Long Island that was — “Large Estates Here,” “Good Swordfishing Here” — you quickly realize that there’s much to be learned about Mr. Savinetti, about Long Island, and about the political potential of the wired world in his somewhat quixotic Long Island Idea Factory Web site, longislandideafactory.blogspot.com.

Mr. Savinetti, 52, came out of C. W. Post College thinking he wanted to teach and compose music, but soon ditched that and later got degrees in public administration and law. Along the way, he picked up the habit of scribbling down ideas in notebooks, which piled up in the basement of his house. About a year ago, he decided to do something with them online as an abstract intellectual exercise — “sort of the way other people do crossword puzzles” — and as something with public policy potential.

And so, in March the Long Island Idea Factory was introduced as a way to throw ideas out into the public sphere and to offer online avenues for people and institutions to share information, data and ideas about Long Island, a place sorely lacking in unifying structures. Its catchphrase is “One Long Island,” and it reads like half eccentric fantasy baseball for tech-savvy policy wonks and half serious virtual forum for tech-savvy policy wonks.

Asked to sum up on his blog what it’s about, he wrote: “Simply stated, ‘One Long Island’ is a series of interrelated projects designed to foster productive collaboration on Long Island through the utilization of common technology, interdisciplinary education, public participation and a shared Long Island philosophy. In short it is a way to change the way we solve problems on Long Island in a sustainable manner.”

He figured he needed a reality check before he went too far. “I’m out there writing this stuff, and maybe I’m insane. You don’t know,” he said. So he sent it off to some serious people, who took it seriously.

John Murcott, a successful Long Island software entrepreneur, whose current project, 411Karma.com, is a social networking site for the nonprofit world, and Yacov Shamash, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University, both said the site filled a void and reflected a logical intersection of technology and public policy.

Dr. Shamash, in fact, is meeting with Mr. Savinetti to forge a partnership with Stony Brook that would build a Long Island virtual think tank with more technological sophistication than Mr. Savinetti’s homemade one. “There are great ideas here, but the question is, what kind of controls are you going to put on, and what kind of structure and organization do you put up around it?” Dr. Shamash said.

With its label clouds and meta-charts and other buzzy features, Mr. Savinetti’s site might not be for everyone. He’s quick to say the site doesn’t reinvent the wheel and instead uses many ideas from other sources. But he likes to think that in its own way it still gets at something intrinsic to Long Island, with its hundreds of towns, villages, special districts, school districts and very little that ties them all together.

“When I was growing up, Long Island was open space, a clean environment, small communities,” he said. “Now it has an identity issue. What do you think of when you see Long Island in the news? I don’t know. Joey Buttafuoco. The Hamptons. Now maybe illegal immigrants, the license issue.

“It doesn’t seem like Long Island is something or a series of somethings that add up to one thing. I guess that’s why no one ever used One Long Island before.”

And, whether or not the site creates a useful virtual Long Island, he figures maybe it will help him at home in the real one.

“I thought it would be nice for my son to see I wasn’t a complete idiot and that I had an idea every once in a while,” he said. “You know how kids are.”

(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/nyregion/15towns.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin)

E-mail: peappl@nytimes.com

Garbage to Energy ...

Another interesting article on "plasma gasification" here.

A follow-up to this post.

Seems to help solve, at least in part, two of Long Island's biggest concerns.

More on the way ...

I'm in the process of setting up a number of meetings to begin the implementation of some of the "One Long Island" concepts. I'm also supplementing and refining a good portion of the material.

Additionally I'm reviewing my notebook(s) of ideas to see where the next "suite" of concepts fits into the overall "One Long Island" game plan.

Thanks to all of you who have offered advice and support.

I look forward to a productive remainder of 2007 and an even more productive 2008.

One Long Island - Virtual Constitution Wiki

I created this One Long Island Virtual Constitution Wiki and got the ball rolling. The Password is LIIF. Put your own user name and email in.

Please feel free to join in. Please keep it positive.

We'll see if this wiki software suits our purposes.

Something different ... update

OK, so I'm going through boxes of my old music and I think I found all the parts to my orchestral study "Locust Valley by Moonlight - Part One" and "Locust Valley by Moonlight - Part Two" ... give a listen when you have 30 minutes or so to spare.

Back to the work at hand ...