p3, s3 and WAR as a constant

I have taken in a couple of movies in the last three weeks. The third episode of Siperman and Pirates of the C. S3 wasn't as good as the other two, however, P3 was better than P2. However, what has taken me is the constant theme of war in movies right now, the trailers are full of battles, the ad's were of real war and new releases will focus on war.

His Dark Materials, will launch in December, with The Northlights for us UK readers, The golden compass or something like that for the US. Why the name change, will lords of the rings, ring gold, gold compass. Some producers behind both films. Looks like they are making a good adaptation of the book.

War theme, I have also been reading more history than usual. War is a constant happen there too. Are we bound to follow this trend. Inevitable?

healthcamp TV live

I will try streaming live video from healthcamp2 Saturday 26 May, 10.30am US Pacific Time Zone.

healthcamp2 tomorrow

healthcamp2 is tomorrow in Palo Alto, all info. is on the wiki.

For those that can not attend, I am going to experiment with the websites that allow you to stream video live. If I get it working I will post the link on the wiki.

Looking forward to meeting all you health2.0'ers tomorrow

3 months to 3 weeks

Three months is such a short period of time. And as soon as I step foot in Silicon Valley it is like weeks turn into days. There is always an air of new-ness around. New ideas, technology, observations, debates etc. etc.

open spaces identity workshop

I am big fan of unconference's, they use open space techniques to allow participants to share and learn in an open way.

Of all the unconferences I have attended, this one's use of open space has been the best. I am learning a lot.

identity workshop

Empowering individuals with their identity.

Using open space to explore Internet Identity.

judgement - information

I listened to a story of great depth last week, told by Carly Fiorina. She talked about the need for diversity in your team and how information overload, how to deal with vasts amount of information was one of the top 3 skills to have (probably no.1).

I think, those two combine to set up a great metaphor for the use of the Internet. We have choice. We can choose where to search, we bias what we are looking for by what we type in. The search engines are not reading our minds (they are starting to try). So, we have access to all this information, make sure you get diversity of content and remember, all possible interpretation of information will be presented. Judgement is require, our judgement, don't assume all the judgements taken to retrieve your information align with you. Hone your judgement skills and you will get more out of the world of information on the Internet each and every day.

weThink open spaces

What happens when you open source a conference?, you get an un-conference. I first participated in these last year and found them the most valuable of all the experience and learning I gained. This hold true this year and such is the power of the format it holds the opportunity each and every time to deliver that experience.

Open space techniques are used at un-conferences to help people meet the right people at the right time in the right context. Or the complete opposite, if that is what is required to gain the knowledge to empower our paths forward.

A simple concept at heart. No rules, no cost to participation. I would guess that if such experiences are not in your life right now, they will be real soon, whether that be a rest, work or play.

4 tokens plus 2 plus 1 eventually seven in total mepath.com

4 tokens plus 2 plus 1 eventually seven in total mepath.com, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

mepath.com entered the speedgeeking yesterday and picked up 7 tokens in the end.

More importantly we were asked great questions and we thank you all for the feedback and support.

iThink

The third section on aboynejames.co.uk is called iThink. This section aggregates my latest blog postings. I decided to have more than one blog as I find it more helpful to separate my thoughts that way. And that gets me thinking. The content of the postings are not always thoughts. They are stories on what I am up to, review of past events I have attended, looking forward to future events or talking about a vision. I use picture, video and text and diagrams and not to forget hyperlinks.

At their heart they are all authored by me.

ribbons Pacific Masters

Sunday brought more ribbons to MVM. I swam the 100 freestyle, going under the 1 minute barrier by 0.49 of a second. 200IM was all about technique with a bit more speed in the breast stroke and freestyle legs, 2.34. Lastly, and like the first race back to breast stroke 100 yards, 1.16.

In all that was my favourite race of the day the mens 200 freestyle relay, I took the third leg and we were placed in the top 8.

It was a fun weekend being part of the Mountain View Masters Swim team.
Image004, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

A third and forth place first day Pacific Masters

Image015, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Swam, 200 breast stroke for the third placing
50fly for the fourth
100IM 12th

And one relay for MVM where we were 11th but this is where I had my swim of the day 27.50 for 50 fly. I was flying!

Scotland2.0 Demo Opportunity

Here is an opportunity/offer to all those back in Scotland2.0, especially those that attended barcampScotland in March. StartupCamp2 is just about upon us in May. I will be attending and the event follows the un-conference format of event so I propose to host a session on Scotland2.0. I will present demo's from startups in Scotland with you guys/girls on skype for Q&A. That is where you come in. These will be your demo's so get in touch via the comments section in this posting or my contact info at http://www.aboynejames.co.uk. Give your startup the opportunity to be exposed to the brightest minds in Silicon Valley.

I look forward to hearing from you.

web2.0expoOpen thoughts

To start, thank you to all those that put the effort in to make web2.0expoOpen happen. For all those that gathered for health2.0 session, cheers for participating. A great event, my video review before, maybe I should wait for longer after I go swimming, check out the google eye ring marks!

Scottish Champs - Pacific Champs next weekend

The Scottish Master Swimming Championships are next weekend. Good luck to SilverCityBlues Masters Swim Club. I am competing to next weekend for Mountain View Masters Swim Club at the Pacific Masters Short Course Championships. I expect it is no coincidence that they are both on the same weekend?

healthcamp2

For me health is the new money. The grass roots of a health centred economy are sought to gather again for healthcamp2. The wiki is up and the ideas are being expressed. Are you ready to participate?

Commitment 07

Each year, (which starts in August each year for me) I set a 'me' mantra for the year ahead. Top of the list for '06 was the word Courage, be bold, make a bold move, make the vision even purer and this years top mantra word also begins with the letter C, C for Commitment. With courage demonstrated you need the commitment to realize your vision and dreams. Commitment is more about persistence and determination, than one off bold moves to create opportunity. Commitment is a span of time that lasts a life time.

back no1. on google for .. . . .

A bit of an ego trip, but I noticed the other day again that if you type the words James Littlejohn into the google search engine, that aboynejames.co.uk comes up as the no.1 result. It's not been that for at least a year. Trip over.

Debut on Second Life, aboynejames Shepherd

>

I made my first appearance on Second Life today. You get this pretty stereo type character. I'll need to invest some Linden Dollars on a hair cut!

aboynejamesshepherd, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

too far behind too far ahead

I upgraded to Windows VISTA Business last week. A 7 year fast forward from Windows 2000. Windows2000 is being phased out as new services don't work with it or are not supported anymore. However, I am now received a message from a website that I can not use their latest player as they do not support Vista.

Over all, VISTA business is OK. Nothing wow about it. It works, still crashes on hibernate too much for my liking. The biggest difference is the new screen on the Vaio. I am not sure the new screen has anything to do with Microsoft except the new icons are 3D'ish.

Climate Management - not climate change

I have been going to publish this blog posting topic for a while now, over a year or more. I am still not that sure the best to present the view I hold, that what we are doing/seeing from a human reaction to climate uncertainties is that it is not so much reacting to climate change but the human species is at the start of creating actions that will allow us to manage the climate. It is a control issue, first and foremost. The question I ask is should be controlling the climate?

I will have more to say on the role politics, government and states role is playing in this. But for now, I put out the concept, we are at the start of climate management, not responding to climate change.

Perfect Timing, right next door to failure

One of those thoughts/observations that I have been thinking about: how perfect timing is right next door to failure. You turn up at a bus stop a second before the bus arrives, excellent. A second late, your late, their is no possibility of getting on the bus. OK, you can be two-200 seconds early but there comes a point of the opportunity time cost that out weighs the benefits. Anyway, it could be -30c at the bus stop, that may kill you.

Today, I am waitng for my new laptop. A day too late, but my timing was almost perfect, the old one just gave out yesterday. One day out still brings pain, the need to wait in to sign for the new one and not having access to my local email history etc. All files are backed up on the web so I will download them to the new machine. In fact, most of my files are online now so all I needed was to ask a friend for access to their PC, which I was grateful for the use of today.

Startups and perfect timing. I think all entrepreneurs would take perfect timing over all other variables e.g. skill, intellect, money, people. Being at the right place at the right time wins out, history would show. While missing a bus is a big pain but being early is just a wait, being early in a startup market is/can be painful ie. the costs in terms of time, money or frustration on the response of others can accumulate to a point where failure is reached. However, true grit, determination and persistance can win out as you expand the odds of perfect timing heading your way.

looking for gas

Walking home on Saturday evening, near 11pm I saw a tall dark, leather clad biker trying to hail down some passing cars. He caught sight of me and shouts, do you know where the nearest gas station is? He runs across the street to talk to me. He pointed to his Bike which had run out fuel and he explained he just came of Highway 237. I knew where the gas (filling station) was and it was on route to my apartment. So, we shared conversation along the way. He started to explain that no one would stop their cars to help. He thought his large, drak presense was the reason. Not that my mind hadn't processed the situation in that manner too but I listened. Turns out he was a country guy at heart to and he was grateful to find the fuel station.

Supper Happy Developers House 16 right now

My first trip north on CalTrain to Burlingham. First part of making it to Super Happy Developers House in the high hills of Hillsborough. Need to pick up supplies, food for the BBQ and a drink to share. Call the taxi as it is a long walk up hill. I am here.

Met a few familiar faces and the geek chat is in full flow.

Lost on Light Rail

I was two stop along on the light rail service heading towards Yahoo! offices when a person on the platform popped their head in to say that the elderly lady he was with was lost. He was not getting on the train so asked if anyone could comfort and help the lady. He thought she needed to get to a station called Tasmin. I was at the other end of the carriage but no one else seemed to be listening so I nodded my head and the elderly lady came and sat across from me. I restated the she was looking for Tamsin station? She replied in what I assumed was one of the Chinese languages. So, I went and pointed to the map? But her main priority was looking out of the window trying to recognise a familiar landmark or building. She was clearly upset and she took out a religious/lucky charm type objective which we said a prayer too. It is frustrating when you want to help more but you can not communicate via speaking.

I also knew that I was getting off in the train on a couple of stops, many before the Tasmin station so I was thinking about what I could do before leaving. Luckily, the stop before I left a new passenger got on the train so I went up to them to explain the situation and ask if they could point out when the train arrived a Tasmin station. They were happy to help. And as I left the train, I heard the lady talking to the passenger. I had the feeling she would find her way. I hope I was right.

Common Sense - the wisdom of the crowd

I wrote a posting on the Scottish enlightenment at the end of last year. One of the three central characters in the movement was Thomas Reid, of The University of Aberdeen. He brought to the philosophy table, COMMON SENSE.

One of the main themes, (meme's I think they call them around here, silicon valley) is the WISDOM OF THE CROWD, some comment that all start ups have a play on this concept. In my view, if they are not then trouble could be coming ahead for their ventures.

But what I had not really connected in my thinking was that COMMON SENSE and the WISDOM OF THE CROWD are from the same school of thought. So, if we are looking for or indeed need a 12 centuary set of intellectual conepts of thinking to give a frame work for the evolution of society then, the Wisdom of the Crowd is the new application of common sense that will take us forward.

Peeled tatties whilte, yellow, purple

Peeled tatties whilte, yellow, purple, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

My first go at purple tatties (potatoes). Guess what, taste like potato!

EU panel Silicon Valley

EU panel Silicon Valley, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

My first networking event last week was hosted by the American German Startup Association, or something like that.

Just like one of my first events of last year, one of the panel set out the fact that the big silicon valley ideas and success come from a mix of outsiders and locals. No words could inspire more.

Accents Top to bottom of UK .... then in California

I was reflecting on the journey I have made over the last two weeks and how the people accents changed as I went. On the business, I spoke to an national of India now living in Aberdeen, Edinburgh accents while dashing to the train. Newcastle, Yi dominant in the air, York, more polite then the London pull starts to kick in a commuter around Peterbrough join the train. London under ground, just choose any language of the world. Southampton the lighter tone accents, same for the Isle of Wight. Silicon Valley, like back being on the London underground. A real treat to listen to so many native tongues.

welcome back to MV

The entrepreneurial journey continues.

Heading West

I start the journey West tomorrow via the deep south of UKland. See you on route or in the bay.

Upper Deeside Covered in Snow

I took this video on route to BarCampScotland, in Edinburgh.

BarCampScotland open to share & learn

BarCampScotland was a great success.

The School of Informatics at The University of Edinburgh were our hosts and the venue provided lots of space, open areas, lecture rooms and smaller rooms. And people turned up in great numbers. I took a spell at the registration table and they all took to the idea of writing three tag words to their name badge. Those wanting to present soon added their name to the open grids.

A plug for Edinburgh Uni. was presented then we all got a chance to introduce ourself in a round of speed introductions. Then the event got off and running.

All, in all the day was over before I realized. Felt like we had just begun. Well done to all those that participated and the co-planners that made it happen. I plan to post some video and photos are on flickr.

Here to the next one.

Spring is in the air

Well, it is on aboynejames.co.uk as it goes green for the arrival of spring.

Quackers

I got the ducks quacking on my walk around Birsemore Loch.

School View, Aboyne

All of us lucky enough to attend Aboyne Primary School and Aboyne Adademy have a great view to inspire us. You can never get bored of seeing this view every day on the walk home.

Free skiing mid Deeside review

I took a couple of hours out this afternoon to head to the hills around Mid Deeside to see where all the snow had been blown too. North facing slopes, the snow came in on a southerly gale, which stripped all the snow from all other aspects of the hill and dumped them all in the same place, best cover above 2000ft about 600m. Short video review

Glen Tanner Snowy Hills

Glen Tanner Snowy Hills, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Winter is still hanging in there in and around Glen Tanner. Will it survive the mild days before the snow falls again?

SCB Gala 2007 What a splash

50m and 100m backcrawl events was where I picked up a couple of surprise bronze medals yesterday at the 2007 SilverCityBlues Masters Swim Club annual swimming gala. To the best of my memory, 20 years have passed since I entered a 100m backcrawl event. Yes, backcrawl is my least favourite of all the strokes. Breast stroke on the other hand is my favourite. (It's funny to note from my observations that breaststrokers are not big backcrawl fans). The 100m breast stroke was my second event, the first was the 50 metre's backcrawl and I was still recovering from that mad opening sprint when it was time to step on the blocks for the start of the race. Eighteen months had passed since I last swam competitively so it was a bit of a shock to the system the intense exertion of energy.

The starter blows on a whistle to get you on to the blocks then they will say, 'take your marks' and then it's a case of listening for the beep from the gun. my toes tucked around the front of the starting block, I tensed up in readiness for the beep. But this had also put a slight wobble on my balance. A wobble that grew with each passing milli-second but the beep, still did not come. I am off, splash.

But the beep had not been fired. A false start. I am not sure I have ever recorded a competitive false start ever in my life. I sat at the side of the pool, head shaking while the start procedure was restarted for the rest of the swimmers. Today, swimming rules are strict, one false start and you are out. As a child swimmer, you were allowed one false start. For some reason there were quite a few false starts yesterday.

Over my next 5 races of the afternoon I am pleased to report that I did make it to the finish. My times are listed below, but the 100IM (individual medley) was my best performance of the day, apart from a reasonable time, I also felt a good controlled swim. Overall, I was down (meaning more, worse) on my best times, 1 to 3 seconds on the sprints and 3-6 seconds down over the hundreds and over 200m freestyle I was 11 seconds down. My main goal was to get the times recorded and put on the board, I didn't train that well or at all for long periods of time in 2006 and colds over Christmas also dent times. Overall, I am encouraged, motived to train and to get those times heading south again. Thank you to all the SCB officials and volunteers that made the event and buffet a success.

Times to be confirmed.
50m backcrawl 36.75 seconds
100m breaststroke Disqualifed
100m IM 1.18.23
50m Butterfly 34.35 seconds
200m Freestyle 2.36.15
100m backcrawl 1.24.17
50m breaststroke 39.45 seconds

Fiddle Concert Banchory

Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society are hosting a concert on the evening of Thursday 15 February, East Church, Banchory is the venue. Beside both the Junior and Senior Orchestra's, Paul Anderson will perform a couple of solos. Should be great evening of foot tapp'n tunes, song and humour.

A Reel Fling on the ... ..

A Reel Fling on the Road to Crathes Castle, the new CD from Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society. Recorded last year while I was in the USA. A stirring sound and the CD also includes solo's from Paul Anderson. Available to buy from the Society.

Image001, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

melting week

After a week of winter last week, this week is best described as the week of the melt. I thought this picture, summed things up.

This painting was part of Howard Butterworth's successful River Dee exhibition.

Still Waters Run Deep

River Dee on a still winters day, crystal clear waters with a touch of emerald glow.

Haggis, Neeps & Tatties

Image016, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

25th of January, Burn's Night. Mum delivers a hearty meal of haggis, neeps and tatties.

aboynejames.co.uk me aggregation

The home page of aboynejames.co.uk was updated a few weeks ago. I have not been able complete the objective of the page quite yet as coding is not what I do. What was the objective? To aggregate me.

I think is would be fair to say, I create aboynejames, for me first. I use it every day to make my online experience the best and most efficient. The links to the website I visit every day, with the hardware I use, acting like single sign on, why, the identity industry can not do that for me right now is beyond me. I know the reason why, they are working on empowering websites, not individuals with that empowerment.

ithink, the words I introduced the last paragraph is a new section I have introduced. The big idea for aboynejames.co.uk is to aggregate my blog feeds and other media assets, photos so that all the recent changes found in my whole online life are reflected on this page. Peopleaggregator.com was my hope for outsourcing this too but I now understand what they are up too. It's not what I thought originally but it still needs to be created, the ability to create your own decentralised social community. However, I want to aggregate that community with all the others I belong too, online and off. Only, me can do that. What the Internet community can do is help me find the parts I need to make it all happen.

As present, each social community has its own help and tools for collecting feedback etc. So, I as an individual, I need to learn all those methods, plus I may not be even using their website when I think of the feedback. me aggregation will expand to provide give me with the empowerment to create that world. I won't write the code, but I will find it.

Mike, Web2.0'er Edinburgh

Mike, Web2.0 er Edinburgh, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

I was lucky to be told about the first ever Design/Web2.0 breakfast in Edinburgh on Thursday morning. Mike was the founder of the idea and his enthuiasm for all things web2.0 was heartening to see. It is going to be a weekly event so keep tabs on the wiki.

Explaining a pyramid to your doctor

We all visit the doctor from time to time and sometimes explaining what caused our pain is amusing...... read more here.

Athens of the North

I am in Edinburgh, capital of Scotland this week. I lived here for 4 years during a startup venture a while back. I don't make that many trips to Edinburgh, mainly to see family these days but this week I enjoyed looking at the architecture of the City with new thoughts. The book I read last year 'how the Scots invented the modern world', shed new light on how the city evolved. So, it has been fun visualising the city from the words in the book with my real time view.

One of the central themes in the book with the historical Union of Scotland with England. And by pure coincidence the 300th year anniversary was this week. Just a coincidence?

barcampScotland, calling Scotland web2.0

I noticed a couple of Scottish web2.0 champions and bloggers had set up the wiki pages for BarCampScotland in 2006. We are now in 2007 so lets get BarCampScotland on the map. Simply add your name to the wiki and the rest will happen from there.

Dazzer's Dinner

Dazzer Dinner, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

A top notch dinner from a top notch friend. The dining table was banquet- esk with crystal glasses and red claret dressing the surface. The creamiest lasagna I have tasted in ages and not a drop of cheese in sight. Cheers mate.

Good temperatures, not

Same information, different opinion. For example, the weather presenter said with much enthusiasm yesterday that the temperatures would be 'much better' today, meaning higher. I was the only one in the room that took issue with the statement. How would mild temperatures be much better when it's off to melt all the limited snow cover in the Highland of Scotland? Of course the weather forecast I watched was on the TV, broadcasting the message to all. I find it increasingly difficult to watch any sort of TV. The message is average, not timely, I have no control over the content, no feedback mechanism, the one benefit it still remains is the time to switch it on.

Volition

A new word to me this year. The first time I heard it used was by the CEO of openyear.com as his company is called Volition Partners. But what does it mean?

Well, I am starting to find out. I received the book, Sic Itur Ad Astra by Galambos, Andrew J as a thoughtful Christmas present. It is basically the theory of volition. I am just at the introductory pages but already I have had a few moments of reading that have matched my own pre thought-thinking. (I want to convey a physical emotion but can not find the words to represent them at present).

It boils down to a quotation used by Galambos in his introductory. It is quoting a person about my age that believes in the theory of volition but finds the 'real world' not conforming. The gist of it is that my own personal experience matches the anecdote to the T. That is an uplifting experience.

A bit like the introductory style chosen by Galambos, I hope the significance of how I feel about this book will come out with time as I further read the book. A couple of posting ago, I took a stab at what the Scottish enlightenment school of the 1700 might be saying today, (here if you want to read it). In short, Volition Science, is/maybe/will/all ready is the new intellectual framework set out to take society forward. Back to the reading.

jumping off the .. ....

I have often heard the phrase, 'you have to push yourself to the edge of the abyss and then have the courage to jump off'. Being an organically driven person, I thought this was just some sort of macho statement. Maybe it is? However, I have never heard too many people talking about the sentence after.

So, what does happen when you through yourself of the abyss? You find the biggest mountain of opportunity. Just climb to realise your vision.

Christmas Frost Aboyne

Christmas Frost Aboyne, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

But now it's all gone today.

Festive Frost

Christmas Eve in Aboyne and the village is looking very festive in its thick velvety covering of frost.

Merry Christmas from Father Jamesmas

comedy tuesday palo alto

Looking for a laugh on a Tuesday evening in the bay area, check out comedian Erikka Innes at Rudy's bar, University Avenue, Palo Alto, from 10pm, .

Introducing the comedians.

1. Richard Kiss

2. Pamela Borhk

3. Bob Johnston

4. Nato Green

5. Erikka Innes (co-host)

6. Michael Magin

7. Julie Myers

8. Al Gonzales (co-host)

9. Jeanette Castanon

10. Veronica P.

11. Xavier Marin

A great night of laughter, a more detailed review soon. Got a bit of time travel ahead of me.


Back on GMT, Christopher welcomed the audience, and I cordially returned the greeting but that invited a focus on me, nothing beats audience participation (it is the era of user generated content?) these days! It was fun and laughter filled the room.

The first act was a bit on the nervous side and that dampened their energy. You could see where the stories were going and with more confidence, we would reach the punch lines in more anticipation.

Bob, up from LA, a great use of his 'Father', making fun of himself/family but in a positive. The tale I liked best was about his father's interventions in helping (not) with his dating.

Nato , An endearing and instantly funny (unique) voice, he uses it well. Once he got into his flow, he ditch the notes, he introduced a series of sexual humour jokes and then there was no stopping him. Very funny.

Erikka, co-host of the evening took to the stage with confident strides. She went easy on us initially and then upped the intensity as the topic of relationships took her fancy. Then she upped the intellectual standard as she magically brought great philosophy observations to us. If only Uni. lectures were so entertaining and funny. Wanting more of this humour, the red light called time. I am looking forward to listening to more of this type of humour.

Julie, on stage for the first time, a bold introductory statement. A well thought out routine, required a bit of thinking but I liked that. I am sure with practice she will take more of the audience along with her.

Al, co-host of the evening. The first and only sit down performance of the evening. But that did not translate to a lack of energy although I did worry about some of his stretches for his pint. Audience participation was fantastic in this set. Stanford students providing good fodder and yours truly helping out again. Luckily Erikka was sitting next to me by this time. A classy turn by Al.

Jeanette performed a short and well thought out set with plenty of energy. I was left wanting more and I am sure she will fill out her material with time.

Veronic was counting down the minutes to her birthday. Full of gusto and volume she told tales. She has an infectious laugh, you can not help but join in.

Last up was Xavier, a nice use of red wine as a prop to suggest how drunk he was but he later he showed how switched on his mind was when we brought home the set to much laughter. A great finish to an evening of original humour.

last MV week for now

A beautiful blue sky day to start off my last week in Mountain View for 2006. I describe Aboyne as a magical place to live and I have been lucky to find its twin in Silicon Valley.

uncle james times two

The best news in the world this morning, a new member of the clan arrived into the world.

Mountain View Winter Picture makes home page

A sunny day in Mountain View makes the home page of www.aboynejames.co.uk . The first none Aboyne photo.

MVM Certificate

Image019, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

healthcamp giving health the barcamp treatment

0612HealthCamp 019, originally uploaded by enochchoi.

The worlds first healthcamp was held on Saturday 2 December in San Francisco. A day of great discussions with great thinkers. Cheers to all the participants who came along to openly share their ideas, knowledge, expertise and passion. This

This was my first time as a co-planner of an un-conference event. BarCampSF was my introduction to barcamp and from there BarCampStanford followed with MashupCamp, StartupCamp, PodCampWest and HealthCamp. Wearing the participants shoes, these all just seem to happen, you turn up, participate and share in the rewards of the experience and learning.

A large part of my motivation to be a co-planner of healthcamp was to bring the unconference format of event to a new group of people. How to start organising an unconference? Well, the advice contained on the guide to running an unconference provides a great start. No.1 share your idea with the world and from there you will find your co-planners. We quickly formed a committed group of co-planners. Next was the hunt for a venue, one was found and the date was set.

Then the first feedback on healthcamp came in. This turned out to be the number one learning experience. That feedback was saying, what will be the agenda for the day?, key speakers lined up? and what tracks will be discussed? I explained the big idea behind an unconference event was that the topics were decided on the day with discussions on the wiki free for all to contribute to on the run up to the event. This ensures, that for those that turn up the topics are the most relevant. For many this still left a lot of uncertainty on what value they would gain from attending. Too such a degree, they were happier to review the feedback from healthcamp to decide on their future participation.

On the day the grass roots healthcamp participants turned up. Most unknown to me and the level of female participation was high. I was greeted by a participant saying, 'I don't normally come to tech events but this is focused on health and that motivated me up to turn up.' The range of participants ranged from physicians, retailers and technologist etc.

Lessons learnt on the day. We could have spent longer introducing the basic rules of an unconference, e.g. the law of two feet, being a bumble bee etc. Giving the session leaders a clear time to broadcast their session ideas to the group. Being more robust on time keeping, building 15mins change over time may have helped.

For all those imperfectalities the event flourished. The topics of prevention, from food to the use of online information, blogging to medical research and to the role self monitoring medical devices. All in the context of putting the consumer at the center of health. With lots of entrepreneurial spirit to create a world of health2.0.

behavioural change afternoon session

Interaction designer

prevention of obesiety.

1. lack exercise
2. poor diet.


Foucus on food. Freshstart.com

two friends, cook together. Voice conferencing between homes when cooking.

End result,

half recipey each.


Interest was. Education, prevention theme.

Factors. Accountability, peer support, Statement of values,

Focus on science today. Need to focus on doing. How to cook rather than, science of nutrition.

Compliance the issue? Co operation to bring into compliance.

How do frineds find the partners. Find friends phyical world or online.

Use mentor model? Grandma to grand child.

Focus on

Which meal.

How practicalities.

Focus women, try new things, aware of issues.

Integrate into myspace.com

Good demo and idea



Need to start earlier

Children, education.


But in a loner society, tuff to implement.


Start at basic level.

Buy apple or Cliff bar?

Cost of fresh food are same as processed? Economy scale.

What are cost of time? Fresh, processed time quicker?

Time barrier of freshstart too hight for the masses? View.

Time, tv vieiwng 2800 hours a year. 10 year of expereince in TV.

Which age group do you start? Educate elders, parents and pass down to children.

Behaviour change??

Emotional impact,

Food has become a form of entertainment.

MacDonalds popular, low cost, soical mixter

Could be real time video via skype.com msn messenger etc.



Boredom, but think of commute time.
Even repetitive expert job, because addictive. Just like drugs.

Build in rooms, to stop trip to vending machine.

Bottom up and small. change focus.

wide thinkers driving

in the past, US at least, driven by Merchants.


Distruptions.

Cancer, heart attack, stroke.

Book, andy kessler review.


If we spend too much time focus on. Go around.

Ethics

Better data mining.

Better , better data, better corrleations. We will know what will happen in the future. Preventive, or patient outcome.

Uneven distribution of people

5% for 40% of healthcare cost.

Will insurance exlude this group in the future.

Some people do cost more. Healthy subsidise ill. Young v old.

Old insurance modeling no longer.

Need not a binary thing, huge grey area,

Self forming communities of help, e.g. neighbours.

Context so broken. For community. Single houses. Co. getting paid for nure to go the home.

Merchant, driven from creation of US states.

Problems with self help neighbours, liabilities.

Used to work for extend families.

Painful to change.


Insurance. Ethics. 23andme.com genome company, informatics. Consumer tool kit. 24 random home, can correlate to whole universe to all human kind.

Insurance. Today works, rate statitic s events, The system works.

In new age, this thinking is broken.

Self insurance plans, within the corporation building the statistics. So, they can say, our employees are healthier than average so give us better deal.

Corporate insurance, do much work to get real statistics. Standard form fill is so basic.

Forget govt and insurance. Focus on self. Info. genetics, food etc. etc.

Let self forming peers. Thus society chooses the pooling.

Insurance just costs alot.

Why does insuarance cost too much. System broken.

Open source healthcare.

80% could be gained from bahaviourial change.

Stanford hopital are starting personlisation.

healthcamp 1.0 Session 11am Room C

Prevention

Real world today,

Focus on helping people already but problem already.


75% of diagnoisis treatment, etc. does not work. Does not want to find an answer.

Personal example, breast cancer. Go back at look a basics biochemistry. food nutrients.
We are all different on the inside like the out side.

We are just find out what the gene, e.g. need to eat XXX

Bacreatia billions, antibioteics wipe them out, how do
Depression, more linked to gut to

Modern thinking. Set mind sets are not looking at right.


Base of medicine of medicine not right.
Education

Need facilities to get educated.
Social availabilty of food. Food purchased on the good.
School, starting. Oakland examples.

Carbohydrates. 25 years ago, fat seen as bad. So, carbohydres increased, refined. but quickly converted to sugar thus, Spikes.

Role for government? Vested interests. Not with indivdual, but for big pharma, etc.

Food industry, bought by tabacco industry.

Social movement,

Media blitz.

Emotional impact on over all wellbeing. Linked to when eat, Works both ways food intake.

What is breakfast? Oats and fruit. Or omellete protien. Brain development. Protein plus complex carbohydrate.

Frost and swimming autumn

Made my first weekday swimming session today and the frost also chose to make it's first appearance of the season. It's was a case of brass monkey's! The water was warm and as long as you keep moving the wind chill on your head was minimal.

How the Scot's .... book review

How the Scot's Invented the Modern World. Author Arthur Herman. I have just finished reading this book. A book that I would have probably never have purchased but given by chance, it was in the room I am renting in Mountain View, I decide to give it a read. And what a read. It may rate as one of my most important reads.

I have never been a fan of history. At school, Aboyne Academy, when we get the choice of subjects to take, History and Geography line up against each other and for me geography always wins. My predisposition is to vision, to looking forward, assuming each day represent a blank canvas to create the day and days ahead. Decades ago, about University days I recall reading or listening to the Winston Churchill quote, 'the further you can look back, the further into the future you can see.' Not an exact quote but words to those effects. This did seem to make some sense but I have invested very little time to history until recently.

Reading this book has allowed me to piece together a whole string of events, thoughts and some new enlightened conclusions from my free and independent thinking.

From my first trip to the United States of America, I have found that the average American I met turns out to be more Scottish than I, well they certainly know the clan or family tree trace back further than I do. Scottish history, battles, fighting with the English, Culloden, Battle of Bannock Burn, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and locally Roy and Gilder Roy. Economics, self interest, capitalism, Adam Smith and entrepreneurship, free trade to Andrew Carnegie. This book raps together all these worlds, with history the name of the story.

With the story being a lot richer than the parts I list. I enjoyed reading about (at least the authors view) to a greater depth the series of events and people that came together at time to be recorded as history. Here is a quick summary of what my mind has selected to stand out. Religion and war. One group of people fighting another. Education, from the Churches to the Scottish School, the Enlightenment Writers, Hume, Smith and Reid. More on them later. Pioneers to new lands opening up trade, tobacco to slaves. Government, taxes to tap into the wealth creation, naval military. The observation from the Enlightenment on both fighting and trade. Overwhelming question the school of philosophers was, What is the purpose of life? Must be a better way than all this death and constant political upheaval and poor living condition for the masses.

Clubs of intellectual discussions key to wider acceptance of the society and social change set out. Not won over night, some still argue the relevance even today, more fighting and environmental events, bad winters, drive Scots to North Ireland, 'fighting for every field', the Scotch-Irish are, ships to the colonies allow escape. At the same time Scotland's chooses Union with England and Scot's rise to take leading political positions and drive the formation of the British Empire. Twice. These forces collide in the American Colonies, Scotch-Irish and some highland Scot's fight against Scot's who side with the Union. The Colonies win and the winning Scot's drive on to reach the west coast. Defeated Scot's head for Canada, a top-down socialist model is formed. The United States, live by the self interest school of enlightenment. Freedom, independence of spirit creates a grass roots created society. 1800's see the industrialist come along and perfect the practices set out by the Scottish School, Andrew Carnegie sets a formula that looks like the Global Corporations we have today. Back in Scotland, devolution has happened, Union with England still the foundation, the start of a new era of change to drive a new enlightenment era?


Further thinking on entrepreneurship. Over the last decade there has been a strong push from Scottish entrepreneurs and politicians to create a strong entrepreneurial culture. I have contributed by giving school talks. Having read this book I have been led to consider that this may not be the best strategy.

The Scottish School, the Enlightenment generation set an intellectual frame work or culture for what being a human and society were/are. They were philosophers. A set of papers that were read by the Andrew Carnegie's, Alexander Bells etc. to guide their entrepreneurial instincts.

If you make this interpretation, then it is not the teaching of entrepreneurship that should be our focus but to create an new intellectual framework that will be consumed by the enterprising.

What should or does this new intellectual framework read like? There seemed to be three main attributes of the Scottish School, The Enlightenment generation that formed the most educated nation on earth at the time. Maybe that says it all?

Hume, brought together the religious thinking with the secular thinking on what life is.

Adam Smith, observations on commerce and how the self interest of the individual and society play out.

Thomas Reid, The mind that brought us, common sense.


I think. If there is still three schools of thought that need to be brought together again they maybe.

Life demands to be lived. The next generation has the right to live too.

Commerce, capitalism has fullfilled it goals, a new 'attention' economy rules to consider e.g. economies of scale being challenged by economies of networks.

Not so much common sense, but 'unique life' that connects all to one earth.


Free and independent thinking. A school we should all belong to.

Autumn Sunshine Sylvan Drive

Autum Sunshine Sylvan Drive, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Just one week left for November and its starting to feel like Autumn. Low single digit temperatures (celsius) but pleasantly warm 16 in the sunshine. The wind is back in the north so there is a general chill in the air. It feels like we are a season behind but the color of the leaves reminds you winter is next.

Scotch Abroad

Scotch Abroad, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

The nights are getting colder and the Scottish Whisky barons have a suggestion to heat you up.

DIY should never mean doing it alone

Go to your Peers, Podcasting, videocasting etc.

All peers, listeners to content generators. All the same.

Mike Watt, look up or look down get a kink in the neck. Shoulder to shoulder better.


Group 2

Q should be help people share, grow comminity

Invest time other podcasting learn, is it important?




Sharing what worked, did not work. Try, things to try. Not to be afraid. Throw out crazyness.
All unique, not equal, different perspective.


Movement to force change.

Will equal radio, will that crowd out new people via intimation.

In the long run, better if you build your own brand.

Should we invest our time?
Yes, $10 class, 2 hours, here is what you do. Got exited, got something out.

Self service, learning,
Younger, tech savvie current adopters? Split, techie young v older traditional world consumer tradition media type with their thumbs.

Tech, de socialising email, voice and video now bring people back in, natural senese geared towards.

Idea of roadshow, that spreads the world.

Content producer centric what about listening, getting them to listen. Not everyone wants to share. Need to keep repeating the basics?

Talk to the non podcasters.

How much outreach did camp organisers.

podcasting stream to phone, cell, mobile

Cell 2bn 2m ipods.

Quality not so good on cell but convenience is brought to the market.

www.foneshow.com UI overview.

based on voicemail system. So you can forward podcast to friends vai Cell.

Widgets at source podcast and allows phone number sign up. Do decentralised signup.

Traction in white labelling in corporate training.

Sweet spot expected 5 minutes shows rather than 50 minute.

Ad sales ideas, CPC model for podcasting like google does for web. Why, give advertisers concrete RIO on ad cost? Hmm????

content focus now tech solved

Tim and Ryan 2 1/2 years of videocasting. video blogging


Bored of I am here. Now time to stories.

Distributed productions. Prof.s work in a team.

Baghdad video blog, team from across the world. Daily life of an Iraqi. Brain Connelley, brought cameras to Iraq. Won 7 vloggies. Going to be on CNN.

How do they do/create he show.


WIKI e.g. pbwiki organise project, work flow, story ideas, whole, screen cast every step.
And yahoo groups,
stingexpress file sharing tools and private group to exchange files.

People write comments, and net result is whole lot better than do yourself.

What to effect change? Help that process. Allow to compete with main stream.

Cool. exchange over cultrual (country boundries more mental barriers.).

Business model, donations driven at present.

legal issues

green screen, dvrack demo.


copyright


creative commons Colette Vogele wiki


Gini Corporate law

learn from the 'veterans'

tip and tricks

Michael Gohagen, Pioneer movie buff. real reviews 2004 podcast. Works will disney Book podcasting solutions.

Gigabox media levelaider cool new tool.

Michael, rocknroll geek show. Are you ready to rock?

Robbie 15. the teamcaster pod network.

Vic Podcaster

Marcus vision entertainment. Cool hard rock heavy metal.

JA Donnelly, pod a hollic, main stream TV now podcaster, lot of pod casting.

Panel shares there motivated to get started.


What made it appealing, make it special, get the word out there. Talk to each other initially.
Mix into other communities, e.g. myspace, provide links to make it easy.
Focus outwith, podosphere.
Keep trying new shows, new ideas.

session 2 getting started podcampwest

Sallie

Gerry, broadcast backgroud. Audacity tools

Kevin, podcast, enjoying as a hobby.

Kris Smith, Nov 2004 start, croonst.com 3 times a week and consulting.


Most people still don't know about podcasting. Sallie consumer of content. Still need a ipod? Only this audience 98% know about it. Producer and listening.

Not audio on the web. Brings RSS,
no need to worry about audience, can be large or small. Does matter. Open to all. Nil Cost.
Easy to get feedback. Two way medium. Extend conversation.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ free, and powerful, opensource, easy to learn. Fun
Methodology to create podcast. Committment, repeatable. Limited time.
1. record imput
2 Arrange files cronological order
3 Each file individual, not bits and pieces.
4 musical open and close
5 Segways between items file to file. Be best you can make them
6 Listen to your work. Take notes, brutal with yourself. Keep volumes constant. MP3 file and post.

Then start over.
Learn the short cuts, in the tools. e.g. controlZ

What about head phones from out loud speakers.

podcampwest unconference

live from the Swedish Hall in San Francisco.

podcastwest is a podcasting focused unconference.

Vic get things going with intro and thanks to sponsors.

Sean www.seanoandjefe.com top 5's music, talk etc.

Q. future of new media.


Slow erosion of radio, tradition?

Kris, medium will take care of themselves. Bring new fresh people into traditional industry.

Greg, medium path, user generate content, big media, half way between.

Medical industry interested but not, big pharma may fund.

Creative artist, can afford canvas to paint, very exciting. cost gone from thousands to nil cost as built in ad's. Also getting paid to make certain content. Portable movie studio. This world created in

revver http://one.revver.com/revver/browse/Editor's+Picks

Advertiser are coming to the side. Such is interest. Selling impressions.

Money to be made?
Can you quit your day job. Your knowledge is worth more, sell consultancy time and podcasting gives you the status to do so. E.g. 11 page what you get, charge.
Disagreement, will right $200, smaller business so it can be done.

Consulting, expo, MTV client, then lost them in 6 months. Didn't real him,
300 no money taken in. Real difficult. But provides status to charge consulting.

listening, viewing time is zero sum game, ie only 24 hours in a day.

Tim makes french maid.

Contextual advertiser, tv not very good at. Great radio, e.g. wine better on podcast then e.g. in between tennis on tele. This is big advantage over trad. media. Context.

Focus on your passion. CPM price heading down.

Greg beercasting, sold show within conference, not audio file. Podcast, give platform to build relationship. It's the quality of relationship.

Building an audience. Sceptical comes first and then comes the story. History of film making.

Transitionally period, sceptical, youtube loneygirl brings first story. Was real, not real, That is where are at. Emotionally engaged. Get them to care. Back to your personal passion.

Dealing with human emotions, askaniga has done, it. Comedy, deal with yahoo. Judge for talent show. Early stage, humour good place to start, Also, lust and comedy.

And real life, new puppy, kill the dog. lost people, gained people, just sharing emotion.

Polarise your audience, love and hate people, controversy builds interest.
E.g. on graperadio controversy, young wine maker, belittled them. Battle royale. Got them together on the same show.

Get preprade, podcastbrother.com show on creating a business out. Just ad a sales email on the website.

Just keep trying, no cost to trying. Very few answers found.

Unconference James

CIMG1585, originally uploaded by jaycross.

You even get to write on the tables.

tagging session

Startup camp, tagging, tag beacons.

A good session on who are tagging, how they tag and why. Various mindsets on the reason for tagging. Tags now that broadcast a common tagid for a particular e.g. event web22 for this event.
Missed my train home at 10pm to I arrived home at 2am. Up at 8am and now back in SF.

First session, community.

Flickr commuinty tells story of my life, just like blogging. Photos community not that great for photo storage.

light weight, but deep relationships can/are formed.

unconferencing again web 2point2 SF

There is a $3200.00 conference going on this week in SF. So, what happens, a $34.00 unconference springs up to unite the innovative grass roots.

Blogging live, more as the day progresses.

Get to know everyone, two circles of chairs facing each other. 5 minutes to get to know every second in the room. A little work on the schedule and it lunch time.

Great sessions ahead, main buzz around ABUNDANCE ECONOMY.

More unconference freedom in the afternoon.

Met a person I emailed in 199-7/8 time. That is the power of unconference, meeting people you would like to meet but have put no formal effort in to facilitate the contact except through the act up turning up.

healthcamp 2 December 2006 SF

The first healthcamp unconference is set for Saturday 2 December 2006. If you are a health visionary, entrepreneur, radical free thinker or thought leader in the space, feel free to go to the wiki page and add yourself to the list of attendees.

The idea of having an unconference focused 100% on health is an exciting opportunity. During my time in Silicon Valley I have attended many events that have had health as their focus, baby boomer, life science, blogging, web2.0 and environmental networks but the over lap in people attending all these is very small. There are huge opportunities in health and healthcare right now and for these to be captured will require new thinking. We hope healthcamp will provide a great environment for those ideas to be openly exchanged. I am one of the co-planner of healthcamp. See you there.

shorts and t-shirt November summer

For the first time I find myself in shorts and t-shirt in November. Last week I saw the first rain I have felt in Mountain View since March. So I thought the winter rains were on their way but this weeks see a return of the sun and very warm, hot temperatures in Scottish terms.

speed geeking

mepath.com tokens, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

I entered http://www.mepath.com at the startupcamp unconference speed geeking. This involves pitching your idea, business etc. to the rest of the participants for 2 hours on day one and 1 hour on day two. Your fellow peers than have one token to vote for their favourite pitch. I am pleased to say we scored 5 tokens

health startup discussion

health startup discussion, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

startupcamp, an unconference on startup's was held over the last two days. The unconference format bringing freedom, empowerment and open participation to all who attended.

I led a session on health and healthcare startups. Thank you to all who participated to make it a valuable session.

startupcamp morning

Intro. unconference.

David, gets the enthuiasm flowing.

Use the startupcamp wiki and keep notes.

Including speedgeeking.

Got up and suggest startup in health and health care , opportunities, regulation , demos.


See wiki for all topics

Berry Falls, Big Basin, CA.

Berry Falls, Big Basin, CA., originally uploaded by ecotorch.

I was out and about hiking again this weekend. Berry Falls were at the end of the walk but it all started at the beach, in front of the Pacific Ocean. It was a fair hike, 4 hours or so. The trail was mainly in the shade of the Redwoods and other trees in the forest. A bit like an extend walk version of finding the Burn O Vat back home.

A big thank you to my pals in Mountain View for taking me to these amazing places I would not know about or be able to reach without them. Cheers.

Heroic will and unlimited energy

Words I read recently to describe a Scot that played a part in changing the world. Who?

Answer coming soon.

River Dee Paintings

There are more preview images of Howard Butterworth's River Dee painting on the Butterworth Paintings website. The first being of the Bridge over the River Dee in Aboyne.

A percentage of painting sales are going to the River Dee Trust, so if you are in toon, go see the exhibition.

The power of PtoP prosper.com

Stanford entrepreneurship interview prosper.com, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

I attended an interview of Prosper.com Founder at Stanford this week. Prosper allows individuals to ask for a loan online and for others to buy that loan. The real genius I think is that you can just buy a small portion of the loan e.g. 10k loan, I may just want to buy $100 worth and I also get to set the interest rate e.g. 15% but if some one comes along an offers a rate of 10% then the seller of the loan will understandably be more keen to have a lower interest rate. http://www.prosper.com.

In the end of the day its just cash moving from AtoB, no big deal? It is though, it is a person to person transaction based upon trust. People are not so much buying cash but the story of the loan seller. The story is where the value lies. We are all heading towards the buying and selling of stories. A market place where we can trade our personal lifestyle data, PtoP.

Saturday in San Francisco

SF bay view, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Inspired and lead on by one of our Mountain View Masters swimmers we headed for a day in San Francisco. The enthusiasm for how hot it would be in the City. I wasn't so sure in it being warm in SF, as I have never found it to be so all through the summer, but I was proven wrong big time. The weather was hot, the hottest day I have ever spent in San Francisco, 21 Oct and 28C, was gussed at.

The day started off with lunch at one of the Peir Markets, then the hunt was on for some height. And as the photo shows, we found some. Then we walked north through China town on the pursuit of some chocolate and icecream. Which we found, delicious. Then we headed back into the City Center for a plate of garlic chips and a relaxing beer. A fun day out with friends.

James, Jack and Sam Celebrating Scotland

James, Jack and Sam, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

An email crossed my inbox a couple of days ago inviting bay area Scot's to join First Minister Jack McConnell to Celebrate Scotland.

Terra, San Francisco was the venue chosen to show off pictures of the latest Scottish architecture, music from Royal Scottish Academy of Music and food and drink. I attended as the darkened photo shows.

Jack gave a speech where he listed John Muir as an example of a Scot that had to leave to pursue and realise his vision and passions. Another speaker listed another raft of Scot's from history that had taken the same path. And today, the rules stay the same, or at least that is the path I have chosen to take.

I met people from Aberdeen University Alumni and even Scot's that live a matter of minutes from me in Mountain View. We get around.

Aboyne v Mountain View Weather Autumn