Me, Myself, and Mine

Gary F. Patton

Labels: Welcome

Have you thought maybe, just maybe, that Web 2.0, despite its purported relation-promoting interactivity is reducing people's personal interaction skills ...particularly those of GenYs?

Might Web 2.0 be turning you and old into relational cripples in real interpersonal situations?

Worry on, then! For you will be sure to find scary, as I do, the new rage sweeping Japan's teenage girls.

Webkare, Web Boyfriend in Japanese, is a mix between a social networking and dating simulation site. You can read more about it in this article on TechCrunch. The latter is a Blog devoted to comment on Web 2.0 developments, companies and products. Webkare is Japan's newest web sensation. You'll be amazed at the number of young women who signed up within just 5 days of its release on September 10th, and the incredible number of page views it had in that period.

Do we really wonder that Webkare's male equivalent will not be far behind? Or how long this will take to spread to Canada and the U.S.?

Now It's Your Turn! Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what the article writer says about Webkare. For example: "Is this healthy teenage, female entertainment?" or "Is the activity a dangerous sexually-titilating waste of school-goers limited, study time?" How do you feel about the decline in relationship skills many argue is being caused by Web 2.0? Get emotionally involved, please!(My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Guard Your Family, Japan, TechCrunch

No I'm not asking if you listened to the birds today. Or sung in the shower or somewhere. One 'Tweets' when they send a message to the 'Tweetverse' using 'Twitter'. And for those of you who think I'm kidding using these 'cutesy' terms, Twitter has a whole vocabulary, and even a 'Twictionary' of its own.

Twitter is a two-year-old, free micro-blogging site that is racking up high-profile enthusiasts. Those who support it call it both a "hyper-grapevine" news resource and an innovative business tool for more timely and effective customer service.

Another writer, a lawyer specializing in its use, has touted it in the Times recently as a business-building tool as well as a customer service one.

Some of Twitter's heavy-hitter users include: The New York Times, Huffington Post, Comcast, General Motors, YouTube, and both U.S. presidential candidates.

This fast-growing communication service is said to have more than 2 million accounts set up for sending and receiving 'tweets'. These are concise text messages that are limited to just 140 characters. The San Francisco-based Twitter has 24 employees and recently won $15 million in funding.

Jack Dorsey, 31, is widely acknowledged as the man behind the Twitter concept. A St. Louis native and New York University computer-science dropout, he recently also dropped his nose ring. Mr. Dorsey says in a recent interview that he is excited about his media's rapid acceptance, the new Twitter show on CNN, and possible models for actually making money with Twitter.

He must be doing something right. Even newer communication upstarts are nipping at his heels.

You can read the brief, interesting interview with the GenY genius behind Twitter here.

Do I, a GenTraditionalist, Tweet you ask? You bet! And I do so for fun, to serve and to make money @GaryFPatton. You can check me out here. "Following" me will get you real value-added through my Tweets.

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues involved and/or what the various article writers say about Twitter. For example: "Is it a truly useful business-building and/or customer service tool in your opinion?" or "Might it be just another techie 'flavour of the month'? and "Do you feel we are doing more and more social networking while enjoying it less?" or "Is Twitter dangerous by creating more 'thick of thin things' to deal with and promoting the 'tyranny of the urgent' in already too-stressed people?"

(My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Jack Dorsey, New York Times, Social Networking, Society and Culture, Twitter

What do you think about the title of the above article from the August 1st Washington Post here? Is this your experience?

I'm one of the supposed 50% of those over 65 who have a cell Phone. And one of the only 2% who have a PDA. And I'm not texting. I use the phone, e-mail and three different social networks ...FaceBook, FriendFeed, Linked-in, Plaxo and Twitter.

Why do I need to thumb on a ity-bity keyboard?

I find it interesting that the article makes this statement right at its beginning: "The helpful young man sitting beside [the 69 year old woman], trying to figure out why in the dickens that tiny envelope kept appearing on her cellphone's screen, explained that it was a text message, and it was far more useful than one of those old-fashioned voice mails."

Then the writer never explains what those benefits are! But, she sure does her best to send a powerful advertising message to we Seniors on behalf of of the high-paying Mobility company advertisers in the Post.

Dah! We may be senior. But we're not all senile!

I'd use texting, some, if I could get Joopz to work from my Office computer where I spend most of my day. But, a VoiceMail or personal call is more helpful and relational for me.

Right now I vote with the Senior in the article who said: "I've got lots of better things to do with my time!" But, then, I'm the guy who said he'd never own a cell phone ...as as my wife keeps reminding me! (I've now had one for almost 20 years. That's longer than many of the so-called, tech-savvy generation have been alive.) Having given in, I then swore 10 years ago that the mobility companies were gonna blow their brains out combining a camera and a cell phone asking: "How dumb is that?" (OK! OK!! So I now use it more than my high-priced Canon camera and take not bad pics of the action the pros miss at weddings.)

But, this Senior texting? Come on now!

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what Ms. Hart, the Post writer, says in her article. For example: "Is texting more beneficial than relating by phone?" and "Are 50% of seniors who have cell phones as helpless using them as she implies?" or "Should Seniors even try to keep up with modern technology?" (My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Cell Phones, Facebook, Mobile phone, Plaxo, Social network, Social Networking, Text messaging, Twitter, Web 2.0

Quick, name one thing that's more contentious in Canada than abortion? Varying political views you might answer? Or religion? Or how to approach terrorism?

All these may be inappropriate in 'polite company' some may argue. But, they all seem to pale in contentiousness beside the question of whether or not one agrees that a fertilized egg in the womb is a incipient human being and to cause that life to be ended is murder.

People of faith, including we Followers of Jesus, seem to hold varying views on the issue of abortion. The great majority of us, however, oppose Mr. Morgentaler's selection for the highest honour in the land ...or any honour for that matter. Many Canadians, in fact 92% of us according to one poll, oppose his getting the Order of Canada, at least.

Ms. Barbara Kay, a commentator for the National Post in her column, Full Comment, feels we do so because the contentiousness of the man and that his promotion and facilitation of abortion fly in the face of the purpose of the award.

"Dr. Morgentaler is unsympathetic to these and all other moral shadings", she writes. "So a significant number of Canadians were offended [July 1st] — and many were more than offended: They were ashamed and morally anguished at his invitation into the Order."

"He was rewarded for remorseless extremism in a morally dubious cause, Ms Kay contends." You can read why she feels Canadians are so opposed here.

What do you think and how do you feel? After you read what she has to say, please come back and express your opinion below. It's free ...and freeing!!

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what Ms Kay says. For example: "Is Morgentaler a suitable candidate of the highest honour in the land?" and "Is the selection Committee only pushing their views and agenda?" or "How do you feel about the core issue, abortion?" (My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Current Hot Potatoes

With considerable fanfare the Liberal Party of Canada announced it's new "Carbon Tax" on June 20, 2008. It will serve as the core of Mr. Dion's platform for the next Federal election in 2009.

You'll be hit with a flood of Liberal propaganda about it over the coming weeks and months leading up to the coming election.

What's a carbon tax all about? Is it good for Canada's economy? Will it help us meet our ambitious green house gases reduction targets? Will it stimulate productivity in Canada? Is it really revenue neutral as the Liberals say?

Most importantly, how will affect you? And is it good for your family?

You'll discover the answer to some questions you may have, and explore some new ones you maybe haven't thought of, in the article Half Shift by the Editor of Maclean's Magazine, Andrew Coyne.

You need to know what it's all about to make an informed decision. For it carries a $40 billion price tag!

Once you've read what Mr. Coyne has to say, please come back and leave a comment. Express yourself! It's free ...and freeing!!

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what Mr. Coyne says. For example: "What about the principle of a 'carbon tax'?" and "How do you feel about the Liberal's spending ambitions that Coyne says they have hidden in their plan's verbiage?" or "Do you agree with him that : "The whole thing smacks of calculation ..."?" (My 'Comment Section', in which you can share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Politics

How do you feel about the threat of 'Global Warming'? How about abortion and population control? And what about the so-called threat to the traditional family? The lunacy of the 'left'? Or the 'right'?

No matter what your views might be on one or all of these important subjects, be prepared to exercise your emotions as you read the column by Mr. Don Feder called "Global Warming - Left's Latest Excuse for the War on the Family".

Once you've done so, come back and leave a comment. Express yourself! It's free ...and freeing!!

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what Mr. Feder says. For example: "Is Global Warming a real and present danger to our children's future survival?" or "Has it all happened before and it's just scare mongering by those with personal agendas?" or "Is the traditional family even something worth defending?" (My 'Comment Section', in which you can share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Current Hot Potatoes

What do you think about the U.N.? How about our participation in it? Might you think we should have pushed harder for a so-called 'coveted seat' on the UN Security Council ...despite the various costs to Canada, it's reputation and the values of many of it's citizens?

Well, Lynda Hurst lamented we should have in her news feature in the Toronto Star on May 20th. She extensively quoted Paul Heinbecker, Canada's U.N. Ambassador from 2001-2004. He held the job under the former Liberal Government and their Middle East foreign policy.

Jonathan Kay of the National Post wrote on the same subject from a different perspective in his piece on the same day. He was kinder than Ms. Hurst and Mr. Heinbecker to the current Conservative Government, led by Stephen Harper, and their differing foreign policy approach to Israel and the Palestinian Authority than that of the Liberals. He felt that Ms. Hurst's and Mr. Heinbecker's call for Canada to take a more "fair-minded" stance is really and anti-Israel position.

Mr. Kay took flack regarding his position. So he wrote a follow-up piece on May 21st. In it he commented further on his last line from his piece the day before.

"If the UN is an institution where principle must be left at the door, where the only way to gain advancement is to toe a party line dictated by Muslim dictatorships, where our Western allies are fodder for committees and agencies dominated by rogue states", Mr. Kay concluded, "… then maybe the question isn’t why we aren’t more popular at the UN. It’s why we’re a member there at all."

He also said some other things that some would say are extreme.

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about what you've just read above and the newspaper articles involved. For example: "Are Ms. Hurst's and Mr. Heinbecker's positions really anti-Israel?" or "Is Mr. Kay right and we should get out of the U.N. altogether." (My 'Comment Section', in which you can share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Current Hot Potatoes, Politics