Alan Gutierrez

A Citizen Journalist

Evelyn Rodriguez reports from Thailand a year after the tsunami. Evelyn was in Phuket when the Tsunami hit on Boxing Day, 2004.

A year later she’s touring the Thai coast. An act of citizen journalism. Evelyn is reporting on the successful recovery efforts.

Evelyn is a fascinating read. She is working at recording a lot of information. I’m hoping she’ll be able to hold more of a conversation when she returns.

You should read Evelyn. She is an excellent writer. She’s not out to sell papers. This makes for a measured tone. A voice of reason. I’d so like to have her visit New Orleans and talk to us about life a year after a disaster.

Blogging in The Developing World

Crossroads Dispatches: Blogging for the Rest of the World Outside Silicon Valley

English is not your native language, your computer skills are fresh enough that when you’re confronted with a form field named “XML RPC URL” you’re pretty stumped, and renting a computer for an hour of Internet access costs the equivalent 1/3 of your daily wage*. You have a secondhand cellphone, but, no, you don’t own a computer.This is the situation for many parts of Thailand I’ve visited (which is by far certainly not the poorest country from a global perspective).

There are a lot of hurdles with the current batch of blogging tools. There is a value to blogging, but the time and effort to get started can be prohibative.

Circuit Bloggers

Evelyn suggests that we work with bloggers to get them going. Where people have obtained connectivity, give them a jump on this new conversational medium.

Crossroads Dispatches: Blogging for the Rest of the World Outside Silicon Valley

The Ecotourism Training Center is the brainchild of Reid Ridgway although he credits the Circuit Riders Productions program that turned his own life around for the inspirational model.

In my “circuit blogger” capacity today I taught the students at the Ecotourism Training Center, a vocational training program for young adults affected by the tsunami located in Khao Lak, Thailand, how to set up a public class blog. The class does have a computer lab full of donated Mac minis - or I won’t have even bothered.

I eager to hear more about Evelyn’s efforts to spread blogging as a form of communication. I’ve been talking about blogging with people in New Orleans, as a way to change the nature of the national dicussion about rebuilding, by showing the world how determined and realistic we are.

I’m working with Eracism New Orleans to create an Eracism Blog. I’m hoping to make Eracism a Global Microbrand. There are other excellent community efforts in New Orleans that may benifit from particiation in the larger conversation.

What are the steps for a circuit blogger to follow to get more people involved in blogging? How many blogs are necessary? Are we realisitic about blogging for recovery, does the read/write web scale down?

Update: Blogging the New Orleans Circuit

I’ve now spoken with Jimmy Delery and John Gregory about putting the French Quarter Town Hall meetings online. This is a second public service blog in addition to the work that I’m doing with Erace New Orleans. I’m now focused on figuring out how to get this city blogging.

I’d love the help of the bloggers that I know. You could help me out by helping me produce my blogging training materials. Let’s talk some more about blogging. We love to talk about blogging.

Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger » More on edge cases

Liz Lawley was the one who said I was an edge case and has more on her blog about why she said that. (I didn’t realize until now that it was her, I just heard the voice in the back of the room and didn’t know who said it).

She says: “Someone who reads 840 blogs is an edge case.”

Here, let’s look at it another way. Do you ever go to Google News? That’s showing something like 10,000 news sources. So, you gonna call everyone an edge case who reads 10,000 news sources?

Yes, Robert. You are an edge case.

You are a router. You read 840 blogs and channel the information, with commentary. It is your job.

I don’t read Google News, or any of that stuff. I find it useless. I read the Times-Picayune and The Economist.

I’ve reduced my blog roll to less than 20.

I read only people that I know personally, or people that have have conversed with me in the blogosphere. I read bloggers in New Orleans and Ann Arbor, people I’m likely to encounter in the streets of said cities.

For me, blogging is personal.

The Ignorance of Crowds

Scoble came across some good points about how aggregation sites put a fellow in an echo chamber. The echo chamber! Agahst! That’s my beef with the blogosphere. A conversation gets started and all anyone can say is “here here”!

There are two sides to every story, in the blogosphere. Pick your side, set up your straw men, and make with the punches.

What it means to have your news condensed via Memeorandum…

Bubblegeneration Strategy Lab

But there’s a problem. Ever since I’ve started using it to the point where it replaces many of my other sources, I have gotten stupider.

I can feel it - I don’t think as fast, flexibly, or freely.

This is a well-known phenomenon in psych and econ - I’ve been locking myself into a diet of reinforcing information. Nothing really challenges my beliefs, and so I get hyperpolarized, or echo-chambered, sure - but the deeper effect is that I also get stupid, fast.

This was my pre K blogging experience. Then, in the thick of it, nothing but non-sense among bloggers.

Since then, I’ve come to understand that the A-Listers are for the most part, real estate. They have a voice because they have the first mover advantage. We meet there, because, like the NOLA.com forums, it’s not because the software is good, or that the conversation is well moderated. We all know where it is. We know we’ll find each other there.

Jeff Jarvis bummed me out something fierce asking if New Orleans should be rebuilt, just as she was deluged. What conversation is this to have with a heart broken carpetbagger?

Conversation, my ass. You’re broadcasting at me. Jeff! I thought you cared!

Echos of the news cycle. Retoric. Fap.

Live hand grenade on the coffee table? Let’s discuss.

Multitudes! Multitudes!

Scoble shares an insight, ringing true, as Scoble will.

The horror of blogging is one part multitude, one part diversity. Too much that is too different. Too much that is too specific. Pity the A-Lister, they are the hubs and routers, and they are overwhelmed.

Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger » On the StupidTrain

I think there’s something to that. But my thing is that I notice my life is being split up into many more tiny little slices than before. First of all my email load is just going nuts. More than 200 per day that I ANSWER (and many times that that I read, but don’t require an answer). Plus, feeds. Plus Digg. Plus plus plus plus. So, I don’t spend much time on one thing. Overall I’m getting more knowledge and breadth, but on a granular level I’m not mastering anything. That trend scares me.

That trend is a long time coming. I’ve noted before, but not so explicitly. The read/write web is not going to scale. We need new tools for routing. We need to accept that some of us are routers pure and simple.

The currency of the blogosphere is not the link. No, sir. It’s the quote. Nothing draws them like a pull quote. Nothing says I love you like a pull quote.

In 2006 there will be pull quote software. It will be boss.

The pull quote is the slip road of the blogosphere. We won’t get off without a road sign. The road less traveled needs a preview.

In 2006, if you come here, I’ll move you swiftly along. I promise.

The Sophomore Blogging Class of 2006

My favorite a listers, by the way, Robert, Hugh and Bob. They are faves because I like to read ‘em, just like Angeliska and Evelyn, my own personal A-Listers.

I grant them their celebrity. In the blogosphere, we all flirt with celebrity.

Then there are the bloggers that are in my own little blogosphere. Niti, Maitri, Dave and Ric. These are the members of my blogging class, a year out now. We link among each other, because we know each other, personally or remotely. Although they can strike me dumb with awe, I’m much more comfortable with them, considering them fiends friends and peers.
I trust Niti to route information on software and design, Maitri on New Orleans, and Dave on Ann Arbor, just as I’ve always trusted Hugh MacLeod to tell me what blogging means, and where it’s going.

I’d like to see Bill Knecht, Mark Meves, and Stephen Goodfellow join the frey, with their nacent blogs. I’d like to build my blogging class by virtue of luring new and active voices to the blogosphere.

As they arrive, the echo chamber will dissipate. We’ll have our circles, well find our conversations, the Long Tail will guide us.

Divide and Conquer

My blogroll will contain Robert, because he’s linked to me in times of need, because I read him.

That’s it. No more A-Liseters.

If you want me to read you, you read me. If you want me to link to me, you link to me.

Let’s flirt with each other in our comments sections. Let’s get to know each other in e-mail. Let’s build real friendships. Not cross branding arrangements.

Let’s quote, not link, so we can have meaningful conversations, public conversations, with context.

Quote not the blogs of the A-Listers.

Quote the blogs of the people that speak to you. Quote the blogs of the people that care about you. Quote the people that share your passions. Quote the people share your postal code. Quote the people that you love.
Give the overwhelmed A-Listers a break. There’s too much information to route. We all need to do our part.

Is it Dykstra? Divide an conquer. The crux of computer science. The crux of social networking.

My new phone has arrived, finally. This is my new number.

(504) 717-1428

Call. Say, Hi.

When I arrived in New Orleans, I went and got a Virgin Mobile Nokia, a $30.00 cell phone, so I could have a 504 number right of the bat.

It does you no good to give a New Orleanian ten digits. The first thing out of their mouth is; 734? Where’s that? (Read, you’re not from around there, are you?)

You got some explaining to do.

That first phone was more or less disposable. It was pay as you go, ten cents a minute. Pricy.

My new phone is much cheaper. It’s got a camera built in so I can keep up the snaps. It’s my keeper. It’s 504, baby. The real deal.

I’m going to get business cards with my new address and phone today.

I live in New Orleans.

I am now living at 908 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA. That is in the French Quarter, on the street that divides the French Quarter and the Marigny triangle. I’m crawling distance from Frenchman St in the Marigny and Decatur St in the Lower Quarter.

I’m living the slave quarters. My apartment overlooks a courtyard with a pool. Two trees had fallen into the pool, and took down a wall in the courtyard. The pool is now covered. The bricks for the wall stacked about.

It’s a dodgy place. The stove is especially grotty. I’m telling people that I hope the Queer Eye guys will stop by and remove the asbestos.

I’m hoping that as the apartment repopulates, that the tenants will not be pure Quarter rats. This place needs attention.

Update: Sounds of 908 Esplanade

I’m waiting on my laundry. I’ve opened the french doors in my second room, to allow for a cool breeze and the neighoring condo’s Wifi. The breeze is shaking the trees so that the leaves rustle. In the background someone is playing a trumpet, futher behind is the rest of the band, a hear a clarinet. There are church bells ringing, playing their own tune.

The Eracism Blog is now operational. The sidebar will change over time, as will the content such as the about page.

This is my preview announcement of the blog. I’d like to get some thoughts on how you create a meaningful discussion of a third-rail issue like race on the blogosphere. Is it possible to create a place where such an issue can be discussed. Or are we stuck with a blogosphere that is at best a parody of the cable news pundits?

At an Eracism meeting, there is no correction of speech. It is not an exercise in political correction. People talk. State opinions. Speaking freely, with respect for those present is something that most people know how to do.

What sort of non-sense will the blogosphere bring to the table?

The first posting at the Eracism Blog will discuss the moderation guidelines. I my opinion they should be strict. Trolls can always start their own blog. Anonymous posts should be rejected.

If you’re unwilling to introduce yourself, place your name on your words, you’re not going to have the burden of accountability that comes from meeting face to face at an Eracism meeting.

Went to an Eracism meeting yesterday…

http://www.eracismneworleans.org/

Eracism is an organization that was founded in New Orleans in 1993.

The idea behind Eracism is that black and white folks meet and discuss an issue of race. You can stay whatever, but no personal attacks, derogatory language. It is quite civil. I think it is a good program. I think it can help us discuss the challenges we face in bringing all New Orleanians back home.

This is an excellent blogging application.

Yesterday, after the meeting, I spoke with a director. He felt that few people linked to his site. I said that he needs to link out, so that people will link back. He recognized the logic in this.

I never mentioned the words “blog”, but we’ll be meeting for lunch tomorrow, and I’d like to help explain blogging, and set them up with a blog, as a community service.

Thoughts? How do I get these folks blogging? Any pointers to documents that describe blogging? I know that, as a blogger, I have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees.

On the day that Nagin gave this speech that’s made the last news cycle, Wynton Marsalis spoke to the students of Tulane, Xavier, Loyola, and Dillard Univeristies.

It was Martin Luther King Jr. day.

The purpose blog entry is to draw attention to Wynton Marsalis’ speech.

Chaos or Community?

Wynton welcomed everyone home. Welcomed them to the callenge of post-Katrina New Orleans. He spoke about how New Orleans as we now know it, was made possible by the work of Dr. King.

Wynton’s speech at Tulane University in New Orleans

Look around this room and realize that the final chapter of that movement still waits for a generation with the courage to write it. That’s why I say we are all home tonight. We are all home because Dr. King led the charge to victory over regressive, ignorant traditions that had long gone unchallenged…because he was unwavering in presenting compelling arguments to make real the promises of the Constitution…because he never succumbed to hopelessness and showed us what one citizen can achieve when armed with an evangelical zeal for freedom and a first-class education, it is most fitting to re-open our city’s finest institutions of higher education on the day we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Though he is almost always reduced to a dreamer today, Dr. King was an achiever, a most powerful exemplar of action. His last book is entitled Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? It is a question that is most appropriate for us in this moment.

Dr. King worked in the shadow of slavery and discrimination. We are in the shadow of the worst natural disaster to ever befall America.

What better way to celebrate him than by rising to a challenge?

What, Other Than Injustice, Could Be the Reason?

Wynton chides us all, for our complacency. Throughout his speech, he raises specific instances of incompetence, and politely asks us to muster enough outrage to act.

Wynton’s speech at Tulane University in New Orleans

Yes, I always laugh when people my age complain about their college-age and teenage kids by talking about how much better we were. I laugh because I have absolutely no idea what my generation did to enrich our democracy. What movement have we been identified with that forced our elders to keep their promises…that challenged their failures or built upon their successes? For me, we dropped the ball after the Civil Rights Movement. We entered a period of complacency and closed our yes to the very public corruption of our democracy.

As we have seen our money squandered and stolen, our civic rights trampled, and the politics of polarity become the order of the day, we have held absolutely no one accountable. From us, you inherit an abiding helplessness.

If you realize the unfortunate consequences of inaction, hopefully you will understand even more the importance of holding both your elders and your peers accountable when it comes to the rebuilding of New Orleans. Stay up on the facts.

What, other than injustice, could be the reason that the displaced citizens of New Orleans cannot be accommodated by the richest nation in the world? You, along with the entire world, saw the bureaucratic fumbling and lack of concern inflicted on those very same citizens at the Superdome and the Convention Center. Who is being held accountable now?

Take your example, not from my generation, but from generations - from those few inspired young people - who stood on the front lines and fought injustice throughout the course of our nation’s history.

Take a break from it all. Read Wynton Marsalis’ speech. It is a message that is delightful void of buzzwords, catch phrases. Is is a speech that is full of concern and insight.

We are all free people. We New Orleanians. We Americans. (And our Indian and Australian friends.)

We are free to choose to listen to the messages that speak truth to us. We are free to debate the messages that speak to us honestly and with love and concern. We are free to set our own agenda.