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Flowing Mu

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Straya Day in two feet of fluffy snow

Here's out Oz Day Invite, don't mind the snow. We are playing the Hottest 100, recorded into off the web broadcast using the free, open sources, streaming audio recording software: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ (there are lots of other similar programs - some better, but most have time limits on how long you can record for unless you pay and register)

G'day cobbers,

Owzitgoinmaaaate? Guess you've all been flat out like a lizard drinkin' and your mouths are dry as a dead dingo's donger - we've got just the thing for youse! The only thing that could be better than a cold VB after a hard day's work...is a whole slab of cold VBs and a fair-dinkum barbie to celebrate...

Australia (Straya) Day!

You may consider the first wadjella/balanda (white-fellas) to land on Oz shores bold adventurers, invaders, or simply scumbag convicts from pommyland (probably whinging the whole time to o), but whoever they were, this was the day they got their first taste of Australian beaches in 'the lucky country'...and, met the locals who had otherwise been getting along just fine for the previous 50,000+ years.

An invitation to this shindig is attached, as is a dictionary to help you wade through the thick layering of ocker slang that will be flowing from our traps like amber at the pub. Feel free to pass this on to your other mates that ya reckon might be up for it.

Strewth, it's bonzer to be celebrating the big day OS...even if we are a few lonely bastards stuck way out in woop woop, out the back o' Bourke! At least there's no blowies, and the weather will prevent us being confronted by the site of some flamin' drongo in budgie-smugglers emerging from the local billabong. Bit disappointing that it's not really the place for eskys or stubbie holders but I guess there's no chance of ya bevvies gett in' warm...and for the same reason you'll have to rug up, 'cause it'll be mostly an outside event!

Although some of youse may like to go hammer and tongs, as is the traditional way of celebrating, we are guests at the house. So, I trust that none of you will be narky bastards and start a kafufuffle, or get too maggoted - in any case there's a good chance that we'll rock on to the Rotundan, where you can cash in ya golden drinking vouchers.

I reckon that's about it, so make sure you hop on your deadly treadly and come early to have a Captain and get a possie to chilax to watch the inevitable game of tip and run or two-up. No quokka soccer will be played, guaranteed (there's none of 'em within cooee anyway).

We'll be supplying some grub (e.g. vego sausage rolls, damper and fairy bread) and softies as per the invite, and the tunes will be the best songs of the year thanks to our 'Auntie': www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100

The same 'Auntie' also offers a wonderful service that maps the slangof Australia, and will let you search for any words you can't find in the attached dictionary: http://www.abc.net.au/wordmap/

Stoked - this should be a bloody ripper and we're keen as mustard to see you there!

No wuckin furries,

Andy, Scotty, Richo and Charlotte
Be happy and well

Know and master thyself

I've found some of the tools below to be useful for developing my self-awareness and ability to work well in groups. This was compiled after a 'Brown Bag' lunchtime workshop I ran for my peers in the sustainability Masters program. Maybe something of interest in here for you too?

The Question I asked of those who came along was:

'How can a diversity of learning and thinking styles be recognized in individuals, and developed as a strength of a group?'

This was discussed in the following way:

  • Acknowledging we have different styles of learning, thinking, doing….
  • Introducing tools to identify and explore these differences
  • Discussing approaches to maximizing the benefits of this diversity

Here are some tools and techniques that were covered in the brown bag discussions. There are many more out there, can you suggest ones that you find useful? If you want to suggest some, it may be a valuable contribution to next year’s class.

Decision-making and prioritising

  • SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). You know what this is…

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htm

  • PMI. Plus, Minus and Interesting analysis

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_05.htm

  • Force Field Analysis. Good for identifying what is helping and what is hindering you re: achieving a goal, then seeking to maximize the former and minimize the latter.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_06.htm

Studying, reading, organising

  • Mind maps

I have attached another word document with my earlier comments on mind maps, and a mind-map of how to mind-map. There is a book on it in the common room, software for doing it available on the internet, and I have examples if you want to look at how I use them. The creator’s homepage http://www.mind-map.com/EN/index.html

  • Stephen Covey’s matrix for effective use of time

‘Seven habits of highly effective people’ was the first management sort of book I read, previously ( and still) being highly skeptical about much of it. It was a pretty good one to start with, and I think there is some very useful stuff in it! http://www.orgcoach.net/timematrix.html (the rest of this website is pretty good too e.g. procrastination tips!!) OR http://www.dmreview.com/article_sub.cfm?articleId=1005673 This is Covey’s home page I think: http://www.franklincovey.com/

Thinking, questioning and memory

  • Lateral thinking. Term coined by Edward de Bono and is about practical ways to think more creatively. Once you have defined the problem, you can:

- Pick a random noun out of the dictionary, then try and see how it (or its characteristics) may help

- Reverse the aims, words, subject-object relationships, of the problem and see how that helps

- Brainstorm, or mind-map based on the first thing that comes into your head

- Come up with an analogy for the problem / situation (e.g. it’s like banging your head against a brick wall), explore and discuss the analogy, then see how lessons from that analogy may help you with the real problem

- Say ‘Po’ (provocative operation) and make a random statement in the middle of the conversation e.g. ‘houses don’t need roofs’ and see how that statement might spark some new ideas.

These techniques are not high-probability ways to solve problems, but are very useful when you need to think differently.

  • 6 thinking hats

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.htm

  • 6 value medals

A way of directing your attention to different aspects of any decision, and consciously examine each aspect.

De Bono’s homepage? http://www.edwdebono.com/ Another page with a list of his books http://www.edwarddebono.com/Products.php?PHPSESSID=eff5d176a582488c8dbf00555c4ecbb7

  • ORID (Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, Decisional): a way to ask questions based on the ‘ladder of inference’.

See the attached word document, plus this website http://www.roundtableassociates.com/orid.htm

Styles: learning, thinking..

The tools and ideas presented below are useful for understanding yourself and others such that you can learn and work together in a more conscious and productive way. Often these will be done through consultants, but some versions are available on-line or as books.

  • VARK

This is a way to identify if you have a preference for learning via visual, aural, read/write or kinaesthetic means. Powerful when used for presentations or teaching where you will have different types participating.

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp

  • Myer-Briggs

A psychological test that helps identify personality preferences. Often done by an outside consultant for organisations to facilitate greater understanding and improve teamwork http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator#References

Try it on-line (though I haven’t used this yet) http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

  • Herman Brain Dominance Instrument

This is another tool for identifying you prefer to think, learn and communicate http://www.hbdi.com/ . For an introduction see the ‘one-minute overview’,’ the white paper’, or the ‘introduction to whole-brain technology’. My personal favourite out of these types of tools.

  • DISC profile

A test to see whether your preferred behaviour style is dominance, influence, steadiness of conscientiousness. http://www.discprofile.com/whatisdisc.htm See also http://www.onlinediscpersonalityprofile.com/ for a link to a pdf of an example report. When I have done it, this has been quite a quick and easy test compared to HBDI or Myer-Briggs which are more involved.

  • Belbin’s Team Roles

Belbin team roles describe a pattern of behaviour that characterises one person’s behaviour in relationship to another in facilitating the progress of a team. Helps you understand your preferred role, and adjust depending on the group dynamics. Really useful for understanding all types of group work, and what roles may be missing, or really strong in any particular group you work with.

http://www.belbin.com/belbin-team-roles.htm

  • Competing Values Framework

This allows you to identify the different roles you may adopt in a group situation based on your school of organizational and management thought OR leadership roles. In the interests of becoming a good leader or manager, you can identify how distinct types of leadership may be appropriate for different situations.

http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_quinn_competing_values_framework.html

  • Nine types

Another system suggested by Rachelle and Kyle, based on an enneagram check it out at http://www.9types.com/

Further resources and compilations of tools

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Laptops for all (including me)!

See the story below for info on how corporations, universities, governments and the UN are working together to get the world online and learning. But are they sustainable? How long will they last, and what happens to the componenets afterwards - is it more rubbish that will acumulate, more electronic componenets that will degrade and contaminate the soil and water?. Perhaps they could come with disposal instructions printed on the back for when someone needs to get rid of them...and a list of ingredients too!

I too have taken the leap and actually rented a laptop from the University. Really good value on a monthly basis, and I might not look back. I haven't got it all sorted out yet, but it's sure to dramatically change the way I work. Hopefully for the better, because all my files and notes will be right at my fingertips, although there are also several billion dstracting webpages just a click away as well.

I did enjoy the sense of always using a computer purposefully, and for a set amount of time (when I always had to go to school to use the computer). I am confident that discipline and focus will serve me in good stead...and that my relationships with a few of you might improve as I actually reply to your emails in good time.

Though it means the brief flirt with an underpowered Linux machine has ended , I have continued the commitment to the beauty of open source gear with Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird http://www.mozilla.com . Jeez, it's worth changing from Explorer an Outlook just for the names!!! Oh, and I know have access to the wonderful world of skype www.skype.com , so a few of you may get phone calls in the near future!


UN debut for $100 laptop for poor
By Jo Twist BBC News technology reporter in Tunis

A prototype of a cheap and robust laptop for pupils has been welcomed as an "expression of global solidarity" by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
The green machine was showcased for the first time by MIT's Nicholas Negroponte at the UN net summit in Tunis.
He plans to have millions of $100 machines in production within a year.
The laptops are powered with a wind-up crank, have very low power consumption and will let children interact with each other while learning.
"Children will be able to learn by doing, not just through instruction - they will be able to open up new fronts for their education, particularly peer-to-peer learning," said Mr Annan.
He added that the initiative was "inspiring", and held the promise of special and economic development for children in developing countries.

The foldable lime green laptop made its debut at the World Summit on the Information Society, which is looking at ways of narrowing the technology gap between rich and poor.
We really believe we can really make literally hundreds of millions of these machines around the world Nicholas Negroponte, MIT
Nicknamed the green machine, it can be used as a conventional computer, or an electronic book. A child can control it using a cursor at the back of the machine or a touchpad on the front.
It can also be held and used like a handheld games console and can function as a TV.
"The idea is that it fulfils many roles. It is the whole theory that learning is seamless," said Professor Negroponte, who set up the non-profit One Laptop Per Child group to sell the laptops to developing nation governments.
"Studies have shown that kids take up computers much more easily in the comfort of warm, well-lit rich country living rooms, but also in the slums and remote areas all around the developing world."
There has already been firm interest in the machines from governments, though no laptops have yet been manufactured.
Professor Negroponte said he had asked the most enthusiastic countries, Thailand and Brazil, not to give written commitments to buy the machines until they had seen the working model, likely to be produced in February.
There has also been interest in the machines from five manufacturers and three big brand name technology firms, but no firm commitments had been made.

The laptops will be encased in rubber to make them durable and their AC adaptors will act as carrying straps.
They have a 500MHz processor, with flash memory instead of a hard drive which has more delicate moving parts, and four USB ports. They link up and share a net connection through "mesh networking".
Plans for the global domination of the children's laptop are ambitious.
"The initial plan is to start with countries that are big and very different to each other," said Professor Negroponte.
"We are launching with six countries initially, then six months later, as many countries as possible." Those include countries in the Arab world, two Asian, one sub-Saharan, and South American nations.
The project also has some big name supporters on board, including Google, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
But it will rely on open-source software so that support for local content and languages can easily be built.
Although the laptops will initially be available to government only, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is in talks with commercial manufacturers to make it available on the open market.
To take part in the initiative, governments have to commit to buying a million machines for around $100 each.
Mr Annan urged leaders and stakeholders at the summit to do their utmost in ensuring that the initiative was fully incorporated into efforts to build an inclusive information society.
"We really believe we can really make literally hundreds of millions of these machines around the world," Professor Negroponte said, as costs continued to drop.
He added that it was critical that children actually owned, instead of loaned, the machines.
To overcome the potential problem of secondary "grey markets" for the machines, Professor Negroponte said the idea was that they would be so ubiquitous and prominent it would deter potential re-selling.
"I hope there would be community pressure so it does not appear in the secondary market. The technology is in it so that the machine is disabled if not connected to the network after a few days," he added.
Sharing and collaborating
Technical breakthroughs have already driven the prototype design, but every technical breakthrough in the next five years would mean costs would continue to fall, he said.

Michail Bietsas, MIT's director of computer systems told the BBC News website that laptops benefited primarily from mesh networking, as a way of sharing scarce net connections.
One computer with a wi-fi or 3G net modem, for example, would share the connection with others in a classroom.
He explained that the display did not have a backlight or colour filters that more pricey LCD laptop displays used, so saved power. Instead, bright LEDs are used which reduced power consumption by a factor of 10.
The screens are dual-mode displays so that the laptop can still be used in varying light conditions.
Although children will be able to interact with each other through the machines, education was still the priority for the laptops.
But by using mesh networking, the vision is for children to interact while doing homework, and even share homework tips on a local community scale.
Collaboration will also be encouraged by using open-source software, which the children could develop themselves and use in local communities.
"Every single problem you can think of, poverty, peace, the environment, is solved with education or including education," said Professor Negroponte.
"So when we make this available, it is an education project, not a laptop project. The digital divide is a learning divide - digital is the means through which children learn leaning. This is, we believe, the way to do it."

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/4445060.stmPublished: 2005/11/17 09:39:16 GMT© BBC MMVI

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Pre-thesis update on my course, with references

Below is a copy of an email that I just sent to some of the people back home who are working on sustainabilty-related issues. If you want any of the attachments I mentioned, or want to be put on the list to receive some of these more 'professional'-type emails, let me know.

Oh, I just realised I should have metnioned in the email below how exceptionally good my marks have been!!! Am I allowed to be proud of that? - maybe the absence of any 'tall-poppy syndrome' amongst my classmates is starting to get to me : )

Check earlier posts for a bit of rundown on what I'm doing in Sweden: http://flowingmu.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_flowingmu_archive.html

Hi all, it has been a while since I've updated you on my course in Sweden, and my understanding sustainable development issues and solutions is much deeper and broader than last time I wrote. A quick overview of the coursework I completed is attached, with links to the program home page where you can find more information. Please contact me ifyou want further details or links for any of the topics, want copies of reports, or to get my thoughts on how these ideas might be applied back home.

Importantly, I am about to begin a thesis on a topic of my choice. I'm 90% committed to a thesis that will seek to answer questions about how to create, energise, maintain and grow networks for sustainability. I've had a range of ideas about how to explore the ideas I have encounte redregarding social and other networks, including testing their applicability to in different contexts e.g. projects, communities, ideas and businesses. As good fortune has it, our class was recentlysent a proposal 'The Natural Step' in France (by an ex-student of theprogram) to suggest new business models that may be useful for developing a network of community based partners with Interface for acarpet recycling network in Scandanavia! What they have sent us is intriguing and a little bit more about the idea can be foundat
http://www.interfaceinc.com/us/services/Reclamation/

If you are unfamiliar with Interface, they are the 'prototypical company of the 21st century' and pin-up corporation for the sustainability movement ( see http://www.interfacesustainability.com/and watch 'The Corporation') so this is a great opportunity. Although, I am on high alert to make sure that the lure of fame andfortune (ha!) will not affect how intellectually rigorous ourresearch is!

An earlier outline of my thoughts around the idea of networks is attached, and still forms the basis of my interest in this topic. Ifyou have any particular experiences, references, role models orcontacts that you can recommend from your own experience withnetworks, please pass them on! I will update you as we (myself and mytwo thesis collaborators, Richard and Miriam) develop our ideas further...hopefully in conjunction with Interface and The Natural Step.

Back to recapping on the first half of my course, I been able to investigate topics such as:

- 'What would sustainability look like for whole region?' I was inthe 'Asia' group and focused on the Koreas and Japan.
- 'How could an organisation's vision, values and strategic goals berewritten to be more congruent with sustainability?' I was in a groupthat tackled Monsanto!
- 'How could a detailed an understanding of the concept ofsustainable management of natural systems and increase theirresilience, contribute to creating a sustainable future'. Ithoroughly enjoyed this assignment, as it allowed me to explore newareas of interest in natural resource management and creatingsustainable, resilient socio-ecological systems.

...and have also sat in on presentations from my colleagues and tap their knowledge of whatever they investigated. This has allowed me to feel confident when asked about topics as diverse as: understanding complex social networks and how to use that knowledge to spreadchange, specific measures the WTO could introduce to make global trade fair, the best way to grow a learning culture in an organisation, and improvements that could be made to frameworks for carbon trading toactually meet reduction targets and minimise accelerated climate change! And that's just the start....
The most remarkable thing is that despite the diversity ofbackgrounds, nationalities and interests, everyone in our class hasbeen able to communicate intelligently on these issues using ashared, scientific, principle-based understanding of sustainability.This has allowed us to see some 'old' issues in a new light, andidentify more intelligent, strategic ways to reaching agreement onthe right actions to get us heading in the right direction. This isin stark contrast to the usual arguing over people's preferences forthe details of what is appropriate for their particular location, and misunderstandings between those of different disciplines.

The core concepts of our course (a scientific, principle-baseddefinition ofsustainability, and intelligent methods and frameworks for making ithappen), have made it easier to been able to interpret the mass ofinformation about various sustainability issues much faster than otherwise. Conversations with students of 4 similar programs across Sweden (during a recent fieldtrip) suggest that our program is unique in the way that ittakes a more 'strategic' approach to analysing the issues anddeveloping solutions. Applications are open ifanyone you know may be interested for next year's course: visit
http://www.bth.se/tmslm

As a final note, I though I'd share a limited list some of the booksand resources that have been particular exciting for me over the past few months:

* Books: Economia (Geoff Davies), Linked (Alberto-Laszlo Barabasi),That Natural Advantage of Nations (Australian -
www.naturaledgeproject.net), Permaculture - principles and pathways beyond sustainability (David Holmgren), Community Development (JimIfe), Hidden Connections (Fritjof Capra), One World (Peter Singer),The Fifth Discipline and another book called Presence (Peter Senge), Emergence (Steven Johnson)...

* Sources of policy and research papers: The Beijer Institute(
www.beijer.kva.se), The Resilience Alliance (www.resalliance.org -check their blog for great links to related topics), StockholmEnvironment Institute (www.sei.se), The Australia Institute(www.tai.org.au), and the Sustainability Institute (founded by Donella Meadows, and whose powerful pdf on points to intervene in a system is attached http://www.sustainabilityinstitute.org/)

* Online: CSIRO sustainability network and their fantastic newsletter(
http://www.bml.csiro.au/SNnewsletters.htm), Grist (www.grist.org),Worldchanging.com (http://www.worldchanging.com/), wirearchy (http://www.wirearchy.com/), Conservation Economy (http://www.conservationeconomy.net/), and the WA Collaboration with great links (http://www.wacollaboration.org.au/)

I look forward to keeping in touch throughout the new year, as part of trying to build and grow my own network for sustainability!

Sunday, January 15, 2006

New Address in Karlskrona

For all non-electronic communication I have a new home address. All mail has to go through my friend Geneva for the system over here:

Andrew Outhwaite
c / o Geneva Rae
27 Konstapelsgatan
371-35
Karlskrona
Sweden

Looking forward to some scratching or typing on ex-trees to stick on my walls and remind me of my friends : )

The ol' FM2 will be lonelier than ever

How sad (see below) I will treasure my Nikon FM2 camera for as long as it lasts. Which is probably a lot longer than they will sell and process film at reasonable prices, and perhaps longer than me. That thing was built to last, to take photos in freezing conditions, and do it all without the need for a battery. It also makes real 'click' and 'whir' sounds rather than some ridiculous imitation..

When asked why I bought such a thing, all I can talk about how (for me) taking photos is more about the process, the way of seeing, and the slowing down to consider the potential subject and alternative perspectives on it. Nice sentiment some might think, though I'm not sure it actually helps me take better photos when compared to the wonders of a digital camera and the instant feedback loop between your technique and the result.

At least Nikon looks like it is trying to be a bit more sustainable: http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/news/2005/1221_iso_01.htm Though I do wonder about the relative durability of digital cameras....and hence how long it is before they end up in landfill.

Nikon Plans to Stop Making Most Cameras That Use Film

By MARTIN FACKLER
Published: January 12, 2006, New York Times


TOKYO, Thursday, Jan. 12 - The Nikon
Corporation, the Japanese camera maker, said Thursday that it would stop making most of its film cameras and lenses in order to focus on digital cameras.
The company, based in Tokyo, is the latest to join an industrywide shift toward digital photography, which has exploded in popularity. Rivals like Kodak and Canon have already shifted most of their camera production into digital products.
Nikon said it would halt production of all but two of its seven film cameras and would also stop making most lenses for those cameras. The company will halt production of the film camera models "one by one," though it refused to specify when.
A company spokesman said Nikon made the decision because sales of film cameras have plunged. In the most recent fiscal year ended March 2005, Nikon said that film camera bodies accounted for 3 percent of the 180 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in sales at the company's camera and imaging division. That is down from 16 percent the previous year.
By contrast, sales of digital cameras have soared, the company said, jumping to 75 percent of total sales in the year ended March 2005, from 47 percent three years earlier. Scanners and other products account for the remainder of the division's sales.
"The market for film cameras has been shrinking dramatically," the company spokesman, Akira Abe, said. "Digital cameras have become the norm."
Mr. Abe said the announcement might trigger a brief revival in sales of film cameras, as film photography buffs rush to buy the cameras before production stops. The decision may also help make film cameras a popular nostalgia item in second-hand markets like eBay.

Nikon made its first film camera in 1948, as Japan rose from the ashes of defeat in World War II.
The quality and durability of Nikon's film cameras made them popular for decades among amateurs and professionals alike, turning Nikon into one of the industry's best-known brands. The first Nikon cameras arrived in the United States in the 1950's when American servicemen started bringing them home from tours of duty at American bases in Japan.
But in recent years, all brands of film cameras have virtually disappeared from store shelves.
Digital photography has won out because its images are visible immediately and are easily stored on tiny computer chips, eliminating the need to carry and develop clunky rolls of film.