In this particularly perilous time, we are faced with ever mounting issues of personal and social survival. There is a certain conditioning at play, which causes us to acknowledge the more modest, but immediate relief from our travails. We have become too easily distracted by details, by personality, by headline, by sensation, and all for the illusion that we survive for some future benefit. If conditioning holds out, this future remains just that -- future -- never attained, never arrived at; a long way out of reach or almost within our grasp.
I have been guilty of such short-sightedness. In my mind, 5 billion prayers and pleas for relief and deliverance would just put mine into a pot; multiply that by several times per day, every day, month, year,........ I could never be a priority. Even reasoned omnipotence has its limits. There is total parity in the universe. We are all energy, matter, and energy, again.
Ours is the search for a well, a fountain of affirmation and empowerment, the source endless and its bounty well beyond. We wade through a vast desert called life looking for an oasis on the horizon, on the surface. This is the point of opportunity sought and fulfilled, but it is deceiving if it is the only accepted point of recognition and reference. Looking for trees and grasses is, most certainly, evidence of life flowing from below, but it represents a greater wellspring fed by an integrated network of springs and aquifers, which can extend far beyond our vision.
Sometimes a stream runs its course, visibly meandering in meadow and wood, mountain and valley. Other times it is unseen, running freely and undetected beneath our feet. Either one represents the opportunity to partake of its benefit.
The lesson here is to feel and to recognize the well wherever it is. Do not be distracted by only looking for the obvious. Ask, "why here and why now" and determine its value as a source for solution, removing the "problem" paradigm, and initiating response in place of reaction. Responsible engagement is the backbone of the MyGigNet and global community.
We must stop looking for the sip of water when the well is within our reach.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Obstacles and Opportunities
Times like these are reminders that, when we rely on others to do right by us, we -- the common folk -- are the first mentioned and the last regarded. Our economists, pundits, and politicians bluster, boil, sidestep, rationalize, and argue over an abundance of small points that have each been inflated to category 4 and 5 storms, just by the perceptions that are being shaped. Everything is a problem. Everything is a crisis. And no one is attending to the real answers.
The infrastructure of any economy is not determined by the money-moving accounting networks of banks, insurance companies, hedge funds, or Wall Street. It is determined by the relationships of the people within the society that lead to exchanges between them -- valuable, not because they have a dollar amount attached to them, but because of the needs of those doing the exchanging. Whether its goods, services, knowledge, or even questions, there is an intrinsic value that is implied that no number can measure.
I buy some product or service, as an example. Who did I buy it from? Why did I buy it? It is almost always a matter that is more about the integrity of the company or individual that I purchase from than one of just price. How much value do you put on that relationship, as a purchaser or as a purveyor? While knowledge does have a bearing (again, what's that worth?), it is the question -- or series of questions -- that are posed, back and forth, that qualify the integrity and the pertinence of the transaction. Each question begs an answer. Because it is posed as a question, the respondent inherently knows that there is an answer and, thus, he strives to fulfill or to lose out if he doesn't.
Which leads me to the issue of problems and the obstacles that they present. If we were to pose problems, not as statements, but as questions, wouldn't a solution be naturally forthcoming? The obstacles to solutions are removed (or, at least, reduced) by this modest shift in presentation. And what is a solution, but an opportunity? This site is looking at solutions -- and the opportunities that they offer -- not just from a small group of people on the inside. It is seeking solutions from you. What do you know? What do you do? What can you offer? This is your site. Start offering. We're waiting. And so is opportunity.
The infrastructure of any economy is not determined by the money-moving accounting networks of banks, insurance companies, hedge funds, or Wall Street. It is determined by the relationships of the people within the society that lead to exchanges between them -- valuable, not because they have a dollar amount attached to them, but because of the needs of those doing the exchanging. Whether its goods, services, knowledge, or even questions, there is an intrinsic value that is implied that no number can measure.
I buy some product or service, as an example. Who did I buy it from? Why did I buy it? It is almost always a matter that is more about the integrity of the company or individual that I purchase from than one of just price. How much value do you put on that relationship, as a purchaser or as a purveyor? While knowledge does have a bearing (again, what's that worth?), it is the question -- or series of questions -- that are posed, back and forth, that qualify the integrity and the pertinence of the transaction. Each question begs an answer. Because it is posed as a question, the respondent inherently knows that there is an answer and, thus, he strives to fulfill or to lose out if he doesn't.
Which leads me to the issue of problems and the obstacles that they present. If we were to pose problems, not as statements, but as questions, wouldn't a solution be naturally forthcoming? The obstacles to solutions are removed (or, at least, reduced) by this modest shift in presentation. And what is a solution, but an opportunity? This site is looking at solutions -- and the opportunities that they offer -- not just from a small group of people on the inside. It is seeking solutions from you. What do you know? What do you do? What can you offer? This is your site. Start offering. We're waiting. And so is opportunity.
MyGigNet Is Not Dead
I just received an email asking, since there have been no new blog posts, if MyGigNet is dead. I assure you that it is not. The tasks that we have laid before us have been very involved, from determining database issues (acquisition, access, security), to the formatting of the PPA, its programming, spread sheets that investors need (yes, there are people out there that are very attracted to our mission), business development, marketing, site development, and on and on and on..........
We are honestly close. We have been struggling to make advances, but our commitment is no less than ever. Remember that we are musicians working on a mission, but upholding the responsible and respectful position of treating this like the sustainable business model that it is. In the meantime, we have bills to pay and issues to address. It ain't easy, but it is getting done. If you have any skills that you can offer, financial/funding, programming, research, business development, etc., please let us know. Thanks.
We are honestly close. We have been struggling to make advances, but our commitment is no less than ever. Remember that we are musicians working on a mission, but upholding the responsible and respectful position of treating this like the sustainable business model that it is. In the meantime, we have bills to pay and issues to address. It ain't easy, but it is getting done. If you have any skills that you can offer, financial/funding, programming, research, business development, etc., please let us know. Thanks.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Well yes, Oregon IS for Dreamers
The need for MyGigNet is apparent in so many ways. I speak to working musicians, to teachers, to students, to organizers and activists, to fans, and the list goes on. Each and every one has expressed frustrations, from simple searches to finding gigs, connecting with like-minded musicians, programs, funding, guidance, etc. This list, too, goes on and on. MySpace frustrates them, Sonicbids frustrates them, download sites frustrate them, repetition frustrates them. It is not just the process, it's the result -- too little, too irrelevant, too costly. The article, below, cites 2 million artists, but that's professionals. With 84,000,000 playing music -- for the joy of just doing it -- too many are too isolated to share their gifts. Everything comes at a cost. In Portland, Oregon there is a creative environment that attracts many to get a start, but the end result is that they have to go elsewhere, with no guarantee of success, to move ahead. It is easy to see the problem. It is a little harder to find small, pointed solutions. It is extremely difficult to execute the one, grand vision -- but it is not impossible. We each have something to offer, but it must be done within a committed, contributing, community; one that shares enough of what it knows to help itself by helping others. It will be done in bits and pieces, but it will be done. Read on. There is affirmation for our mission in this article. Yes, there are problems. You hold a piece of the solution.
David Kahl
_______________________________________________________________________
Sometimes the statistics show just what you think they will.
According to a 150-page report released Thursday by the National Endowment for the Arts, there are more artists than ever before in the United States -- about 2 million -- and Oregon is one state where the number of artists has grown decisively, jumping from 15th nationally in 1990 to eighth in 2000. And that underscores the perception that Oregon, and specifically Portland, is one of the country's more popular artist havens.
"This report gives the arts community a real tool to show the public how much of an impact they have here," says Jesse Beason, senior policy director for Mayor-elect Sam Adams, whose portfolio of responsibilities includes overseeing the city's arts scene. "It's not simply a feeling, not only anecdotal. It's rooted in facts."
The report, called "Artists in the Workforce," compiles data from the 1990 and 2000 U.S. censuses and the 2003-05 American Community Survey. Chock-full of charts and tables, the study is a comprehensive appraisal of the state of the artist, which it defines broadly and inclusively through 11 categories, including designers, architects, writers, fine artists, actors, musicians and even announcers.
Several of the report's national findings may sound surprising: The number of artists is a shade less than the number of American military personnel -- who number 2.2 million -- but greater than the number of lawyers, doctors or farmers.
Not surprisingly, most artists live in the country's major cities, with Los Angeles having the most, followed by New York, Chicago, Washington and Boston.
Artists, the report says, tend to be more educated than the general work force yet earn less than others who are similarly educated. And it seems that even the arts have much work to do when it comes to equal representation and pay: Most artists are men, and male artists tend to earn more ($42,000 a year) than women ($27,300).
For Oregon, there is good news for arts supporters. The state ranks eighth in the number of total artists per 10,000 people, ahead of Washington and Nevada, but behind New York, California and Massachusetts.
A breakdown of the total artists category is revealing: Oregon ranks eighth in the number of architects and ninth in three separate categories: designers, actors and fine artists, which includes animators and art directors. Lovers of Powell's City of Books won't be surprised to find out that Oregon is No. 5 when it comes to the number of writers.
It's unlikely that these numbers will shock Oregonians. For the past decade, everyone from culture observer Richard Florida to mayor-elect Adams has talked about Oregon's --particularly Portland's --bounty of artists and designers, its so-called "creative class," and how they affect the quality of life here. But why have so many artists come to Oregon and Portland?
"We have an environment that is conducive to creative activity," says Virginia Willard, executive director of the arts advocacy nonprofit Northwest Business for Culture & The Arts. "It's an open-minded environment that accepts creativity. Artists are comfortable here. There's a lot of fertile ground."
While the report strengthens Oregon's standing as an arts hub, Willard thinks that's not enough.
"This is a great place for artists to get their start," says Willard. "But many feel they have to leave. Are there enough financial opportunities for them? Is there enough of a market? We have to make sure there is enough infrastructure and resources to support them."
Beason agrees, and says one of Adams' chief successes as city commissioner has been his championing of arts funding, programs and coalition-building within the arts community. Beason says that Adams intends to build on those accomplishments as mayor.
"All along we've said it's important to make investments," says Beason. "To keep what we have if not grow what we have. We still want to think about what policies will help continue to make this an attractive place for artists."
-- D.K. Row; dkrow@news.oregonian.comThursday, July 31, 2008
MyGigNet Musician's Summary
Preface: It has dawned on me that, the closer we get to launch, the greater the need to clarify what it is that we intend to do. Yes, we have a huge idea; we also have the means (capital considerations notwithstanding) and the opportunity offered by convergence of timing and events. The ideas driving MyGigNet did not come flying out like monkeys emanating from a dark human orifice. It is the culmination of 6 1/2 years of organized, determined effort. It has been defined and refined countless times. There is a virtual side to this enterprise that is proprietary and nearly fully developed, so you'll just have to trust us on this one. It is being steered by a dedicated team of individuals, who recognize its importance, both as technological innovation and as a social and cultural imperative. I hope to have addressed the ideal in a pragmatic manner. I'd like to hear from the cynics; maybe we can both learn and accomplish something worth a damn.
MyGigNet (MGN) is the logical solution to the growing stresses facing working musicians, educators, students, and related workers and proponents in the music industry. It addresses, in a coordinated manner, the functional necessities of doing business, accessing resources, and delivering tangible results, while offering realistic options for economic viability to individuals, associations, and the programs that they serve. The systems and models that MGN is built upon are historically sound, the infrastructure currently exists, and the technology exists to make this immediately accessible and usable. What follows is a practical description of what we do and how we work.
The Personal Profile Application (PPA) is the brain within the MGN body. It determines the character traits of the individual, his/her wants and needs, skills and proficiencies, and sets in motion the coordinating signals that determine actions and outcomes. It is a reasoning mechanism that not only sets the parameters of relevance, while continuously learning and adjusting through the ongoing use of the MGN program. The PPA is built upon existing matching models, like eHarmony, but goes light years beyond. We know that we are not just personality driven; we have ethical standards, individual modes of viewing and using the same information, different priorities, and individual ways of acting upon them. Technologically, it is a constantly refining search engine that connects, through interfaces, to multiple sites and returns combined results, not just singular web links, and coordinates their functional components. The end result is functional service, tailored to the individual.
Technology/Application Program Interfaces (APIs): An API is a set of declarations of the functions (or procedures) that an operating system (MGN), library (the site) or service (Internet resources) provides to support requests made by computer programs. With the geek definition having been made, let's get to what we need to know. Google has opened up a wealth of APIs for use by any site. What this means is that we don't have to all be programmers to make this work; we just have to know what we need and want, then we use the Google infrastructure, including servers, to make the connections. We can grow without worrying about system crashes, connect existing and developing data, and coordinate their outcome as comprehensive, usable service. No more hunt and peck; no more cut and paste; no more taxing our memories to figure out where it exists, whether it is usable, or whether we've covered all of our bases. It also means that we can use their resources for building outside sources of revenue, accounting for its distribution, and paying the community base that develops the content that we use. Of course, technological coordination will be handled by the MGN geek squad, with qualified community input.
Content Development: As noted, the community is the most qualified base for content development. If we know what we know, know what we do, know what we want, and know what we need, then the only remaining consideration is setting a standard format for assessment and allocation of content. This makes any bit of data usable for any of a number of individuals and applications. MGN has developed this format and made it simple, while accounting for more detailed assessment of aesthetics, ease of use, and other considerations. Additionally, we recognize that this is the most cost effective means of building and maintaining an agile, responsive, and responsible content base, which is not only good news for investors, but for the economic health of the community, since it frees revenue to distribute throughout the MGN network.
Economy: There are numerous sources of revenue – at least 200 – that will develop within the MGN site, none of which come from the members, directly, but that result from the participation of these members. How it works is simple. MGN establishes relationships with Amazon.com, Travelocity, insurance companies, and so on. When a member goes to one of these sites through MGN, it costs nothing more; MGN gets a small fee from the seller. Easy enough. The other revenue sources are relational and developmentally derived. They are built on the premises that the PPA delivers a more direct route to a qualified customer base – one that is more likely to purchase, as opposed to one that just might be interested. Furthermore, with 84,000,000 musical instrument players in the U.S., alone, the economy that 1% of the poorest ($10,000.00+ per year) represents exceeds $900,000,000.00 per year of economic power. Now, 84,000,000 people are not just working musicians; they are doctors, attorneys, professionals, working class. They represent 25% of the population, have family and friends, are connected to their communities, hold varied associations with programs, groups, and causes. Logic holds that, at least, 2% of them are socially conscious and, when offered the opportunity to give back, will do so. This would translate into, minimally, a $2 Billion economy, of which MGN could garner $40,000,000.00 per year at no additional cost to the user. This, too, would distribute throughout the community, funding individuals, associations, and educational programs. If you think that this is unrealistic, consider this: $7 Billion per year is spent on musical equipment; $30 Billion is spent on Internet advertising. There is countless more. When we reach 10% of the U.S. community, at an average income of $30,000,00 per year, we are nearing a $1Trillion annual economy. Economic empowerment is closer than we think.
Integrity: This is guaranteed by open source orientation of Google APIs, of application toward MGN, and by the constant input of the MGN community. It is, also, warranted by two historic models. MGN considers itself to be the technological equivalent of the artisan guilds. These organizations span centuries, political change, religious diversity, and geography. They are the prototype of functional social networks, providing educational guidance, unifying practices and proficiencies, and advocacy within the working groups that connect inside its broader framework. The second historic reference is actually derived from the definition of American capitalism put forth in the Federalist Papers. Profit was seen to be derived from issues that were quality driven. Production was tied to incentives for qualitative goods and services, which were, in turn, determined by paying the labor base to deliver on that basis. The result was one that spent little or no time in servicing inferiority (nonproductive), lowering costs, making the product more affordable, expanding the market, employing more, and so on. The most recent examples of this policy are the New Deal and NASA. The programs, no matter how much opportunism, looting, and manipulation, still hold after decades. Think of Social Security, the BPA, and TVA, even after 70 years of this.
In summary, we are like individuals paddling in a vast ocean, fearful of the next threatening wave. If enough of us consciously lash our rafts together, we hold a better chance of survival; if more join us, we are more than capable of reaching our desired destination, functional and economic.
MyGigNet (MGN) is the logical solution to the growing stresses facing working musicians, educators, students, and related workers and proponents in the music industry. It addresses, in a coordinated manner, the functional necessities of doing business, accessing resources, and delivering tangible results, while offering realistic options for economic viability to individuals, associations, and the programs that they serve. The systems and models that MGN is built upon are historically sound, the infrastructure currently exists, and the technology exists to make this immediately accessible and usable. What follows is a practical description of what we do and how we work.
The Personal Profile Application (PPA) is the brain within the MGN body. It determines the character traits of the individual, his/her wants and needs, skills and proficiencies, and sets in motion the coordinating signals that determine actions and outcomes. It is a reasoning mechanism that not only sets the parameters of relevance, while continuously learning and adjusting through the ongoing use of the MGN program. The PPA is built upon existing matching models, like eHarmony, but goes light years beyond. We know that we are not just personality driven; we have ethical standards, individual modes of viewing and using the same information, different priorities, and individual ways of acting upon them. Technologically, it is a constantly refining search engine that connects, through interfaces, to multiple sites and returns combined results, not just singular web links, and coordinates their functional components. The end result is functional service, tailored to the individual.
Technology/Application Program Interfaces (APIs): An API is a set of declarations of the functions (or procedures) that an operating system (MGN), library (the site) or service (Internet resources) provides to support requests made by computer programs. With the geek definition having been made, let's get to what we need to know. Google has opened up a wealth of APIs for use by any site. What this means is that we don't have to all be programmers to make this work; we just have to know what we need and want, then we use the Google infrastructure, including servers, to make the connections. We can grow without worrying about system crashes, connect existing and developing data, and coordinate their outcome as comprehensive, usable service. No more hunt and peck; no more cut and paste; no more taxing our memories to figure out where it exists, whether it is usable, or whether we've covered all of our bases. It also means that we can use their resources for building outside sources of revenue, accounting for its distribution, and paying the community base that develops the content that we use. Of course, technological coordination will be handled by the MGN geek squad, with qualified community input.
Content Development: As noted, the community is the most qualified base for content development. If we know what we know, know what we do, know what we want, and know what we need, then the only remaining consideration is setting a standard format for assessment and allocation of content. This makes any bit of data usable for any of a number of individuals and applications. MGN has developed this format and made it simple, while accounting for more detailed assessment of aesthetics, ease of use, and other considerations. Additionally, we recognize that this is the most cost effective means of building and maintaining an agile, responsive, and responsible content base, which is not only good news for investors, but for the economic health of the community, since it frees revenue to distribute throughout the MGN network.
Economy: There are numerous sources of revenue – at least 200 – that will develop within the MGN site, none of which come from the members, directly, but that result from the participation of these members. How it works is simple. MGN establishes relationships with Amazon.com, Travelocity, insurance companies, and so on. When a member goes to one of these sites through MGN, it costs nothing more; MGN gets a small fee from the seller. Easy enough. The other revenue sources are relational and developmentally derived. They are built on the premises that the PPA delivers a more direct route to a qualified customer base – one that is more likely to purchase, as opposed to one that just might be interested. Furthermore, with 84,000,000 musical instrument players in the U.S., alone, the economy that 1% of the poorest ($10,000.00+ per year) represents exceeds $900,000,000.00 per year of economic power. Now, 84,000,000 people are not just working musicians; they are doctors, attorneys, professionals, working class. They represent 25% of the population, have family and friends, are connected to their communities, hold varied associations with programs, groups, and causes. Logic holds that, at least, 2% of them are socially conscious and, when offered the opportunity to give back, will do so. This would translate into, minimally, a $2 Billion economy, of which MGN could garner $40,000,000.00 per year at no additional cost to the user. This, too, would distribute throughout the community, funding individuals, associations, and educational programs. If you think that this is unrealistic, consider this: $7 Billion per year is spent on musical equipment; $30 Billion is spent on Internet advertising. There is countless more. When we reach 10% of the U.S. community, at an average income of $30,000,00 per year, we are nearing a $1Trillion annual economy. Economic empowerment is closer than we think.
Integrity: This is guaranteed by open source orientation of Google APIs, of application toward MGN, and by the constant input of the MGN community. It is, also, warranted by two historic models. MGN considers itself to be the technological equivalent of the artisan guilds. These organizations span centuries, political change, religious diversity, and geography. They are the prototype of functional social networks, providing educational guidance, unifying practices and proficiencies, and advocacy within the working groups that connect inside its broader framework. The second historic reference is actually derived from the definition of American capitalism put forth in the Federalist Papers. Profit was seen to be derived from issues that were quality driven. Production was tied to incentives for qualitative goods and services, which were, in turn, determined by paying the labor base to deliver on that basis. The result was one that spent little or no time in servicing inferiority (nonproductive), lowering costs, making the product more affordable, expanding the market, employing more, and so on. The most recent examples of this policy are the New Deal and NASA. The programs, no matter how much opportunism, looting, and manipulation, still hold after decades. Think of Social Security, the BPA, and TVA, even after 70 years of this.
In summary, we are like individuals paddling in a vast ocean, fearful of the next threatening wave. If enough of us consciously lash our rafts together, we hold a better chance of survival; if more join us, we are more than capable of reaching our desired destination, functional and economic.
A Case for Common Cause: The MyGigNet Revolution
The benefits of the Internet, with open access to more information are obvious. Opportunities abound for the connections of innumerable resources, along with their creative, productive use. For the innovator, this is a vast, uncharted territory. There is, however, a caveat. The value of any tool is directly tied to its more common use, as well as its varied applications. The problem with holding a wealth of data is that, for the average person, it becomes a double edged sword. First, it requires a certain disciplined skill set that, furthermore, is tied to a substantial analog effort that taxes memory, time, and energy in exercising a determined, desired result. The second is an outcome of the first; with this abundance, coupled with the attentive demands of other media (in the form of news, information, and advertising), there arises the imminent potential for sensory overload. This, in turn, results in a basic response – in order to survive, a certain shutdown occurs. One has to look no further than the majority of MySpace users. Even in a more focused environment, the efforts required just to make connections become too involved, relative to the benefits.
Creative minds, scientific and artistic, hold a common trait. They thrive in environments that are devoid of stress. The issue, then, is centered around delivering the technological innovation that reduces this stress and, in turn, implements a boost to the strength and utility of existing tools, along with the creation of new ones. An example of this is the development of smelting techniques; it is further demonstrated by the implementation of tempering processes. The most common of tools were benefited by these keystone points of discovery and integration. Their applications built civilizations.
Data, by its very nature, is staid and stagnant. It is like a library, whose books, for the most part, gather dust. Even when they are read, the ideas within are still only potentials until put into action. A word, unspoken, has no power to inspire, to move, to create. Furthermore, the compartmentalization of information lessens the vitality of its potentials. Without connection there is no mechanism for logic, no movement toward a determined goal.
It is not enough to offer a gathering place, whether it is the Internet, MySpace, Facebook, or YouTube. A congregation of individuals has two extreme potentials; one is no better than a roaming mob; the other a unified force for principled change. The fathers of the American Revolution were ordinary citizens, but they were united in common cause – principled, uplifting, looking toward the grander potentials of humankind. So, too, were the French revolutionaries, but theirs was a reactionary force. The outcome is embedded in the many milestones of history. When even the most trying of events threaten to mark the most noble of experiments, even these efforts are insufficient enough to derail the course of progress.
Getting back to creative minds, the task at hand is one that entails key fundamentals of stress reduction. How do we identify the means of delivering information, turning it into functional service, open up avenues for connection and collaboration, and inspire the potentials for creative, productive innovation? How, too, do we directly empower the participants in this process, from the bottom up, in as many beneficial ways as possible? How can we qualitatively and quantitatively measure their results? Lastly, how can we offer the gathering place – the public square – that not only delivers the speech, but offers the framework for its common, purposeful cause – the general welfare of its citizenry?
MyGigNet has, and continues, to do just that.
David Kahl
CVO
Creative minds, scientific and artistic, hold a common trait. They thrive in environments that are devoid of stress. The issue, then, is centered around delivering the technological innovation that reduces this stress and, in turn, implements a boost to the strength and utility of existing tools, along with the creation of new ones. An example of this is the development of smelting techniques; it is further demonstrated by the implementation of tempering processes. The most common of tools were benefited by these keystone points of discovery and integration. Their applications built civilizations.
Data, by its very nature, is staid and stagnant. It is like a library, whose books, for the most part, gather dust. Even when they are read, the ideas within are still only potentials until put into action. A word, unspoken, has no power to inspire, to move, to create. Furthermore, the compartmentalization of information lessens the vitality of its potentials. Without connection there is no mechanism for logic, no movement toward a determined goal.
It is not enough to offer a gathering place, whether it is the Internet, MySpace, Facebook, or YouTube. A congregation of individuals has two extreme potentials; one is no better than a roaming mob; the other a unified force for principled change. The fathers of the American Revolution were ordinary citizens, but they were united in common cause – principled, uplifting, looking toward the grander potentials of humankind. So, too, were the French revolutionaries, but theirs was a reactionary force. The outcome is embedded in the many milestones of history. When even the most trying of events threaten to mark the most noble of experiments, even these efforts are insufficient enough to derail the course of progress.
Getting back to creative minds, the task at hand is one that entails key fundamentals of stress reduction. How do we identify the means of delivering information, turning it into functional service, open up avenues for connection and collaboration, and inspire the potentials for creative, productive innovation? How, too, do we directly empower the participants in this process, from the bottom up, in as many beneficial ways as possible? How can we qualitatively and quantitatively measure their results? Lastly, how can we offer the gathering place – the public square – that not only delivers the speech, but offers the framework for its common, purposeful cause – the general welfare of its citizenry?
MyGigNet has, and continues, to do just that.
David Kahl
CVO
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sustainability, Responsibility, and the Positive Carbon Footprint of MyGigNet
Gas prices are rising to the point where we could find ourselves playing gigs that will net a loss from just the commute. I know that the “pay to play” element is rampant in major markets, but this is going too far. It's bad enough that, when commute time, alone, often puts us in the position of receiving less than minimum wage for our efforts, we have to consider the possibility of not playing in order to keep from sliding further behind, let alone get ahead. Add rehearsal time, equipment and vehicle purchase and maintenance costs, time and effort in seeking and confirming gigs, and our wages are much less. I know I don't have to mention the dwindling value of the dollar, itself, but that is more salt in the wound.
Whether it's a dollar, an hour, a kilowatt, or a footstep, this output can be translated into energy. Every breath can be measured; every effort quantified. So, you ask, “how does this daunting project – MyGigNet – change any of this?”. No one is suggesting that this is an effortless endeavor. What I am saying is that the efforts of one, shared with the many, is just a single example of “virtual recycling” -- if there is a vehicle, a center, for that resource. MyGigNet offers that recycling center. If you want to talk about the benefits arising from the socially responsible aspect, alone, then this goes well beyond the measurable value of saving steps for others through your individual input. The immeasurable values, from “doing the right thing” to the karmic return of these benefits, can ultimately be measured. Just like you keep a mileage log, MyGigNet will track, with your input, the efforts and energy saved through this process. The energy values can then be placed upon the whole of the effort and, especially in the age of $4 or even $5 a gallon, can be translated into carbon credit. This, my friend, has real world value. It buys something. And, since the economic principles embedded into MyGigNet include the cycling of all revenue sources into the community, it will level at least some of the playing field and further pay you for your work. My position is that we can make this argument, in a legal, qualified, and quantified sense, and glean the tax credits for ourselves, as a company and as a community. We are intent upon using corporate advantage to its best, brightest, and most responsible use.
David Kahl
President, CVO
MyGigNet
Whether it's a dollar, an hour, a kilowatt, or a footstep, this output can be translated into energy. Every breath can be measured; every effort quantified. So, you ask, “how does this daunting project – MyGigNet – change any of this?”. No one is suggesting that this is an effortless endeavor. What I am saying is that the efforts of one, shared with the many, is just a single example of “virtual recycling” -- if there is a vehicle, a center, for that resource. MyGigNet offers that recycling center. If you want to talk about the benefits arising from the socially responsible aspect, alone, then this goes well beyond the measurable value of saving steps for others through your individual input. The immeasurable values, from “doing the right thing” to the karmic return of these benefits, can ultimately be measured. Just like you keep a mileage log, MyGigNet will track, with your input, the efforts and energy saved through this process. The energy values can then be placed upon the whole of the effort and, especially in the age of $4 or even $5 a gallon, can be translated into carbon credit. This, my friend, has real world value. It buys something. And, since the economic principles embedded into MyGigNet include the cycling of all revenue sources into the community, it will level at least some of the playing field and further pay you for your work. My position is that we can make this argument, in a legal, qualified, and quantified sense, and glean the tax credits for ourselves, as a company and as a community. We are intent upon using corporate advantage to its best, brightest, and most responsible use.
David Kahl
President, CVO
MyGigNet
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