Morgan: Will Wikinomics and WiFi catch on in Lake County?
Written by Lamar Morgan
Friday, 16 May 2008
Do you remember in school being taught about the benefits of sharing? According to Don Tapscot and Anthony Williams, co-authors of “Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything,” learning to share is more than simply a tool to facilitate peace accords. Learning to share can transform both a business and a community.
But, could it transform Northern California's “undiscovered country” – the county that is often describes as “waiting to happen?” Could the concept of sharing as defined by Wikinomics transform Lake County into an economically viable community that is on par with its neighbors?
The word "wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian. And Internet communication is quickly changing the way the world works. Consider, for example, Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. Here is a publication, written, compiled and re-edited by "ordinary people" from around the world. But, the actual company only has five employees.
Many mature firms are benefiting from this new business paradigm. Companies such as Boeing, BMW, and Procter and Gamble have been around for the better part of a century. And yet these organizations and their leaders have seized on collaboration and self organization as powerful new levers to cut costs, innovate faster, co-create with customers and partners, and generally do whatever it takes to usher their organizations into the 21st century business environment.
Indeed, when you can connect with people who care about what you want to accomplish, amazing things can happen. Which brings us to Hidden Valley Lake and a small restaurant in the Hardester's Shopping Center called Ting's Thai Kitchen. From its outward appearance, you would not expect this restaurant to have attracted worldwide attention. But, it already has. Just visit its online lens at www.squidoo.com/TTK and read what people around the world have to say about what this little Thai restaurant plans to attempt. Believe it or not, Ting's plans to be the county's first FREE WiFi hot spot with splash page advertising.
What does that mean? It means people will be able to walk into Ting's, order delicious Thai cuisine and while they wait for their meal to be prepared, they can access the Internet with a mobile device they bring into the restaurant with them. All that is required is for restaurant owner Charlie McFarling to put his "secret code" into the mobile device. Once the code is submitted, you can view some fascinating local ads in print, audio and video on the advertising splash page. You can also check your email, surf the Web or make VOIP calls. All FREE inside Ting's.
Of course, it is the splash page advertising that makes the WiFi freely available to the public. So, this is indeed a collaborative effort. But, that is not all. This is also a synergistic effort. Different parties are doing different things to make the system work. Ting's is providing the location. AT&T/Yahoo is providing the Internet connection. The WiFi Company of Denver, CO is providing the WiFi VPN (Virtual Private Network), which makes the public Internet access not only possible, but secure. And, the public will be bringing their own mobile devices into the restaurant.
The reason why the process can work to the advantage of everyone who participates is because everyone who participates cares. Caring ... connecting ... and having a good design. It really can work ... even in Lake County. Perhaps we just need more of it?
Lamar Morgan owns CDMM – Synergistic Business Marketing. He live in Hidden Valley Lake.
Sombs: Vote no on Proposition 98, yes on Proposition 99
Written by Anita Sombs
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Help preserve our way of life – vote no on Proposition 98 and yes on Proposition 99.
Proposition 98 is the hidden agenda proposition and Proposition 99 is the true homeowner protection proposition.
Proposition 98 and Proposition 99 may seem confusing and you may say it doesn't make any difference to me. Well, the big money barons meant it to be confusing when they drafted Proposition 98. Like the villain in the old melodramas it looks just fine at first glance. But take another looksee and it shows its true meaning.
It's not really about eminent domain – it's about the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer with many of us finding ourselves out in the street. Yes, it makes a difference to all of us. Yes, it is about rent control but it is also about taking away zoning protections and endangering county governments with bankruptcy.
Proposition 99 was drafted to help take the sting out of Proposition 98 if it passed. Proposition 99 gives true homeowner protection in cases of eminent domain. It will help keep rents within reason. Proposition 99 keeps government from using eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer.
Lyon: Thanks to all for supporting brunch, Heron Festival
Written by Madelene Lyon
Monday, 12 May 2008
The Board of Directors of Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association would like to thank all of our guests at the 11th annual Wildflower Brunch, held each spring in conjunction with the Heron Festival.
The events, on April 26 and 27, in the park, were a resounding success! We truly appreciate the support the public gives us!
It takes a huge number of volunteers to put on these events successfully, and we wish to thank everyone who contributed time and effort for our events! If we tried to name each one, we'd surely miss someone, so THANK YOU ALL!
A special thanks, though, to the K-Corps of Kelseyville High School. They are always very willing to lend a hand wherever needed. Also, the music that the Kelseyville High Jazz Band provides for us each year gives our waiting brunch-goers some great entertainment while they wait for their custom omelets!
Thanks to all!
Madelene Lyon is president of the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association board.
Every time I read a press release from Mike Thompson's office, and regardless of what he says or does, I question how you go from school teacher to millionaire by election to US Congress?
It amazes me that when someone does not agree with another person, that it then becomes all right to call people names and make false charges against them.
In 2006 I recused myself on the Van Eck subdivision because I made a mistake in a conversation with Mr. Van Eck and stated my opinion on curbs, gutters and sidewalks for his project. I should not have done that and I later decided to recuse myself to be fair to both sides of that issue. I did not have to do that, no one else heard the conversation, only Mr. Van Eck and I knew what was said. But I knew what I did, and I feel I took the correct action.
I did not have any conversations with the Van Ecks about the project currently before the Board of Supervisors and I learned about that project through the normal course of duties as a commissioner. My wife and I get invited to many of the same events as the Van Ecks so we see them from time to time. But, because of the perceived conflicts, the Van Ecks and my wife and I have spent very little time together in the last year. This was a mutual decision to avoid any further conflicts. I'm sure Mr. Murphy is quite proud of himself for becoming a wedge in that friendship. Neither my wife nor myself have any financial interest or connection with the Van Ecks or any of their projects.
Mr. Murphy seems to think that I am getting rich as a member of the Planning Commission. Planning commissioners make $150 to $300 a month. The truth is that I have to take off work to be on the commission and it costs me with lost wages and other expenses about $4,000 a year to sit on the commission. We can spend as much as 20 to 30 hours a month or more reading staff reports, doing site visits and attending public hearings.
Mr. Murphy states I have elastic ethics. I am the vice president of the California County Planning Commissioners Association. I was elected to this position by the planning commissioners from throughout the state's 58 counties. One does not get elected to such a position with elastic ethics. This organization's mission is to train and educate the county planning commissioners throughout California.
If Mr. Murphy spent any time getting his facts right his comments might have some meaning. There was no wine cave approved by the Planning Commission, so once again Mr. Murphy is not correct in his facts!
As for Mrs. Van Eck sitting on the Lake Family Resource Center Board of Directors, that is correct. If LFRC had a project coming before the planning commission I would recuse myself. The fact that Mrs. Van Eck sits on the board does not require me to take that action.
What is going on with the Van Eck ranch issue is the same thing that is going on throughout the county when residential meets ag land. There is almost always a conflict. This is a right-to-farm county and the ag land owner has some protections which allow them to conduct their ag business. It is my hope that with good planning, installing ag buffers, we can reduce the number of conflicts between home owners and ag operations in the future.
Cliff Swetnam represents District 4 on the Lake County Planning Commission. He lives in Lakeport.
