Google Public Data

Just discovered www.google.com/publicdata

Awesome awesome awesome

Random charts to show what you can do...

Exciting times.

Human Rights Day

South Africa really is a beautiful place. On a day like today, it is quite remarkable to think of the progress this country has made. 18 years on from the start of democracy, Freedom Babies are now in their first year of university or entering the work place. There are still lots of concerns, but it is great to see politics moving in the direction of service delivery and to spend days like today recognising how far we have come. I remain a long term optimist. When you read how narrow the mindsets were of those who colonised Latin America, North America, Australia, Africa and elsewhere. When you delve into the craziness of the 'wars of consolidation' of the likes of Genghis Khan and Shaka Zulu. When you think of the bizarre idealogical and religious fights we have had. When you speak to mothers and grandmothers about the opportunities they had growing up, and you compare those to the new freedoms of today - there is a lot of progress to applaud. There are countless areas to improve. But sometimes perspective is required. While those in the US who bemoan the inequality between the 1% and the rest - glancing towards South America and Africa, or back a century or more should give them pause at how much progress Freedom allows. We have problems with crime, corruption and poverty. But I believe in Freedom - particularly of ideas. As ideas become harder to imprison, as people learn more about other cultures, as light gets shone on ignorance... we move forward. Real human rights follow.

Raising the bar

Movember has just finished. I think the idea is great. The 'About' section of the website tells a little about the tale of Movember. The cause is serious. To quote a friend who participated...

'My Mo Aint serious...but ball cancer is.....FRIKIN BALL CANCER!!!!' DL


What I find fascinating is the way the idea spreads. From a standing start in 2003, each year they have raised more money and had more participants. It is an idea virus. Each year more people spread the meme. Last year Movember raised £48.5m and had about 447k participants (Mobros and Mosistas). This year about 850k people have raised about £70m.

Last year, I did it by myself in my office and raised £1423. This year 11 guys participated and we raised just over £8000 as a team.

It is a mix of fun and fundraising. Some people may find that to be a problem. Cancer is serious. So, they may feel a light hearted approach degrades things. That it becomes about being silly.

As the world becomes more and more empathetic, which is a good thing, it also means there are so many more things that get you down. The world is progressively becoming a much better, far safer, significantly wealthier and happier place. Movies like Avatar (which I enjoyed) may glamorise a hunter gather world, but don't be fooled. The world is getting progressively less violent.

What added empathy means is that we care about starving children in other countries. We even care when protesters get pepper sprayed in other countries. We care about people with clef lips who can't smile. We care about children whose parents smoke in the car with them. We care about children growing up as mercenaries in war torn countries. We care about people who lose their jobs. We care about people who have to retire a few years later than planned. We care about people who aren't exactly the same as us. We care about people from completely different cultures. Our caring recognises we are all human. In fact, our caring even extends beyond our species to animals of all shapes and sizes.

Some of these problems are 'first world problems' that pale in significance against others. That doesn't make them not worth caring about. It just means we have raised the bar.

But it can also feel overwhelming sometimes. All this caring. So, when some good comes out of a little silliness. I don't think that is bad. You can care, and do good through, while dressing the problem up with a little fun.

That is why I think the Movember Meme spreads. It is silly, and we like being silly. It is a visual way of people joining in the fun and doing some good.

Sounds like a win win.

Arbitrary Rules

Arbitrary rules can be powerful. They help overcome Inertia.

Seth Godin writes a blog post every day. That is an arbitrary rule. Does it really matter if he misses a day? Probably not, but it forces him to write every day. Eventually it becomes a habit... so it doesn't feel like force.

I am writing far less regularly than I would like. I realised this. I also realised that I had still written at least one blog post a month for quite some time. Hardly enough to form a habit, so fair to say that it doesn't compare to Seth's rule - and so is more arbitrary. But it was enough to force me to write one yesterday.

I used to use arbitrary rules to help me get through my studies. If a subject took 300 hours, I would break it down into the hours necessary per week and then plan how many to do each week. I would try stick to that. Again, maybe that is not arbitrary as it let me get to the end without any panic. The arbitrary part was that I would break it down into segments - study for 50 minutes, 10 minute break, repeat.

Why 50, why 10? No particular reason. It just seemed to help me get through.

Now, if the arbitrary rule gets in the way of something that is not arbitrary. That can be a problem. But otherwise, if it helps you get off the couch...

Sharing Ideas

I can't call myself an early adopter of blogging, and with just a post here and there, other than an 18 month splurge of posts - I am hardly a regular poster. The end of the splurge is partly connected to the fact that the only other friend I knew of who blogged quit blogging in December '09. Ideas tend to feed off each other, and I used to find myself always thinking about what I was going to write about next, so it is a slippery slope. Writing every day is much easier than writing when the mood takes you. It is a habit much like anything else.

I have never quite taken to twitter, with just 32 tweets. I did take to Facebook. As Social media has evolved though, they do seem to be slowly ironing out cracks. I am chuffed to see Google really giving Facebook a go with Google+. A little competition goes a long way to inspiring some innovation.

Some random observations...

• It would be cool if you could write blog posts that only selected individuals could see, without them having to sign in - Google+ has this, maybe blogger will soon. You can do private blogs, but the additional layer of having to sign in is irritating.
• Pre-signing in remove anonymity. I think this is a good thing. People say silly things when they think it is anonymous.
• Twitter was the less private - everyone can see version. Google+ added the ability to choose which groups to share status updates with (including public), and I think Facebook will follow. I like the idea that ideas can be shared freely, and private stuff can be kept private.
• Filtering remains a big problem. Google Reader does a decent job, but I still struggle getting through the clutter. Relying on friends 'liking'/sharing things doesn't always help, since if lots of them do it, and only a some of the articles are relevant to you, you still have to filter through that too.
• Of course, sharing ideas takes time. Unless you are Tim Ferris, finding the time is tough. And even if you would love it if certain of your friends were into sharing their ideas, finding your own motivation is tough enough. And then there is the day job.

All being said, I do think watching things progress is exciting. I particularly enjoy the experimental nature of it all. I thought Google Wave was pretty cool, but it never took. Bits of it get incorporated into new ideas, and some code is made open source so others can try use it. Some stuff fails, some stuff like Facebook takes off.

At the end of the day it all comes down to sharing ideas.

Exciting times.

The Creative Process

'You see the crossings out, you see the agonies this man went through'

- Leonard Bernstein on Beethoven

Reading Nancy Duarte's 'Resonate' led me to search for a video of Leonard Bernstein as an example of a great communicator. Here he is talking about about Beethoven.

I imagine what he says is true of most aspects of greatness. The end product looks clean. Every note is exactly where it should be. It all makes sense.

Behind that is the toil. Behind that is the ten thousand hours. Behind that is the head clasped in the hands in shear desperation that leads to that moment when you are finished and smile.

Perfect.

A Few More

My studio is rather packed with paintings now, and I have had a great time of it. After a drought of a few years, I have been making up for lost time.

I missed the exhibition the Wimbledon Art Studios hold as I was on a work trip, but it seems the others had a good time. They did say that people were holding back in terms of purchases, which is a reminder of the hard times.

It is also an advantage of being able to paint for pleasure! I do feel for people who make their living from what is considered a luxury. When times are tough, they feel the squeeze.

A Crazy Potter Who Likes Tea

Whenever I visit John Bauer, it is like been transported into some parallel, rather odd universe.

John is a potter. A crazy potter. A crazy potter who likes tea. And John the crazy potter who likes tea will have a cup up tea with you in his rather odd universe in Greenwood Road, Harfield Village. You would not need a house number. His house/study/universe is rather obvious.

John reminds me of the movie 'The Prestige'. The reason for this is that when you first meet him, it seems like he is acting. Think of some amalgamation between the Queens English, a libertine, a conservative, a west end theatre actor and you may have a taste of his strange world. Why I say he reminds me of 'The Prestige' is the consistency with which he lives this life.

It is not stretching the truth to say he lives pottery. It is everywhere, and he lives within his workshop - constantly producing.

John is a good example of Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hours combined with no fear of making mistakes. There is stuff he does which can't be taught. He has stumbled across new techniques as he becomes fascinated by the 'errors' he makes and tries to build on their beauty.

Needless to say, I am a big fan of his work.

The Bees that came to live with John...