UPDATE: We are looking for larger venues that will donate their space for FREE community events like this one. We hit capacity for this Ignite/LA due to unprecedented demand – please contact one of the organizers if you know of a centrally located space in Los Angeles. We would like to continue to provide this as a FREE community event! Thank you.

Ignite Global: What is Ignite?

Fast-paced, fun, thought-provoking, social, local, global—Ignite is all of these and more. It’s a high-energy evening of 5-minute talks by people who have an idea—and the guts to get onstage and share it with their hometown crowd. Run by local volunteers who are connected through the global Ignite network, Ignite is a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections in each city.  And, via streaming and archived videos of local talks, local Ignites share all that knowledge and passion with the world.

—-

PAST EVENT:

Ignite/LA

Monday, June 7, 2010 7:30pm ↔ COME EARLY!  When capacity reached it’s “one out / one in”
V Lounge, Santa Monica
Free http://ignitela.eventbrite.com/ — REGISTER SOON, space is limited! LINE-UP LIST ONLY avail now w/Eventbrite link.

5 Minutes.  20 Slides.  15 Seconds per Slide.

Los Angeles: Speakers get only 5 minutes to give an amazing, inspiring talk.  In LA, there are tons of different communities at the intersection of tech, art, green/sustainability, unique lifestyle design, digital/collaborative media, and social action that don’t know each other but should.  Think of Ignite as a set of trailers for exciting projects people are doing that you should know about.

Speakers on June 7:

** Directed Evolution // Frances Arnold, Caltech Prof: Wikipedia Entry

** Another Earth // Amir Give’on, NASA JPL

** Write How To Make The Best Of Living In A War Zone // Liz Grover, Writer/Filmmaker

** How to Stop Killer Robots from Destroying the Human Race // Brady Brim-DeForest, CEO Tubefilter

** Financing the Future // Glenn Yago, Exec Dir of Financial Research, Milken Institute

** An Amazing History of Awesome Stuff Underground // Molly Steenson, Design Researcher

** Asking a girl out with PPT // Jason Porath, Professional Effects Artist and Technical Director

** Mechanical Olympics // Xtine Burrough, Media Artist & Asst Prof CSU Fullerton

** Human Performance and Transformation // Dave Logan, Thought Leader, Author, Consultant, & Assoc Prof USC Marshall

** Seduction // Felice Dunas, Executive Coach, Author, and Vitality Expert

** Meditation and Consciousness // Pedram Shojai, Taoist & Qi Gong master, Wellness Expert

** Collaborative Production // Sheila Hardy, Filmmaker / Eve’s Lime

** Teaching Kids Programming // Lynn Langit, Microsoft Evangelist / Digigirls

** The Internet in China // Christine Lu, CEO, Affinity China

** Free Broadband // John Ayers , OpenNeighborhoods

**Bringing Your Story to Life in 3D Animation // M Eastling, Rex Ray Films

Previous Ignite/LA talks can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/iGNiTelosangeles#p/u including:
- The Making of the Ok Go Rube Goldberg machine
- Tech & Humanitarianism: Crisis Commons
- The Future of Money

also see http://igniteshow.com/ for many great Ignite presentations from around the world.

Details &  Schedule
———————

The event is FREE.  We’re hosting it at V Lounge on June 7:

-> 7:30pm Hang out, V lounge will have drink specials

-> 8:30pm-9:45 Ignite talks

-> Feel free to hang out afterwards

While the event is free, you are responsible for paying for your own food/drinks from V Lounge if you want ‘em.  There is a decent amount of street parking in the neighborhood if you’re early. V Lounge has valet; we haven’t finalized, but believe they may be able to get us a discounted rate.

V Lounge
2020 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90403-5608

Please register at http://ignitela.eventbrite.com/

Organizers and Sponsors
———————
This event was organized by Dan Gould (@dgould), Michael Liskin (@rhetor), Heathervescent (@heathervescent), and SocialAnimal.tv.

Co-sponsor Social Animal (http://socialanimal.tv) is managing production–and will put the talks on the YouTube.

Follow Us
———————
Twitter https://twitter.com/Ignite2LA

Ignite/LA Facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=300099460918

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/IgniteLA

Thanks,
The Ignite/LA crew

Ignite Los Angeles is part of Global Ignite Week

Ignite Los Angeles during Global Ignite week happened on March 1st, 2010.

This Ignite/LA included the following speakers; We (the organizers) would like to thank them for their huge contribution to the community: Eric Gradman, Adam Sadowsky, Mike Flynn, Chad Catacchio, Chris Spurgeon, Kasey McMahon, Lisa Remington, Sekou Andrews, Dena Plotkin, Kurt Daradics, Karen North, and Jenny Funkmeyer

Thank you to @TechFrog and @curiousjosh for their photo contributions! And thank you to my fellow co-organizers and our sponsors and event staff.

Adam Sadowsky’s talk on the (Global Ignite Show) on how they made the Rube Goldberg machine for the OK GO video has already surpassed 42,000 views on YouTube by May 2010 and is a behind-the-scenes look at an Internet hit of a video!

Kurt Daradics was featured on the Los Angeles Ignite Show and our other speakers’ videos are up on the Los Angeles Ignite channel (click their name above) and may soon be featured on one of the shows.

Here is the original call to action:

————-

Ignite/LA

Monday, March 1, 2010
7pm; talks start at 7:30pm

5 Minutes. 20 Slides. 15 Seconds per Slide.

Speakers get only 5 minutes to give an amazing, inspiring talk. In LA, there are tons of different communities at the intersection of tech, academia, art, green/sustainability, entertainment, unique lifestyle design, digital/collaborative media, and social action that don’t know each other but should. Think of Ignite as a set of trailers for exciting projects people are doing that you should know about.

At other Ignites, talks have included:
- Cyborg Anthropology
- The Secret Underground World of Lego
- How to Buy a Car
- Hacking Chocolate

At the last Ignite/LA, we had talking including:
- The Future of Money
- Turning AI gurus into Comets and Star Field Explosions
- Bubble Nets among Humpback Whales

you can check out the recordings on http://ignite.oreilly.com/show/

Details & Schedule
———————

The event is FREE. We’re hosting it at Cinespace on March 1:

-> 7pm Dinner & Drinks — Cinespace has good food and plenty of drinks. Hang out with programmers, entrepreneurs, digital artists, researchers, etc

-> 7:30pm-8:45 Ignite talks

-> 9:30 Cinespace opens to the general public — you’re welcome to stay for the concert

While the event is free, you are responsible for paying for your own food/drinks from Cinespace if you want ‘em.

Cinespace
6356 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Organizers and Sponsors
———————
This event was organized by Dan Gould (@dgould), Michael Liskin (@rhetor), Heathervescent (@heathervescent), and Matt Forrest.

This event is co-sponsored by USC’s Annenberg Program on Online Communities (@APOCusc), http://www.AnnenbergOnlineCommunities.com. Co-sponsor Social Animal (http://socialanimal.tv) is managing production–and will put the talks on the YouTube.

Ignite was started by Brady Forrest at O’Reilly. This event is part of Global Ignite Week, March 1-5. As part of Global Ignite Week, there will be Ignite events on six continents in 60 Cities with 600 Talks, encompassing 10,000+ Igniters.

Talks
———————

If you’re working on an interesting project, have an unusual skill, or
just some interest that would be fun to share with everyone, please
submit a proposal to:

http://bit.ly/IgniteLA

We are trying to mix all sorts of topics, so tell us what you’re up to that’s interesting.

****REGISTER EARLY AND GET FREE VALET****
———————
http://ignitela.eventbrite.com/ (official RSVPs here please)

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/5401445/CA/Los-Angeles/Ignite-LA/Cinespace/ (tell your friends here please)

Follow Us
———————

Twitter hashtag: #igniteLA

Twitter username: @Ignite2LA

Ignite/LA Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=300099460918

Thanks,
Michael (@rhetor), Dan (@dgould), Heather (@heathervescent), and Matthew

I’m at the OD Network Conference in Seattle (Oct 17-21), where starting later today Organization Development practitioners will discuss the future of the field, conduct learning sessions that intend to advance the theory and practice of OD, and generally interface with each other on how to best serve their clients and employers.  This may be a watershed year as there are several projects in the works that may invigorate the field with new social and collaborative online technologies such as microblogging sites (ie Twitter), social networking sites (ie. LinkedIn, Facebook), wikis, blogs, and other online interactive environments. It may take some time until the field routinely uses the most advanced online tools on client engagements (change management efforts, team-building, leadership development, etc.), but I have high hopes considering the conversations I’m already hearing.

This year includes an action research project called Flocking To Seattle, spearheaded by a workgroup that includes graduate student Anna Russell. Their project mission:

The work of Flocking to Seattle researchers is to learn about the value of microblogging for OD practice by influencing a self organizing conversation over Twitter and initiating connections through the OD community around the events of the OD Network’s Annual Conference.

Platinum Sponsor Plus Delta Consulting has chosen to launch their blog and new media campaign at the conference, while endeavoring to educate their colleagues on the importance of digital media in the field of OD. They have a strong commitment to online social and collaborative opportunities for both community interaction and to augment the effectiveness of OD interventions. I’ve recently joined the Plus Delta team and was tasked with launching the new blog and soon-to-be online social interactions. It’s been a pleasure to work with such dedicated, professional, and intelligent individuals who clearly see where the field of OD is headed. And look at this view from the offices! All of the team will be tweeting from @PlusDelta and liveblogging the conference, with special interviews scheduled. CEO Jeremy Lurey may also tweet from his personal account!

Alex Dunne, attendee, has volunteered to run the official Twitter account for the OD Network Conference: @ODNetwork, and is planning to hand out labels so attendees can add their Twitter handle to their badges. He is starting various other projects (check back here for late additions).

Jackie Alcalde Marr, Mary Ellen Kassotakis, and Arthur Jue lead a session called “Social Technologies for Communicating, Collaborating, and Connecting,” essentially teaching OD practitioners the value of social networking within OD. Their new book is called Social Media at Work.

*I will add to this post here when Flocking To Seattle shares their results*

Huge thanks to Jake McKee of Ants Eye View for directing me to this video. This shows the media-communications-digital revolution in a succinct and dramatic manner, and it’s fun to watch. Scholars of communication, media, and technology studies will get something out of this so be sure to watch it if that describes you!

Below is the recording of the livestream of the event, covering what’s happening in LA that is eco-conscious and sustainable, what can be done locally to affect the world at large, how to reduce your carbon footprint, how to get involved and make a difference, what to do in the home or office, and green consumerism in LA and via the Internet.
Free TV Show from Ustream

Moira Nordholt's Tweetuplift December 2008

Since the inaugural voyage of The Schwaggin Wagon, I’ve been more aware of examples of people using the power of new media to quickly organize and mobilize individuals for brief acts of philanthropy–what I’ve called Flash Philanthropy. Now that the microblogging site, Twitter, has a larger user base, there is a greater potential for ad hoc acts of charitable mobilization that take less and less time to set in motion. Simply put: Twitter gets the word out fast when it’s time to create ad hoc groups based on a shared idea.

Back in the Spring of 2008, six of us organized the wagon project in less than 10 days, and it played out in 72 hours. A few days ago, vegan consultant and cookbook author Moira Nordholt organized her Tweetuplift in less than 48 hours and it played out in two! We used Twitter in the service of our project, whereas Moria used Twitter to organize her project in the first place. How did she gather ten people to give up their time on Christmas day (in order to hand out food and supplies to those in need)? How did she gather them in the pouring rain, with no mandate or preconceived structure, giving less than two days of lead time for anyone to alter their plans? Answer: Twitter–but not just Twitter. Specifically the fact that well-known and well-followed people chose to take up her cause and “re-tweet” her call on Twitter, meaning they re-broadcasted the call for volunteers for which Moira had originally asked. This allowed a wider audience of people to hear about the ad hoc event, and choose to take part.

Moira’s Twitter handle is @feelgoodguru. Among those who helped were @invisiblepeople, @vaguelyartistic, @AlexisNeely (who brought multiple family members and had been looking for such an opportunity when she saw the tweet), @JackiePeters, and @ronproulx. Re-tweets came from @rhetor (me), @lizstrauss, @perrybelcher, @scobleizer, @heathermilligan, @HarpArora, @Andrewjustin, @cfl_homeless, @nakisnakis, @linnetwoods, @Peppersantblai, @lovemorenow, @mrken777, @amoyal, @mandamin, @bcross, and @LAist. You can check out Moira’s recap of the event here. And the Laist post here. Bottom line: They handed out food and 100 scores of ponchos to some very cold and hungry individuals, and by doing so they made a difference in people’s lives.

Here’s the punchline regarding Twitter and this instance of flash philanthropy: Moira has only been a member of Twitter for less than a month, and she doesn’t have a vast network of friends in Los Angeles because she lives mostly in Toronto. She probably has less than 20 followers on Twitter who live in Los Angeles! She tells me:

“Twitter is a way of finding your tribe members and then taking it from there…when you tweet something you’re passionate about… it’s a great way of getting people to come out of the woodwork”

It sure is. Will we see future Tweetuplifts in all the major cities in the U.S.? I wouldn’t be surprised if we do. The “flash” in flash philanthropy can spark something far beyond the initial act, and I give a great deal of credit to the Moira Nordholts of the world. Keep flashing!

Recently I started working at Blankspaces. This is a coworking office environment designed for freelancers and independent professionals who work solo, but who want to do so with others in an office environment. This can be a temporary, or somewhat more permanent solution to the isolation of working from one’s home. It’s a fantastic idea that embodies the best aspects of collaborative work and the potential for cross-pollination of ideas.  The proximity encourages conversations that might only arise seldomly at a cafe or cocktail party, thereby increasing chances of serendipity in one’s business and life.

Blankspaces is the paradigmatic example of the intersection between physical and online space–they have an online community that compliments and augments the offline community. Some of my graduate school work looked at examples of synchronous and asynchronous online/offline collaboration; I’ve been looking for more examples ever since.

Looks like I’ve found an important place, in that this office space provides the perfect research laboratory for the study of how offline and online interaction mutually affect one another, and how online tools in an intimate environment can facilitate friendships and business in physical space. It also uncovers what humans in this culture prefer to do online versus offline, when given the option to choose.

Kudos to Jerome Chang for creating a well-designed office space and in many respects a community center. Unlike Starbucks, Blankspaces has the potential to become a true “third place” that merits a mention to the sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who first discussed the necessity of such a place for the social vitality of a given community.

I recently returned from Sacramento, where I attended my cousin’s memorial (there was no funeral). I will never forget this event; 500 people came out to honor Harvey Rose, M.D. While this is not a personal blog, there is insight to be gained from the life of Harvey Rose, especially with respect to human interaction and the medical field in the U.S.

Perhaps we are forced to scour the Internet in the role of personal medical researcher more often than we would like; is medical research our part-time job? We spend more time harnessing the collective intellect of the English-speaking world on medical topics precisely because most doctors do not have the dedication or encyclopedic knowledge of Harvey Rose. I appreciate the use of community knowledge to help us understand our own medical conditions–in fact it is a crucial step since no doctor can keep up with the world’s research–but what happened to doctors embracing their oath to us, assisting their community of patients with even a fraction of what Dr. Rose gave to his?

Harvey Rose embodied the term community. He was a pain physician who fought for patients rights in the State of California at great personal cost. His stand for those patients ultimately culminated in the creation of the Patient’s Bill of Rights. Back in the ’80s the principle governing body of doctors wanted to pull his medical license in their blind quest to quash narcotics, just for his daring to prescribe pain medication to patients with unremitting chronic pain.

It was remarkable to watch patient after patient tell the audience that Harvey Rose was their hero, and that he saved their lives. Over time, the blog in which I am now posting will certainly evangelize the prospect of online communities making a difference in people’s lives, however it will not do so by covering up how important local community is, along with professionals who care enough to call their patients every night with their test results. Harvey Rose was such a man. He cared for his patients unlike any doctor I have ever known, and he helped make this country a better place to live. He will indeed be missed by the world at large and by Kari, Dianna, Nathan, and the rest of his family and friends. I will miss him. Click the above link to read the obituary from the Sacramento Bee.

Update: The Journal of Practical Pain Management has published a definitive obituary of Harvey. This is a must-read to get the full sense of his contribution to this world.