today's quote

"It's only an 'uh-oh' if it is an accident."

if you're not energized, you might be living under a rock

Whatever your persuasion, if you aren't energized by the engagement of the American public in the political process this year, you might want to check your pulse. Some stats I've heard in the media today:

More than three times as many Americans under age 30 in Georgia voted yesterday than did in 2004.

Five times as many New Yorkers under 30 voted yesterday.

More people voted yesterday than on Super Tuesday 1968 - the last time that we saw these historic levels of voter turnout.

Imagine what we could accomplish if only we had this kind of engagement more than once every 40 years.

best quote heard in my house in a while

Dad says to our daughter this morning...

"Nooooo.... don't eat THAT cheerio. We don't know if came out of your diaper!"

live posting/commenting

Maddie's questions make me think of those scrolling message displays sometimes seen at concerts... (yeah, as a new mom, I haven't been to one in ages, but I do occasionally live vicariously through concert goers on TV).

What if the conference had a scrolling chat display at the sessions (ALL the sessions) that allowed participants to comment on the presentation as it happens?

Putting my conference planner hat on for a moment...

I'd test run that in a session or two first... but it could be fun.

are you ready for web 2.0?

I just listened in on a session about this topic, where the presenter accurately noted that it's not about the technology you use, it's about the value it brings to the members. Not surprisingly, the question came up, "What if someone says something bad about you on your own association's blog?"

I didn't get a chance to answer that question, and quite frankly, I didn't feel like yelling from the back of the room, so here is my response:

1. I'd rather have someone criticize me on my blog, than to start a blog elsewhere and criticize me. At least I'd know right away, and I'd be positioned to do something about it.
2. No one, trust me, no one wants to read a glossy, glowing, triple-proofed blog about how great your association is. Controversy and intellectual discussion will drive people to your site. Dissent is useful! And it raises the bar...
3. Your members and your readers will have much more respect for your association if you allow - dare I say - encourage, diverse points of view on your site.
4. Encouraging diverse perspectives on your blog may actually help you do something about the lack of your diversity in your association (an issue that many, many associations face, but don't know how to address).

I think ASAE's Acronym blog is an excellent example of how this works. And works well.