Thinking Out Loud

Without Rewards There Will Be No Effort

Anyone who really thinks income redistribution and having 50% of America on welfare (or paying no income taxes) is going to work in the long term should read this article about an experiment in a college classroom. 

We have to take care of those who cannot fend for themselves, but society aka government must reward risk and hard work or . . . there will be neither.  Entrepreneurs, investors and risk-takers will continue to go elsewhere. There are lots of countries ready to accept job creators. Those left behind will just wait every month for what Washington says they should get.

 

Visit the Virtual Viet Nam Wall

If you knew anyone who did not come home from Viet Nam, you can find them at The Virtual Wall. The heroes are organized by their home town and each is assigned his or her own memorial page. Here is the list from Jefferson City.

 

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI:
SGT JOHN ROBERT BAMVAKAIS Jr	CPL VICTOR PAUL CASSMEYER Jr	CPT CHARLES WILLIAM CHANDLER
LCPL DALE LEE CLARK	CAPT ROBERT DEAN DAVENPORT	PFC MICHAEL RICHARD FORCK
CPL ROBERT JOHN HARRIS	CAPT CLARENCE JOSEPH HEMMEL	SGT JEFFREY LYNN HICKS
CAPT EUGENE PHILLIP Mc KINNEY	SP4 LARRY DEAN SMITH	1LT RONALD WINSTON THOMPKINS
1LT RUSSEL EARL VORIS

 

Highstreetbeat Reaches 75K Milestone

Yesterday www.highstreetbeat.com was viewed for the 75,000th time. Thanks to all our regular friends, occasional visitors, accidental late night geeks, and my mom for her 25,000 views. It's been fun.

Now in Africa, Jill Westra uses HSB to keep in touch

After graduating from JCHS in 1994 Jill Howland Westra has gone places -- literally -- doing lots of good things including her environmental consulting business in Botswana.

From far, far, away she uses this little weblog to keep in touch with her home town. 

Here's an interview at Coffee Zone that includes some stuff about Jill --- and about us.

Everything You Need to Know About Social Networking

Wife Peggy is very active in the local Mac Users Group. They asked me to put together a piece on social networking -- Twitter, Blogs and Face Book. No rehearsals. Raw footage. Action. Adventure. Time Travel. Guns. Danger. Click here for a video presentation that will change your view of the digital world.

I was out of town, but someone emailed me a picture of the group at the conclusion of the video, shown  below.

Actually, take a look if you have a few minutes. It was a challenge to simplify something with so many moving parts.

 

Beer, Babes, Baseball, Blogs & Bouquets

I poke fun at the News Tribune about headlines that are just designed to get attention and not reflective of the news buried in the text. On reflection, I think that's a pretty cool idea. This post is actually about the annual Good Neighbor Day at Mike Moscato's River City Florist -- proceeds to the United Way.

Beer? Bernie Fechtel was my partner handing out roses.

Blog? Mike Kehoe just launched www.mikespaperplate.com

Baseball? Tom Henke thinks the Cardinals have a chance. 

Babes? Not going there. 

The Capital City Insider -- a Treasury of Local Lore

I don't know much about podcasting, but I want learn more. It's relaxing to spend a few minutes listening to the spoken word -- without the intensity of video or even music. We have a very robust local podcast site, The Capital City Insider. The creator, Mike Cooper, has been doing podcasts about Jefferson City for over a year. When he interviewed me last week for his 22nd production, it was an excuse to learn a little about this corner of the digital world. 

I was surprised at Mike's reaction when I wanted to return the favor and interview him for Highstreetbeat. He apologetically declined and told me that his podcasting is "not about me." He said he keeps the focus on the people and subjects he presents. I thought about that for a few minutes, and I began to appreciate his approach. Too many presenters color their content with their own egos. Check out his 22 sessions. They're very worthwhile. And he has some great things up his sleeve, so stay tuned.

One of his first posts has a nice video description of podcast basics.

Betsy's Blog is Cool . . . and very Betsy

Friend and local character Betsy Dudenhoeffer has a neat blog:  Giggles and Bits.  Check it out. It's pure Betsy. It has more pink than a Victoria's Secret Valentine's Day ad. Keep it up girl!

This is not picture of Betsy. 

This is picture of what I think Betsy looked like when she was three. 

Everyone Should Listen to Gretchen and her Friends

Gretchen Mahan is a Journalism student at Mizzou and a reporter for Public Radio Station KBIA. She called me for an interview about Highstreetbeat. Her report aired yesterday morning. She analyzed how politicians are using blogs and Twitter to keep in touch and get their messages out. 

Gretchen reciprocated by letting Highstreetbeat interview her. She told me about "citizen journalism," a puzzling phrase to me. I grew up thinking that journalists gathered information for citizens -- it was not a two way experience.

Her perspective is a good example of how the Grown Up Digital generation is moving far beyond my Baby-Boomer generation.  

And that's really OK by me. 

Old Penitentiary Tour Reminds Us of Work Ahead

About thirty folks braved the cold last Saturday to take a tour of the old penitentiary -- hosted very ably by Office of Administration Architect Charlie Brzuchalski and Corrections Veteran and historian Mark Schreiber. The site is in the hands of a Commission created by state statute in 1991.   

Friend Steve Mays suggested the idea, and his web posting is well worth viewing - a full slide show of pics. It's a huge, complicated project -- something that Jefferson City and Cole County are taking very seriously by devoting significant funds to infrastructure around the site. We're cautiously optimistic that the state will come to realize its true potential.