Campaign Information
I've decided to officially put this blog on hiatus for the duration of my campaign for public school trustee in Cambridge.
If you've come here looking for information about me or about the campaign, please visit my campaign website at www.CambridgePublicSchools.ca
Thanks!
Cambridge Reporter Revisited
It seems that my foray into community publishing in 2008 has garnered some interest on the Twitter... There is some confusion, understandably, about who was doing what when and under what when.
I may do an in-depth post sometime on the whole experience, but for now I'll offer a simple timeline to clear the air:
(I'm doing this from memory, so I may revise these a bit after publishing)
June 2008: I launch CambridgeReporter.ca. it's a community-driven site where anyone can submit stories and opinion. It's intended to be more news than opinion - similar to NowPublic.com but on a smaller scale.
October 2008: TorStar sends me a friendly email about how they still own the Reporter name and they'd appreciate it if I could stop using it. Important to note that in Sept 2008 TorStar did not own any of the relevant URLs, but in October, CambridgeReporter.com suddenly appeared with syndicated content from the K-W Record. Update: Rabble.ca did a story about this here: http://www.rabble.ca/news/cease-and-desist-i-dont-think-so
Later in October 2008: CambridgeReporter.ca becomes CambridgeVoice.ca.
Spring 2009: The Cambridge Voice becomes The Cambridge Advocate under new ownership. (I'm totally drawing a blank on the timing here, so I'll update after a little research)
There it is - my best recollection of the events surrounding my involvement with the Cambridge Reporter.
On the Twitter, there's already talk about trying again to create a community-driven local news & opinion website. Stay tuned.
ShareOn The Twitter This Week: 2010-01-09
- All the kids are napping which means that I can finally listen to my newly-purchased "Monty Python Sings". #
- Man, I really hoping to see the fire truck take a run... http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watc.....?v=6681017 #
- Looks like Jon Bryant's Two Coasts for Comfort will be my first new album purchase of 2010. #
- http://twitpic.com/weu26 - The twins showing off their bibs from @sarahcasm at http://thequintessentialbaby.com #
- got the free download of @jonrbryant's single "Deaf" in iTunes - and bought the album 15 minutes later. Great stuff. http://bit.ly/6y0DMI #
- The first CD I ever bought was Pearl Jam's Ten. First concert was them opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers. Just re-bought Ten. Reminiscing. #
- watching the #GaltCoWork document evolve has been truly amazing. (http://colincarmichael.ca/galtcoworkdoc). Some very good work there. #
- So far today I've learned that Hannah, 4, knows most of the words to Love Shack (B52s), Africa (Toto) & I Ran (Flock of Seagulls). Awesome. #
- Got a chuckle when this popped up in a Google Alert: http://bit.ly/64CggG - I'd forgotten abt the story in #AdAge. Seems like a lifetime ago #
- RT @Ont_Ombudsman: Ethics 101: public officials shouldn't take sides in commercial disputes. Hello Waterloo Police Chief! #
- http://twitpic.com/wkoqg - They just keep getting bigger! (gratuitous baby pic) #
- RT @chrisabraham: After reading as many Family Christmas Letters as I could find, occurred to me that they are basically annual blog posts. #
- RT @courosa: "The Earl of Dufferin provides a lesson 2 Michaëlle Jean on how 2 deal w/ Afghan detainee affair" #cdnpoli http://is.gd/5LcA8 #
- Woah - that was terrible piece on socnet security on CBC's The National... #1 advice? "Don't click links." How incredibly helpful. #
- Up and at 'em for the first Monday of 2010... #
- 2010 is not off to great start... Has anyone seen my car keys? #
- RT @shey: Can't really blame @lrobertsglobal for cracking up on air: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGF-N3c1d6M LOL! #
- from Google Reader: Daniel Pink has two questions for you http://bit.ly/6QAbzl (via @markblevis) #
- RT @Engagingbrand: If only I had known for the last 10 years I had been living in the noughties...life would have been so different :) #
- Y'know what would be cool? A translation app that works the way Shazam does. #
- Listening to Spark podcast (@sparkcbc) at 2x speed to get caught up. 3 episodes behind! #
- yeah, what? RT @saffyre9: Uhm, what? RT @guelphmercury: OPP scanner suggests an airliner may have crashed between Rockwood and Highway 401. #
- RT @rhh: U of T emeritus political science prof: "Canadians don't realize that parliamentary democracy is in danger" http://bit.ly/4Pt1vL #
- Heading off to Alliston for a meeting and putting my faith in the GPS to get me there via back roads. Hwy 401->400 seems like a bad choice. #
- RT @ryantaylor: "...political action doesn’t begin and end with joining a FB group." Good post @joeboughner http://bit.ly/8URyoz #
- Holy crap... I'm watching #WJHC Can vs. USA on my iPod! Live... on my iPod! I love living in the future... #
- RT @modsuperstar: Wow, the iPhone streaming for the Can/US game is better then the stream on my computer // noticed that too #
- ok folks, I just bought noprorogue.ca - let's do something cool with it, shall we? Who wants to help? #
- still trying to decide what to do with noprorogue.ca - I don't want to duplicate efforts on the FB grp & am unclear what's needed... #
- I just became the mayor of The Presbyterian Church in Canada on @foursquare! http://4sq.com/6xl9z8 #
- I'm at The Presbyterian Church in Canada (50 Wynford Drive, Toronto). http://4sq.com/6xl9z8 #
- RT @WRPSToday: Police determine that a man who approached a boy on Dec 23 in Cambridge was a misunderstanding. No concerns for public safety #
- hey folks... is http://noprorogue.ca forwarding to the FB group for everyone? #
- Hi All... I just put a landing page up for http://noprorogue.ca - drop an email address in to get notified when it' live! #
- updates from noprorogue.ca will also be flowing to @noprorogue once it's live. Pls RT #noprorogue #cdnpoli #
- I want... no need... one of these: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/d.....presenter/ #
- RT @noprorogue Welcome to NoProrogue.ca! http://is.gd/5T3pd // It's LIVE!! #
- I'm at Tim Hortons (Franklin Blvd, Saginaw Blvd, Cambridge). http://4sq.com/6ZqaQu #
- RT @noprorogue: Update: Welcome to NoProrogue.ca! http://noprorogue.ca/welcome-to-noprorogue/ #cdnpoli #noprorogue Pls RT #
- thanks everyone for all the noprorogue.ca RTs! Cool things coming over the next day or so! Don't forget to register and submit a blog post! #
- TGIF! (@ The Presbyterian Church in Canada) http://4sq.com/6xl9z8 #
- RT @noprorogue: Update: Have Your Say! Record a Video Message to PM Harper! http://bit.ly/6WpMnr #
- RT @M_Ignatieff: Just spoke to press before the shuttered doors of the House of Commons. Told them Liberals will be back at work Jan25 #
- RT @noprorogue: Update: Adopt a City! // link: http://noprorogue.ca/adopt-a-city/ #
- Do you know how many times I've almost type perogie in the last 24 hours? Lots. #
- Lunch! (@ McDonald's) http://4sq.com/6vhBhi #
- Thanks! @acoyne was kind enough to link to noprorogue.ca from this post: http://bit.ly/8aoIzC #noprorogue #
- Our first video submission! RT @noprorogue: Update: Bad Monkey http://bit.ly/7I3Htz #cdnpoli #noprorogue #
- RT @sarahcasm: My son just sniffed the rear-end of a stuffed toy and said "Ewww! Yucky!" #
- ok folks, noprorogue.ca is going to have to survive without me for a couple hours while I head home... see u on the other side. ;) #
- 900 visits and 2000 pageviews at noprorogue.ca so far today... wow. #
- I'm at Tim Hortons (800 Bancroft Dr, @ Mavis & 401, Mississauga). http://4sq.com/92HpZH #
- RT @billdinTO: There is a new Harper prorogation 'Downfall' video up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eNESzuM78k #
- I think I'll make a pit stop at Grand River Brewery to celebrate the day. #localbeer #localisbetter #ocb #
- I'm at Grand River Brewing (99 Ainslie St, Cambridge). http://4sq.com/4tg50L #
- RT @noprorogue No Prorogue! » Waterloo Region Info & Events http://is.gd/5VpRV #
- Is the Quick Edit/Page Parent issue in WP 2.9.1 a known bug? #
- too much self-promotion? or the right thing to do? RT @noprorogue No Prorogue! » About http://is.gd/5VNkd #
- There's lots of smart folks who are frustrated about prorogation but haven't yet had their say at NoProrogue.ca... What are you waiting for? #
- HaHa! RT @modsuperstar: RT @ENBdavies: Dear // I thought you stopped eating meat #
- WP help... best solution for getting notified by email of articles submitted by contributors pending review? #wordpress #
- wow... after just 24 hrs of uptime, noprorogue.ca has 1800 visits and 3800 pageviews... #
- hey, remember Facebook Flyers? Those were the days... /smirk #
- trying to figure out what to do next... #
- And with that, she becomes incomprehensible... :) RT @quirkycori: Tphe njd guxs r here. #
- RT @CAPP2010: Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament moves beyond facebook http://noprorogue.ca/ #CAPP #cdnpoli #prorogue #
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ShareOn The Twitter This Week: 2010-01-02
- I need some quick Regex help: I need to redirect /yyyy/mm/dd/title-of-post to /article/title-of-post (changing permalinks is such a pain) #
- Heading into Ajax this morning to spend time with family - I think it's the first time I'll have been out of Cambridge since December 18th! #
- RT @parkernow: Things like this make me love the internet: http://bit.ly/7nGIyW #
- RT @ryananderson Can we stop calling this social media? http://bit.ly/6eMWEz #
- RT @randymatheson: Social Media As A Buzzword Is DOA In 2010 | THe Future Buzz > http://ow.ly/Qg4s #
- A UI Design and Prototyping Treasure Chest | Web Design Ledger http://bit.ly/7udVC9 (via @twttimes) #
- RT @mathewi: this is hilarious -- "Avatar: The Making of the Bootleg" http://bit.ly/4GjRJz #
- Trying to flag WP posts that are ovr a yr old. time()-get_the_time() should give me elapsed secs, yes? If that's ovr 31556926 shld be year+ #
- Waiting for @ENBdavies @ Melville Cafe in #Galt. Getting hungry... #
- Solved my WordPress issue. Apparently get_the_time() doesn't return Unix epoch time by default? That not intuitive... #
- RT @SeanMoffitt: It's funny because it's true - "Hey Cineplex, 1994 called. They want their kiosks back" (via @adamschwabe ) #
- anyone know of a solution to post short audio clips from my phone to my WP blog? Does Utterli still do this? http://bit.ly/7eqKec #
- trying out new "Follow Me" plugin on the blog. Does it make me look desperate? http://bit.ly/87ngLc #
- the Olympics & especially the torch run silliness are a colossal waste of money & energy BUT knocking some poor person down is not cool. #
- RT @steverubel: The decade of the pageview comes to an end http://j.mp/4OO6kj #
- RT @sarahcasm: Days until 1990 was 20 years ago? 4. #
- RT @courosa: i want one http://is.gd/5F379 // I wonder what TSA would say about this? #
- RT @sarahcasm: RT @zakaraya: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it." — W.C. Fields #
- Four yr-old just remarked that Shiny Happy People "sounds kinda like Love Shack" - I can't argue with that. #
- Just switched to Echofon from TweetDeck -- it doesnt seem to auto-update and I can't seem to find the "settings". Help? #
- decided to stop managing all of my photos manually... is Picasa still a good option? (haven't use it in a few years) #
- Really? RT @MissMotorMouth: Did u know u can set Blackberry firewall settings so that u don't get SMS mgs frm people NOT in ur address book? #
- http://twitpic.com/vt3et - Sesame Street podcast FTW! #
- RT @joeboughner: Canadian Constitutional Reminder: The PM can't prorogue Parliament. Governor General does. These things matter. #
- RT @wmacphail: Harper's new biography: "Going Prorogue" #
- Trying to decide if I want to write a post about what's wrong with this post from a local biz: http://bit.ly/8MYoOl #
- Things I added to my life in the last decade: +1 wife, +1 house, +4 kids, +1 degree, +1 career, +3 cars, -2 cars, +2 hamsters, -2 hamsters #
- #in10years I'll be 44 with a kids aged 14, 12, 10 & 10. woah. #
- #10yearsago I didn't have 4 kids... or a wife... or a career. I also didn't have a clue about a lot of things I now understand - sorta. #
- RT @RobCottingham: I'm starting 2 think "Don't let the bedbugs bite" is a counterproductive thing to say to a kid just drifting off 2 sleep. #
- RT @ericbuchegger: I've been a Canucks fan 4 a loooong time. This yr's team, more than any other, makes me want 2 bang my head into a wall. #
- I seem to have misplaced my wine glass... New Year's Eve might be ending early. #
- Apparently my kids are New Orleans Saints fans... They keep singing that "Who Dat" song they heard on the Youtube... #
- RT @jamesdeane: Expecting @ccarmichael and his clan to descend upon my home shortly. 7 kids, 4 and under. #letthemayhembegin #
- OH: "and then you hope they're not up there naked and touching each other..." #
- Anyone know offhand if it's possible to be logged into two FB accts from an api-driven app like TweetDeck? #
- RT @CharlieCurve: Need evidence that @bugsyrocker crushes it everyday? Take a gander at his latest project: http://beerwithbranson.com #
- RT @CharlieCurve: Kudos to Eugene Jarecki who created the George Bailey video. It's a masterstroke of persuasion: http://moveyourmoney.info #
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ShareOn The Twitter This Week: 2009-12-26
- Hi there #lazyweb. Thinking about a FujiFilm Z33 for my 4-yr-old to replace her crap Fisher-Price camera. Thoughts? #
- Alright folks, help me out here. Is it possible to use a PVR/DVR without a sat/cable subscription? Basically a stand-alone unit like my VCR? #
- so apparently what I'm looking for is a DVD Recorder with Hard Drive? No-one seems to have made any since 2005? #
- Looking forward to a good discussion tonight about #coworking in #Galt. #galtcowork #
- RT @wmacphail: I've invented the URL lengthener: http://cbc.ca is now http://someusconsultantbuggeredupthenational.ca #
- Anyone have recommendations for dedicated 4x6 photo printers? #
- RT @CollinDouma: Minimum wage machine. Keep turning the handle, keep earning the wage. http://bit.ly/7CZgVh #
- I must be crazy. Heading to the mall with the girls. #stupidlastminutexmasshopper #
- Today's TED Tuesday post features Alain de Botton on a new philosophy of success: http://bit.ly/5BMxUu #
- This is one of the strangest product shots I've ever seen.. http://bit.ly/8rrvfd #
- Emergency Relief Needed Following Malawi Earthquake - http://bit.ly/8J2Pnz #
- on the blog: A Pomplamoose Christmas Message http://bit.ly/5ypGQ3 (these Pomplamoose folks are so cool!) #
- Ok, Christmas gift change of plans. I need to find a life-size cardboard cutout of Dave Lister in the next 36 hours... what are my chances? #
- A last minute Merry Christmas: http://bit.ly/7LguUS #
- RT @ENBdavies: where wld I find a candlelight midnight service in with kickass choir & organ & German language singing? (In/near Cambridge) #
- Hmm. @Nannidale gave the girls recorders for XMas... I don't we'll have her back again. ;) #
- Hannah is hoping to hear Mele Kalikimaka at church tonight. I'm guessing she'll be disappointed. #ChristmasEve #
- It's 11:30pm on Christmas Eve... I should probably start wrapping... #christmaseve #
- Watching Love Actually - it's become something of a Christmas tradition for us... #
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ShareMeeting Called to Discuss Coworking Space in Galt
Yesterday's blog post sparked quite the conversation on Twitter last night! I thought we should try to capitalize on the momentum and get a bunch of people in a room to brainstorm, so I called the first meeting of the Galt Coworking Group.
We will meet Monday, December 21st at 8:30pm at the Golden Kiwi pub on Dickson St.
RSVP here: http://guestlistapp.com/events/11064
Everyone is welcome to come and offer your $0.02 on this idea.
Update: There is a public working document for fleshing out the principles of what we are trying to accomplish. Read and edit it here: http://colincarmichael.ca/galtcoworkdoc
ShareWorking alone, together.
Not an ideal working environment...
Guess where I spent most of my day today? The public library. Why? Well, long story short, the weather made commuting to the office a silly thing to attempt so I was stuck in town with nowhere to work.
I essentially have three options in this situation: 1) work from home, 2) work from a cafe, 3) work from the library
The first option is really not an option since there are 4 pre-schoolers there and no "home office". Option #2 is my usual habit - but you can only drink so much overpriced coffee in a day. So today was #3 - no pressure to leave , but still less than ideal.
The biggest problem with each of these options (even #1) is isolation. Humans are social creatures and require social interaction, within the context of their work, to be creative.
So what to do? I've been intrigued by the concept of coworking for some time. The idea of being able to work on my own but in an office full of people I know is very attractive!
I have this feeling that we're reaching a critical mass in Cambridge that could support some kind of cooperative working environment. In talking with a few folks today and yesterday, I'm sure I'm not alone in that belief.
So let's do it. Let's incorporate a non-profit to create a cooperative working space for professionals in Cambridge that need a place to hang their hat from 9 to 5 but have no use for a full office of their own.
Who's with me?
UPDATE: a few of us are throwing around ideas on Twitter. Use the #galtcowork hashtag to particpate!
ShareColin Who?
I'm a digital communications executive specializing in community engagement, social marketing, and online identity management currently serving asthe Associate Secretary, Communications, at the national offices of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
I can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter and Facebook.
What I’ve Said
- Campaign Information
- Exciting News
- The Revolutionary Aspect of Technology is its Ownership
- Cambridge Reporter Revisited
- Clay Shirky on Institutions vs. Collaboration
- On The Twitter This Week: 2010-02-06
- Facebook just keeps growing (with grey hair)
- Pranav Mistry on SixthSense Technology (TED Tuesday)
- On The Twitter This Week: 2010-01-30
- On The Twitter This Week: 2010-01-23
What You’ve Said
- C Campbell on The Revolutionary Aspect of Technology is its Ownership
- Evangeline on The Revolutionary Aspect of Technology is its Ownership
- S. Sinclair on The Revolutionary Aspect of Technology is its Ownership
- Alex MacLeod on Cambridge Reporter Revisited
- @rdjfraser on Clay Shirky on Institutions vs. Collaboration
- links for 2010-02-05 : Being Presbyterian on Facebook just keeps growing (with grey hair)
- Arminta on Beautiful Decay
- Travis Jon Allison on Beautiful Decay
- Sarah on Beautiful Decay
- Colin Carmichael on Beautiful Decay
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