Open Source Open Space: Michael Herman, a colleague of Chris Corrigan, has a comprehensive guide
to everything you would ever want to know about Open Space, and how to
create Open Space events. Please respect the site's generous copyright.
I especially like this 'elevator speech' from Harrison Owen:
At
the very least, Open Space is a fast, cheap, and simple way to better,
more productive meetings. At a deeper level, it enables people to
experience a very different quality of organization in which
self-managed work groups are the norm, leadership a constantly shared
phenomenon, diversity becomes a resource to be used instead of a
problem to be overcome, and personal empowerment a shared experience.
It is also fun. In a word, the conditions are set for fundamental
organizational change, indeed that change may already have occurred. By
the end, groups face an interesting choice. They can do it again, they
can do it better, or they can go back to their prior mode of behavior.
Open
Space is appropriate in situations where a major issue must be
resolved, characterized by high levels of complexity, high levels of
diversity (in terms of the people involved), the presence of potential
or actual conflict, and with a decision time of yesterday. Open Space
runs on two fundamentals: passion and responsibility. Passion engages
the people in the room. Responsibility ensures things get done. A
focusing theme or question provides the framework for the event. The
art of the question lies in saying just enough to evoke attention,
while leaving sufficient open space for the imagination to run wild.
Deconstructing the Right: The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus smashes the right-wing myth of a secular 'war on Christmas'. Meanwhile the Chicago Tribune's Cam Simpson reveals
how Halliburton and the other rapacious neocon war profiteers are
blocking a ban on the use of slave labour by 'sub-contractors' -- as if
somehow this is different from employing slave labour directly. The
Toledo Blade's Steve Eder and Jim Drew explain
now a network of purely self-interested corporatists in Florida and
Texas have driven the Bush fund-raising machine, and expect a very good
return on their 'investment'. Thanks to Dale Asberry for these links
and the one that follows.
Deadly C. Difficile Bacteria Blamed on Overuse of Antibiotics & Heartburn Medicines: The Washington Post's Rob Stein researches
the growing number of outbreaks of the virulent C. Difficile bacteria,
which is resistant to current antibiotics, spreads easily through
contact with people, clothing and surfaces, and is thriving in people
taking Prilosec, Prevacid, Pepcid and Zantac heartburn medicines.
Millions are now infected with the bacterium, which has killed an
alarming 7% of those infected.
Procrastination is Good for You: Via Seb Paquet, Paul Graham speculates
that there is good and bad procrastination. A great analysis with some
wonderful links, especially if you are stalling on doing something
important. I think he lets us off a bit easy though. I really like the
conclusion: "I think the way to 'solve' the problem of procrastination
is to let delight pull you instead of making a to-do list push you.
Work on an ambitious project you really enjoy, and sail as close to the
wind as you can, and you'll leave the right things undone."
Quote for the week is a song lyric from the irrepressible Sam Phillips
(Gilmore Girls fans will know her as the writer of that series'
background music). Her song "I Need Love" is one of the most powerful
artistic works I've ever heard -- it gives me shivers every time I hear
it. This is from a song (a waltz, you can 'hear' the 3/4 rhythm in the
cadence of the lyrics) called Reflecting Light:
Give up the ground under your feet
Hold on to nothing for good
Turn and run at the mean times chasing you
Stand alone and misunderstood
And now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moon's never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light
Cartoon by Mike Luckovich in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution |
MADE IN CANADA
trust your
instincts 
