I figured I have held out long enough… I’m on FaceBook, Twitter, Linked In… but it is now time for me to enter the blogging world.  So… here I am.  The focus of this blog will be on Church Communications.  If you handle any sort of communications for a church, in a full-time, part-time, or volunteer role, there will be something on this blog for you.  If you work on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, WordPerfect, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, or a sturdy typewriter, then this is the place for you.
I plan to hit a wide range of topics, from the basics to more advanced skills.  So… bookmark this blog, add me to your google reader, use the rss feed to have this delivered to your Outlook, print it out & hand it to your pastor… whatever it takes.  Topic suggestions are always welcome.

By Oliver Farrimond

A HEDGE-BUSTING campaign group took their fight to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh yesterday.

Scothedge – who represent hundreds of Scots whose lives are blighted by high hedges – presented a dossier on the thorny issue to MSPs at Holyrood.

The document – named “A Growing Problem” – highlights the key issues for MSPs, who are currently undergoing a consultation on the issue, due to end on November 13.

Dr Colin Watson, Scothedge campaign leader, said: “We have been fighting for years against the problem of ‘vegetation tyranny’ caused by high hedges in Scotland and the effect it can have on victims’ lives.

“In England and Wales there was legislation passed in 2003 to help address the problem, but in Scotland there is no legal framework in place to help victims.

“We’re delighted that the Scottish Government has decided to hold a consultation into the issue in order to explore whether new legislation can be introduced to help victims – many of whom who are currently locked in ugly and often abusive disputes with their neighbours.

Robin Harper, former co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party and MSP for the Lothians, said the issue was a “painful” one for victims.

He said: “It must be so painful for somebody to have their light stolen, and this is basically what happens when somebody grows a high hedge.

“What could be worse?

“You have a nice garden that you want to sit in and enjoy yourself, but somebody plants a huge great hedge and there’s absolutely nothing in law that you can do about it.

“This is a major issue.”

Scothedge has been active in Scotland for more than a decade, arguing that high hedges cut off sunshine to homes and gardens, block drains and cause distress to victims.

Petitions Committee told McKenzie Friends proposals must be supported. Earlier this week the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee was told that ending a 39 year peculiarly Scottish ban on assisted public access to justice in the Scottish Courts by allowing the facility of McKenzie Friends, would greatly enhance the legal rights & success of many members of the public who find themselves facing legal action or require the use of the Justice system but for whatever circumstances are applicable to their predicament, cannot afford or obtain legal representation to further their access to the courts.

Petition PE1247 – Bringing McKenzie Friends to Scotland, with support from Margo MacDonald MSP.

Margo MacDonald stepped in to support McKenzie Friends Petition. Petition PE1247 : McKenzie Friends for Scotland, was admirably supported by Scotland’s independent MSP, Margo MacDonald, who told the Committee that in civil courts, such as small debts & other cases, people can find it impossible to obtain legal representation, finding they end up in court having to represent themselves.

Speaking on the merits of McKenzie friends, Margo MacDonald went on to tell the Committee that in England & Wales, the system of McKenzie Friends had operated successfully for 39 years where individuals who cannot access legal services through a variety of reasons, can obtain the services of a McKenzie Friend, who can assist them during their court appearances where difficulties with legal procedure and other matters can lead an individual to be put at a considerable disadvantage when unrepresented by legal counsel.

Robin Harper MSP supports McKenzie Friends as common sense idea. Robin Harper MSP, of the Scottish Green Party, was first to support the McKenzie Friends petition, calling the proposal “such an obviously good idea & common sense idea that we must continue it and we should ask the Scottish Government directly whether it will introduce a McKenzie Friend facility in Scottish Courts and if not, why not, and will this matter be part of the 8th program of law reform to be held by the Scottish Law Commission”.

Nigel Don MSP is Kenny MacAskill’s Parliamentary Liason Officer. Nigel Don MSP entered the debate by informing the Petitions Committee that the introduction of the McKenzie Friend facility south of the border, “was not brought in by the British Government, rather it was simply allowed” after it went to the Court of Appeal, this in reference to the original ‘McKenzie Friend’ case which started the whole concept, where an Australian, Ian Hanger QC, at the time, a Barrister, became involved in a case in the London courts, but whose qualifications in law in Australia did not allow him to practise as a barrister in London.

Ian Hanger was sent the brief by the firm of solicitors, Geoffrey Gordon & Co for McKenzie one day prior to the hearing. McKenzie was unable to afford legal assistance, didn’t qualify for legal aid, and had not maintained consistent contact with Gordon. Hanger sat with his client to provide what quiet assistance he could from the bar table to a man representing himself. The trial judge asked Mr Hanger to desist from doing what he was doing and this became the basis of the appeal by Gordon against the judgment against McKenzie.

Mr Don went on in the debate to say he felt it was open to the court simply to allow McKenzie Friends in Scotland, and that a ‘nod from the Lord President’ following Lord Gill’s soon to be released review of the Civil Courts system might be the way to go rather than the Parliament going through the legislation process to allow MFs to Scotland.

However, Margo MacDonald responded to Nigel Don’s remarks by making clear that something more substantial needs to be done on the issue in Scotland simply because of the 17 year time lags in Scotland in implementing the likes of Sections 25-29, and with the incredible 39 year gap between Scotland & the rest of the UK on the issue of McKenzie Friends it is time for action.

Lord Hamilton could give nod & wink to initiate McKenzie Friends but most feel political legislation is required. Certainly from my own experience in matters of law reform, I feel there must be a legislative process began on the issue of the introduction of McKenzie Friends in Scotland, given there has been such resistance to any access to justice reforms by the Scottish legal establishment, some examples of which are the 17 year restriction on small claims limits in the Scottish Courts, to some £750, where the rest of the UK had limits of £5,000 and of course, the 17 year lack of implementation of Sections 25-29 of the Law Reform (Misc Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, where Scotland’s ‘access to justice’ legislation was kept off the books by an arrogant campaign from the legal establishment, bent on maintaining market monopoly over the public’s access to legal services in Scotland.

Given the decades of delay in legal reforms in Scotland, can we trust the issue of McKenzie Friends to a nod & a wink from the Lord President, no matter how well intentioned it may be ? I feel not.

McKenzie Friends must be looked into by the Parliament, with at least an inquiry taking place, and ultimately questions being asked and answered as to why McKenzie Friends have been excluded from the Scottish Courts system for 39 years.

In an update to the McKenzie Friend proposal, Margo MacDonald asked a question of the Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill during yesterday’s question time : Margo MacDonald: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce the practice of allowing a McKenzie’s friend into law courts. (S3O-6781)

Margo MacDonald’s question to Kenny MacAskill on McKenzie Friends for Scotland brought a dithering response from the Justice Secretary, who seemed to be playing for time ahead of Lord Gill’s Civil Justice review.

There is little doubt after watching the following extract of proceedings, that Mr MacAskill is not minded to reform access to justice by any measure of the term.

In response to Margo MacDonald, Justice Secretary MacAskill struggles with delay in mind ahead of Lord Gill’s Civil Justice review.

Dithering Kenny MacAskill needs more than a push to bring in McKenzie Friends.After having watched Mr MacAskill’s response to Margo MacDonald’s question, I am convinced more than ever that Parliament must look into the issue of McKenzie Friends, hold an investigation and enact legislation which will ensure that McKenzie Friends be allowed in Scotland’s courts, because without a doubt, if it is left to the legal establishment, McKenzie Friends will never come to Scotland, just as access to justice reforms will never come to Scotland unless someone outside the legal fraternity talks about it, raises the issue publicly and gets Parliament to do something – just as we all found with the Legal Profession & Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007.

Ian Hanger QC, speaking on the issue to the Scotsman newspapers said regarding the Scottish Parliament’s hearing of the McKenzie Friend Petition that he “would love to address them on the virtues of the McKenzie Friend.”

On asking Ian Hanger QC as to the merits of McKenzie friends, he said : “In our Federal Court the Act dealing with the judiciary under the Constitution is the Judiciary Act. S 55 prohibits representation other than by barristers and solicitors.The Federal Court therefore regard the McKenzie Friend as a useful adjunct to the court process.

Mr Hanger went on : “Once again, I spoke today to the most senior Federal Court judge in our State and he said that overall McKenzie Friends have been very useful. He said that there are cases where the litigant cannot afford a barrister or solicitor and the judge does not think that it is appropriate to ask the profession to act in the particular case on a pro bono basis (as it can do). Of course there will be McKenzie Friends who step out of line, but the judge has the power to do what the judge did to me – prevent the person sitting at the bar table with the litigant.”

On that note, I would think the support and testimony of the original McKenzie Friend, Ian Hanger QC, must be extremely beneficial to the McKenzie Friend petition itself and the rights of all Scots to further their entitlements of access to justice & legal services. I have therefore asked the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee to ask Mr Hanger to speak on the merits of McKenzie Friends, as a matter of importance to the debate.

By Alexander Lawrie 

HOME turbines which generate eco-friendly electricity are fundamentally flawed, a new study claims.

The much-publicised green appliances are said to produce much less power than the manufacturers say they do.

And the results have been backed by the Green Party who admit “micro-wind turbines aren’t the right answer”.

The findings of the comprehensive study show the worst performers only provide enough daily energy to power a light bulb for just one hour.

The power produced, just 41 watt-hours a day, is thought to be less than enough to power the turbine’s own electronics.

Award-winning actor Pete Postlethwaite is one high-profile name thought to have installed wind turbines in his Shropshire home.

And Conservative leader David Cameron is currently waiting on permission to install the turbines in his west London home.

But contrary to earlier reports, Scots novelist Iain Banks has vetoed the idea of installing wind turbines in his home in North Queensferry, Fife.

Mr Banks, 54, said: “Technically, it’s true that I did own a wind turbine for a while, but after being refused planning permission by the council and also looking into the actual benefits of the turbines I changed my mind.

“I’m still to be convinced of their actual worth. But I do still have green plans for the house, and instead of a wind turbine I’m looking into the possibility of replacing my roof tiles with electric tiles that will heat all my water.”

The study on home turbines was carried out by consultants Encraft, with funding by the British Wind Energy Association.

Matthew Rhodes, Encraft’s Managing Director, said: “Sadly, an average semi-detached house, like the areas where most people live, where there are obstructions like trees and buildings, are poor locations.”

He also added most consumers of home turbines have been poorly advised by the manufacturers.

Green MSP Robin Harper said: “We’ve long argued that for many householders, micro-wind turbines aren’t the right answer.

“In the right location, as the study shows, they can be very effective, but for most households getting their insulation right will be the best advice, both for their own budget and for the environment, and it gives the quickest return on investment for any home eco-friendly work.

“That’s why we’re asking the Scottish government to step up to this challenge and pledge loft and cavity insulation free for everyone.”

L’agence PR Lewis organisait ce jeudi 23 octobre un rendez-vous informel avec Mark Kingdon le nouvel homme fort de Linden Lab éditeur de Second Life. Un premier Opus avait eu lieu en début d’année avec Philip Rosedale son prédécesseur toujours en place d’ailleurs. On apprendra d’ailleurs comment s’est déroulé le recrutement sur le poste de CEO. Philip Rosedale fut un intervenant lors d’une présentation chez Organic l’agence digitale marketing conduite depuis 2001 par Mark Kingdon. Ce dernier fut bluffé par le charisme de son intervention. C’est en vacance en lisant le journal que Kingdon notera l’offre d’emploi proposée par Linden Lab. Il rédigera un mail immédiatement mais ne l’enverra qu’à la fin de son séjour.(Pressentiment d’un grand changement)

L’audio chez Imarginal

Son Parcours :

Mark Kingdon en entrant chez Linden Lab s’offre une nouvelle jeunesse et cela se voit. Il semble émerveillé par l’outil et l’entreprise qu’il a dans les mains. Depuis 2001, c’est à dire une très mauvaise date pour l’Internet, il dirige Organic qui est l’une des agences web marketing désormais leader aux US (clients : Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, HP, Samsung, Nike, Sony…). Apres 7 ans il avoue en avoir fait le tour et qu’Organic peut continuer sans lui. Auparavant il a travaillé chez Idealab une structure qui a promut et selectionné des start ups (un incubateur en somme).

Idealab a poussé à l’époque une société fortement décriée. Une société malmenée et très critiquée (un peu comme un second life finalement) par son système à limite de l’admissible publicitaire pour les consultants de l’époque : GoTo.com. Goto est simplement l’inventeur des liens sponsorisés et détient le brevet. La société sera achetée par Yahoo et se mutera pendant un temps sous le nom d’Overture et maintenant de Yahoo Search Marketing. Sans cet achat je ne suis pas sur que Yahoo serait encore dans sa position actuelle car la « patent » (le brevet) permet de faire payer tous les acteurs y compris Google. Un peu plus tôt il fut en charge des activités de distribution et retail chez PricewaterhouseCoopers. Autant dire que le garçon a le bon profil a part « son temps de jeu dans un univers virtuel » mais il avoue passer entre 2 et 5 heures par jour dans Second Life.

Le lieu : Toi

Philip Rosedale était apparu dans le cadre des salons lounge de l’hotel Kube, son successeur sera apparenté au Toi. Un petit salon particulier d’une contenance de 30 personnes est réservé pour cette intervention. En arrivant avec Laurent Heckmann d’Andreamedia, l’hôtesse d’accueil fut un peu déconcertée quand nous lui annoncerons que nous venons au déjeuner Second Life. Il n’y a que 4 ou 5 personnes en arrivant (les personnes de ConceptSL : Yohan Launay, Nicolas Mas, Nicolas Barrial d’Extralab…).

Apres s’être assis un peu à l’écart sur la banquette de droite nous décidons avec Laurent de rejoindre le groupe formé sur la banquette de gauche. Ce changement fera que je serais par hasard juste à la droite de Mark kingdon. Par conséquent je vais relater différentes choses mais je ne sais plus ce qui vient de nos entretiens particuliers ou de ses interventions. De toute façon l’ensemble de son intervention est en rapport avec les posts suivants :

Quoi de neuf chez l’editeur de Second Life
Localisations et planifications marketing en cours pour second life
Tutoriaux sur le site Portail

Ou relayé ici :

Wangxiang tuxing

Ange Zanetti

Virtualnews

Différents acteurs de la Slsphere vont se succéder : Kerunix Flan, Hugobiwan Zolnir, Coulaut Menges, Betty Renoir (bibliotheque française), Wangxiang Tuxing, Rfly de RIL Shopping, Jeanrem Bibi (I-marginal), Saddam Triskaidekaphobia de Liberta, Gilbert Reveillon (Laser group), Ange Zanetti et quelques noms qui m’échappent.

Enfin Mark kindgon arrive accompagné de Robin Harper apparemment un peu jetlagguée.Contrairement aux photos de presse, Mark n’est pas en costume mais en jeans et blouson en cuir tendance. Il m’avouera plusieurs fois qu’il veut absolument que les marques de modes s’installent durablement dans second life(notamment pour Hommes afin que M Linden puisse faire ses courses J). Je lui ai fait le petit laïus sur la mort de Yves saint Laurent relayée en TV où le reportage commençait par montrer que YSL jouait au couturier en dessinant ses modèles sur un cahier et que les prochains YSL utiliseront l’univers 3D pour s’exercer et que cela avait déjà commencé au vue de la vivacité du monde des couturiers et fashionista de Second Life.

Mark Kingdon tout comme son homologue Philip Rosedale saluera poliment tout le monde avec comme première approche celle de savoir quel est le nom de l’avatar de son interlocuteur. En fait il est très curieux et cherche à comprendre qui fait quoi et comment. Ce n’est pas par hasard qu’il avoue passer beaucoup de temps sur les help Island afin de comprendre les freins des premiers résidents. Il écoute ses clients et cherche les solutions concrètes ensuite.

Le timing étant strict (1h 20 je crois), il se présentera une première fois en évoquant son parcours et les actions en cours.

L’audio chez Imarginal

Différents points sont évoqués :

Rendre la plate-forme technique plus robuste et extensive (il parle volontiers d’accueillir des millions d’utilisateurs en simultané, le dernier record étant de 68 000 pour l’instant).

A la fin de cette intervention il positionne la différence de sa plate-forme (rentable, base client) face au 184 millions d’ investissements dans des mondes virtuels n’ayant pas encore réalisés leur deuxième tour de table dans des temps de crise ou les levées de fonds vont moins abonder.

A ce propos il cite l’arrivée de Frank ambrose. (scalability and stability)

Quoi de neuf chez l’editeur de Second Life

Travailler l’accès et optimiser « la première heure » si deceptive.

Il est très conscient de l’effort marketing qu’il y a faire sur ce point.

Simplifier l’enregistrement et peut être proposer de la customisation d’avatar dès le web pour raccourcir le temps passé sur ce point et le désagrément de paraître ridicule lors de sa première expérience. Proposer des solutions afin que chacun trouve des lieux intéressant ou se dirige selon ses affinités. Proposer un viewer simplifié sans réduire les fonctionnalités indispensables pour les utilisateurs expérimentés.

Il est semble t-il plus conscient que Philip Rosedale que le potentiel est dans l’utilisateur qui crée le contenus (temps passé ) que dans la plate-forme en elle-même ce qui fait l’une de ses différences avec d’autres mondes virtuels.

D’ailleurs il a recruté Tom Halle pour travailler l’offre produit et des projets de monétisation hors vente d’îles, terrain, search… sont en projet.

Localisations et planifications marketing en cours pour second life

Rappelons ce que je relate dans l’article au-dessus : Tom Halle a passé un peu de temps à observer les réseaux sociaux et Mark semble etre bien conscient qu’il y a du bon a prendre.

“Second life is the Ultimate social tool without social tool”

Il précise aussi que Linden Lab utilise Second Life pour leurs meeting interne et qu’ayant déjà vue les outils de conférence call ou video call dans ses expériences passées en entreprise, cet outil est de loin supérieur en productivité et que cela sera indéniable dans dix ans. Il insiste sur ce point aussi en aparté au niveau des grands changements de son quotidien en entreprise.

Plusieurs fois il relativisera sur la mauvaise réputation de Second Life dans les médias en précisant qu’en interne Linden lab réalise une veille sur tout ce qui est publié et que la tendance de connotation a tonalité négative d’un article diminue au profit d’articles faisant un focus sur des usages précis ou intéressant.

Au final tout cela était assez convivial, M Linden donnera sa carte (imprimé à l’envers J comme quoi les efforts marketing se font aussi au niveau du print) et comme son prédécesseur il aura eu la faculté d’interagir sur le viewer réel du temps en le positionnant en mode ensoleillé.

Le rêve de metaverse des californiens continue son bout de chemin.

José Feliciano ~ California Dreamin

Congratulations to Iain Gray and Johann Lamont who were elected Labour MSP leader and Labour MSP deputy leader respectively.

Both won their nominations with around a 60 – 40 split.

Iain Gray will be the third Labour MSP leader to take on Alex Salmond since the SNP leader became First Minister in May 2007.

Also today Gordon Brown is meeting Margaret Thatcher for lunch at Chequers. No doubt the beleaguered Prime Minister will be asking her advice on how best to stay in power leading a disaffected party and public.

Margaret Thatcher was unceremoniously kicked out of Downing St by her own party in 1990 when poll ratings began to slide.

I did think that that meeting at Chequers would overshadow the Scottish leadership contest of the Labour MSPs.

But the fact that several Labour MPs have now been writing to Downing St demanding a leadership contest at Westminster again putting Gordon Brown’s tenure as Prime Minister in doubt has stolen the spotlight.

Under Labour rules there needs to be 1/5th of the Labour MPs to call for a leadership election before it can automatically happen. Currently that means there needs to be 70 Labour MPs calling for a contest.

Downing St says that only a handful of Labour MPs have formally asked for a leadership contest.

Guido Fawkes has compiled a list of 39 Labour MPs – as it currently stands – that would be expected to demand a leadership contest.

Not the 70 yet but it may be the start of a bandwagon.

It will really depend on how Gordon Brown plays the situation, and also how he performs at the upcoming Labour conference.

Iain Gray and Johann Lamont must be very disappointed at the way the Westminster agenda has stolen what should have been a good news day for Labour.

With a Prime Minister again lunching with Margaret Thatcher and open speculation among Westminster Labour MPs about his future they must surely be thinking that a stand-alone Scottish Labour Party must be the way to go.

They can’t do anything about headlines from other parties.

The SNP have announced Sir Angus Grossart will run the Scottish Futures Trust.

The co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party, Robin Harper MSP, has decided to stand down. He is now backing the election of one single leader of the Scottish Green Party.

That leaves the Conservatives as the only party not to have changed their Scottish parliamentary leader under the SNP Government. Should Annabel Goldie be worried?

The Liberal Democrats are also today beginning their UK conference in Bournemouth. Plaid Cymru are also finishing their conference in Aberystwyth today.

Labour have just elected two new Scottish MSPs to lead the party but its Labour’s own desperate Westminster headlines that have swamped the media.

Not a great start for Iain Gray and Johann Lamont and its not even their fault!

Je viens juste de recevoir un email de Robin Harper faite par Wodden de Monde Online qui a profité du Digiworld Summit à Montpellier pour rencontrer Robin Harper (Vice Présidente du Marketing chez Linden Labs) et réaliser cette super Interview. Si j’ai trouvé cette Interview très intéressante c’est avant tout parce que les questions viennent d’un Gamer adepte de MMORPG, et que comme beaucoup de Gamer, Wodden s’étonne et ne comprend pas pourquoi autant de remue ménage autour de SecondLife. Pour être aussi un gamer, je comprends son étonnement, et comme l’explique bien Robin Harper dans l’Interview, Second Life n’est pas un MMORPG, il n’est donc pas forcément intéressant pour un Gamer, sauf… si celui-ci a toujours rêvé de crafter des épées qui n’existe pas dans le jeu :p

Bref, une Interview qui explique pas mal de petites choses, et qui remet aussi en perspective les objectifs de Linden Labs par rapport aux discours des médias et des gens du marketing. Avant d’être un outil de marketing, SecondLife, c’est surtout un univers aux limites indiscernables, oscillant entre World Of Warcraft et Myspace et qui permet à beaucoup de monde d’échanger et de créer au gré de leurs envies.
J’ai fini ma quête dans le dongeon de Zul’aman mais il me reste un salon à builder avant de le mettre en vente dans mon magasin virtuel…

Merci à Wodden pour l’Interview