CIVIC MENTOR Bulletin Board -- Experimental: December 2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014

CIVIC MENTOR / NOW / Vital City, County, and Areal Information / One Click Away! (#1)

Posted: 28 Dec 14
Change #1: 30 Dec 14 -- Expanded my explanation of what this major sub-system is all about in the overall scheme of things -- in paragraph 3.

“An informed citizenry is at the heart of a dynamic democracy”

-- Thomas Jefferson

1. Purpose

To announce even easier access to the Civic Mentor Territorial Civic Knowledge Bases (TCKB) -- with instant links placed in the menu bar of this blog.

A CRUCIAL FUNCTION: These TCKB's exist to accumulate and present, all in one convenient place, all the best available information from many sources -- concerning larger and larger concentric territories containing Pittsburg, CA. -- for now. They are all preliminary and will be constantly refined, until just right. Please be patient. Things really are speeding up, now.

OTHER CONCENTRIC TERRITORIES: All the other individual cities and counties and major areas and regions of the nation will eventually get the same treatment (Gotta start with home-base, first -- else this can't be done, by one).

2. All You Need to Really Know, For Now

2.1 THERE, ACROSS THE TOP OF THIS VERY BULLETIN BOARD: You will see the following clickable options -- to quickly access the preliminary Mentor/ELMS Territorial Civic Knowledge Bases of interest to you -- which are also clickable, below, for your maximum convenience:

Pittsburg TCKB
Pittsburg Police Bulletin Board (This is a blog which is also reachable inside the Pittsburg TCKB, above.
Contra Costa County TCKB
San Francisco Bay Area TCKB
The Small Business Place Bulletin Board (This is also a blog, dormant for just a bit longer -- will need a dedicated functional KB for this huge topic)

2.2 IN THE NEAR-TERM: the following TCKB's will be added to the menu bar -- until the ultimate web-interfaces are engineered:

California
The Western U.S. (I think)
The United States

2.3 OVER THE LONG TERM: (but probably well-advanced, prior to 2016, when the Corporation is formally established -- er, hopefully)

The World-Wide TCKB (to be broken down into logical groupings
The TCKB for each individual concentric territory, heading longitude by longitude, from Hawaii eastward to the Atlantic (with some leap-frogging, perhaps)

2.4 UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ALL TCKB-FORMATION: That ought to take care of our needs, as to optimal convenience of territorial information -- of importance -- in managing our existences -- optimally.

Functional information (covering EVERYTHING else) is being prepared, separately -- on a highest-priority basis.

3. What You Might Like to Know

3.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM BEING SOLVED BY THE TCKB's

3.1.1 OUR FELLOW HUMANS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY -- living their lives -- to the best of their abilities -- under complex modern conditions.

They don't always have the time and other resources -- to closely monitor -- the statics and dynamics -- of their total surroundings -- sufficiently -- and to thoroughly research the vital and lesser questions of the day -- yet they need at least the most important -- of this information to participate -- effectively and efficiently -- with the rest of us -- for the greatest common and personal good -- all things considered and balanced -- as they undoubtedly would wish to and would -- if the process were EASIER and MORE PLEASING to accomplish -- among all the other things that need doing.

They would do well to know how ALL of our life-support-systems are supposed to work -- the built-up blessings we've inherited and are constantly expanding-upon -- and how they are actually working -- and how to work them most effectively -- as individuals and groups and whole societies -- why, when, where and so forth -- what not to do and why.

3.1.2 IN A VERY REAL SENSE, LIFE IS "A MACHINE" OF IMMENSE COMPLEXITY, and it seems very risky and expensive and destabilizing -- for each and all of us -- to try to operate, maintain, and evolve it and our own selves successfully -- without some rational, carefully thought-out and designed, and convenient "basic operating system" -- FOR THE ENTIRE THING -- IN OUR PERSONAL HANDS -- complete with thorough, concise "operating instructions." Where instead, we might deliberately turn all of ourselves into individual and collective "self-mentoring systems" that can help us do the whole job -- far better than is presently possible. All of us playing by the same play-book!

MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS:

Human existence has become far too complex for us to be so reliant on a random approach to life-management -- an approach which worked in simpler times -- but is so inadequate in these times.

REDUCTION OF COMPLEXITY DEMANDS SYSTEMATICS -- and humans crave simplicity so they can do more with the very same, scarce things they value and need to conserve.

And such systems do not exist in nature -- they must be contrived -- and someone must do the contriving -- and at least one someone (and probably more) is doing the contriving.

A GIFT TO THE YOUNG FOLLOWERS. And for brand new humans -- just beginning to learn what it means to be human -- what a blessing we can share -- if we can save them -- from having to risk and waste -- so much vital life-force -- "reinventing wheels," already well-proven and tested -- (when they could be expending those forces -- on discovering and developing their genius and world-serving powers) -- merely because -- we couldn't place sufficient and thorough information -- in their hands -- in good time -- or at all.

3.1.3 NEVER AGAIN should this current state of human affairs be, once this work is done. This is the task I believe fate has "assigned" me to undertake -- when it caused me to exist, survive, and mature -- despite the odds -- and permitted me to see the vision -- and seems to have equipped me to execute it -- and has overwhelmingly compelled me to reach for it -- with all my might.

3.2 STATEMENT OF THE SOLUTION

3.2.1 Why not gather up -- ALL THE INFORMATION -- a fellow human ever needs to know -- and arrange it -- in a convenient, methodical way? Bring the information to them in one menu, rather than fragmented and scattered all over the place?

Then, fellow humans can more readily browse and plunge-in -- as efficiently and effectively as opportunity permits -- or as changing circumstances require -- never losing their place -- gradually (or instantly) and steadily building up their civic knowledge -- about all the things that may prove important to them -- the patterns they need to see to be able to predict and favorably influence the whole course of their lives -- to be aware of the crucial things -- and best available practices for TAKING FULLEST ADVANTAGE OF THESE -- now and over the course of an entire life-time -- overlooking little that matters to them and thus, to us.

And, because they CAN do these things, they certainly SHALL, if they are rational and circumstance permits and enables. (That's what the whole Mentor/ELMS project is determined to effect -- sufficient change in our total circumstances -- so as to help further unlock the power in our species to do optimal good with its existence)

And that will synchronize the entire human species and greatly help to optimize its power to do good for and with itself -- as never before possible -- though long desired.

What better can we ever do in this brief, precious life-experience, than to better ourselves, by bettering EVERYTHING about our total human-circumstances -- working singly and together -- for the well-being and best fulfillment -- of every single human-life-gift -- excluding absolutely no one?

3.2.2 CIVIC MENTOR MAJOR SUBSYSTEM #1: I believe that these TCKB's will prove, once again, how much The Mighty Internet is changing so much of everything for the better -- breathing new life into our magnificent democracy and our personal, day-to-day lives -- bettering all humankind in the process. Truly, we stand on the shoulders of each other -- and of those who came before -- and so it shall always be -- for as long as there are humans.

HERE'S TO A BRAND NEW 2015,

FAR SUPERIOR TO 2014,

IN EVERY RESPECT!!

David Nelson

All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

CIVIC MENTOR / TERRITORIAL / Knowledge Base #3 -- The SF Bay Area

Posted: 23 Dec 14

Announcing the

TERRITORIAL CIVICS KNOWLEDGE BASE (Preliminary) for the

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA

1. SO WE'RE ALL ON THE "SAME PAGE"

Yesterday, I announced the establishment of a preliminary corporate sub-website, called the "The Mentor Enterprises / ELMS Reference Center."

(Here is that announcement)

I also introduced two preliminary "Territorial Civics Knowledge Bases (TCKB)" for (a) Pittsburg, CA and (b) Contra Costa County.

All TCKB's are meant to be accumulators of websites, links, and other relevant, invaluable information -- WITHOUT PRACTICAL LIMIT. Eventually, everything in webspace will be somehow all gathered in one convenient place -- to help simplify and untangle the complexities of modern living -- ALL WITHIN the SINGLE Mentor/ELMS (where ELMS means "Entire Life-time Management Systems")

2. PURPOSE

Today, I am pleased to announce that one more TCKB in the line is ready. The next concentric territorial ring surrounding and containing my home-base, at Pittsburg, CA. Yesterday, we did city-level and county-level. Now, area-level is placed in operation.

Accordingly, here it is -- and I hope it meets with your approval:

Territorial Civics Knowledge Base (Preliminary) for the

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA

That announcement started out to be the only purpose of this bulletin until I realized this was a perfect chance to verbalize what I propose to do to with the entire year of 2015.

3. REALITY CHECK

As in every case, throughout this project, everything is a work in progress.

I bring these things into existence -- crude as they are -- as rapidly as possible -- rather than risk not getting them to you at all. At this stage of the project, the rule must be SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE. I'll worry about the niceties, all in good time -- as fate permits.

Everything will get better and better over time. After all, these are my "babies," and I take great pride in the fact that -- at long last -- they are now coming into the real world -- so I can see them, share them, ponder them, refine them, learn from others, and do all else to make them worthy of existence -- AND OF OPTIMAL BENEFIT TO OUR REMARKABLE SPECIES OF LIFE -- if not at once, then eventually.

4. MY NEXT STEPS -- Another Peek Under the Tent

4.1 More TCKB's -- Naturally, this stage has to spiral outward from the place with which I am most familiar and deeply involved -- my home-base at Pittsburg.

Here, I can see and feel and examine the impacts of system developments and make refinements and extract practical general system-models which can be adapted to suit other territorial situations. Here is the first, logical place to look for partners, employees, and volunteers to help this undertaking. Yet, there ought to be something in this for everyone, even at this early stage.

4.2 THE NEAR-TERM AGENDA

OBJECTIVE: Establish all preliminary Territorial KB's before New Year's Day.

State-Level -- California (by week's end)
National-Level -- (by week's end)
Global-Level -- (next week)
Specific TCKB's for each and all Cities, Counties, States, and Nations outside my home territory -- on a "catch, as catch-can" basis (I'll be working on this, all along, but will not be able to intensify until a later stage of this Mentor / ELMS project development cycle).

4.3 THE LONG-TERM VIEW -- 2015 -- as it looks from here.

I will explain all of this later but, in a nutshell, here are the broad contours of the Project Development Plan for 2015

4.3.1 Continue to flesh-out the TCKB's (in perpetuity)

4.3.2 Begin the second Mentor Knowledge Base series -- the FUNCTIONAL Civics Knowledge Bases (FCKB) -- (starting next week -- continuing, in perpetuity).

There MUST and WILL be literally thousands of these. These are the pieces that will provide power, focus, and direction to the designs of the various subsystems comprising the PRIVATE and CIVIC MENTOR ELMS's.
Looking at life from every conceivable angle -- the sum-total of existence.
Probably organized under the Library of Congress Classification System to assure thoroughness and compatibility with the entire Human Knowledge and Experiential Base (HKEB) -- (major patterns and KB's will be established during 2015 -- ongoing development, perpetual).

4.3.3 Begin the third Mentor Knowledge Base series -- the PRIVATE Knowledge Bases (PKB) -- (Also, starting next week -- again, refining and evolving forever)

4.3.4 All of the KB's will be developed, simultaneously, with the establishment of the specific PRIVATE and CIVIC MENTOR ELMS's -- THE END-GAME FOR THE WHOLE THING.

Together, these will place all of human knowledge, experience, and wisdom into the easy reach of every rational fellow human -- which we can use as a logical pattern for efficiently and effectively managing the TOTALITY (Public and Private) of our existences -- to optimize our well-being, betterment, and fulfillment in this life.

5. TOP 2015 PRIORITY

A HUGE PROBLEM HAS TO BE SOLVED

but it is one which WILL be solved because

THE INTERNET REVOLUTION

has changed the whole, entire ball-game

5.1 The absolutely most urgent, imperative thing I wish to accomplish -- EARLY IN 2015 -- BEYOND EVERYTHING ELSE -- is to introduce the "Civic Mentor / Neighborhood Management system (NMS) Concept."

Unavoidable Limiting Factor: However, I MUST have these emerging KB's and their evolving organizing framework -- firmly in place -- to accomplish this.

If I do nothing else important in this life -- I MUST get this done. Many lives and much property are at stake.

5.2 BEEN DOING MY HOMEWORK

I have spent nearly six decades DELIBERATELY examining human existence -- inside-out, top-to-bottom, backwards and forwards, under the microscope, through the telescope, ears to the ground, probing, testing, inquiring, contemplating, writing, experimenting -- in other words, as thoroughly as possible.

I have come to understand and marvel at the vast store of human achievements and experiences and understandings and methods and so on -- which we have inherited and which we are continuing to develop. (In short, everything I could reach that makes us an "us.")

I am completely convinced that the United States is an incredible, highly successful human achievement. Its systems, while still humanly imperfect, are relentlessly self-perfecting in their nature and behavior -- at all times.

But, I have detected a serious omission. One which I think I can help fix -- and, therefore, MUST attempt. With the advent of The Internet blessing, the time has never been better for discerning this problem and dealing with it.

5.3 A MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM -- SOLVABLE

IN A NUT-SHELL: I have come to detect a "STRUCTURAL GAP" in our orderly systems of self-government.

A QUICK REVIEW: so we're on the "same page" -- From top to bottom, we have the Federal level, the State level, the Regional (or Areal) level, the County (or equivalent) level, and the City (or equivalent) level of government. (FIVE and I think there should be SIX, because...)

5.4 THE CRITICAL OMISSION: Then next, finally, there's just us -- down in the "grass roots" of society -- where we ALL reside -- providing, as "ordinary citizens" -- for the common good -- with our private resources (taxes, energy, time, etc.) -- and making our demands -- for some of the blessings of the common good -- manifested and tended to by government and by the economy (goods and services we require).

5.5 THE BASIC SCENARIO: Picture this. One of our private hands reaching up toward our government-levels and toward our other inherent systems for the things we require -- and they, reaching down toward us, trying mightily, to deliver them -- often in exchange for something -- sometimes not, directly. Our other "hand" offering up from our ranks -- the money, people (as employees, volunteers, officials, etc), and so forth that those systems require to function.

5.6 BUT DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM? Right there -- where those hands are supposed to meet -- right where the people, collectively, are supposed to FIRMLY interconnect with each other and their social systems -- is often a big, yawning gap.

For example, take my home-town of Pittsburg, CA. It has a population of about 60,000 and a City government of about 240 employees. As marvelous as our government is, it cannot do everything for us. Our American system is supposed to be a social partnership. We are the government and the government is US.
Of course, there are many advanced neighborhoods around this rational nation -- tending to all of this, in their stride. But I contend that this is the exception more than the rule. And, all can benefit if everyone is behaving systematically -- whether they are advanced management systems or random fragments of potential neighborhoods.
We, in the grass roots have to take charge. It is our duty -- for "we the people" are what the nation is all about -- when you get right down to it.
We are the ultimate source of all authority, responsibility, and resources. We cannot avoid answering, personally -- because whatever we cause or permit to happen, we (or others we care about) are most likely to be affected in our persons by it.
If we don't wish to feel bad -- then, don't let bad things happen. Make good things happen, instead.
And, the better we cooperate in the good-doing, the more there will be of it.
And the more people who are involved, the more systematic their cooperation needs to be -- in order to minimize wasting of it.

5.7 A PROBLEM BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY: This gap is a perfect opportunity to bring the blessings of self-government even closer to home. Sensibly organize every single neighborhood and link them together as another functioning, institutionalized level of government -- and we will lay good hands on the levers of power as never before.

I mean to suggest ways to do this. But not just to suggest -- but to demonstrate and persuade with compelling examples and easy-to-use best practices -- arranged for optimal action. THIS IS MY MOST URGENT PRIORITY.

And, as the Model NMS evolves -- neighborhoods who pattern themselves after it will become better engines for their own well-being
Each and all of them doing all that is necessary to provide safe, secure and wholesome existences for their fellow residents -- for each other.
Each and all of them doing things that are difficult, impossible, or even unthinkable for them to try to do -- in disunity and chaos
Each and all of them amplifying the power and efficiency and responsiveness of the "other" government levels.
Each and all of them forming themselves into virtual "fortresses" and "islands of well-being, betterment, productivity, and great joy" that bounce crime and other evils out of their midst -- yet joined, allied, so as to not bounce evil onto each other -- but rather right out of their common territories. Joined so that their power of their individual resources become amplified in the common recognition and sharing
Each and all of them better discharging their inescapable civic and private duties -- and maximizing the inevitable civic and private blessings of their liberties -- down through the latest generations.

5.8 A MISSION-PHASE ACCOMPLISHED: At that point, we will have addressed a major portion of the totality of our PUBLIC existence. The NMS Model must be instituted in order for the entire Mentor/ELMS concept to make sense.

THE ULTERIOR FLOW AND TRAIN OF LOGIC: Once all or most of the nation's neighborhoods become self-mentoring NMS's -- we will have a powerful, practical common anchor point -- by which to stabilize our social lives -- at this, the most "natural" level of human commonality -- where we live and all must eventually return, repeatedly - making us reachable among ourselves -- with greater ease -- an anchor needed in order to "plug-into our lives" the remaining Civic and Public Mentors under construction -- and have the whole thing work to best effect.

Our Neighborhood Management Systems (the NMS's) and our Families are, or CAN BE, the most BASIC linch-pins of our human interconnectedness (or should be) -- for we share a common territory and, hence, a common destiny -- which we are going to want to influence in our favor -- and have to cooperate to do this -- and these secure connections -- enable us to act as one -- when the situation calls for such ready strength -- ready without us having to go emergency measures -- just to anticipate, respond, or react, sensibly -- assuring, instead, that we hum right along, giving ourselves peace of mind and body -- so we can carry out our private and public business -- productively -- for the greatest fulfillment -- of the best possible futures -- for ourselves, our world, and our descendants.

What better, more moral, more sensible, more rewarding thing in this life could we possibly do -- than live with high purpose?

5.9 READINESS FOR THE NEXT PHASE: Then, with the NMS-model in place, down in the foundation of things -- the next project phase can accelerate -- the other part of the human equation -- our private existences and ways to mentor them, systematically.

6. THE END-GAME IN SIGHT

Based on such INTELLECTUALLY-SECURE knowledge bases, I can establish systems:

that people will want to use, for they will find none better -- for only the best available ingredients will be incorporated -- and we will be able to judge which fits each case;
that are thorough -- leaving out nothing -- for the things that we don't notice or understand -- are often the things that do the most avoidable harm to us. No one can possibly know all there is to know -- but if all that is known is made increasingly easy to find out -- including things we didn't know we needed to know -- exactly when (or before) circumstances call for them -- then we can dramatically increase our chances of managing our existences favorably, rather than not.
fun to use -- because systems are more useful when people enjoy them;
easy to use -- because people are extremely busy creatures -- and the whole Mentor / ELMS mission has to do with simplifying life, so more good can be done -- more favorable change accomplished;
immensely practical -- because time and other resources tend to be scarce, precious, and should not be wasted;
comprehensive (in other words, thorough, again) -- because to manage the TOTALITY of existence means to overlook nothing; Ready, reliable access to orderly KB's guarantees that that which is practical will not likely be missed too often.
self-explanatory -- since a system which naturally models real life is easier to adapt to suit our own unique circumstances and understandings
accommodating -- easy for us to believe in and adopt for all the intended purposes -- oh, the advantages are endless -- but I will accumulate a list of them in the corporate strategic statement, later.
free of charge -- the whole aim is to lift-up the species -- excluding no one -- and money is an obstacle for many. The only return on investment I truly seek -- is that we humans all engage in a perpetual, orderly conversation about all the things that matter to us. Help me perfect the Mentor / ELMS. I am counting on the common wisdom to offset the many weaknesses in my own.

5. CONFIDENCE CHECK

NOW THAT I HAVE FINALLY FOUND SO MANY OF THE "RIGHT TOOLS" -- after much trial-and-error, the flood-gates seem to be opening, at long last. The above plan may appear formidable (and, I guess it is), but I have been giving this a lot of thought -- and I feel confident that I can juggle all the balls -- until I institute the Corporation (c. 2016) which will share some of the load.

"The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing"
Stephen R. Covey

David Nelson

Sunday, December 21, 2014

CIVIC MENTOR / TERRITORIAL / Knowledge Base #1 & 2 / City and County (#1)

Posted: 21 Dec 14
Change #1: 23 Dec 14 -- Added link to SF Bay Area TCKB in paragraph 2

1. Purpose

To announce the establishment of the preliminary corporate website, called the "The Mentor Enterprises / ELMS Reference Center."

I consider this to be a breakthrough of monumental importance to my successful creation of The Mentor / Entire Life-time Management Systems (ELMS) -- and believe it will prove INVALUABLE TO MANY OF YOU, AT ONCE! (and to all of you, eventually)

2. How is this immediately important to you?

Throughout this week, I will be presenting you with the unfinished First Section -- "The Preliminary TERRITORIAL Civics Knowledge Bases." Yes, it's unfinished -- much more to be done -- but I'm betting you're going to find them IMMEDIATELY PRACTICAL just as they are. But just wait till you see what they are destined to become.

If you're interested in Pittsburg, California's TCKB, then click here.
If you're interested in Contra Costa County, California, then click here.
If you're interested in the San Francisco Bay Area, then that should be ready later today or tomorrow. (Done on time, 12/23/14, click here for the announcement bulletin, above for the direct link)
If you're interested in California, that will be right behind the SFBA.
If you're interested in the Nation, that will be ready around the end of the week.
If you live in another State, your TCKB's will be deferred while I deal with other crucial project phases. However, much will be useful to you during the entire project development process.

As Each New Territorial Knowledge Base Comes On Line, I Will Publish a Bulletin Announcement, like this one.

3. Remember -- Everything is Preliminary

I MUST INTRODUCE NEW SYSTEMS AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE! I have to test and refine things as I go -- otherwise I may not be granted enough of fate's time to finish what I have set out to do for this world.

I know you understand that this is all "a work in progress." Things will be modified and refined, right before your eyes. But, I assure you -- within the master plan I am following -- this is a milestone of major significance.

I hope you like it. And, if you don't -- well, just give me some time -- and I'll bring you around, too. Thanks to The Internet Revolution, we humans can do some extraordinary things -- and I think this is going to prove to be one of them.

AND SINCERE BEST WISHES FOR

A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

David Nelson

Friday, December 19, 2014

PRIVATE MENTOR / PERSONAL SAFETY / Why Women Live Longer than Men

Posted: 19 Dec 14

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS -- HERE ARE 16,000 WORDS!

Things not to do for very obvious reasons

(Thanks to my friend, Roy, for forwarding this to me/us)

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

City of Pittsburg: Reminder!

Reminder!

Housing Element Public Comment Meeting

Posted Date: 12/17/2014

This is just a reminder that the City will be holding a public comment meeting tomorrow evening to hear your comments on the Draft Housing Element.

For more information on this meeting or to add it to your calendar, please click here.

For more information on the Housing Element Update process or to obtain an electronic version of the Draft housing element, please visit the Housing Element Information Page.

To change your eSubscriptions preferences, click the following link:
http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/index.aspx?page=16&subscriberguid=f281d60a-f1c3-4485-8f5f-0ac785d31960

To unsubscribe from all City of Pittsburg eSubscriptions, please click the following link:
http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/index.aspx?page=16&subscriberguid=f281d60a-f1c3-4485-8f5f-0ac785d31960&unsubscribe=1

City of Pittsburg: City Council Meeting - CANCELLED

City Council Meeting - CANCELLED

Date: 1/5/2015 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Location: Council Chambers
65 Civic Avenue
Pittsburg, California 94565

MEETING CANCELLED

City of Pittsburg: Planning Commission Meeting - Cancelled

Planning Commission Meeting - Cancelled

Date: 12/23/2014 7:00 PM

Location: 65 Civic Ave
Pittsburg, California 94565

Meeting Cancelled

Sunday, December 14, 2014

WARMEST SEASON'S GREETINGS, WIKIPEDIA! AND THANK YOU!

Posted: 14 Dec 14

WIKIPEDIA HAS CONTINUED TO BLESS HUMANKIND,

FOR YEARS!

Society is still figuring out what to make of this Internet Thingy!

And Wikipedia has shown what brilliant, kind-hearted humans can and will do for the rest of us -- with their inspired and generous use of this vast, new, revolutionary human power!

To the people of Wikipedia -- sincere wishes for centuries full of happy holidays!

They have proven to be PRICELESS allies in the life-struggle!

It's hard to imagine losing, with them on our side.

They are just what fate's "doctor" ordered.

Friends,

Wikipedia is one of those non-profit organizations that is changing the world for the better -- IN HUGE WAYS -- BY THE SECOND.

In excellent company with the mighty Google, they have made life MUCH easier -- and easier life can mean fuller life -- precious life-force preserved to do many, if not most, other needful things.

We should, I believe, help insure that this organization prospers -- so they will continue to survive and flourish -- for their excellence deserves our highest approbation -- tangible and otherwise -- and because life would not be the same without it -- it would be MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

Please consider donating -- commensurate with your ability and appreciation -- especially if they are playing a significant role in your growing successes.

Here is their answer

to my grateful 2014 well-being wish to them!

On Thu, Dec 4, 2014 at 5:43 AM, Lila Tretikov <donate@wikimedia.org> wrote:

Dear David,

Thank you for your invaluable gift of bringing knowledge to every human around the world.

My name is Lila Tretikov, and I’m the Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation. Over the past year, gifts like yours powered our efforts to expand the encyclopedia in 287 languages and to make it more accessible all over the world.

We strive most to impact those who would not have access to education otherwise. We bring knowledge to people like Akshaya Iyengar from Solapur, India. Growing up in this small textile manufacturing town, she used Wikipedia as her primary learning source. For students in these areas, where books are scarce but mobile Internet access exists, Wikipedia is instrumental. Akshaya went on to graduate from college in India and now works as a software engineer in the United States. She credits Wikipedia with powering half of her knowledge.

This story is not unique. Our mission is lofty and presents great challenges. Most people who use Wikipedia are surprised to hear it is run by a non-profit organization and funded by your donations. Each year, just enough people donate to keep the sum of all human knowledge available for everyone. Thank you for making this mission possible.

On behalf of half a billion people who read Wikipedia, thousands of volunteer editors, and staff at the Foundation, I thank you for keeping Wikipedia online and ad-free this year.

Thank you,
Lila
Lila Tretikov
Executive Director,
Wikimedia Foundation

donate.wikimedia.org

Many employers will match employee contributions: please check with your company to see if they have a corporate matching gift program.

For your records: Your donation, number CNTCT-8534131, on 2014-12-04 was $ 100.00. [I will increase this as my capacity increases]

This letter may serve as a record of your donation. No goods or services were provided, in whole or in part, for this contribution. The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit charitable corporation with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in the United States. Our address is 149 New Montgomery, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94105. U.S. tax-exempt number: 20-0049703

No. Thank YOU (to the skies), Lila!

David Nelson

IF YOU WISH TO DONATE, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Friday, December 12, 2014

PRIVATE MENTOR / GLOBAL / MONITOR / Google News

Posted: 12 Dec 14

WHAT IS GOOGLE NEWS?

If knowledge is power -- and information feeds knowledge --

then, yet another free service-product offering from Google

is HIGHLY empowering, indeed.

Purpose of this Bulletin

This bulletin exists to insure that you are aware that you can easily and freely create a personal, powerful, unique "information space," in effect, a "personal daily newspaper" -- fed by as many or few publications as you wish -- and tailored to your exact needs and desires.

Here is the Link to the Google News Service

(click here)

1. What Wikipedia Says

Excerpted from Wikipedia Article (click here to see the entire article)

1.1 DEFINED

Google News is a free news aggregator provided and operated by Google Inc, selecting most up-to-date information from thousands of publications by an automatic aggregation algorithm...

1.2 FUNCTION

Visiting many separate websites frequently to find out if content on the site has been updated can take a long time.

Aggregation technology helps to consolidate many websites into one page that can show the new or updated information from many sites.
Aggregators reduce the time and effort needed to regularly check websites for updates, creating a unique information space or personal newspaper.
Once subscribed to a feed, an aggregator is able to check for new content at user-determined intervals and retrieve the update.
The content is sometimes described as being pulled to the subscriber, as opposed to pushed with email or IM.
Unlike recipients of some pushed information, the aggregator user can easily unsubscribe from a feed...

2. What Google Says

Excerpted from Google News "About" Page (click here to see the entire page)

2.1 DEFINED

Google News is a computer-generated news site that:

aggregates headlines from news sources worldwide,
groups similar stories together and
displays them according to each reader's personalized interests.

2.2 TRADITIONAL VS GOOGLE APPROACH

Traditionally, news readers first pick a publication and then look for headlines that interest them. We do things a little differently, with the goal of offering our readers:

more personalized options and
a wider variety of perspectives from which to choose.

2.3 THE GOOGLE NEWS ADVANTAGE

On Google News we offer links to several articles on every story, so you can:

first decide what subject interests you and
then select which publishers’ accounts of each story you’d like to read.
Click on the headline that interests you and you'll go directly to the site which published that story.

2.4 HOW THE STORIES ARE PREPARED FOR YOU

Our articles are:

selected and ranked by computers that evaluate, among other things, how often and on what sites a story appears online.
We also rank based on certain characteristics of news content such as freshness, location, relevance and diversity.
As a result, stories are sorted without regard to political viewpoint or ideology and you can choose from a wide variety of perspectives on any given story.

We'll continue to improve Google News by:

adding sources,
fine-tuning our technology, and
providing Google News to readers in even more regions.

FEATURES OF THE SERVICE

2.5 Personalized news:

No one can read all the news that’s published every day, so why not set up your page to show you the stories that best represent your interests? Learn more.

2.6 Alerts:

You can sign up to receive weekly, daily or as-it-happens email alerts on any topic that interests you. Learn more.

2.7 News for your mobile phone:

If you have a mobile data plan, you can access a special version of Google News right from your mobile phone.

2.8 Feeds:

You can receive updates of various sections of Google News or Google News search results by subscribing to RSS or Atom feeds in your favorite feed reader. Learn more.

2.9 News archive search:

Search and explore information from historical archives dating back over 200 years. Learn more.

2.10 More Information:

Look for more information, find answers to your questions, and send us suggestions in our Help Center pages.
If you're a news publisher, look for answers to your questions and useful tools in our section Help for Publishers.

David Nelson