The Observation Deck

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Another question that has been rattling around the advisory board since day one is: Should we have a citizen advisory/steering committee?

This one pops up all the time. But is usually put on hold as we cannot even agree on proper name for it. Steering, well steering seems not the right word. Advisory panel, already have one. Who would we invite? Why would we invite. Or even more to the point is it really needed?

Everyone we have thought of for the board already has no problem calling myself or other board members with such comments as: "Are you out of your mind..." "Great idea keep it up..." "Why on earth would you even think that.." etc.

The project already has a pretty open policy that has not really been tested yet. As problems or ideas pop up we usually go directly to the best minds in town for their opinions, which seem a better policy than a static board, that would still need outside specialists.

Ideas and suggestions that come in through the suggestion boxes are usually ways to make the project better, and most are incorporated in the ongoing improvements and advances in this Project. One will see part of the project essentially double in size. Virtual meetings rooms came out of a suggestion, with our own spin on it.

So I throw the idea out, to see what Observers think.

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Hi Jim,

Thanks for your kind words regarding my hope that people give up acrimony for Lent. I know how hard you work for our community. Heaven help us all, if you were ever to get disgusted, throw up your hands, and walk away from all this.

You said "Should we have a citizens' advisory/steering committee?"

I believe we already do, with this "Observation Deck".

This is truly the most interactive, "involve everybody" project that I've ever seen. Anyone wanting to can either express their thoughts, or just sit back, and enjoy the thoughts of others.

I see other news media, both in print and on TV, copying what the Observer crew has pioneered. It seems like everywhere I look, "citizen journalism" is being touted as the "next big thing".

We seem to be at the cutting edge of this concept with the Observer Project.

Let's keep up the good work, everyone!

Gary Rice wrote:We seem to be at the cutting edge of this concept with the Observer Project.

Let's keep up the good work, everyone!

Gary

Ditto on the kind words.

You have no idea, how watched this project is. The Lakewood Observer is being copied and modeled all over the place and the world.

One of the spin-offs from this is software and services that will allow any city or group to copy this project. It is being marketed under the name i-murdoch (You can be a media mogul overnight).

i-murdoch already has two clients, and we could handle thousands. allowing cities and groups to concentrate on the content not the headaches and the growing pains.

As for me, and the board for that matter. This entire project has been designed from day one to run without us. We all see this as Lakewood's paper and board, not ours. We are merely the caretakers at this time and place.

Thanks again to you and everyone for taking part.

We are writing history.

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Hi,
Be careful Jim, Apple believes they have intrinsic rights to all words that start i-{fill in the blank}. They just announce the i-phone when someone else (Cisco, I believe) has a product called the i-phone. Maybe you should go with u-murdoch.

Donald Farris wrote:Hi,
Be careful Jim, Apple believes they have intrinsic rights to all words that start i-{fill in the blank}. They just announce the i-phone when someone else (Cisco, I believe) has a product called the i-phone. Maybe you should go with u-murdoch.

Don

The Cisco deal is nothing like you think. Apple knew full well that Cisco owned the name and was in negotiation to purchase it. However as both sides argued for more or less money the date of the launch came. According to news sources, just before the launch, Apple signed off on the deal and mailed the contract back.

Cisco, correctly sued Apple, but it is over.

I am hoping that it does attract the Rupert though.

You know what they say about publicity.

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Just saw on CNN:

Both Apple & Cisco have agreed to jointy use the i-Phone name, and will work together towards interoperability of both devices.