Back in the digital saddle again finally.

I heard an interesting commentary today on my local NPR station about old letters and postcards. The commenter talked about how she likes to revisit her old letters from time to time to remember those events, and people that had an impact on who she is today. Although she said that she loved the efficiency of e-mail and other modern forms of communication she said that it’s not the same as receiving a physical letter. Is this true?

As a Digital Daddy I could easily dismiss her (and her generation) as a quaint old lady of the past reminiscing about how things use to be when people actually took the time to sit down and write you a letter. But, I would be wrong. I too have letter from my past. My wife and I use to be pen pals 25 years ago. I still have those letters in several shoeboxes in my closet. And although I am a Digital Daddy who totally embraces digital communications(like this blog) I still wish for the time when people use to spend time writing you a letter. But, those times are gone.

The only thing we can do is try to merge the past with the new technologies of today. I recently converted my wife’s old letters and postcards over into a digital flipbook. Now I can access these letters anytime or anywhere I want from my computer or mobile device. Is it the same as having the physical letter in my hands? No, but I now have access to them whenever I want to. And I don’t have to worry about a fire, flood, earthquake, etc destroying these gifts from the past.

We do indeed live in digital times. The days of writing and receiving physical letters are almost at an end. But instead of being sadden by this fact lets look at the possibilities of the digital future. I (and my generation) may miss getting physical letters, but our kids and grand kids will not. Their future is digital and if you want them to be able to read your old letters and postcards from the past they better be digital!

It is summertime and vacation for many. The economy has many of us doing “stay-cations”. Staying at home has some benefits for creative people to explore hobbies more meaningfully.

This summer I hope to dig deeper and become one with my digital video camera. I also want to join a community of other amateurs. Though many of us shoot our videos solo, it is fun to share and exchange feedback. When I upload or post videos, I want honest and respectful feedback. Video forums that are full of crude or sophomoric comments or that take personal shots at anyone personally are a turn off.

“Vimeo is…” – JD from JD on Vimeo.

SOAPBOX ALERT: Ultimately, the most powerful aspect of the World Wide Web is not e-commerce or commercialism, but the ability to collaborate and converse in positive and respectful forums.

I joined Vimeo today. Reading their community guidelines, I quickly determined that I like these people; they get it as far as atmosphere that you want to provide. They offer a free or basic Vimeo and Vimeo Plus for about $60/year.

Something that might undermine their noble pursuit of video utopia, as with any collaborative site, is the misuse of user information that is gathered and shared with other sites. As long as they are all respectful of each other, and stay true to their guidelines, then they are perennial candidates for a Digital Daddie Award. A “Daddie” honors those who want to sincerely embrace, model, and enjoy the benefits of the digital life.

The BP oil spill is a horrific disaster that is still not resolved. A time sensitive problem with multiple dimensional repercussions deserves to be addressed minus the egos or the blame game. Do we really care if the solution comes from a Hollywood director or a 5 year old kid from Toledo ? It bugs me that that any major crisis is used as a campaign opportunity for ambitious politicians or fodder for disgruntled pessimists and doomsayers. I don’t care if it is a public or private solution. Let’s get it done and then politicize and analyze.

The urgency of now begs for more solutions and less opinions.

May 21, 2010 – The Second Annual Budgetball on the Mall Event
Brought to you by The Peter G. Peterson Foundation and the National Academy of Public Administration.

It is distressing to hear the elimination of the arts, music, and physical education in school systems across the nation that has budget shortfalls due to the Great Recession of 2007 – 2009. Economists say it is over. Our economy is more stabilized, but I don’t think that the bleeding has stopped in many parts of the country.

I stumbled upon this really cool game called Budgetball. This is the out-of-the-box thinking that we need to improve on fiscal and physical education. We are sorely lacking in fiscal or physical education. (That may be a tongue twister for some to say.) I seriously think that the schools should adopt it as a national directive. Our kids are suffering from unprecedented obesity and inactivity. We also need to get our kids primed to tackle fiscal challenges of the future in their personal and public life. Some of the politicians, policymakers and school boards need to adopt this right now!

First, I want to say that the movie Hot Tub Time Machine (HTTM) is worth the laughs. (As a Public Service Announcement, I beg parents keep the kids at home and away from R rated movies, it corrupts them and spoils the movie for us, when little Billy keeps asking what is that man doing to that lady, mommy!)

Why is a Digital Daddy talking about HTTM? Because it looks like HTML? No. The movie rekindled memories of my college days and it also has spawned a new theory about people I meet who are stuck in quicksand and refuse to be rescued. Some of my fellow middle-aged peers, not seniors, are some of the most stoic and stubborn people I know when it comes to embracing some of the niceties of the digital life. I have a buddy living in the Mid-West who would rather haul albums around in the trunk of his car than to use an MP3 player and have his musical collection in the palm of his hand. This is tragic I thought…until I saw HTTM. My theory is when I visit family in the MidWest that I am actually traveling in the Hot Tub Time Machine. It explains a lot. Time travel is real.

I know that students and teachers have started the countdown till summer vacation. One teacher compared the final few weeks like a military operation that is strategically winding down after a long mission. Some kids have mentally checked out and dream of summer camps and sleeping in.

Here is a Mississippi high school where the students and teachers might actually miss school during summer. The video comes compliments of www.edutopia.org. The Digital Daddies salutes Harrison Central High School in Gulfport for being wonderful stewards in education by integrating technology across disciplines in meaningful and relevant ways. Their technology educational approach taps in to the passion of the students and makes learning fun.

The iPad is here and this Digital Daddy is wondering will this finally be the start of tablet/slate computing? After many false starts with these devices the iPad may bring some badly needed life to this product area.

I had an earlier version of a table PC several years ago. It had problems, but I could see the potential in the device. From writing notes on the screen to recipes in the kitchen the device performed very well. But, it was not adopted by the average household. Some could not see why writing on a computer screen would be better than writing on a pad of paper. This was true and what was also true was that the tablet computer needed a sexy makeover. That’s what Apple has done with the iPad.

So I’m hoping that this time tablet/slate computing gets adopted by mainstream homes. The iPad is not the end, but the beginning of new devices just like this one. At least that’s what I’m hoping.

One of the coolest things about the Internet phenomenon is the entertainment value.   Games are the spice of the digital life for us.  Some people frown on games, because they can rob you or your job of productivity.  They make a strong point.  People need to be more responsible about the line between work and play.

There is another type of theft may be more heinous than wasting time on someone’s dime.  I speak of social networking sites that use games and fun applications to lower peoples guard and to obtain personal information about them. The integrity of social networking and Web 2.0 can be seriously compromised by a few bad apples.

There is no such thing as a free lunch and I realize the many freebies exist to fulfill marketing plans.   We love free enterprise, but we despise business practices that exploit fun to lure and deceive people.  Trust is an important part of doing any business, especially on the Web.   Trust is the foundation of strong relationships, both personally and professionally.  Are we overreacting?  We think not!   Watch out for this type of behavior. Let’s keep the fun in fun.

Today is Presidents’ Day.  The celebration of birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and George Washington (Feb 22) are the motivation behind the national holiday.   February is sometimes called the month of great men.  Is there someone you work with or know who deserves Presidential Praise?  Maybe it is your father or your older sister.  Pick some one who has the “it” to be called presidential material.  (Historically, US Presidents usually get trashed and bashed, but work with me.) If you missed Valentine’s Day, this won’t bail you out, but it might reduce your sentencing.  Here is your chance in 250 words or less tell the world and the Digital Daddies, why your hero or heroine deserves to be exalted.  Also, here is a little inspirational music to play in the background,

as you write about your special person with presidential or leadership qualities. No politicians please!