Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab and SocialVibe have a patented micro payment system that offers incentives (e.g. charitable donations to favored causes like World Wildlife Fund and Stand Up to Cancer) "to the members of social networks who promote their brands on their personal pages". The public beta began in May 2008. Can you DIGG it?

Last night I attended The Crucible's Fire Arts Festival, and was dazzled by the diversity and intensity of the community, sponsors, and artists. The Crucible Organization demonstrates tremendous power and promise in transforming community in a disadvantaged urban area by offering the inspiration, tools, resources, and leadership that so many young people freely admit has changed their lives.

I am floored by what they have done, and I hope that we will learn from them. In the near future, I hope to meet with and interview Kristy Alfieri, the Crucible's Youth and Community Manager. Perhaps she will be so kind as to present their program at a Net Tuesday in the fall.

How does a small group of artisans and activists transform a community? The Crucible has accomplished this through offering classes and workshops in welding, blacksmithing, foundry & moldmaking, woodworking, machine shop, motorcycle & bike repair, stonework, neon & light, kinetics, jewelry & enamel, fire performance, and clay animation.

Hi, I'm Rich Reader. I produce media for organizations. At N2Y3, you'll see me interview project reps and vlog hallway chats with attendees, hosts, and sponsors. I want to better understand how to strengthen working relationships through mashups. I can't wait to meet you. When you see me, come on over and mash it up!

Social media practitioners must understand what not to do in the space, as the grassroots are extraordinarily unforgiving and interconnected. Don't be a weed. To wit, I received a message from a friend on Facebook, and immediately it struck me that he was shooting himself in the social media foot with an uzi. The message which I received was sent to 18 persons whose first name begins with the letter R. One can only assume that this instance of his message recurred many times, hence the uzi. It comes across as spam, however well-targeted it might be. It is a formula for failure.

Last week, while attending the Online Community Roundtable at Forrester Research, with encouragement on the spot from the organizer, Bill Johnston, I signed up to lead off the evening and pitch the N2Y3 Mashup Challenge. No sooner then I had put my name onto the agenda, I was approached by Jeremiah Owyang (Forrester's Evangelist for Social Media), our venue host. He asked me for a quick summary of why I was there, and what I would be sharing with the audience.

Are your community’s articles, blogs, and discussions left shivering in a dark and quiet echo chamber? Do relevant reach, attraction, engagement, interactivity, and participation elude your organization’s site?

Today, January 23rd, 2008, Seth Godin (Search Engine Strategies, Search Engine Watch, Clickz Network, & BuzzLogic) webcast the core message from his new book, “Meatball Sundae”. This haunting & timely theme speaks to a challenge which many of us in non-profit organizations and non-governmental entities struggle with: how (& where) do we better communicate with those whom we serve as well as those on whom we depend, and through doing so, provide a better service?

Seth Rosen asked on LinkedIn "Which nonprofits are using Web 2.0 technology in an innovative way to listen and talk with their clients and constituents and further their missions?".

My friend and colleague, Beth Kanter, asked me for advice about how A/B multivariate testing applies to the design and execution of calls-to-action in the non-profit sector, with a particular eye toward how we leverage the social graph. What follows is my response to her question, from which I would hope that others will draw some benefit.

Malcolm Gladwell reveals the key to success in a presentation that he made to the TED conference in 2004 entitled “Learning from Spaghetti Sauce”.

As many of us know, or have heard, Jeremiah Owyang brought down the house with his keynote presentation at the Seattle! Yep Web Community Forum on December 5th. Special thanks go to Beth Kanter for casting a spotlight on Jeremiah’s contributions toward our better understanding & appreciation of social media.