iMedia

Regional Climate Change forum

Featuring speaker Dr. Radley Horton from The Center for Climate Systems Research, Columbia University, the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) has announced a forum on regional climate change.

Changing global climate conditions promise to bring about a range of challenges and issues for the Kentucky and the region. At this unique forum you will discuss what the global climate models are suggesting for this Kentucky along with the associated implications, challenges and opportunities. For details and to register click here Regional Climate Change Forum or go to KSTC and click on the Regional Climate Change Forum banner.

Space is limited so register early. Student pricing is available, please email (bflexter@kstc.com) or call (859-233-3502 ext. 221) Barbara Flexter for details. For additional information or questions, please contact Kris Kimel at 859-229-6161.

There really is no useless knowledge

Appearing at the IdeaFestival, A.J. Adams, author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know it All and The Guinea Pig Diaries, talked at length about his life-as-experiment and the idea that there really is no useless knowledge. Jacobs spoke at the IdeaFestival last week in Louisville. A live account of his presentation is here.

Video: Consumer-led innovation

Historically the domain of experts, consumers and serious amateurs alike can contribute innovative solutions today thanks to easily accessible information. Collaboration is much, much easier. Another rather straightforward reason for amateur-led innovation is that when risk is widely spread, the cost of failure is individually small.

This brief video describes how innovation occurs today.

IdeaFestival RSVP video series: "The Interactive Life"

[Cross-posted from the IdeaFestival blog] "The Interactive Life" is the first of many planned RSVP episodes, each of which will bring a diverse group of people together around a common topic. Subsequent videos may be found by clicking RSVP in the category cloud or by using the hyperlink on the left side of the blog.

Watch as our guests discuss how digital media changes our shared experiences.

And if you would like to know more about the participants and the artists, institutions and devices mentioned, links are provided below. Open them in a separate window - right click for most people - while you’re listening to learn more. We welcome your feedback in the comments.

Participants

• Wes Keltner, President, TAO Agency, Lexington, Kentucky
• Alice Grey-Stites, Founder, artwithoutwalls
• Arnold Garson, Publisher, Courier –Journal, Louisville, Kentucky
• Thom Gillespie, director of Interactive Communications Graduate Program, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut

Artist Websites, News

• Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Pulse Park, New York City
• Bankski, Graffiti Artis
• Swoon, Graffiti Artist
• Dreaming Wall in Milan, by Antonio Scarponi
• Digital and collaborative art from Cory Arcangel
• Program for Interactive/online art for the New Museum in New York
• Mark Napier, interactive artist
• Brian Nepp, interactive artist
• Festival of New Media Art in San Jose

Interactivity in Academia

• Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center
• Columbia University
• Yale University
• Berkeley Institute for the Future
• University of Illinois and Mosaic
• Free online classes from MIT
• New York University School of Medicine on iTunes
• Interactive Art at UC Berkley

Digital Applications, Communities

• Wii Spray
• iGoggles for the iPod
• Online notebooking, Springpad
• Creative Commons
• Jane Marsching and the Artic Listening Post
• iTunes mini-store
• Virtual world/Gaming as cooperatives

Interactivity, Media

• Newsgaming
• Hulu
• McTime advertisement
• Jellyvision Labs
• Arnold Garson interview on The Future of funding journalism Interview on NPR, WFPL-FM

Also in the conversation

• Mad Men
• Lee Todd President of the University of Kentucky

Paul Saffo: U.S. entering "creator economy"

In the latest BusinessWeek innovation podcast, futurist Paul Saffo describes the emerging creator economy and traces its origins to the crushing success of the consumer economy. It's brief, so have a listen.

Recession: How will it affect consumerism?

How will consumerism change as a result of the recession? Using data collected from four cities, one of which is Lexington, one firm specializing in "consumer anthropology" believes that the current economic stress will be culturally redefining as well, leading to the "grounded consumer." For the right business this difficult transition goes by another name, "opportunity." Hat tip: Experientia

Conference: Opportunities in consumer healthcare integration

At the Dealmaking in Healthcare Forum in New York City, Jeffrey Margolis, Chairman and CEO of Trizetto Group, stated that market opportunities in the next 10 years will flourish for those technology-based companies that can integrate constituent care - providing transparency, aligning behaviors with incentives and enabling choices.  

Reported by Matt McGarvey, VP, KSTC

Bill Bishop on the "Big Sort"

One of the more intriguing ideas I heard last week at the Visioning Kentucky's Future Conference in Covington was offered by panelist Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort. He identified one deceptively simple reason for the difficulties now facing the country. It's voluntary.

I caught up to him - see below - following the taping of a KET show "What's The Big Idea?" that will televised December 22. You'll want to watch to hear some very provocative suggestions by the assembled panelists - one drew nervous laughter from the live audience - to move Kentucky forward.

High tech, high growth

One of the things heard last week at the Visioning Kentucky's Future conference is the connection between high tech and high growth. It certainly makes this stat relevant. Our southern neighbor North Carolina has just recorded the highest fiver year rate of growth in biotech jobs in the nation.

Google's Eric Schmidt on Innovative Public Policy: Pay for Performance

Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently appeared at the New America Foundation, and according to the foundation, talked about "technology, economic growth and open government." Intangible Economy points out that one of his proposals would incent Detroit's automakers.

Build more fuel efficient cars, get cash. I immediately thought of the auto bailout hearing that just ended and wondered if that proposal was legislatively doable. Schmidt also talked about cash incentives "to get people to study math and science," according to a Twittercast of the event. I can think of one very innovative program in Kentucky that proposes to do just that.