View of Chicagotalks content, Sept. 2009, using Wordle.net

Wordle – chicagotalks.org. in 2008

July 23, 2009 – Four neighborhoods are bridging the digital divide through LISC/Chicago’s Digital Excellence Demonstration Communities (DEDC) pilot program, bringing universal, meaningful participation in technology to low-income communities. Mayor Daley announced the program as an integral part of the City of Chicago ’s Digital Excellence Action Agenda that was launched July 21.

The four pilot neighborhoods – Pilsen, Englewood, Auburn Gresham and Chicago Lawn – have developed digital excellence plans and begun their implementation, including projects like distributing low-cost, refurbished computers; training community members in using digital resources; creating community web portals (www.pilsenportal.org is an example); and helping local youth develop digital content. The neighborhood-based, wide-ranging plans aim to build awareness, skills and digital infrastructure and programming.

“If we want to improve the quality of life for everyone, we must work to make sure that every resident and business has access to 21^st century technology in their own neighborhoods and homes,” said Daley at a news conference in Pilsen..

The Resurrection Project in Pilsen, Teamwork Englewood , Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corp. and Greater Southwest Development Corporation in Chicago Lawn – all lead agencies in LISC/Chicago’s New Communities Program – engaged more than 300 residents, public agency officials, business owners and nonprofit leaders from more than 60 institutions to develop their digital excellence plans. The neighborhoods are now implementing their plans, including working with community partners to take advantage of special Microsoft grants that will provide software to 33 nonprofits working in the DEDC sites.

With support from LISC and guidance from expert planners, the neighborhoods are also developing a cross-community “master plan” that focuses on five main goals: raising awareness/changing mindsets; providing education, training and technical support for users; providing universal, affordable high-speed Internet access; providing affordable hardware and software; and developing digital programming, skills and content. The planning process leverages the experiences and relationships developed through LISC’s New Communities Program, which over the past seven years has built a robust and effective platform for community development initiatives.

“We’re proud to build on the New Communities Program and support neighborhoods as they connect their community members to technologies they need to be successful in today’s world,” said Andrew J. Mooney, Executive Director of LISC/Chicago.

Other support for the DEDC program comes from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Microsoft Corporation.

July 23, 2009 – Mayor Daley was in Pilsen July 21  promoting “digital excellence,” but what does that mean? The hope is that in the four demonstration communities of Pilsen, Englewood, Chicago Lawn and Auburn Gresham, use of digital tools and the internet will become commonplace for residents young and old, well-off and poor. It won’t be easy because so many residents lack broadband access and don’t have experience with on-line tools, but that’s all included in the digital excellence plans that the communities are beginning to implement.

One thing is certain. A community will use the Web more if there is relevant local content that is of value to residents, businesses and other stakeholders, and that’s where the Pilsen Portal comes in.

Launched last week and still in beta form, the portal is intended to be a place where many, many local people contribute content, find content, and comment about what others are putting up. Already about 20 beta users have signed on as contributors and they’re starting to fill up the calendar and the directory (check out the listing for Studio One Tattoos). Jaime Guzmán, on organizer for the project, is putting his videography skills to work profiling local businesses (Kristoffer’s Cafe) and even the churches are getting involved putting up the schedules of masses and kermeses (summer festivals).

A dynamic community-created Web portal won’t bring digital excellence all by itself. But my hunch is that if the portal can engage scores of local people in the telling of the Pilsen story, circa 2009, that will be an important step on the road. And once Pilsen does it, others will follow.

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“People need to use extreme caution and read the fine print before handing over their credit card information to a an online advertiser,” said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois in a press release. “Just because an ad appears on a website they trust, it doesn’t mean they can always trust the advertisers.”

Recently, the BBB has dealt with several complains about deceptive weight loss ads where the consumer was charged more than the trial fee.

Cindy Pearson clicked on an ad for acai (pronounced a-sigh-EE) berry, which promoted weight loss and colon cleansing. Pearson said she read all the information before ordering the product for its $4.95 trial fee.

What she received was the product, gum and oil, along with a $40 charge.

Pearson attempted to contact the company, Central Coast Nutraceuticals, Inc, to find out how to get instructions on how to send it back. But to no avail, she could not reach anyone at the company and had to turn to the BBB for assistance.

“It’s kinda of nasty, because I read all the fine print and I didn’t see anything telling me I was getting extra products… but if you can’t get anyone to answer the phone, you can’t get the paper work or authorization you need to return it,” said Pearson.

Representatives at Central Coast Nutraceuticals, Inc. did not respond to e-mail requests for an interview.

The BBB was able to resolve Pearson’s complaint on her behalf, but she was still charged a  $15 restocking fee.

The consumer advocacy group, the National Consumers League, said the acai berry scams are attractive because they are not high profile, like phishing or wiring money.

“I think people, after awhile get used to certain scams. So, they don’t fall for them anymore. When people see something like acai berry, they’re like ‘what’s that?’ and they might be a little more curious and click on the link,” said John Breyault, vice president of public policy and telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League.

Breyault said his organization has seen a recent “anecdotal” rise in complaints with online weight lost scams. He said there are several ways to determine if a company is legitimate.

Breyault advices consumers to check the websites for contact information about the company, such as a physical address or phone number. If there is contact information, you can check further by calling your local BBB or chamber of commerce to see if the company is actually registered where they claim to be operating from. Also, companies are required to register with their state corporation commission and local business licensing departments.

Breyault said that most companies also register with their local chamber of commerce and BBB.

Central Coast Nutraceuticals, Inc. has received an “F” rating, according to BBB.org. In the past 36 months, the BBB has received a total of 1,997 complaints, 719 of them dealing with refund practices. In December 2008, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against the company and its president and CEO alleging violations of consumer fraud.

A mobile telephony expert will take you on the mobile tweetup, as he explains here. So, is this just moblogging in a new guise? I don’t think so. It is often necessary to experiment with new technologies, to “play with them” in effect, in order to understand the capabilities of the new tool. I think that is what is happening here. For reporters, this would be a good shoeleather experience, and maybe a story.

Isn’t geotracking weird and perhaps a bit creepy?
A: Depends. It may save your life someday.

Check out the mobile tweetup this Saturday:

I’m hosting a Mobile Tweetup Event in Chicago on Saturday March 28, around 7PM. What is a mobile tweetup? Basically on that date, you follow me using one or more of the methods below. I’ll end up at a secret location by a certain time and if you meet me there, we can all have a drink and good time together!

via Chicago Mobile Tweetup ‎(chimotweetup)‎.

Here is a video example of how Kaltura works, though I didn’t mix up videos to make this:

[kaltura-widget wid="5e051hz8p4" width="310" height="264" type="grey" addPermission="2" editPermission="2" /]

Interested in remix culture ideas?

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The trend of "living green" is far from anything new. The Center for Neighborhood Technology helped pioneer that philosophy some 30 years ago. The Garfield Park-based non-profit organization continues to set the benchmark today.

Through its initiatives in natural resources, energy, climate, and transportation and community development, CNT has given Chicago-area residents the resources needed to make a change in the environment.

CNT led by example, rehabbing a former weaving factory into its offices in 1987. It became the state's first non-toxic energy efficient building. Further renovations were made in 2000, built to meet the standard of the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design's green building rating system. LEED awarded "Platinum" status to the building in 2005, making it one of the country's most environmentally friendly structures.

Over 70 percent of materials used in CNT's building came from recycled sources. Ceiling tiles were made from recycled paper while wheat boards were used for desks and shelving units. Eco-friendly insulation has reduced energy costs by 52 percent.

CNT's staff paves the way today by riding bicycles to work. Nicole Gotthelf, director of development and communications, says the majority also utilizes public transportation to cut down on their carbon footprint.

"When you want to be green, it's not just making the building green, you have to live it," Gotthelf said. "What we try to show is the benefits of going green which can lower things such as utility costs."

CNT Energy, an offshoot formed in 2000, provides residents with cost-saving tools such as its real-time electricity-pricing project. The statewide program helps consumers manage their energy consumption during peak hours, when electricity is in highest demand. This not only relieves pressure on the system, but consumers also save money.

"The benefit of real-time pricing is that it gives the straight market price right to the people," said Marjorie Isaacson, director of research and operations for CNT Energy. "It gives them a very appropriate price signal, and there's no artificial cushion in there."

Residents are able to follow prices live via a Web site or by phone. Isaacson said CNT Energy has also done air conditioner exchange programs in some neighborhoods to cut down on energy costs and consumption.

The I-GO car-sharing program is another division of CNT that keeps a conscious eye on the environment. Launched in 2002 as a pilot program, the non-profit organization offers short-term rental plans starting at $6.00 per hour. This rate includes gas, car maintenance and insurance. Almost half the fleet is hybrids, and all vehicles are low emission.

"We're doing this to improve the quality of life in Chicago," said I-GO CEO Sharon Feigon. "We want to reach as many people as possible."

I-GO covers 32 city neighborhoods as well as Evanston and Oak Park, with over 10,000 residents enrolled in the program. Feigon said 400 to 500 new members sign up each month.

Carl Westberg, an I-GO user for the past year, has found the convenience factor to be most beneficial. He sold his car in favor of using any of dozen or so cars within a walking distance of his Rogers Park apartment.

"I can look out my window and see the cars," Westberg said. "There's never really been a time when I wanted to go anywhere that I didn’t have a car to use."

Westberg says he uses the service eight to nine times a month, including occasions when he visits his family in the south suburbs. He also finds the service convenient when traveling from his job on North Michigan Avenue.

Like Westberg, Garfield Park resident Sunshine Best doesn’t own a car and relies on I-GO. Best, the owner of a food consulting company, uses the service a few times each week. She relies on I-GO for most time-sensitive situations.

"I think I-GO makes a more consistent effort towards the environment, especially with what they have to offer," Best said. "They have cars all over the city, and they're strategically placed by CTA stops."

CNT celebrated its 30 years of urban sustainability Sept. 17 at the Garfield Park Conservatory with a gala event.

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