“Imagine, if you will, sitting down to your morning coffee, turning on your home computer to read the day’s newspaper… well it’s not as far-fetched as it may seem…” KRON TVreport from 1981…

Today, writing from Barcelona I’m filled with joy, inspiration and pride for my home country. I feel compelled to post not just about my excitement for president-elect Obama, but what his presidency and his understanding of technology will mean for our country, and indeed the world.

Tonight, we elected a visionary, transformational new president. Through a near-perfectly executed, grass-roots and high-values campaign, Obama sparked a political revolution that inspired young Americans to get involved in a deeply heartfelt movement for change. What made that near-perfect execution possible was leveraging communication technology and social media to build, and communicate with, an insanely broad base of supporters. In his victory speech tonight, he called on us all to become involved in our government in a manner that reminded me of Kennedy’s “Ask what you can do for your country” edict. Obama will broaden the movement he began in his campaign by providing new ways for us all to participate in a transformational new democracy.

In recent interviews, Obama shared his excitement for expanding the technology innovations his campaign built to involve citizens in his presidential campaign. I’m still astounded at how he broke campaign donation records in tiny $5-$20 increments donated by a broad base of supporters. Obama plans to expand and innovate on that technology during his Presidency– possibly realizing a true idealized version of democracy– enabled through technology. I imagine local ‘meetups’ and volunteer groups, expanded Peace Corps task forces sent overseas to aid in crises, volunteer mentor groups and tutors to help children in disadvantaged areas (see groups like 826 Valencia to see how possible this can be). I envision initiatives set out by President Obama to solve our problems like climate change and energy by working with companies like Google to get our best minds to work on solving problems with our minds, and not our brawn (think of expanding forums like the TED conferences).

Indeed, Obama has pledged to create a new Chief Technology Officer cabinet-level post in his administration. And I do not believe I’m being overly optimistic in believing that with new technology, smart communication and human organization systems, plus an inspired group of participants, yes we can absolutely affect real change and meaningful progress.

Last night I attended an election-night party here in Barcelona filled with excited American expats, local Catalonian politicians, and Obama supporters from all over the world. We partied, we talked excitedly about the results and what a President Obama might mean for our world.

This morning, I’m filled with a sense of pride for my small involvement in Obama’s campaign, and for the first time, inspiration to become actively involved in our democracy. Our new President’s understanding of technology and innovation as the #1 component of increasing the standard of living for all people gives me an overhwelming sense of hope that an Obama administration can affect real, meaningful and progressive change.

I was 11 years old when I got my first 1200-baud modem. Shortly after realizing what a computer geek I had become, my parents asked for my opinion, “Scotty, do you think it’s worthwhile to get a CD-ROM for our computer?” “Naw,” I said, “That CD thing is just going to be a big fad, like those tape-backup drives.” That was 1988 and yes, every computer still has a CD-ROM as a critical part of its operation. I was similarly prescient when blogs and RSS technology first came on the scene. By then, I was a moderately-respected online media expert and my comment that blogs were nothing more than “…easy to update homepages and would never represent a valuable advertising opportunity.” Were thankfully never recorded, *ahem*, until now.

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From, The New York Times:
Unboxed: If You’re Open to Growth, You Tend to Grow By JANET RAE-DUPREE

WHY do some people reach their creative potential in business while other equally talented peers don’t?

After three decades of painstaking research, the Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck believes that the answer to the puzzle lies in how people think about intelligence and talent. Those who believe they were born with all the smarts and gifts they’re ever going to have approach life with what she calls a “fixed mind-set.” Those who believe that their own abilities can expand over time, however, live with a “growth mind-set.”

Guess which ones prove to be most innovative over time. Continue reading →

From, Stuff White People Like:

“The number one reason why white people like not having a TV is so that they can tell you that they don’t have a TV…though these people often fill their time by talking with other friends who don’t watch TV about how they don’t watch TV, looking at leaves, cooking, reading books about left wing politics, and going to concerts/protests/poetry slams.”

I was at a BBQ last night listening to a friend relate how she’s just finished watching every episode of Lost, Grey’s Anatomy and is working her way through the 1st season of Heroes. But then finished up her enthusiam for Heroes (which I share) by mentioning that she doesn’t own a TV (I gave her props, “Oh that’s great…me either!”)…so how does she consume her favorite media? She watches it all on her laptop (via iTunes).

A-ha! How fantastic is it to have technology provide us with an ability to continue to claim not owning a television but still reap all the benefits of keeping up on your favorite shows?! Brilliant. Only drawback? It’s a small screen…so I rig my lappy up to a projector…that way it’s still not technically a TV and I retain my non-TV-owning bragging rights.