Mark's Universe

Growing an Agile business

2011-05-07T13:09:00.004-04:00

by Mark Hewitt

As a CEO we are faced with tough decisions; make or break; that’s why we are CEO’s and where better to collaborate but with other CEO’s. There is no MBA for what we must learn about running and growing a business; you must learn by doing and part of that is understanding how to network.

December 2010 I was invited to an event just outside of Las Vegas called CEO Space where I met hundreds of fellow Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, and market leaders from all over the world. I would call the event a Ph.D. for CEO’s.

CEO Space is an organization that has grown only through word of mouth, with local chapters scattered throughout the world team leaders share and expand our knowledge with experience that is current and strategic.

For those of you who are already familiar with my work on Continuous Innovation, my next chapter is how to adopt these methods in your business planning and execution. I call it the “Agile Business” which if used gives us an “Unfair Advantage” over the legacy proprietary silo methods of conducting and operating a business today.

CEO Space will resonate with this evolutionary style of thinking, collaborating, and expanding value into a hungry market place.

The Cooperative Revolution

2011-05-07T11:30:00.002-04:00

: Working Together

Throughout the age of Man we have grown in stages; stressed by our environment man began to understand our world with the mastery of Fire. We lived in tribal communities developing language, transportation, agriculture, until approximately 5,000 years ago when the Great Flood gave way to the stories of Noah and the birth of many of today's religions and great wars; where in Sun Tzu “The art of War” we are taught to divide then conquer.

Man’s growth over the past few hundred years has led to the Industrial Revolution, the Information Age, and with the birth of the Computer and the Internet we are on the precipice of the Cooperative Revolution.

The Cooperative Age is the period in which we develop our understanding that through self responsibility we are greater working together than apart; scrabbling over the same common resources like energy, water, food, land. Cooperatism is not a new concept aswe all remember the motto “United We Stand Divided We Fall” first told to us though Aesop’s fables in the story “The Four Oxen and the Tiger” from the sixth century BC.

Pockets of cooperative communities have been maturing to a greater degree over the past 40 years each meeting similar challenges of learning and teaching the values and results of cooperativism. It was 1994 when John Nash won the Noble Prize in economics for his understanding of cooperative economics and how it mirrors the best of how nature functions so efficiently. “Many in body One in Mind” from the The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin teaches us how to maintain our uniqueness yet produce greatness together.

The process is a “Metamorphosis” of human culture and economics and has led to the development of a set of principles we refer to as the Metamorphosis Protocol as a set of values and tests designed to insure our path and actions follow our intentions.

The team that led the writing of the Metamorphosis Protocol are now gathering expertise in each of the major fields of Economics, Business, Accounting, Technology, Communications, Industry, Development, Health, Government, Utilities, Transportation, Education, and Leadership to write a series of eBooks designed to provide a blueprint for this change.

If you have the necessary expertise or know of someone who does in each of the fields above please ask them to get involved to help co-author some of these “Blueprints” for success.

Contact anyone on the Metamorphosis Project for input or discussion.

The Metamorphosis Blueprint

2011-05-07T11:24:00.002-04:00

: The Metamorphosis Project

To my many Friends, Family, Colleagues, and fellow citizens of the Great Planet Earth. I am honored to be able to present to you the first public draft of the Metamorphosis Blueprint; this document has been a collaboration from some of the greatest thinkers and doers of this century. The Metamorphosis Project evolved from discussions, meetings, and a call to action for the great many of us that recognize the shift in the world today.

I don’t believe that many would argue that the continued pattern of living and working together needs a change to be sustainable into our future generations. This Blueprint is a “Protocol” for living and working together under the same Sun on the same Planet.

I would ask each of you to take a moment to read this short document, it may change your life, it may reinforce your own commitment, it may be meaningless; however it will impact you in some profound way regardless of how you view the energy behind the Metamorphosis Protocol.

Once you have read this please take a moment to write an introduction of your own then send it to your own friends, family, and colleagues make it a celebration of Earth Day. I encourage you to start a discussion group if you’re not already part of one and if you are so inclined please join our discussion group at “The Metamorphosis Project” group on LinkedIN.

Since this will be an evolving document over time please send out the link http://j.mp/metamorphisis01 and check back occasionally as updates are sure to present a more clear vision over time.

The next steps are to gather subject matter experts from all over the world to help coauthor detailed plans, instructional documentation and educational materials in a series of eBooks. Should you know of someone or perhaps even yourself that would be interested in adding your voice to a choir of voices please send your comments and interests to metamorphosis@2.0Earth.com

What does mold and a subway have in common?

2010-01-25T16:23:00.004-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

More than you might imagine - take a look at these photos of mold growing and see how it resembles the Tokyo subway system

Patterns in nature and human behavior are predictiable

What if the climate change is a big hoax?

2009-12-16T18:06:00.004-05:00

I can't help but laugh at the Irony of this What If statement - think we might all ban together and create a better world - for nothing...

The Joel Pett cartoon depicting the delegation in Copenhagen this year.

Sustainablity - Self Responsiblity

2009-11-13T11:20:00.002-05:00

There is no silver bullet to achieve "Sustainability" however one central element is the consideration of the overall "Cost of Ownership". Energy will be a key issue in the design and construction of new homes and businesses however without a connection to finance. Home value and operational costs must be connected to achieve adoption of sustainable homes and buildings.

LowCarbonEconomy has recently posted a note urging self builders to consider sustainability in construction and design.

Buck Rogers - here we come

2009-04-28T17:59:00.002-04:00

High power solid state lasers makes controlled fusion possible. In an article released by Laser Focus the frequency control and power output bring nuclear laser fusion one step closer.

Maybe we don't need all of those coal fired power plants after all.

Title 12 Chapter 16 § 1831o

2009-04-12T12:51:00.005-04:00

§ 1831o. Prompt corrective action

Under current federal law federal authorities have only 90 days from the time that a bank exceeds the required minimum level of capitalization. In a striking blow to Obama's top banking official Timothy Geithner. William K. Black, the former senior regulator during the savings and loan crisis and the man that blew the whistle on the Keating Five, blasted the current banking crisis as a period of anarchy - "a time where lawlessness is prevalent".

In an interview with Bill Moyers; Black author of the book "The best way to rob a bank is to own one" he blasted the current and previous administrations for their handling of the banking issues referring to the pervasive issuance of "Liars Loans" which were packaged with AAA ratings then sold to other financial institutions.

This if nothing else make the case for establishing a "Resource Based" economic system. You simply can not separate risk from reward. The regulations and ethics that separate the banking system from investment banking must lead to creating a level of transparency and reporting designed to expose fraud and reward performance.

The Communicators: Broadband Lobbying Efforts

2009-02-28T09:15:00.001-05:00

Bailout Bonaza

2009-02-18T07:09:00.006-05:00

PlayScreen has released a new iPhone application called "Bailout Bonanza". What a great way to take your frustrations out on the wasted billions from banks and financial markets. Check it out!

An additional incentive is the pledge by PlayStreen to contribute 5% of the revenues to the United Way where our frustration can actually help those hardest hit by the fiancial crisis.

Obama's committment to Broadband and Infrastructure

2009-02-13T21:57:00.001-05:00

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World

2009-02-13T10:14:00.001-05:00

House to Vote on Stimulus Bill, GOP to Say No

2009-01-29T08:43:00.001-05:00

Despite visiting Republicans in Congress and stripping out two provisions the GOP objected to, President Obama is expected to win the House vote on his economic stimulus plan today.Guess I don't get it and frankly I'm ashamed at the Republican party; Finally spending that targets both short and long term issues that plague our society and economy. For example spending to help quit smoking - the long term impact on health care and worker productivity is far reaching.Even spending on the Arts; one of the most critical creative thinking elements of a productive US economy is our ability to think out of the box. And what about the "Pork" even wasteful spending generates income for business and workers that in turn spend and create.

read more | digg story

A sign of the times

2009-01-19T08:53:00.002-05:00

I received this image in a forwarded email today and thought that it was a wonderful sign of the times.

IS A FIRE RAINBOW - THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.

THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED THIS WEEK ON THE IDAHO / WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR.

CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20.000 FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES.

Why the stimulus package isn’t enough

2009-01-08T15:31:00.005-05:00

and what to do about it

by Mark Hewitt

President Elect Obama has inherited the greatest power on earth; he is that one man than can make a difference at a time which change is possible.

Today the powerful force of the “Status Quo” is still at hand; where established systems are simply asking for more resources to do what has always been done before; From State and City governments to entire industries; i.e. Automotive, Retail, Banking, Transportation, etc.

At the core of our economic crisis is a fundamental flaw in how an economy actually works. We have allowed for accounting systems such as the “Federal Reserve” to play games with how we measure productivity. (see the book Creature from Jekyll Island) this process has led to wide spread business value where real productivity is traded for promissory notes without any backing or substance. (Sounds like something familiar in the news today i.e. Bernard Madoff).

My conclusion is that continued funding of established broken systems only delay an already failed system.

How to fix it

First it is important to understand that we live in a Universe where nothing is ever wasted and from a Physics perspective everything is always in balance which translates into the national debt is just a gross misrepresentation of someone’s accounting of real value.

The current set of notes and accounting used in today’s world economy has been primarily built on the basis of a “non-renewable” source of energy or Oil, Gas, & Coal. With minor exceptions for materials based uses of these products a real accounting of productivity will show that our books are actually very balanced.

Today we have the opportunity to leverage what resources we have as a nation and focus it on the following priorities:

Replace non-renewable energy sources with renewable energy
Establish infrastructure in a format that can be maintained and or replaced
First and foremost is communications; establish an open and “Free to access” national “Intranet”.
Build a transportation network that favors renewable energy based systems of transportation; i.e. Maglift Rail systems, electric cars, etc.
Establish a network and system of accountability for use of our energy sources and other resources.
Establish a basis for basic health maintenance and health care.
Education is the foundation of human understanding; it should be a social and national priority and not restricted to legacy university systems; we have the technology and with a National Intranet we can deliver.
National and Personal safety and security; is a responsibility not a right; education and training empower each of us to be responsible for safety and security.
Foreign policy; we are all part of the same family on this planet; diversity is part of establishing a successful future; however threats and the use of violence can not be tolerated in a evolving civilization and it is the responsibility of our neighbors to tolerate or ignore members of their own culture that support or use force on others. International foreign policy should have a zero tolerance for the use of violence against others.

I realize that this may be radical thinking and that an understanding of how symbiotic Energy and an Economy are with each other should be at the forefront of everything we do.

Even to the point that conservation is not a solution; we have the energy to live in a balanced world without giving up the things that make us more productive and healthy.

Remember that “Change” is the only truly universal constant.

Mark Hewitt

Clean Energy Map

2008-12-15T10:31:00.005-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

For those of us keeping up with some of the great energy and clean tech industry players Earth2Tech has built a map with locations and links to most of the North American start ups to be found.

As Google has now joined in the SmartGrid - Demand Response coalition I hope to see soon serious movement on non-proprietary standards for Smart devices emerge.

Keep up with all of the latest issues in Clean tech at SmartGridNews (rss feed)

Rebooting America

2008-12-09T07:29:00.004-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

Microsoft has trained us all about rebooting our computers when things just don't seem to work any more - well the voters have actually hit the reset button and we are about to see a "Reboot of the White house" and I suspect everything else from there.

If you haven't already seen the site "www.change.gov" please take the time to go and sign up for news and events.

At the top of the list is the "Plan for Broadband" December 18th is the next FCC meeting to vote on the wireless broadband rules.

Also if you haven't been following the "New America Foundation" please watch the video and read the "Call to Action".

And one of the best resources I've found since the election take a look at the "Transition Directory" the org chart alone is worth the time.

Next step is an upgrade - not just a reboot!!!

Broadband the New "NEW" deal

2008-12-07T17:36:00.002-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

Saturday Obama placed the National Broadband strategy at number 4 on his list of priorities for reviving the nations strength, security, and economic prosperity. I applaud the president elect for his action and recognition of just how fundamental broadband is to our overall success as a nation.

Thousands of thought leaders throughout the industry have pushed hard to find leadership willing to establish a national broadband strategy and while I personally think that it is a shame that a catastrophic economic recession was necessary to get one, I'll take it none the less.

Now it the time to rally for unification and to reestablish the separation between broadband as a utility and an open market for competitive services. Broadband as a utility belongs to everyone this needs to be regulated not the services that broadband make possible. The original "Community Broadband Act of 2007" would have been a great leap forward in achieving this goal if it had not been for the US Senate that gutted the bill on pressure from wealthy lobbyists.

Charter for Compassion

2008-11-13T10:44:00.006-05:00

TED launched a new site called CharterForCompassion inspired by world events and a universal recognition of the power of the Golden Rule.

I invite you to take a moment to be inspired by this creative video and share your own story of compassion.

Thank you

Mark

Newly discovered Aurora

2008-11-12T19:25:00.006-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has beamed back a discovery unlike anything we have seen before. One of the infrared cameras aboard the spacecraft shows a unique aurora lighting up the Polar Cap of Saturn.

Credit NASA Photo

Unlike Jupiter or Earth Aurora's this covers a massive level of the cap.

Here is a great recap of the discovery written by Nancy Atkinson of Universe Today.

Perspective

2008-11-06T19:37:00.002-05:00

I came across this story on the Fourth Corner site and though it deserved a moment to share....

An Amusing Story

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.

The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, "only a little while." The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 or 20 years."

"But what then, senor?"

The American laughed and said, "that’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, senor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

The Cloud

2008-11-04T06:31:00.006-05:00

by Mark Hewitt

We have all been talking about the evolution of computing into a almost ubiquitous Cloud, we call Cloud Computing. Already Google and Amazon have delivered early versions of enabling systems and now web based services LinkedIN and Salesforce are maturing their offerings that include early examples of how "The Cloud" improves our lives and increases the value of services and applications.

Microsoft has announced their Azure Services Platform designed to allow developers early access to what looks like a replacement for Vista, a smart move by Microsoft that I remind our readers maintains over 85% of overall market share.

I see these products as an indicator of just how applications will mature into products and services that add value to our lives.

Protect your "Freedom 2 Speak"

2008-10-23T21:23:00.003-04:00

Today the VON collation launched a new site Freedom2Speak I recommend taking a moment to voice your opinion of just how much you appreciate the performance of the FCC and current administration's job that has left our Country now 19th in the world for Broadband penetration.

I couldn't have said it better

2008-10-19T12:07:00.001-04:00

Colin Powell on NBC this morning

What is Mobile VoIP?

2008-09-23T11:17:00.003-04:00

by Mark Hewitt

From my "Ask the Expert" monthly column

Mobile VoIP is defined as an extension of mobility to a VoIP network (as described in Wikipedia). Thus, it is a method of expanding the utility of VoIP in our everyday lives and not just a technology.

At the CTIA (Cellular Telephony Industry Association) show in Las Vegas recently, I saw several innovative approaches designed to tackle the power problem with WiFi and WiMax devices – Broadcom, for example, introduced a system-on-a-chip that reduced the power requirements by 50%. This is the single most critical obstacle to the deployment of direct mobile handsets with “Always On” connections required to support a direct SIP client.

It is this “Always On” nature of a future Mobile VoIP product that we are beginning to see in hybrid Cellular phones, and for any of you playing with them it becomes quite clear that battery life cannot keep up with a pure SIP client mobile solution.

We have yet another major issue in North America with the capacity of Internet Bandwidth falling behind the world quickly, while our costs are not declining as rapidly as in many foreign markets. I note in Jim Baller’s April 10th broadband newsletter that Japan’s price per Mbps for its highest bandwidth offerings ($0.13/Mbps) is considerably lower than the US ($2.83/Mbps), and that the average download speed in Japan is now 93.7 Mbps, while the US is more than 10 times slower at 8.9 Mbps.

It is for this reason that current practical implementation of a Mobile VoIP solution must remain a “bridge” to broadband networks and operate over existing Cellular infrastructure and in a cooperative fashion with the incumbent providers.

Look out for the WiMax 802.16m standard to settle the score between networks and devices. I predict the convergence of 3G technology and WiFi to mature into a 4G standard offering 100 Mbps (mobile) and 1 Gbps (fixed) coverage by 2010. I can only hope that this timetable helps explain the “gap” we face until both technology and business models adapt to a very rapidly changing environment. Mobile VoIP is just the beginning – soon expect the “V” in VoIP to also mean Video.

Now part of Blog Top Sites

2008-09-08T17:05:00.001-04:00

Just joined Blog Top Sites to help exchange new ideas.

Take a look

The Information Center

2008-09-08T14:41:00.003-04:00

by Mark Hewitt
From my "Ask the Expert" column

During the past decade, we have watched with interest the adoption of mobile phone technology throughout the world. As examples, we have seen remote villages use prepaid phones to exchange money where no banking system exists, and an American Presidential candidate has reached out to millions of supporters with a text message.

As creatures of “Connectivity”, we build networks around ourselves, friends, family, co-workers, and community. The mobile phone has become a critical link in this chain, as it fits naturally into our lifestyles. Since information interlinks human networks, the mobile phone has become an anchor in our daily lives by allowing us to store contact information, schedules, news items, and events that are central to our everyday activities.

The global success of the Blackberry device relies not on its flashy screen, text keypad, or any single application like email (we all remember the Blackberry email crash in April 2007). Instead, Blackberry’s success revolves around RIM’s ability to bridge the “walled garden networks” of the carriers. My Blackberry on Verizon’s network allows me to interact with my co-workers and my enterprise application server, regardless of which network each is connected to.

This is the promise of “Mobile VoIP” -- the future dismantling of barriers between platforms and networks. Any mobile device with software or connectivity to a core platform outside of a “Walled Garden” warrants classification as a Mobile VoIP device. I still include the “V” (as in “Voice”) in this definition, because a communications device that does not support voice transmission is simply not a communications device.

The future of Mobile VoIP lies in the plethora of applications that can “bridge” platforms and networks. These range from enterprise applications that manage medical, mobile, service, repair, and inventory systems, to shopping and social networking possibilities.

In the evolution of mobility, we also need to recognize the anchor for this range of new products and services. Apple has proven the power of the Applications Store. However, the Google Android mobile O/S has more recently announced yet another application anchor -- the Android Market -- with one very critical difference: Google provides developers and consumers with the ability to make their own decisions. The Google Store will not be run like Apple’s iTunes store, as developers can build to their hearts’ content without constant threat of being disconnected.

I predict that Google will achieve the same market dominance in the Mobility market that it has accomplished in the Search Engine world. Apple may soon find itself in the back seat, much like Yahoo did when Google’s “Open” approach provided savvy consumers with the one thing they all want – “Choice”.

Mote Afternoon

2008-09-07T12:54:00.001-04:00

A great morning at the Mote

Jerry Seinfield - Gates Commercial

2008-09-07T10:28:00.002-04:00

Funny!!

I couldn't help but laugh at this one!!

Mark

Mobile Services

2008-09-06T18:31:00.002-04:00

From my Ask the Expert September Column

By Mark Hewitt

Last month the European Union (“EU”) funded the MUSE project, which stands for Multi-Service Access Everywhere; George Lucas funded the Media Lab “Content Anywhere, Anydevice, Anytime” at USC; and “BT” British Telecom acquired Ribbit for $105 million.

To understand how all of these events relate, you must understand the increasing demand for mobility and a ubiquitous method of accessing content. I define this convergence broadly as “Mobile Services” and as a natural extension of early generation Mobile VoIP services.

It is also important to understand how Mobile VoIP came into being. First came the pain of different platforms from different carriers, each creating “Walled Gardens” making the lives of consumers even more complex. This was followed by early Mobile VoIP providers creating products that connected “Islands”, or individual “Walled Gardens”, into a common broadband platform.

I believe 2008 will be recognized as the year of the “birth” of Mobile Services, which have evolved as a direct result of changing technology and consumer behavior. People have a basic need to be connected, and Mobile Services represent the evolution of a Mobile EcoSystem linking political and economic borders of former generations of Mobile Networks.

Evolving networks promise ubiquitous broadband access anywhere. While full realization of those promises is still years in the future, today’s Mobile EcoSystem offers network and application providers a framework to deliver a range of products, from critical business and medical applications to current weather and sporting events, across a broad range of mobile devices.

To realize just how important this Mobile Services EcoSystem is to our future success, take a look at the forecasts for increasing penetration of “mobility” in the world:

Table 1. Mobile Penetration 1998~2008

1998 2008 2018 (estimated)
Mobile Penetration
Global 5% 55% 96%
China 2% 48% 99%
India 1% 28% 82%

Networks
3G Penetration 0% 18% 90%
Networks Speeds < 50Kbps < 2Mbps < 1Gbps

Device
Smartphone Penetration 1% 10% 40%
Battery Life 2 hours 2.5 hours 24 hours

You can see by this forecast of worldwide mobile penetration that the mobile platform becomes the dominate method for accessing information, services, and content. The improvement of battery life, networks, and cross network service platforms all make this possible.

Thus is born the Mobile Services EcoSystem

Speed Matters

2008-09-06T18:25:00.003-04:00

From my "Ask the Expert column located at TMCnet

I was pleased to be invited to a meeting on the “Broadband Revolution” that was hosted at the Senate Hart building hosted by Jim Baller and the New American Foundation. The meeting featured FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, along with Jane Smith Patterson of the e-NC authority; Diana Oblinger, CEO of Educause; and Stan Fendley of Corning (the fiber people).

The meeting focused on a report prepared by Jim Baller and his team that was developed for the e-NC Authority, illustrating the benefits that Broadband is bringing to economic development, public safety, health, education, and the environment. The report compares broadband deployments around the world the impact upon our competitiveness within the world community.

I was not surprised to learn that the US continues to lag in delivery of Broadband via wired networks such as DSL, Cable, and Fiber. We also lag in the delivery of Wireless Broadband services, particularly against Canada, Europe, Japan, and the Nordic countries, each of which are leaders in high speed wireless networks and the associated infrastructure. I also found a report called “Speed Matters” that I highly recommend reading if you have any interest in the economic impact of broadband on your daily life.

Some interesting contrasts came out of the meetings as well. For example, Commissioner Copps referred to the recent FCC auction around Advanced Wireless Services as a “huge success”, while Commissioner Adelstein referred to the implementation of the Swedish Government-sponsored last mile fiber infrastructure as a successful model. These are obviously two diametrically opposed approaches to the same problem.

Commissioner Copps praised the report prepared by Jim Baller for e-NC as the “foundation for America’s National Broadband Strategy”. The Baller document centers on the creation of Private/Public partnerships as a solution for America’s future broadband needs, and it also promotes such partnerships as a solution for a variety of utilities.

The FCC had encountered a wall of resistance when it tried to auction the Public Safety 700 MHz spectrum in the form of a Public/Private partnership. Yet, at the same time the State of Ohio has formed “Connect Ohio” in a move to create a statewide inventory of both public and private Broadband resources that appears to be quite successful and has generated considerable praise from private carriers.

Ultimately the forum’s participants were in strong agreement on one thing: our country must have a “National Broadband Strategy” and, from the remarks of FCC Commissioner Copps, it appeared that most liked what they saw in the Private/Public Utility approach of the Baller document. Others agreed on the need to achieve the political momentum with community action at the local level.

So I encourage you to spend time at the local level with your community leaders to help educate them and your neighbors on the economic and social value of achieving a “Broadband Nation” within our lifetimes.

References from this editorial:

e-NC Report – 3 Mb 100 page pdf document

e-NC Report Summary – 12 page summary

Speed Matters – Report on High Speed Networks

Video of the Broadband Summit – New America Event

Connect Ohio – Interactive Map of Broadband

Making it easer to Follow

2008-09-06T18:23:00.000-04:00

Just added a new plug in called "Follow this Blog" note to the left of the page. This will make it easier to stay in contact especially if you don't use a RSS reader.

Enjoy and happy reading!!

Mark

The Broadband Revolution

2008-06-24T21:29:00.002-04:00

The Broadband Revolution starts with each ONE of us. This video of the “Broadband Revolution” sponsored by the New American Foundation featured the e-NC authority of North Carolina and included speakers Michael Copps – FCC Commissioner, Jonathan Adelstein – FCC Commissioner, and Jim Baller of the Baller Herbst Law Group.

Held a the Hart Senate building, had over 200 attendees and I noticed personally that staff members of Senator Obama, Senator Stevens, and Senator Murkowski were all in attendance.

Arctic Diamond

2008-06-24T08:45:00.001-04:00

Each year in Fairbanks Alaska teams gather to express themselves in some of the most pristine ICE in the world

Phase I

2008-05-29T15:29:00.001-04:00

Well this about sez it all!

Wissing Family

2008-05-10T12:10:00.001-04:00

What a great family

Happy Mothers Day

2008-05-10T10:58:00.006-04:00

Emeril Lagasse's GMA Breakfast in Bed
May 9th 2008
by Mark Hewitt

This past Friday I had the pleasure of helping with the GMA "Breakfast in Bed" with Emeril. This was "Live TV" at its finest. Paul Erdek was the operations & logistics producer and pulled off an amazing event.

20 minutes before going on the air a squirrel shorted out a power transformer cutting power to the entire neighborhood. Without missing a beat we ran extension cords from the generator on the Mobile Home and switched over to battery on cameras, etc.

You can see the segment on ABC's player - and here is the link --> GMA Breakfast in Bed I also posted a few stills taken during the event --> Wissing Family

This was truly an amazing family - I got a chance to meet several of the family members and have to say this is truly an addition to the gene pool.

Introduction to i2Telecom

2008-03-29T15:20:00.001-04:00

Mobile VoIP NOW!!!

What I've learned in 2007

2007-12-30T14:49:00.000-05:00

Each new year gives us all an opportunity for reflection - as I look to the past I feel a deep sense of gratitude.

My family has grown this year three new family lines have been added with the addition of my daughter's wedding, my niece and my brothers wedding.

This has been a break through year - proving that you should never give up!!

Opportunities to be of service to others continually had great rewards

I spent some time reviewing some of books and presentations that have had a strong positive influence on me personally one of which I would like to share with you.

It was the 2006 TED conference and the speaker was Tony Robbins I hope you take a moment to watch this yourself.

So best wishes for a great new year

A collection of quite images

2007-11-18T20:33:00.001-05:00

Florida, Alaska, Georgia, California

Energy of the Solar System

2007-09-30T16:42:00.000-04:00

Now that we are starting to see more darkness in the Northern skies it is time to look up in the evening toward the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights, although if you were able to travel to the far Southern pole you might find a mirror of what we see in the North.

A very cool 24 hour shot of the Aurora can be found on uTube and a good explanation of what the Aurora is - here is a short piece along with audio of the Northern Lights.

Doctors going Solo

2007-09-21T12:57:00.000-04:00

Accolades to my brother Donny - who launched in his basement a private practice - with high tech tools and some smart buying he has taken the practice of being a Doctor back to the personal touch we all need and want.

Great job

Meaning of Life

2007-09-21T12:48:00.001-04:00

This week Randy Pausch a 46 year old Carnegie Mellon CS professor gave his "Last Lecture" a powerful message about what is truly importaint in life. Randy was diagonsed with terminal cancer and was given only a few months to live.
His lecture can be found at the ABC new site --> Lecture of a Lifetime

This isn't about Self-Pity - Randy a father of three speaks to his family and friends about what is truly important.

Take a moment to listen it may impact your own prospective.

They really have it all Wrong

2007-09-17T12:26:00.000-04:00

Verizon appeals the “Google Amendment”

by Mark Hewitt
September 17th, 2007

Verizon claiming the restriction of how to use the new 700 Mhz spectrum is a violation of “Free Speech”.

Well in my opinion – they’ve got it all wrong – the Spectrum belongs to the American Public – the FCC has been entrusted to regulate and manage its use – however Verizon nor any licensee owns the spectrum –

Spectrum like easements for Tower, Fiber, and other Utilities are part of our Infrastructure and should be managed and regulated as such. Requiring a licensee to abide by such rules is fair and prudent use of our resources.

One should also take note of the ruling against Microsoft this past week as they loose their appeal in the EU anti-trust case. Key to this ruling is how Microsoft used the Operating System sales to give preference to either Microsoft applications or those of favored partners, and while it could easily be said that the O/S wars are nearly over still this is a good example of the miss-use of power and marketing.

And you wonder why Google maintains the company motto of “Do no Evil”.

(Un)predictability and the Noah Effect

2007-08-11T10:43:00.000-04:00

By Mark Hewitt
August 11th, 2007

The only predictable constant in the Universe is Change, hard to argue this one. The real question is what does it mean and how do we achieve stability and security amid all of this ciaos.

I believe the answer is simple – we don’t. Think about this one – Noah was presented with a vision of a great flood and had three choices.

First - was to ignore the vision. (Since the universe works a lot like a scatter gun I believe Noah was not the only one of his time to have a vision of a great flood – he simply was the one with the resources and faith to do something about it.)
Second - spread the word. (It is likely others had the same vision, however trying to spread the world that a great flood is coming would get you branded as a conspiracy theorist)
Third – build an ARC. (Assuming that you can’t change the world this would be the best way to preserve the future)

We all know the story of Noah and while I believe in the story I also believe Noah represents not one man and that there was not just one ARC which is why today we have so much diversity in the human genome.

Like most of you I read many of the doom and gloom stories of just how bad things are, yet amidst all of this I see a constant glimmer of the future. This past week forecasts of our declining energy reserves and our dependence on oil to maintain our way of life has the press and political leaders in a frenzy. Yet hidden in the back pages of the news are weekly announcements of new discoveries leading to new sources of energy, materials, and medicine.

Life is quite unlike the Hollywood stories we have become familiar with today, the clarity of good and evil, right and wrong are in real life never quite black and white.

Across our culture and the world we are witnessing a modern day “Noah Effect” as we see the migration from our cities and urban environments to a new “Rural” style of living. We see many versions of Noah as both community leaders and developers have begun the task of creating a new and sustainable life style, full of hope and stability.

So I tend to agree with idealists like "Laura Sperling" in here editorial "A vortex of constant change". So I seek others who look forward to the "Noah Effect" and envision a future through change.

The “Noah Effect” was first cloned by Benoid Mandelbrot and simply states that when something changes, it can change abruptly

Irrational exuberance

2007-08-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

by Mark Hewitt

August 7th, 2007

My friends and family will often shrug as I sometimes get quite excited about things that don’t seem to have much impact on everyday life – this is one of those times

This week marks the discovery of one of the most impactful forces of nature to our future – Two teams of Physicists have discovered how to manipulate the Casimir Force causing atoms and subatomic particles to repel each other. This is the force described in the Zero Point energy a quantum mechanical phenomenon for energy generation.

This discovery has the potential of making computers even smaller and could someday produce a truly clean energy source and improve transportation systems.

The “Internet is Dead” long live the Internet

2007-07-29T13:21:00.000-04:00

by Mark Hewitt - July 29th, 2007

Last Wednesday Mark Cuban declared the Internet “Dead” -

"The Internet’s dead. It’s over." His basic point: The Internet has gone stagnant. The only "new application" on the World Wide Web of recent vintage was, in his view, YouTube -- which, unlike Cuban’s Broadcast.com, ripped off the creative content of intellectual-property owners to build its video-based business.

From Cuban’s perspective I guess I would agree – here in North America – actually the United States specifically we have given over the keys to the kingdom to corporate types like Joseph Nacchio, former Qwest CEO – recently sentenced to six years in prison.

Unlike the U.S. market other countries push ahead with significant pushes toward national broadband strategies – and many smaller political divisions throughout the US market move ahead such as the Ohio rural broadband plan with all 88 counties due to participate.

So Long live the Internet!

The "Media Center" will Fail

2007-07-28T11:49:00.000-04:00

A vision of the future

by Mark Hewitt - July 28th 2007

Our company "EcoSystem Partners" is founded on the premise that the Internet has caused a fundamental shift in the creation and delivery of Broadband services. The traditional model which combines the “Utility” nature of Infrastructure with the economics of “Services” has come to an end.

The Internet today can be delivered over an array of Infrastructure and thus the dependence of limiting supply to increase the demand no longer works. This has been proven as we have witnessed the largest bankruptcy cases in history with MCI and Global Crossing – followed by the reintegration of the RBOC’s to the New “AT&T”.

We continue to see Innovation bring about strong new products with examples like SalesForce.com, Plaxo, MySpace, Google, and the list goes on. EcoSystem Partners believe that the old business model that calls for the restriction of access to bandwidth to increase the value is actually causing damage to our overall economy. Today we support efforts to bring about a careful blend of ownership of our Communications infrastructure and to create a separation between Infrastructure and Services. This separation of power is designed to promote responsibility over our core Communications Infrastructure and the services that improve our security and quality of life.

We see many business leaders today working toward a goal of bringing together bundles of products and services, designed to simplify product selection for consumers. Yet every time a product attempts to incorporate proprietary control they fail. I predict one of the largest failures will be seen in Microsoft’s “Media Center” it is too restrictive and content will only grow once it is free to do so.

This process accepts an element of risk that most investors and CEO’s are unable to deal with (the exception to date is Google) yet this process is well documented with a rich history of how success requires supplier to work in “Open Markets”. We know that consumers will choose not to buy when they are either confused or feel that they have no choice. Nobel mathematician John Nash has given us the proof which today continues to fuel an expanding World Market.

I encourage any and all comers willing to collaborate on this vision of the future to join with us in strategy, resources, marketing, and investment to grow a market where innovation is allowed to flourish.

Start by sending me a brief note of your interest and how either networking, collaboration, or joint efforts may help to bring about a successful venture.

Universial Broadband act of 2007

2007-07-24T08:36:00.001-04:00

by Mark Hewitt
July 26th 2007

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today introduced a bill supporting legislation to help make "Community Broadband" a reality for everyone.

The proposed leglislation is very careful to protect many of the existing business and development business and utility models currently expanding across the United States today.

The Community Broadband Act of 2005:
Ensures that no State prevents a municipality from offering high-speed internet access to its citizens if the municipality so chooses;
Ensures that when a municipality
is in the position of regulator or competitor, it does not abuse such authority.
For example, the municipality could not enact a three percent franchise fee on itself, but a five percent franchise on a competitor; and
Ensures that a municipality complies with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and any other federal or state telecommunications laws.
The measure is also sponsored by Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR), John Kerry (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

Light really bends

2007-07-23T14:43:00.000-04:00

William Bookbinder's breakthrough in optical fiber will change the way we distribite information.

In an exclusive interview with Fortune senior writer Stephanie Mehta the Corning team shows off this new material.

Looking for Success in Failure

2007-07-19T10:23:00.000-04:00

SunRocket's failure is a model of how not to invest

by Mark Hewitt - July 20th, 2007

The recent collapse of “SunRocket” one of the largest VoIP Venture funded startup’s in recent times is a strong indicator of a much larger issue of our times.

SunRocket which sacrificed long term revenues for short term gains in sales sold its future to satisfy an impatient financial market place. Players including the Mayfield Fund, Doll Capital Management and Anthem Capital Management placed unrealistic goals on the start up. This in combination with a business course that was too similar to the business model of a failing telecom market is a familiar pattern of failure in our current climate of business investment.

Just to show that I’m not picking on just these investors – remember “Genuity” a 2 billion dollar VoIP startup – that went down hill the day the doors were opened by trying to simply replace a legacy product with new technology.

An example of how to build a successful product

Consumers want choice and are always seeking simplicity – this has been at the foundation of the recent success of the “iPhone” by Apple. The iPhone success is predicated on the history already established by the iPod and combines the ability of consumers to have “Choice” one of the most elusive elements of success that most product companies and investors fail to understand.

Economic Game Theory

John Nash the Noble Prize winner for his work in Economic Sciences pioneered the analysis of equilibria in his theory of “non-cooperative games” – today referred to as “Modern Economic Game Theory” the application of this fundamental theory is at the core of very successful ventures.

SunRocket and their investors failed to apply this most fundamental basis of success proven time and time again. Companies like “Google” and business success as in Rupert Murdock’s media empire are fine examples of the application of these business basics.

Investors like (not unlike all of us) to repeat prior success yet we know that change is the basis of all things. This investment process seeking a direct or familar repeat a past success has a very limited rate of return. History has shown us that siginificant success has always been a break in the norm, Microsoft, Google, Henry Ford, are good examples of this pattern of success.

I will most likely be slammed for saying this however the failure of the SunRocket startup is a great example of how not to invest – VoIP is not a direct replacement of the legacy telephone industry – that is a failed model. Broadband however an opportunity for change – investors and executive teams must look past the technology and seek a plan that is adaptive.

Some related Articles:

Forbes - by Matt Barakat - VoIP Provider Shuts Down
Information Week - by David Gardner - Abandoned SunRocket Subscribers
Red Herring - by Cassimir Medford - VoIP Firms Mull SunRocket's End
FierceVoip - Obtained the email sent to subscribers

Well it's not Technology - or maybe it is ;)

2007-07-12T15:25:00.001-04:00

Wedding Day Bliss
by Mark Hewitt - July 8th 2007

This past Saturday my brother Carl and his now wife Larisa tied the knot - following the best part of a year in planning they pulled off one of the most impressive weddings that I will most likely ever be a part of.

I know that I try to keep things here focused on convergance and technology, yet this is a story about how such things improve our lives. Carl and Larisa took the time to collect and share their experiances with a very large collection of family members and friends.

One of the highlights is the same day edit done on the Wedding Video Go to Same Day Edit's Blog to see the video --> http://www.weddingflix.com/blog/2007/07/7-7-7-same-day-.html then go to the Image of Carl and Larisa to watch.

None of this would be possable without broadband and technology - quality of life stuff

Best wishes to Carl and Larisa

Apple's iPhone is more than just another pretty phone

2007-06-29T08:40:00.001-04:00

Mark Hewitt - June 29th, 2007

Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs is widely recognized for his Product Prowess – the ability to build to the consumer’s dreams – and the creation of the iPhone is another great example of that ability.

The iPhone however has done one thing that will change the way you see and view wireless devices – it may actually be the primary catalyst in reforming the Wireless industry.

Upcoming infrastructure called WiMax technology is growing in much the same way as did Cellular across the US market, where today we have several duplicate networks each incompatible with the other – in other words my Sprint phone won’t work on the Verizon network, or my ATT phone won’t work on the NexTel system, TMobile won’t work on Alltel – and so on.

The original idea was that competition would bring the best technology to the top of the food chain – the reality is that the overall US Cellular networks have been obsolete and still today US subscribers pay more for less service than any other place in the world.

We are today all aware of how the propriety nature of each of these carriers has led to failed innovation and competitive features – for example my Verizon phone will not play MP3 music files because the carrier though by restricting the phone’s actual music player to play only Verizon downloaded music would make them more $$.

The iPhone has now broken this choke hold on the consumer – ATT in order to gain the exclusive rights to this new device has broken their own service agreement. Today iPhone users will be able to watch video, play music, and interact with the Internet without carrier restrictions.

Others will follow – now let’s see if Congress and the FCC will move to standardize the Utility of wireless or continue to push our economy and infrastructure back into the dark ages. (which I highly doubt will occur)

I predict that the initial release of new WiMax services will also follow the Cellular model and carriers will build exclusive networks. This however will be set back in a couple of years when the increases of cancer and health issues from these new high powered devices become recognized. (it is interesting to note that new WiMax spectrum is very close to that of Microwave Ovens) The next iteration will center on the “Unlicensed” spectrum where standards begin to take over. This is called WiFi technology and even though it is Unlicensed this will become the dominant “Last Mile” of wireless – and while I don’t believe the current 802.11N will be the standard that does this, it will tend to be a protocol that incorporates error correction similar to EVDO or perhaps just basing the primary radios on QAM – regardless within three years the rest of the market will begin to see a clear path to a Standard Wireless world.

Incumbent "Child Like" response to consumer rights

2007-06-23T10:53:00.000-04:00

by: Mark Hewitt - June 23rd, 2007

Verizon the only primary RBOC left to support fiber via the Fios project has today reached one million subscribers in a statement by the companies CEO this week. The incumbent which still controls regulated utility status and thus the ability to use “eminent domain” to secure property for easements to deliver communication services – has again shown a child like respect of consumer rights –

In a move much like “we want our cake and eat it too” approach to the FCC 1996 Telecom law designed to protect consumers rights to multichannel video programming called CableCARD – Verizon is hoping for an FCC reprieve from the ruling.

In similar actions the old MaBell used invalid patents to cripple an upcoming competitor to the telephone side of Verizon’s service income – in an attack on the VoIP provider Vonage – costing millions of dollars that could have been used to improve customer service and release new products.

Verizon Wireless was also hit by a recent Patent dispute over Broadcom technology which is most commonly used in the Cell Phones sold to consumers of the Verizon Wireless network – a recent halt to the import of these devices by a DC judge – and again rather than respect the Intellectual Property of another party the carrier appeals to President Bush for a reprieve.

Draw your own conclusions – however I feel that it is time to take control over key utility infrastructure as is today the case of several State and Local government actions – such as the recent eState initiative in Vermont and proposed legislation in New Jersey and New Hampshire.

The need to separate the Infrastructure from what should be “Open Market” services has put the United States 15th in broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

“We are failing to bring the benefits of broadband to all our citizens, and the consequences will resonate for generations. There is no justification for America’s declining status as a global Internet leader. Instead of more excuses, it’s time for true national broadband policy that will put America’s digital future back on track.” said Ben Scott, policy of director of Free Press. [via broadband reports]

Unanimous Support for Broadband

2007-06-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

Mark Hewitt - Friday June 22, 2007

First is was Rhode Island and the now historical Business Innovation network – a wireless project backed by the Governors Economic Development authority, and built by Stratum Broadband (an EcoSystems Partner)

Followed soon by the eState initiative just signed into law by Vermont’s Governor Jim Douglas becoming the first true e-state with the authority to bond and develop a Communications infrastructure to be shared by carriers and generating significant economic benefit to the residents of Vermont.

Now we see many others follow – today a New Jersey bill specifically authorizing municipal wireless pass the Senate “unanimously.

And let’s not forget some of the early leads that bore so much of the wrath of incumbent carriers – Truckee – now again the PUD debate the possibility of high speed fiber optic for residence.

Keep up with this and other Broadband and Technology related issues by subscribing to Mark's Blog and News Feed

Technology Review: Mapping the Internet

2007-06-19T11:32:00.000-04:00

Technology Review: Mapping the Internet

AT&T chief live at conference: we’re gearing up for best iPhone experience on Day One | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com

2007-06-19T09:59:00.000-04:00

AT&T chief live at conference: we’re gearing up for best iPhone experience on Day One by ZDNet's Russell Shaw -- I’m blogging live from NXTComm, the telecom industry trade show being held in Chicago this week. The morning keynotes have just fired up. First is newly installed (June 3) AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. It’s under Stephenson’s watch that AT&T Wireless is teaming up with Apple to launch the iPhone a week from this Friday. “You may have heard about this,” [...]

Will The FCC Finally Serve the Public Rather Than Private Interests?

2007-06-19T09:42:00.001-04:00

The U.S. is very much behind Asia and Europe in offering high-speed broadband Internet access to the public. Now, the cable and telcos wanna hog all the new bandwidth for themselves so they can either use it for other purposes or make sure it does not fall into the hands of cheaper services that could compete with them on the high speed Internet market. Senator Kerry has the right idea. Give the access to the people, not the corporations.

clipped from www.mediachannel.org

Sen. Kerry: Open the Airwaves for a Better Internet

Sen. John Kerry joined the broad public movement for a better wireless Internet today when he urged the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that our airwaves be used to make the Internet “more competitive, affordable and widespread.”

Last week, the FCC was flooded with more than a quarter-million letters from people who urged the agency to use soon-to-be-available public airwaves to connect more Americans to an open, neutral and accessible Internet.

Senator Kerry cited recent reports showing the United States has fallen behind much of the world in broadband penetration.

“Nearly 60% of the country does not subscribe to broadband service — in large measure because it is either unavailable or unaffordable,” Kerry wrote. “The 700 MHz auction could put this country one step closer to achieving ubiquitous Internet access throughout America.”

North America´s Largest solar Farm

2007-06-19T09:40:00.001-04:00

The Canadians push Clean Energy foward with a 40 megawat project in Ontario - the California company finds a more frendly government outside of the US to get started.

clipped from www.cnn.com

TORONTO, Ontario (Reuters) -- The Ontario government has given a California company the green light to build North America's biggest solar-power station, a spokesman for the energy minister of the Canadian province said Thursday.

Once complete in 2010, the 40-megawatt project, near Sarnia in southwestern Ontario, will be able to supply enough emission-free electricity to power between 10,000 and 15,000 homes on sunny days.

It will be built by OptiSolar Farms Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Hayward, California-based OptiSolar Inc.

The Toronto Star newspaper, which broke the story of the OptiSolar "farm," said the largest solar energy project in the United States is a 15-megawatt solar PV system to be built at an air force base in Nevada. It said a 40-megawatt solar project is under construction in Europe.

Clean Energy in Spain

2007-06-19T09:38:00.001-04:00

The Spanish do it again - with this solar power station

clipped from www.virginmedia.com

Spanish pioneer solar power station

Nope. It's Europe's first commercially operating power station fuelled entirely by the sun's rays. Environmentalists hope the tower will become a model for clean energy, powering Southern Europe's more arid regions without pumping harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.