benwallace13.com

Response to Treasury's GMI Analysis

2011-11-13T22:15:00.001+13:00

I'm quite pleased with this response to Treasury's analysis of a Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) - http://www.oursystem.info/2011/11/gmi-response-to-treasurys-economic.html

B

Children - Blessing Or Burden

2011-06-13T21:05:00.002+12:00

I guess it’s whether you see children as a blessing or a burden that shapes you’re attitude as to whether they owe you anything or you owe them. They are always a blessing.

B

Why Should I (Tell A Story)?

2011-06-13T21:03:00.002+12:00

Why should I tell a story? Why should I do that? If I was a natural story-teller, maybe I would do that. But I just want to live my life, that’s a story in itself, but I don’t want to tell it. It’s hard enough just trying to be me, let alone writing about semi-imaginary others.

B

Tragic & Romantic

2011-06-13T21:02:00.002+12:00

The two are closely related, in fact, I think a truly romantic story cannot do without a dose of tragedy, because adversity is what make romance poignant and real.

There has to be adversity, there has to be some struggle, otherwise achievements lack meaning and satisfaction.

B

Confidence In Wellington City Council Reinforced

2011-05-21T12:04:00.002+12:00

I am actually amazed, even flabbergasted that Wellington City Council rectified not collecting our recycling bin earlier this week. They actually came round and collected and emptied the bin from where it was beside our house (as we had brought it back from beside the road when it wasn't collected on the day).

This is the service I 'expect' when something goes wrong, ie a full rectification of the error. I just didn't expect to get it from the Council (esp. not when I complained via their website - http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/complaints/complaintsform/form.php - you're normally hear nothing don't you?). Is it now really safe for me to have full confidence in the Council, in local government? Perhaps not yet, but this experience has certainly increased it.

B

Different Google Logo Designs Showing On iGoogle

2011-05-21T04:43:00.000+12:00

I would like to be able to see the various Google logo designs they have on the original Google search page on iGoogle, but there's no iGoogle design that enables this - frustrating. Please tell me if one's ever made.

B

Official Website Button For Linking To Your LinkedIn Profile

2011-05-11T09:59:00.000+12:00

This is the link for the official LinkedIn buttons linking your website, blogsite (Blogger, Wordpress, and so on) to your profile - http://www.linkedin.com/profile?promoteProfile=

B

Twitter Follow Me Buttons (Official)

2011-05-11T09:47:00.001+12:00

You can find the official 'follow me on Twitter' buttons for your website or blogsite (Blogger, Wordpress, etc) here: http://twitter.com/about/resources/buttons

B

All Wound Up, But What To Unwind On?

2011-05-10T16:28:00.002+12:00

I have this feeling like I should go for a walk and exercise or something, but a powerful unwillingness to do this or anything. What am I meant to be doing right now? I just can't make it out. I'm all wound up but with nothing to unwind on.

B

Losing Things

2011-05-10T16:21:00.000+12:00

I am so disappointed with myself – to have lost my brown scarf from Kathmandu in Nepal and my black notebook, simply through carelessness. It's just so slack, and so unlike me usually.

B

IQ Cognitive Ability Tests

2011-04-26T15:34:00.004+12:00

Basically you make a list of mathematical or 'verbal' or whatever questions, then ask a lot of people them and the average becomes the 'norm' which is 100. wow.

How actually meaningful is it to know that someone scores high or low on the test (above or below the norm) or that this has any consequences for anything they do elsewhere? I don't know, but probably not terribly meaningful at all.

Just another way of filtering people out really. But of course the test retailers will tell us they accurately predict job performance.

B

Quite A Month

2011-04-25T16:55:00.004+12:00

It's been quite a month: moving down to Auckland by car, staying in a hostel(s), finding a flat, moving in, looking for work, waiting on PhD entrance acceptance, about (hopefully) to find work, daughter starting school, looking (not finding anyone) for a 'relationship', then driving back to AK to pick up rest of gear (with daughter) to bring back to Wellington, .... and on...

So I haven't been posting much on this outlet recently (though I've probably got plenty I could) - I have been posting creatively elsewhere however on OUR SYSTEM and others (which if you're interested in I'm sure you can find).

B

Understand

2011-03-16T14:28:00.000+13:00

Understand, an interesting word. Stand under, underneath the surface are the workings, see beneath the superficial.

It is not an overbearing word, or a controlling word.

B

Strangulophobia

2011-03-16T08:33:00.000+13:00

Strangulophobia – morbid fear of strangulation. From the Latin 'strangulo' and the Greek 'Phobos' (god of fear) .

A good term to use if you have an aversion to wearing ties (due to the medical condition strangulophobia).

I added this definition to Answers.com.

B

Not Much Sparking Me

2011-03-12T15:07:00.002+13:00

I don't seem to have much sparking me off at the moment.

Is it because that matters relating to our system and organisation development just aren't discussed much?

Yes, but why?

They just aren't 'events' and only events make the news, which is a bit disastrous, as only what makes the news makes national coverage and becomes very widely debated. So we don't get any real change to (or discussion and debate on) the system, the one thing that actually makes a real difference to people's lives in the long term.

B

Online, Enduring, Non-Anonymous Discussion ('Survey')

2011-03-12T14:44:00.000+13:00

Online, open and enduring survey on organisational issues, which can be reviewed and added to. Non-anonymous …

The LinkedIn group discussions are a kind of model which might be useful. It would be useful to have the whole organisation on LinkedIn.

Using existing social media.

This is 'action research' in action. Discussion by the 'crowd' for the 'crowd' or for the organisation by the organisation (meaning, by its members, not just by its management).

B

Correct Contradictions, Don't Force Them

2011-03-12T10:11:00.001+13:00

Do what is possible, not what is impossible. Correct contradictions through wisdom, insight and mindfulness. They cannot be overcome by force of will or impatience. Ignore any jeering from the sidelines.

B

Change Is Now

2011-03-08T14:48:00.001+13:00

Change is always happening.

Change is happening right now.

We're making change just doing what we're doing now, by every little input of effort in any direction.

Our system is under constant change, but which way it moves depends on the total strength of forces for and against every direction.

B

Needs Based Learning

2011-03-08T14:47:00.001+13:00

Autodidactic, self-directed. Free, efficient, effective.

B

Share Collective Responsibility

2011-03-08T14:38:00.003+13:00

Sharing collective responsibility entails sharing information, on what needs to be done and how we are doing as an organisation, with the organisation, and deciding on and committing to what needs to be done as an organisation, with the organisation.

B

Is Capitalism Via Business Studies The Answer?

2011-03-08T14:29:00.000+13:00

Is capitalism through business studies (broadly speaking) finding all the answers to our problems, via the catalyst of the web?

B

Convergence In Business & Organisation Theory

2011-03-08T14:28:00.000+13:00

It's interesting how there is a convergence of theories that entails empowering staff, whether it is from getting customer referrals, creating fulfilling workplaces, influencing business performance, increasing productivity or improving customer service – they all now invoke similar democratic mechanisms, more or less, for achieving this. But then of course, good business is good business, and good organisation is good organisation.

It's probably a good thing they're heading this way before online sharing tools like Facebook and Twitter make it imperative that they head this way. Either way, personal and business interests are aligning.

B

Outside The Current Paradigm

2011-03-08T14:26:00.001+13:00

It really difficult to think (let alone write) outside the current paradigm.

B

There's Always Work To Do

2011-03-08T14:12:00.002+13:00

There's always work to do. Just because there's a recession doesn't mean that aren't things that need to be done. The trouble is there's no income to do it. A secure shared base income can be a buffer against this.

B

Mutual Confirmation

2011-03-08T14:01:00.002+13:00

Perhaps this is the most important thing out of a positive relationship – mutual confirmation, mutual validation, mutual reinforcement. If this isn't there, then what's the point? But it requires that each listens to the other, it cannot be without understanding of each other – you cannot confirm, validate and reinforce what you do not know.

B