Blogging at Davos!

Blogging has become seriously mainstream, with business leaders being invited to blog from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

This article from the Economist quotes Seth Godin and other luminaries of the blogosphere on the subject of CEO blogging. However, it recommends blogging and being a CEO in the post-Enron era are mutually exclusive.

Economist aside, it's exciting to see the mainstream business community have a crack at this new form of disclosure.

(PS the Economist article is subscriber-only, but I heard it for free on The Economist's podcast - search for The Economist on the iTunes store)

Book reviews!

I've managed - miraculously - to finish three books at once! (Well, on the same weekend anyway)

It's particularly gratifying to finish The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood, a great mix of behind-the-scenes storytelling with thematic analysis of the films mentioned. Sundance Kids is a massive book - I think I've been reading it for six months on and off.

Every time I read this book, I want to watch more movies. And make some. It's a great read.

The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life was a very interesting read, pitting the competing views of Sigmund Freud and CS Lewis together. It's billed as a debate, but it's at the same time worse and better than that.

Worse, in that the author, Harvard Psychology professor Armand Nicholi, can only speculate about what a debate between the two would have been like. Better, in that the book compares not only the words but the lives of these two.

Since I bought this book in a Christian bookshop, I was expecting a somewhat biased view in favour of the Christian worldview. While Lewis' Christian faith does appear to come out as the lifestyle that leads to the best psychological results, the book doesn't try to force the issue, instead simply presenting each man's view and biography, and letting the reader decide.

Even then, some may decide that's ingenuous, that the author/editor has the power to subtly make each side appear right or wrong. Having not read a lot about Freud or Lewis, I don't know. But if that is the case, I would also point to other material that does the opposite - champions Freud's views without comparison to any alternative worldview.

Finally, A Tale of Two Cities. Wow. No wonder it's a classic story. I'm going to make some very basic comments because a) I'm new to reading fiction (though not to watching it) and b) this post is getting too long.

• Dickens really knows how to set up and pay off - every detail in this book is connected.
• He also uses suspense really well in a way that would be difficult or impossible on film. His particular trick is to describe someone doing something, and then reveal their identity - letting your brain put all the pieces together.
• I have heard Dickens criticised in the past for being too saccharine in his descriptions of some characters. Or at least too sentimental. His descriptions of joyous family life certainly come across a bit unreal in the cynical 21st century.
• However, in general his characters are very 3D, and hard to put into boxes. The political background to the story makes this even more so - who is on who's side? Why? And are they really what they seem.

Overall, I loved it. And I'm glad that I started on this journey of reading "great" literature. Not sure what's next, but really looking forward to it.

This is not a bribe

This is very meta. I had a great discussion with Deborah Pead of Pead PR about PR and journalism, part of an upcoming report for Marketing Magazine on the PR industry.

Among many other things, we talked about transparency in the world of the blog, journalistic integrity, and how an incentive competition could be misconstrued as bribery.

We discussed a beer brand that Pead represents (Amstel) and I mentioned I'd never heard of it. (I do need to get out more often!)

At the end of the discussion, Deborah gave me the shining six pack you see in the photo.

As I walked out of the very swanky Newmarket offices, I had that troubling thought, "should I have accepted that?"

Some journalists may have refused the offer. Instead, I accept, and then blog about it.

Transparency. Got to love it! :)

Westpac Rescue Helicopter needs your help

Did you know that the Westpac Rescue helicopter is funded exclusively by donations? And around this time of year, it's a busy chopper indeed.

I got a call from Chris, one of the people who actually works in the helicopter. He pointed out they don't use telemarketers. He also mentioned they cost $5000 per hour to operate.

Unfortunately I couldn't contribute, but I can encourage you to give. Please visit www.rescuehelicopter.org.nz and keep the chopper in the air!

Lost cat in the bush

Lost cat in the bush
Originally uploaded by Wilhelm Augustus Hohenzollern.

Saw this cute little fella (or felless?) while walking in Western Springs Park this morning. He sort of wanted to say hello to me but must have thought I was too scary. Especially when I brought the camera out!

One quote, one song, one surprising observation

QUOTE

"Diamonds do not dazzle with beauty unless they are cut."
Sadhu Sundar Singh. From the book I read over the holidays.

SONG

David Bowie, Space Oddity. Got it during an ill-advised buying spree at the iTunes store (they should give you a running tally!).

This song is one of the best non-operatic examples of storytelling through music. It's so clever, and dramatic, and exciting ... wow.

SURPRISING OBSERVATION

"I thought you'd be inaccessible, so I was really surprised when you emailed me straight back."

A client to me in a meeting on Monday. Inaccessible? Maybe I should try that, it could raise my perceived value.

"This woman is trying to kill herself; can you help?"

I'd just had two mixed berry smoothies and a great chat about PR and theology with Brendan (aka Jim) and was walking home, earphones in, ready to listen to some movie reviews.

I saw two people near a park bench. She was doubled over, he was crouched next to her. He waved his hand at me.

Pretending this was normal, I waved back and made as if to carry on. But he must have said something or ... I don't know what, but I took a second look. And took my headphones off.


"Excuse me, this woman is trying to kill herself," said the man, remarkably calm. "Could you call someone?"

Someone. Who the hell do you call?

I dialled 111 while, still disbelieving, I held the phone away from me. A voice. Someone's talking on that phone. Listen.

"Fire, Ambulance or Police?"

Blood. I could see blood.

"Ambulance."

"Through now."

While the ambulance people asked if she was conscious, breathing or otherwise, I realised this probably wasn't an ambulance case. She was up and about, trying to conceal the blood from the shallow cuts on her wrist. And she was saying no, she didn't want help.

So we got through to the Police. Meanwhile, she wandered away, but as we continued talking with the police, she kept walking back.

While Mark (the man who had first found her) spoke with the police on the phone, I saw her coming, asked her if she was okay, and said we were getting help.

"No," she said, "I don't want help!"

What do you say to that?

"I'm going that way," she said, pointing down the path.

Now why did she say that? And why did she keep coming back?

So she left, and the police asked us to stay near the road so they could meet us. Mark and I got a ride in a police car for about 3 minutes - still exhilirating, even despite the circumstances - and there she was, walking back again.

The cops got out and talked to her, and told us they'd get her the medical help she needed.

I'm so glad Mark and I got to walk and talk after that. We were both just a little bit in shock.