Author! Author!

Another from the network archives, with yet more interesting overlaps between the supposed day job (ad writing) and the night-time hobby/addiction: Junkk.com.

A while ago, following the invitation of our lovely Chief of Prose and Comms Anita, I joined a 'writers collective'. It rejoices under the numeric title of '26', which was the number of original members and, possibly with complicated consequences in due course, the annual subscription in £.

Don't know much about the money, which compared to a lot of such things seems pretty reasonable, but the membership has grown a lot, numbering now in the hundreds.

Sadly they are based in London, and that is where most evening events take place, so it was only thanks to my jaunting around recently that I managed to at last attendd a gathering. And a fine one it was too, coinciding with The London Design Festival, held in the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane. Other than the trip (back home about 3am), I am very glad I went.

I met a pleasant, eclectic collection of individuals from the creative world, and of course do hope that some card-swapping that took place will result in mutually-rewarding cooperation.

And as has proven successful so far at every event, my sporting the Vac:Sac led to my being approached to find out what it was, and what it was I did. And so throughout the evening I never wanted for an audience for the Junkk.com gospels. Best of all, it being a wordsmith-based soiree, it led to my meeting some publishers, and though things have bubbled in the back of my head on the subject before, it becomese pretty clear that a book to run alongside the website was deemed quite a good idea. All I have to do now is find the time to write it. Or at least a synopsis. Sadly, scouting for an estate next to JK Rowling is a tad premature, as the amounts being bandied about rather explained why the great and good of literary history seemed to die young of dodgy diseases and despair.

But on balance it was nice to know that some potential was seen in a new but complementary area.

To finish this upbeat tale on a sadder note, check out the picture (flyer for site called stopurban4x4s.org.uk). In advance of th event I had been sent this by a fellow member who was inspired by Junkk.com's mission. He was not attending but was a fellow ewarrior, and lived out West, so a budding relationship was in the offing. Sadly, with my oversized honest streak, I felt it necessary to tell him my support for anti 4x4 campaigns was not quite so ardent as his.

However, as the piece in question was quite witty, not aggressive and hence a view well worth sharing, so I offered to post it on the site. I have not to this day heard back. This is a pity, as I do feel that we can work together to improve the overall way of things without requiring total matching of beliefs from those with whom one may wish to partner.

It's a record!

In as much as First Lady PJ wrote and performed our Junkk jingle, this can have a proud place on the blog.

Because the latest album she has created with her bandmates at greenhaus is now ready!

And pretty spiffy it looks too.

Also note the CD... is a record. Neat or what? Sounds pretty amazing, too.

Here's some I made before the programme.... for nothing!

I'm a sucker for gadget brochures and websites.

And while I know that Junkk.com is unlikely to come up with a large percentage of the gizmos that are just soooo hard to resist, it always inspires me when I come across something that has been on our pages for a fair old while. Especially when we are showing folk how to do it for free. Lids. Corkboard. Gutter.

Mind you, looking at some of these prices, I'm in the wrong business.

But between the various awards and shows this month, I think we might drum up some if we try. I doubt we'll ever put anyone on the street as folk will always be lazy, but for those who fancy it, it's nice to have the option to save.

A rolling stone?

The whole 'E/Re' issue continues apace, and with every article I read I have to hope that we stand poised to be at least a small but significant part of the solution to a very big problem.

Take this for instance: Politicians will have to start talking rubbish for a change

Of course I have written to the author:

"Nice article.
Meantime, I guess we could also always think about reusing stuff rather than throwing it away."

I guess I should add to the blog, too. There were a few good links in there that I used!

If you know when it's bad you can do good

Catch up day, today!

Yet more archives from the past to work through, log, comment upon and file for later.

There certainly seems to be a rather fun mood in the design world these days, with a few quirky contests and exhibitions abounding.

Shame almost all are in London, though.

Anyways, one such was the 'Bad Design Awards', which I'm sorry I missed, especially when I now see how much effort was put into the show.

Anyway, you can see some of the features here. Look under: OUR WORK and scroll down to: BAD DESIGN AMNESTY.

Seem like a nice bunch. I dropped them a line to see if there may be some fun we could have with Junkk.com. Sound of breath being held.

I may not agree with what you say, but will admire you with all my heart if you articulate it politely and well

Actually, the headline pretty much says it all. And if it doesn't the letter I just popped over to the Green Party HQ certainly will.

I recently saw one of those artillery exchanges I dread so much, where the news media set up two opposing sides and feed of the collateral scraps.

Only this time a young Green Party spokesperson called Sian Berry showed how things can, and should be done. Big up to her.

"I may not always agree with everything that gets said by one party of another in the ongoing environmental debates we are now seeing more and more of, but one thing I do appreciate is a person who puts their case well and maintains their dignity and respect in the process, and often in the face of rather unnecessary and/or aggressive tactics. As really the only method such material can be brought to us, the 'moderators' are by default the media and their operatives, and it does amaze me how much they are complicit in rendering serious and interesting avenues of discussion trivial and altogether too polarised simply in a desire for ratings. Hence it was with some pleasure I witnessed the exchanges between Ms. Berry and Prof. (of Forecasting?) James Woudhysen on the BBC recently, and congratulate her on a truly impressive performance."

It's not what you're known for, but merely that you're known

What a week!

I am still staring at a pile of stuff to catch up on from the two week networking extravaganza, as there were a few pretty important deadlines to meet.

First up was the Green Awards entries. In the end I opted for three (at £50+VAT still quite a commitment): B2B DM and copywriting with the Folda Holda (and contents, which I had packed with pretty much everything I'd ever written fro Junkk.com); and B2C DM, which was the credit card wallet photo frame, which I stuck in the standee for good measure, even though there was nocollaterala/POS category. Fingers crossed.

Then there was the big one. The first draft entry for the Social Entrepreneur Awards. That was a lot of work. Fortunately most of the information they required was in our original and updated Business Plans (which got us the first grants), but trying to get a few hundred pages of heavy info and data to ten was...Interesting. Plus I had all sorts of fun with the Excel budget sheets. I thought I'd cracked it but then it started adding things up in Yen. At one stage I had lost a £trillion by year 3. Actually, the way it feels still, maybe I have.


I always dead Friday lat pmbecausese that was when, in the ad world, clientet would phone up with a 'small change'. And with Junkk.com it's usually a cock-up or setback gets announced and spoils the weekend.

Not this time.

I was called by a lovely lady from the BBC. She'd been told about us and was interested in a possible feature for a kids' show called the Wonderful World of Weird. Now after the whole Womble thing I'm wary of being typecast as a bit of a nutter, but profile is profile, so let's hope it comes to pass. At least between the awards and this there are a few bases being covered!

Just the facts, Ma'am, unless they get in the way of a better headline, of course

There's a brilliant blog/newsletter called 'Bad Science' (I think I've blogged on it before).

Well worth subscribing to.

The most recent topic, How To Read A Paper - For Journalists, at last got me to write in:

"A great Idea.

I know your primary area of interest is health, but I'd like to pop in a request for environmental issues, because I think the public are particularly poorly served by objective analysis with these in making informed decisions. All to often it's just a straight serve of a press release or a deliberate use of the latest 'research' as an excuse for a dramatic headline.

You'll find me screaming at the TV when a vanilla or a bouffant with a microphone standing next to an electric car cheerfully announces that it 'has no emissions'. No, they simply come out of another pipe, and actually I'd like to know what the losses are getting from the generator to the motor, environmentally speaking.

As to climate change/global warming, well, it's been said over and over again, but to most ordinary folk it's just a load of contradictory hot air: artillery exchanges over our heads in no person's land, leaving us none the wiser on what to do for the best.

Me, I simply think it's a shame to waste. And to a lot of editors I'd say it's also a waste to shame: get positive and proactive! It's not as easy writing an upbeat headline, but there's enough out there that will capture folks' attentions, as I truly believe they are dying for solutions and things to 'do', and not be fed constantly on a diet of things you can't."

I really think I'm on to something Green

When the business cartoonists start lampooning the whole thing, I think we're in with a chance.

I hope he (or the Telegraph) won't mind my showing it in full. Here's their URL to sign up for the free daily feed.

The ITanic Versus

Well, they do say nothing is ever original.

For a while now I have been toying with writing a book about my expereinces with Junkk.com. With a twist. Seems my idea is not as twisted as I thought: The essential guide to screwing up your business

Anyhoo, it gave me a good excuse to write and promote the site a little bit more:

"Curses. And I thought I was the only one to hit on this notion.

Was it Churchill who said 'The Man [I don't think he was big on PC] who never made a mistake never made anything'?.

On that basis I must have made a lot of stuff, so I figured on collating all my cock-ups - not in a ‘How to’ book, but a 'How Not to..' version. ‘How not to hire a PR agency’. ‘How not to spend your match funding’. ‘How not to avoid gatekeeper brand managers with tunnel vision when you should be locating the JR in the company’, etc.

As I'm a very small 's' SME , I think it may still find a niche in complement to your and JR's multi-national blue-chip experiences.

Provisional title is 'The ITanic Versus - What NOT To Do When Launching A Commercial Website'

Think it's still worth pursuing? We could share a publisher:)"

Boris ate my hamster, Redux

I quite like Boris Johnson. I do suspect his whole image is not quitet as portrayed, and disagree with his views on occasion, but he is an articulate, if rather fond of big words, writer and a keen debater. And he is also one of few to actually say what he thinks.

So I found his personal defence of what he did say vs. what he says happened and how it all got reported as a consequence in the media rather telling, if true (which is another, if related, avenue):

I shouldn't be pelted with pies for asking difficult questions

I tend to accept his version for now. Though I could not resist a rather sorry comment on it all:

"Nicely put. But what should happen and what does these days is pretty much why most have given up on politics and treat most of the media less as a source of news and more as a mindless diversion in ratings-driven bear-baiting.

And nothing anyone does vs. what they say (and then gets 'editorialised'), dear Boris, is going to change that back now.

But at least you still can make a living out of commenting upon it. Wish I could. It's going to spiral down further, which makes yours a lucrative growth industry."

Reaching my limits... again

This week is proving to be another one of 'those'.

Having been away from my desk for most of the last two, I have been confronted with catching up with all that happened here while I was away, plus all that happened with me while I was away, and just a few pretty important deadlines.

One such is the Green Awards, which I should have missed because the original deadline was Sept. 30 and I plain forget about, but actually has been extended to this Friday. Karma. However as they need hard copy that means Thursday latest to catch the mail, Wednesday for safety.

There is also the draft deadline for the UnLtd. Awards. I am unsure if I should call them The Guardian Unlimited awards, as they seem to be co-hosting in some way, but are most certainly separate entities.

Anyway, I need to get a pretty well thought out initial plan to them Friday as well, for vetting before the actual proposal goes in the slot next week.

We're talking up to £20k, so it is worth it, plus of course mentoring and publicity, which is almost worth more. So it's a job worth doing well.

One of my many jaunts was to a day long event just to brief us, so you can tell how seriously they are taking it all. I met some nice, and relevant fellow applicants, and if nothing else can offer help to some.

I came away inspired. The best part is that this is the first award to not insist you blow it on stuff or consultants. They allow you to spend it on your time and skills too make your idea work. Awesome.

Also inspirational was a previous awardee, Sarah Newton, who is now promoting her idea, which is a site to boost young female role models who are not the media-hyped impractical and unhealthy fake ideals. I saw some similarities with our - very different - ideas and what's needed to help them succeed. Both are WYSIWYG in terms of concept and execution, so it's all mainly down to PR and promo.

A lovely, driven lady, she willingly offered her application to us all, and as a winning formula I will be using it as a basis. I wish her well. Her way seems better, and more cost-effective than some I have seen (see ad - how much is a full page in the ST? And I'm really not sure the creative had me clicking the link). A bit like another site I could mention, that's trying to inspire us to have fun saving the planet!

Start 'em young

Yet more glimmers of the potential we have to offer, and others can offer us. And an interesting reassurance that seeds sown that may not sprout immediately but lay dormant and spring to life much later.

On the basis that one's own backyard is not such a bad place to start with anything, I monitor the local papers and fire off a missive whenever something strikes my fancy and the opportunity for some synergy is presented.

One such, to a Hereford eco-group, had seemed to fall on stony ground. One tends to forget that, unlike the throbbing bundle of nervous energy that is Junkk.com, some of these things are after-hours or weekend affairs operated by folk with lives and day jobs.

Anyway, to my pleasant surprise one has borne fruit, and I was pleased to play host recently to Rob Hattersley, who besides the local FoE runs his own consultancy. An ex-deputy headmaster, he was interested in how Junkk.com could be made to work with the school curriculum, which now includes a serious eco-component. And was quite excited at how what we are offering is not some dry coursework, but the potential for some serious interactivity. And also how Junkk.com can offer a route to sponsors.

Happily, I had been thinking the same thing. However, I had no clue where to start approaching the educational 'system'. So we met halfway. Kismet? Early days yet, but with luck we can achieve something very productive together.

If nothing else, I am inspired by the homework my kids brought home the other day. A quick scout through Junkk.com and a raid on the junk stocks and they were sorted. Imagine the potential of all this at school on an interactive whiteboard.

Past my SEL date

Sorry, couldn't resist that headline.

SEL stands for 'Social Enterprise London', and is an organisation who has kindly allowed me to join (Junkk.com is, after all, a national resource) their ranks. I won't go much more into what they do, but it's worth checking out the website. The name pretty much says it anyway. Well worth joining and reasonable rates as well.

I was there as part of my whirlwind networking tour over the last few weeks, attending a conference entitled 'Marketing for Social Enterprises and Not for Profits (and that scummy commercial entity who happens not to charge, Junkk.com... kidding)'.

Frankly I was hoping to meet some relevant people more than anything, and in this I was not disappointed. The topics of the day really didn't cover much I didn't already know, but the speakers where very good, well connected and approachable. I hope that there my be good opportunities to come.

There was Dominic O'Reilly from MediaTrust, who really gave a good insight into what pushes a journo's buttons (and doesn't). Then Solitaire Townsend of Futerra, who added to this. We have been in touch with them before I think, but nothing came of it. Maybe this time it will.
It was also good to see Kelly of TRAID, and at last return the mannequin to her. See, I did share a trip with a kind of person.

In the afternoon there was a very perky presentation from Paul Caplan of the Internationale, who had some firm views on new media. I liked his style a lot. Then Tony Hodson of Third Sector Magazine, who I was keen to buttonhole for obvious reasons... only he was leaving for another job!

Finally there was a Marketing #101 from Chris Fill of Pompey Uni, and this was like going over familiar turf. And finally David Grayson of Business in the Community, another good speaker and hopefully well worth catching up with.

I also met some lovely fellow attendees, and in particular enjoyed chatting with Servane of Ogunte, who had me convinced that great things could soon take place. Hope so!

Waste Pipe

Be it a car exhaust, chimney or an aeroplane engine nozzle, what comes out of the pipe is waste.

So, when you hear that the latter is high on the list of those pumping out a lot, it's nice to hear of a simple solution: Don't run the engine 'til you need it.

Unlike a few recent pronouncements from Sir. B, I can see only merit in this one.

Two legs good...

I really shouldn't get into literary analogies, as the last time I had much to do with English Lit. was at 'O' Level.

However my memories of Animal Farm were stirred a bit when I read this at the weekend:

A green snag they emitted to mention...

Of course it's just another shot in the 'Who is Greener' Elite artillery that sails over most of our heads, and I do seem to recall 'an' 'issue' of the Sunday Times that was all offset and stuff a while ago before they started flying some Fashionistas again to Greenland to bash their own seals for a fur collar, as they (as opposed to the creature) couldn't be seen dead in any more recycled stuff as that spread a month ago was soooooo, well, last month.

However, there are points to be made here about those who tell 'us' to do stuff, and what 'they' do themselves. Some being a bit more equal than others, 'n all.

As one is quoted: "We do all we can to cut travel but we need to do some flying to make decisions." Trouble is, I kinda do need to do some car driving to make enough to eat. And it's hard to see how we visit Mama and Kong Kong for family gatherings in Singapore by mule. We all have our needs, reasons... and excuses.

An offsetting, which I rather unfairly refer to sometimes as 'whacking a fir tree in a desert' (after a scheme which did just that, and when they all died let off tons of methane decaying), is not the simple, universal panacea some seem to think. And hence is not a 'Get out of J.. igglinuncomfortably Free Card'.

So a big up to Mr. Monbiot, who 'has not flown for more than a year' (me either, but that's 'cos I've been busy, can't afford it for pleasure and have found no one to pay for me on business yet), and says: 'If even the leaders of the green movement are not prepared to live without flying for pleasure then how can we expect that of other people?'

As 'another person', to he and his fellow leader 'we's', I humbly thank you for the thought, if not the deeds.

Maybe less 'talk talk' all round would help more

Warm words on climate change are not enough

Quite.

Time to invest in treehouses!

Now a positive commentary, with cautious endorsement, for this: Miliband promotes plan to buy rainforests

It's a proactive way to 'do' so I will follow with enthusiasm.

I concern myself at the practicality of getting a sovereign nation, those who control it and those who own its acres to cooperate, but money talks. I guess if you pay more than a soya or cattle farmer you're in with a chance. Just don't let's have Mr. 'Let's concrete Kent) Prescott out in charge!

These are the last lungs of the planet we have, so it's worth doing.

I'd like to get hold of Mr. Johan Eliasch. I saw the potential of this a long time ago when he was active in this area, and felt then he might like Junkk.com. Anyone know some billionaires' home numbers?

Smokin' (Redux)

Haven't had an eyebrow raise for a while, but this seemed worthy: Waste Man burnt in Exodus story

All for art 'n all, and awareness raising, but as there is no mention of the consequences of such combustion (me about to take my garden waste in my hand cart to the tip to avoid a bonfire... or car journey) this seems on a par with that chap who was going to let his tap run all day to highlight water waste.

On present evidence... Nil points.

Size Matters

As contributors and idea searchers will appreciate, the core of Junkk.com is about data and dimensions, and we try and make it as visual as possible.

But it can be tricky to get a handle on a size relative to something posted.

That's where SizeEasy comes in.

I have written to them to see if they would like to hook up. I hope we can help each other as the synergies are clear.