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If you can’t find something to write about in the descriptions of the innovations,
you are in an advanced stage of … writer’s block.

The Nightly Business Report- The Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years

An easy way to access the information is in a slide
show - the 30 innovations are presented in reverse order
30th first. Go here for the annotated list.

http://www.pbs.org/nbr/site/features/special/subdir/top-30-innovations_slide-show/

For those that don’t have the time at the moment to look at the
explanations - here’s the list in descending order:

1. Internet/Broadband/World Wide Web
2. PC/Laptop Computers
3. Mobile Phones
4. E-Mail
5. DNA Testing and Sequencing/Human Genome Mapping
6. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
7. Microprocessors
8. Fiber Optics
9. Office Software
10. Non-Invasive Laser/Robotic Surgery
11. Open Source Software and Services
12. Light Emitting Diode products (LEDs)
13. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)
14. GPS
15. Online Shopping/E-Commerce/Auctions
16. Media File Compression
17. Microfinance
18. Photovoltaic Solar Energy
19. Large Scale Wind Turbines
20. Social Networking via Internet
21. Graphic User Interface (GUI)
22. Digital Photography/Videography
23. RFID and Applications
24. Genetically Modified Plants
25. Biofuels
26. Bar Codes and Scanners
27. ATMs
28. Stents (Heart)
29. SRAM/Flash Memory
30. Anti-Retroviral Treatment for AIDS

For those that have the time to study the list - go through the slide show and
then print out the list. Take a few minutes to review the list and see if you agree
or disagree with the order of importance.

If in the review of the list there is a topic in which you are vitally interested, go
with it and write. about it. You may focus only on that topic or in its relative
ranking on the list or both.

Or, take on the whole list and question the implicit bias in the ordering of the list.

Or, … have fun and enjoy the process - a lot of big ideas with very, very
interesting repurcussions on us and our world. Keep us posted about either
through commenting or email or Twitter.

- Val Spangler
Senior Writer Blog (you are here).
@SeniorTweet at Twitter.com
Mister Senior Blogger
Twitter Uses
Comics Cartoons and Creativity

@SeniorTweet at Twitter.com

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Thanks for coming back to my blog. Please comment and share any ideas, challenges or subject matter you'd like to see covered. Your contributions are valued! - Val

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One of my backburner projects is a “how-to” ebook for teachers
called, “Cartoon Writing Prompts”.

After putting a few cartoons on my relatively new blog,
Comics Cartoons and Creativity ( http://ccandcblog.com ),
I have gotten some good response (Tweetbacks) on Twitter.
Well, I said to myself, “Why not do it for other writers?”
So here is my last creation. Tell me what thoughts and
writing it prompts, if any …

I waited to give the title, ‘Dealing with One’s Identity’ to you so your response
would be a more wholistic one to the whole cartoon experience. The whole idea
is to create a different experience for the viewer, whether writer or not.

Well, did the cartoon content or the characters, Rhoid and Rah, stimulate any
thoughts? Any writing ideas? Did you begin to get a feel for the characters,
Rhoid and Rah? Ladies, did you identify with Rah? Any, “been there, done that”
kind of feelings evoked? Describe them in writing for yourself …
(and then comment for me).

Web designers and bloggers need feedback too. Yours would be appreciated.

Would you consider including any comic strips or cartoons in any of your articles
or other writing pieces? I’m working on a how-to ebook on how to simply create
cartoons and comic strips even with very limited artistic ability. (You can see
that’s my condition - nothing fancy in my cartoon figures.) Would you be
interested in such an ebook? (Again, comment and let me know - include the
kinds of writing you do.)

Got an extra minute or two? Take the extra step and …

Senior Tweet on Twitter - http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet

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Many writers are either afraid of Twitter or look down their noses at it.
Don’t be and don’t do it. If this ole guy can use it effectively than you
can. Tweeting can be good practice for brevity and careful choice of words.

However, it’s biggest benefit for writers is that it can vastly expand
your audience. It’s not just any audience either. It is a self-select-in
audience. They come to you because they connect with you and your tweets.
Want traffic to that moldering web site yearning for visitors - then Tweet!
You’ll find new friends and followers from around the world.

Plus you can get some great bliss hits, how-to tips and you can identify
other writers, their blogs/websites.Study how they go about using the
internet to further their missions and expand their audience.

It’s a great feeling waking up in the morning to find Tweets and DM’s
(Direct Messages) from people halfway around the world. They are writing
while you are sleeping and vice-versa. Compliments about something you’ve
done are all the better - talk about motivation!

This post is a result of one such contact - not from around the world -
from my old home state of Michigan. I.C.Jackson signed up as one of my
“followers”. That led me to her Twitter page and then to her blog. And
what a nice blog it is. I share this photo of a caterpillar from her blog
with you then explain below …

Just the experience of viewing another writer’s blog is both informative
and motivating. What can you learn from what they have learned or not.
Be a better writer - improve on your writing and marketing thereof by
reviewing and analyzing works of others. Write down your thoughts and
the pros and cons of their efforts. Great learning opportunity!

Thanks to I.C. Jackson for initiating the contact that motivated me to visit her blog and then do this post.

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger

http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet

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English teachers use many different strategies to get their students stimulated to write. One of those strategies involves the use of “prompts”. While developing some cartoon content for another of my blogs, Comics Cartoons and Creativity, I thought it might be of interest to all you writers and others interested in the writing process.
So here ’tis with some modification to keep the dup inspectors at bay. I present to you for your enjoyment, “President Obama and his singing critics The Fence Critters. (Preceded by a brief introduction to The Fence Critters for your edification and understanding of the cartoon.)

Our four good friends had the unusual oppoutunity to observe our President-Elect
in one of his more relaxed moments. See if this experience prompts any ideas for
your writing. At the least, this is an example of repurposing one’s content - in this
case a cartoon. Just change the commentary to fit the new context, topic and
keywords and you can be all set. Have a look and tell me what you think with a
comment.

President-Elect Obama singing a song of leadership.

Well … what thoughts or memories, if any, did this little writing prompt demonstration stimulate for you?

Share them in a comment. Your comments are always welcome - critical or kudos.

- VS

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Collections: Writers on Writing - video clips from the PBS Charlie Rose Show:

Writers in the clips:

• John Grisham
• Dorothy Atwood
• Ian McEwan
• Salmon Rushdie

I am a big fan of the Charlie Rose Show on PBS. However, being on the West
Coast, the show times aren’t always convenient (noon and midnight - Pacific)
The reason I mention this is that it was in the process of getting the show’s
(who is on) schedule online that I came across the Video Clips Collection.

The point of this post: Watch the collection of  ”Writers on Writing“.

Although the clips are short, I am sure you’ll glean a nugget or two and, possibly,
even a bit of motivation from them. Or, at the least, some measure of reaffirmation.
Most bloggers will get a sense of that from Grisham’s clip on “Stealing”. (As if they need it.) Repurposing?

I was struck by the similarity of viewing these clips to reading blog posts.
Kind of like getting finger food when you are really hungry for a full meal -
but much better than a “tweet” … or two … or three. (I’m not dissing - just comparing.)

Take a look and let me know if you got anything out of them - remember …
the comparison I made was to “finger food”.

 Collections: Writers on Writing

 - VS, Blogmeister, Senior Writer Blog.

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This weekend I read two reports - the first is a report that all serious bloggers should
put on their must read list: Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2008. Interesting
and informative as well as motivating reading. And what does it say to blog writers.
Well, I’ll share what it said to me and, after you get a chance to read it, please share
what it says to you.

The Report was organized serially as follows:

• Introduction
• Day 1: Who Are the Bloggers?
• Day 2: The What And Why of Blogging
• Day 3: The How of Blogging
• Day 4: Blogging For Profit
• Day 5: Brands Enter The Blogosphere

Who are bloggers? See if your information agrees with Technorati’s findings.

The Blogosphere Report provides a Global Snapshot of Bloggers with some
interesting if not surprising demographic data. Most bloggers are well educated,
upper income and younger. Globally, two thirds of bloggers are male. Women in
the US participate at higher rate than globally.

A segment snapshot breakout of personal, professional and corporate bloggers is
provided with an interesting add-on of the percentages of those with advetising on
their sites. A gender breakout is also provided with few surprises there. One to note
is that women tend more towards personal blogsand men to professional. On the age
front, bloggers (ages 45-54) represent 15% of the total senior bloggers (55+) represent
8%. If you confine yourself to writing to these two groups they only represent a total
of 23% of the blogosphere. Keep in mind that represents 17.7 million bloggers. Also,
other sources indicate the two older age groups (boomers and seniors) participation
in the blogosphere is growing at a faster rate than that of the younger ones.

On another note, while I was also doing some research on “long term care” this
weekend (my wife and I are 68 and 70 respectively), I came across some life
expectancy charts and related articles that made me rethink my blog writing audience
and blog mission. In 2008, the boomer generation was defined as being between the
ages of 44 and 62 (those born after WW II from 1946 to 1964). Seniors include
anyone over 62.and and and The generational (by age) breakdown helped my focus
my writing and blogging. My focus has been on seniors (alone) - however, after
looking at these charts (and with all of the “financial crisis” news all around), I realized
that the same issues facing seniors today are also there for the “boomer generation”.
Many boomers get a double whammy - they have senior parents who are ill prepared
for retirement and for the rising costs associated with aging. So for boomers the
perspective is a bit different but the issues are still the same: retirement income,
health insurance, long term care possibilities, and on and on. And some may have to
provide for the needs of their parents.

As if you needed another sobering thought these days, find out where you are on
this life expectancy chart and see what general statistics indicate is your present life
expectancey. If you have living parents, chart their stats. Good news - bad news!
The good news is that you have a lot more years to live. The bad news is that you
have a lot more years to live. I know, I know, that’s not bad news - it just means
that you have a lifetime in front of you, … so you better prepare.

Writers! That’s opportunity. That’s content.

Senior Bloggers and bloggers who write for an audience of boomers and/or seniors.
They have challenges and problems that you can help them with. They can use some
help in finding quality of life answers. Given these uncertain times, they can also use
some entertainment and encouragement. Humor can also help.

See where you and yours fit on this 2004 statistical chart of life expectancy averages
(Source United States Department of Health and Human Services) Note: life
expectancies continue to increase in the US and in many countries around the world.

Food for thought? Material for writing?

What do you think?

- Val

Link to: Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2008.

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