• My First Follow
  A handy little tool that tells you the name of the first person you followed on Twitter (whom you're still following). Now, how about a tool that tells you who the first person to follow YOU was?
  (tags: free web2.0 tools twitter clever)

Funny that it would come from Microsoft, but they have been making some real strides in a more conversational approach to marketing. And while there isn’t a lot in here you couldn’t have read in the Cluetrain Manifesto almost a decade ago, it’s always a little reassuring to see ideas like these getting some traction with the bigger players.

If the weather forecasters are right, we’re nearly over the worst of the Vancouver snow. That said, here are two photos from today:

It could be a simple traffic sign. Or it could be our desperate appeal to the skies.

And this is my street:

We ain’t goin’ nowhere. Not until this melts.

• Creating An SEO Strategy, Part 5: Community
  Gregory Heller wraps a superb series on SEO and Drupal by pointing out how critical a community strategy is to any search engine plan.
  (tags: drupal howto tutorial seo socialmedia)
• Building Custom WordPress Themes
  A really well-structured guide to building your own WordPress theme.
  (tags: howto design tutorial webdesign wordpress themes)
• arcalife.com – Bringing Experiences to Life
  A new entry in the world of virtual scrapbooking and genealogical research for families, from a Vancouver-based entrepreneur.
  (tags: application family genealogy scrapbooking)
• Can social media fill Salvation Army kettles?
  Ragan reports that the Sally Ann's new widget-based fundraising program is seeing much higher growth than street-based "kettle" donations, recession or no.
  (tags: fundraising social_media widget donations recession)
• Reinforcements arrive for the Salvation Army
  Is this a sign of bigger problems for charitable donations? "Kettle" contributions are sharply off for the Sally Ann.
  (tags: charity donations recession)

It’s amazing how many directions this Christmas thing comes from, homing in with laser-like accuracy on our kids’ tender hearts and minds. And it’s often the most sentimental, HeartWarming™ stuff that sticks. So, courtesy of a particularly bad mood last week, here are two modest proposals for counteracting its effects:

One of the reasons we’re seized with the power of social media is that we’ve seen its potential for engaging people in the most important conversations of our time. With such urgent crises as climate change on the global agenda, I draw a lot of my hope for the future from the way I see people coming together from a wide range of backgrounds – some of them unlikely – to tackle the big challenges.

A case in point: DeSmogBlog. It’s a project from someone who might seem to be an unlikely participant in trying to hold clear, informed conversations: a PR executive, namely Jim Hoggan.

A few years ago, Hoggan decided to tackle the campaign of doubt and deliberate misinformation that surrounds so much of the discussion around climate change by launching DeSmogBlog. As the site’s writers put it, “Using tricks and stunts that unsavory PR firms invented for the tobacco lobby, energy-industry contrarians are trying to confuse the public, to forestall individual and political actions that might cut into exorbitant coal, oil and gas industry profits. DeSmogBlog is here to cry foul – to shine the light on techniques and tactics that reflect badly on the PR industry and are, ultimately, bad for the planet.”

With so much of the mainstream media caught up in he-says, she-says reporting that puts climate change denial on the same footing as a broad scientific consensus, DeSmogBlog has enthusiastically dived into the fray, exposing the sources of the industry smokescreen. And what started as a pretty simple blog has since blossomed into a team of top-flight writers, media channels (including a fledgling speakers bureau) and campaigns – including the hilarious Arctic Front. DeSmogBlog is now a leading social media voice around climate change, and ranks in Technorati’s top 10,000.

They’ve done it with the help of talented folks like Kevin Grandia and Sarah Pullman on their team, and from such outside firms as Capulet Communications, Catalyst Internet and Junxion.

Issues like climate change demand not only our attention, but our engagement, with whatever energy and expertise we have at our disposal. And while Hoggan might not be a climate change scientist, he knows PR — and how it can be used both to confuse and to clarify. Thankfully, he’s chosen to use it for the better purpose.

From the iTunes store’s page for the movie Fun With Dick and Jane:

What’s lovely about this is the word “Dick” appears in big, bold red letters in the movie poster. That, and the fact that my brain immediately tries to fill in the asterixes: “Dork..? Dink..?”

(I’m assuming, by the way, that this is some automatic de-naughty-ifying engine at work, and not some Richard-head who doesn’t realize “Dick” is someone’s name.)

Let’s cut straight to Mayor Gregor Robertson’s message, in full. It’s directed to members of Vision Vancouver, but it applies to anyone who cares about what’s happening tonight, and tomorrow night:

Early this morning, a homeless woman known on our streets as Tracey, died tragically, trying to stay warm during a freezing night in Vancouver.

Tracey’s death is exactly what we’re all trying so very hard to prevent by mobilizing every resource available to make sure no one else suffers the fate of Tracey and Mr. Darrell Mickasko, who died in a similar tragedy last winter.

It’s painfully clear that–for all the efforts of case workers, faith groups, police officers, governments and caring people across the Lower Mainland—people like Tracey and Mr. Mickasko need our very best if we’re going to prevent more suffering in the cold, cold days ahead.

I know that all of you share my sense of deep urgency when it comes to homelessness and health for our friends who are most at risk. It’s why you worked so hard to support our Vision team over the past year. Now in the face of this emergency, we must redouble our efforts and commitment to ending the unacceptable status quo, and I want to urge all Vision members and supporters to make whatever contribution they can to this important work.

The Vancouver we hold in our hearts cannot be a city where people die of exposure. Yet today, we face the second death this year.

There are gaps in our safety nets, despite the best efforts of police and street workers, and we’re going to work even harder to make sure we remove every barrier we can for people like Darrell and Tracey. We’re opening shelter space for people with carts and pets, who might otherwise avoid a shelter, and we’re going to keep working hard throughout this frigid weather to protect people from harm.

Many of you have been incredibly supportive in the past, donating your time, energy and money to ensuring a change is brought to City Hall, and I hope you’ll continue to work with us to make the change we fought for in the election a reality. Ending homelessness is the first priority for our council, and I get asked a lot about how people can help.

During these past few days with the cold weather, we’ve been flooded with calls from people asking how they can help. I’ve spoken with Janice Abbott of Atira Women’s Resource Society, and with Judy Graves, the City’s Homelessness Outreach Coordinator, and they’ve offered this list of items that those without homes this winter are most in need of:

• Blankets
• Bus tickets
• Winter coats
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Thermal underwear
• Wool socks
• Sleeping bags
• Tarps (preferably small)
• Hygiene items (combs, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, nail clippers, etc)
• Boots

Donations can be made to Gather and Give, a non-profit charity that provides a centralized inventory for organizations working with those in need. It is open Tuesday-Saturday, and is located at 105-418 East Kent Avenue South — just east of Main and south of Southwest Marine Drive.

If all you are able to give right now is your time, there’s plenty you can do to help your fellow citizens.

One way you can help is to volunteer at First United Church in the Downtown East Side.

First United has been opening its doors every night to Vancouver’s homeless. But there are too few people to help staff this emergency shelter. First United is calling on anyone available to help for part of or all of the night on any night to contact them immediately.

If you’re ready and willing to lend a hand, please contact Sandra Severs immediately at 604-681-8365 ext 120 or email her at ssevers@firstunited.ca

Regardless of whether it’s donations of time or money, I hope all Vision members and supporters consider lending a hand this holiday season. It will make a huge difference in the lives of your fellow citizens.

Sincerely,

Gregor