Unthinkingly

Biofuels Community with Google Maps

This Washington state map is an example of what nonprofitdesign.org is creating for my local (NC) biofuels community website (in the works).

This new biofuels website, I hope, will have a map that functions better than most of the buggy hatchet-jobs out there (above site excepted, of course).

There are a lot of directions that can be taken regarding an interactive map, i.e.: Google API (AJAX) vs. Yahoo API (Flash), local vs. national, user-editable vs. administrator-operated. I’m currently soliciting help from other programmers online and of about our options, because I don’t have a lot of advanced Javascript under my belt. Personally, I want to see two major features:

1. Images of the pumps included in each “pin” on the map (for orientation).
2. Community-editable, not completely administrator-run.

As for the NC Biofuels community website as a whole, I hope to achieve three things:

1.) Share technical information about their experience in making + using biofuels. I would like to include references, for example, to articles in academic journals. (Using RSS syndication, this could be largely automated, and it would be as current as can be.)

2.) Find information about current local legislation, and easily email relevant legislators. This is easy enough to implement with PHP.

Lyle “Energy Blog” Estill at Piedmont Biofuels.)

We could syndicate all of their posts on the community site so you can read everyone’s posts in one place. Likewise we could create a tag for use in Flickr, Technorati and delicious. (Something like NCbiofuels.)

(Using tags to create a close community online has certainly worked well for the nptech folks in recent months, though it is easier because we’re all geeks. But even if just a few people used it for photosharing it would work well enough.)

And we could also have a more traditional bulletin board for on-site conversations. (Probably using PhpBB, if I have my druthers.) And I think that a really comprehensive “Upcoming NC biofuels events” page would be an important result of this online community building.

I know that all of these things are happening already online in the community, but I want to magnify and multiply the network. I don’t want to replace, just republish and distribute widely.

Triangle Blogger’s Bash, Durham, November 15

Here’s this via Audio Activism, for folks in the Triangle, NC area. Looks to be a great night of the up-and-coming Triangle blogging community:

“On Tuesday, November 15 from 7-9 p.m we’re having a Triangle Blogger’s Bash at Durham’s American Tobacco Historic District. The event will include a walking tour of WUNC’s new studios, a catered reception, talking about podcasting, and drinks at Tyler’s Speakeasy next door. Everyone is invited. Come to learn about blogging, podcasting, and meet your neighbors who have those cool blogs you read all the time.

“

Read it: Triangle Blogger’s Bash, Durham, November 15

(Found on:Audio Activism.)

RTPNet Conference in NC, USA

Registration is now open for the RTPnet Conference, North Carolina’s only annual statewide conference that focuses specifically on nonprofit technology. The conference mission is to help nonprofits use technology more effectively. It’s May 20th.

Conference subjects this year will focus on: Technology Volunteerism, Technology Infrastructure and Technology Innovation. More than 100 people are expected to attend the conference.

RTPnet is a volunteer-driven, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping North Carolina nonprofit organizations leverage Internet tools to promote and support their missions. RTPnet has hosted the conference for five straight years around the theme of “Bridging North Carolina’s Human/Digital Divide.”

RTPnet offers annual fee-based memberships to North Carolina nonprofits and community technology centers in the Southeast. Member benefits include Internet services and discounts to RTPnet-sponsored events.

Who should attend?

* Nonprofit professionals
* Technology providers
* Government officials
* School administrators and teachers
* Anyone interested in technology issues affecting the nonprofit sector