Phew phew phew - at last - i seem to have found a way forward in the virtual world. My regular blog readers will know that I have been searching for someone, anyone who can help me fulfill my vision of creating an on-line virtual community of people dedicated to improving people's lives - their own life and those of others.

My vision for this has many and multiple layers - many many functions and applications - but it all hinges around the power of the community to support its self. The power of the people who want to do good things  for others finding eachother, sharing, supporting, chatting and building eachother up.

Yup - at my Group Board meeting yesterday - a smart and 'done it already' bloke called Dean came along - said the vision was big, the vision was good and then explained in the simplest of terms the journey ahead, where to start and how to go about it.

So, i knew it - if i held out long enough someone would come along who actually not only gets what i am trying to do but has the abilities to help me do it. Phew.  

Anyway enough of that - now get ready for a little rant (one that was encouraged by Mark Lovell - my business partner). I mentioned to him that i had 'grounded' my daughter. The grounding was all virtual. I had banned all online comms, all trash tv, all gaming, all texting. No facebook, msn, bebo etc etc for a month. Why? Cos she had been naughty of course (she's 14 I'm glad she's naughty - no where near as bad as i was! Still - there's time yet )- but why did i pick on that stuff to ground her with? Because she was spending endless hours doing it. Banal rubbish.

Mark responded that some young people are getting stuck in this whirlwind of conversations and that they are getting dragged down by it. 'I'm bored' 'so am i' 'i'm really bored' 'what you up to' ' nothing' ' me too' 'did i mention that i'm bored'

I am not kidding - this is most of the content of our techno adventurous youth. (Especially my daughter and her bored mates)

Some young people are using the web etc to do creative things that will move them forward - Mark thinks most are not. I agree with Mark.

When - oh when is someone going to admit that 99% of the stuff that happens on the web etc is trash and a great big fat waste of time that drags people down?

(by the way - my daughter (the naughty one that is not as naughty as i was) has cheered up immensely during this grounding - she has been out and about - doing things - helping out at the local stables - she has learnt to draw - spent time with her granny - and yes smiling - it is a miracle to behold)

And another thing while I am at it - I have always lived an open straightforward life - tell it as it is - honest - honourable - do my damndest to do my best - work hard - say sorry when i get things wrong, help others etc etc - so, like most people on the planet  - my heart is in the right place. Why then do utter nutters (i think you know who you are!)- think that this new technology allows them to stalk, bully and abuse people they have never met? How did these nutters used to get their kicks before the web days? (Answers on a postcard please!) 

So, a big leap forward for me this week - in that i can see how to get a postive thing happening online that will support the people who want to improve their lives. The bigger question then hit me how are we (All of us) going to make sure the web and all these fantastic new ways of linking to the world wide community is used for the good and never used to drag down, bully or abuse?

ummmmmmm?

Thoughts?