"Mental Health Camp 2010 My View after a Nap"

 Yesterday I attended and spoke at Mental Health Camp 2010 in Vancouver and after a long need sleep after an emotional day here is what I saw, experienced and learned from the event. I will not mention my session or the panel I was on after this sentence as the event was not about "ME"  in the manner of what I did or did not contribute. It was about did the event serve the community, by community I mean people living with, loving with and working with Mental Illness?

 For me I saw and experienced people who are passionate about this community, seeking to lower the stigma that still effects us some of daily. I was lucky to meet a lovely young lady who was recently diagnosed with the same thing I have and who moved me with here courage to attend such a public event and not only  "Be"there but to actively participate. I also learned from here as well. So you can teach an old badger new tricks.

 I too was impressed with the people who work in Mental Health Care and Advocacy to participated and were excited on how social media can be used to help them and their clients communicate in the age of digital media.

 We know we are preaching the choir and converted but that is not the issue in this still young event. We are also trying to inspire others to work to educate, live better lives with and end the Stigma surrounding Mental Illness. At the end of the day it does not matter what did not work perfect, or other petty ego driven bull shit. It is about people plain and simple.

 I enjoyed meeting so many new faces, i was moved to be supported by so many friends who came out and was honored to collaborate with my peers. I want to Thank Issabella, and Raul for organizing the event, to all the volunteers who make events like these possible and without them I would not have had a cookie, i joke but they made to day possible. I would also like to thank all the other speakers I heard and to thank Airdrie Miller who idea seeded this still growing and new event.

  Mental Health is a personal journey that we must at time walk alone but we also need others to truly live with and cry with, laugh with and understand with.......

"The Digital Sweatshop How Traditional Media Exploits New Media"

This is a blog, yes it is, but I am not writing for profit or a career but alot of writers and bloggers I know are or would like to, so why is it that I feel the online world a digital sweatshop?

 Traditional media of which I work in was and is slow to discover and recognize social media. Some outlets are being dragged into it kicking and screaming, like  so many spoiled luddites. Other outlets see social media for what it is right now, a all you can eat buffet of free content.

  It is both the fault of bloggers and the greedy traditional media who in these times of poor ratings / circulations see blood in the water and use our independent social media writers like Nike uses 8 year old Vietnamese kids to make $200 sneakers. They exploit bloggers and attract them with a promised audience and little more. Some times they will throw you a bone like our local daily throw away paper The Metro News who promises free coffee from Blenz in return for blog posts. This is like being told you have a job and only paying you in goats.

 They are not the only ones, lots of media have jumped on the digital sweatshop and are exploiting our writers, photographers, videographers. Just look at CNN's very popular i-reporters who are given a tee-shirt and a thank you while CNN saves money hires less staff, and make ad money off the backs of social media.

 Are Bloggers to blame? Yes in the sick dysfunctional way that only a chronically abused spouse could. It is time for social media to say enough is enough. To say if you love my content pay me! And not pennies a word. It is also the fault of writers seeking attention and fame who will undercut other writers / bloggers for working for crap pay & or a few free dinners or swag. Stop it you are only cutting your own necks open.

 There are those who make a living blogging or should I say Advertising in list form. These folks hide their mercenary behavior in blog form and also take advantage of bloggers in their community by occasionally throwing them a bone of access. This is like eating your own kind.

 It is time for bloggers and others in social media to stand up and say no, no pay no words, no images, no access that I have but the big guy either will not pay for or does not understand. Enough of the Digital Sweatshop of which we get angry about when it is a physical one. You all write write about this, the largest exploitation of writers since the penny a word writers of the 40s.