Zip It!

Geodemographic data can be a key factor in segmenting a prospect pool. Sometimes, visualizing that data on a map is a very helpful step.

Check out this 3-digit zip map at Maps.Huge.Info. It contains similar data as Ben Fry's elegant zip code map. Though not as lovely, the Maps.Huge.Info zip map is a bit more concretely useful.

Robot Uprising!

Is the Oregonian in an evil alliance with robot warriors?

Okay, not really.

But what else can explain them cutting the most compelling piece of this Chicago Tribune article on the rise of artificial intelligence and the coming robot wars?

Here's what was missing from Tuesday's Oregonian article:

"The conversation I'm hearing is less about a takeover," said Dennis Roberson, vice provost of new initiatives at Illinois Institute of Technology. "It's more insidious -- it's about bionic capabilities being implanted, working their way upward, getting closer to the brain."

Cyborgs?

"The way we think about technology, especially robots, is completely driven by science-fiction scenarios," said P.W. Singer, director of the 21st Century Defensive Initiative at the Brookings Institution and author of "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century." He said that while researching his book he talked to a military officer whose ideas of what to build came from watching "The Empire Strikes Back."

"We don't have to reach a world where metal ones are coming for us," he said. "It's a reality. They're here. We've flown 7,000 drones in Iraq. You could argue we're in a robot war in Pakistan right now."

(I swear I have some research-related posts coming up. And, I am going to somehow find a way to blog more.)

The End of Big Event-Laden Fundraising?

Fundraisers hate 'em.

Increasingly, so do donors who would rather see their dollar go directly to a charitable cause rather than stopping to buy a floral centerpiece and chicken dinner on the way.

Big gala events are often the bane of a fundraiser's existence. They are a staff-intensive pain to put on, have giant overhead costs, and generally rely on sponsors to be profitable. None of these are good in a down economy.

(I would argue that big events are rarely good in an up economy. They can be used to advantage, but they must include a payoff in constituent engagement and donated dollars that outlasts the night of the event. Often, the thorough planning required to accomplish this is wasted on the centerpieces.)

Check out Susan Nielsen's piece in this Sunday's Oregonian: "Hauling out the checkbook, not the ball gown," which recounts Mercy Corps' decision to sidestep an overhead-heavy gala.

Could this be the beginning of a longer-term trend eschewing big gala events for more meaningful hands-on engagement with non-profits? Given the style of Generation X and the Millennials, coupled with an increased focus on effectiveness and efficiency in the non-profit sector, it seems the recession may be jump-starting the inevitable.

Stats Class!

Go ahead, call me nuts.

I am taking an intensive five-week intro-level stats class this summer -- 2 hours a night, four nights a week. And I can't wait!

I'll be sharing some of the ideas and insights I gain from the class here. Stay tuned.