Remember that old jingle from Coke, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony?” Well, the U.S. is still hitting a sour note internationally, according to an anonymous association exec on View from a Corner Office: In the Glass, Darkly. While at an international meeting of his/her association’s profession, s/he found:

“In this particular federation the animus toward the United States is so pronounced that for the first time in the federation’s history, all U.S. delegates for office toppled in defeat. If it’s possible to be stunned but not surprised, that was our reaction. At the same time the federation issued a ballot asking member nations to support a dues overhaul that would increase the U.S. share by 8,000%. That is not a typo.”

And if that increase forced the U.S. association to drop out of the international federation, “so be it,” s/he was told. This is a sad state of events for anyone who holds meetings internationally, or invites international attendees, as well as for the world in general.

Especially when it comes up in the association community, which is one place where I (naively, perhaps) believe that we can put aside our political issues and focus on the things we share in common. According to this blogger, we can’t afford to blind ourselves to the relationship between the personal (our associations, our professions), and the political.

I knew it was bad when I heard from someone who was at the Olympics’ opening ceremonies that the entire stadium booed the American team as they entered. I just didn’t know it was this bad.

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Joan Eisenstodt put a link to an interesting article on cell phones and kids on the MIMlist today.

Since this is the third time in as many days this topic has come up for me–how weird–I’ll bite. I believe that cell phones are doing nothing less than rewiring the way our brains work–and not just the kids.

Cell phone use is training people to never fully be where they are, at that moment. Instead, at least part of their brain is on the conversation they’re having–which, for the most part of what I inadvertantly overhear, is on such scintillating topics as, “I’m getting on the plane now. I’ll call when we land.” “OK, we just landed. I’ll call you when I get to the car.”

We’re communicating more, and saying less, all the time. And live interactions are falling away–from airport conversations with strangers to saying “thanks” to a retail clerk, because we’re too busy on our cell phones to acknowledge those around us or even–heaven forefend!–talk to them. Even during breaks at meetings, I sometimes find it hard to find someone not “en-phoned” to discuss what we just learned.

When I see five men eating at a restaurant, and each is on his cell talking with someone else, I can’t help but wonder what this is doing to the nature of social dynamics–and what it’ll do to meetings eventually. Already, at least one person in every session I’ve been to lately has been so addicted to the cell that they can’t bear to turn it off for 45 minutes. Even when it doesn’t ring, they’re constantly checking messages. Pretty soon, the speaker will have to IM the audience to get their attention!

Cells are great for emergencies, and for a lot of daily situations. But the way they’re being used suggests that we, consciously or not, are coming to believe that whatever is happening elsewhere to other people is more important and/or more interesting than what is happening to us in real life, right here, right now. IMHO, that is not a good thing. But maybe I’m just a Luddite.

What do you think?

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…this is the next best thing–and a very smart move, I think, on the part of ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership: a blog from ASAE Minneapolis 2004.

I’ve just skimmed through it so far, but it looks great, and really gives you a feel from a real-life perspective on what the show was like. And I just love the shoe photos, don’t know why. I hope they managed to get the word out so everyone knows it’s up there. I came across it purely by chance.

Kudos to The Center for putting together this pop-up blog–may we see more of this in the future!

Another blogger also has been on the loose at an industry show recently–check out Rich Westerfield’s
commentary on SISO. He managed to mine a ton of good stuff at that show, and since he’s not affiliated with it as far as I know, it’s a little more objective than the ASAE blog, which was run by staffers.

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In a fun new contest being held through Dec. 15, the Hampton, Va., CVB is inviting meeting planners to submit their most unusual and humorous meeting planning anecdotes in its “Meeting Planners, Sound Off!” contest. A committee of Virginia travel industry professionals will select three winners, who will have their work experiences recreated into New Yorker-style cartoons.

Winners will receive a framed, signed copy of their cartoon and a free Hampton getaway package. The winning cartoons will also be displayed in the new Hampton Roads Convention Center when it opens in 2005. So, what’s the weirdest thing that ever happened at your meetings?

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The biggest complaint I hear about online adult education is that it’s boring, doesn’t get you really involved on a personal level, and just doesn’t keep your attention very well. Then I read this article from the New York Times about the military using video games to train soldiers. It makes me wonder if this idea will spread to other areas of training as well, making those boring online offerings really engaging.

What do you think—could Leisure Suit Larry train your folks about sexual harrassment in the workplace? Could Pac-Man lead your online attendees through the ins and outs of the rules for your industry? I haven’t heard of a company developing video games specifically for adult ed purposes, but some smart entrepreneur is bound to think of it sooner or later, don’t you think?

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