Committee member blogs for Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day in Kansas

People from various organizations will be blogging about ways to put the brakes on fatalities starting Monday, Sept. 14, on the Kansas Transportation Online Community (KTOC).

A total of 20 people will share experiences and information about improving safety on our roadways. Some of the bloggers will include KDOT Secretary Deb Miller, Trauma Coordinator at Stormont Vail HealthCare Darlene Whitlock, KHP Technical Trooper Tim McCool, Sgt. Lance Smith with the Reno County Sheriff’s Dept. and State Director of Safe Kids Kansas Cherie Sage.

This event is taking place as part of the national safety campaign Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day. Whether you are in a car or truck, on a bike or even walking, the goal is for everyone to safely get where they are going.

Blogs will be posted by 9 a.m. each work day. The last blog will be on Oct. 9 by Larry Emig, a KDOT retiree who began Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day in 2001. Oct. 10 is the official day celebrated as Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day though the safety messages are promoted all year long.

People are encouraged to sign up for KTOC and offer comments on the blogs. Anyone can read information on KTOC, but to offer comments you must log on as a member. KTOC can be seen at http://ktoc.net/Default.aspx.

Blogs, blogs, blogs

Before starting this blog for the T2 Committee I did some research and thinking about blogs in general and blogs for technology transfer in particular. Yes, blogs have come a long way since people started Web logs to tell the world about their inner thoughts, interests and what they had for breakfast or how long their daily run was. Blogs are now used by reputable organizations, such as Law Professors Blog, which I’ve used for their valuable information on various law topics. They even have corporate sponsors.

What I like about blogs

Blogs can provide valuable information. Bloggers often spend time researching and keeping up with news on their particular topic. If you want to hear anything and everything about the TV show Project Runway go to Blogging Project Runway. This blog counts no information too trivial to report. But, if you want to know what’s going on with the show and/or contestants go there.
Blogs are personal. One thing I love about blogs is that most people write them about their personal or professional passion. They also give me their unique insights, which can be more valuable than just the facts. They have they own unique perspective and speak with their own voice. Blogs can also be about the narrowest of topics and offer in depth commentary. Someone somewhere is interested and blogs about any topic.

What I don’t like about blogs

I hate the corporate/government blogs which read like press releases. These blogs often spend a lot of time saying nothing and offer nothing of interest. Either that, or the blogger gushes about his/her experiences doing their job every day. Boring!

And, yes, I don’t like the blogs that go into infinitesimal detail on the blogger’s day/run/pets/meals/opinions, etc.

How can we use blogs for technology transfer?

Blogs could be used to report on research projects as well as a research program. This can be done either behind a firewall to internal audiences or to the general public in a public site. Using a blog, rather than a report, can be more personal and allow the researcher to show his/her enthusiasm more than in a formal report. Blogs would also allow researchers to show through photos research in progress. But, the blog should be interesting, updated regularly and encourage comments.

Comments!

Speaking of encouraging comments, what blogs have you found useful? Have you used a blog to transfer technology? Or, do you think blogs are only good for pictures of pets and rants? Comment away!