I use Twitter as my news updater as you can now get the world happenings in real time. Remember when the plane landed in the Hudson in NYC? People were tweeting while standing on the wing to be rescued. The protests in Iran were another of those major global events – where you could learn in real time via social media- exactly what was going on. Both by the news media as well as those in the midst of the news stories.

One of my most favorite news publications is the Huffington Post started by Arianna Huffington – has been a long standing proponent of social media and they are doing a spectacular job leveraging Facebook connect and Twitter. They created a real time engagement forum for the TED conference series which I thought was brilliant. What sparked this post was an email I just received from the Washington Post - showing how they are now linking to Facebook connect, encouraging readers to SHARE articles and participate in the stories they read – by commenting on things you find interesting or things your friends are following.

It is now such an easy way to connect with like minded people for so many reasons. Friendship, business, information, opinions ideas and ratings and reviews to name a few. Best of all it works! The world becomes much smaller and the human approach that can be created for business is not to be questioned. Your customers are eager to get to know you. Just watch your nightly news which on many stations both in Canada and the US, cable and major network – that end their broadcast with “please find us on Facebook and Twitter and connect create.cultivate comments, stories etc.”

This week alone I met a Facebook friend in real time that helped me sort out my cell phone debacle. It was like we had known each other for years. Another Facebook friend in the same industry as myself have build up an admirable relationship and passion for the power of digital and the expansion of its tools – that we get to use – to support the success of our clients marketing and communications. We are now doing a small project together. Me here in Toronto – he in California.  How can we SHARE all of our resources for a mutually successful relationship? For growth of sales, growth of mind share, growth of ideas, solving problems, events, promotions, product launches – production knowledge and so much more.

Had a great social media week like me? We would love to hear about it. Drop us a line and let us know how the power of the digital world enhanced your life!

Best Nicole

Mashable.com has a post, written by Soren Gordhamer, that is titled “7 Lessons for Better Networking with Social Media.” Gordhamer says “Many of us are on both sides of this relationship— sometimes making the connection, sometimes receiving the invitation.” His article is a good tool to use with actionable tips on improving your networking skills.

Tell us about your network and some of the things that you have learned to best utilize your network for 2010.

Best Nicole

Social media allows us to discover, connect, and engage with new people of interest. While most people are open to new connections and receiving messages from people they don’t know, there is a fine line between reaching out and “spamming.” The challenge is to make a connection clearly and effectively without wasting people’s time.

Many of us are on both sides of this relationship — sometimes making the connection, sometimes receiving the invitation. To help navigate these waters a little better, I’ve outlined seven key lessons for improving your social networking skills.

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1. Find a Person’s Preferred Communication Channel

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If you want to contact someone you have never communicated with before, do some research. Find the person’s preferred communication channel. If they have a website, check out their contact page and see if they encourage people to contact them in a particular way, and follow their suggestion.

It also helps to discover what level of participation they have on various social networks (Twitter (), Facebook (), YouTube ()) to see which places may be best to engage them. When is the last time they posted on Twitter or Facebook? Do they respond to the @replies they receive on Twitter or comments on a Facebook page? Get a sense of their preferred means of communication, and make contact where they are.

Lesson: Go where they are.

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2. Say Just Enough

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This cannot be emphasized enough, and it is probably my toughest challenge. In the age of social media, we may be able to get the attention of more people, but we get it for a much shorter amount of time. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make, is that they send long e-mails or social media messages explaining all the reasons they want to connect. You are likely have not earned not earned the five minutes of the recipient’s time that it will take to read that message.

Brevity is built right into Twitter, making it a great platform for making a first connection. However, if you use other channels, keep it simple. If there are 700 words you eventually want to get across, include only 50 in the first contact. Let the person choose if he or she would like more. You can fill in the rest later. I prefer a less complete 50 words than 700 words that tell me more than I need to know.

Lesson: Less is more.

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3. Don’t Expect a Response

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I often see e-mails with phrases like “Please respond,” or “please get back to me.” Unless it is an old friend or a colleague, if you are contacting someone new, you are not entitled to a response. If the person wants to get back to you, he or she will. It is much better to say “If this is not of interest, feel no need to get back to me.”

At times I hear people complain because they reached out to someone and never heard back. The fact is most people do not have the time to get back to everyone who contacts them to say, “not interested.” Open a door without adding pressure. There may be times to follow-up, of course, but don’t do so with resentment or frustration.

Lesson: Say what you need to and then let it go.

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4. Clarify Early

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This may seem like common sense, but don’t wait for the last line of your message to say that you want to meet for lunch, or ask your contact if he’d like to speak at an event. Put it right up front. If he cannot provide what you’re looking for, he’ll know sooner rather than later, and will appreciate you for it.

Lesson: Say it up front.

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5. What You Want is Not the Point

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You may think that what you want is a phone call or lunch meeting to discuss your big idea. But communication is more than any one project or meeting. What you really want is an authentic connection.

In a very real way, it doesn’t necessarily matter if the person is interested in discussing your project idea. What matters is whether you are making a connection.

If you focus on the relationship more than the specific request, and the person has a pleasant experience reading your opening communication, it is likely the door will remain open for possible collaboration in the future, and the next e-mail you send will more likely be fruitful.

Lesson: No one knows what the future may hold, so make the moment count. Ensure the door stays open, even if no one is walking through it right now.

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6. Be Open Without Needing

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Needy never goes over well. Statements like “I really need to talk to you,” or “it is essential that we speak,” show your general insecurity. There is a huge difference between being open to collaboration and “needing” it.

Do not make contact until you find that place in yourself that is totally comfortable with any outcome, including a strong “no” or no response at all. Only then can you make authentic contact. When you do, openness rather than need will come through in your words.

Lesson: Speak from openness rather than need.

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7. Give Space

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The key questions people have when someone new reaches out to them, particularly those who are quite busy, are “Do I have time to bring this person into my network? How much time will they take?”

Therefore, it is generally not helpful to send too many e-mails. Doing this may send the signal that you are going to take a lot of the recipient’s time and send numerous e-mails every day, and communicating with you will take great effort.

Instead, give communication some space. Unless something is very timely, let a bit of time pass before sending a response. Let communication have some breathing room. Once there is some level of trust, you can experiment with more immediate information exchange.

Lesson: Focus on thoughtful instead of continual contact.

Planning is key. And having a strategic plan to launch your video (along with these 3 suggestions) can be a great way to get started! The majority of people are always eager to pass on a video that has that buzz. Remember the Dove Campaign video? It’s an excellent example of viral video at its best—showing how a professional make-up team and a little technology can come together to make anyone look impossibly glam (not a good thing, as the video points out)! And recently, I posted another great example with Ann Minch and her Debtors Revolt.

The world is eager to hear from you. Youtube is quick, easy to use and easy to pass on—and if it is done well, your video can drive traffic to your site and increase sales. A great reason to get started!

Best Nicole

Nowadays, making a short video about your business can be cheap and easy. But getting sustained buzz for it amid the digital din of other viral videos is tougher.

Before you hit “record,” ask yourself how you can effectively use this platform to get your business’s message across to the masses. Are you trying to entertain or educate? Should your tone be funny or informative? Is there a way for people to learn more about your company once the minute-or-so clip is done, such as an information box on the video platform? Keep in mind that the main purpose of your video isn’t just for a laugh or two, but to build awareness about your company, drive traffic to your Web site and – if done well – generate new sales.

Here are the three best ways to make a viral video:

1. Keep in mind your target audience. Jet Luxury Resorts LLC, a Las Vegas condo-hotel management company, knows its customers: rich, older folks seeking an adventure in Sin City. After doing some research, Chief Operating Officer Steve Aylsworth decided that three themes would resonate with viral video viewers: fear, humor or sex. In April, the company launched its “Bright Side of Life” video , which received 250,000 views in a week. It shows a bare-chested young man having the time of his life in a Las Vegas penthouse with a bevy of scantily-clad women. A twist at the end – it’s actually a dream sequence, and the main character is rather geriatric – made potential customers laugh, he says. The video was such a success that it was chosen for a TBS special called “World’s Funniest Commercials of 2009,” shown in primetime in June.

“We wanted to achieve two things: increase sales and increase our brand recognition,” Mr. Aylsworth says. By May, its Web site saw a 50% spike in traffic, and the company generated a 20% increase in revenue – both of which Mr. Aylsworth attributes in large part to the video.

2. Rely on others to do the heavy lifting. If you don’t know what kind of video to make, why not piggyback on the creativity of the folks who love to do it? That’s what Cosmedicine Co. Inc. of New York did. It recently launched an online video competition called the “Protest Beauty B.S. Contest” to spoof the claims that skincare companies make in ads. Anyone could upload a mock commercial on YouTube for a chance to win $5,000 in cash. So far, Cosmedicine has received between 35 and 40 video entries, featuring everything from sunless tanner for vampires to pain-free leg wax. “This was a way for us to create viral marketing and get hopefully a lot of focus and attention … on the core values of our brand,” says Jane Terker, president of Cosmedicine, which claims its products are independently, clinically proven.

Diane DiResta, owner and chief executive of DiResta Communications Inc. of New York, took the idea further by using existing viral videos to make a point about her company’s service. With help from a marketing company, she spotlighted communication blunders made by George Bush , Sarah Palin and others. At the end of the ready-made viral videos came her company name, her Web site and the tag line: “We can help.” Her company assists corporate executives with their communication and presentation skills.

“The video itself says it all,” she says.

3. Use tech shortcuts to spread the word. Your video is only as good as the eyes who’ve seen it. The goal is to reach as many viewers as possible, so it needs to be picked up by bloggers and passed along by individual fans. Mike Matuska, owner of BigPlush.com, a Pelham Manor, N.Y., maker of 8-foot-tall stuffed animals, says he uses TrafficGeyser.com, which automatically distributes his videos to about 100 video-sharing sites. He also posts the video to his Twitter, Facebook and MySpace accounts as “it’s not like you get a huge amount from [any] one place.” The average hits on his videos range from 1,000 to 20,000; although one video about an 18-foot snake plush-toy has collected close to a quarter of a million hits. Other sites to consider for automatic video distribution are TubeMogul.com and VisibleMeasures.com, says Jeff Glasson, director of social media for PerkettPR Inc. of Boston.

Best Nicole

Let’s face it. Seth Godin’s blog is a wondrous thing. It’s consistently No. 1 or No. 2 on the Ad Age Power 150. More importantly, it’s pure insight. At least once a day, every day, there’s a little homily on marketing, or brands, or quality, or something else that makes you say “hmmm” or “that’s right” or even “that’s wrong” — but something that’s worth your time.

Do you have any idea how hard this is? Nobody else does this.

When I contacted Seth to interview him about his blog, he was bemused. “I don’t know how to bottle what I do,” he wrote. “I just do it.” OK, let’s admit you cannot imitate Seth — you don’t have what he’s got under that bald head of his. But I am hoping you can learn by observing some of what he does. So here goes: an e-mail interview with Seth Godin about blogging.

Josh Bernoff: The clarity of your posts tells me that you have a clear idea of your audience and what they will get out of it. On the other hand, from reading you for years now, it seems you’ll write on just about any topic. When you write a blog post, who do you imagine writing for?

Seth Godin: There are things we do with words in mind. For example, it’s easy to say, “I wonder what my cousin would like for her birthday, let’s see, she’s twelve …” and then go find something. There are other things we do without vocalizing. Tying your shoes, say, or picking out a bouquet of flowers.

I don’t sit down and say, “I wonder what Josh needs?” Instead, I’ve carefully curated a voice in my head that blogs in a way that appears to resonate with people. I’m guessing (though I have no talent) it’s a lot like curating a sound on the saxophone. Training helps, listening to records helps, but mostly you blow a lot until you resonate and then repeat, prune, experiment, prune, repeat, prune until a groove occurs.

One reason I encourage people to blog is that the act of doing it stretches your available vocabulary and hones a new voice. You won’t get it for a while, but you’ll get it. To one person who wrote in and said he didn’t think he had anything interesting to say, I asked him whether he was boring in person too? Boring at breakfast? Boring on a date? That boring?! Probably not.

Josh Bernoff: Every blogger needs grist for the mill. In looking at your posts, they’re sometimes based on current events or other people’s blog posts (like your post on Malcolm Gladwell’s review of Chris Anderson’s book “Free”) but more often than not, they are just some freestanding insight. Where does this stuff come from? I can’t imagine that you sit down and it just comes pouring out. What do you read/follow/think about that stimulates this stream of insights?

Seth Godin: How come some people can visit a place like New York and see a thousand amazing things, take hundreds of great photos (like Thomas Hawk) or even write a novel… and other people visit, eat at Applebee’s and send home a John Lennon postcard?

It’s not where you go, it’s what you look for.

Josh Bernoff: An insight a day is an incredible pace to keep up, but you never seem to miss. Do you write ‘em in bunches and dole them out daily, or do you always have a pile that you’re working on, or do you really just write one every day?

Seth Godin: I write at least one a day. I queue up the extras, and replace ones I don’t love with a new one. This discipline does two things… first, it treats each post as a precious opportunity (which it is) and second, it cajoles me into overcoming whatever little voice in the back of my head says “nahhhh.”

Josh Bernoff: Your blog doesn’t sell ads, and you’ve resisted becoming TechCrunch or ReadWriteWeb and turning it a sort of blog/destination with multiple writers. But the blog must reward you in some way beyond the pleasure of writing. What does your blog do for you and your business?

Seth Godin: I have a problem with the second part of the question. Two problems, actually.

First, why is it that once business gets involved, it’s assumed it’s okay to do things that aren’t fun or rewarding or kind or generous, but only things that make money?

And second, why is it assumed that people can’t do business-like activities without getting paid?

Those guys at AIG getting the big bonuses? I don’t understand the mind-set that says the millions they’ve got aren’t enough, that they shouldn’t skip a quarter or two, that the work is so horrible and grinding and ening that they couldn’t possibly consider doing it just because they’re great at it and love it…

Sorry for the rant, but the only reason I blog is because I love it. I love being able to create something that feels like a gift, giving an idea that spreads, that may improve something for someone. I’m certain (just speaking for myself) that if I figured out a way to profit from it, I’d probably be starting down the road to wondering how to maximize that profit, and if I tried to do that, I’d fail.

For example, I don’t mention Squidoo.com (a company I started) on my blog now and then because it would make me money (the mentions have so little impact as to be less than the cost of hosting), I mention it because I genuinely want to share what I’ve got, or give people a tool they will benefit from.

I think there’s plenty of room for blogs that exist to pay the blogger, or blogs that exist to turn a profit. That’s just not the kind of blog I’m writing, and I’m not the kind of blogger that could do that.

Josh Bernoff: Your blog accepts trackbacks but no comments. You respond to e-mails but Twitter only links to each post. I sense a carefully considered set of decisions here. Can you help us to understand why it works that way?

Seth Godin: What works for me of course won’t work for everyone. But for me, the issues are distraction, time management, the little voice of self-doubt and the desire to push through the Dip of mattering. Comments and Twitter are like a Fresnel lens. You can use them to focus attention if you’re very disciplined and very good, or, if you’re like me, you’ll end up finding your energy and attention diffused into a maelstrom, lost to the winds of inanity, anger or trivia. It’s in my DNA. I can’t do it, just as I can’t read in the car.

For those that are succeeding (and I have to confess, the number I see isn’t as big as you’d think given all the hoopla) I say mazel tov. To those that are using it as a defense mechanism, an opportunity to stay busy while not actually doing anything, I wonder if that’s a good choice.

Josh Bernoff: Like Guy Kawasaki, whose blog is also full of delightful little nuggets, you could edit and reorganize your blog into a very nice book. Ever considered it?

Seth Godin: Where, exactly, do you think Guy got the idea, Josh? http://www.smallis.com

If I wasn’t the first best-selling author to do this, I was close. I even won a fancy audiobook award for it. It inspired Scott Adams’ book too, which is better than mine.

I have another collection coming out along these lines, but in a different format that I hope to announce soon…

Josh Bernoff: I said before that people couldn’t imitate you, because they don’t have your software between their ears. But I bet there is something you’ve learned from blogging that the rest of us might be better off if we did it, too. Which of your habits should we imitate?

Seth Godin: Oh, I think imitating my habits is a great idea. Habits like blogging often and regularly, writing down the way you think, being clear about what you think are effective tactics, ignoring the burbling crowd and not eating bacon. All of these are useful habits.

Thanks for the questions, Josh. This was fun.

Pass it on to all your collegues, friends and family. Better yet, what is your next strategy for building your new product?

Best Nicole

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How Del Monte Social Media Strategy Created a New Pet Food

Del Monte’s social media initiative created a new breakfast treat for dogs.

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — It’s one thing to debate the potential power of social media marketing to influence product sales but quite another to watch a social media project actually create a popular new product. In his keynote address at last week’s Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Social Media Conference, Forrester Research’s Josh Bernoff explained how Del Monte Foods did that very thing in just six weeks.

“we have seen first hand how difficult it is for women to come forward with their testimony”.

Yet we know that the barriers faced by our sisters in other countries and regions (especially regions where there is military conflict) are often far greater than any we have encountered in North America.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, tens of thousands of women have been raped in what United Nations officials have called the worst violence against women in the world. In a culture where rape brings victims more shame than assistance, how are women finding safe ways to speak out about their suffering? What role can testimony play in changing public attitudes and responses to sexual violence and crimes of war?

Congo/Women — a series of portraits of war from the Democratic Republic of Congo — explores these themes in a way that calls us to greater compassion and action. The exhibition features photographs by Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv and James Nachtwey.

The photographs attached to this site clearly articulate the pain and struggle that should not exist in the 21st century…ANYWHERE. I urge everyone who reads this post to please pass it on and have everyone you know visit this site. And to visit the exhibit if you happen to be in Chicago, New York or Washington D.C. when it arrives. Major support for Congo/Women has been provided by United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, Humanity United, and Leadership Donors of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media Columbia College Chicago.

We all have a responsibility to support and stand for the protection for ALL people around the globe and ensure their safety, their respect and their dignity.

Act Now.

To view the photo’s please click here.

Best Nicole

Incident Sends Airline’s Social Media Index Soaring

At its peak on Saturday, 215 people a minute were becoming fans of Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III on a Facebook page set up to honor the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549.

That page was created by an employee of social media services provider Vitrue at 10 p.m. on Thursday—the day Sullenberger landed the disabled plane in New York City’s Hudson River, to honor “a real hero.” Ten hours later, there were 18,000 fans and 1,800 posts on Sullenberger’s wall. By 2 p.m. on Sunday, there were more than 300,000 fans and 14,000 wall posts.

Posters range from Shazo Wazo in Brighton and Hove, England, who wrote: “Well done mate, excellent job you’ve done. Bloody marvelous,” to Robert K. Rodriguez of New York, who simultaneously wrote: “god bless you brotha, you can be my pilot any day !!!”

Meanwhile, Vitrue’s Social Media Index was showing scores for US Airways soaring since Thursday. At their peak, the airline’s scores were up 171% from its December average, reaching a three-day average of plus-135%. The Index is a proprietary reporting technology that measures a brand’s online conversations.

Vitrue CEO Reggie Bradford tells Marketing Daily that this “crystallizes the amplification effect social media can uniquely deliver on a cause or brand. If brands can conjure up the right mix of ingredients, there are millions upon millions of passionate consumers who will take social actions.”

The first photo of the airliner sitting in the river was posted on Twitter by someone on board one of the ferries that raced to the rescue of 155 passengers and crew, creating a stir among social media fans and mainstream journalists who debated its importance in the days following the event.

“This is a compelling story which illustrates the power of how truly interconnected, influenced and inspired we are by each other’s thoughts and actions,” says Bradford. “From a business perspective, we think it is important for brands to take note of these passionate and engaged audiences who need a forum in good times and bad.”

The amazing growth in the number of the pilot’s fans certainly speaks well for the newly created Sullenberger brand. That and the story behind it are a boon for an airline that has filed for bankruptcy twice over the past several years, lost 75,000 bags two holiday seasons ago and last year became the first airline to charge for coffee and tea.

Might the favorable publicity and attendant goodwill work in US Airways’ favor, or does an accident—any kind of accident—harm an airline brand?

Says Stuart Vyse, professor of psychology at Connecticut College and author of the award-winning Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition: “US Airways will not be hurt as much as if the crash had had more tragic results, and a truly rational flier would consider the evidently quite skillful work of the pilot as a definite plus.

“But anything that reminds a nervous traveler of a crash is likely to be avoided. If I am right, and this kind of worry affects travelers’ choices of airlines, it will be an entirely human and understandable reaction, but it seems particularly irrational given that the accident was apparently caused by birds.”

Time to figure out how you can use Social Media to share your story!

Best Nicole

“Most marketers are using a social media page with one or more on-page applications, but this is the first campaign we’ve worked on that also offers deeper user applications that drive interaction and the viral element by getting site users to then get their friends involved,” says Scott Kleper, chief technology officer and founder of San Francisco-based Context Optional, which developed the campaign’s applications.

So here is what the campaign consisted of:

The campaign, launched Nov. 26 and running through Jan. 4, centers on a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/claus) hosted by “Claüs”–the hipper name chosen by Santa Claus to reflect his “down” new image and lifestyle since he was transformed by being gifted with a Palm Centro. (Sample profile copy: “I functioned for centuries as a recluse, only emerging once a year under the cover of darkness to spread joy … The phone inspired me to turn my life around, I got in shape, found a new tailor, it’s like I feel 30 years younger … don’t try to sit on my lap, a fist bump will do.”)

The page includes five main applications: Claüs’s Yule Log Music Player (downloadable); the ClaüsRemixed holiday album (also downloadable); a Claüs video player (downloadable with ability to share viral videos); Naughty or Nice (users submit friends’ names for Claüs’ two lists); and the Claüs White Elephant Party (where users can play the classic trade-off-bad-gifts party game on Facebook with … guess who).

There are also ample videos (such as Claüs’ encounter at a posh restaurant with a confused valet charged with parking the Bearded One’s sleigh), and new ones are being added frequently to keep the site fresh, reports Palm Director of Marketing Communications Scott Hancock. Then there’s the wish list contest-one good little Facebook user who’s texted Claüs the gift he/she most wants (up to $10,000 in price) will see that wish come true. And of course, the page features Claüs replying to posts and offers holiday e-cards featuring the Claüster using his Centro while perched on a chimney, rather recklessly driving his sleigh, etc.

Traffic-driving components included launching the site by airing a longer (60-second) video on cable (including Bravo, MTV, VH1, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, E! Entertainment, Comedy Central, G4, Fuse and TBS) and in movie theaters in key metro markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and San Francisco. Other support includes bus shelter ads and billboards.

They say the most interesting aspect is that 26% of the Claus visitors have come from friends sending to friends. This example continues to show the promise of viral marketing and a very clever way to engage your customer.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday. I hope you will continue to pass on our blog in 2009!

Best Nicole

PS check out the BCAD Group fan page on Facebook!

This video by Jason van Genderen, entitled Mankind is No Island, was the winner of Tropfest NY 2008 (a festival which, I have to admit, I had never heard of until I read the Twitter post). For those who aren’t aware, Tropfest is the world’s largest short film festival. Originating out of Australia, it has been part of New York’s TriBeca Film Festival since 2007 (if I’m “the last to know,” please don’t laugh!).

Now the point of this post is that I found myself truly moved by this 3 minute and 30 second film about the plight of the homeless and neglected. Shot in the streets of New York and Sydney entirely on a humble cell phone, Mankind is no Island says so much more than I think its primary message intended. It’s a brilliant little piece of storytelling that’s more poignant and authentic than your typical, wide-release film on the subject could ever pretend to be—with their shiny Hollywood budgets and glittering Hollywood faces dulled to a mere sheen.

This short demonstrates how technology has given “we the people” many opportunities to allow our individual voices to be heard—by bringing the power of expression TO the people. People who would never have the means to make public their views, beliefs and opinions. Enabling all of us to potentially touch millions of viewers we would never have been able to touch otherwise (and get recognition for it).

However, the irony is that the subject matter of this film will probably never get to see this work of “everyman” art. There’s no YouTube when you’re homeless. No Facebook. No Twitter. There is only survival. And that’s where social acts such as Mankind is no Island will hopefully help to bring these lost souls back into the fold. By bringing awareness to a wider audience that will find their own ways, online and off, to help save those that can be saved. 

Phew! Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I leave you with one question: when technology and social media are supposedly bringing us “closer together”, what becomes of those who live off the grid—by choice or by chance?

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Margaret.