I have come to really love Google Reader, as a way to get my news, tag various posts, and act in some ways as an information manager. 

However, it is clear that there is simply too much to read - like music, too much out there, so I only read 'the biggies', and the people I know.

How a single SCOOP site handles posters, is that the people themselves in a scoop site, can RECOMMEND a post - thus Daily Kos recommended dairies.  So you are using the "Wisdom of Crowds" to find good posts by people you do not know.

I think you can do something similar with blog searcher engines, and blog readers.

I have some suggestions for rss readers in general, and specifically for the google setup. 

I am thinking that posts could get "rated", and I'm thinking in a 4 x 4 framework:

Style                               1   2   3   4
Importance Relevance     1   2   3   4
Informed/Accuracy         1   2   3   4
Recommend?                  1   2   3   4

This would work very well on Google Reader -

Down opposite the labels, have a "Rate It?" button, that opens up a small little grid of radio buttons for the 1-4, and each of the above qualities of rating.

Google then keeps this information in their database - across all people using Google Reader.

Then, there should be a link (or embedded) the Google Blog Search functionality, that on the Advanced Search, would incorporate these ratings (or perhaps a by? with the 4 categories).

That way, I could search blogs by utilizing not only the relevance engine already built-into google (links, popularity) but I could search by "Integral Practice", and "Recommended", and get the most recommended column ABOUT the search I am doing.

I don't know whether this is possible - but for example, technorati has begun to use authority as a way to build in relevance.  But incorporate ratings would make this even better.

Any thoughts on this?  Let me know if you think this exists somewhere.

Here is the integral bloggers wiki list.

Here is the link for the feed.

If you consider yourself an "integral" blogger, make sure to add yourself to the wiki blogger list. 

I'm also going to start using Integral Wiki to detail out a lot more about the ILP Kit - until I get some sort of cease and desist - although I doubt I will, because information "about" ILP Kit, acts more as advertisement than anything else...

Does normal life exercise the emotional body? And if not, what types of "practice" are useful?


It seems to me that this is an open question, as to "practicing emotion", being a healthy thing.  Here are the pluses and minuses -

Pluses -

When we are first born, as babies, we are ALL emotion.  Crying, screaming, laughing, beaming delightedly.  The over-abundance of emotion, is what terrorizes parents!

Of course, as we grow up, we learn - as we must - to "tone it down", "get control", etc.

And as we get older, we value calm, harmony, etc, and we don't value emotion as much.

At the same time, there is what I think is a truth - "use it or lose it".

To keep your physical body fit, you must exercise.

To keep your mind fit, you must exercise this as well - in either games, study, and other intellectual pursuits.

I think the same thing applies to interpersonal, and it definitely applies to any musical instrument.

So what happens to the emotions, if you don't "practice" the full range?  Do they also become "out of shape", "unfit"?

It's a strange thing.  I'm sure there IS a higher wisdom, in societies de-emphasis of emotion, especially as it related to lack of control.

But - if you don't use it, you lose it.

So the two truths above are both true, yet mutually contradictory.

Maybe the key is to exercise your emotions, the same way a vocalist would exercise their vocal chords?

Going up and down the "scales", every once in awhile, you would practice happiness, laughter, grief, rage, etc...

I think actors/actresses do this - keep the emotions "fresh", by practicing different emotional states.

Anyone have any thoughts on the right way to have access to full and flexible emotional states, while not getting involved in some "shout shout let it all out", wildness?

Thanks!