It is always amazing how this happens. As soon as you start thinking
about something – access to web resources in Africa, for example, more information comes pouring in!

This from one of the students in my class in response to an assignment
to find a web article that addressed some issue of computers and the
internet in society, and pose a question about it…

Less than 5% of Africans currently have access to the internet. O3b Networks plans to offer cheap high speed internet to Africa by 2010 by launching a satellite which will offer rural areas internet access. In addition, initiatives are in process to run fiber-optic cable to give more populated areas high speed internet access.

What type of improvements or problems might this cause the African nation?

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1841175,00.html

http://www.o3bnetworks.com/

O3b — short for the “other 3 billion” around the world who are unable to tap into the Web — plans to deploy spacecraft more cheaply by orbiting them at lower altitudes than traditional satellites.

Eight Elements of The Empowerment Methodology

What does it take to strengthen a community (or organization), or to increase its capacity?

Nice outline of the methodology advocated by the Community Empowerment Collective Society However, I would consider restating

5. Organisms become stronger by exercising, struggling, and facing adversity. Empowerment methodology incorporates this principle for social organisations. Sports coaches use the slogan, “No pain; no gain.” We do not promote pain, but do promote struggle and effort;

I’m not sure I would characterize the process quite so negatively. Rather representing it as a stepwise process to the appropriate outcome, provides perspective and guidance. I prefer a more positive dynamic growing representation.

• 5 stages of e-tivity Access and Motivation, Socialisation, Information Exchange, Knowledge Construction, Development more…

That’s a minor point but important point when the problems to be resolved are so difficult. Are there other ways to accentuate the positive, successful, rewarding and/or enlightening?

“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you want.”

Are you an effective listener? Want to do better than that? Then, use effective listening techniques. Here are the Top ten ways to listen to boring lectures

1. Choose to find the subject useful.
   • Poor listeners dismiss most lectures as dull and irrelevant. They turn off quickly.
   • Effective listeners separate the wheat from the chaff. They choose to listen to discover new knowledge.
2. Concentrate on the words and message, not on the professor’s looks, clothes or delivery.
   • Poor listeners notice faults in a lecturer’s appearance or delivery.
   • Effective listeners strive to pick every professor’s brain for self-gain.
3. …more

3. Picture it written on their forehead: Franklin Roosevelt continually amazed his staff by remembering the names of nearly everyone he met. His secret? He used to imagine seeing the name written across the person’s forehead. This is a particularly powerful technique if you visualize the name written in your favorite color of Magic Marker.
– Tricks to remembering names

How to Remember Names

The ability to remember the names of people you meet will always serve you well in social situations.

• Pay attention when you are introduced to someone. A few minutes after you meet the person, say his or her name to yourself again. If you have forgotten it, talk to the person again and ask for the name.
  
  
• Write down the new name three times while picturing the person’s face; do this as soon as possible after meeting someone.
  
  
• Ask how to spell a difficult name, or glance at the spelling on the person’s business card, if it’s offered. If you know the spelling of a word and can picture it in your mind, you’ll remember it better.
  
  
• … more