:Title: Meet & Greet Ned Members (Feb-March 2008) :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:50:11 PST :URL: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/126/ Welcome to Ned. Please tell other members what you do, what your passion is, how you found Ned, and even what you like to do to make the world a better place (if you wish). Simply just introduce yourself and say howdy to other members as they do the same. Ultimately whether you spend 15 minutes at Ned a month or 2-3 hours a day, each Ned member needs to find their own Ned Muse to let the Ned community become a meaningful part of their lives. Human beings connecting. This is your community, your ideas, your time, your efforts, and your actions. This is a community of real people, using real names, working in the real world (well, and at Ned)...taking real actions to make the world a better place. Really. We are fortunate enough to enjoy incredible members from many countries around the world, and we all work together in a community of mutual respect, humor with an eye towards *doing real world things* and making the world a better place. Have fun, and please if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask a question here, Nedsters tend to be a very friendly sort. Many of us have met `face-to-face`_ at various events around the world during the last three years. Okay, introductions...I started the thread going...so having drawn the short straw, I'll go first. I'm `Mark Grimes`_ a serial and social entrepreneur from Portland, Oregon who came to Ned after Omidyar.net community closed last year. The experience of making the world a better place online and offline gets me revved up. I enjoy helping other people (and related their orgs) make greater impact, solve problems, simplify things, practice transparency, build multiple revenue streams towards increasing sustainability, and exploring new, different and more powerful ways to collaborate. .. _`face-to-face` : http://www.ned.com/user/tagged/face-to-face .. _`Mark Grimes` : http://www.ned.com/user/u513094538/ ---- **Comments** :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:08:06 PST I will follow suit. I am Linda. I am an American who has spent most of the last 10 years living in Thailand. Currently I am a lecturer in the Faculty of Management Science at Ubon Ratchathani University in Ubon Ratchathani Thailand and a graduate student working on a PhD in Integral Development Studies. I will be doing my research in Tak Thailand working with Karen migrant children and in northern Uganda with `Life in Africa`_, `Opok Farm`_ and `Christina Jordan`_ (all of whom I met through this group of people here when we were at Omidyar.net) working with resettling children from child-headed households. I hope you will welcome a couple of my students that I have "enticed" to join in recent days. `Chanbanditnant P`_ (Nat) is a second year student and will be helping me with my research in Tak in March and April and hopefully Uganda next year. `Bill Dalton`_ is a transplanted American and a 3rd year student. .. _`Chanbanditnant P` : http://www.ned.com/user/u415183758/ .. _`Bill Dalton` : http://www.ned.com/user/u688061866/ .. _`Christina Jordan` : http://www.ned.com/user/u607448711/ .. _`Opok Farm` : http://www.ned.com/group/opokfarms/ .. _`Life in Africa` : http://www.ned.com/group/lia-global/ ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:23:07 PST Great Linda, thnx. ---- :Author: Stephen Thergesen :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:01:16 PST I'm Stephen, or Steve, and I'm new to Ned. I have worked in information technology in both the private and public sectors for 20 years. After a three-and-a-half year "hiatus" trying to figure out what to do for the next 20 years, I am completing my certification to Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). I hope to teach abroad, wherever the need is greatest. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:22:59 PST Welcome aboard Stephen, glad to have you here. I'm sure Linda (two posts above) may jump in and say hey, she's been teaching in Thailand, and I'm sure has some great advice, or may be able to answer any questions you might have. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:48:23 PST Oh Good-o .... in for a penny, in for a pound! Hi, I'm `Gayle`_ and like Linda, Mark and many others here, I too am a refugee from (the now closed) Omidyar Net. When in Australia, I work for the Government Department responsibile for the delivery of support services & programs to people with Intellectual Disabilities. Late last year I made the decision (both difficult and easy for various reasons) to stay with the Public Service but requested a temporary demotion so I could free up some more time and better balance work/earning a living with the return to further University study, continuing to work on the development of two private projects - one in Vietnam (disability related) and one in India (education related.) - and working/growing the small business I started in April of 2007. I'll get back to you on how that balance thing is going at a later date **:D** **The thing I LOVE about ** is the combination of shared spirit & intent with diverse member backgrounds. Students and professors, stay-at-home Mum's with really little ones and grand-parents, stock-brokers and artists, heads of NGOs and volunteers, Australians and Canadians **:)** and, and, **AND**......... a wonderful community truly making a real difference every day - in big and small ways. .. _`Gayle`: http://www.ned.com/user/u707331319/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:49:59 PST Hey Stephen .... **welcome** from me (again). ---- :Author: Dan Bassill :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:08:20 PST I'm Dan Bassill. I lead a non profit based in Chicago, but using the Internet to connect people from around the world with each other, and with information they can use to help kids in poverty move through school and into careers. I was introduced to Omidyar, then Ned. At http://www.blauexchange.org/int_dbassill.html you can read an interview I gave to another person I met on Omidayr.net. It illustrates the networking that comes from active participation in forums like this. I've been involved in tutoring/mentoring for more than 30 years, starting as a volunteer tutoring a 4th grade boy. Here's a chart that maps my involvement and illustrates how actions over time can lead to a result. http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servlet/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=1183757961687_847212265_22470&partName=htmltext While I meet people and share ideas on Ned, most of my work is done at http://www.tutormentorconnection.org ---- :Author: Chris Binkowski :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:16:13 PST Hi. :) My name's Chris. I'm from Ottawa, Canada. I came across Ned through YouTube sometime in the fall of 2006. Mark sent me a Darfur t-shirt after I made a video response to a video of his. The t-shirt inspired me to make a video about Darfur. That video brought a lot of great feedback and connections with people and I hope added strength to people's determination to make a difference in Darfur. I'm a young man who is severally disabled (Muscular Dystrophy) living with my Mom, who is my primary caregiver. The computer and net give me a lot of independence. I make videos on YouTube, have written and self published some zines, dabbled in photography, etc, etc. My main goal at the moment is to build a better care solution for Mom and myself. Most likely one that isn't dependent on the public health care system. I'm not sure if this means starting a foundation, a non-profit org or looking for corporate / private citizen sponsorship. Either way I'm slowly working on a solution. As someone who is on the computer a lot, I'm interested in simple and fun ways to get people involved in the world around them to make it better. Thank you. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:27:10 PST **Hi Chris - welcome!** I've seen your video - **it's brilliant** - and it's great to have you here at Ned. **Dan**.... hey, fabulous one!!! **:)** ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:52:11 PST Hello Stephen and Chris! I'm John. It's really hard for me to say anything about myself without being self-deprecating. I've noticed that people here at Ned won't stand for that, which is but one reason I love the people here so. I'm very excited about the possibilities for using the Social Web to create cool things and indeed to create a good world. I'm an inconsistent blogger, one of my blogs is `Bazungu Bucks`_. I sometimes make paper party hats and also have a blog called `Hats For Health`_. I haven't posted there for a long time. I still make paper hats, even though I really haven't figured out how. Chris the smile on your face in the video `Stand Up`_ speaks volumes. I'm sure you'll find people here who are eager to listen about your goals regarding your care solutions and who will collaborate in inventing them. .. _`Bazungu Bucks`: http://bazungubucks.blogspot.com/ .. _`Hats For Health`: http://hatsforhealth.blogspot.com/ .. _`Stand Up`: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOchcMMIW7c ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:08:52 PST Linda and I may well be posting simultaneously regarding John's post....but I'll risk it because whilst the self-deprecating thingy might be a thing of the past, there is work still to be done!!! **:D)** John is **also** the **most** gentle, thoughtful, supportive, kind, **nauseatingly intelligent**, informative, challenging and big-hearted bloke around .... and if you need help, ask him and it shall be given. OK - there's another wrong made right.... must dash **:)** ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:24:21 PST Hi to EVERYONE both new and old I'm Evvy and I will be directing the newly formed non profit `Life in Africa USA`_. .. _`Life in Africa USA`: http://www.ned.com/group/lia-usa/ This organization will support `Life in Africa Foundation`_ in Uganda, East Africa with fundraising and marketing for our two communities there that are just reforming as `CBO groups`_. I have been involved in some way or another with LiA since it was created over 9 years ago by my daughter `Christina Jordan`_. Now I have quit my job, moved to Olympia, Washington and will be working on it full time. .. _`Life in Africa Foundation`: http://www.ned.com/group/lia-global/ .. _`CBO groups`: http://www.ned.com/group/neduganda/ .. _`Christina Jordan`: http://www.ned.com/user/u607448711/ I've been kind of quiet on lately since I just returned from a 5 week stay in Uganda where I was able to meet face to face with many of our members at both our centers. It was fantastic! Upon returning to Calif., I immediately moved to Washington and am desperately trying to get myself organized. No easy task since my stuff is all still packed in boxes. But our members in Uganda are starting to be more active now and you all will be able to follow along with us as we launch our new programs for 2008. Its going to be a GREAT YEAR!!! By the way, I should warn you that is highly addictive. Yes, I admit it....I have become a total junkie and go through withdrawals when I can't check in at least once a day. ---- :Author: Dawn Sfanos :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:40:32 PST Hello to all! Thank you Mark for creating this meet and greet. My name is Dawn Sfanos. Before I became one of those "stay at home Mum's" that Gayle referenced above, I worked for a large multi-specialty out patient medical facility. Seven short/long years ago I traded my job titles so I could hear my favorite title, Mommy, all day long (and all night and all the next day and on and on and...) I first encountered Ned much like Alice encountered Wonderland when she fell through the looking glass. I was attempting to get information about a yo-yo (a "Ned Yo", actually) for my nine year old daughter November of 2007. On line serach engines can be strange and wonderous things. I did evetually find the site for my daughter but only after I bookmaked Ned as a favorite so I could return to it later. Unlike Alice, I do not want to wake up from this wonderland! Goodness, I've rambled on far longer then anyone else and I am the least impressive one to post so far on this thread! Let me wrap up by saying my reason for joining Ned was to elevate my thinking, motivate my altruistic tendency, facilitate others in their efforts to change the world and educate myself, my children and my community. I live in the southernmost part of America, right in the "pan handle" of Florida, with three incredible daughters and a wonderful husband. I am a self confessed nerd and my favorite ice cream flavor is Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:52:08 PST Dawn, the idea that caring for your children and also directing your church school isn't impressive astounds me. You can't kid anybody, all of us know that kids keep you on your toes all day long and all night too. That's impressive. ---- :Author: gerald wandera obbo :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:35:32 PST I'm Gerald Wandera Obbo i have worked with postbank for the last seven years or so, doing banking business i like treating people with respecting,seeing people living well i always like transforming peoples lives for the better.The kids are the future assets for the world i want to see them happy and living well. ---- :Author: gerald wandera obbo :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:38:16 PST I'm Gerald Wandera Obbo i have worked with postbank for the last seven years or so, doing banking business i like treating people with respect,seeing people living well i always like transforming peoples lives for the better.The kids are the future assets for the world i want to see them happy and living well. ---- :Author: Ezra obiga :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:54:30 PST :Modified: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:10:21 PST :: /root/mnt/LIA-GATEWAY/SharedDocs/shared files/Ezra lia craft shop. A Ugandan by nationality.i live in Kampala the capital city of uganda in a small town called Ntinda.I joined Life in Africa (Lia) in 2006 after a friend did introduce me to the organization. working with the stores/stock department.it is a good place with people from different backgrounds and also of different languages working together for a better tomorrow. i have loved the ned and joined. I love to learn,ask questions,sharing idears with people and also to discourse and finding solutions to problems/situations brought on the table cause i truely know that through this,alot is learn and love to see development/growth taking place.otherwise great to see all of us formally the o.net members on ned,oh,i can`t even weight,seeing how idears take real actions to make the world a better place.this is going to be great and fun. ---- :Author: Eric Wanjamah :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:05:21 PST I'm Eric Wanjamah and tomorrow I will mark the 3rd anniversary of active participation in online communities which began with joining Omidyar and after its closure, I found a home here at Ned. I have an interest in working in the humanitarian field especially in post conflict areas. I worked in south Sudan for almost an year before joining the Government of Kenya as a Probation Officer, where I worked for 10 months. Currently,am pursuing an International Masters of Science in Social Work at Gothenburg University, Sweden. I am here because I value the role of connections, networks and collaboration in any efforts to make good things happen. ---- :Author: Arthur Kaliisa :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:28:25 PST Mark Grimes said: Welcome to Ned. Please tell other members what you do, what your passion is, how you found Ned, and even what you like to do to make the world a better place (if you wish). Simply just introduce yourself and say howdy to other members as they do the same. Ultimately whether you spend 15 minutes at Ned a month or 2-3 hours a day, each Ned member needs to find their own Ned Muse to let the Ned community become a meaningful part of their lives. Human beings connecting. This is your community, your ideas, your time, your efforts, and your actions. This is a community of real people, using real names, working in the real world (well, and at Ned)...taking real actions to make the world a better place. Really. We are fortunate enough to enjoy incredible members from many countries around the world, and we all work together in a community of mutual respect, humor with an eye towards *doing real world things* and making the world a better place. Have fun, and please if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask a question here, Nedsters tend to be a very friendly sort. Many of us have met `face-to-face`_ at various events around the world during the last three years. Okay, introductions...I started the thread going...so having drawn the short straw, I'll go first. I'm `Mark Grimes`_ a serial and social entrepreneur from Portland, Oregon who came to Ned after Omidyar.net community closed last year. The experience of making the world a better place online and offline gets me revved up. I enjoy helping other people (and related their orgs) make greater impact, solve problems, simplify things, practice transparency, build multiple revenue streams towards increasing sustainability, and exploring new, different and more powerful ways to collaborate. .. _`face-to-face` : http://www.ned.com/user/tagged/face-to-face .. _`Mark Grimes` : http://www.ned.com/user/u513094538/ Hi, I am Arthur Kaliisa located in Kampala Uganda. I have been involved on a part-time basis in providing document preparation, tax, bookkeeping & accounting, software setup & implementation, business consultant services and business counseling for small and mid market entreprenuers in Kampala Uganda for over two years now. I have found it both enriching and humbling experience. I am also a volunteer Living Hope ministry a care ministry of Kampala Pentecostal Church reaching out to those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in Kampala, Uganda with the love of Christ. Having been affected myself, I find that it appealed to my heart and emotions. Although I haven't handled any major clients yet I feel that it was laid heavily on my heart to be a part of the solution. That's why I feel that this group is the right place to be at as I seek for inspiration and share ideas with those more exposed and experienced persons than myself to interact on major problems affecting our communities. You will be surprised how much the world is becoming a "global village" Ciao. AK ---- :Author: Arthur Kaliisa :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:32:20 PST Hi, I am Arthur Kaliisa located in Kampala Uganda. I have been involved on a part-time basis in providing document preparation, tax, bookkeeping & accounting, software setup & implementation, business consultant services and business counseling for small and mid market entreprenuers in Kampala Uganda for over two years now. I have found it both enriching and humbling experience. I am also a volunteer Living Hope ministry a care ministry of Kampala Pentecostal Church reaching out to those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in Kampala, Uganda with the love of Christ. Having been affected myself, I find that it appealed to my heart and emotions. Although I haven't handled any major clients yet I feel that it was laid heavily on my heart to be a part of the solution. That's why I feel that this group is the right place to be at as I seek for inspiration and share ideas with those more exposed and experienced persons than myself to interact on major problems affecting our communities. You will be surprised how much the world is becoming a "global village" Ciao. AK ---- :Author: charity (kenya) :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:40:23 PST hei all, A Kenyan.Worked in an export and import before.The year 2007 i spent In Mauche-Riftvalley province(kenya) mobilising people to come together to preach peace and teach them the need of sourcing and mentaining clean water though we got stuck when we reached the "financial stage". At the moment am continuing with a degree course. I have an interest of serving in humanitarian field-children,peace related issues,conflict areas. NB:remember to send your peace messages to kenya! Lastly i am a JOB SEEKER. ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:17:54 PST Hello all, fellow onet alum here. I found onet looking for places where people were discussing human trafficking. At the time there was really no other discussion on the web, and I am sorry to say there still is little going on, but thats a side point. I co founded, with my wife Sarah Symons, a hybrid model social enterprise called The Emancipation Network. We exist to help solve one of the big problems that face the heroic shelters that rescue former slaves, and furthermore to help prevent slavery and trafficking. We do this by helping the survivors and people in high risk areas build businesses. We dont stop at just the business development side because we think that we also need to help create markets for their products, and that by selling their products in the US we can educate consumers about slavery and trafficking and how they can help end it. I come from finance, with almost 20 years in investment banking and capital markets before shifting gears to start TEN. Because of that background, I have a deeply programed interest in learning about and analyzing new problems, preferably by discussing and debating them with people who know more about them than I. Hence, Ned! John Berger http://www.madebysurvivors.com/ ---- :Author: Susan Addy :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:12:19 PST Hi everyone! I came to ned by knowing Mark Grimes for many years. I am the Executive of Homowo African Arts and Cultures. We have been around for over 20 years offering performances and educational opportunities for Americans to learn about the great cultural offerings of ghana. Obo Addy is artistic director of our nonprofit and has introduced over 800,000 Americans to the music and dance of Ghana. This have been our work for many years. Recently we began to take college students to Ghana to study in the summer and learn and participate in celebrations, ceremonies and the cultural life of Ghana. Last year we undertook a service project and planted 100 trees in the area outside of Accra called Sowutuom. We are now planning to build a library and media center in Ghana. This is just the beginning as we are taking the first step to work in another country responding to a need that has been presented to us. We are hoping to learn from all of you with global experience and offer any resources we can. Susan Addy www.homowo.org ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:20:27 PST hey charity, i'm a job seeker too! i'm here because i stalk mark grimes. when i'm not looking for work and stalking mark i write (stuff) and paint (other stuff) and am trying to figure out why the world works the way it does, which often seems so different from the way i'm 'wired.' ned seems to help with that: i think its people like john, linda, john, gayle, chris, eric and bunches of others who help - but its still frustrating. so, until i figure out the meaning to life, the universe, and everything i guess i'm stuck looking for work, stalking mark, writing and painting stuff, and learning from people like **you.** ---- :Author: Christine Egger :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:34:22 PST Hi all, I'm Christine Egger, live in Michigan, and am new to Ned. I'm interested in helping people create the kind of world they want to live in and am intrigued by all kinds of cultures, languages, and people. That's led to graduate work in international development and my current freelance consulting work for grassroots-level, locally-driven, nonprofit-type projects, mostly in Nepal, Peru, and other mountainous places. I especially like thinking about the way that peoples' belief systems influence the way they go about making the world a better place (or not), and want to be a part of encouraging Tom Munnecke's work with the Uplift Academy and similar initiatives that take a "glass half full" approach to thinking about what we're capable of. And I like encouraging as decentralized a system as possible for the flow of money, information, political power, and other indications of what we're assigning value to. That's driving some project work in microphilanthropy that overlaps with what Peter Deitz is doing on Social Actions. Hope this isn't too long an introduction (I have a really hard time being short-winded). Thank you, Mark, for prompting everyone to say hello, and thanks to Dan Bassill for the great concept map -- I need to make one of those! ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:58:16 PST Welcome Christine! Tom M. has been a huge influence on my thinking over the last two years, since I met him in NYC and he invited me to check out O.net. Where can I learn more about your microphilanthropy efforts? ---- :Author: Chriss Kisanga :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:02:20 PST Greetings, I am Christian, I go by Chriss. I am from Tanzania, living in Portland Oregon. I am finishing my second degree in Information System/Computer Science at Portland State Univeristy. I am affiliated with a non profit organization reside in Moshi Tanzania, Agape Learning Center (www.agapelearningcenter.org) Currently, I work in IT in Portland. The non profit was started by my family and now I am remotely managing all technical solutions including the website. I do pretty much everything using remote tools. I am looking forward in meeting new people with passion to help as well as share my experience and visio about technology in developing countries in Africa. Asante, Chriss ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:51:05 PST Hello everyone! Something I like very much about Ned that's different from "Face" social networks, or FOAF type networks is we primarily know each other through our expressions of our goals and dreams. Of course people can put pictures of themselves on their profile pages or even in threads, but the most important thing we're all here for is to encourage each other to create something good. So if you don't immediate see something that really interests you, start a thread and see who shows up. The discussion you'll find may impress and inspire you. Some topics take lots of words to get into shape. Relax and take the time to write. There's too much here for me to read everything, and I know I'm not alone. But almost everyone here, at least form my observation, looks around at the discussions. The great things is that often some really key observation or resource comes from an unexpected direction. Welcome, Gerald, Ezra, Eric, Arthur, Charity, Christine, and Chriss. I hope to get to know all of you. Chriss, `Agape Learning Centre`_ impresses me. There are several members here who are interested in similar institutions in other locations. So lots of us will be particularly interested. By the way, do you think you can fit one more thing into your schedule? ;-) Yep, you're busy. Good luck in all you do. Oh yeah, one of the reasons I made a link for Agape Learning Centre is to show that it can be done. On the left column at the top is the `Help`_ page. I'm really slow about computer stuff, but the platform has lots of geegaws going on. The RSS link is at the bottom of the left column. .. _`Agape Learning Centre`: http://www.agapelearningcenter.org/index.htm .. _`Help`: http://www.ned.com/group/help/ws/index/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:30:00 PST **WOW!** - this is all SO cool. Firstly, **WELCOME** from me to Ezra, Gerald, Arthur, Christine and Chriss .... we haven't had any contact (but for here) yet and I'm looking forward to that! **Charity** - hey!!!! It's so lovely that you are here! **Sarah** - I was already a HUGE fan - following along with the Kolkata trip simply expanded that. You are amazing!!! **Susan** - I first learned of you and Obo's work via Mark when we were all at O-Net.... does WOW cover it? Hope so. **:)** And **hello** dear Eric - you are in my thoughts often - hope all is well. Last, but definitely not least.... **Dawn**. *Before I became one of those "stay at home Mum's" that Gayle referenced above, I worked for a large multi-specialty out patient medical facility. Seven short/long years ago I traded my job titles so I could hear my favorite title, Mommy, all day long (and all night and all the next day and on and on and...)* That is so lovely. AND I can't help but wonder if in some way I've inadvertently offended. So if in ANY way you felt the "stay-at-home Mum" comment was meant in any way other than a complimentary one, then PLEASE accept my sincere apology. Oh yeah - it's great to have you here! xoxox ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:56:15 PST **Evvy Bryning said:** *Our members in Uganda are starting to be more active now and you all will be able to follow along with us as we launch our new programs for 2008. Its going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!* **indeed! :)** _________________________________ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:04:37 PST Oh and I'd like to take the opportunity to welcome that "new" bloke **Lars**. Or is that "stuff writing, Grimes-stalking painter" **ALSO** the man who started `GLOBAL PEACETILES`_ and has worked tirelessly to promote HIV/Aids awareness all over the globe along with the Arts as a form of healing through self-expression???? I wonder? (gimme a break - you didn't really think I was going to let that one slip through unchallenged, did you? **:D**) .. _`GLOBAL PEACETILES`: http://www.peacetiles.net/ ---- :Author: Brent Nichols :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:34:39 PST Hello everybody! My name is Brent Nichols and I reside in the beautiful state of Wisconsin in a city called Milwaukee. I am a telecommunications cable installer and I am not currently involved in many world changing endeavors but this seems to be one that I have been given to by fate. My nickname is Ned and I have had it for many years amongst my closest and oldest friends. I felt the whim to type it in, the URL "Ned.com", and here I am! I feel great that a site exists for the good of this planet and I feel honored to share its name as well as its purpose. I mean, wouldn't you feel a bit of joy from a site named like your nickname and you just happend upon it while surfin? Especially a site like this!!! Any way, I'm glad to be here and so that no one gets confused, please just call me Brent OK? Let's love this planet that GOD has given to us and have a good time if we can. Peace to you all. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:38:02 PST Oh BRILLIANT story, Brent!! Welcome to Ned - you certainly belong here. :) ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:11:34 PST Gosh, so many new names. Welcome to everyone. I am still trying to get caught up on reading all that was posted while I was in Uganda. Thanks Mark, this is a great thread! ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:54:13 PST Just sticking in my nose to say thank you to everyone introducing themselves and thank Mark for starting this. It is a thread who's time had come especially with all of the `new folks`_ stopping in! .. _`new folks` : http://www.ned.com/user/active/new/ ---- :Author: Moses Kariuki :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:31:24 PST Hello Nedsters, I am Moses Kariuki and i live in Kenya.I came to Ned after Omidyar.net was closed to the public. At the moment i own and run a fashion shop.I was operating in Rift Valley but i have now relocated to Embu where i started three days ago. Since leaving campus in 2005 i worked in Southern Sudan up to July 2007. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:04:06 PST Thank you for checking in with us Moses. I wish you godspeed in Embu. ---- :Author: George Ovola :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:34:03 PST Hallo every body,am george ovola,form gulu in northern uganda,and social workers,working with life in africa and i have been part of the transformation with Life in africa foundation to Life in africa cbos in gulu,AS tramformation is process, i have been member of omidyar and a it clossed last year,i joined ned as platform connecting the world to global village.and making positive changes to the communities,here we have been able to meet both face to face by many and also shares allot with those have meet face by faces, i really love africa and all it lifes.and work for its tranformation from the poor econommy to making it self reliances,hoping together we can chage the world. ned is nice home wellcome to all and wished every body the best of 2008 cheer.. ---- :Author: Daniel K Mwangi :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:33:04 PST Hi people. Daniel here.A Kenyan. Been in Omidyar and migrated and found refugee here like most Nedsters.Thanks Mark and others. I love social networking.we are able to solve problems,share ideas,laugh over a joke from our different backgrounds and locations. I am an educationist and love social work,spent some part of last year in Southern Sudan assisting in teacher training.Currently home in Kenya closing my fingers and preaching peace. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:34:37 PST OT: A quick note to let everyone know that today is the last day to support Atlas Service Corps in `America's Giving Challenge`_. For those of you who don't know, `Atlas Service Corps`_ is a global effort to support former Peace Corps Volunteers in deepening a life-long connection and commitment to the same spirit of service that drew them to the Peace Corps. `Scott Beale`_ - a smart, diplomatic, and polished service dynamo who is around here somewhere and I'm sure will introduce himself soon - founded Atlas while a member of the Omidyar.net online community. It has been a treat to see his efforts flourish. Your vote for Atlas Service Corps at America's Giving Challenge is a great way to support his work! For the rest of you, What are you waiting for?! Run, don't walk your browsers to: http://givingchallenge.globalgiving.com/dy/registry/ag.html?cmd=prevfund®id=624 .. _`Atlas Service Corps`: http://givingchallenge.globalgiving.com/dy/registry/ag.html?cmd=prevfund®id=624 .. _`Scott Beale`: http://givingchallenge.globalgiving.com/dy/registry/ag.html?cmd=prevfund®id=624 .. _`America's Giving Challenge`: http://givingchallenge.globalgiving.com/dy/registry/ag.html?cmd=prevfund®id=624 ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:40:21 PST That ended 3PM ET yesterday, and `Atlas will end up with $50,000`_ I know a lot of Ned members gave $10 to Atlas, a few dozen perhaps. Kudos to Scott, Atlas, and the Ned members that made donations. .. _`Atlas will end up with $50,000` : http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/123/ ---- :Author: Ed Whyman :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:25:07 PST Hi I am Ed I am not a tech head but would love to work with tech heads using my artistic talents. Why cant Ned take on Facebook? Can ned implement the facebook friend functionality? Would you be interested in setting up a volunteer media organisation where everyone volunteers to work on it and 100% net profit raised from the media organisation is donated to innovative and efficient charities. Can I please speak to someone about realising this with your organisation? More questions than answers her for some reason! Recently created Traidmark.org while investigating how to use open source software to benefit the global community best... Your work looks very exciting and could also benefit from the goodwill generated and efficiency increased by embracing this www.traidmark.org 100% net profit donation to charity business model that enables your exciting work to generate profit from its activities (and ofshoots from them) for everyones gain. Explained in more detail here part1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp4xiNqWGe8 part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAoxXegFhqY This would... 1 create funds for charity 2 make charity more 'efficient' 3 boost your companies success rate with added goodwill 4 enable people who created your project to get rewarded financially though performance pay while creating an organisation that is able to provide a platform for goodwill collaboration where everyone is rewarded for their hard/clever work knowing that all benefits go towards 'good causes':) Traidmark aims to find a middle ground between ruthless efficiency e.g.Tesco (uk) and compassionate inefficiency e.g. charities by combining the best parts of each. Profit making + donation to 'efficient' org's = increased efficiency/innovation and increased philanthropic work. My understanding is that small not for profit org's are run by passionate people and therefore keep efficiency high. There may be a problem in the future of NFPO's as they get larger and/or creating a reputation which then allows them to then become (especially if/when they get into a dominant position / niche market). One potential danger is just with Google the Mozilla foundation could create such a dominant reach that it does not have to evolve and therefore could hurt 'progress' by becoming sluggish and conservative in its approach to innovation. The business model it created as a way for profits to be used to fund innovation development (for everyones gain) rather than what they are currently used on which is to spend in inefficient charities or on overpaid salaries/dividends. I hope the extra information helps to explain the short and long term benefits. www.progreso.org.uk This business model enables profit making companies who need to be flexible the opportunity to work in a forward thinking way that goes beyond being a social enterprise so they can work as a social enterprise while setting up a long term business structure that promotes innovation. All workers are rewarded for their hard work by being paid performance pay. The net profit is profit after the company has spent on R&D so allows progressive business development. Workers will be more careful about how they spend the money knowing that it is being taken away from the end good cause rather than from a shareholders dividend which will make the organisation more efficient. Ned is great it would be even better if we could contribute to its development somehow? ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:44:35 PST Ed you *are* contributing by being here! Hi everyone, I am Christina and I have been a part of Ned since even *before* Mark even told us about it on Onet years ago. It's so exciting to see this community now taking shape with so many different personalities and stories. I am American, but I've spent the past 9 years of my life in Uganda. What started out as a work at home mom's efforts to do some good for my new community ended up a huge endeavor that's now transitioning into 4 distinct organizations working together for community uplift in Uganda. One of my crazier ideas was that alot of change could be achieved by connecting local communities to virtual ones, so I keep dragging our members here to join in the fun. We are growing in numbers! http://www.ned.com/user/tagged/lifeinafrica I'll be traveling to Thailand later this month to visit Linda (who posted above), and am pretty excited about that. Thereafter, it's a 9 month break from Uganda for me as I spend some time indulging myself in fast ethernet and extended family for a while in Washington State. My fiance and my boys will be joining me there in June for 6 months, before we all return to Uganda in early 2009. Welcome to all the new nedsters - as has been said, it's a rather addictive place. The people here are so *nice*, and often so extremely interesting. ---- :Author: Jim Carroll :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:16:34 PST Hi, I'm Jim Carroll, and I maintain the site, code and hosting. I used to do some enhancements and maintenance for about a year at onet before we transitioned here. I'm fascinated by the productivity that can happen when people discuss serious issues civilly... and it's really happening here! Personal connections are made, and overall understanding skyrockets! Ed, I'd like to hear more about integrating with Facebook. On this site, you can see your friends by looking at the list of people who have received the most feedback from you on your 'my ned.com' tab at the top, then the people tab below that (or something like that.) ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:30:49 PST btw - this week and last I have been training groups of Ugandans on the basics of ned.com and facebook. The way friends get added to your list is a huge difference that I've been pointing out. For me, facebook is about the quantity of friends you have influencing your reach. Here at Ned, the scores highlighted on our profiles are about the quality of whatever you are reaching others with. ---- :Author: Dawn Sfanos :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:57:37 PST Last, but definitely not least.... **Dawn**. *Before I became one of those "stay at home Mum's" that Gayle referenced above, I worked for a large multi-specialty out patient medical facility. Seven short/long years ago I traded my job titles so I could hear my favorite title, Mommy, all day long (and all night and all the next day and on and on and...)* That is so lovely. AND I can't help but wonder if in some way I've inadvertently offended. So if in ANY way you felt the "stay-at-home Mum" comment was meant in any way other than a complimentary one, then PLEASE accept my sincere apology. Oh yeah - it's great to have you here! xoxox Gayle, Do not trouble yourself for another moment. You in no way offended me, quite the opposite. It felt quite welcoming for my vocation to be listed with the many others you mentioned when describing Ned members. Thank you for the welcome, as well. I am ecstatic to be here! XOXOX back at you! Dawn ---- :Author: Sabine McNeill :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:28:00 PST Hi, Nedsters, is it possible that I'm the first Londoner who joined Ned thanks to Chris Macrae who is the most avid promote of Muhammad Yunus one could possibly imagine. Thanks to his latest book "Creating a World without Poverty - Social Business and the Future of Capitalism" I have been re-fuelled and re-inspired. The outcome is a rewrite and production of slides illustrating the "Sustainable Investment Network" that I'd like to make happen. However, the director of the first venture capital fund for women says that in London women have a 2.5% probability to get their enterprise funded... But I am hoping that in the realm of 'social business angels' this probability might increase. Meanwhile I took the risk of organising an event for Yunus at St. James's Piccadilly - at less than 3 weeks notice - on Saturday, Feb. 16th at 2.30pm. If you have friends in London who ought to know, please tell them to visit www.bethechange.co.uk. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:41:33 PST Great to have you here Sabine. Is the 2.5% estimate so low because there would be no return on investment for the Yunus social business model? Also, to invite other Ned members that are near you in London, click on the nifty `Near Me`_ feature and you can invite Ned members in your proximity via private message. .. _`Near Me` : http://www.ned.com/user/nearme/ ---- :Author: David Bale :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:32:29 PST Sabine, If you click on the near me button, as Mark suggests, I suspect you will get a nil response. Firstly, you need to enter into your profile the longitude and latitude of where you live (longitude for London being the easy bit!). Then you will find out who is near you - but only if they have entered their longitude and latitude too. When everyone does this, it will as Mark says be a very nifty feature. Meanwhile, you may find, as I do, that currently the niftiest feature on Ned is still the search box in the top right hand corner. And if not the niftiest, certainly the most reliable. A search for "London" yields the following residents: .. line-block :: `Paul Caulfield`_ `Donald Leung`_ `Sofia Bustamante`_ `Patrick Moore`_ `Ed Whyman`_ `Richard Nelson`_ `Anne Wirstad`_ It will also link you to other UK residents and Ned regulars such as John Firth, Chris Cook, Jeff Mowatt and me. Good to have you here on Ned! .. _`Paul Caulfield`: http://www.ned.com/user/u957625113/ .. _`Donald Leung`: http://www.ned.com/user/u851821836/ .. _`Sofia Bustamante`: http://www.ned.com/user/u435899568/ .. _`Patrick Moore`: http://www.ned.com/user/u954064109/ .. _`Ed Whyman`: http://www.ned.com/user/u509815313/ .. _`Richard Nelson`: http://www.ned.com/user/u980253416/ .. _`Anne Wirstad`: http://www.ned.com/user/u648265411/ ---- :Author: David Bale :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:05:40 PST Which reminds me to introduce myself_: .. image :: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/301419493_a67907df09.jpg My own vision is for a world in which there is much greater familiarity between people across the divides of wealth and cultural difference; a world in which there's a deeper appreciation of each other - how we are all uniquely different and how that makes us uniquely the same; a world where those who live where there is plenty take time to listen to those living where resources are scarce; where people collaborate to devise effective and sustainable ways to share opportunities for health, education and all good things in life; where people appreciate what they have, without forgetting those who have little; where people can discover themselves and their own communities by collectively working to share an understanding of the communities of others; a world where everyone living in a developed country is tasked with making a serious effort to solve the problems of poverty, inequality and disease **in just one specific geographical location** in a developing country; and by being inclusive of all rich and poor communities, inviting two-fifth of the world to get closer together, both online and by face to face exchanges, to enrich the lives of all of us. And by inviting people to do this to do this **in addition** to all the good things they are already doing, to make a sustained and planned attempt to change the face of the world and Make Poverty History from the bottom upwards. In short, to activate and launch the `Worldwide Connectory`_ within twelve months of today. And to do that, I could really use some help! .. _myself: http://www.ned.com/user/u437088629/ .. _`Worldwide Connectory`: http://www.ned.com/group/wwc/ ---- :Author: Ben Parkinson :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:04:21 PST A twinge of emotion reading some of these posts. I'm happy and priveleged to be here, part of NED. I spent this morning doing what I do best - playing with a great big band - I am a jazz pianist first and foremost, but this doesn't pay the bills, so I've done a few other things in my time. I ran a social enterprise in Birmingham UK for a number of years and early last year I decided to jack it in and go over to Nigeria, to help out an Ashoka fellow. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride and I feel we are on the brink of something special over there, but I'm not over that threshold yet and thinking how I can take the plunge. Also Kaduna is experiencing some unrest at the moment following some local elections, so I can't really travel over right now. Linda N on NED has encouraged me to start reading and becoming more informed, not just someone who presents a case and can't argue it. I find intellectual reading very tough, but I can see my reading age increase day by day, as I click on the links from John P's posts (and others). My focus is on developing social enterprise, wherever it may be, proving it by developing new enterprises in NGOs to assist their sustainability, currently in Africa, but perhaps in the future elsewhere too. I believe that social enterprise is what will change the world, given time and I hope to play some small part in making it happen. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:38:30 PST Oh, man, Ben. You make my day/week/month..... Here I am teaching in a University and you are the first person I have inspired to read in - well, I can't remember when! I have almost given up on "inspiring" them to read. Here I haven't even figured out how to threaten them in order to get them to read. Speaking of reading....we need to get Gayle hot on starting the discussion on "The White Man's Burden." ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:52:52 PST Ben, right this moment I'm caught up in the quite obvious observation that music is an extension of what makes community. Do you have a Web cam? Have you ever considered making a video of your playing and posting it to YouTube? Wait, I know I'm just getting caught up in the moment thinking about the power of songs. I very much like performance, but don't make music. That's what I'm struck with right now, how important it is for me to participate in making music with others. The idea that when we sing together we make community. Can you help us to sing? LOL maybe not something you're interested in at all. But surely many of us would love it if you shared your music making with us. Your making music is something powerfully good. ---- :Author: Ben Parkinson :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:03:00 PST Actually, I'm not a singer, John, but I have inspired a lot of people, young and old, to sing, as I have been MD for 20+ amateur and semi-pro shows. A good pianist makes such a difference to the dynamism of a choir and a good musician makes rehearsal so much more useful. I am actually doing a (modern jazz) demo recording in February (since I'm not going to Africa in Feb) for another band I play in and I know the plan for that is to put a couple of tracks up on the web, so we shall see - if they are good enough I may post a link:) You know I have a web cam - see the Davos thread - but the lens cap is well and truly on at the moment! ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:00:26 PST Ben, its great to have you here. I have really enjoyed your posts from your grounded experience in Nigeria and elsewhere. Perhaps down the line you will meet Dominique, who I have come to like very much. He introduced me to the music of Antonio Beretsky, a "flamenco" pianist. I think it attaches to the Hungarian gypsy in me. I also love music; one of the ways some friends and I 'let of steam' - which I seem to have alot of these days - is to jam in his wood-burning-coal-stove-half-freezing-half-built studio-workshop-home. We wear lots of wool this time of year. Anyway, enjoy NED - great people, great intentions, great work. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:40:57 PST Ben wrote: I have inspired a lot of people, young and old, to sing Yes!! Encouragement is what we need. It's happy to turn to music as a way to build community. ---- :Author: Daniel K Mwangi :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:28:04 PST Sure John, You sound almost musical as you have demonstarated in the Kenyan thread.Thanks ---- :Author: Susan Addy :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:09:23 PST It is so inspiring to read about all of you. This world has to become a better place because of your efforts. Each step each one of takes- no matter how small- moves us forward as a community trying to help. I am totally impressed by this ned community and look forward to staying involved. We will keep you posted as we develop the first steps to approach the development of a library/internet cafe in ghana. ---- :Author: Christine Egger :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:46:05 PST Hi Lars, Thanks for the warm welcome! Just stopped back in here to keep up on all the people saying hello -- what an amazing group -- and appreciated seeing your message. I launched into microphilanthropy when someone sent me an online article about a boy in Nepal who'd been working full-time to support his family since he was 12 years old. So many people commented that they wished they could help him that I raised my hand to coordinate doing that. The story of what we put together -- and what continues to unfold -- is told at `http://www.for-yubaraj.blogspot.com`_. Now some of the work I do includes creating GlobalGiving and GiveMeaning pages (i.e. `http://www.globalgiving.com/ac/spmtnfund1.html`_) for nonprofits who would benefit from those tools. A question for you: Do you know of any groups here in Michigan that have held a Peace Tiles workshop? I'd love to encourage that by connecting with someone here who already knows about that or by making new connections... Lars Hasselblad Torres said: Welcome Christine! Tom M. has been a huge influence on my thinking over the last two years, since I met him in NYC and he invited me to check out O.net. Where can I learn more about your microphilanthropy efforts? ---- :Author: Sherry Harbert :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:54:49 PST Hello everyone, I am Sherry Harbert and see Ned.com as a source of inspiration, encouragement and innovation. Although I will probably be in and out randomly, I am drawn to this great community. As for why the random visits, I am the Portland Coordinator for Amnesty International, Board member of the Interfaith Committee on Homelessness, member of the World Affairs Council, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Portland Area Global AIDS Coalition, Portland Coalition for Genocide Awareness, plus hold down a full-time job, part-time design job and trying desparately to revamp my website, Foreign Interest. The list denotes my passion for humanity, and hence my attraction and admiration for everyone here! Beyond all the intelligent conversation, committed work and inclusive nature, there is a strong thread of compassion that is truly wonderful. Thank you for that. Take care, Sherry ---- :Author: Clay Cooper :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:18:42 PST Hello everyone, I am Clay Cooper a co-founder & the CEO of Speak Shop, http://www.speakshop.com We created Speak Shop to help languge instructors work their way out of poverty. We currently have instructors in Antigua, Guatemala teaching Spanish online via videoconferencing. They use our online marketplace to establish their own microenterprise by setting their own hours and rates. The tutors currently charge $8 per hour which is 2-3 times more than what tutors typically earn when they teach in person. The instructors have taught over 5,000 lessons online since we started! We also plan to expand to other countries and languages. If you are still interested, this two minute video does a much better job of describing us, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3lgWz6nh3E&feature=related I'm excited to start participating in Ned. I've already started to learn about unique efforts and solutions to difficult problems. I hope that I will be able to contribute equivalent value to these discussions. Best, Clay ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:26:43 PST Great to see you here Clay. I first met Clay and Cindy a couple years ago in Portland (after having met at o/net), when they had just returned from Guatemala. Also, just bumped into them at the Muhammad Yunus speaking/book event a couple weeks ago. Speak Shop is a tremendous organzation, and has accomplished quite a bit the past few years. .. raw :: html **Speak Shop - fair trade spanish** ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:39:40 PST I should also mention to that `Moses Kariuki/Kenya`_ and `Chanbanditnant/Thailand`_ are both going to start doing weekly interviews with various social entrepreneurs from around the world (starting sometime very soon). And `Clay`_ and `Cindy`_ have kindly agreed to be guinea pigs for the first trial run at this... .. _`Clay` : http://www.ned.com/user/u542750353/ .. _`Cindy`: http://www.ned.com/user/u203553583/?searchterm=cindy .. _`Moses Kariuki/Kenya` : http://www.ned.com/user/u246002824/ .. _`Chanbanditnant/Thailand` : http://www.ned.com/user/u415183758/ ---- :Author: Christine Egger :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:16:47 PST Clay Cooper said: Hello everyone, I am Clay Cooper a co-founder & the CEO of Speak Shop, http://www.speakshop.com We created Speak Shop to help languge instructors work their way out of poverty. We currently have instructors in Antigua, Guatemala teaching Spanish online via videoconferencing. They use our online marketplace to establish their own microenterprise by setting their own hours and rates. The tutors currently charge $8 per hour which is 2-3 times more than what tutors typically earn when they teach in person. The instructors have taught over 5,000 lessons online since we started! We also plan to expand to other countries and languages. If you are still interested, this two minute video does a much better job of describing us, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3lgWz6nh3E&feature=related I'm excited to start participating in Ned. I've already started to learn about unique efforts and solutions to difficult problems. I hope that I will be able to contribute equivalent value to these discussions. Best, Clay Clay, what a great organization. I just shared the news on Good All Around.com and will be looking for opportunities to send students your way! -- Christine http://goodallaround.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/speak-shop-linking-spanish-tutors-in-guatemala-to-students-around-the-world/ ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:10:29 PST :Modified: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:53:01 PST New member Chris Binkowski mentioned a video above, and when I sent him some of the footage during last years i-ACT what he created was simply an amazing video, here it is... .. raw :: html Darfur and a Tshirt in Canada (6:07) Please give Chris a `warm welcome to Ned`_ .. _`warm welcome to Ned` : http://www.ned.com/user/u432421747/msg/new ---- :Author: Karmen Olson-Stevens :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:54:23 PST Hi all! My name is Karmen and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to change the world. I'm finishing up my MBA in two weeks and I'm getting a little anxious about the impact I intend to make on society. Somebody help me find some direction! My current interests are Microfinance, drastically decreasing poverty, drastically increasing education, and eliminating ignorance. My non-profit work began two years ago in Cambodia on a project that taught me what it truly means to be a servant to the world. My professional background is in Marketing and I have Web Development experience. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with like-minded folks and can't wait to start figuring out who I'm going to be when I grow up! ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:23:16 PST :Modified: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:30:49 PST Karmen, welcome to Ned...great to have you here. There are many here looking at various ways to help change the world and make it a better place, you are in good company. Does the Cambodian NPO you worked with have a web site? We are going to have a first time microfinance face-to-face meeting later in February here in Portland with 6-12 Ned members if you are interesting in attending. Again, glad you are here. *edit: typo* ---- :Author: Dan Bassill :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:33:43 PST Karmen Olson-Stevens said: Hi all! My name is Karmen and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to change the world. I'm finishing up my MBA in two weeks and I'm getting a little anxious about the impact I intend to make on society. Somebody help me find some direction! Hi Karmen, there are many ways you can use your marketing and web skills within non profits to help them tell there story, and to help them expand their resources. There are also ways you can use these skills as an intermediary, to draw more attention and resoruces to organizations doing good work. You can even do both. I created Cabrini Connections (http://www.cabriniconnections.net) in 1993 as a direct service tutor/mentor program, and use my advertising background and the skills of my volunteers to communicate the goals of the program to our youth and adult participants, and to draw volunteers and donors to the program on a continuous, year to year basis. At the same time, I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection at http://www.tutormentorconnection.org to help every high poverty neighborhood in Chicago have great tutor/mentor programs. My strategy has been to learn who was already operating (via surveys) and to share this information in an advertising-like PR campaign, intended to help every program get attention and resources, not just my own. Today in the Chicago SunTimes the Editorial page encourages volunteerism, and points to my web site as a resource for volunteers finding tutor/mentor programs in Chicago. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/779262,CST-EDT-Edit06.article With your marketing and web skills you could do this yourself, as can many others who also have similar skills. Perhaps you could adopt Ned, with a goal of increasing traffic to the site, or of increasing the number of social investors who come to the site to network with social entrepreneurs. Such an activity could have huge benefit to the community, its members, and the people we seek to help. ---- :Author: Karmen Olson-Stevens :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:27:38 PST Thanks for the heads up Mark. I believe I actually made contact with you via Kivafriends to meet up at the Yunus speech a few weeks ago and I must have followed the links to get me here. Thank you for that. I definitely want to check out the microfinance meeting in February and will stay tuned. ---- :Author: Karmen Olson-Stevens :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:30:04 PST Thank you Dan! Actually, to hear you say that gives me some great perspective. At this point, I'm not sure my leadership strengths are best aligned with the development of NGOs like what I was trying to do. And what I've found in my involvement is that people are just mostly interested in hearing the story. I guess I never gave that enough credit. I'll check out your sites and maybe it will enlighten me some more. Thanks so much for your feedback. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:13:40 PST I was about to bug-out for a couple of days to catch up on work, sleep and really get some reading done for the other two projects I've got on simmer..... and then I thought I'd better just check on the new members thread again as it's been a few days. Oh my goodness!! Firstly, from me - welcome to **Ed, Sabine, Sherry, Clay and Karmen** - WOW! You guys are so interesting and interested - you've definitely found the right place to be at Ned. It's fabulous to have you here. And now for the ones who made me teary!!!! **George** - you know I think you are fantastic. I love reading your posts and watching you participate more and more is great. :) I don't know what to write about our **Moses and Daniel** - it feels like 5 minutes ago that most of Ned was in a total panic about your exact whereabouts and the safety and immediate future of you and all your Kenyan brothers and sisters. You are loved and cared for very much!! **Ben** writing that he became a bit emotional reading the thread made me smile. The heart that beats under that often stoic exterior is an enormous, precious and grateful one. It was beautiful to see you publicly honour the tirelessly encouraging Miss Linda the way you did. (she deserves that in spades.) And then - since the last time I had checked in here - 4 of the others did their thing yet again: **David's** gentle, thoughtful and inclusive welcomes, connectivity and sharing, **Lars'** enthusiastic, inquisitive and creative questions and engagement, **John P's** kind, excited & informative support - always just a little OT enough to make all of us always check his posts in case there's a cool link to follow-up and of course **Mark's** rapid fire, high-energy "link-em-up and see what percolates" style of heart-felt welcome. There's a hundred ways of describing all this but I think the super kind and generous **Jim Carroll** did it best when he wrote: I'm fascinated by the productivity that can happen when people discuss serious issues civilly... and **it's really happening here!** Personal connections are made, and **overall understanding skyrockets!** Indeed! Welcome to Ned **:)** ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:25:01 PST :Modified: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:25:45 PST Christine, thanks! I'll check up on those links. I understand via phone with Tom that we may get to meet this March at the microphilanthopy get together. that will be fun. in terms of groups in michigan that have held peace tiles - yes, there are! the upper peninsula children's museum held early workshops that i didn't have much to do with - they were self organized by the ActALIVE network and quite successful. `Here is a write-up`_ by some of their youth; meanwhile I will PM you some contacts. .. _`Here is a write-up`: http://mixedmedia.us/peacetiles/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106&Itemid=1 ---- :Author: chris macrae :Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:07:29 PST :Modified: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:17:47 PST .. raw:: html Yu'N'uS - the Peoples Entrepreneurial Revolution I believe people are the last 5 years of being able to turn human sustainability around. Unfortunately, this is not a new belief but one that has 24 years of compound exponential models behind it mapped by my dad drawing on his lifelonmg career at The economist 1950s to 1980s http://www.normanmacrae.com/netfuture.html The good news of every human crisis being root caused in the world's biggest maths mistake is that a true correction could start to turn round every sustainability crisis from its tipping point. Its obvious if you spend some time meeting the 30000 networkers around Dr Yunus in Bangladesh or te thousand youth his new book packs into every public talk that his economics models are near enough. If they are near enough for Bill Gates, why do we take seriously and media or economics celebrity that continues to naysay them. How can we link around Yunus' new maps. http://www.valuetrue.com/home/gallery.cfm On Friday 15 in what was once a bastion of male chauvinism, Dr Yunus is helping 30 media and economics experts and students in St james London to set out a new course. We need as many SBAs (Yunus Uni) in every city as MBAs. I will try to report vack proceedings and ask co-workers like Sofia Bustamanate and Lilly Evans to bring a more feminine lens to this than I am capable of. Meanwhile the handout we will be distributing the next day to 800 memmbers of Yunus' public audeince in St james' premiers in our last sustainability luncheon handout. Ideally print this out double-sided and fold, or if you want me to snailmail it within USA I will be back in DC from Feb 17. .. raw:: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:27:40 PST Big welcome to Todd Goldfarb - Ned's **600th member**. (very cool!) ---- :Author: Samuel Musyoka :Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:21:36 PST Hi everyone, I am Samuel Musyoka from Kenya and I am here to meet and discuss issues affecting humanity in general. My passion is to ease suffering due to poverty and child abuse. ---- :Author: Chris Cook :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:39:13 PST Dr Yunus may well have the economic models developed. But he does not have the legal and financial model developed which are necessary to give rise to such new economics.. The future does not IMHO lie in conventional or unconventional use of either "Equity" in Joint Stock Companies or in Debt, or in financial intermediaries / "middlemen" of any type. chris macrae said: .. raw:: html Yu'N'uS - the Peoples Entrepreneurial Revolution I believe people are the last 5 years of being able to turn human sustainability around. Unfortunately, this is not a new belief but one that has 24 years of compound exponential models behind it mapped by my dad drawing on his lifelonmg career at The economist 1950s to 1980s http://www.normanmacrae.com/netfuture.html The good news of every human crisis being root caused in the world's biggest maths mistake is that a true correction could start to turn round every sustainability crisis from its tipping point. Its obvious if you spend some time meeting the 30000 networkers around Dr Yunus in Bangladesh or te thousand youth his new book packs into every public talk that his economics models are near enough. If they are near enough for Bill Gates, why do we take seriously and media or economics celebrity that continues to naysay them. How can we link around Yunus' new maps. http://www.valuetrue.com/home/gallery.cfm On Friday 15 in what was once a bastion of male chauvinism, Dr Yunus is helping 30 media and economics experts and students in St james London to set out a new course. We need as many SBAs (Yunus Uni) in every city as MBAs. I will try to report vack proceedings and ask co-workers like Sofia Bustamanate and Lilly Evans to bring a more feminine lens to this than I am capable of. Meanwhile the handout we will be distributing the next day to 800 memmbers of Yunus' public audeince in St james' premiers in our last sustainability luncheon handout. Ideally print this out double-sided and fold, or if you want me to snailmail it within USA I will be back in DC from Feb 17. .. raw:: html ---- :Author: Michael E. Nolan :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:48:03 PST :Modified: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:13:52 PST Wow, what a group! My name is Michael Nolan. I was born a radio broadcaster, and grew up in the business. I sold my radio stations a few years ago to focus on the dot com thing. Sold that company after coming to the realization that helping car dealers sell cars on the internet wasn't what I wanted to do when I grew up. My wife and I took our three teenage kids around the world, I got an MBA from the Melbourne Business School, and my son and I learned how to fly. I've been teaching entrepreneurship at Minnesota State and at WHU in Koblenz Germany while waiting for lightning to strike. Next month I am heading to South Africa to learn from the students at http://www.edencampus.co.za a great entrepreneurial business school. Mark Grimes reached out and grabbed me, and threw me in head first. I'm pretty sure the next big thing is in here somewhere. I hope we can find it together. Michael Nolan http://www.nolanonline.com http://www.takethekidswith.com Here is the video from Eden Campus .. raw:: html ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:02:57 PST :Modified: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:20:58 PST Welcome to Ned Michael. Wow. Because `Thomas`_ gave me a RSS Bootcamp 101 last week, I since subscribed to and read this post at Guy Kawasaki's *How to Change the World* called `The Cleverest Idea I've Seen In Years`_ and Michael and I connected, and know he's deep into Ned. Please give a warm welcome, he's a definite Nedster, and we may well be seeing some of his South African entrepreneurial students here too boot. Life is a journey, not a destination as they say. Mike, click on the time stamp in this post, then view "plain text" to see how to embed videos. (anytime you want to see how someone did anything, like **bold**, *italics* or whatnot, that's the simple trick to see how they did it) .. raw :: html (btw, both YouTube and Twitter have been down quite a bit the last few hours, so if the video above isn't showing now...that's probably why) .. _`Thomas` : http://www.ned.com/user/u179726790/?searchterm=thomas .. _`The Cleverest Idea I've Seen In Years` : http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2008/02/the-cleverest-i.html ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:04:00 PST So nice you're here Michael. The Eden Campus is something I'm particularly keen to hear more about. I a thread somewhere here we've been discussing GM crops. Something that discussion has made me think hard about is the need to have campuses like Eden Campus across Africa. The need for agricultural information and innovation is best home grown. Happy that Mark grabbed you and I hope you'll find things to do here and stick around. ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:47:48 PST Wow is right. Welcome Michael. I would love to sit and have a face to face with you sometime. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:48:11 PST :Modified: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:48:37 PST Michael, welcome! I like how you parse these disparate bits of your life into a vibrant picture. As you head to South Africa, I wonder if you'd consider bringing along an introduction to the `Global Peace Tiles Project`_ with you? The idea is to get kids excited about their issues, passions, etc by visualizing them. Then getting them excited about their collective future by putting the 'tiles' together as large murals. From the great video you shared, I think Eden's student's would really enjoy the exercise, and could put the results to good use - locally or globally. Anyway, just a thought. I look forward to finding that 'next big thing' around here - wait a sec, what's that shiny thing in the sand next to you...? Welcome! .. _`Global Peace Tiles Project`: http://www.peacetiles.net ---- :Author: Daniel R. Comeau :Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:53:31 PST Hello all Ned members and thank you for introducing yourselves. Hence, I find it is now my turn to step up to the microphone for my introduction. My full name is Daniel R. Comeau, I prefer to be called Dan. I am a stay-at-home dad with full custody of my three growing teens. I have been previously involved in sales, management, construction, renovations, marketing, metals foundry and amongst others I was an Environmental Manager for A nursing Home and 2 retirement homes in eastern Ontario. Upon moving my family around much of Canada, I finally came to settle in my hometown where I grew up as a boy. I have been involved in many youth groups and sports throughout the years and apply my knowledge and experience to my daily life and to those around me that choose to listen. Currently, my hometown is undergoing an economic turnover. The town has been a pulp and paper town for nearly 80 years and a recent announcement has shut down the paper mill. I am elated at the fact that my region can now become more self-sufficient and prevent further generations from manipulating our natural resources. I spend a great deal of time educating myself into whichever field of study I choose. This is one of the greatest benefits the internet has offered and has always been available to us for this purpose. I have come up with several solutions for my town but am currently sitting out of the rap sessions for reasons of personal safety. There is still a mob mentality that seems to be looking for someone to blame and I feel that my outspoken nature may have led to this feeling. I wish to repopulate my region as well as introduce new industry and business. I have been to several colleges along the way and most recently participated in an 8 week course for Tourism Entrepreneurship for my region. I will go into further detail of my ideas later as i noticed how long this intro is becoming. Feel free to initiate a convo with me at any time. Peace, Love and Light Dan P.S. check out my videos at http://ca.youtube.com/Dad103 ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 02:10:16 PST Am Ndelo Peter five years old in Africa. I joined Ned after closure of O'net. I work with life in Africa and I do community related things more so dealing in crafts. ---- :Author: Peter Castleden :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:14:50 PST Hi I am new to Ned and this is my first post. I stumbled across this community while trying to find a written transcript of a speech that George Ayittey did - the video link was blocked on my work computer. I live in Cape Town, South Africa and currently work as an Actuary in a large life insurer. I am a young (24) white male living in a country with its fair share of problems. It is very difficult to stay positive about my country, not only because of its problems, but because of the constant negativity among my peers and fellow citizens. I am currently a little disillusioned, but I want to change that and try to make a positive difference in any way possible, instead of complaining in the background. Ned certainly looks like the right place to do just that. I hope that my perspective can add something to the debates and discussions here at Ned. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:34:53 PST Hi Peter, welcome to Ned. There are so many problems everywhere and I really agree with you how discouraging it is not to have others willing to encourage and collaborate on composing a life in a positive direction. You'll find others struggling with you here. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:36:38 PST Great intro Peter, and welcome to Ned. I had a tech staffer year ago in Portland who was born and raised in Cape Town. Sorry to hear about being disillusioned but it is fantastic you want to change that and try to make a positive difference(s) in many possible ways. At Ned you will find many people really trying to take action and make the world a better place in both small and large ways. It's all good, as they say. You could consider hosting a `Peace Tiles Workshop`_ in Cape Town, Lars_ I suspect would be thrilled to help you with that. Perhaps you might consider hosting an `Emancipation Network`_ party at your home or office, if so I think John_ or Sarah_ would love to work with you on that. Many ways to engage at Ned, again welcome and glad you are here. .. _`Peace Tiles Workshop` : http://www.ned.com/group/devarts/ .. _Lars : http://www.ned.com/user/u714404907/ .. _`Emancipation Network` : http://www.ned.com/group/ten/ .. _John : http://www.ned.com/user/u611474336/ .. _Sarah : http://www.ned.com/user/u918173468/ ---- :Author: Dawn Sfanos :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:53:57 PST Welcome, Peter! You are sure to find the enouragement and PMA (positive mental attitude) you seek. In addition, you will be stretched, challenged, amused...in short, be prepared to be shaken *and* stirred! ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:57:12 PST Hi Michael, Dan, Ndelo Peter and Peter C. - welcome to Ned - Dawn, John, Lars and Mark have covered the important bits so from me.... just welcome!! **:)** (And Hi Chris!! It's good to see you here - hope all is well with you and yours.) ---- :Author: Kasinja Tonny Henry :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:05:22 PST Hello all, am kasinja Tonny Henry, am among the founders of book project for poor students in Uganda. We are involved in writing text books that are affordable by poor students in Uganda. Nice meeting you here ---- :Author: chris macrae :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:54:46 PST :Modified: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:55:56 PST Perhaps one way to greet people would be to note eiether examples of outstanding entrepreneurs in their country or city, networks hubbing out from those innovators or other poinmts of leverage the region could provide when I think of peter castleden's south africa, I think first of the most brilliant university model that of taddy Blecher's free university http://cidaworld.tv and of the networks that connect around mandela including the elders http://www.theelders.org/ .. raw:: html Because of both of these Branson seems to be more active in sharing his knowhow in s. africa than just about anywhere I also assume that community is something that in much of Africa wants to make a comeback. So I do wonder whether Grameen models of microcredit community building might find a natural liftoff in S Africa ---- :Author: Frerieke :Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:46:13 PST :Modified: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:47:52 PST Hi all of you beautifull people! A search on google for 'uplift' braught me to Tom M, who directed me to O.net. I had an awesome 4?months before the end of O.net. You guys were such a big inspiration! I met incredible people, got to know of some amazing projects, got motivated to continue working on the things I had started here in South Africa (I moved here 1.5 years ago from the Netherlands, after finishing my Masters degree in building Engineering) Lars directed me to Peter Deitz's site http://www.socialactions.com and I didn't know at that moment how much impact this was going to have on my life.. Last September I flew to Canada to attend the Web of Change conference (and to meet Peter). We traveled around together (working/travel) for 5 weeks in Canada, USA. Meeting lots of amazing people...including our 2 Angels..Tom M and Lars. I flew back to South Africa ...and Peter joined me here 6 weeks later. We continued working on our individual projects, exploring more of this interesting country together and..establishing an amazing relation. Jep, something very special. Peter flew back to Canada 2 weeks ago (after being here for 3 months). I'm still here, no worries...we'll connect again! Peter is rocking with his project. Check his site out! And I've got mine.. http://www.lovetotheworld.org Together with my amazing American partner, Anasuya (Lars set me up with her!), we are empowering, inspiring and serving people in underpriveledged communities, giving leadership and art workshops (jep also Peace Tiles!)and lots more to come! have a look.. NED ...yeah I loved it from the first time that I've signed in(months ago). I've now decided to force myself to make some time to connect again!!! Peter Castleden...give me a call!!! 0782080548 and let's connect! same for Michael Nolan..whenever you're in the Cape..give a shout Hm..glad to be back Mark, thanks so much for the personal welcome! LOVE, Fre (rieke) ---- :Author: chris macrae :Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:52:49 PST Hi FRe thanks for te refernjec to socialactions.com its front page notes aggregating 14 social platforms : Social Actions aggregates peer-to-peer social change campaigns from 14 social action platforms. BringLight Care2 Change.org ChangingthePresent DemocracyinAction Firstgiving Fundable GiveMeaning SixDegrees ThePoint GlobalGiving Kiva PledgeBank Razoo I think I know a little about the bottom 4 and nowt about the others- does anyone recommend knowing more about of any of these? ---- :Author: Jeff Stein :Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:07:04 PST Hello, I am Jeff Stein of San Francisco. Want to thank Mark Grimes for inviting me into NED. This is the first online social network I’m participating in. Am motivated by the passion and energy that I’ve seen in the threads on NED and in members I’ve met in the past, like Christine Jordan and Norbert Okec last June in Gulu even before knowing NED existed. I hope I can both contribute some wisdom and learn from my future friends here. My day job is as founder of a start-up IT company that is developing a technological solution for ensuring consumers of the safety and authenticity of organic food sourced from emerging markets, like Africa and China. I have a particular passion for agriculture – specifically sustainable rural development – which I’ve been involved in one way or another for about 12 years, earlier in my career in Washington, DC through environmental advocacy and more recently at the international level. The last year has been an incredible journey as I have gotten engaged in Africa. Last March, I found myself at the Hotel des Mille Collines (made famous by the film “Hotel Rwanda”) giving a speech at a major international agricultural conference on the opportunities African smallholder farmers can take advantage of with rising American consumer demand for organic food. This led to my co-founding of the African Organic Food & Fiber Initiative, which is bringing together major U.S. and European food and apparel companies to make pledges to source organic value-add goods from sub-Saharan Africa. AOFFI then helps local African farmers cooperatives, SME businesses, trade associations, NGOs, and research institutions overcome the supply side constraints so that they can meet western demand for organic products. Given so much work amongst NED members related to various projects in Africa, I’ve started a new `thread`_ to explore the roles that social enterprises can play in both AOFFI and the broader African Union initiative out of which it was born, the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme. .. _`thread`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/162/ ---- :Author: chris macrae :Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:05:13 PST Hi Jeff do you have any views or connections wiyth John Mackey's http://wholeplanetfoundation.org I realise that most of their attempts to connect organic with microentrepreneurship are more oriented around South America than Africa but without having your expertise it looks like a model one could go and start asking supermarkets with lots of sourcing in Africa - why not be the first ? ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:32:35 PST Hey Fre BABY!! - about time that you showed up here! **:D** And Jeff - a big welcome to Ned from me. ---- :Author: Dawn Sfanos :Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:20:45 PST Fre, you sound like a whole lotta fun! What an intro, Jeff! I'm not worthy to type on the same page as you both. And yet I do.... Glad to meet you both! Dawn ---- :Author: Frerieke :Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:31:43 PST gayle...jep..i'm kind of late he jeff..sounds great indeed dawn...every individual is as beautiful as any other..our stories are all different..glad to have NED to exchange them ----