Ideas for Change - Because the right idea can change the world » Education

Google displays all requests from governments for shutdown

Daniel Daboczy - Editor in chief — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:57:43 +0000

Government requests directed to Google and YouTube

Like other technology and communications companies, we regularly receive requests from government agencies around the world to remove content from our services, or provide information about users of our services and products. The map shows the number of requests that we received between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, with certain limitations.

We know these numbers are imperfect and may not provide a complete picture of these government requests. For example, a single request may ask for the removal of more than one URL or for the disclosure of information for multiple users. See the FAQ for more information.

http://www.google.com/governmentrequests/

Project management on the edge of chaos

Invited Contributor — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:46:07 +0000

Project management on the edge of chaos

by Arne Vestergaard and Marianne Smedegaard

We have for a number of years taught project managers how to manage people and processes. We have heard stories from many different organisations describing numerous ways to understand and execute projects. It seems that there exists not a single correct way to manage projects, but many possible ways. One thing, though, seems to be characteristic of most of the cases. Top management expects the project manager to have complete control over the project and to have answers to any question anyone might want to ask. In many cases it is also a requirement that the project manager ensures that members of the project group have clear goals and that the development of the project is on schedule.

In this paper we want to explore to what extent the effort to control and direct a project is useful, and to what extent a project can be restricted by tight control. Perhaps there are other concepts for project management that better fit with the complexity and variability that characterise projects in today’s world. Perhaps it is preferable to see projects as a living system rather than strategically and bureaucratically.

A change in perspective of this kind would mean that the project organisation must relinquish the idea of having control over the project all the time and, if they do achieve control, see it as a temporary state of affairs. Some degree of chaos then becomes a necessary (but not exclusive) condition for innovation and for handling complexity and change. In other words, the project manager must place the project on the edge of chaos. In this paper we will try to understand what this means in practice.

Today marks an important day in history

Daniel Daboczy - Editor in chief — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:14:35 +0000

As you might all know, building a better world starts with our children. How we raise them, how we teach them, what we show them. Even though it´s 2010 alot of parents don´t have the right, the opportunity or the concept to stay at home with the child when the child is young.

Of all the parents that stay at home, is the numbers of men very low. Men usually get confined in roles expected and built since centuries.

Today starts a campaing (only in swedish at this point) by Carlos Rojas for the purpose to inform, educate and inspire men to stay at home longer with their children.

http://klartjagskavarahemma.se/

“HOPE – the Obama Musical Story” World Premiere

HOPE-Musical — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:43:27 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

“HOPE - the Obama musical story” celebrates its world premiere on 17 January 2010!The venue Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt will experience a sound it has never heard before: formed to a huge percussion ensemble, the audience accompanies US president Barack Obama on his successful way into the White House. The event organizer MOVE GmbH promises a double world premiere: at the premiere of “HOPE – the Obama Musical Story” on Sunday, 17 January at 8:00 pm, the audience will rhythmically participate on specially developed percussion chairs – for the first time ever worldwide. “Hope is the first interactive musical of a new generation”, says musical producer Roberto Emmanuele, CEO and creative director of Move GmbH based in Bad Soden. “This is an enormous sound and a great musical experience for the audience.”

The musical stages two moving and exciting stories in parallel plots. The audience looks behind the scenes of the presidential election in 2008 and follows the career of the present US president Barack Obama. The main character is presented less on a political level, but rather as an emotional person who fights for a new, more forgiving and peaceful world and a better future. At the same time, the viewer experiences the societal events from the point of view of a multi-cultural apartment-sharing community in Chicago. Caused by the prevailing tight political and economic situation, societal and social frictions and emotions arise. The people are given new hope by the new spirit of the age.

Author and composer Randall Hutchins works with the best Afro-American singers and actors of the German musical scene. He produces inter alia for “The very Best of Black Gospel”, “Musical the Gift” and he participated in “Starlight Express” as a musician. In “HOPE”, he combines an affectionately arranged mix regarding taste and aesthetics of different music styles in the field of Pop, Soul, Gospel, HipHop and Rock. The diversified mixture of catchy melodies electrifies the audience right from the beginning. Undoubtedly, the songs have what it takes to become hits.

For “HOPE”, 30 world-class artists, singers, dancers and actors perform on stage. They participate in the production with great enthusiasm and dedication. “The spirit of the show is carried by the spirit of the entire team”, praises the producer Roberto Emmanuele. Della Miles and Jimmie Wilson, known as the dream duo of the Michael Jackson musical “Sisterella”, as well as Dynelle Rhodes, the original lead singer of the Weather Girls, join the cast as soloists. They are supported by well-known performers who are leads in “Cats”, “The Lion King” and “We will rock you”. The rehearsals took place inter alia at mediaArt FORUM in Bad Soden.

The production is realized in German and English, so that the story line can be followed by everyone.

On percussion: the audience sitting on specially developed musical chairsIn the course of the musical, the audience develops to co-musicians. For they sit on a musical instrument with an astoundingly high sound quality. Approximately 1200 of the 2000 available seats in the domed hall of the venue Jahrhunderthalle will be equipped with design chairs which house the smallest set of drums worldwide. The special construction of this musical furniture allows for a distinctive bass and snare sound. The people play while sitting, drumming with their hands on the percussion surface. Inspired by this characteristic sound, Roberto Emmanuele and his partner Patrick Strese call the innovation “BAFF musical furniture”. The other musical spectators do not sit quietly on their chairs either. They are handed out rattles, so that the sound of “HOPE” will fill the entire hall. The producers want all people to have access to music as a strong medium.

As early as in September, the musical company enthused about 45,000 viewers with a first musical foretaste during a successful performance at Commerzbank Arena next to stars like Bob Geldorf and Samy Deluxe. After only a short period of time, the entire stadium swung and clapped along to songs never heard before like “Rock the Vote”. Experts of the German music scene praised the high level of the American Pop music and certified the sound to have “Earth Wind and Fire quality”. The most important concert organizer worldwide, Fritz Rau, says: “Respect and two thumbs up for this musical”. According to the slogan “Yes we can”, the musical is to tour in Germany after having premiered in Frankfurt.

Tickets for the premiere can be purchased via the ticket seller EVENTIM within the price scope of 40 to 149 Euros in several seat categories. Following the premiere, a VIP premiere party will take place, at which special culinary refreshments will be served to the guests and the musical performers can be experienced up close in an “unplugged performance”. The VIP tickets can be bought for 99 Euros directly from the HOPE production.

Important note from the HOPE production team:
The “HOPE musical production” does not pursue any political interests with their production. Being artists, we merely stage a piece of attitude to life of the “historic year 2008″ with topics still prevailing today as well as good entertainment and music!

Pass It Forward

Arlan — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:07:40 +0000

Now you can volunteer from the comfort of your own home, on your own computer, on your own time www.onlinecommunityservice.org Related posts:

Google displays all requests from governments for shutdown

Tell your story or someone else will

Katarina Hedren — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:36:41 +0000

Why have more Swedes heard of young Amina who was sentenced to death by stoning in northern Nigeria than of her fellow Nigerian Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate in literature, author, playwright, social commentator and human rights activist? And how come more Swedes know about Robert Mugabe’s wife’s shopping sprees in Europe and Asia than of Malian Xuly Bët and South African Stoned Cherrie, African designer brands conquering the fashion world?

Africa – a continent of 54 countries
The average Swede knows a lot about America from a lifetime of watching American TV-series and films. Or rather, the average Swede is very familiar with the images of America – be they positive or negative – that are spread all over the world by Americans.

Asked about what comes to mind when thinking of Africa, it is very likely that the average Swede will mention phenomena such as war, famine, disease and dictatorship. Asked about the source of these perceptions of what Africa is, the answer will probably be news reports, reportages, and films. Probe deeper and you will find that the journalist, the experts, authors and filmmakers that provided these narrow minded versions of Africa – a continent of 54 countries and more than 900 million people – nine and a half times out of ten, are not Africans.

What we read in the papers, watch on our TVs and at the movies influence the way we view the world and the people inhabiting it. Those who come out looking best, or at least are portrayed with nuance and complexity, are those who are in control of the representations of themselves. The losers, those who come out as one-dimensional victims or villains, are those whose voices are not easily heard on the international mainstream media arena. Asking for more sensibility when talking about Africa does not mean asking that voices talking about abuse, injustice and suffering be silenced. It is a question of asking for stories that considers countries, societies, people and situations in all their complexity.

Reshape the image of Africa
There is indeed an urgent need for Africans in Africa and the Diaspora to reclaim and reshape the images of Africa and Africans. While there is no lack of African storytellers in the form of journalists, writers, filmmakers, actors etc, the challenge is to create an international platform for their stories, or rather, to ensure that there is space for them on existing international mainstream media platforms.

The lack of African representations of Africa on TV, the big screen and in the written press, save for the occasional festival and other exceptions, is not just a problem for Africans but for anyone who relies on mass media to form their views and opinions. An African pro-verb says that “Until the tale of the hunt is told by the lion, it will always glorify the hunter”. One could add that “Until the day the hunter hears the lion’s account, the hunter will remain misinformed”.

Katarina Hedrén, Johannesburg

Inside a young girl life in Africa

Marieme Jamme — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:22:04 +0000

Picture a girl named Awa in Africa. Billions of young girls in Africa like Awa are not educated and we are in 2009. If you are familiar with African Rural villages or have been to Africa you will know what I am talking about.

Supporting the 10000 girls project in Senegal – Kaolack is priority today. We aim to put 10000 girls like Awa in school by 2013. We have more than 2000 girls in scholarship today and 7 centres where more than 50 teachers are teaching to our girls.

Let me tell you that Awa’s life in Africa is extremely uncertain and she has a little choice. She relied on Charity and Aid programs to get Education. Everything is limited for her. Awa is likely to be forced to marry an older man; she will die with HIV aids or cervical cancer and she could be raped or abused or force to prostitution, if not educated she will leave her country hoping for a better life outside. Her life will become increasingly difficult and she basically has no Future.

Education is very important and should be given to young girls like Awa in Africa. When basic education is given not only they will become self reliant, independent, but they will become self-sufficient. Education will improve their lives and align them to the rest of the woman living in this planet.

A sustainable education program combine with new technologies will keep them in Africa and with out a doubt you will increase their confidence.

We can all help Awa get the basics for a better life!

Mariéme Jamme
Social Entrepreneur, Humanitarian, Mother, Philanthropist, Motivational Speaker, Africa Strategist, Enabler, CEO, Advocate for Women and Men’s Rights.
http://10000girls.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mjamme

What is Sustainability?

Karin Styrenius — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:17:04 +0000

Everybody talks about sustainability these days. But what does a sustainable development mean?

Ideas For Change divides sustainable development into three interdependent elements:

economy
environment
society

This comes from the UN definition from the report Our Common Future. This report laid the groundwork for the convening of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the adoption of Agenda 21.

Consider the Impact on the Seventh Generation
A sustainable development meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet its own needs.

We like this concept because it has a long term perspective. It’s a little bit like the Great Law of Iroquois Native Americans: in every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation.

The Concept of Sustainability Is a Good Starting Point
We also like the definition because it has a holistic perspective. We believe there is an urgent need to look at our problems from several different angles: the climate changes, the financial crises, the Iraq war, the famines in Uganda and the problems in today’s suburbs of the Western world. They are all linked together.

We have to find methods that weigh up different aspects of a problem so that we can find the very best solutions. The concept of sustainability is a good starting point.

Social business, human rights, art & culture … what gets you going?

Welcome to give us your ideas for change!

/The Ideas For Change team