Leapfrogging the digital divide

I was reading information about developing nations and how some nations, specifically African nations are ignoring the need for established broadband infrastructure and leapfrogging to mobile technologies. These nations have skipped establishing infrastructure such as telephone lines and getting private investors to establish mobile networks.

Why is this a problem? From a business perspective, this seems logical, as the problem for access is resolved and the new technology can be readily adopted.

However, after reading last weeks readings on the Digital Divide, getting another more powerful “core” nation to establish mobile technology infrastructure in a developing nation creates reliance, both through financing and education. In fact, it often disadvantages countries because although they may have mobile access, they still may not have access to basic necessities such as safe drinking water and shelter. Why would a country opt in for mobile technology infrastructure when basic infrastructure is needed? Clearly this appears to be a concern for national interests.

The UN run African Information Society Initiative outlines their involvement in actioning framework for communication and research, with technology being apart of this.

I thought this video provided a good insight into these mobile technologies:

Have a looksie!

Here is a random selection of some my favourite musical Youtube clips (and one from Funny or Die) from the past couple years.

Zach Braff fandom at its extreme:


Favourite Ben Folds clip:


Some Hanson for good measure:


John Mayer on the song writing process:

Makin' Music with John Mayer by John Mayer

Enjoy!

Wrapping up 2008

Most people are in the midst of the silly season, so I thought I'd partake in a little holiday blogging.

I can say that I've definitely grown professionally and personally this year - thanks to the wonderful experiences I've had with my work colleagues, friends and family.

And to sum up the year of 2008, a little mathematics:

Average Dollars spent on coffee this year - $660
Time spent at Firehouse for drinks - over 30 hours (thanks Catherine & Roge!)
Countries visited - 4
Spanish verbs I tried to learn - 57
Spanish verbs I actually learnt - 11
Time spent in hospital waiting rooms - 84 days
I heart NY shirts purchased - 10
Ben Folds concerts attended - 1 in NYC
21st speeches given for friends - 3
People I have conned into using Twitter - 6
Movies attended - 18 (I collect the ticket stubs)
Masters Acceptance Letters - 2 (Sydney & UTS)
Blog posts I wished I had written - 50 more this year
New Years Goals/Resolutions for 2009 - 4 (one which includes to blog more!)


Next post - Something in the New Year!

Tweeting about!

Even after reading Wired's claim that blogging is dead, I still felt it was necessary to blog about the wonders of twitter.

Not only has the alleged real Britney signed up, but the Aussie Veronica's and the current Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Turnbell has joined up too.

If this isn't enough, a recent Australian Top 50 Twitter Influencers released has sent a lot people into a tizz. I'm enjoying the irony of it all - numbers aren't suppose to count in a qualitative relationship based online world, but a lot of people are stressed about their position on this scale. A more thorough and coherent post on this is Alex Manchester's. It is important to have some rank, so you know who to engage with on twitter, particularly the thought leaders who rank in the top 10. However, unless you want to engage with people on twitter, you're not going to get higher up in the ranks.

So I'll be interested to see how Twitter develops from here in Australia, whether people are still battling it to make the Top 50 list and whether more politicians will be stepping up to the plate.

Flickr Meme

So this is thanks to Alison Young's post , which inspired me to do it for myself!

Go to http://www.bighugelabs.com/flickr and create a mosaic using the answers from these questions. Take your answer to Flickr and search for it.. Pick an image from the first page of search results, put it into the mosaic maker and post your results!



NB: For simplicity’s sake I’m linking and attributing after each answer and licensed under the Creative Commons. (thanks Alison!)

1. What is your first name? Lou
2. What is your favorite food? Fruit Salad
3. What high school did you go to? Brigidine
4. What is your favorite color? Purple
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Hugh Grant
6. Favorite drink? Vodka Raspberry
7. Dream vacation? Somewhere on the beach
8. Favorite dessert? Chocolate Cheesecake
9. What you want to be when you grow up? No idea!
10. What do you love most in life? Opportunities
11. One Word to describe you? Crazy
12. Look up my flickr name and find something someone dedicated to you. Well I couldn't find anything, so I used a photo I took of a cake I baked my dad a couple years ago.

Dream Days at the Hospital Existence

So in the midst of all the saga in Canberra - I jotted down a few points. These are totally unrelated to public relations or social media, but I figure they're worth sharing. So introducing:

How to tell if you've spent too much time in a hospital

- When the waiting rooms turns into a lounge room and you are up to date on all the latest hollywood gossip courtesy of all the crappy magazines.

- With no medical background, you know what intubate means, what an NG tube does, how blood oxygen sat machines can be temperamental and that nurses really do all the hard work.

- You also realise that hospital coffee tastes the same as any other fluid after a few sugars, and that cafeteria food usually isn't as bad as what the patients are getting served up.

- You know that breaking a nail, finger or leg is not comparable to what families have to go through when visiting family in the ICU.

- You're on a first name's basis with the night time security guard.

- That no matter that you look older or similar to your sibling, you will continually get confused as a girlfriend or wife.

- You appreciate the irony when the random strangers ask you why you're there (at the hospital) to which you reply 'car accident' and they reply "glad it wasn't the one where..." and you suddenly realise it is the one they're retelling.

- When the alcohol antiseptic spray you put on each time you enter the ward becomes your latest cologne/perfume.

- When you're allowed to eat at the staff cafertia and use a mobile phones on the ward.

P.S. In case you didn't get it, the title is a pun on one of my favourite Powderfinger albums :)

So I'm back...

It's been awhile since I've had the real urge to write a post..

I didn't last long in Argentina, my brother was involved in a serious car accident . I lasted about four and a half days in cold Argentina, and hopped on a plane to come back to Canberra, Australia. After six flights and a total of 34 hours of flying, it felt like I'd not even left the country.

To use the cliche, it's been an emotional roller coaster. It's one of these experiences that you hear on the television or see in the movies, not something you wish to ever live through. Our family are lucky enough to have such a strong network of family and friends who have helped us through this rough patch..

So for me now it's settling back in the normal day of life, bizarre after spending almost 5 and a half weeks of living in a hotel in Canberra.