NYT’s Tom Friedman Recommends Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech

New York Times Columnist, Tom Friedman recently delivered the keynote address at the Special Libraries Association Conference in Philadelphia.
The conference focuses on how libraries, governments, companies and individuals use new technologies to gather and disseminate information.
Friedman recommends Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement address as required viewing.  He says the video is one of the best examples of how to approach the process of an innovative life.
Job’s encourages the students to find their passion, but where he diverges from the standard graduation commencement platitudes is when he tells the students to not waste time, they will not be young forever and they will die.  Quite refreshing in this death phobic society, but there is a lot more in Jobs’ speech and notes from Friedman’s recent talk.

Afghan Kids Want Computers

Afghan Kids Want Laptops

On this day we travel to a high school in Charikar in Parwan Province,  a 90- minute car drive from Kabul centre.  The school does not have electricity or running water but the students have more things on their minds.  Computers.

Can’t see in on Vimeo?  Watch it on YouTube.


Afghanistan’s Great Donor Scandal: Higher Education

Billions of dollars are poured into Afghanistan each year to ostensibly bring stability to the war-ravaged country.

A lack of shared national or international vision or strategy, no security, rampant corruption, Afghanistan is a place most do not want to dwell.  International donors, wanting a quick fix and an end to the Afghan war, throw millions of dollars at short-sighted projects that add little or no value to the Afghan community it vows to support.   Continue reading “Afghanistan’s Great Donor Scandal: Higher Education”