technology for the global south...

my title for this post reminds me that i want to do a post on the things we call the other parts of the world...and the merits and downsides of the various names (third world, global south, developing countries, etc). if you have a name, drop me a comment about it and i'll include some research and thoughts on it in the post...

now onto this post...
cnet recently posted an interesting photo piece highlighting technologies that are helping to bring better quality of life in underdeveloped areas. take a gander and then stop back here and comment on which one you found the most interesting. the interesting thing about this to me is that some of these are really simple ideas. what other simple ideas are out there that we could cooperate on to partner with those who need them?

http://www.news.com/2300-1008_3-6209770-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg

Rich Mullins

here's a great article on Rich Mullins, who died unexpectedly 10 years ago. Rich lived justice before it became the next big thing. these thoughts are well put.


some favorite quotes (and my addendums):

"His typical concert uniform was jeans (with holes in the knees) and a t-shirt. No shoes. No socks. In fact, he was known for sneaking onto the stage before being introduced, because the glowing introductions always made him uncomfortable."
-i actually had the chance to see Rich in concert before he died, and this was absolutely true.
-i wish i was more uncomfortable with glowing introductions. i know i'm supposed to be humble and thus uncomfortable with them, but instead i rather enjoy them. pride...ugh.

"He didn’t know what his music and career were worth, and didn’t want to know."

"And when a sheltered Southern Baptist boy starts reading Catholics and Anglicans and other suspicious thinkers, the Gospel gets a whole lot bigger."
-some of the biggest things I've come to understand about God rest far away from the right-wing conservative evangelical upbringing I had. surely some really good things came from that, too, but much of what has shaped me is from "suspicious thinkers."

"He grew up Quaker."
- : )

"We were strangers, but I feel like we were companions during a very formative time in my life."

One thing not particularly highlighted in the article that struck me about Rich was his authentic voice. only Rich, it seems, could write "Awesome God", while at the same time penning lyrics to "Hold Me, Jesus" that include "sometime life just don't make sense at all" or to "Hard To Get" which is possibly the most honest song/psalm since David stopped writing.

sometimes i like to think that he went out just the way that he wanted to...

"when i leave, i want to go out like Elijah,
with a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
and when i look back on the stars
it'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
and it won't break my heart to say goodbye"

me too, Rich. me too.

long overdue

I know I'm way overdue on posting and for that I apologize. I'm in the middle of a rough stretch, schedule-wise. Hopefully next week will start looking normal again.

Until then, Wednesday, September 19th is "Talk Like A Pirate Day," so shiver me timbers and spread some justice-lovin' piratey talk, ya landlubbers! Arrrrr.

Seriously...good things will commence again next week. Or I'm a short-bearded scaliwag. Arrrrrr.

The Things We Study

Apparently men prefer hot women:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/09/04/dating.mating.ap/index.html

For men, kissing is all about the sex:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6975794.stm

honestly...people are dying from starvation, from war, from AIDS....and this is what we spend our time researching. ugh.