How to add a chat feature in a blog.

First, go to a site like chatroll.com. They have created a chat feature that is easily embedded on any blog or site.

Second, register and create the chat box that you want.

Next, go to your blog, in our case blogger and and a widget or gadget. To get to this feature go to the design tab found in the dashboard. In the widget box select HTML/Javascript.

Finally, copy and paste the code from chatroll to your blog.

Enjoy

Final project and Khao san road

For our project we are working with a local group called Sister Survivors. They are building up a community of women who have or have had breast cancer. They currently have a blog that they have been updating daily since April of this year. They are working to create something that is usable and that people know about.

I feel like getting a name, site or product out there is always the hard part and I am not sure how to overcome that. I have been reminiscing about my travels lately and a place that I have been came to mind as an example of this. Khao san Road in Bangkok Thailand is somewhat of a mecca for backpackers. There is a video that illustrates what is is like to walk down that road. There are hundreds of people, signs are everywhere, music is blasting and lights are flashing. I feel like getting a business of anything seen in a place like this is like people being able to find a blog or website. It seems impossible, but I know its not.

How India changed my life.

I was blessed to be able to go on a field study my freshman year of college. I have always wanted to travel and this was my big chance. There was a semester of prep before we went filled with classes dedicated to helping us get an understanding of what the country was like before we went there. By the time we left I felt that I was ready for anything. my first challenge came right when I got off the plane. I told the man at customs that I was doing research; my visa was a tourist visa. There were problems. The big boss man came over a yelled at me and then took me into his office in order to continue the interrogation. After about 20min of deportation threats he let me through. What relief I felt until I had to go to the bathroom. It was my first experience with a squatter. What fun!

After all of that I headed out the doors to find the other students that were meeting me at the airport. I didn't see any of them. There were throngs and throngs of people and taxi drivers waiting and yelling. The residual heat from the day could be felt even at midnight. I looked around a bit and then camped out on my backpack and waited. It was then that I realized that I had given my pick up the wrong date and that they would be to the airport the next day to get me. I knew that I had to do something, so I went with a man to a hotel. He had a brochure so it had to be legitimate, right? The hotel was legit they gave me a ride there and back to the airport the next morning and breakfast. How nice. Yes it was, but I ended up paying 10 times what I should have for what I got. Live and learn. I made I through my first 24 hours in India. There would be many more lessons to come.

Here's a picture of some of us students at a wedding. I am the one in green.

How Highways Changed the World

That slab of concrete than most of us drive on several times a week is a part of an unprecedented network of highways that cover the US. This network began at virtually the same time that cars were becoming available for purchase. These roads allow us to be much more connected with the world but less connected with each other. We can scream down the highway at breakneck speeds to reach our destinations while stopping for gas at a station that used to be a mom and pop stop but is now a part of a national chain. Yes, we can get to where we want to go but we won't get to talk to anyone on the way.

The economy has mushroomed into a world powerhouse, in part because commerce can flow on the highway. There are many nations that are struggling with transport of people and goods because of the lack of pothole free roads.

It is virtually impossible for a country or region to grow or even function at any desirable level if there are poor roads or no highways.

I spent 4 months in India a few years back and the roads there are not that great at all. Road travel takes at least twice as long as it would in the US. While in India I took a trip to a city that was a 10 hour drive by bus. The drive was overnight with bathroom breaks taking place in alleys along the way. Sometimes the bumps were so big that we left our seats. At one point during the trip we drove by a man that had crashed his motorcycle. We did not stop nor did anyone else. I found out later that if people stop to help they are often blamed for the accident. In a way the poor quality of the roads can be blamed for this as well. If emergency workers could respond quicker via good roads there would be a lot fewer wrong conviction and more people would be willing to stop and help.

Poor roads in any country prevents much travel, business and access. As a countries roads develop their economy develops.

Me and my world

So, I have been craving the world outside of the US. I miss being in a society or community that is connected to the earth and each other. I cherish the time I have had in developing countries. It is a time when I feel alive and part of the earth, like I am really living. When I am in the US for long periods of time I feel like I get dulled to the joy and fullness of life. There is something to not being on the internet and computer all of the time and just sitting and chatting with people because you feel like it not because you have to do this and that and that and that. I thing the movie "The Gods must be crazy" captures a bit of this feeling. Enjoy the intro:)

Semester update

This semester has been a crazy one. I have been working hard to get things under control. I do enjoy the abundance of knowledge that I gain from this class.

1. historical content

This is definitely the area in which I am dedicating the least time. I do love learning about history however. I do like that the history has been broken up into bite size chunks. I enjoyed the book reading that we were asked to do. It gave me some focus and direction. I admit that I don't do very well in an unstructured class. I feel like the historical content area is the least structured and that is why I have the hardest time with it.

2. digital concepts

The area of computing and digital concepts is very engaging to me, probably because I have not had the privilege of taking a computer class prior to this. I have learned a lot and have enjoyed the skills and knowledge I have gained. I like doing the labs and figuring out new tools and software.

3. labs

I have done half of my labs and have learned about a lot more than just the things in those 3 labs. This portion of the class is very engaging and structured, which is why I do much better in this area. I defiantly seek out opportunities to learn, create and connect.

James Wilcox musses on...

I was asked to review the blog written by James Wilcox. I enjoyed much of what was said, he has clearly done a lot of research for his posts. James has a lot to say, sometimes it was too much to read about one subject. He is however, a good writer. The topics were covered very well. There were only a couple of posts on the tech side of things. Overall I give it an A.

Free or not.....

The idea of an economy that includes free information and products sounds good, because I benefit from it. I like the idea of free, software, books, and tools. At the same time I have a hard time wanting to send my photos and liturature out there for anyone to use for free. At the same time if I were to do that I would probably be more well known and have a few more opportunities. It is hard to change a way of thinking that has been ingrained. This new way to approach business seems to be better for both parties considering the immense amount of products out there. This new idea is changing the way the world interacts.

Me, Myself and Freud

First, what is up with all these famous people with only one name?

Second, Freud teaches that there are 3 sides to the human psyche. The id, ego and super-ego. Id is the impulsive child-like portion. Ego is the link or balance between the id and super-ego. The super-ego is the moralistic portion. All of these

parts work together to form you.

This is a concept that is new to me but at the same time I feel like I have known it all along. All of us, or most of us feel like there are different sides to us. Different situations call for different sides of us. This makes sense. But, I have spent a lot of my energies trying to merge all sides of myself into one whole self. I don't want to have any part of myself that I feel like I have to hide or repress. I am not sure that these are exactly the same thing, but I feel that they are at least correlated. Now that I better understand the psyches was all of that effort in vein?

The moth and the light

Last night I was taking a shower and looking through our little window in the bathroom when I noticed a moth. It continually tried to get in because of the light coming out of our window. This lead me to think about how much I seek light in my life. I wondered if I am like the moth in that I always go toward the light; not in a mindless way, but a deliberate one. How often do I pass up things of light to seek things of the world?