La Alta

My main mode of transportation these...

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:40:05 -0400

My main mode of transportation these days…

applesandibexes:

It is 150 years since the world’s first underground railway system was created. These posters are from the London Transport Museum’s exhibition titled Poster Art 150: London Underground’s Greatest Designs. (via Brain Picker)

Photo update - part 3

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:32:02 -0400

This should be the last post for today. But I will try to update more as I travel for another month and a half. I’ll be leaving for Mumbai this Friday!

More Kerala pics! These birds were huuuuungry. They risked drowning to keep pulling fish guts out of the water. It’s a pretty place, but fish gut fighting was unavoidable.

For the fishermen (and fishing goddess = Hayley) of my family. Love you guys!

A nice quiet beach in Alappuzha. An hourish bus ride south of Cochin.

This dog is a member of the wonky-eared dog pack, but he’s a little stand offish and likes his alone time. I imagine he’s like Andy from Shawshank Redemption - he’s probably going to escape the beach pack any day now…

Camels!

We went on a wonderful and relaxing backwater tour. Four hours of trolling through tiny canals and soaking in the lush greenery. Absolutely lovely!

Photo update - part 2

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:00:33 -0400

More pics!

Part of the Daulatabad Fort complex. Incredible design - secret passageways (that are full of bats now!), moats, and complex winding staircases.

That’s my friend Nay! He’s standing in front of the minar for the complex. Note the hills behind Nay - the fort keeps climbing up so that sentries could look down on those hills with an unobstructed view.

My students being rockstars at Daira Art Gallery. These students (and a few outside the shot) were selected as the best artists in their classes and had the chance to visit the gallery, showcase their work in the children’s gallery, and learn about professions in the fine arts. So proud of them!

Back to the trip photos - Kerala!

This picture was taken in Jew Town in Cochin. Yes, I did just type Jew Town. Interesting history around this old port city. You can check out a rough, but interesting documentary about Jewish immigrants and their descendants in Kerala here.

Ginger drying in the courtyard behind a spice shop. This will soon be turned into ginger candy which clears your sinuses and takes care of your sweet tooth. Pretty good stuff but don’t eat too much.

Chinese fishing nets - it takes four guys to raise and lower them.

Photo update...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:30:44 -0400

Hey team! I need to apologize for falling behind in my duty to update this blog with interesting pictures of my adventures in India.

Sometimes I forget that the streets of Hyderabad and backwaters of Kerala are a bit more exotic than the alleys of Lincoln (Sorry, Mayor Snyder!) and Kickapoo Creek. Please accept the delay and my offer to meet you for coffee or cheesecake.

Below is a picture from one of the ruins in Hampi. It’s a beautiful place and looks like something out of the Flintstones.

Goat attack! These goats were herded through the ancient commons and led up to our sunset spot. I definitely had a flashback to all the goats at my grandparents farm when I was a child…so cute! I love kids - the furry kind, not the sticky kind.

The sunset I saw with my friend Amber and our goat friends.

This is one of the largest of the temples in Ellora Caves. The hillside runs up to the edge (upper left corner) and it feels incredibly protected and hidden. We also visited Ajanta Caves, but those pics were not so great. Please read up on these caves.

Had a bit of a close call…don’t tell Mom!

My kids love their cricket bats and hair clips. What did you...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:07:21 -0400

My kids love their cricket bats and hair clips. What did you play with as a child?

Please read the introduction to this amazing photo essay too!

fastcompany:

Photos of Children From Around the World With Their Most Prized Possessions

Check out the gallery and full story here.

"Disrupt" the "Scalability" of "Innovation" in "SocEnt"

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:16:37 -0400

(Side note - the phrases listed above drive me a little nuts) This is the last of the blogs from Khemka Forum. Browse the previous posts for a link to the entire report. Silliness will resume tomorrow…

In the social enterprise culture of buzzwords like “scalability” and “innovation” and “sustainability” one phrase is finally being picked apart – “impact investing.”

“In India most enterprises fill in a spectrum of zero to one hundred…it’s difficult to say this is impact investing, this is not,” says Atreya Rayaproluthe co-founder of Intellecap. He went on to say that what differentiates impact investors from angel investors is that “validation of the business model is missing” with impact investors. Sujay Santra of iKure Techsoft added that the “investor really feels and understands your objectives” when looking to invest in a social enterprise. The thinking and feeling aspects of the conversation seemed to harken to the marketing campaigns of non-profit organizations. In the world of early stage investing, however, the audience agreed that a good mission story was not enough to secure a grant or even receive first stage funding.

“A fund which is very patient” must be closely involved with the enterprise according to Dr. Martin Volgelsang of Fems3. Philanthropy can be the entry gate for investors, but eventually results will be required whether in the form of impact assessment or financial returns. No free lunches, social entrepreneurs (unless you run a sliding scale feeding program in which case, carry on!).

For many innovators that saw a problem and found a profitable solution, “social” entrepreneur is not usually a title found on their business cards. It seems that it is easier for an investor to label an entrepreneur’s work as part of a “social enterprise” which places it in a separate category for funding, evaluation matrices, and investor involvement. With the increasing herd mentality of investors, how does the title of “social enterprise” influence other investors?

For social enterprises ROPE International and ULink BioEnergy, the “social” title seems to work for them. Both businesses are supported byIntellecap, and have strong projected rates of growth in their sectors. ROPE co-founder and director N.N. Sreejith states, “social entrepreneur is a thing I am accused of” as he continues to focus on improving business processes while improving livelihoods. For ULink co-founder and directorSintanshu Sheth he was simply looking to find an answer for: “How do you cut out the middle man (regarding agricultural inputs) and pass on the discount to farmers?” Neither of these social entrepreneurs was seeking a special title or buzzword to increase their value – they saw an opportunity to fill a need and make a profit.

What if we stopped using buzzwords, and started being straightforward about the goals and objectives of our organizations? Sreejith’s artisans and Sheth’s farmers do not care about “incubating innovation” so why should we throw the phrase around too? Maybe we should stop accusing people of being “social” entrepreneurs, and just support businesses that solve problems regardless of titles or affiliations.

Some tips from lawyers before you have to call in the lawyers…

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:03:23 -0500

(This is the second of my blog posts from the Khemka Forum on Social Enterprise. You can find the full report here.)

Why would a start-up work with their board of directors? A group of old guys with some money and more opinions is not nearly as sexy and cool as software development, business expansion, or social media marketing. The stereotypes of the board of directors fall into two groups – 1. A collection of old-fashioned, out-of-touch retirees that love to meddle in business processes and slow down decisions 2. A pack of investors bent on extracting as much profit from the company while ignoring the enterprise’s future or mission.

Thankfully, Pankaj Jain from Impact Law Ventures and Aarti Madhusudan from Governance Counts were on hand to provide some helpful hints for an audience wary of boards in their organizations. They never ignored the fact that boards are difficult for start-ups as well as established companies, but they provided some very helpful hints.

How do you design an effective board for your organization?

Well, what kind of organization are you? Non-profit or for profit, rural or urban, grassroots or established? Your board members should fit the unique needs of your organization, and insure that there are no “trust deficit issues” as Jain said. Many organizations are legally required to form a board of directors, and follow set guidelines put forth by the Indian government as well as any organizational guidelines. Selecting board members should be based on their ability to follow these laws responsibly as well as support the core mission and goals of your organization.

How do you select board members?

Madhusudan suggested hosting site visits for potential board members. Introduce them to your organization at the grassroots level. Educate them on your organization, but at the same time observe them throughout the experience. Many investors and foundations may already have reputations as board members for other organizations they have supported – do your research! If all else fails, create a probation process for potential members and a rotational process for current members. Just as ideas can become stale, so can board members….

This seems like a lot of work, do I really need to create an active board of directors?

It depends. A few names and proper paperwork from your lawyer will probably suffice, but do you treat your management in the same way? A board of directors can provide benign oversight for non-profits seeking donations, contribute funds for a growing enterprise, and safeguard the mission and values of a grassroots organization. If you can balance the passion of some board members and the competence of others you will have a powerful tool for your organization’s future.

Improving Ag Inputs -> Dinner for over 1 Billion?

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 04:01:01 -0500

(As a break from my goofy posts, I am sharing a few blog entries I wrote for a social enterprise forum in November. You can see the full Khemka Forum report which includes the work of other IDEX bloggers here)

For millions of farmers throughout India, agricultural inputs are an essential part of their day-to-day existence. But what happens when these expensive inputs – from seeds to fertilizers to farming equipment – are ineffective? This discussion led by Siddharth Tata, a portfolio manager for the Acumen Fund, examined the potential for extension services throughout the Indian agricultural sector.

According to Tata, “low productivity means low income” in a country that sees agricultural productivity which is sixty times lower than that of higher-income nations. India’s productivity puts it behind the productivity levels of Pakistan and slightly ahead of Kenya in the global effort to feed a growing world population. For many farmers the farming process progresses from inputs to farm production to collections/processing to distribution to retailing. Putting Indian farmers ahead from the start of their planting season is not only a national imperative, but also a huge entrepreneurial opportunity.

(a view of farmland in the valleys around the Ellora Caves)

“The Potato Man” of India – Hemant Gaur of Siddhivinayak Agri – has started working with farmers to improve a potato crop, which has been less than successful in recent years. As an extension service provider, Gaur has found a way to bundle services thereby improving extension service offerings as well as the profitability of this work. Currently, extension service providers offer limited follow-up service due to a very small margin of profit. Gaur as well as his fellow panelists Arijit Dutta of Basix Krish and Gokul Patnaik of Katra Group, sees the potential of an effective extension service tied to improved agricultural outputs.

“My definition of extension work is relationship,” says Patnaik. Farmers must being willing to try new technologies and techniques that may contradict years of farming experience in order to see increased productivity. Patnaik has seen an increase from forty-nine tons per hectare to ninety-six tons per hectare for farmers that were willing to do “the right things at the right time.”

In order to provide these timely services to a larger number of farmers, customers need to be close together in order to share basic information. In rural India farmers can be disconnected from other members of their extension service by a few fields or many kilometers. Building communication and collaboration between farmers is a focus of the Acumen Fund as extension services see an increase in clients in various locations.

The agricultural sector is still open to any number of possibilities as technology, botany, and management skills are continually tested in a changing climate and fluctuating international market. Risk-takers exist in every sector, but farmers redefine this adrenaline pumping character trait. It is risky to race to develop the latest GPS software, but what about the risk in waiting for rain? We need to see farmers as risk taking entrepreneurs if we are going to encourage the next generation to succeed in the agriculture business.

This map is awesome! Keep in mind that it uses census blocks not...

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 02:02:47 -0500

This map is awesome! Keep in mind that it uses census blocks not street blocks, and you’ll get a interesting glimpse into the economic development world that can revolve around CDBG and median incomes.

fastcompany:

Here’s an interactive map that shows the median income of every neighborhood in the U.S.

Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks is an interactive map showing the average income for every neighborhood in America. Type in your address, press search, and there you have it: Your city, shaded by income, according to data from an annual survey conducted by the Census Bureau. The greenest blocks—Census blocks, that is, not city blocks—signify the richest areas, typically bringing in an average household income of $100,000 or more a year. The reddest blocks are the poorest, with annual income somewhere around $20,000. All the rest get some shade of red or green, depending where they fall.

Check out the full story here.

Let's see how far we've come...

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:19:46 -0500

This short series of videos are my attempt at GIFs given limited technical resources (and even more limited amounts of patience).

1. I had this reaction when I first arrived in India and was wedged onto a bus of 70 sweaty bodies. Many of these bodies belonged to potbellied ladies with very limited spacial awareness (aka elbows to the neck and kidneys).

Now when I get on the bus…

Ok, not exactly…

2. Trying street food in my first week. I mosey up to the counter and consider my order…

BAM!!! Guys with creepy mustaches appear!

Now when I go out for lunch…(start at 29 seconds)

I’ll try to add a couple each day for the next few days. It’s amazing what happens when you live in India for over six months. Crazy is there.

reblogged from my pal Jin at edubhangra. She says (and I...

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:07:52 -0500

reblogged from my pal Jin at edubhangra.

She says (and I agree):

from krakatoa. hilariously accurate down to the ganesh stickers on the meter.

Rubies and gold and spices...

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 13:06:21 -0500

…are why the British claimed India for a while and stole its riches (at least that’s how I explained it to a teacherless VII Class that I visited). I know salt and mercantilism and whatever, but rubies and gold sounded more exciting!

India’s independence didn’t end the continued “borrowing” of India’s wealth by the West. Indian fabrics, jewelry, and designs have now become of the part of the “exotic” look sold in suburban malls and upscale boutiques.

I find this picture an interesting example of the East meets West continuum.

I think this is an interesting style choice(?) given that this photo was taken in a country which continues to be at the center of a debate on the free expression of religion. I am not to judge whether this young lady is Hindu or not, but the perception of this “stylish” bindi stands in contrast to the views of the strikingly “not-French” burqa seen in many growing neighborhoods in Paris. Please take a moment to read the comments on this photo then look up the latest news on immigration in France. Think on it and we can chat over chai (probably via skype).

Here’s another example of the Western fashion world combining with Indian traditions. I have to thank Emily from Voyage-On for sharing this video - it is a great example of the weaving and fabric traditions throughout India. Also, please note the ridiculous scenes in the textile factory…oh the lusty attraction of sweaty, overweight textile workers.

If you’re stilling looking for more Indian artistry please check out this article. The artist grew up in Hyderabad - yeah! - and has created amazing installation art in an attempt to bring contemporary art down from its elitist status.

Another organization working to making contemporary art accessible to students, teachers, and the Hyderabad community is the Daira Centre for Arts and Culture. They are supporting IDEX schools this year, and are going to host an exhibit of our students’ work! You’ll learn more about them as our exhibit date approaches. For now just remember that they are part of the Hyderabad art scene that is reaching out to students that have never stepped foot in an art gallery…exciting!

Signing Science

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 12:08:23 -0500

Signing Science:

This is awesome! I’ve noticed differences in sign languages around the world, but certain technical words (internet, megabytes, inertia, etc.) have been adopted worldwide. Perhaps science terms will connect us to a universal language which is constantly changing and expanding. Enjoy!

Interpreter Lydia Callis explains how sign language is being developed in ways that may enhance scientific learning and communication.

Whoa…an interesting perspective.

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:04:13 -0500

Whoa…an interesting perspective.

This video is the closest I can get to explaining why I travel....

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 13:18:08 -0500

This video is the closest I can get to explaining why I travel. Empty and winding streets, early mornings, surprised pigeons, familiar embraces after many weeks/months/years.

Snow Patrol - Open Your Eyes (by SnowPatrolVEVO)

Crowdmapping for an Improved Chennai

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:24:22 -0500

Crowdmapping for an Improved Chennai:

This is an excellent example of combining data collection with storytelling. Often the people behind the numbers get lost (or in the worst cases aggregated into groups with “meaning), and have little input on the final project. Excited to see where this work will lead for city - especially those in India!

Home of the Free...and Emotionless?

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 15:35:33 -0500

At a training today for women’s health and hygiene, I was reminded of one of the interesting American stereotypes that continues to shock me - emotional emptiness. I had joined volunteers and workers from wonderful organizations like VOICE, YouSee, Nirmaan and Sakala, then decided to stay behind to chat with these new acquaintances. When I mentioned that I needed to get back to my apartment to see if I could find some time to Skype with my family, the IT professionals I was chatting with looked surprised. I received the same reactions from teachers and staff after describing how much I miss my sister or how I need to return to the US so that my mom won’t be too upset.

Coming from the country that introduced the world to commercialized Christmases, McDonald’s, and Ke$ha, I understand that we can seem like materialistic automatons. I am also starting to understand how moving out of your parent’s home by the age of eighteen could seem a bit like familial abandonment (from the Indian perspective - I am NOT moving back in with the padres).

Thankfully, a less than scientific survey of emotions in over 150 countries proves otherwise. Based on daily emotional experiences the United States was ranked as one of the more emotional countries. As an American I am not surprised, but I think many of my Indian colleagues would disagree. India ranked a bit on the low end, but daily experiences tend to be fairly normalized when you are one in a billion. In the US we make romantic comedies, and believe we can have the fairy tales we see in high definition and surround sound. Bollywood movies rely on emotional escapism, and then release the audiences back to the reality of daily life. Americans feel emotions as (often oversharing) individuals, Indians feel emotions as members of families and communities. Americans are taught that our emotions matter from early childhood, and now we can update the world on our emotional status within seconds thanks to Twitter and Facebook. As social media expands, I could see the emotional “awareness” aka expressiveness of citizens increasing worldwide.

This stereotype of emotionless Americans has to have implications for foreign aid workers, international business professionals, and US diplomacy in general. Does a Peace Corps member’s work take hold in a community where they are seen as emotionally maladapted? Are international mergers welcomed in countries where new American management is stepping in to increase “efficiency”? Are American diplomats viewed with more or less skepticism than their seemingly emotionally competent peers from non-Western countries?

How do you convince the world that the US has a heart? Or does that even matter when we pride ourselves on hard work, punctuality, and success - all qualities relatively bereft of emotional attachment?

If I would have been thinking, I would have whipped out my sax...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:42:23 -0500

If I would have been thinking, I would have whipped out my sax at the Taj Mahal…

ovadiaandsons:

Louis Armstrong plays for his wife in Giza, 1961

I just really love this list. The people that have encouraged me...

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:11:54 -0500

I just really love this list. The people that have encouraged me to follow these rules are an invaluable part of my life. On this day of thanks, I’m thankful for the family, friends, and teachers that have challenged me to never stop learning. “Read anything you can get your hands on.” - thanks, Mom and Dad.

nprfreshair:

10 Rules for Students and Teachers (and Life) by John Cage and Sister Corita Kent.

You can listen to composer John Cage’s 1982 Fresh Air interview here.

Final Trip Update.

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:26:50 -0500

I think this is the end of the trip updates, but hopefully there will be more random adventures to add to this slightly disheveled blog.

Photo I forgot to add to the last update: The Water Palace in Jaipur (you can see, but can’t touch)

Ok…on to Jodhpur - the Blue City!! Jodhpur is an incredible maze of narrow streets, blue buildings, and cute little spice shops…fun times.

It was the coolest city I visited, but I also have a thing for winding streets and lassi.

Mehrangarh Fort - two seconds of the latest Batman movie were green-screened in front of this behemoth.

This is the room for an audience with royalty. So pretty.

View from the top of the fort…

And a picture of one of my travel buddies, Yasmin, if you don’t catch the theme yet.

Now that you have your blue fix, I’ll whisk you back to Delhi where we visited Qutub Minar.

(Fun fact: It’s very old, but people will still want their picture with you and not the series of 12th Century monuments)

So that basically wraps it up. The trip was great, the company wonderful, and I feel like now I can join in on the north vs. south discussions. During my whirlwind tour of the Golden Triangle, I realized that I generally enjoy living in the south.

The food may be more fattening and the mustaches less impressive, but Hyderabad is the India that I have accepted as my home for these ten months. Returning from the trip was tough, but once I had done a load of laundry I felt like I had found my nest. But this bird will have to spread its wings sometime soon…Kerala?