Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 18, 2019

On February 16th in Los Altos, California, I shared these thoughts on Robin Seaman’s impact on the world with her family and friends at her Celebration of Life. Robin was beloved by the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who had the honor of coming into direct contact with her. That's the Robin we all collectively know personally.

eBook 100

eBook United States Literacy Library 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 13, 2008

I am on the board of the Zerodivide Foundation, which is an extremely cool foundation serving the underserved of California with technology. We work to transform California communities and the lives of the people who live in them. We're seeking new board members. ZeroDivide's Board of Directors has 15 members.

San Francisco 100

San Francisco California Philanthropy Director 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 22, 2013

There was tremendous optimism about the value of training engineers and scientists and how that would benefit all of humanity, especially in the southern California of a century ago which was reshaped through the wonders of technology.

Syria 196

Syria Guatemala Open Source Lecture 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 23, 2009

One of the coolest meetings was with Under Secretary of Education, Martha Kanter, who headed our local community college here in California before getting the appointment. as well as meeting with our Bookshare funders at the Department of Education.

Accessibility 150

Accessibility Content Open Copyright 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 22, 2006

A great example of what technology can do when it is designed with people at its center is the new website: Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California. I ran into the guy who runs it, Bryon MacDonald of World Institute on Disability, at a recent event of the Community Technology Foundation of California.

Benefit 100

Benefit California Org Language 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 18, 2008

Starting a for-profit in California took me one or two weeks, and I think it's still that fast. Setting up as a nonprofit is not easy. But, setting up a nonprofit and getting 501(c)(3) status can take a year or more and cost ten or twenty thousand dollars (unless you get pro bono legal help).

Resource 123

Resource San Francisco New York Sponsor 123

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 11, 2010

After several days of training in Chennai and through Skype with me in California and the Worth Trust team in Chennai they started off with 30 books a month. For the employees English is not their first language and for some it was not the medium of instruction. However that did not stop them from trying, learning and working hard.

Skype 168

Skype India California Chart 168

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 22, 2006

The link for my session is here, and the webcast is at 1 pm California time. And of course, accessibility means better access for more people! For those interested in attending this webcast, there's a page called How do I view a WUD webcast?

California 100

California Accessibility Course Conference 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 15, 2010

* How my excessive flying on one airline leads to great service and lots of free upgrades to business class * The wonders of frequent flier programs, where the airline goes out of its way to take care of its best customers, even those who are always picking the cheapest fares possible * How I got out of Heathrow on the first California-bound flight (..)

Tips 124

Tips Social New York City New York 124

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 8, 2007

And, the fraudsters don't want you to send checks to our main (and only) office here at 480 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306 USA. Apparently some people have received fake checks purporting to be from Benetech and requesting money in exchange for "taxes." These checks (to you) will bounce, and are not from us. This is fraud.

Grant 100

Grant California Contact Course 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 15, 2007

I'm flying to southern California tomorrow, and have been packing for the trip. I remember back seven years, when I first met Jed Emerson and he told me that I was a social entrepreneur, but that a bunch of them were meeting for a "Gathering." That meeting in Miami was a landmark event for me.

Long Beach 100

Long Beach Miami California Fun 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 22, 2004

I am delighted that our Martus Senior Product Manager, Marc Levine, has been chosen as a ZeroDivide Fellow by the Community Technology Foundation of California (CTFC). It is definitely exciting, and brings a closer connection between the technology leaders in the social sector here in California and Benetech.

California 100

California News Foundation Product 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 8, 2006

C·A·R) in January, here in Palo Alto, California. Route 66 Literacy began its first beta at Community Association for Rehabilitation, Inc.

Literacy 100

Literacy California Press Children 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 18, 2007

This op ed was derived from remarks I made to the California Emerging Technology Fund's Roundtable recently. Just published my first op ed on the raising the floor concept yesterday in the Sacramento Bee, Everyone deserves access to technology, online world , co-authored with Prof. Gregg Vanderheiden.

Sacramento 100

Sacramento Raise California Sound 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 2, 2012

The event was hosted by Google on its campus in Mountain View, California, which is home to some of the most cutting edge technologists in the world. Betsy Beaumon, Benetech VP and General Manager of Bookshare During the event, our Bookshare staff offered demos of our Bookshare library and our Go Read accessible ebook reader for Android.

Celebrate 145

Celebrate Google Literacy Library 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 3, 2006

I just got back last night from an SEA board meeting in Long Beach, California, where the next annual meeting will be held. The SER is one of the leading publications in the social enterprise field, and I think it's now one of the membership benefits of joining the Social Enterprise Alliance. Should be a great event (April 17-19, 2007).

Tech 100

Tech Long Beach Build Social 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 16, 2008

It reminded me of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California, and it reminds other of Diamond Head in Hawaii. Could definitely make you think! From our hotel balcony we could see Sokehs Island, which has a giant pinnacle of stone at the end of it. Impressive piece of rock.

Hawaii 100

Hawaii California National Site 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 7, 2010

Last spring, I had a chance to visit “The Mother Ship,” Bookshare’s main office at the Palo Alto, California headquarters of Benetech, Bookshare’s parent nonprofit. Most of the books I work with are books requested by students and titles from the New York Times (NYT) bestsellers list.

Community 129

Community Files Student Language 129

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 28, 2007

If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please call the Center or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY-California Relay) at least 48 hours prior to the event. For further information call the Center for Science, Technology and Society, Santa Clara University, (408) 551-6027, or email sdale@scu.edu.

Change 100

Change Work University California 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 8, 2011

A lengthy broadcast segment, “To Combat Human Rights Abuses, California Company Looks to Computer Code,” noted that Benetech's Martus software is used to secure sensitive human rights data such as the type of information about abuses that have recently been documented in the Middle East.

Guatemala 159

Guatemala Literacy Qatar Open Source 159

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After her surgery, Viji left her job at the startup company Net6 and volunteered for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic in Palo Alto, California. I wanted to give back to society, to help people who didn’t have vision with their education so that they could become economically and socially independent."

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San Jose Profile India United Kingdom 109

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 26, 2008

They have a state-back monopoly, and they would pay over $1000 a month for a connection that is not as fast as my home DSL line in California for $25. The roads were in a terrible state: you usually travel at 5 miles per hour, dodging the largest potholes. Internet is really expensive.

California 100

California Green Internet Children 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

I mean, the Nike shop and the camera shop had the same products and same prices as I'd expect to pay at a mall in California. The products and prices seemed similar to what I'd see in the United States. In addition to the products and brands I knew, there were quite a number of China-specific brands (like 361 degrees and Sept Wolves).

China 100

China San Francisco United States Europe 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 15, 2005

I was just at the Council on Foundations meeting in San Diego, courtesy of one of our funders (and generally cool people) , the Community Technology Foundation of California. We had a session on the applications of information technology to helping communities of color.

San Diego 100

San Diego California Grant Application 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 5, 2005

Near-term travel plans for this month include: Council on Foundations Annual Conference Wealth and Giving Forum in Greenbrier, WV Sixth Gathering of the Social Enterprise Alliance in Milwaukee, WI Bridging the Divide 2005 The University of California, Berkeley

Milwaukee 100

Milwaukee California University Conference 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 22, 2010

I got to the airport, talked my way onto the first California-bound flight on American Airlines, and then tweeted about how I did it (andf that there were empty seats) to the rest of the world, but especially my Skoll Forum community.

Twitter 118

Twitter SWF Social Media Literacy 118

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 30, 2006

Friday, November 17, 1PM – 4PM Faculty Club (Seaborg Room), University of California, Berkeley How do I RSVP? Further dates and details about the competition can be found at [link] When and Where is the Event? Please send an email to Jesse Purewal (jsp311@gmail.com) by October 27th.

Global 100

Global San Francisco Social Student 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 27, 2006

Although we're located a mile apart in California, I'll probably get more face-time here in Oxford because we're all sheltered from the pressures of normal office obligations. This was a big highlight last year, and one of the main reasons I come to events like this. Second, I get to spend time with the Skoll Foundation team.

California 100

California Student Business Foundation 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

As the most internationally engaged library for people with disabilities, we’re trying to find funding and partnerships to help bring both Bookshare’s collection and technology to bear on this problem.

Accessibility 247

Accessibility License Copyright Library 247

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 20, 2008

Like most of the schools we saw, this one reminded me of schools in California. The first school was Sokehs Powe School, which is on Sokehs Island next to the incredible rock pinnacle I mentioned in an earlier blog. The picture from above shows its site: it's on the waterfront across the main harbor.

Micronesia 100

Micronesia Classroom Language Student 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 23, 2005

It's been a sunny warm day in California, and it takes a bit of thought to get ready for the snow. So, expect my posts on the BeneBlog to be a little more frequent as I post these. Here's my first Forumblog.org post: Packing up. I've inserted it below: Just packing my bags and getting ready to head Davos-ward.

Literacy 100

Literacy California Blogger Problem 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 8, 2004

I'll post more stories and ideas from my trip to Africa as I get back into the California swing of things! I usually doze off when politicians start their pre-programmed speeches: Chissano was riveting and real. Chissano Urges World to Note Positive Changes in Africa.

Mozambique 100

Mozambique Africa California Story 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 9, 2007

Although it was October, the weather was even nicer than California. On my visit to the UK last month to launch International Bookshare.org (check out www.bookshare.org.uk as an inital example), Kevin Carey of HumanITy invited Hiroshi Kawamura, the new President of the DAISY Consortium and me to lunch on Brighton beach.

Second Life 100

Second Life Avatar Asia Life 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 26, 2004

Reminds me of some universities in California in terms of climate and feel. Looking forward to when that report gets issued. I spent some time yesterday at the University of Pretoria, talking about both disability technology and human rights.

Sierra Leone 100

Sierra Leone South Africa Africa California 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 8, 2008

Guam has special building codes for typhoons, kind of like California's earthquake-inspired building codes. I couldn't find out much about them, other than that they were relatively recently wrecked (don't know if that means ten years ago or thirty). Apparently, typhoons are a big deal in Micronesia.

Micronesia 100

Micronesia Reflection Guam Marshall Islands 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 24, 2006

His social entrepreneurial effort is making plastic toilets (Porta-potties in California parlance) and providing them to unemployed widows and youth to create jobs. One measure is that there are at least fifteen people with whom I have a specific follow-up task to pursue (I'll start on those right after this blog!).

China 100

China Nigeria India Skype 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 20, 2004

Perhaps I knew this all intellectually, but personally experiencing the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in southern Africa was simply different from the California experience. A tough one was proving that she was actually alive (people were convinced she was dead and that she had to be her sister when they met her).

Mozambique 100

Mozambique South Africa Africa NGO 100