How to unlock the Intelligence, Passion, Greatness of Girls

Leymah Gbowee, a  Nobel Peace Prize Winner  shared her life and how did she 

used her own potentials by being an active and socially responsible citizen to bring

out girls potentials as well. 

"I am now on a journey to fulfill your wish in my time and capacity of little African girls. A wish of being educated, to set up a foundation that gives 4-year scholarship to all the villagers who has potentials."-Leymah Gbowee, 2012

Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxkxcsrveLw&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLOGi5-fAu8bEvGh0Tf_riVcOgvAU4FxJ3

How Technology Allowed Me to Read

Ron McCallum was born blind but in this talk (TED Talk), 

he showed how he became able to read through the use of technology. 

"Computers have changed the lives of the souls of the people around the world. But I think it changed the lives of the blind people than most of the other groups. Let me tell you the interaction between the computer-based adaptive technology and the many volunteers who helped me over the years to become the person I am today."- Ron McCallum, 2013

It's your turn to share to the world how technology or even modern technology helped you in any other way to become the person you are right now. 

Share it to us. Email your article to jojo_armenta@bcyfoundation.org. 

Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoTSdOkjEVs&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLOGi5-fAu8bGBdmcaxdD_lUZ1wXZhpccQ

How To Create a Facebook Group and Use it to your advantage

Times have changed and it indeed has changed the everyday routine of the choices we make. Not only has it managed to make our ways different, but also our progress. It has become so developed that almost everyone requires it to get the job done. It has reached to the point where it has now become a necessity... Well, at least to the majority... The Working Majority. Examples of these necessities are mobile phones, e-mails and of course, computers. Lots of businesses or works obviously rely on communication and inevitably demand the latest or the modern way of communicating when they're not face front with each other. Besides that it spares you from meeting up every now and then with a lot jeopardize, especially your safety, it also saves us time. Using the examples as tools to get the job done is extremely recommended whether you'd work alone or not, but especially, if not. Working in a group really takes up time especially because of the decisions to be made. Usually, it's better to make decisions with your group when you're all facing each other personally, but that’s not always possible. That's where online work groups are very convenient, useful and efficient. Online groups can be created in almost all networking sites and e-mail enabling sites, but it is recommendable to have it done with the common and user-friendly sites. A good example is Facebook. With the site’s popularity and its increasing number of users and other network clients, a lot has taken advantage of its features and functions with getting their jobs done and easier at that. With that given, here's how to create a Facebook group and use it to your advantage.

     To jump start, log in to your Facebook account and as soon as you get in, focus on the left-hand portion of your news feed and look for the Groups section. At its bottom, you’ll be able to see the “Create Group” option and go with that option. 

      Enter the group name you want or what you and your co-workers/group mates have agreed upon. After that, you are now to add your members to the group. Do that by simply typing their names with the correct capitalization so that Facebook can help you in choosing.

       Upon adding all the group members to the group, the next step is to choose whether your group is an open, closed or secret group. Choose Open if you want anyone to see your group, including its posts, members and information. In addition, anyone can join without the administrator’s permission. The Closed option enables the public to see the group and its members only. They will be required to ask permission to join if they ever want to join. Closed option is more professional or recommended, though not too secure. The most secured option from the public is Secret. This option restricts anyone who is not included in the group to see the posts neither its members. Neither can they also ask permission to join, if somehow they ever manage to find the group under the option of Secret. Even so, the administrator or the appointed administrator/s is/are the only ones who can add members to the group.

        The Facebook Group has many features and it functions well and sides with convenience a lot. You don’t even have to log in to your email to send Document files or PowerPoint Presentations and such. Facebook Group gives you the advantage of simply posting it to the group and commonly uploads the content in a jiff.

    From writing a post to posting a file, it has been made simple and possible by Facebook Group. If you want to post whatever format your file is in, All you have to do is select the options present in the picture, choose the desired file to be posted and click “Post” and voila, done!

       It doesn’t end there. You also have the advantage of chatting with your co-workers/group mates all at once. If you ever have anything to propose or just plainly brainstorm with others on the confines of your house, all you have to do is to access the group settings menu (The gear symbol in the upper right corner of the page) and pick “Send Message” and a sub-window will open up. It is to prepare for the group chat where you have the option to choose who will be included in the group chat. As soon as you decide, click “Start Chat” to initiate the talk.  

      To some, they do not require these options to get the job done but we have to admit that in these situations, we need it, especially if we want to save time. Though as good as it can be, we should maintain equilibrium between relying on these “tools” and what we can do when we are given the chance to face each other up front and close. Commonly these “tools” are only used to prepare and it is indeed a good one, but take note, the preparation will not always revolve around these “tools”.

Contributed by: Jan Miranda

HOW TO DEAL WITH CYBER BULLIES

            We all naturally thought of bullies as someone to be afraid and insecure of. Dealing with them isn't as easy as they would to you, because of course, the bully's probably on a one-path state of mind on taking advantage of you. We thought we've got ourselves away from bullies inside the confines of the internet, and you probably guessed it already. We didn't. The internet is also inhabited by threatening bullies, and not only your ordinary neighbor/school bully. These people can form threats to your identity, accounts, and a lot more if we don't keep caution. The worst part is, anyone can be a social media bully, even a physically defenseless kid can, that is, if they have complicated capabilities of hacking. But for those with the common extent of threatening through the user-friendly way like through communication, blackmail and so on, these are the people we need to worry about especially that we're not too big YET to be even considered as victims of hackers if ever, as they aren't considered as social media bullies, but more of highly-skilled thieves with unbelievable stealth entering your houses in the middle of the night, while you're sound asleep. Given the inevitability of their arrival in your sight like school bullies, here’s how to handle those social media bullies.

ON INSULTS

        The common type of bullying that can be found in social networking sites. Even outside the internet, it's known as one of the basics of bullying, and critically effective. With just words, big changes can occur to people and even the way they decide and their state of mind. We can remedy this by plainly ignoring the one that insults. Usually, ignoring them would make them look more stupid and it turns out that they ended up insulting themselves by wasting time. Though if we just can't handle it, we can actually ignore them in many ways. We can log out of whatever social media we're in, or if you think that the bully can never be utilized by you in the future, there is always an option to terminate both your connections with each other or just simply block them. Though as much as possible, try not to fight back, since it causes more trouble on your part and they usually return once they know you respond to their unconscious attempts to have unaccredited and unnecessary social merit or self satisfaction (because they probably didn't get what they want in something particular or general). As Robert J. Sawyer said in his book "Calculating God", "Learning to ignore is one of the great paths to inner peace."

WHEN THEY'RE THREATENING YOU

    The common threats bullies have within their reach are usually blackmail and the classic threat of inviting someone to have an up-front fight with. The solution to the up-front fight threat is to ignore it or for both threats, it's best to talk to someone you trust about it. Recommended people to talk to for this situation are your parents, relatives or your best friend/s. This helps you gain guidance before you can ever make any rash decisions that you'll probably regret upon doing so. But most of all, it helps. It helps you ease out the pressure and trouble, and it opens up a lot of options and the support you receive will increase your confidence or at least decrease your worries. Then, try formulating a plan, as much as possible a flawless one, and make sure it includes a good part of legal authority, if ever you want to be sure. Though if so ever they succeed, especially in the blackmailing threat in social media, like for example, posting a picture that is very critical to your reputation or spilling information from you that you did not want to expose and so on, we always have the option in social networking sites to report it as abuse. Or if you think that's not enough, you can always confront the bully up front with proper authorities or guardians and ask the bully personally to take the post down without using any physical force as this would be better in most situations.

    All the probable solutions to cyber bullying are usually not needed if we were to prevent it. Being a victim of cyber bullying isn't as inevitable as the up-front bullying because in the platform of the internet and the utilization of freedom of speech with various uncountable crowds who sides with whoever they think appeals most to them, we all become equal in the platform, unlike up-front, we are detained by our limited capabilities, and words aren't as concrete as actions to the commoners. That's why prevention or caution should be a priority upon entering social media. In social media, there are user-friendly settings that give us the option to limit our audience. This is of utmost concern because it can strengthen your security, information and especially your identity and reputation. As the very famous quote by Desiderius Erasmus continues its unending relevance to a lot of situations, "Prevention is better than cure", it never fails to remind us of the significance of prevention, unless our recklessness is more dominant and we have to learn its significance by finding the cure.

Photo source: http://www.sidedooryk.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Cyber-Bullying-Photo.jpg

Contributed by: Jan Miranda

How to Present Good Internet Etiquette

        

To our generation's progress, the use of internet has and is continuously becoming a tool for everyone to make their jobs easier which upholds how reliable it can be as nowadays, we DO rely on it. How though? We use it to transport or share information, our higher-ups require it for the job to do, we use it to connect with our family, friends and even to keep in touch with what's happening in just a form of a click. It's not as simple as it sounds though, because just like our system outside the internet, we must follow certain behaviors and laws to keep it real, civilized and a good environment. And probably, at least knowing the basics would help you determine right from wrong which can help you avoid breaking laws or offending people more evidently, in other words, etiquette. Here's how to present good etiquette in the Internet.

On what you want to say

       We must always remember that each and every one of us internet users have very different points of views, religions, principles and beliefs. So watching your words would be the best start to maintain etiquette. But It is quite understandable that you must not only be the one to adjust, because, who are others to constrain you from what you want to do? Here are some tips to do it properly.

·       Post advisories or pre-cautions, a warning so that you can limit your audience.

·       Be general, open awareness on your motive and make sure it is rational and not one-sided.

·       DO NOT state or attack anything about what you don't know especially if it pertains or is a potential conflict to other people's views, beliefs especially on religion and race.

·       Evaluate if it is appropriate and always raise awareness of its relevance.

Respect Copyright laws and cite your sources

            This is definitely a must, especially when working on research, thesis’s, publications, etc. It is wrong in many ways to take information or works of others in to your use especially without giving it recognition or citing the sources, having no permission from the owner for your usage and of course, disgracefully claiming it to be yours. This crime is called Plagiarism. Generally, one must always cite the source/s if they are to use it, if asking permission is too much trouble. Though Plagiarism might be a broad topic to take on, maybe the punishments for committing the crime can alert you.

From www.plagiarism.org :

        "Most cases of plagiarism are considered misdemeanors, punishable by fines of anywhere between $100 and $50,000 -- and up to one year in jail.

Plagiarism can also be considered a felony under certain state and federal laws. For example, if a plagiarist copies and earns more than $2,500 from copyrighted material, he or she may face up to $250,000 in fines and up to ten years in jail."

        

            Not only have you violated the law if ever, but you have also disrespected the author or the creator of the information you have taken for your use without citing.

Be Professional            

         We're all getting older and older as each day goes by and in time, being immature despite your age of capability will continue to disregard irrational excuses. And even so, we are all being evaluated by our higher-ups, professors, bosses and such. That's why we must always be professional, even in the cyber world, where it is mostly required for most jobs in the whole world now. To keep up at least basically, here are some tips.

·   We must respect the confidentiality of the information given to us by whomever.

·   It has been given to us because there is a somewhat trust invested by the giver, whatever motive might have pushed them to do so.

·   As a good recommendation, as much as possible we must be impulsive in protecting or being confidential on our information, the information given to us and as a consideration, even the information of possible threat that can lead to a mess.

·   On sending requirements, information, e-mails and anything business related,

·   Respect and obey the requirements or formats to be followed

·   Have your work or paper format to be comprehensible; generally, black font on white space, appropriate font sizes and sufficient spacing.

·   Of course, avoid profanity.

·   Leave any forms of your contact so that you can be kept in touch for feedback or requests ONLY IF the one you're giving it to is trusted, academically related, related and in the confines of your job or requirements, legitimate and has legitimate identification to increase your security.

Be polite and nice

           Definitely a root of anything positive, being nice and polite is the most recommendable manner to be in when in the internet or not. This makes others think of you as accommodating and would inquire what they really want to know especially when it pertains to business. It creates a very positive character and reputation and would definitely help you avoid trouble. This also includes not being profane in expressing yourself and using the common good manners that have been taught to us in our young years.

Internet phrase shortcuts

        To cope up with the trends or better yet, to understand it, here are some common acronyms that users often utilize:

·         LOL- Laugh Out Loud                         

·         AFK- Away From Keyboard

·         BRB- Be Right Back

·         BTW- By the Way

·         K- Okay

·         B/C- Because

·         NVM- Nevermind

·         TC- Take Care

                   These are only some of them, but it is better only to understand them and not to use it because really, not everyone can.

These indeed are instructions to follow proper internet etiquette but with further practice for this, it can lead up to a great change for the better, especially if everyone would participate. For the least, it could be of the welfare of the cyber world, but it must not always be in the cyber world. We are capable of creating great significances, and yes, the internet may be an excellent example for that but there is certainly a greater extent that can seer over our attachments to the contemporary products we have created with our hands.

Photo Sources

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/andresr/andresr1206/andresr120600637/14131063-group-of-young-people-studying-online-with-computers.jpg

Contributed by: By Jan Miranda, August 2013

          

     

              

How To Share With Security

The internet is a brilliant proof of mankind's progress pertaining to communication, data transporting, business, etc. With its capabilities that are open to all of us who can access it, we find ourselves in an endless stream of entertainment, knowledge of all sorts, news and a whole lot more. Basically, it has made a lot of things easier for us in a lot of ways especially in our work. Though it is not only for work, if you look at it in common way, the entertainment that it showcases would be more extremely visible rather than other of its uses. It certainly does create the sufficient attraction enough for people to check it out and eventually become hooked by what it can give you. 

Examples of entertainment in the internet are the Social Networking sites. Social Networking sites enable you to share what you want to share in the form of textual publications, pictures, videos and a lot even use it for business. Though mainly, Social Networking sites are focused more on connecting with your family, friends, acquaintances and whatever you'd want to call your companions. Such networking sites are commonly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Due to their popularity, user-population and user-friendly access, they have drawn lots of attention in making them common choices for sharing what the people want to share. Though as fun and convenient as it sounds, we forget that this kind of attraction can jeopardize your safety from stalkers.  

             We all know how stalkers can be dangerous using the information they can take from us. Take Rema Begum, for instance, a former British library manager who committed suicide by jumping off the rooftop of London restaurant, Coq d’Argent, after she fell victim from a Facebook stalker who exposed her information to her Muslim parents and sparked a hate campaign against her. She was diagnosed with depression after the series of unfortunate events the stalker had mainly caused for her. (For more about the Begum story: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/victim-of-facebook-stalker-leapt-to-her-death-from-rooftop-restaurant-8411929.html )

              We should all take the warnings that stalker victims didn’t see in the first place. The misfortunate events linked by their carelessness can definitely corrupt or misguide the choices they are about to make especially in the case of Miss Rema Begum. But for the benefits of the others, the victims have unconsciously or unknowingly spared us the unfortunate outcomes if we ever let our guard down in the internet. But we can’t blame ourselves from what we want to do, as it is our choice if we want to share or send something to someone or others to either make our jobs easier or for the sake of reliving memories no matter the level of its importance. We must always be cautious and by that, this is how to share with security in social networking sites.

                     

In no surprise, Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the internet according to various websites like the reliable eBizMBA, but it is also dangerous due to its population. Here are some certain steps to making your stay more secure.

·         Click the gear icon (settings) and click privacy settings

and choose "who can see my future posts" and limit to

friends only, or if you want to, you can choose to limit it to yourself

by choosing "only me"

·         In accepting your friend requests, try your best to pay attention to

the site's warning. In the case of other people who are attracted to

strangers because of their display pictures, be warned that some people

are not who they claim themselves to be in their pictures.

·         Besides relying on the settings of a social networking site or anything  that will do your protecting for you, we must of course snap out of the temporary indolence pulling us down against to do what's necessary, maybe it's time we limit our sharing by determining if it's really necessary or not. But if we just can't, out of whatever reasons, at least try to be general especially in informing others about your location.

And besides, sometimes people just don't care, unless you're somewhat popular, that is.

Speaking of location and statuses, there is a certain social networking site that is undoubtedly popular with its population continuing to increase. This site is Twitter, iconic as it is for its convenience of spreading or sharing information. Unlike Facebook, a lot of politicians, celebrities, personalities and a lot more are open to share what they want to share, though its convenience is not only a perk but of course a disadvantage especially in terms of location and its user's personal sensitivity.

·         First off, to secure yourself from strangers or having potential threat from your followers (The ones who have access to your tweets or your textual publications) go to settings, again with the gear icon, and choose "protect your tweets". This will automatically have the people who want to follow you ask for your approval, or in other words, serves as a filter. Because originally, your profile won't be protected and would be up to you if you want to protect it or not, which I suggest you do

.

·         Now just because your tweets are protected doesn't mean you can flexibly tweet about everything you think, especially when they are offensive because this can make you have enemies that can affect

your social life depending on whether they take action or not unto you.

Yes, this is against the freedom of speech we have in certain places, but we must always be sensitive enough of the ones who have access to what we say because anyone can be offended with what we say. SO sometimes, it's best to be silent and do only what's generally necessary and right. In this case, instead of ranting, go with connecting with your friends properly, using the site’s convenience better.

Finally, the rapid growing mobile social media site that is focused on sharing photos and just recently, a maximum of a 16-second video, that can attach retro-vintage filters to your pictures or videos, Instagram. And upon uploading a picture or a video, it enables a location service where you have the choice to include where you are. Though this is a bit risky, especially when you immediately upload your content the minute you just took it. Stalkers can easily determine where you are, of course. That's why 

it's best to keep the location off not just in Instagram but in the other social networking sites as well.

·         To turn off your location services, simply go to your mobile phone's settings and choose privacy and turn off the location services. Here's an example on the iPhone.

           It's important to be wary of this because according to local news show, Saksi, there are invisible information that stalkers can attain without us knowing it, especially when there are tools available in the internet that enable them to do so. When we post at least a photo, it invisibly has the Resolution, the camera used, time taken, date taken and location, when not turned off. These are called Metadata. To view full report, go here: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/173628/saksi/lokasyon-ng-isang-social-media-user-maaaring-makuha-mula-sa-mga-ina-upload-na-litrato

             Knowing about the dangers of the cyber world particularly in some of the most popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, we should wake up thinking that just because we are in the confines of our house or our face in front of our mobile phones doesn't mean we are completely safe. Of course it takes time for our unknown or known adversaries to take action, but we should expect that it's not going to be pretty. Remember that these altered settings are not the ones who will do ALL the work for you in protecting your information or reputation. We must be alert in everything we choose to publicize and always question ourselves before doing something however right or wrong it is; “is this really necessary?”

Contributed by: Jan Miranda

PHOTO SOURCES:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02336/Facebook_2336015b.jpg

http://img.labnol.org/di/kids_computer.jpg

http://asburyandasbury.typepad.com/.a/6a010535893544970c017d3ef41caa970c-800wi

(Other pictures were made)