Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Book Review)

I rarely say this about any book, and think I've only done it once before, for Night by Elie Wiesel, but Half the Sky is one of those books that everyone should read.

It's both an unflinching and brave piece of journalism that reveals the widespread plight of women in the developing world (even in this day and age), and a clear call for change through awareness and action.

The authors present their case by focusing on some of the major problems facing millions of women worldwide, including sex trafficking, sexual violence and rape, and maternal mortality. Then, they look at the solutions that are having the greatest positive impact, especially girls education, access to healthcare, and microfinance.

There's a lot to take away from Half the Sky, but perhaps the most memorable point is how uplifting and educating women in countries where they have been traditionally held down can begin to transform the country's entire society -- economically, socially, and even politically. The best proofs of this come from East Asia, which has prospered in recent decades by educating females and incorporating them in the workforce in ways that haven't been present in other parts of the developing world.

The book concludes by providing additional information for learning more and helping.

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When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work

I recently contributed an article to Information Outlook, the online magazine of the Special Libraries Association (SLA). The title is "When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work", and it's about how new networking tools enable us to cultivate workplace connections with people we rarely (or never) see but who can help us in important ways. Download the article as a PDF or read the web version below. When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work (PDF) When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work If you’re not sure who the weak ties are in your social network, look at the contacts on your phone. Chances are, there are some people in your contacts list you don’t call (much less see) on a regular basis, but you find it useful to keep them listed for those occasions when you do need to contact them. Perhaps your doctor, babysitter, mechanic, or accountant fits this description. If you use a social network like LinkedIn or Twitter professionally, you will have even mo

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As a culture, we strive for personal transformation. Whether it's eating better and getting fit, redefining our professional value proposition through training and education, or simply trying to be kinder and gentler, we're constantly reinventing who we are and what we can do. We may not be successful all the time, or achieve breakthroughs like those featured on The Biggest Loser or facilitated by Tony Robbins , but millions of people successfully transform and reinvent themselves every year. Unfortunately, the very organizations where we work generally do not do the same. As Saul Kaplan elaborates in The Business Model Innovation Factory , most organizations struggle to transform from their core, initial business models and tend to become stagnant and vulnerable to disruptive competitors. The example Kaplan leads with is Blockbuster, which for a time owned the brick and mortar video and DVD rental space, until they were "netflixed" by a disruptive competitor (

Electric Snow Blower?

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