So much to do, so little time...

Well, everyone is really far behind, so I guess it's time for an update.

I'm currently working for CORMP at the Center for Marine Science, an institution of UNCW. I'm writing software for a new monitoring station that will be anchored close to Johnny Mercer's Pier at Wrightsville beach. I'll spare you the details of the project, but comment that it is really cool to work with devices instead of just software. The device I'm working with is like a minature computer, and I am writing code to control it, and use it to control all the other instruments on the monitoring station. At some point in the future you will be able to see the data coming from that station real time at CORMP's website.

In philanthropic land, there is much to report. I'm finally fully on board with the Full Belly Project. If you don't already know about it, check out their soon to be completely redone website at http://www.fullbellyproject.org. I'm their new webmaster among other roles. I will be doing their website which will involve setting web-enabled project management software, email list serves, and a major news system with blogs for all members. I am also on the research committee, which means a learn and convey to the group information about various things relating to the project. I will also be working with Jock (invented the peanut sheller) to create peanut shellers. I'm really excited because I think the project is going to be very successful, and I now have an integral role in the organization.

We are expecting some major money and support from the concrete industry in the next couple of months, and we already made an agreement with FedEx for free shipping of 2 machines per month to Africa. Isn't that awesome?

Other than that, I'm still trying to finish up all the leftovers from last semester. I may yet have to drop the honors project. I have debated what to do with it for months, and I just don't think I'll have the time to finish it. We'll see what happens. Either way, I'll be doing another honors project for Political Science, probably related to the Full Belly Project.

Evie and I are getting ready to go to Hanging Rock for 5 days, it should be really fun. I'll be sure to post lots of pics when I get back.

Peace and Compassion to you all.

Wake up call

Hello all, I hope your summer is going well and allowing some well earned relaxation. In a recent update on the situation in Darfur, a read a couple lines of text that really hit me hard. They follow:

"Now, there are growing fears that Darfur's struggle may join the list of long, intractable conflicts on the African continent, including northern Uganda's 19-year war and Burundi's 12-year civil war, in which sporadic fighting has continued despite several peace plans." -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/16/AR2005051601315.html
I would suggest checking out that article, but that is not why I'm writing you today. I'm writing, because I have been following the global situation for several months now and I'm alarmed at the number of people that do not know what is going on.

There are currently civil wars raging all over the planet, from South American, to Africa, to Asia. Even in some of the poorest countries in the world, in fact usually in the poorest countries in the world, war is a daily way of living. I recently saw a picture of a group of Maoist insurgents in Nepal, and it was ironically frightening. In the midst of an average village in Nepal of mud huts with thatch roofs and dirt streets, there is this assembly of soldiers that are well dressed and well armed. Order within chaos always strikes one, but when that order is the face of a killing force, it is all the more alarming. Don't get me wrong, the Maoist's are not exactly the bad guys. Nepal is one of those situations where both sides are fighting for what they believe in, so it is hard to judge what to do. On the one hand you have King Gyanendra and his well known human rights violating and oppressive monarchy, and on the other hand you have a rebel force that will stop at nothing to overthrow him. Who is right? Who should be in power? How can we help?

Those are all great questions, and I hope that some of them occur to you. However, I'm also aware that they are often followed by statements like "there is nothing we can do" and "its not my problem". That second statement is the one that REALLY scares me. Previously I didn't understand how people could think that way, but since 9/11/2001, I think that form of apathy is dangerous. When are we all going to wake up and realize that these countries throughout the world DO effect our every day lives, from the gas we put in our car, to the clothes we buy at Wal-Mart?

So what do I want from you? You have all committed at some level to protect human rights, wherever they may be in danger. Part of that fight is being knowledgeable about your world, and sharing that knowledge with others. You don't have to start a yelling match with your friends for shopping at Wal-Mart, but you can pass along simple knowledge. For instance, did you know that Citgo gets most of its gasoline from Venezuela? That is a South American country that is NOT affiliated with the middle east in any way, and especially not OPEC. So you can protect human rights by filling up at Citgo. That took 5 minutes of reading, but imagine the impact it could have if everyone I told, told their friends, and so forth!

Sometimes it seems frustrating trying to protect something that is being violated all over the world, but as Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." For those of you that want to go that extra step, I recommend reading:
The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach & the Experience by 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai (ISBN 1-59056-040-X)
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=159056040X&pdf=y

It is an inspiring and highly informative book, explaining the movement that Wangari began in Kenya, Africa. The movement has helped end starvation, disease, and war, by preventing deforestation and desertification. How did they do it? The group has planted nearly 30,000,000 trees. The book shows the power of a simple grass roots movement, and has great advise on how to make one successful. And since the author one a Nobel Prize, I think she knows what she is talking about.

DO SOMETHING

Peace and Compassion to you all,
Sean

The last entry.

I'm moving my blog to my new website at www.seanwatson.com so this will be my last entry here. Why am I doing this? Now that my life has headed in a new direction, it makes more sense to have my blog combined with my personal website. Previously I didn't do that because my personal views on things could be detrimental to my website, such as when potential employers looked at it. But now that I'm on a career track more in line with my life in general, that is no longer a problem. I don't have to worry about Fortune 500 companies looking at blog entries and saying, "We don't need that guy working for us!" From this point forward, my personal thoughts about the world in general will be what my potential employers WANT to see. Therefore, I'm combining my blog and my website.

In addition, I'm going to quit sending so many emails about taking action, and now I will be posting them on my website instead. We'll see how the new format works and go from there. So check out the new site at www.seanwatson.com and let me know what you think.

Peace and Compassion to you all.

Wakeup Call

Hello all, I hope your summer is going well and allowing some well earned relaxation. In a recent update on the situation in Darfur, a read a couple lines of text that really hit me hard. They follow:

"Now, there are growing fears that Darfur's struggle may join the list of long, intractable conflicts on the African continent, including northern Uganda's 19-year war and Burundi's 12-year civil war, in which sporadic fighting has continued despite several peace plans." -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/16/AR2005051601315.html

I would suggest checking out that article, but that is not why I'm writing you today. I'm writing, because I have been following the global situation for several months now and I'm alarmed at the number of people that do not know what is going on.

There are currently civil wars raging all over the planet, from South American, to Africa, to Asia. Even in some of the poorest countries in the world, in fact usually in the poorest countries in the world, war is a daily way of living. I recently saw a picture of a group of Maoist insurgents in Nepal, and it was ironically frightening. In the midst of an average village in Nepal of mud huts with thatch roofs and dirt streets, there is this assembly of soldiers that are well dressed and well armed. Order within chaos always strikes one, but when that order is the face of a killing force, it is all the more alarming. Don't get me wrong, the Maoist's are not exactly the bad guys. Nepal is one of those situations where both sides are fighting for what they believe in, so it is hard to judge what to do. On the one hand you have King Gyanendra and his well known human rights violating and oppressive monarchy, and on the other hand you have a rebel force that will stop at nothing to overthrow him. Who is right? Who should be in power? How can we help?

Those are all great questions, and I hope that some of them occur to you. However, I'm also aware that they are often followed by statements like "there is nothing we can do" and "its not my problem". That second statement is the one that REALLY scares me. Previously I didn't understand how people could think that way, but since 9/11/2001, I think its obvious that form of apathy is dangerous. When are we all going to wake up and realize that these countries throughout the world DO effect our every day lives, from the gas we put in our car, to the clothes we buy at Wal-Mart?

So what do I want from you? You have all committed at some level to protect human rights, wherever they may be in danger. Part of that fight is being knowledgeable about your world, and sharing that knowledge with others. You don't have to start a yelling match with your friends for shopping at Wal-Mart, but you can pass along simple knowledge. For instance, did you know that Citgo gets most of its gasoline from Venezuela? That is a South American country that is NOT affiliated with the middle east in any way, and especially not OPEC. So you can protect human rights by filling up at Citgo. That took 5 minutes of reading, but imagine the impact it could have if everyone I told, told their friends, and so forth!

Sometimes it seems frustrating trying to protect something that is being violated all over the world, but as Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." For those of you that want to go that extra step, I recommend reading:
The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach & the Experience by 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai (ISBN 1-59056-040-X)
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=159056040X&pdf=y

It is an inspiring and highly informative book, explaining the movement that Wangari began in Kenya, Africa. The movement has helped end starvation, disease, and war, by preventing deforestation and desertification. How did they do it? The group has planted nearly 30,000,000 trees. The book shows the power of a simple grass roots movement, and has great advise on how to make one successful. And since the author one a Nobel Prize, I think she knows what she is talking about.

DO SOMETHING

Peace and Compassion to you all,
Sean

A day in the blender

Wow, talk about egg on the face! So I'm sitting here waiting for the new Amnesty people to arrive, and its looks like a complete failure. The meeting was supposed to start 10 minutes ago, and NO ONE has shown up. Even one person out of the 16 that were invited would have been fine with me, but no, I'm sitting here by myself as usual. I guess it was just bad timing. Finals just ended, everyone is going home for the summer, just not a good time. Thats one aspect of college life I really hate, its like the whole world stops for the summer.

Oh well, getting to the blender part of it all, its weird because I had two other big events today, one of which already occured and went VERY well. I met with the presidents of VOX (the planned parenthood group on campus), and FMLA (Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance). So I guess it was a day of girl power! Anyway, both groups seem very active and very interested in working together with other groups on campus to promote womens issues. Which of course, fits great with Amnesty's End Violence Against Women campaign.

Now, I'm getting ready for my second trip in history to a bar. Evie and I are going to the Soapbox, a laundromat/bar downtown that is home to many progressive events. My friend Roey is throwing a fundraiser for his art mag (http://www.klutchmag.com) that is a Art/Fashion show, with live music. And most important to me, the peanut guy will be there! Thats right, the elusive returned peace corps member that invented a peanut shelling machine to save the world. I'm so excited to finally see the thing and meet the peanut guy, I can hardly stand it!

Well, its 5:23 which mean its definite no one is coming. So I guess I'll get back to work on organizational stuff for the Amnesty group. Talk to you all soon.

Peace