[up.int.sam] Stuff thats happening... and stuff

[Max Gnipping]

Yo everybody!

Thought I'd get out a bit of a status update about some things thats going
on. Also I'll do it in English cuz it's good practice. 

So first thing: 

I just got a welcome letter about the LSU European Network-thingie
(http://www.lsu.se/adimo4/Site/LSU/web/default.aspx?p=2818&t=h401&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1)(link
in Swedish). So yay me \o/  

I'll try hard to abuse it for anything we need to make YPI bigger better
and more awesome. If anyone has any thought or ideas how to best plunder
that resource just let me know, the first meet is on Wednesday the 17th.

Numero dos: 

Remember me bitching about a joint seminar with the Swedish development
forum (FUF)? Well, it looks like its gonna happen after all! 

Having put together a more awesome group of schemers consisting of an ICT
and democracy researcher/student/dude living both in Africa and Sweden, a
senior ICT-policy expert working at Sida and a very humble me we've reached
pretty final plans of having an evening seminar-thingie in Stockholm 22:d
of April. 

The theme will be something like ICT+Democracy=true? and we're aiming
towards exploring some pretty deep issues about what new technology does to
the power balance of state vs. citizen. 

Basically, what new tools for democracy has been made available for
citizens and grass-roots movements around the world (sousveillance) and
whats been given to governements? And how can we best stimulate and support
ICT being used for "good" and discourage it being used for "evil". 

Sofar we've got three external participants, Walid Al-Saqaf (who's working
with a news-site providing non-state controlled journalism to the people of
Yemen), Amara Thiha (A burmese student who's been working with these
issues) and Carl-Fredrik Wetterqvist (ICT-policy expert for
näringsdepartementet (the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and
Communications (woah, way flashier title in english))

Also: we'd like a (preferably young) pirate to participate, so any thoughts
on suitable young pirates please forward to me :D. 

Also also: Looks like FUF will be paying for everything this time so, yay
no hole in the budget :D

And three:

Did we get anywhere with who's going to Brussels for the PPI thingie? I'll
probably go either as the Ung Pirat rep. or just as a regular guest because
it sounds like fun and I feel rich :P. But travel companions are
appreciated :D. 

Stay awesome
/Max