[size=14pt]2010 - Saving Ourselves, Innovation, Invention and Community[/size]

Happy New Year folks. Please give your thoughts and criticisms to the ideas below.

Yes another fruitless year has passed in our frustrating journey to nowhere, but we can fan the embers of hope and beat a path to great feats of development and individual well-being through leaning on, and channelling our collective strengths.

It isn’t all the time that networking and discussions produce a eureka moment; but over a few drinks, me and a couple of others thrashed out what we believe is a radical and effective solution to development, personal fulfilment and communal empowerment.
In a short word it is grassroots development. The goals of our proposal are;
• Self-reliance
• Community empowerment,
• Job creation
• Provision of critical industrial infrastructure and know how
• Create an environment where inventors and entrepreneurs can be richly rewarded
• We will also source and donation of inventions to the community for free (mostly from in-house brain power).
        We already have a free invention in transportation, two in agriculture and a couple in energy production. . . Wikid!!!

The idea at its simplest, is to set up a body that will generate funding and protection for our inventors; teach technologies at street level, host innovation competitions, post new papers, technologies or inventions and throw them open to the community so that discussions and improvements will come out of engagement. . .100% open source science.
We will also seek to form alliances with foreign universities, so that some of our ideas can be thoroughly researched where local means are lacking. Part of our foreign engagement will be to protect inventions with provisional patents from the US patent office.

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Our priority areas in Nigeria will be, Northern states, Ebonyin, Niger Delta and Ekiti. Our geographical coverage will include Africa, Caribbean and African America.

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Some of our areas of action will be:

1. Publish schematics for community development
2. Help with US patents
3. Members don’t have to be professionals
4. Reach out to foreign universities for research (probably as PHD work)
5. Say no to aid and charities; instead teach host communities “how to fish”
6. Throw inventive ideas open for public discussion
7. Ideas might be versioned because alternate approaches arrived at from discussions
8. Ideas might give birth to new ideas from discussion
9. Raise money for the inventor and research / production
10. Members must be focussed and steadfast
11. Ideas will be targeted at local problems
12. Make methods to generate power for members a priority (Micro Power Generation)
13. Make power generation from low quality sources a priority
14. Promote networking between members to build each other (know how or financially)
15. Sponsor innovation / invention competitions
16. Initial target countries, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal
17. Licenses and scope; GPL, TAPR Open Hardware License v1.0, TAPR Non-commercial Hardware License v1.0.
        There is the possibility of reworking the Simputer license as well.
18. Members will be responsible for determining if their inventions are of military interest
19. Local groups will be formed to organise and engage at street level
20. Criteria for us to give a community special focus will depend on education, deprivation, local resources and
        other variables (yet to be decided).
21. Website launch has been tentatively set for the end of February 2010.
        However a Blog will be set up before then (01/01/2010)

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Once again, Happy New Year and Gods blessings.

[size=14pt]Kosovo please pin this to the top![/size]

@topic
Please give your opinions, we can't sit back anymore. Lets take the bull by the horns.

PS: I'll post the blog address here tomorrow.

Happy New year!!

Happy 100 posts to me!

Beaf has always been an ode you nikkus aint gettin 100% resource so get used to getting NO NO and more No's.
The only thing ND has to say is 100% percent resource control God forbid dat ting. Just imagine how many MORE northerners will flock to the SOUTH ODE BOY.

Even my own state las giddi that has been at the forfront, shouldnt get it. point black

Try starting your new year with realistic goals.
goat

^
The usual suspects don't surprise me.
This has nothing to do with ND and 100% percent resource control. --shakes head--

It is about making money connections etc for those with talent in science and technology. It is about empowering our neglected geniuses and enriching our communities financially and economically. It is about moving forwards instead of backwards.

There are many talented people around us who are locked up mentally, this is about enabling such people.

^ lol, I have to say, I read your stuff 8 times to make sure i was not the one missing it but nothing about resource control

I think this brings to focus something we need on NL-

I think Seun can expand to create a place where people can post their own articles or investments tips and such.

But good idea- I will wait and see wetin happen when it floats

I was planning to create a rough guide for Nigerians who seek further education (Undergraduate and graduate) in the US and Canada this this Christmas and post it online but I have been sidetracked- maybe I should start on it and PDF publish it by January.

Happy new year to all

SEFAGO:

^ lol, I have to say, I read your stuff 8 times to make sure i was not the one missing it but nothing about resource control

I think this brings to focus something we need on NL-

I think Seun can expand to create a place where people can post their own articles or investments tips and such.

But good idea- I will wait and see wetin happen when it floats

I was planning to create a rough guide for Nigerians who seek further education (Undergraduate and graduate) in the US and Canada this this Christmas and post it online but I have been sidetracked- maybe I should start on it and PDF publish it by January.

Happy New Year Sefago!
Yes, I think we should really start pooling together and helping ourselves. I think it would be a good idea for Seun to create an area for guides and radical ideas too. Please comment (or throw some questions) before it floats, abeg, thats why this has come here two months early.
Lets kick the year off with hope!

For the guide you want to write, just start listing the points somewhere and before you know it, boom! Goodluck!

mrperfect:

Happy new year to all

Happy New Year mrperfect!

Beaf:

^
The usual suspects don't surprise me.
This has nothing to do with ND and 100% percent resource control. --shakes head--

It is about making money connections etc for those with talent in science and technology. It is about empowering our neglected geniuses and enriching our communities financially and economically. It is about moving forwards instead of backwards.

There are many talented people around us who are locked up mentally, this is about enabling such people.

Typical goat it doesnt take a genius to  realize no discussion can be held with beaf other than 100 percent resource control in ND in the end run, who are you fooling?

Wow Beaf!!! Always on point! Extremely Brilliant!
Been thinking similarly! Private governance is the way forward!!

If the things you've outlined are followed critically, I can bet it will not only create new pathways for our development, it will become a rallying point for all things innovative!!

I am definitely watching this thread!! And the blog. What a perfect starter for the new year!!

As a primer, I am attaching this document from Gallup. Its a perfect read for an intelligent mind. It exposes to a large extent, the THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT.


Snippets from the Gallup Document
Brain gain
Brain gain is defined as a city’s or country’s attraction
of talented people whose exceptional gifts and
knowledge create new business and new jobs and
increase that city’s or country’s economy. To some
degree, all cities of all sizes, everywhere in the world,
have a success story of brain gain. Someone had a
good idea, and its implementation created new jobs
in that town. Brain gain is the big-bang theory of
economic development. The challenge leaders face is
how to trigger brain gain in their cities.

Good idea.

It is good we are beginning to realize that we cannot continue to wait for government for us to move forward.

When I built my inverter in order to stop wasting money on running generators many people told me I was wasting my time. This year will make it 6 years I have been without a generator and many businesses claimed they had to close shops due to power problems and when I hear them say this I feel sorry for them.

Now, everyone is talking about alternative energy, energy efficiency and conservation, more than 6 years after I started preaching these things.

As regards getting a blog for this initiative I can develop one that will be specific to the relevant activities needed rather than relying on a generic blog.

Something similar to www.justalternativepower.com like www.afamservices.com could be customized if need be. Put differently, I can develop that at no cost if you guys want it.

As for me, I will continue to do things I consider progressive especially when it comes to self reliance and need to produce or manufacture instead of importing almost everything when we can actually produce some of them.

With parts from a typical mechanic workshop one can build a wind turbine that will generate electricity without waiting for PHCN. Even fans and radios can be built without too much wahala only if we believe.

@PapaBrowne
Thanks so much. I really appreciate the time it took you to dig up that document as well. . . What a document! We will definitely use stuff from it.

@Afam
Thanks so much for the kind offer, I am so grateful. We have already gone quite some distance with our website, but you represent the practical minded type that we would like to attract as entrepreneurs and possibly representatives on the ground. We will be using a bog standard blog space Blogger until February when our proper website will be released.

@topic
We've put up a blog, but no new technologies will go up until tomorrow, because we're having to change formats to suit the blog technology, duh! The address is http://africansciencecommunity..com/2010/01/welcome.html

Beaf:

@Afam
Thanks so much for the kind offer, I am so grateful. We have already gone quite some distance with our website, but you represent the practical minded type that we would like to attract as entrepreneurs and possibly representatives on the ground. We will be using a bog standard blog space Blogger until February when our proper website will be released.

No wahala.

This is a very welcomed idea.

Please we really need your comments on whether we are thinking right, if there are potential pitfalls or glaring mistakes. Pleeeeaaase comments and criticisms

In the meantime, I am proud to say we now have two technology concepts published;
http://africansciencecommunity..com/2010/01/mechanical-harvesting-requires-produce.html
http://africansciencecommunity..com/2010/01/atomic-hydrogen-power-plant.html

We should be able to get a total of about 5 up this week, fingers crossed.

My Comments and Criticism:
It looks like a piece of shite.best you could do was a page on ?no real website, poorly thought out machinery, looking for internet fame, no practicality at all, completely useless,who is supposed to afford these pieces of crap?

My humble opinion!

Choco5:

My Comments and Criticism:
It looks like a piece of shite.best you could do was a page on ?no real website, poorly thought out machinery, looking for internet fame, no practicality at all, completely useless,who is supposed to afford these pieces of crap?

My humble opinion!

Nigerian's sha! We all say, all we do is sit around and complain without acting. Here we are, 100% acting and. . .

Every idea starts off small. I made it quite clear that we were still in the formative stage and raised 21 points for discussion in order to get early feelers and involvement (I'm sure there'll be spoilers as well too ).

Forget about blogger. I did say it quite in the original article that the blog was a temporary thing (the website will be launched on a dedicated server);

21.   Website launch has been tentatively set for the end of February 2010.
        However a Blog will be set up before then (01/01/2010)

Talking about "looking for internet fame", there is no name mentioned anywhere. So how can the nameless be looking for "looking for internet fame"?

Can we discuss the pro's and cons of the 21 points raised in the OP? Thank you.

lol jokin
Will check it out

Great idea, reading something like from a youth makes me believe Nigeria still got future.
But Oga beef you didnt mention how this programmes are gonna be mobilised financially and otherwise. Though am aware we need more of a talents than finance, but jst as you mentioned on the 15th point - Sponsoring innovation / invention competitions ( I believe this is to encourage young talents and boast their morals) which is all about finance.
Though the 9th point said something abt raising money -Raise money for the inventor and research / production. This can be easier said than done in an evironment like Nigeria, that is allergic to innovations and invention.
So please if you can be more explicit on the means through which this progrmme can be mobilised (Human and materially), that would be perfect. This will make the picture more ideal to the young once.

Nice one, Beaf.
It's a good start. I'd advise you focus on specific areas of interest to start with. Low-tech initiatives to support Africa's basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, microfinance, education, medicare. They don't necessarily have to be 'inventions'; you can always start by matching existing stuff with these basic needs.

Happy New Year to all.

princekevo:

Great idea, reading something like from a youth makes me believe Nigeria still got future.
But Oga beef you didnt mention how this programmes are gonna be mobilised financially and otherwise. Though am aware we need more of a talents than finance, but jst as you mentioned  on the 15th point - Sponsoring innovation / invention competitions ( I believe this is to encourage young talents and boast their morals) which is all about finance.
Though the 9th point said something abt raising money -Raise money for the inventor and research / production. This can be easier said than done in an evironment like Nigeria, that is allergic to innovations and invention.
So please if you can be more explicit on the means through which this progrmme can be mobilised (Human and materially), that would be perfect. This will make the picture more ideal to the young once.

Thanks. What we really want to do is create productive ecosystems between local communities, talented people (artisans, innovators), entrepreneurs, investors and donors. It will be a means to make involvement in innovation and technology rewarding to the community and the individual.

To answer your questions directly. . .

We will mobilize at community level by encouraging membership for all. Members will be required to sign up on our website and will hold regular meetings at street level. Our website would act as the central store of information for members. Although membership would be encouraged for all, there will be a special lookout for those with vocational skills (electricians, electronics workers, mechanics and welders). There will also be a strong lookout for young brains and professionals (engineers and draughtsmen) to harness the skills of the vocational cadre.
Members will be organised into groups and the groups will in turn be organised into regions.
The goal will be to boost confidence, intellectually and economically empower each member, as well as move their communities toward self reliance.

We are looking to raise money in the following ways;
[list]
[li]Entrepreneurs will be encouraged to license technology from owners and manufacture or act as consultants[/li]
[li]Investors will be encouraged to back talent and technologies from early stages till they achieve success; returns will be determined by risk, but we will try to mitigate huge risks by encouraging spread.[/li]
[li]Donations will be raised by actively soliciting for funds and forming partnerships[/li]
[/list]

AjanleKoko:

Nice one, Beaf.
It's a good start. I'd advise you focus on specific areas of interest to start with. Low-tech initiatives to support Africa's basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, microfinance, education, medicare. They don't necessarily have to be 'inventions'; you can always start by matching existing stuff with these basic needs.

Happy New Year to all.

You are 110% right. I agree that what you have suggested should be cardinal.
We have gathered quite some amount of stuff in that direction already and indeed our main focus will be on low tech practical stuff that will have an immediate impact on society. However, there will also be some fairly medium / high tech ideas and articles.

When you say microfinance, do you mean it as us partnering with microfinance providers (we have not considered that) or do you to facilitate monies for research and production?

Bookmarked!
The greatest things started small.
I'm watching this space.
Beaf, you're on point.

@ Beaf
What happened with the website??

Abeg don't give up oooh! This idea was something good mehn!

PapaBrowne:

@ Beaf
What happened with the website??

Abeg don't give up oooh! This idea was something good mehn!

PapaBrowne, thanks for the encouragement; God bless people like you. Its so strange, over the last few weeks, I have agonised seriously over this issue. Its like you read my mind!

Looking at Nigeria, so many things go through the mind and one gets discouraged that our efforts would only succeed in helping other Black countries, but not ones own. Certain areas have slowed because of this, but within a couple of weeks, the website will begin a phased launch.
I will post update info right here on this thread.

Hope we don't stop again this time around.

After several hiccups, I am proud to say we will be launching in less than half a day. I feel really happy!
The site will not be starting with all the features here though, but phases will keep coming on stream until January.
I'll reveal the website address only after its been launched.

[size=33pt]Yipee![/size]

hope this means you'll spend more time on your blog instead of nairaland?



i also hope your sponsors wont feel the need to fill your nl spot.

Good and looking forward to that.

PapaBrowne:

@ Beaf
What happened with the website??

Abeg don't give up oooh! This idea was something good mehn!

Pharoh:

Good and looking forward to that.

Thanks all for the encouragement, the site is here, http://afrosciencecommunity.com

We will continue changing texts on the website into next week, because the vision has not yet been fully expressed.
Please get on the site, register and give us criticisms and feedback.