Internet Out There

Indeed it is. :-)

Do you think that if we could get blogs up and running by poor people in third world countries by the method you suggested, that it would possibly raise sympathy and support for those people? For example, set up a system such as you described, then report it to a few major newspapers as a human-interest story to gain publicity and readers? Could you imagine what would happen if there were even a few poor bloggers in third world countries who got set up this way, how many readers they could eventually garner, and what response those readers might make if the person wrote a blog entry about a problem they could not solve due to the inability to access resources that they don't have, but their readers do? Then maybe team the project up with something like Teachers, Engineers, or Doctors without Borders, and use the donations that come in in order to improve those peoples' lives in practical, sustainable, long-lasting ways?

Dude, I am excited about this. I really think this idea can be made to work, and work well. Start out small, with maybe one or two trucks making a circuit of half a dozen villages. Explain to the people in those towns what you're doing and why. They may not get it at first, but there are always a few people who're willing to try something new. Have them write the first blogs, and then send the story to a few major news networks. If they can't write the blogs themselvse (can't read, don't know English, etc.) then have interpreters on hand who can tell their stories for them. As the hits and donations came pouring in, more and more trucks could be bought and more and more towns could participate. Set up a website for those blogs, so that people could go there, find the blogs, and track their favorite bloggers. Use the donations to improve the bloggers lives. Damn, this is a good idea. Elizabeth, I am going to talk to you about this later.