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founders of #makr #startup make today from #diaspora next facebook a #socialmedia community project . I add Diaspora to Top 10 PLN tools http://bitly.com/collaborationincop2smile

Meet the extraordinary founder and head of eBay, the largest auctioning website in the world, Pierre Omidyar. He is also the co-founder of Omidyar Network, one of the largest philanthropic groups in the world. He is one of the 40 richest people who has given more than half of their revenue to charity. "The more we connect people, the more people know one another, the better the world will be." To read more about Pierre Omidyar visit www.thextraordinary.org

Meet the extraordinary man who belongs to the richest family in the whole world-the only trillionaires and founder of Adventure Ecology, an organization that taps the youth to get them into environmental causes, David Mayer de Rothschild. He is also the founder of Sculpt the Future Foundation. "Every dream is a breeding ground for adventures". To read more about David Mayer de Rothschild visit www.thextraordinary.org

The teaching of U.S. and world history is incomplete if it does not address the history of innovation from economic, scientific/technological, and sociological perspectives. We feel it important for students to be encouraged both to explore the role of innovation in U.S. and world history and to develop their own sense of innovation and creativity. FPRI's Program on Teaching Innovation is co-directed by Lawrence Husick, co-founder and principal system architect of Infonautics Corporation (now HighBeam Research, Inc.); Alan Luxenberg, and Paul Dickler. Rocco L. Martino, Ph.D., founder of XRT and CyberFone, is the Program's Senior Fellow.

Join me Wednesday, May 11th, for a live and interactive FutureofEducation.com webinar with Hugh McGuire, the founder of LibriVox.org, the terrific crowd-sourced audiobooks service. We'll talk Web 2.0, books, learning, and more in the context of thinking about education.

Another reason some students are applying to MIT. Undergrads are making a difference globally. "the innovative MIT classes and field trips known collectively as D-Lab, the project aimed to develop creative solutions to problems facing people in the world's least-affluent countries - and then hoped those residents would embrace the solutions." "The program now employs about 20 people and encompasses 16 courses that reach about 400 students each year. Even though D-Lab does little to publicize its activities, staffers are increasingly hearing that this program was a major reason why participating students chose to attend MIT." "All of D-Lab's classes assess the needs of people in less-privileged communities around the world, examining innovations in technology, education or communications that might address those needs. The classes then seek ways to spread word of these solutions - and in some cases, to spur the creation of organizations to help disseminate them. Specific projects have focused on improved wheelchairs and prosthetics; water and sanitation systems; and recycling waste to produce useful products, including charcoal fuel made from agricultural waste."

"All of D-Lab's classes assess the needs of people in less-privileged communities around the world, examining innovations in technology, education or communications that might address those needs. The classes then seek ways to spread word of these solutions - and in some cases, to spur the creation of organizations to help disseminate them. Specific projects have focused on improved wheelchairs and prosthetics; water and sanitation systems; and recycling waste to produce useful products, including charcoal fuel made from agricultural waste."

Dr. Laura Stachel is the co-founder of the non-profit WE CARE Solar. Together with her husband, Hal Aronson, they launched the organization to provide sustainable lighting system in developing countries where mortality rates due to childbirth were a lot higher. The Solar Suitcase units they have distributed to 27 countries so far have saved thousands of patients, not just mothers and their babies. The solar lighting system enables clinics without electricity to still do business in the middle of the night-an inconceivable feat years before. To read more about Laura Stachel visit www.thextraordinary.org

Kai-Fu Lee is the founder of Innovation Works, a business incubator based in China that aims to support information technology ventures by providing start-ups necessary funding, sufficient training, and bringing in to the team the right people to ensure profitability. Kai-Fu, who used to work for Apple, Silicon Graphics, Microsoft, and Google, aims to bring home innovation and stimulate IT entrepreneurs to develop cutting-edge technology.

Author of bestsellers such as "Life Without Limits" and "Unstoppable," evangelist, motivational speaker, philanthropist, founder of "Life Without Limbs" are just some of the accomplishments of Nick Vujicic. He did all that despite being born without any limbs (arms or legs), just his little chicken drumstick as he jokingly says.

Meet the extraordinary Richard O'Barry. He is a former dolphin hunter and trainer who turned activist after one of the dolphins he trained died in his arms. He is most popular for being the trainer of the five dolphins that were used in the 1960s television series "Flipper", as well as being the founder of the international organization "The Dolphin Project". "Everything starts with a dream". To read more about Richard O'Barry visit www.thextraordinary.org

Meet the extraordinary philanthropist and animal activist who is most famous for being the founder of Orangutan Outreach, one of the largest animal conservation organizations in the world today,Richard Zimmerman. Aiming to not just protect and save the orangutans from extinction but also to get more people involved through the internet and other forms of media. "People have a strong voice via social media". To read more about Richard Zimmerman visit www.thextraordinary.org

Narayanan Krishnan is a social worker and philanthropist who is most famous for being hailed as one of the CNN Heroes of the Year in 2010. A person filled with service and compassion, Narayanan is the founder and current head of the Akshaya Trust, a non-profit organization focused on feeding the homeless, poor and mentally ill, giving them free haircuts, and providing homes so they would not need to stay on the streets.

Meet the extraordinary grandson of Mahatma Ghandi and co-founder of M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, Arun Manilal Gandhi. He also worked as journalist for Times of India for 30 years and also the author of the book, "A Patch of White" and also a recipient of several honorary degrees. To read more about Arun Manilal Gandhi visit http://www.thextraordinary.org/

Jimmy Donal "Jimbo" Wales is the founder of the 5th most popular website in the world-Wikipedia. Wikipedia revolutionized the rather drab and monotonous presentation of facts by archaic encyclopedias. Rather than limiting the source of information to only come from experts, Jimmy Wales created a community where people can contribute to topics they are passionate about. He could have earned billions but he chose to make Wikipedia free and rely on donations. One of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World" in the "Scientists & Thinkers" section, Jimmy proves that something good can be derived from the Internet. To read more about Jimmy Wales visit www.thextraordinary.org

Meet the extraordinary young philanthropist and entrepreneur who is most famous for being the founder of Catchafire, a non-profit organization that connects young professionals with various organizations and causes so they can volunteer their skills to helping people, Rachael Chong. Throughout her career, Rachael has been active in philanthropy. "Everyone wins when people volunteer their skills". To read more about Rachel Chong visit www.thextraordinary.org

A San Francisco wiki services provider has just finished a multiyear project under which it gave teachers all over the world 100,000 free wikis. And now, it is doubling up and getting set to give away another quarter million. The company, Wikispaces, decided in 2006 that it would make helping teachers use the collaborative software to further cooperation between students, both in their own schools and with schools in other cities and countries, a cornerstone of its business. But while Wikispaces hasn't made any money directly from the project--and in fact has incurred significant costs due to supporting the teachers' use of the wikis--co-founder Adam Frey said the company has found that the educators are just the kind of evangelists that can aid a start-up in building a business.

Woophy stands for WOrld Of PHotographY, a website founded by a Dutch collective of photo aficionados and internet designers who believe navigation on internet can be more visual, logical and associative. The goal of Woophy's founders is to create an accessible, visual, current, democratic and collective work of art comprised of a database picturing our remarkable world. With the help of (amateur) photographers across the world we strive to ultimately cover every inch of our world map with images that represent the world's beauty and peculiarity from all different cultural perspectives. Users upload their photos into a free personal account protected by a password, or download pictures for personal use. User email addresses and passwords are not shared with any third parties whatsoever.

Teachers are the largest professionally trained group in the world, yet teacher training is often spotty, inconsequential, or missing entirely. We've all had a teacher who made the difference. Teachers Without Borders' founder, Dr. Mednick, will show the connection between excellent teachers and human welfare, on a global level. The message is clear: focus on the teachers as the most viable catalysts for positive change.

There is a great service learning opportunity here. The founder was profiled in the NYTimes today by Kristof http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12kristof.html?ref=opinion