“That is the question.” This is probably one of the best-known lines from all drama and literature. It provides the same prophetic meaning of life and death today as it did when Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, posed it nearly four centuries ago.

Like it or not, cyberspace has become a contemporary edge in the development of social relationships. Millions of people are engaging with others — making friends, colleagues, partners, lovers and adversaries. It provides an infinite amount of opportunities from hanging out with friends, to learning a new topic, to developing a business. The on-line world is anything you want it to be.  What you say in the cyber world creates who you are in this world. That creation can have potentially amazing or devastating effects in both the cyber and physical worlds.

It is obvious to the causal observer that many people say and do things in the cyber world they probably would not say and do in the mortal world. Behind a screen and a keyboard, people are less guarded and more expressive. In the Psychologists call this behavior the “disinhibition effect.” It is a double-edge sword. Sometimes people share intimate details about themselves. They may reveal or even promote latent emotions, desires or doubts. Or they confirm remarkable acts of contribution, thoughtfulness and generosity. The disinhibition effect may not be so amiable, and boorish language, callous judgments and raw anger are expressed.

The prose, emotions and interactions communicated by individuals in various web-communities all contribute to the creation and development of the brand called You. www.buglenotes.com provides the Long Gray Line just another opportunity to excel and to continue to enhance the You brand.  What do you want to be or not to be?

Daily, if not hourly, we are bombarded with reports and alerts of “bad news” from around our world — wars, bombings, murders, disasters, and scandals to categorize a few.

There are equally as many good news stories about people making a difference in their own communities, in their own countries and in our world. Rarely do we hear their stories and we do not often know their names. My frustration is that our news media report them with far less frequency and typically without prominence. This past weekend as an exception.

On January 5, 2009, CBS Sunday Morning News Show aired a cover piece on Greg Mortenson, climber and author of Three Cups of Tea. Mortenson, after a climbing expedition gone badly in Pakistan was jolted into action. The emaciated and ill climber was taken in by remote villagers near K2 who surrounded him and nursed him back to health. During his recovery, he learned the children of a village attended school on a flat, dusty piece of ground. Moved by their compassion and generosity, Mortenson promised to build their children a school. His life as well as that of thousands of children in Pakistan and Afghanistan has been changed forever. Mortensen and the Central Asia Institute and Pennies for Peace, two organizations he founded, have built 78 schools in the last 15 years and 8 more are under construction. Mortenson is on a mission to promote peace through education.

LTC Chris Kolenda ’87 experienced Mortensen’s work first-hand in Afghanistan and shares his philosophy on not only building the school, but designing an education program and how to sustain the school. Because Mortensen engaged the villagers in creating and sustaining the schools, the violence in the regions where many of the schools are located has dropped significantly.

This is truly an inspiring piece on commitment, leadership and action and someone making a difference, and changing our world.