Taking Action

Digital Respect

A shout out to Nika Naimi's Digital Respect project to prevent cyberbullying, which currently is up for votes as a "Good Idea" in the Pepsi Refresh Project contest.

Indicators and Values

This is something I've wanted to see online for a long time: an interactive tool to identify and measure indicators for your organization or project. Even better, the process can be based on the identification and exploration of the org or project's core values.

Anyone who's read Taking Action should be familiar with some of the people behind this resource...check it out at We Value.

How to be a catalyst

One of my co-workers made this video:

PATH - Ochola Video from Copper Curl on Vimeo.

Ho'oponopono Mediation

Thanks to the fantastic people who turned out for my Honolulu book talk.  During the discussion afterward there was mention of a traditional Hawaiian mediation practice called Ho'oponopono Mediation. Here's a summary of this conflict resolution system from a University of Hawaii law professor.

Georgetown Global Forum

Today you can watch a live feed of Georgetown's Global Forum in New York.  Topic: "Profit, Policy & Philanthropy: The Keys to Global Development."  Thanks to Mirna for sending me the link!

Agricultural development

In Foreign Policy online, Robert Paarlberg argues that "investments in agricultural development" will be more effective in reducing hunger in Africa than food aid.

What should we know about?

Since starting this blog, I've posted links to dozens of social and economic development, community-building, and social action websites that I've thought had the potential to do something cool.

What do you think should be added to the list?  And why?

The cost of corruption

A new article in the International Herald Tribune demonstrates the human toll of corruption in Romania.

Flood-tolerant rice

Scientists and farmers are continuing to discuss the safety of genetically modified crops.  In India and Bangladesh, meanwhile, farmers have successfully field-tested a new strain of modified, flood-tolerant rice that could potentially have a huge impact: "Scientists estimate 4 million tons of rice are lost every year because of flooding," declares CNN.  "That's enough rice to feed 30 million people."

Attack of the Sea Kittens

PETA is very good at getting attention.  Case in point: I'm writing about them right now.  But one of the (several) reasons I dislike their approach to activism is that it so often embraces blatant inaccuracy.  This is demonstrated by their latest campaign, the thought process behind which goes something like this:

1. People should care about fish.
2. People don't care about fish.
3. People care about kittens.
4. Call fish kittens.

Voila, you have a rallying cry: "Save the Sea Kittens."

However, the point PETA is trying to make is lost beneath a very obvious flaw: fish are not actually kittens.