The Realist Idealist

On the Social Sector, Politics, Using Technology, and Making Good Things (actually) Happen

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(Pause) Oh Yeah…

Posted by Jake · May 21st, 2008 · 3 Comments

My friend Asheen - who I’ve never met in person, but whom I respect greatly through a list-serve on which we both engage - sent this photo out today. His title: “An alternate universe.”

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Category: NGOs · awareness raising
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Help Take Action for Tibet with Avaaz.org

Posted by Jake · March 20th, 2008 · No Comments

One of my favorite organizations of the last six months is Avaaz.org - who I learned of through one of their staff, Ben Wikler, based here in DC.  They are essentially the MoveOn.org for international issues.
So far this week Avaaz has amassed over 450,000 signatures in a petition to Chinese president Hu Jintao that [...]

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Category: Action Items · Foreign Policy · Government · Politics
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SMSs From Tibet Sensored. Next Step: Engage Chinese Netizens

Posted by Jake · March 19th, 2008 · 2 Comments

The more you dig into the actions of the Chinese against Tibet, the more cold and systematic their cultural genocide begins to appear.  Indeed “cold and systematic” is exactly what genocide is in the first place.  (Just ask the Rwandans whose recognized genocide took place in 1994, but which had indicators and events happening as [...]

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Category: Community Organizing · Foreign Policy · Government · Mobile Technology · Social Media
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China’s Appalling Violence in Tibet via SMS

Posted by Jake · March 18th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Tibet is a part of the world I’ve never been to, but one that I’m endlessly fascinated by, supportive of, and feel oddly connected to as it continues to come up through friends and events.
That said, today’s events in and around Tibet have shocked me.
If you haven’t yet seen what’s going on, here is an [...]

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Category: Foreign Policy · Media · Politics
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Flickr For Good

Posted by Jake · March 13th, 2008 · 2 Comments

I am a Flickr addict. It’s no secret. And I have no shame in proclaiming it.
I’ve been known to spend hours on end, mouth agape, staring at some of the amazing work people around the world are able to capture and share with each other. This is one of my favorite contacts. [...]

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Category: Business · Community Organizing · Corporate Social Responsibility · Innovation · Nonprofits · Social Media · Technology · websites
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