yeaton.net

Philanthropy - the New, New Thing!

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 07:51:49 -0800

What with Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Pierre Omidyar and the guys at Google, it occurs to me that philanthropy is suddenly becoming quite trendy. This morning I received an email that confirmed my suspicions. Is anyone a keener observer of the human heart than Nigerian Prisoner scammers?

Greetings to you,
My name is Mrs.Regina Ahmed, widow to late Mr.Hassan Ahmed former owner of Petroleum & Gas company, here in Kuwait. I am 68years old, suffering from long time Cancer of the breast From all indications my condition is really deteriorating and it?s quite obvious that I won't live more than 2 months according to my doctors. This is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage. I don?t want your pity but I need your trust.
My late husband died early last year from Heart attack, and during the period of our marriage we couldn't produce any child. My late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his business and wealth. The doctor has advised me that I will not live for more than 2 months, so I have now decided to spread all my wealth, to contribute mainly to the development of charity in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Hope you are not embarrassed by my mail I found your e-mail address in the web directory, and i have decided to contact you, but if for any reason you find this mail offensive, you can ignore it and please accept my apology.
Before my late husband died he was major oil tycoon, in Kuwait and deposited the sum of USD$80 million dollars (Eighty million dollars) in a company in Europe some years ago, that is all I have left now, I need you to collect this funds and distribute it yourself to charity .so that when I die my soul can rest in peace. The funds will be entirely in hands and management. I hope God gives you the wisdom to touch very many lives that is my main concern. 15% of this money will be for your time and effort, while 85% goes to charity.
Please reply back to me on this email: xxxx@netscape.net
God bless you.
MRS.REGINA AHMED

The Tipping Point for TV

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 01:22:19 -0800

I think as human beings, it's our nature to consider the world essentially static. Of course, change is happening all the time, but we tend to comprehend it in gulps rather than sips. Such was the feeling I had the other day when I installed an RSS reader on my Windows Media Center PC. I have a Mac, iPod, etc. so didn't think much about it, but when I called up Amanda Congdon of Rocketboom on my plasma using only a remote, it suddenly struck me just how big a change is coming from the whole YouTube/Google Video/Vlogging phenomenon. Net neutrality debates aside, anyone on a shoestring budget can easily create and now distribute their programming, creating their own "network." I don't think we'll be throwing out the Tivo just yet, but the question now is when, not if...

Leadership in the Extreme

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:18:26 -0800

The Last Place on Earth (Modern Library Exploration)

Manufacturer: Modern Library

Rating:

This is a wonderful book that I cannot recommend highly enough. It tells the story of Scott and Amundson's race to the South Pole, and a great deal about the character of each man.

Amundson was a natural leader, meticulous in planning and a great judge of character:

"One pilot said that Amundson's ship was he most astonishing he had ever seen. "No orders were given, but everyone seemed to know exactly what to do." (p. 84)
"Amundson grasped the psychology of small groups; he had an almost feminine sensitivity for the undertones and cross-currents on which a leader has to play." (p. 368)
"It was one of Amundson's principles to keep out of the workshops (at the base camp) as much as possible, until asked to come and look. He delegated thoroughly, and felt that intrusion, however innocent, might appear as snooping, which definitely was not good for morale." (p. 373)

On the other hand there is Scott - ambitious, vain and reckless - leading his team towards disaster:

"Scott disliked uncomfortable facts and in general ignored them." (p. 405)
"Poor skiing technique, unintelligent navigation, a badly-loaded, ill-maintained and ill-running sledge, inefficient camping routine, the disruptions caused by the last-minute addition of a fifth man; the list of defects was comprehensive. Scott had been so consistently inept as to almost suggest the workings of a death wish." (p. 491)
"There is a kind of heroism for which there are no medals because it is unmentionable. It is that of the subordinate stoically following a leader whom he knows is taking him to disaster." (p. 408)

Ironically, despite the disastrous results, Scott was celebrated as a hero, while Amudson's achievement was largely ignored. This was due to several factors including Scott's literary talents (even while writing his farewell letters) combined with England's need for an iconic hero. Perhaps most of all, Scott's suffering in defeat was widely perceived as more deserving of respect than Amundson's methodically executed success.

This book is thoroughly researched and brilliantly told. It is also a wonderful reflection on leadership.

"Adventure," as the American explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson liked to say, "is a sign of incompetence." (p. 172)

Mike's New Job!

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 12:56:01 -0800

I'm happy to say I've joined a nonprofit in San Francisco called CompuMentor. They're a technology resource for nonprofits, providing information, support, volunteer matching, and an online store (TechSoup Stock) for qualifying organizations. I'll be focused on the international enablement of the online store, in conjunction with strategic technology partners and NGO's around the world. When the work, people and purpose all lined up, I thought I should give it a shot.

Interesting thing about looking for a job: you really feel part of a community. From friends (old and new) to complete strangers: it seemed everywhere I looked, someone was giving me useful information or helping me make a connection. I am very grateful.

More to follow!

The Neocon Temptation

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 15:49:05 -0800

I'm certainly no fan of Patrick Buchanan, but his comments in the paper this weekend struck me as scarily prescient:

"Were this a financial investment, Iraq would have been written off and our losses cut a long time ago. But for Bush to write it off is to write himself off as a failed president who committed the greatest strategic blunder in U.S. history.

And so the president is now being offered a way out by his neocon counselors: escalate. Take the war to the enemy, as we should have from the beginning. Use U.S. air power to wipe Iran's nuclear facilities off the map. Go all-out for victory. Emulate Lincoln, Churchill, FDR, Truman.

With his poll ratings in the pits, and his party facing almost certain and heavy losses in the fall, Bush may yet yield to the neocon temptation. For unlike LBJ in 1968, he does not seem reconciled to going back to his ranch as a failed president."

Let us pray otherwise...

Timber!

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:28:31 -0800

	We had some big winds in San Francisco last night. As a result, one of our next door neighbor's Monterey Cypress trees decided to pay us a visit (missing our back door by four feet).
	They really are beautiful trees, but their lifespan is fairly short (around 100 years). Another one was home to our famous wild parrots.

God and Taxes

Sun, 18 Dec 2005 13:26:27 -0800

It's that time of year again, when some mysterious combination of the season and fiscal year-end evokes the normally shy spirit of giving. If you've got the urge but are unsure where to give, let me recommend two worthy causes:

San Francisco Network Ministries, led by the aptly named Glenda Hope, offers badly needed services in the Tenderloin neighborhood. These include computer training, housing, and a safehouse for women leaving prostitution. I've worked with this organization for many years, and endorse it with all my heart. They are good people doing seriously important work.

OTX West, led by an old IBM colleague of mine Bruce Buckelew, offers free computers to students in Oakland Public Schools, as well as heavily discounted ones to schools. They receive donated equipment from business and government, tune 'em up and install a clean build, then offer them along with training and tech support to people in need. I've seen his operation in action, and the passion and efficiency of his team are inspiring. I'll post some photos soon, but in the meantime they could use your support.

If you'd rather give llamas and goats to people around the world, that's cool too. The main thing is just to give.

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

Tookie Williams - Atonement and Redemption

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:20:30 -0800

As expected, the State of California executed Tookie Williams last night. I opposed this in a previous post, not because I believe he is innocent, or that good works cancel out bad deeds. What struck me today was the excerpt from Governor Schwarzenegger's denial:

"Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings, there can be no redemption."

This is the language of God and not politics. We should separate such men from society for the rest of their lives, but it is not our place to judge atonement and redemption. Leave that to God.

Beware the Greenies!

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 17:03:42 -0800

State of Fear

Manufacturer: Avon

Rating:

This is a typical Michael Crichton book: cartoon-like characters engaged in a fast-moving plot delivering usually interesting scientific information. This was best exemplified in "Jurassic Park", which I consumed in one long evening. Here his target is the environmental movement and the near universal concern over global warming.

Not being an expert in the matter, it's hard for me to agree or disagree with his conclusions. However, two points he makes strike me as fundamentally true: we tend to overstate man's influence on our environment, and to falsely assume that the earth is naturally in a static state. Drilling in the Greenland ice sheet, for example, has turned up evidence of abrupt climate changes in the past (when industrialization was not a factor).

Regardless of the merits of his argument, however, Crichton lets his viewpoints dominate the plot to the point of absurdity. An environmentally conscious actor who played the president on TV, for example, turns out to be a lascivious fool. He ends up being devoured by cannibals - I doubt Martin Sheen is interested in the part. The environmental movement is portrayed as universally stupid and corrupt in equal measure. Here's a representative bit of dialog:

"You don't suppose this guy is really a graduate student?"

"Could be, though I doubt it. Eco-terrorists aren't usually well educated."

Interesting since these same misguided fools are apparently capable of inducing killer hurricanes and breaking off huge chunks of the Antarctic ice shelf. Their only motive for these despicable acts appears to be fundraising. Makes me wonder what PBS is up to...

If you consider yourself an environmentalist, you should only read this book as part of a supervised anger management program. For everyone else, two stars.

Tookie Williams Should Live

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 09:34:24 -0800

The countdown is on for the execution of Tookie Williams. It's an awful question: what to do with a man convicted of killing four people with no motive other than mayhem, but who has subsequently renounced violence and dedicated himself to helping young people stay out of gangs? I've listened to the arguments back and forth, but I believe they're flawed on both sides.

One one side some very famous folks (Mike Farrell, Jesse Jackson, Bianca Jagger, etc.) are making the claim that his good works in prison merit clemency. The families of the victims are understandably incensed by this argument - what good works might his victims have done if there lives had not been cut short? Do we setup some kind of points system to measure redemption - so many merit badges to earn a stay?

Yet, the arguments on the other side fail to move me as well. They talk about the message it sends to others, but studies show that punishment must be swift and certain to be an effective deterrent; the death penalty is neither. From an economic standpoint, these cases end up costing the state far more than lifetime incarceration. Finally, there's the troubling fact that more than a hundred death row inmates have later been exonerated.

So the real argument comes down to justice: is it right to end this man's life because he ended four others? If he is no threat to others now (and nobody suggests he is) then I say no; not because of his redemptive works (admirable but irrelevant) but because we are imperfect vehicles of justice.

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:20, Deuteronomy 32:35)

Another Bush Moment

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:12:28 -0800

I was watching the news the other day, and thought I needed a Q-Tip to clean out my ears. No sooner had W. said emphatically "We do not torture" then we were informed that the administration is seeking an exemption for the CIA.

This bothers me on a couple of levels:

Aren't we supposed to be the beacon for freedom, human rights, etc.?
What will this mean for captured U.S. prisoners? Not hard to guess.

Upon reflection, I did find a silver lining: at least I live in a country where they have to ask if they can torture prisoners (and will probably be turned down.)

As an aside, how come Bush always seems so irritated whenever he's asked a question by the media? Did that part of the job catch him off guard?

Here's an oldie, but still my favorite W. joke:

How many Bush administration officials does it take to change a light bulb?
None. There’s nothing wrong with that light bulb. There is no need to change anything. We made the right decision and nothing has happened to change our minds. People who criticize this light bulb now, just because it doesn’t work anymore, supported us when we first screwed it in, and when these flip-floppers insist on saying that it is burned out, they are merely giving aid and encouragement to the Forces of Darkness.

In Praise of Libraries

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 11:43:29 -0800

Being unemployed in a conventional sense (i.e. more time and less income) has given me a chance to renew my relationship with our local library. Initially, I did it to put a dent in our Amazon bill, but I've found it has other benefits as well:

Encourages me to read books I wouldn't necessarily buy
Reduces the clutter of too many books around the house
Gives me that mildly warm feeling of being environmentally sensitive

In addition to these benefits, I discovered the SF library offers free access to huge number of useful online resources, for example InfoTrac OneFile and the New York Times historical search. They also have over 1000 audiobooks and 5000 ebooks available for free download to card holders. Pretty impressive!

If you live in SF, I suggest you check it out. Regardless, it's worth seeing what your local library has on offer.

Link

A Life Well Lived

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:23:11 -0800

One last comment on today's news...

The Chronicle today featured an obituary for Helen Francis Shapiro. I didn't know her at all, but the biography points out a few wonderful things:

She went to law school when she was 58 years old, finishing second in her class (behind her daughter). This was only because she had both hips replaced in her last semester.
She practiced law until her death at 94, and was widely recognized for her humanitarian and pro bono work (some of which, she admitted, was inadvertent)
She figured out how to live well with less: "When not working, the couple drove a gas-electric hybrid car to thirft stores and spent weekends combing garage sales for the Chinese ceramics they both loved."

What a great use of a life!

Link

Micro Loans Made Easy!

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 08:13:58 -0800

Here's a really interesting idea - a web site that lets individuals make micro loans to small entrepreneurs around the world.

From their website:

"Kiva is the first and only existing option for you to make a loan to a unique microenterprise. No other organization offers the opportunity to loan - instead of, or in addition to, making a donation - to a real person and then get your money back. Furthermore, when you loan to a Kiva business, every dollar you loan goes to that business. Kiva is a very low-overhead organization that raises money offline to support its small budget. None of the money you loan goes to fund administrative costs."

What a great idea!

Link

What Happens Here Stays Here

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 07:35:31 -0800

According to Matier & Ross in today's SF Chronicle, there's a brouhaha at the Department of Human Services. It seems that highly inappropriate pictures of a psychiatrist from the Child Welfare Department were being passed around the office. The pictures, it turns out, were downloaded from an S&M web site. However, the only infraction being considered is the downloading and printing of the pictures - the frisky doctor is in the clear.

"As far as the department is concerned, however, the doctor didn't do anything that violated the city's work rules by appearing on an S&M Web site. He's not facing any disciplinary action."

Not to sound like Anita Bryant, but are there any outside (legal) behaviors that would disqualify someone from working with children in this town? I'd suggest a few, but I don't want the search engines to get the wrong idea about me...

Link