Kiva.org – You too can be a microfinancier
January 14, 2008 2 min. read

This weekend the FT wrote a nice article (registration required, but free) about Kiva.org. Kiva is an exciting tool that allows regular people to make micro-loans (generally under $500) to entrpreneurs in developing countries. In minutes you can go online, find the entrepreneur you want to work with, and make your loan. Then you can […]

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Iraq's Displaced Children
January 14, 2008 3 min. read

The number of internally displaced people in Iraq had increased some 50% from 2006 to 2007, however some claim the numbers may now be falling, but only slowly. There are still millions of Iraqi's living away from home due to the threat of violence there, leaving some to flea their homes and head to other […]

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Carbon Offsets and the F.T.C., Presidential Candidates and Science, plus Solar Business
January 13, 2008 3 min. read

Voluntary Offsets , So we've gone off for a visit to a resort area in Arizona, staying with a friend.  What's the expenditure of GHG as a consequence of our trip?  The short answer is:  I have no idea.  However, if I choose to "offset" the carbon "cost" of the round-trip flight from Newark to […]

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Investing Gates's Money
January 13, 2008 2 min. read

The LA Times seems to have appointed itself the official Gates Foundation watchdog. Last week they printed a scathing report on the negative effects of the investments the Foundation makes with its endowment funds. To give you the flavor of what it says: “The Gates Foundation has poured $218 million into polio and measles immunization […]

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(UPDATE)Red
January 13, 2008 1 min. read

It was pointed out to me offline that I neglected to mention the controversy that surrounds (RED). The campaign has been accused of spending too much money on marketing, and not enough on donations to the Global Fund. (RED) disputes the estimates, believing that their critics count the marketing budgets spent by their corporate partners. […]

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UNICEF ESSAY CONTEST OFFERS YOUNG PEOPLE PLACE AT TABLE WITH WORLD LEADERS
January 12, 2008 2 min. read

Submit your essay to UNICEF and you could be attending the Junior 8 Summit in Japan! Last year a group of 74 youths from 18 countries participated in the Junior 8 Summit in Wismar, Germany.  Presenting their recommendations on how we can build a better world for future generations, they gave participated in discussions about […]

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(RED)
January 12, 2008 3 min. read

(Product) RED has now raised $50 million dollars from the sale of specially-branded, socially-conscious merchandise. This money has gone to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tubercuosis, and Malaria to help with their projects in Rwanda, Swaziland, and Ghana. If you haven't given (RED) a look, you should, because it's an interesting idea. Yes, the […]

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Public-Private Partnerships for Health
January 11, 2008 2 min. read

I just watched a video at Quimera.tv about the global USAID healthcare project, Private Sector Partnerships (PSP-One). This video is about 15 minutes long (I didn't time it, though) and is pretty clearly a PR piece meant to calm fears about public-private partnerships, but does an overall fair job presenting the issues. Two thoughts: – […]

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Rwanda as a GITMO model?
January 11, 2008 2 min. read

Officials in the Rwandan capital of Kigali decided to hold a civilian trial examining the role of former Sen. Anastase Nzirasanaho in the 1994 genocide there. Nzirasanaho is classified in the “first category” of alleged planners of the genocide in Rwanda. He is also accused in the April 1994 murder of Theoneste Gafaranga, a leader […]

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"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future" -John Fitzgerald Kennedy
January 11, 2008 1 min. read

It is within the eyes of a child that hope lies, look into them and you will see the dreams of peace and freedom. Children are born to see hope and possibility, it is us as adults, who give them doubts.  It is us, as leaders who give children the reason to believe that hope […]

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National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11, 2008
January 11, 2008 4 min. read

Willingly no one chooses the yoke of slavery. – Aeschylus Child slaves in Ghana Tomorrow is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and I ask you all to take a moment to look into the seriousness of this problem, and realize that is effects all countries, all races, all religions, all ages and sexes. It is […]

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Bush Shows Confidence in Negotiations, but Challenges Remain
January 10, 2008 2 min. read

The United States faces numerous challenges abroad looking ahead into 2008. On the diplomatic front few loom larger then Israeli-Palestinian relations. In December, the Annapolis Conference opened the door for direct negotiations, with the United States and the international community urging for progress on the sidelines. President Bush landed in Israel earlier this week in […]

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