I initially promised that I'd go away after graduating, but I think that I might pop back in every now and then if the occasion's right. =)
So, here's the deal: Change.org is sponsoring a competition whereby anyone can post an idea for making America better. The ten ideas that receive the most votes will be presented to Barack Obama on Inauguration Day. They'll also receive the support of a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen high-profile NGOs. In short, the ten winning ideas have a real chance of being implemented.
All you have to do is go here and click on the "Vote" icon in the top left-hand corner. My idea needs 100 votes to make it to the second round, and the deadline for voting in the first round is December 31st.
I'd greatly appreciate your taking a few seconds to cast your vote and bring my idea closer to becoming one of the Obama administration's priorities!
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: anonymous on December 19, 2008
Posted by: 0 on December 19, 2008
It's called "Establish a 'Global Challenges Wikipedia' to Empower Problem Solvers." Here's the link: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/establish_a_global_challenges_wikipedia_to_empower_problem_solvers
Best,
Ali
Posted by: Ali on December 19, 2008
Posted by: 0 on December 19, 2008
Posted by: Pranav on December 20, 2008
Posted by: anonymous on December 20, 2008
Creating an account is a minor irritant. And I didn't really read it. I did read the comments though. Those managed to convince me to vote. =P
Posted by: Anon on December 20, 2008
As Anon said, you first have to create an account at
https://www.change.org/admin/sign_up
Once you've registered, just visit
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/establish_a_global_challenges_wikipedia_to_empower_problem_solvers
Here's the description of my idea:
//////////
There are practically an infinite number of players who’re trying to solve pressing challenges like climate change and global poverty. There’s a big problem, though – there’s no framework in place that allows them to collaborate effectively. Here’s how we can establish it:
FIRST, identify which players should be involved in addressing a given challenge. Sometimes it’s easy to tell. Take climate change, for example – it’s universally acknowledged that big powers like the US and emerging powers like China need to cooperate. Development issues such as income inequality, however, require many players to coordinate. International institutions can contribute economic assistance and expertise. Governments can implement large-scale, high-impact policies. NGOs can implement ideas at the level of the neighborhood or village and scale up the ones that work. And, of course, individuals on the ground can understand people’s daily struggles. Far too often, though, these players undermine rather than help each other.
Why? Sometimes they’re unaware of each other, meaning that they replicate each other’s efforts and waste precious resources. When they are aware of each other, however, they tend to compete rather than collaborate – egos clash. Now take these difficulties and map them onto thousands of linked development challenges. The haphazard nature of this process suggests that our SECOND task is to establish a “global challenges Wikipedia” that describes, for every challenge, what successes and failures have occurred, what steps need to be taken, and what coordinated steps players can take to do so.
Facilitating this collaboration would not only improve efficiency. It would also allow those who are suffering to wean themselves off of continued intervention and become their own agents of change. Empowering them in this way is our THIRD, most important priority.
Let’s take these steps together. Let’s make something amazing happen.
//////////
Best,
Ali
Posted by: Ali on December 20, 2008
Thanks so much for your vote! I just need 27 more votes to move on to the second round.
Best,
Ali
Posted by: Ali on December 20, 2008
Posted by: Ron Paul supporter on December 20, 2008
Please reply.
Posted by: AK on December 21, 2008
Posted by: Pranav on December 21, 2008
Posted by: sepideh on December 22, 2008
I guess you can apply only through one of the means. Your take.. Go for freshman if you want.. better admission rates!
Posted by: Dhvanit on December 22, 2008
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