How do we restore common sense to government?
We restore the influence of common citizens

CivicEvolution is a free, non-partisan online public service for grassroots deliberation and collaboration.

We provide the tools and resources groups need to create and manage deliberative projects with clear objectives and actionable outcomes.

Our on-demand tools empower groups and keep them focused on their goals.

I spoke with Brian Sullivan at the opening Gnomedex party Thursday night about CivicEvolution, which is in development. He envisions a website with powerful tools to help grassroots organizers come together, decide what they want to do, then do it.

The highly configurable software walks participants through the entire process. First, meeting each other, then proposing a project, getting feedback, voting on it, forming teams, and taking action. The software for each phase is specifically geared to that phase, and he’s given all of this serious thought.

As one who is involved in organizing, it’s clear to me that CivicEvolution could be a seriously powerful and useful tool. He’s looking for beta testers, people to spread the word, and funding. Check it out.

No Comments »

John Shay of Head Zup with their new t-shirt! Head Zup makes short video comic strips that you can download for free and send via your cell phone.

You can grab the animations directly with your cell phone or download it to your PC, email it to the cell, then send it. A cutting edge idea, and one with many possibilities.

No Comments »

Last night at the Gnomedex opening party, I discovered -

Josh Bancroft. Intel tech evangelist and geek blogger.

Second Life search engine
You can not search for items in Second Life. You can here.

PodcasterNews
“PodcasterNews is short podcasts up to 5 minutes in length produced by our network of content producers. Listen on the site using MyCast or add your custom RSS feed to your favorite podcatcher.”

Programmable Web
“Because the world’s your programmable oyster.” APIs and API mashups.

No Comments »

To rescue one soldier -

Israel cripples Hamas with arrest of ministers

Israeli airstrike destroys interior ministry in Gaza

Official: Gaza near humanitarian crisis

Hundreds of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip are on the brink of a humanitarian crisis after Israel bombed the area’s only power plant.

The bombing Tuesday night cut 40 percent of power to the Gaza Strip and threatens to leave many of its 1.4 million civilians without water, Jan Egeland said.

As I write this, Google News lists 5,239 stories on the Gaza invasion, way more than normal for a big story. The whole world is watching this one.

That Israel used the kidnapping of one soldier as a pretext to try to destroy Hamas is a given. That the unintended consequences and repercussions from this will be staggering is also a given.

1 Comment »

From The Independent (UK)

Blair laid bare: the article that may get you arrested

Hat tip: John Couzin at Radical Glascow

No Comments »

From Slate

“I wouldn’t want to be a senator or congressman. I’m able to influence politics much more effectively doing what I do. Now I can shape the national political debate. The only way I could exert more influence would be if I were president.”

You just can’t make this kind of stuff up, folks…

3 Comments »

Americans represent 5% of the world’s population but drive almost a third of its cars, which in turn account for nearly half the carbon dioxide pumped out of exhaust pipes into the atmosphere each year, according to a report.

No Comments »