Social enterprises are fundamentally different entities than standard enterprises. While certain outward features may seem similar, or even identical in some cases, the underlying motivations driving the two are totally different. Just as diesel fuel in a gasoline engine can take you only so far before your vehicle breaks down, so too the motivations and [...]
Archive for the ‘Insight’ Category
The Tao of Social Enterprise
Posted in Insight on July 29, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The Economist on Alternate Currencies
Posted in Insight on January 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This week’s edition The Economist has a short box-text on alternate currencies. From the article:
Gerhard Rösl, professor of economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg, who wrote on alternative currencies in 2006 for the Bundesbank, says the overall stimulus from such schemes in times of deflation may be short-lived—because, though the velocity of [...]
Making Cops Smile :-)
Posted in Insight, Inspiration, tagged Amma, amnesty, beating tickets, Berkeley, budget cuts, california financial crisis, cops, court letter, doughnuts, Krishnammal Jagannathan, Mata Amritanandamayi, reduced ticket, smile cards, smile deck, speeding, tickets on December 20, 2008 | 9 Comments »
“Why you in such a hurry? You were going 40 in a 25 zone. Gimme your license, registration, & proof of insurance.”
It was so late on Wednesday night that it was already Thursday. Riding with me was my fiancee, a gift-economy naturopath, a Mexican Gandhian & peaceful warrior, and an Amma devotee & brilliant graphic [...]
Krishnammal Jagannathan Speaks at CharityFocus
Posted in Insight, Inspiration, tagged Bhoodan Movement, Charityfocus, Krishnammal Jagannathan, LAFTI, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Right Livelihood Award 2008, Vinoba Bhave on November 24, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Krishnammal Jagannathan, winner of the Right Livelihood Award for 2008, shared ancedotes and wisdom from her decades of struggle for social justice through non-violent means, including her time with Vinoba Bhave and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The video was recorded on November 12th, 2008 at the CharityFocus ‘Intergalactic Headquarters’ in Santa Clara, California.
Killing for Quotas in India and Alternate Currencies
Posted in Insight, tagged Alternate Currencies, Caste, Gujjars, India, Jobs, NY Times, Quotas, Rajasthan on June 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The New York Times reported that thousands of Gujjars, an ethnic sub-caste, had taken to the streets in Rajasthan to demand a greater quota reservation for their community, with clashes erupting into violence.
“Failing to control the stone-pelting mob, police had to resort to firing,” Umesh Mishra, police inspector general, told Reuters.
India administers the [...]
Converting to Electric Cars Could Be ‘Free’!
Posted in Insight, Technology, tagged Electric Cars, Energy, Oil, Philip Greenspun on May 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
At least at $130 / barrel of oil, according to MIT prof Philip Greenspun’s math. Here’s how he breaks it down:
total oil consumption in the U.S.: 21 million barrels every day (CIA Factbook)
cost per barrel: $130
days in year: 365
total spent per year: $1 trillion
percentage of oil consumed by passenger cars: 40 (source)
total spent per [...]
What’s Wrong With America’s Diet
Posted in Insight, tagged Oprah, TED Talks, Vegan, Vegetarianism on May 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Too much meat, says New York Times writer Mark Brittman in his TED Talk. Not because its bad for your health (even though it is), but because its destroying the planet. Who knew that Americans slaughter 10 billion cows, pigs, and chickens each year!?
Brittman places the meat industry as [...]
Mission Check – Helping Another Man Dying on the Pavement
Posted in Insight, tagged Ahmedabad, Service on July 18, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
A journalist friend called last week to tell me that she found a man in bad condition living on the pavement. She tried to get him to some place where he would be out of the rain, but he didn’t budge so she called me for help. Would I be willing to be [...]
