It was great to welcome the Orton Family Foundation to EchoDitto recently. The Orton Family Foundation helps small cities and towns adopt land-use planning that engages a broad base of local citizens in order to maintain the ‘heart and soul’ of those communities. more

In 2008 Google launched the first Android smartphone, taking a bold step away from the safe and wonderful world of the ‘web’ into the universe of making ‘real things.’ I admit to being a little confounded by this move at the time, feeling that perhaps the masters of the internet were straying from their core business: online search. more

Cynicism is for cowards.

Someone I don’t even know very well recently challenged me to name three leaders who were true to “public service”, suggesting there weren’t any and that “those who might have the ability and resources to "change our world" put their professional and personal agendas before the need of those they might help, and therefore the world is screwed and there is no reason for anyone to think they can make a difference.” more

It is perhaps a testament to the fast paced, hurly burly of our times that many bright moments pass with barely a whisper. This is particularly so when such events require reflection - not lending themselves to an easy headline or front-page story. more

2010 marks the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century. While it is true that the land of Mandela and Tutu continues to inspire hope and goodwill in the hearts of many, it is perhaps equally true that in the relentless swirl of global competition, the rapture that followed the end of apartheid will soon cease to be the driving force for continuing prosperity. In this brave new world where innovation provides the competitive edge, a new economy must emerge to fill that space. After all, there is no amount of hope and inspiration that can cure the pangs of an empty stomach. more

I've always been an advocate for making New Years Resolutions - I'm just not usually the type to actually keep them. This year, I have a few resolutions: quit smoking (which I've been trying to do for over a year now), work-out more (once I fix my injured shoulder), and get more cool stuff done at work. I find it incredibly frustrating that there is so much I want to do, but it feels like there's never enough time to do it all.

So, regarding resolution #3, I've become obsessed with not letting anything get lost in the shuffle. For me, it has become a three-step process: more

It's pretty tough to get people motivated enough to actually do something these days.

We are dealing with increasingly savvy audiences, with more options, and less time to commit significant effort, to actively contribute to good causes.

Good online/offline campaigns rely on strong organizing, clear message, and recognizable outcomes. In addition, a successful campaign needs an inspirational way to motivate people to participate and engage. So how do we begin this process? more

I almost stopped myself from posting this. Because no one likes a cranky-pants. In this rapidly evolving field of online campaigning and "new media", we're quick to exalt and profile massively successful campaigns. When I train others on building effective online campaigns, I like to point to projects like Green my Apple, Invisible Children and Nothing But Nets (among others). more

Imagine a story, told in 6 different languages , from a myriad perspectives, that you personally have a hand in shaping and creating. Imagine collaborating with hundreds of people in countries all over the world to decipher a codex that ultimately reveals the location of lost artifacts physically located in cities around the world. Imagine building a network of explorers to visit these sites to unearth these objects. Imagine discovering the rules to a lost sport. Imagine teams of people all over the world learning these rules and training for months, participating in time trails and ultimately competing simultaneously around the world in a new Olympic sport.

Imagine following all this on blogs, youtube, twitter, facebook. Imagine communicating with the main characters – writing them emails, sending them video, and having them respond, having your contribution to the puzzle recognized and valued by your peers and becoming an active member of this community of adventurers and new athletes.

P.S. This is the future of our entertainment. And the future is here. more