Emergency Communication Systems

Recent Doings in Seattle and Beyond

On November 7, Shelly Farnham and others organized a lively meeting of 40 or so Seattleites who are interested in using technology for social engagement and social change. Speakers included Kate Starbird (Disaster Events and Digital Volunteerism), Seth Vincent (Civic Hacking), Shelly Farnham (Social Media and Hyper-local Community Well-being), David Keyes (Community Technology: Adoption and Inclusive Community Engagement), Luis F.

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Image Credit: 
Sodapop

Full LV Pattern Deck in Chinese (reduced filesize)

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Resource name: 
full-lv-pattern-deck-chinese-reduced
Resource type: 
Pattern cards

Towards a New Public Infrastructure

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Resource name: 
Towards a New Public Infrastructure — preprint
Resource type: 
Articles

March-Hare Communications Collective

Organization's slogan: 
March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. (MHCC) is a volunteer mutual benefit corporation that is dedicated to promoting emerging communications technology for the use of public organizing of grass-roots groups and non-governmental organizations. The focus of the March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. is to develop new, secure and open software to be used with existing technologies that will aid community and grass-roots coordination, social networking and organization specifically using mobile technologies. In addition March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. seeks to provide educational materials and trainings on how to use mobile technologies in a safe and effective manner that meets the needs of the user groups. March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. seeks to be a depository of both technologies and information regarding the innovative use of mobile technologies to promote social justice in the US and internationally by grass-root/community groups.
Civic Organization Disclaimer: 
Possible disclaimer: This information has been entered by a person who isn't associated with the organization. It may be incomplete or contain mistakes. If you are associated with this organization and would like to maintain this information, please get a Public Sphere Project account and ask us to transfer ownership of this information to you.

March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. (MHCC) is a volunteer mutual benefit corporation that is dedicated to promoting emerging communications technology for the use of public organizing of grass-roots groups and non-governmental organizations. The focus of the March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. is to develop new, secure and open software to be used with existing technologies that will aid community and grass-roots coordination, social networking and organization specifically using mobile technologies. In addition March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. seeks to provide educational materials and trainings on how to use mobile technologies in a safe and effective manner that meets the needs of the user groups. March Hare Communications Collective, Inc. seeks to be a depository of both technologies and information regarding the innovative use of mobile technologies to promote social justice in the US and internationally by grass-root/community groups.

Organizational engagement: 
Active
Organization's headquarters: 
United States

Street Newspapers

Douglas Schuler
Version: 
1
Discussion: 

The homeless newspaper movement is active in many cities around the world. Although it takes different forms in different cities, the basic model is the same: The newspaper concentrates on issues of homelessness and poverty, two subjects that are not likely to be covered sensitively or in much depth by mainstream media. Beyond that the newspaper is often actively engaged in the struggle for the rights of poor people and engages poor people and their communities in every aspect of the newspaper production and distribution. The Real Change weekly newspaper in Seattle is sold by people who are homeless or otherwise in underprivileged positions for $2.00 and receive $1.40 plus tips for each paper sold.

Categories: 
orientation
Categories: 
organization
Categories: 
engagement
Categories: 
social
Categories: 
products
Themes: 
Research for Action
Themes: 
Education
Themes: 
Economics
Themes: 
Policy
Themes: 
Social Critique
Themes: 
Community Action
Themes: 
Social Movement
Themes: 
Case Studies
Verbiage for pattern card: 

The homeless newspaper movement is active in many cities around the world. Although it takes different forms in different cities, the basic model is the same: The newspaper concentrates on issues of homelessness and poverty, two subjects that are likely to be covered sensitively or in much depth by mainstream media. Beyond that the newspaper is often actively engaged in the struggle for the rights of poor people and engages poor people and their communities in every aspect of the newspaper production and distribution. The Real Change weekly newspaper in Seattle is sold by people who are homeless or otherwise in underprivileged positions for $2.00 and receive $1.40 plus tips for each paper sold.

Information about introductory graphic: 
From Real Change Newspaper web site, <a href="http://www.realchangenews.org/">right here</a>

Witnessing

Pattern ID: 
397
Pattern number within this pattern set: 
397
Douglas Schuler
Public Sphere Project (CPSR)
Version: 
1
Problem: 

Every day throughout the world violence is unleashed against defenseless people, animals, habitats. Domestic violence, police or military abuse, neglect of children, the disabled, the poor

Context: 

genocide, environmental abuse, white collar crime, corruption, domestic abuse, prison, psychiatry, orphanages, old folks home, police abuse, violent crime, neglect. Occasionally these stories find public exposure. More often they do not. When they are revealed, positive actions can be -- but are infrequently -- taken.

Discussion: 

Witnessing, initially, requires presence at the scene of the transgression. Beyond that it requires making some type of record. The record can take many forms -- written, spoken, audio, video, drawings or photographs, songs, music, or theatrical presentations. The record must be conveyed because it gains significance when it becomes more public. Witnessing requires courage and perseverance. Exposing violence or criminal action exposes the perpetrator and hence the risk of retaliation is voluntarily assumed by the witness. Increasing the publicity associated with the crime increases the chances that the criminal will be prosecuted; ideally -- ultimately it would result in fewer instances of that type of crime. [it may also force the crime underground!] At the same time increasing the publicity can increase the risk to the witness. Witnessing is a legal as well as religious concept. Explain... Please note that this pattern submission is a draft at this point.

Solution: 

The act of witnessing must be supported and protected, it must have positive consequences and be prevalent if it's to be an effective tool in society.

Pattern status: 
Released
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