Del.icio.us

So, I got rid of the links on the sidebar because the Javascript loaded pretty unreliably. Until the Del.icio.us "thingy" starts to work for Blogger, there may be a few more upcoming posts like this one.

A couple of donation opportunities I noticed the other day at work, I think on Treehugger. The first is a charity, Architecture for Humanity. The second is a micro-loan program called Kiva. I've heard about microfinancing from several quarters, and it seems to be a nearly unimpeachably good idea. In developing nations, small institutions are set up to fund initiatives conceived and carried out by the local population. The loans are often unbelievably small -- Kiva is suggesting as low as a $25 investment -- and they go to support things like tea shops or agriculture or whatever might fit well in the area. It seems to be a very productive way to promote jobs and necessary improvements in places where international aid tends to dominate. I've read things like Paul Theroux's NYTimes op-ed from time to time, and the argument against unaccompanied aid and for free trade along with empowerment, education, and guidance toward good government, seems to make a lot of sense. Kiva is as good a way as I've seen to get involved yourself, and, since it's a loan and not a donation, even misers can take part!

Other links:

• Speaking of Bono, here's an S/FJ photo essay on U2's recent MSG concert.
• Wired with a very lively piece on hacks for the new Firefox 1.5
• Phil Kline's Unsilent Night, "an outdoor ambient music piece for an INFINITE number of boom box tape players."
• The Story of John Doe, which I stumbled upon after Harold Pinter's Nobel acceptance speech caused me to look up "Joe Doakes."
• I'm not yet a big Talking Heads fan, though I'll admit to admiring the Brick, but David Byrne has a great site. Check out the blog as well as this month's radio netcast (Saturday MP3!) of classic country.