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about this site: a project 'clearinghouse'
JohnShapiro.com is a "clearinghouse" for the various projects I am working on. The time/motivation I have to work on things ebbs and flows, but I remain inspired by this quote though which I think explains my situation:

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." ~ Thoreau



nonprofit creation: CooperativeAction.org
I am very interested in nonprofit creation, and my first project encompasses many things that I am passionate about:

social justice/change, helping others, common ground/people working together, respectful communication, shifting power from entities back to individuals, problem solving/systemic change:

CooperativeAction.org is a nonprofit organization that uses an interactive website to allow people to participate in petitions, boycotts, and actions regarding a broad range of commonly agreed upon issues, such as health care costs, global warming, etc. When enough people participate, a "critical mass" or "tipping point" will be reached that will create enough pressure on politicians and corporations to act to address and solve these issues. This process does not advocate for exactly how these issues should or should not be solved, but rather it compels politicians and corporations to work together to find complete solutions to these commonly agreed upon issues. This process happens in a cooperative, respectful, objective, secular, non-partisan way that is geared towards raising the quality of communication, facilitating inclusion of participants that hold diverse views, and educating in an unbiased, straight forward way.

This site/organization is not fully up and running yet, but there is some prelimanary stuff available at: www.CooperativeAction.org



'business entity' for 'greater good'
I am in process of creating a business entity combinging a for-profit consulting business, a nonprofit incubator, and a political/civic/educational action platform that will combine my intentions and passions under one roof that I am tentatively calling "Evolving Alternatives": I have a strong underlining pull towards giving, compassion, unconditional love, and being service to others especially around social, environmental, and political issues. I also feel like it is important to combine that with my passions: I am very interested at critical thinking, creative problem solving, and finding paths for evolution of existing systems. I am very interested in clear, accurate communication that is simply and obviously stated with an opportunity to look into significant deeper detail; communication that does not take an us against them, victim/victimizer stance but rather seeks to include as many people as possible while still maintaining a strong, fact based message; communication that is rooted in compassion and empathy of all involved, especially the "enemy." I also have a strong interest in public speaking, especially answering challenging and unexpected questions. I have a strong professional web designer/software developer skill set that can tie many of these things together.


'worthwhile' blog
'worthwhile' info on... politics, nonprofit, technology, science, and occasionally other stuff: » read it... | subscribe subscribe to it...

original music
I am planning on posting some of my original music soon. Some songs seem really, really close to being done...

essays/articles
I am currently working on a variety of essays and articles about spiritual, psychological, political, and practical stuff.

super fun dance!!!
A couple friends and I are starte a fun, monthly, community, non-scene-alcohol-etc, DJed-by-me dance: www.SuperFunDance.org

current money making endeavor(s)
For my income, I teach voice and guitar lessons out of my home in Denver, Colorado. Here is the website: www.MakeGreatMusic.com
what's new...
more CooperativeAction.org content added | 2008.06.09
Super Fun Dance!!! has be co-created | 2008.06.02
actual blogging has started | 2008.05.25
CooperativeAction.org preliminary site posted | 2008.04.26
this site started to re-emerge after 1.5 years offline | 2008.03.02



what's coming up...
come shake it @ Super Fun Dance!!! | 2008.06.21