David S

Recent Activity

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  David signed the petition | 5 months ago

  DR Congo: Reverse the suspension of SMS text-messaging services.
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  David signed the petition | 6 months ago

  Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.: Make a conflict-free product that includes minerals from eastern Congo
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  David signed the petition | about 2 years ago

  Tell Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice to Make Sudan A Priority for the Obama Administration
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  David commented on the article | over 2 years ago

  Only Thing Worse Than a Prolonged Afghan War is a Taliban Victory

  Not quite fair to say that Rory Stewart is a "dove progressive." He is running for parliament in the UK as a conservative:

  
  

  http://www.tnr.com/article/world/the-t%E2%80%85e-lawrence-afghanistan?page=0,1

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  David commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Aid Worker Careers: How to Find Your First Bad Job

  Clever blog post, but fantastically bad career advice.

  
  

  Alanna's conflates bad jobs and bad organizations. Bad jobs are the necessary steps one needs to take in order to gain experience and move on to more compelling work in the future. Within the international aid work, most jobs involving 'backstopping' of overseas projects can fall into this category. The work is dreary, but it provides an entry point to more substantive opportunities down the road.

  
  

  Bad organizations, on the other hand, are dysfunctional or disreputable groups that have no business staying in business. At best, they waste resources and reinforce the sorry reputation of non-profits as inefficient. At worst, they 'do harm' in the field. Many of them have a tendency to mistreat, dis-empower, and take shameful advantage of their junior staff. Do bright young lawyers and doctors seek out bad law firms and hospitals bad institutions, as proof that they understand the profession and won't freak out in the courthouse or operating room? Hell no. As aid slowly grows into a profession, we need to develop institutions and incentive structures that either encourage organizations to invest in their staff, or drive them out of business altogether.