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Emergence

Emil
Here since: Jun 16, 2005
Male
CEO / Chief Architect
Aidpage, Inc.
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

My main interest now is in the transformative potential of the emerging person-centered social media.

I read mostly blogs... starting from just a selected few... and following the links from there:

I must be a considerate idealist... according to this personal DNA test... :)

What is Aidpage... People Helping People

You are a tourist on a city street... trying to find your way. How do you get help?

Help Yourself

You use a map or a booklet with information about the city. That's ok... although... feels a bit like work... and is somewhat lonely.

People Helping People

You ask a passer-by for directions... Or simply, a passer-by recognizes your "tourist" behavior, stops on his/her own will and spends 30 seconds (often much more) helping you. You feel good. The passer-by feels even better. Witnessing onlookers feel good too. What happens is an easy, almost instinctive "give and take"... so natural that we don't even think about who "gives", who "takes", or why is this happening. This is not "giving"... people are just helping each other.

So... what is Aidpage?

Aidpage is a free public space on the Web where you can:

  • speak out about your problems and needs,
  • act upon your need to help others,
  • join or organize groups for good causes.

Aidpage fosters informal communication among Aidmates, sharing of experience, and mutual support. Simply posting on Aidpage makes you an Aidmate.

E-Bay enables the simple, direct "people buying from people" over the Internet.

Aidpage enables the simple, direct "people helping people" over the Internet.

Need to know more?

Here are a few links to the aidpages of veteran Aidmates:

See also:

Comment: Hi Emil; May I tell others...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

Hi Emil; May I tell others on this site about Hepatitis C and how the treatment affectedme. I believe this is going to be the next world epedemic and the politians don't seem to care. Knowledge is power! I will share my story, since this is how I became disabled, but still pending my Social Security hearing. Thanks Cheri
Why Aidpage...

We created Aidpage so that people come together to help each other. We believe that web enabled "peer-to-peer" micro-helping will meet needs not readily met by government, nonprofits, or business.

Aidpage is a response to two related problems affecting millions of people in the US and globally - (1) erosion of traditional support networks, and (2) institutionalized aid growing increasingly complex, conditional, selective, and competitive.

Erosion of traditional support networks

Today's global markets by all definitions do not exactly "care" about individual livelihoods. People generally accept this as a fact of life, try to prepare accordingly, and do not expect "help" from the markets. People try to develop high levels of competitiveness, autonomy, mobility, and capability to change. This, however, accelerates the disintegration of traditional social environments built on cooperation, mutual dependencies, locality, and predictability - like extended family, neighborhoods, childhood friends, etc.

The erosion of these traditional environments has two aspects - (1) the psychological loss of informal, unconditional "giving and taking", and (2) the practical loss of a historically well established support layer for people "in need."

We design Aidpage as the "people aid people" platform - based on the following principles:

  • person-to-person giving is a basic human need
  • empathy and compassion need no incentives nor conditions
  • everybody always "gives" and "takes"
  • immediacy and informality work better than "process"
  • people are "wired" for trust.

Institutionalized aid growing increasingly complex, conditional, selective, and competitive

Institutionalized aid (government and nonprofit) in the US is a huge system driven by over a trillion in tax and donation dollars annually. The distribution system is so complicated and vast that it is rather opaque to traditional processes of public scrutiny. Episodic media interest - notably after big disasters - "let's see how the money will be spent" - is only scratching the surface of the problems. Despite recent well intended efforts, nonprofit organizations still largely operate as purely private organizations that do not feel enough pressure or need to be transparent to the public. The knowledge about the bysantine mechanics of the aid system is embodied in fully blown professional occupations like fundraising, program development, grant making, grant administration, grant writing, grant consulting, etc.

Most people turning to government aid are already having trouble coping with competitive markets. They are indeed looking for unconditional assistance. True, there are the big "entitlement" programs like Medicare and Social Security. But also true is that many other vital areas of government support are strictly conditional, competition-based, selective, restrictive, outcome based, and policy driven - such as student aid, medical expenses assistance, small business assistance, housing and home repair assistance, etc. Average Jane and Joe have to "inquire", "apply", "prove", "qualify", "compete", "perform", and "report" - to get the aid that is funded by their own tax money. If only they knew how to do all this.

Nonprofit aid has even more openly discriminatory distribution policies - tolerated on the assumption that the money is "private". But let's see how "private" is it. Annually, the nonprofit sector gets about $250 billion in tax incentivized private donations ($210 billion of them from individuals)... and about $390 billion from government grants and contracts - pure taxpayers' money that is (see data source).

Access to institutionalized aid is acutely problematic for the intended beneficiaries. Naturally, there is an unending public interest in the "who, how, how much, and why" of the distribution processes and outcomes. And there is an unending frustration with the complexity, lack of transparency, selectiveness, and competitiveness of a system whose main purpose is to help people.

Information on these processes is publicly available - residing in thousands of different sources and formats. However, the information is one sided - it is only produced by institutions and naturally reflects "institutional" points of view and bureaucratic "defending of turf." The other main participants and de facto "owners" of the system - the aid beneficiaries - do not have any outlets, formats, or platforms they could use to publicly speak out, discuss, and reflect on these processes. Money wise - the system is a full circle from the public up and then from the institutions down. But information wise - it works one way only... whenever it works... to the extent it works.

We design Aidpage as a bottom up conversational media:

  • aggregating large bodies of information offered by participating publishers
  • easy self-publishing (blog-like but non-geek)
  • audience participation on each page - commenting, adding of links, system-wide communication
  • system-wide findability - search, tagging
  • public space, mutual visibility, transparency.

See also:

Comment: DEAR EMIL, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

DEAR EMIL, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL I LIVE IV GLADESPRING VA I HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD LITTLE GIRL AND ONE ON THE WAY DUE IN FEB. THANKS TO THIS WEBSITE MY 4 YEAR OLD HAD A GOOD CHRISTMAS THANKS TO A WOMAN NAMED DEB1 SHE WAS WONDERFUL WITH HELPING ME. NOW I NEED HELP WITH THE NEW BABY CLOTHES AND ECT. AND IF ANY ONE HAS ANY MATERINTY CLOTHES THANK YOU CRYSTAL
Comment: Here we go... because veterans...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Why Aidpage..."

Here we go... Because veterans don't have much of a "fighting" chance against the Veterans' benefits bureaucracy, now they'll pay money to lawyers to help them. So here is how it goes: (1) Congress (made of lawyers mostly) makes the benefits regulations impossibly difficult to follow, then (2) Congress "helps" veterans by "allowing" them to pay lawyers so that they "help" veterans get the "help" that is theirs to begin with. See the link below to the article on CNN.

Contributed links:
 
P.S. Reminds me somehow of what Warren Buffet says about the financial services industry. Here is a snippet: "...the burden of paying Helpers may cause American equity investors, overall, to earn only 80 percent or so of what they would earn if they just sat still and listened to no one."
Comment: I am a disabled person in...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "What is Aidpage?"

I am a disabled person in need of some help. My income is not enough to pay for everything i need to pay and live on but i am told i make too much to get any help like medicaid. I am needing help so if anyone out there can help me I would appreciate it
Merry Christmas... Happy Holidays... Happy New 2007 to all Aidmates!

A big, big "Thank You" to all aidmates who gave time and care here on Aidpage in 2006!

WHO~KNEW, soulight ... you definitely are THE aidmates of 2006!

And everyone of us - here on Aidpage - is the "Person of the Year" for 2006! They say, in this article in TIME Magazine, that "really a revolution" is happening... enabled by the web:

"It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing."

But we knew that long before hearing it from TIME Magazine, didn't we?

Merry Christmas!

shiningstill
Here since: Dec 24, 2006
Female, 38
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Languages: English
I am single and normally very positive...Please send me email of you'd like someone who listens well and is unselfish and giving sometimes to a fault

shiningstill@hottmail.com
Comment: hello my name is tabatha and...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

hello my name is tabatha and i was on aidpage to see if i can get some help paying my rent if u have any other idea please feel free to email me i'm on ssi and i only get a check once a month on the 3rd of every month for the death of my husband i just looking for some help asap so if u no of any other progrem that might help please let me no thank you for your time
Comment: Hi Mr.Sotirov. I just wanted...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil Sotirov on Aidpage"

Hi Mr.Sotirov. I just wanted again to tell you thank you for your interest in my need.There's more damage to this house than i mentioned but i figured heat would be a priority.I also wanted to tell you what a wonderful caring person you and the other aidmate members who devote thier time to the needy.The world needs more people like yourselves ;-)
Comment: This is my first time writing...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "What is Aidpage?"

This is my first time writing to any group like this, but I have recently lost my job (July 2006). I have a lot of education, Ph. D. Business Admin, MBA, Project Mgmt Certificate, but I seem to be viewed as over-educated. I would really like to start a business or get involved in governmental grant type of business where I work with the government as an objective consulting role type --- I have a few professional friends who have also lost their jobs and I would be open to working in a consulting role with these ladies as my partners in some grant work --- does anyone have any thoughts --- thanks!
Time's Person of the Year: YOU

Great choice of TIME Magazine for Person of the Year. Here is the bit from the article we like most:

"It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing..."

Here is more from the article:

"The "Great Man" theory of history is usually attributed to the Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who wrote that "the history of the world is but the biography of great men." He believed that it is the few, the powerful and the famous who shape our collective destiny as a species. That theory took a serious beating this year...

But look at 2006 through a different lens and you'll see another story, one that isn't about conflict or great men. It's a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.

The tool that makes this possible is the World Wide Web. Not the Web that Tim Berners-Lee hacked together (15 years ago, according to Wikipedia) as a way for scientists to share research. It's not even the overhyped dotcom Web of the late 1990s. The new Web is a very different thing. It's a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter. Silicon Valley consultants call it Web 2.0, as if it were a new version of some old software. But it's really a revolution.

And we are so ready for it."

Here is the full article...

Comment: Hello Sir. I am new to this...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

Hello Sir. I am new to this aidpage and I am wondering if you could help me find the people I need. People who want to share their blessings to less furtunate people like us. Or maybe some foundations who are capable of extending their help to the Philippines. I have a very ill mother who is depending on her medicines for survival. We have exhausted all means of supporting her medicines and now we have nothing. I love my mother very much and I do not want to loss her without a fight. That's why I am begging for anyone to extend us their help for my mother's medicines. Thank you very much and I hope you could guide me to the people I need.
Comment: I'm new to this site and I'm...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

I'm new to this site and I'm in a bind financil with little income, so if anyone no of work at home that is free and real work, please let me know because I have a sick child that I have to look after so I can't work outside the home. Thanks, Lois
Comment: I'm glad that you are interested...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

I'm glad that you are interested in helping me. Ihave had arough time time this year. I need medication and patient assitance will not kick in for another 4-6 weeks. Ireally need the meds asap. The medication is $314 and Ijust don't have that right now. If there is any you can help I would be very appreciative.
Comment: Dear holy Emil, Greetings...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

Dear holy Emil, Greetings from Getahun Tsegaye!!. Dear holy Emil,to tell you the truth,it is byond my scope how to convince peoples 100% about what I am realy now.Any how I would like to make you know that I am writing this and the future one's being with agreat fear of my God ,with a truthful spirit,and with a humanity spirit not to cheat you and others. My contact with you has given me a sense of hope because ,you may be bed rock,real strength,and determinant factor to my near future educational success. Apatient must tell his feelings to his doctor to get the approprite medication. Dear Emil, You are my only doctor among billions of global communities!!.So my doctor,the following are my feelings: 1-lack of SAT rsgistration fee. 2-lack of money for college/university application fee. 3-lack of money for my current primery need. 4-lack of money for various proccess befor school enrolemnt at my home. 5-lack of money for air transportation. THANK YOU MY DOCTOR.
Comment: HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED MY PAGE THRICE.AS YOU MAY HAVE LEARNT,I AM AN UNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENT OF BENUE SATE UNIVERSITY MAKURDI NIGERIA IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.I HOPE I AM WHERE I CAN GET ONE.WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANKS. OTWALTERS.

Contributed links:
Comment: HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED MY PAGE THRICE.AS YOU MAY HAVE LEARNT,I AM AN UNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENT OF BENUE SATE UNIVERSITY MAKURDI NIGERIA IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.I HOPE I AM WHERE I CAN GET ONE.WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANKS. OTWALTERS.

Contributed links:
Comment: My sister is looking for beautiful,...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil Sotirov on Aidpage"

My sister is looking for beautiful, honorable people, to work with Letty to put her painting on Materials, Builds and other products. We have forward her art information and pictures to Australian Austrade to try and find buyer and exhibitors, so that Letty and family may have a better life. We do not want a handouts we have the products through our Artworks, Indigenous Cultural Knowledge (cultural Educators) and Music (Singer/Songwriters/Guitarist) . Letty Scott and her family have suffered with the Murder of her husband Douglas Bruce Scott in Darwin NT prison (Deaths in custody). Letty has spent 20 years as a justice fighter with no success. Due to spending 20 years fighting for Justice she was unable to ensure a secure superaunation or a health bank balance that would give her and family some peace. Prior to her husband death Letty was working, Letty, Douglas and family where happy. Since the murder everything was shattered, I so admire my sister as a single mother of 4 an amazing role model for all women, who put all her resource in fighting for justice as a layperson with on support only her voice. http://www.eniar.org/news/scot t2.html. Nathan Scott Douglas and Letty have written a Songs called the one so true and it is Nathan Scott first single dedicated to Ray Jackson NSW Justice Fighter in Australia. If you would like it emailed to you Please email me on rhubee_neale764@yahoo.com.au and I will forward her future vision of her painting on PowerPoint onto you. Kind Regards Rhubee Neale
Comment: HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

HI,I DISCOVERED YOU VISITED MY PAGE THRICE.AS YOU MAY HAVE LEARNT,I AM AN UNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENT OF BENUE SATE UNIVERSITY MAKURDI NIGERIA IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.I HOPE I AM WHERE I CAN GET ONE.WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANKS. OTWALTERS.
Comment: Hi! and Merry Christmas......
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Comment: DEAR EMIL, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL..."

Hi! and Merry Christmas...I know I am quite late but asking for help is very hard for me...I have 2 children Liza and Todd and they do not have a Christmas Tree nor will Ol Saint Nick be coming down the chimney to bring these precious children gifts and treats...I love them so much and feel like dying...because this year has been so rough on them..me as well...Anyway...I am going to try..No I am going to stay positive...and pray that next year I can make up for this one....Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year!! xoxoxo Sherry Sutphen

Comment: Please take the time and read...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Need help buying a house for me and my three kids that I can afford"

Please take the time and read what I have said.
Comment: I am from pakistan. Who will...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

I am from pakistan. Who will help me? Iam student and have no money to pay my fee. pasha_roadrasher@yahoo.c om Abdul Rehman
Comment: Racers Against Multiple Sclerosis...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

Racers Against Multiple Sclerosis Dear Friends, My name is Ronald Gooden and I'm starting a new race team and in search of sponsorship, Donations, Investors to put this together to go around the U.S. to promote the fight against M.S.The team is called (Racers Against M.S.) R.A.M.S. We are in need of any and all donations (i.e.. Parts, chassis, body, motor, slick wheels. This is a ground floor team to go out and let people know about M.S. and to help fight for a cure...so PLEASE.... HELP THIS CAUSE.... I’m not a non-profit but I am building this truck to travel across the US to promote awareness to Multiple Sclerosis. See I to have MS From what I know, I will be the only traveling car and driver to go out and raise money for MS research. Part of the donations will go back into the truck; it is a 50/50 split. The other part will go to MS research. I'm doing this on my own with the help of my family I'm seeking donations to get this started. So far I have the truck, It's a 1982 GMC S-15, a used pair of circle track tires for the rear, a stock 350 out of a 82 Chevy van along with the tranny. I've tried to get others interested in this venture with no luck. See no one is willing to take a chance on this and me. Most people don't know what Multiple Sclerosis is or what effect it has on the people who have it. I don't want people to feel sorry for me, but I just need help and donations are a part of that help. For your help, Your name will be on the truck and be seen all over at every track I go to...You might be saying and thinking, Yeah right, This is just some guy just trying to get something for nothing, But that's not how it is, I'm just someone who is willing to do anything it takes to make people aware of Multiple Sclerosis and help find a cure. Although all of us diagnosed with MS experience different things, one thing is the same-We have to deal with symptoms, but we have to try and overcome them to make life better. Life offers a lot of great things and it has its downfalls and also great joys. When I was diagnosed with MS in 2000,I was floored. I thought, How could this happen to what and me will I do now. Well after a lot of self-pity and a lot of heartache, I had a few dreams. And I decided to not let it get me down. The dream I had, I saw myself with a drag truck, On the side of that truck was RAMS, Racers Against Multiple Sclerosis. My family and I are going from track to track raising money and awareness to MS and letting people know that it doesn't keep us down. This team, which consists of my wife, my daughter and son-in-law and myself is about helping people not only overcome life's trials, but to help them see that" Yes we can do it ". I want people to see that Multiple Sclerosis doesn't mean we can't fully function and make our dreams come true. I want people to see living proof of this. It won't be easy, But I'm just one man...Trying to make a difference and wanting to see chapters of RAMS all over the world. PLEASE, Help make a difference. Send $1.00 to Racers Against Multiple Sclerosis in care of Ronald Gooden 406 N. Modena St. Gastonia, N.C. 28054
Comment: hi everyone..i think the concept...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

hi everyone..i think the concept of this site is great...i hope ev one gets what they need...I have been in need a lot of my life..I am still in debt..on section eight..but i can get my bills paid at this point..I dont have much to give...but i can help in collaboration..It's just a matter of knowing that the person is really in need..and that's hard to find out..I think that's why..ppl are skeptical about helping..When i got help from the Salvation Army one time..they wanted to see the bills maybe this will help ppl believe..dontknow how this can be done without anonymity..but if some one can come up with some variation..i will be glad to give what i can.. Thank you all for your time
Comment: I am in very desparate need!...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

I am in very desparate need! My emploment situation just ended and I have no insurance for me and my family. My wife has left and filed for divorced me in my time of need. I still have my step son My step son, Willie Bo Dean (step son) broke his leg in a freak accident and we are hurting for cash and food. I need at least $10,000 for food shelter and bills. That would tie us over until I find other employment. If you know anyone or would like to help send to: J.C. Howard PO Box 616531 Orlando, Fl. 32861-6531 Email: jchowardjr@yahoo.com Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Comment: hi...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

hi
Comment: I would also love to find...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

I would also love to find out if there's any work available to work on from home! I have a senior and a sophomore and they're draining me DRY. I'm a school secretary, but am VERY good at word processing and working on the computer in my off hours. I'm able to work on school term papers, legal documents, etc. If you have any ideas for me, please PM me
Comment: hi emil...
Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "Emil on Aidpage"

hi emil
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