Day 99 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

On Day 99 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days... the question is... What is a manifesto?

Traditionally defined as: A public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature....

At Change This they define the word manifesto as one of many PDF files on their site that's an argument, a reasoned, rational call to action, supported by logic and facts.

So who is Change This?

ChangeThis was built in the summer of 2004 by Amit Gupta, Catherine Hickey, Noah Weiss, Phoebe Espiritu and Michelle Sriwongtong. The original idea behind ChangeThis came from Seth Godin.

In the summer of 2005, ChangeThis was turned over to 800-CEO-READ. In addition to selling business books, they keep ChangeThis up and running with their love and tender care. To learn more about 800-CEO-READ, read their daily blog.

"ChangeThis is creating a new kind of media. A form of media that uses existing tools (like PDFs, blogs and the web) to challenge the way ideas are created and spread. We're on a mission to spread important ideas and change minds."

More than a blog, Change This is a wellspring of wisdom, carefully crafted ideas, beautifully presented in a well designed PDF format. I'll guarantee you will download and print every PDF in their vast inventory.

I remember using The Long Tail manifesto as a baseline to change some faulty thinking with a group of peers; the precepts didn't work for some, while others embraced the thinking contained within and went onward to great success culturally and financially in their company. Thus the power of a manifesto.

So who writes these manifestos? Some of my favs of the hundred plus manifestos available include:

GUY KAWASAKI, former Apple Fellow and entrepreneur extraordinaire, on up-starting a start-up
Art Of The Start

Have you ever received AN EMAIL IN ALL CAPS? End the madness here, with ELLY MARKSON's brief but powerful guide to email etiquette.
How To Be A Boor

Interested in starting a weblog for your company? Before you begin - or even if you've already begun - read "The Corporate Weblog Manifesto" by Microsoft evangelist ROBERT SCOBLE.
Corporate Weblog

Want to make more out of life? Do Less. SETH GODIN, entrepreneur and author of several best-selling business books, including Purple Cow, on how to maximize quality and time.
Do Less

Speaking "teen" is not easy. It means knowing the difference between Beyonce, Britney, Ashlee and Jessica. Josh Shipp will help you become fluent in "teen". He'll teach you to entertain, inspire and empower.
Teens Language

Interested in learning advanced business concepts, but don't have the time or money for a traditional MBA program? Business schools don't have a monopoly on worldly wisdom - if you care more about increasing your effectiveness at work than a diploma and a few lines on your resume, the "Personal MBA" is for you.
Personal MBA


and the previously mentioned classic:

Editor-in-Chief of Wired, CHRIS ANDERSON says that the future belongs to those that serve the millions of untapped niche markets as well as they serve the masses. Read his manifesto to find out how unlimited shelf space and personalization can revolutionize your business.
Long Tail

By the way, got something to say? If you've got an idea for a manifesto you'd like to write or publish through ChangeThis, submit a proposal. If it's approved, your proposal will appear on the site and visitors to the site will be able to vote on it.

Read. Listen. Discuss. You just might learn something from some great mentors, if you dare.