Dear Mr. Jobs (please click this picture)

Dear Mr. Jobs,

You don't know me. My name is [Basil Fawlty], I 'm a copywriter for an ad agency here in NY but I'm writing you in my capacity as a human being.

I've long been appalled, as I'm sure you have, by the situation in Darfur.

And like many, I've lent a hand or a dollar whenever I could. Recently, I read an article in Newsweek (attached) that gave me an idea for how you can help, with the help of the Apple brand.

The basic problem is that a lot of Darfur residents are close to starvation, because of a paucity of food and firewood and the dangers involved in venturing out of camp to gather fuel. This prompted a Berkley scientist by the name of Ashok Gadgil to invent a new kind of stove, which requires only 25% of the wood needed for an open fire; moreover, because of its unique design, it shields the flames from the strong winds.

You can learn more about it at darfurstoves.org

It is literally the difference between life and death for these people. Unfortunately, the $25 cost of this stove is prohibitive for most of them, which means they have to rely on our generosity.

The unfortunate thing about generosity is that it operates on our schedule of charity, not on the recipients' schedule of need. This is where I believe Apple can help.

I ask you to buy the patent for this stove, produce it and sell it in Apple stores and the Apple website, as an Apple product. Branded and everything.

I'm asking you to incorporate it as part of the Apple portfolio of products.

You could even name it the iStove.

The basic idea would be very simple. You stock it in Apple stores and website, giving it a much higher visibility. Once this happens, you give people the option to "buy" it whereupon it would be shipped, on the buyer's behalf, to Darfur.

It would save lives almost immediately. The press coverage alone, if the iPhone is anything to go by, would be immensely beneficial to the Darfur cause.

By branding it as an Apple product, you raise its profile and signify Apple's intent to do something serious about the Darfur issue. In addition, it could establish for your company, a strategic platform of humanitarian altruism that would benefit Apple by making it synonymous with "cutting edge" aid.

The parallels between the kind of technology you produce and this stove are not as far apart as you might think. Most of your products are life-changing; this one would be life-saving.

Yours Sincerely,

Etc. Etc.

To buy these stoves on behalf of the people of Darfur, you can do so via paypal here. Please help make a difference.