Roughly the TRUTH

Valuable insights are gained by Bill and Melinda Gates since embarking on a philanthropic mission via their foundation. They recently discussed this on PBS’ Newshour…

The Interview
Judy Woodruff posed challenging questions to the couple entrusted with billions in other peoples money:

“There’s been some improvement, but in terms of academic achievement, improved only slightly, and in math, it appears to have gone down. What lesson is there from that?”

From the mouth of Melinda:

“It would be great to work in just new schools or new models of schools, but we’re realizing that you have to work at the district and the state level. You have to have policy changes that support these 1,800 schools that we’re working in.”

“It would be nice if the curriculum that was there really worked, but, as you start to look at it, we’re realizing that the gains we’re making are in reading and in English[…]But you’re absolutely right: Math and science, there needs to be a curriculum change, and sometimes even teacher training to make sure that we’re teaching the right things to students.”

Bill provides an interesting insight, linking the foundation’s dual causes of promoting global health and modernizing the education systems:

“The impact of improving health is that the population growth goes down, and so you can educate more kids, feed more kids. It’s paradoxical that, when you have better health, families choose to have less children, because they’ve been having enough children so that they can be sure that a few of them will survive and take care of them. So as health improves, then all the other problems are dramatically easier to tackle.”

Listen to or read the full transcript of the interview.

Some Thoughts
A sure-fire attention killer is learning math for math’s sake; this was true for me in most subjects. As for todays youth, I’d bet that things haven’t changed much. I was lucky enough to be shown the “light”…the practical application of this knowledge opened a new world of possibilities. My motivation came as the result of finding more effective strategies to get what I wanted.

What Motivates a 10 Year-Old
G.I. Joe and He-Man
Those blue and white ticker tapes run across the TV every night my father (a banker) gets home - I eventually had to ask him, “What could possibly be so interesting about this that you watch it like it’s your religion?” I was facinated by the idea that people were earning money not by “going to work,” but just putting the money they earned into pieces of paper (You mean there’s a way to get EVERY Star Wars action figure besides mowing lawns!). As time passed, this led to discussions of financial statements, the various ratios derived from them that investors use value companies and the function of interest rates.

More Recently
I’ve been facinated by the analytics used in search engine rankings (although I have yet to actually delve into the topic, the interest is there…now, if only the time was).

So, what’s motivated you to learn what would otherwise be a dull topic?

Bye, bye Net Neutrality…

For proof, look no further than a situation in September in which hundreds of thousands of people who use the popular social-networking site Facebook rebelled against a new feature that some charged was Big Brother-esque, Majoras said. Within days, the site’s founder had quieted some of the fury by giving people the option of turning off the “minifeed,” which shows people whenever someone in their network makes a change to their relationship status, favorite music or other profile information.

An aweful analogy; comparing Facebook to an ISP.

It’s like comparing a car maker with a toll road operator.

Check out the FTC hearings webcast and form your own opinion, but remember, it was a “free market” which produced Hitler’s Nazi party.

Here are two excellent documentries I came across today…

Why We Fight - Anatomy of the American War Machine

A quote from the film:

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (from his Presidential Exit Speech)

The Fog of War - 11 Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

A Documentary about Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, who subsequently became president of the World Bank.
- via Google’s description of the film

“The Fog of War” is my favorite of the two, but either one will get your blood boiling. I also think it’s important to keep perspective when watching these. While both are well done and quite convincing, you should ask yourself what the other side might say given a chance to defend itself.

The Lesson Learned
Capitalism and democracy are uniquely powerful tools. Today, these are under threat from rampant corruption in government, and according to these films, a pervasive problem which threatens the stability of our democratic institutions.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to combat this? What principles of a sound democracy are we not living by?

(via: throwawayyourtv.com)

You can find a list of even more free documentaries here.

The inconvenient truth of rapid economic growth: Third of China ‘hit by acid rain’

Natural law tells us that for every action we take, there is a consequence…problem is, common sense isn’t always common practice. Just last month the Chinese government and it’s citizen’s were probably most optimistic about their new agenda to offset a brewing environmental catastrophe with a $175bn protection plan - unfortunately, there are cumulative effects from our actions as well.

Emissions of sulphur dioxide - the chemical that causes acid rain - were double the safe level, the report said. In some areas, rainfall was 100% acid rain, it added.

If there’s a silver lining to this, hopefully it will be a renewed push towards alternative, clean energy sources. The industrialized nations have been stoking this fire for decades - only recently it’s helped to create disasters like Hurricane Katrina, global terrorism and an economy which hangs by a thread - unless change is made quickly, I’d hate to see what’s ahead.

I just hope we learn our lesson before it’s too late.

Framing this issue as “more federal regulation” is a clever tactic…

This week, Senator-R Jim DeMint gave his take on Network Neutrality – I was especially amused at the assertion he has made below:

Perspective: Why Net neutrality means more federal regulation
By Jim DeMint
Published: June 27, 2006
“It would be commercial suicide for any network provider to limit the ability of their customers to access any site or receive any service: Their customers would simply go elsewhere! Consumers have a growing number of choices of networks, and this competition will force networks to continuously upgrade their services. Federal regulation, on the other hand, would only reduce the quality and access of Internet services for all Americans.”

Telco’s & industry advocates have poured hoards of money into lobbying this issue. Translation: many well compensated senators & consultants working overtime on their behalf. Information - necessary for efficient free markets – is fortunately still available on congressional members; although with such freedoms being handed over to profit driven companies, this may not long be the case.

What Motivates a Senator
Monetary incentives tend to influence many of the views which individuals hold (economics 101). Contributions by the telco’s & other various industry advocates to Senator DeMint have clearly taken their toll on his ability to be objective – this is a toll to the tune of $132,849!

Various contributors to DeMint’s coffer…you be the judge:

Exerpt from: Wyche Burgess Freeman & Parham, P.A. website - Political Contributor ($23,300)

“We have played an important role in the creation and expansion of a number of major corporations located in Greenville, among them are a large diversified media organization”

Excerpt from: Babcock & Brown offers $2.36 billion for Irish telco Eircom – Political Contributor ($28,125)

“The bid for Eircom has been made four months after a failed takeover attempt for it by Swisscom AG, Switzerland’s largest telco.”

Excerpt from: Nelson Mullins Cyberwatch Newsletter – Political Contributor ($41,424)

Internet Bandwidth Neutrality
“A growing concern among large Internet-based companies is the dilemma being faced with large bandwidth charges. Those companies that provide the wires and fiber optics that connect the Internet believe that large “bandwidth hogs” should pay additional amounts to guarantee fast and efficient connections. To prevent such a move, companies such as Google and eBay are lobbying Congress to pass a law that would maintain “Net-neutrality”. In general, they are seeking a law that would prohibit telecommunications and cable companies from blocking or slowing down access to Web sites or for charging big bandwidth users a fee for priority access. The House of Representatives recently passed telecommunications legislation that did not include such neutrality provisions. However, the law did empower the Federal Communications Commission to investigate discrimination in online bandwidth access. Opponents of the Net-neutrality law argue that somebody must pay for the huge amount of bandwidth consumed by some large Internet sites. They state that if Internet service providers are not allowed to charge for greater-than-average bandwidth use, then the cost will end up being borne by the average consumer.”

Not to mention, the all-too-obvious:
AT&T – Political Contributor ($19,000)

Verizon Communications – Political Contributor ($21,000)

Nota Bena:
You can learn more about the other side of Net Neutrality by reading the founder of the internet’s thoughts and if you choose to do so, you can help protect Network Neutrality by going here: It’s Our Net.

An article today on Reuters | US officials seeing new home-grown terror cells, gives me hope that we may seriously begin to address the root causes of terrorism.

This quote by Scott Redd, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, really caught my attention:

“We are grappling with a whole new set of questions: what forces give rise to this violent ideology in immigrant communities that may appear otherwise to be quite well assimilated? … What signs should we be looking for to try to draw early warning of potential problems?” the statement said.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out…

All signs point to rising interest rates for the foreseeable future…

National Debt at all-time highs, a deep and growing current account deficit - the U.S. may find itself in an extremely sticky situation in a very short time. Just today we saw producer prices up more than expected. The Fed loathes inflation and the pressure is mounting on them to continue with their interest rate hikes.

The stock market has gone into a tailspin due to this realization and a global equity meltdown has cost investors $2 trillion of wealth.

As political instability, vulnerable emerging markets and a worldwide push toward socialism all grow, the economy seems to be in for a long and rough ride. At the same time, congress is pushing for further tax cuts and increased spending.

In a rising rate environment, cash is always king
Companies with ample supplies of reserves will fair far better than those without. Debt is becoming ever more expensive and those who have over-leveraged themselves will have to eventually pay the piper. These effects will also be seen in the housing market, and even more worrisome, in the U.S. government. As our national debt becomes more expensive to pay back to foreign lenders, the government will have no choice but to finally tighten those purse strings..

Bush to public: “You’re gonna have to fend for yourselves”
This was never actually said…well, at least in so many words - In fact, the same message was heard after FEMA’s botched response to hurricane Katrina. I suspect (regretfully) we’ll be hearing more of this in the not too distant future. Although this time, it will be reflected in the loss of many cherished public services that we have become so familiar with and now take for granted. It’s the middle and lower classes of America who will truly suffer for the failure of the current administration and congress to act with more frugality and to reign in spending.

Elected Officials Are the CEO & Board Members of a Giant Corporation, We Like to Call it: The United States of America
This is a thought I hope we keep in mind the next time we are faced with national elections. Any company’s leaders with a performance like the one we now see in the government would be out the door in a second - the shareholders (public citizens) would never stand for it. We, the shareholders, need competent managers in charge of this company…We must demand it!

Always remember: You reap what you sow.

NOTE: I’m not advocating a particular party here; only a responsible leadership.

Energy independence took a backseat this week as the immigration debate stole the spotlight - I’d like to know why…

Our short-term memories seem to be plaguing us once again. I may just be very out of touch with the rest of the country, but I must ask, why all of the immigration talk now!?! 9/11 was almost 5 years ago, if this was such an important issue to the American people, why haven’t Lou Dobbs’ ratings gone through the roof?

Granted, immigration is a very real issue, although it’s certainly not clear whether the result has actually been negative. Here are some fairly undeniable facts:

Positive Results:

- Low prices

- Diversity

- Tax Revenues

Negative Results:

- Drug Trafficing

- Security

- Job Loss

While the main stream media and poll-hawking politicians focus in on the immigration debate, American’s are being affected by some very real issues - namely our national energy policy. Energy dependence affects vastly more people than immigration possibly does. It stretches far beyond our own borders and weighs heavily on our economy. Fortunately for us, there are still some voices of reason out there. Here are two recent articles by Senator Barack Obama and Newsweek Editor Fareed Zakaria:

I’m honestly confounded; why this apparent lack of touch with reality? Is it simply politicians trying to rally their own base? It actually feels like the government is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. With hope, I do believe that some ‘renegades’ will emerge from this political non-sense and truly rally the spirit of the American people around a real issue. I just don’t know how much longer I can wait…

Related Articles:
High on Fumes | Iran Gives Perspective To The West
Sour Crude or Sweet Ethanol?
Americans at “tipping point” about energy | Reuters.com
Oil Independence :: Growing Support For A New Reality…But Is ‘Sacrifice’ In Our Vocabulary?

Can the U.S. follow Brazil’s lead into tomorrow’s energy reality…

Brazil has weened itself off of an addiction to oil over the past ten years. This should certainly give us hope; although I’m concerned that we just don’t have the will to do the same. As I’ve mentioned before, America’s broken marriage to ‘black gold’ has created a very tumultuous relationship. This article should give you a better idea of how Brazil has turned this revolt against the status quo into a real success: Reuters | Brazil cane brings sweet smell of ethanol profits

Three quarters of new cars now sold in Brazil are flexfuel, meaning they can run on any combination of ethanol and gasoline.

“Ethanol can replace oil and Brazil still imports oil,” Junqueira said.

“The great opportunity for growth is the international market for two reasons. One is ethanol replacing oil … and the other is the environmental issue,” he explained.

Senator Barack Obama, along with Senator Richard Lugar, have taken the lead on this issue. You can read more about their efforts here and here.

With evidence mounting, the negative effects on our environment, national security & economy are undeniable - misplaced focus on the immigration issue (which is arguably of benefit) must be refocused on our energy policy before time runs out…if we put our minds to it, we can achieve it!

If you prefer listening, you can download all of Senator Obama’s Podcasts right here.

A Timelime of Events - Post-State of the Union

January 31st
Heartened by some of the ideas put forth in the President’s state of the union address, I’d been eagerly awaiting some follow-up. Arab oil producers - those relying on the U.S. addiction to remain in power - provided it. Voicing their concerns to the administration on the ensuing day; the Whitehouse confided that the president was only speaking “metaphorically,” their understandable tension was - at least for now - temporarily allayed.

February 17th
The problem persists…but as of last week, we have unexpected cause to thank Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez. His confrontational statements (Chavez warns US on oil after Rice remarks) have brought the critical issue of this energy challenge back into the spotlight. I expect this scenario to repeat as tension with Iran and other oil producing countries rise.

February 20th
Caught in a pickle, the administration faces some tough decisions ahead. Either bow to the foreign powers who threaten our national security, or endure the economic pain that a shift away from this dependency would create. Bush should know better than most; his struggles with the bottle have likely given some good perspective on what it’s like to break an addiction. Reiterating ideas from the SOTU, Bush was again in the news today following a speech in Wisconsin (Bush: US must not be “hostage” to foreign oil).

Thoughts & Analysis…
Elements and repercussions of such a policy shift are potentially more far reaching and, by my measure, more beneficial than even the points brought up by the president. Implications of an independent energy initiative could bring a wealth of benefits to the stability of the entire planet. Thomas Friedman agrees (I’ll post a video of him speaking to this at a conference as soon as I figure out how). He also recently discussed this on The Charlie Rose Show in December. You can download it here on video.google.com for $0.99.

Even More Benefits:
Environment - It’s easy to see how alternative energy sources would help here. Recent studies (see 60 Minutes Report) suggest the situation is in fact much more dire than previously thought.Education - More scientists and engineers will be needed in order to attain such a goal. While building competencies in these areas through school reforms, we’ll also be addressing America’s failing scores among the world’s developed/ing nations. This also, of course, leads to a narrowed gap between the rich and poor, as well as an improved economy.

Economy - Imagine how valuable this sort of technology would be for developing nations. Low cost, efficient & renewable sources of energy that could drive their growth and development while giving billions of people an opportunity to live healthier, happier and more productive lives.

Equanimity - A greater balance of power might have some concerned, but this would certainly bring about more peace & stability to societies throughout the world as well as diminishing feelings of betrayal and mistrust.

The limited availability & high cost of energy is truly the great scourge of our time. Like Thomas Friedman, I would be a fervent advocate of any politician who ran on such a platform. I’ve also heard that this author of, “The World is Flat” and “The Lexus & The Olive Tree” is working on another book to cover these ideas in detail. I’m certainly looking forward to reading it and hope that it will gain some major political traction. I shudder to consider the alternative. This won’t be an easy task and will take a strong willed public to delay the gratification; but what thing that is worthwhile is ever truly easy to accomplish?