#energy #green #solar #power
This is great news on cost reductions in solar technology Solar - Cheaper than you think.
I hope the trend continues.
I'd be curious about the ecological footprint of manufacturing, delivering, and installing solar panels vs the environmental impacts of mining, shipping, and burning coal as well.
I'm pro the idea of solar, wind, and tidal generating capabilities. I think ecologically they make the most sense although financially they aren't there yet and it is that usual chicken and egg situation. The cost needs to come down to increase demand and the demand needs to increase before we can get the cost down. It sucks that so many great ideas and technologies don't make it because of the financial barriers to entry and the strong market position of the less efficient, less environmentally friendly current market leaders.
After the Japan incident I'm even less of an advocate for nuclear. It is pretty obvious that dollars and not safety rule most of the decisions in where to place and implement nuclear power plants and anything that screws up the environment that significantly when it goes wrong is just not worth the risk. No one will be living in Chernobyl any time soon. Chernobyl 25 years on
In the case of nuclear there isn't a way to really clean up from an epic fail. The disaster at Chernobyl destroyed the lives of many of the people in the immediate impact area and it affected all of us in some way. For example the worlds background radiation levels allegedly increased three times. That doesn't seem to be a huge deal because the background radiation levels aren't at a point where we are going to start mutating or dropping like flies but still it is worrying to me. I couldn't find a simple graph of background radiation levels over time so if anyone has one I'd be curious to see it. How much did we increase them with our nuclear testing programs? How many times did they increase after the ongoing disaster in Japan? How many of these types of incidents can we as a species sustain before things start to get really ugly for us and the rest of the life on the planet? Not to mention the headache with dealing with spent fuel disposal.
I think clean coal is an oxymoron and a great marketing opportunity for the coal mining companies but a dumb idea for the rest of us. Pumping crap down into the earths crust and hoping it stays there, doesn't leach into the water table or supply, and doesn't cause any kind of earth stability issues also seems like it really isn't worth the risk. Because at the end of the day the companies that implement these technologies aren't held fully accountable for the subsequent clean up. We have less environmentally dangerous options!
From what I have seen battery technology is not quite there yet on both life expectancy and on the impact to environment with disposal to make buying a hybrid or electric vehicle, and dumping my old gas guzzler, a net gain for the environment worth what it would cost me financially. Honestly I've never owned a new car because I'd rather recycle a second hand one and save myself a ton in depreciation. But I might have to figure out how we can afford to buy one at some point to get the newest most efficient technology. Really I'd just prefer someone made cost effective conversion kits for older cars.
This article indicates that the tipping point is getting closer with Solar. That point where it is worth it financially. I got a quote a few years back and it was almost 20k for the installation I wanted. Despite the considerable power company and government subsidies it still would have been more than 7k or so out of my pocket.
With the rate that improvements are being made in the technology it also feels smart to wait to get a much more efficient product in the future.
But I'm committed to doing it because there are a ton of intangible benefits as well. If I splurge on a battery backup in my garage I can set the system up to continue to function in a blackout situation making us less dependent and vulnerable to a power outage. I can also add a generator into that setup as well to provide an additional backup. When we finally get a hybrid or an electric vehicle our transportation and our home power consumption will be much more independent of the infrastructure that is in place.
Also the act of implementing a personal system for my house is also taking a small step that I can personally make to promoting America's energy independence from foreign oil and coal.
Then their is the feeling that I've done as much as I can to reduce my impact on the environment and that any power I am using, or even a percentage of the power I am using, is sustainable for the long term and helps preserve elements of the world I love for my boys and future descendant's to enjoy.
If we have options like Solar, Wind, and Tide to generate electricity why would we want to continue with those tech options that aren't good for the planet? For the sake of money? Money is a human concept that we have total control over. We can make plenty more of that. Hell the Fed has been making a ton of it over the last few years!
But we can't undo the radiation damage to areas in Japan and Russia. We can't seem to figure out how to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions despite a ton of interest globally doing so. Therefore it seems to me to be a no brainer to push hard for sustainable energy solutions that have low or no environmental impact.
But maybe I'm missing something?
What do you think?
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
5 inexpensive Christmas gift options
#music #free #christmas #inexpensivegifts #5ideas #cheapgifts #gifts
Christmas need not be an expensive nightmare experience. Really it should be about connecting with people and sharing the holidays with those you care about. So if you find yourself running around like a mad person, in a panic on how you will pay off your credit card next year, and generally stressing out take a deep breath and relax and continue reading.
If the budget is tight or you just want to have a less commercial christmas here are 5 ideas on inexpensive or free gifts.
1. Christmas Mix "tape"
There is a lot of free music floating around out there at the moment. Amazon in particular has a large selection and I am pretty sure they are DRM free. For example 23 this year. They also have a 25 days of Christmas deal where you get a new song every day.
When you "purchase" them they go into the Amazon cloud. The second step lets you download them to your computer. One you have them on your computer you can burn them to a CD or DVD if you have a burner. Or you send them directly to the person as Christmas gifts from the Amazon store as they have that option.
The wow factor in this gift is in how well you know the person and how you personalize their Christmas mix. You could perhaps make an album cover and/or write a commentary on each of the tracks and how it made you think of the person you are creating the mix for. You can splurge a little and buy some individual tracks that have meaning or your can go with best of the free options.
Total cost - If you gift them virtually them just your time to create the personalized aspect. If you make a CD then the cost of the writable CD and your time. If you buy any special songs to include then add in that cost.
2. Christmas Gift certificates for an experience or event
This can be the Christmas gift that gives all year round. Create several gift certificates for experiences or for help doing chores or projects that the person you are making them for would love. For example a certificate that entitles the bearer to laundry or dishes services for a week, or two, or a month The length can depend on how much you REALLY love them or hate the chores yourself. ;)
For couples massage vouchers can be a great option if you have any talent in that area and your partner enjoys receiving them. Also romantic picnics for when the weather gets hotter. Of perhaps an indoor picnic before then or special meal voucher. Date night certificates can also be clever both in allowing the other person freedom to pick their favorite activities (like the ballet <sigh>) or in pre-promising something that you know they will love. There are all sorts of other options but I'm keeping this post PG so you need to figure out those on your own!
For parents "sleep in" vouchers are a cool idea for your spouse. Vouchers for their favorite meals or foods also work. For your kids you can promise them time with you, or time away from you, in a voucher depending on their age. You can also give vouchers to children promising them time spent together on whatever activities they really love that you know you don't spend enough time with them on.
Total cost - your time and the materials you make the Christmas vouchers from.
3. Look for cheap or free options that play to your strengths
If you are a great cook make a special Christmas recipe in their honor and cook it for them. If you are a musician write them a song. An artist make them a piece of art. A writer then write them a story. If you are a comedian then put together a routine that you think will have them in hysterics. If you are a gardener then plant them some seeds or a tree or something that they will love (you may have to wait until after Christmas when the ground thaws if you live anywhere near I do in Denver!). If you are an accountant set up their system to make their taxes simple and easy every year. If you are a lawyer write them a contract promising not to sue them this year. :/ Or maybe you can take care of a piece of legal work that helps them in some way. The point is everyone has some sort of strength or talent. Your strength applied to a relevant need or want = great inexpensive Christmas gift
Total cost - your time and any incidental charges related to the application of your talent or strength
4. Photo Montage or Story Book.
In this digital world with cameras in every phone you probably have a million photos that you have taken that would contribute to some sort of message, story, or even just a shared moments experience board. Think back over the most important events or shared experiences and pull together the best photos that represent those moments. Wrap it up with a handwritten note or explanations and give it to them for Christmas.
Total cost - If you don't have hard copies of the photos then the time and cost to produce them. Although you could just make it a pdf that you mail the person or a slideshow or presentation that you show them. Your time is the main component.
5. Baking or sweet making or gift baskets.
If you Google candy making or baking you can find a lot of great recipes for cupcakes, toffee, fudge, or a variety of other decadent Christmas holiday goodies. Many of them use sugar and butter which aren't that expensive to buy and go a long way.
With a little bit of innovation you can makes some personalized treats that people will love. Cupcakes decorated in a way that tell a story of your shared experiences.
Christmas Gift baskets can be made with fruit or flowers that you can pick up inexpensively and padded out with re-gift options from your home. You can combine some of the other elements above to make a bountiful basket.
Total cost - bag of sugar or confectioners sugar, fruit costs, basket, and time to put it all together
Have a stress free lead up to your Merry Christmas everyone. Hope it is a great one for you all and that Santa brings you all the gifts that really matter, like connections, love, friendship, health, happiness, and an abundance of time to get done what you need to.
Christmas need not be an expensive nightmare experience. Really it should be about connecting with people and sharing the holidays with those you care about. So if you find yourself running around like a mad person, in a panic on how you will pay off your credit card next year, and generally stressing out take a deep breath and relax and continue reading.
If the budget is tight or you just want to have a less commercial christmas here are 5 ideas on inexpensive or free gifts.
1. Christmas Mix "tape"
There is a lot of free music floating around out there at the moment. Amazon in particular has a large selection and I am pretty sure they are DRM free. For example 23 this year. They also have a 25 days of Christmas deal where you get a new song every day.
When you "purchase" them they go into the Amazon cloud. The second step lets you download them to your computer. One you have them on your computer you can burn them to a CD or DVD if you have a burner. Or you send them directly to the person as Christmas gifts from the Amazon store as they have that option.
The wow factor in this gift is in how well you know the person and how you personalize their Christmas mix. You could perhaps make an album cover and/or write a commentary on each of the tracks and how it made you think of the person you are creating the mix for. You can splurge a little and buy some individual tracks that have meaning or your can go with best of the free options.
Total cost - If you gift them virtually them just your time to create the personalized aspect. If you make a CD then the cost of the writable CD and your time. If you buy any special songs to include then add in that cost.
2. Christmas Gift certificates for an experience or event
This can be the Christmas gift that gives all year round. Create several gift certificates for experiences or for help doing chores or projects that the person you are making them for would love. For example a certificate that entitles the bearer to laundry or dishes services for a week, or two, or a month The length can depend on how much you REALLY love them or hate the chores yourself. ;)
For couples massage vouchers can be a great option if you have any talent in that area and your partner enjoys receiving them. Also romantic picnics for when the weather gets hotter. Of perhaps an indoor picnic before then or special meal voucher. Date night certificates can also be clever both in allowing the other person freedom to pick their favorite activities (like the ballet <sigh>) or in pre-promising something that you know they will love. There are all sorts of other options but I'm keeping this post PG so you need to figure out those on your own!
For parents "sleep in" vouchers are a cool idea for your spouse. Vouchers for their favorite meals or foods also work. For your kids you can promise them time with you, or time away from you, in a voucher depending on their age. You can also give vouchers to children promising them time spent together on whatever activities they really love that you know you don't spend enough time with them on.
Total cost - your time and the materials you make the Christmas vouchers from.
3. Look for cheap or free options that play to your strengths
If you are a great cook make a special Christmas recipe in their honor and cook it for them. If you are a musician write them a song. An artist make them a piece of art. A writer then write them a story. If you are a comedian then put together a routine that you think will have them in hysterics. If you are a gardener then plant them some seeds or a tree or something that they will love (you may have to wait until after Christmas when the ground thaws if you live anywhere near I do in Denver!). If you are an accountant set up their system to make their taxes simple and easy every year. If you are a lawyer write them a contract promising not to sue them this year. :/ Or maybe you can take care of a piece of legal work that helps them in some way. The point is everyone has some sort of strength or talent. Your strength applied to a relevant need or want = great inexpensive Christmas gift
Total cost - your time and any incidental charges related to the application of your talent or strength
4. Photo Montage or Story Book.
In this digital world with cameras in every phone you probably have a million photos that you have taken that would contribute to some sort of message, story, or even just a shared moments experience board. Think back over the most important events or shared experiences and pull together the best photos that represent those moments. Wrap it up with a handwritten note or explanations and give it to them for Christmas.
Total cost - If you don't have hard copies of the photos then the time and cost to produce them. Although you could just make it a pdf that you mail the person or a slideshow or presentation that you show them. Your time is the main component.
5. Baking or sweet making or gift baskets.
If you Google candy making or baking you can find a lot of great recipes for cupcakes, toffee, fudge, or a variety of other decadent Christmas holiday goodies. Many of them use sugar and butter which aren't that expensive to buy and go a long way.
With a little bit of innovation you can makes some personalized treats that people will love. Cupcakes decorated in a way that tell a story of your shared experiences.
Christmas Gift baskets can be made with fruit or flowers that you can pick up inexpensively and padded out with re-gift options from your home. You can combine some of the other elements above to make a bountiful basket.
Total cost - bag of sugar or confectioners sugar, fruit costs, basket, and time to put it all together
Have a stress free lead up to your Merry Christmas everyone. Hope it is a great one for you all and that Santa brings you all the gifts that really matter, like connections, love, friendship, health, happiness, and an abundance of time to get done what you need to.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Creativity - Do you doodle?
#Doodling #Creativity #Doodles #Drawing #Art #Design #Stressrelief
The subconscious mind is a powerful tool that we can learn to use. In addition to using meditation or directing your dreams to provide you with answers while you sleep, you should also consider doodling as an opportunity to get in touch with it.
If you can put yourself in a relaxed state and just start drawing squiggles, lines, circles, and anything else that takes your fancy on a piece of paper who knows where it might lead.
Try this exercise.
- Clear 15 minutes in your calendar and find an interruption free space to work in (doodle a do not disturb sign and hang it on the door perhaps?)
- Organise your work space so your favorite writing or drawing implement is close by and you have plenty of paper.
- Spend from 30 seconds to a minute taking deep breaths in to a count and then exhaling to double that count (so if it takes you 3 seconds to fill your lungs try to exhale for 6 to empty them).
- Clear your mind as much as you can.
- Pick up your implement and put the tip down on the paper. Now start to draw and let it do what it may.
This is just an exercise but doodling can happen anywhere, under any conditions. I don't recommend doodling in meetings unless you can do it fairly surreptitiously as it can be seen as a sign of not paying attention or of disrespect. Unless you can design something totally awesome in line with the meetings objective in which case you should absolutely go for it.
Remember it's doodling. There is no pressure. You can keep your doodles, toss your doodles, or even redoodle over the top of your doodles.
There is also no rules or right way to do it. Back in ancient times, when I was just a wee laddie, back when you had to be attached to a corded phone to carry on a conversation, I used to doodle a lot while talking on the phone. I miss those days sometimes. Sometimes the doodle would be affected by the conversation, sometimes it would have a mind of it's own. Now days my doodling is much more infrequent.
Doodling as an opportunity to tap into your creativity. You can also start your doodle with some sort of agenda in mind but try to let the pen or pencil flow across the paper to where ever it feels the need to go.
You can take a word relevant to your question and write it on the paper first and then doodle off that.
You can take an existing image and start doodling from that.
You can pick random words from a dictionary and try and doodle in elements of that word to whatever the core concept is you are working on.
Again there are no rules. You just have to put aside some time to do it.
Here are a couple of video clips from a master doodler Vihart from Youtube. Check out her channel for some more mind blowing information on all sorts of maths and music topic.
If you need proof that doodling is useful here's a link on a Doodle Study that was done back in 2009.
Happy doodling.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Gaming
#gaming #entertainment #gamification
Call Of Duty hits 400million day 1
400 million people spending <x> hours per day on a video game. And that is just one game. When you look at the hours spent on zynga and other social games there is a huge potential resource there if you can build games that have a social good and are just as engaging as these entertainment only titles.
I have to get back to my pitch for www.gamelayerz.com
Call Of Duty hits 400million day 1
400 million people spending <x> hours per day on a video game. And that is just one game. When you look at the hours spent on zynga and other social games there is a huge potential resource there if you can build games that have a social good and are just as engaging as these entertainment only titles.
I have to get back to my pitch for www.gamelayerz.com
Be a Hero
#penn%23state #paterno #mcqueary #self
Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’'
Can anyone involved in witnessing or knowing of the acts in this case and not moving heaven and earth to get them stopped still claim to be in any way good? Does not speaking up, or backing down in the face of authority after speaking up, destroy any claim to 'goodness' for ever after? Is there a path to redemption or forgiveness for anyone involved?
The comment sections of articles all over the web are filled with people who are crystal clear on whatthey would have done if they had witnessed the act or learned about it. I like to think I also know what I would have done. I'm the father of 4 and 5 year old boys and I think my reaction would have been influenced by that. But I don't know what I would have done if I was Mike McQueary or Joe Paterno or any of the other people involved. I, like most of the commentators, like to think of myself as morally upstanding person willing to stand up for what I believe in.
I do find it weird that there seems to be more outrage at the perpetrators of the inaction than there is with the perpetrator of the act itself. The bulk of my anger is directed at Jerry Sandusky. I can accept he is sick but that doesn't excuse what he has done.
But a lot of people knew or suspected what he was doing and either all those people are morally bankrupt and evil or there is another force at work here.
Time and time again we see examples of people who don't want to intervene. Who back away from confrontation. Who justify in their own head why they should or shouldn't act. I did it once in a night club when I saw a woman knocked to the ground in front of us. There was a group of us standing stunned in the VIP lounge. The woman, obviously drunk, approached one of the high rollers in the area who was drinking with friends. They seemed to know each other pretty well. They had some kind of argument and he punched her and knocked her to the ground. Violence against women is not okay for me. My initial reaction was to immediately intervene but no one else was moving and I hesitated. It was long enough for the voices in the head to get started. There were 30 or more people who had seen it with me and none of them were moving. None of us was moving. The "if I go over there what will be the consequences" analysis started. We liked our access to the VIP and this guy was a regular and high roller. He had a lot of friends with him. How many of mine had my back? Conversation broke out again with many of my friends acknowledging what we had all seen as well and we all spoke in hushed outraged tones. She was crying and the bouncers, who had also seen it occur, picked her up off the ground and physically escorted her off the premises while she called insults back at the guy. The guy and his friends laughed and went back to their drinks. To this day I carry guilt for not doing something. She wasn't badly hurt but I still saw something that was morally reprehensible to me and did nothing. Am I evil? Am I a good man who did nothing? Did I let evil triumph that day? Am I flawed for thinking it isn't okay for a man to hit a women short of self defense or to prevent a greater evil?
What I experienced was an effect called the diffusion of responsibility. It is more pronounced the bigger the group and more pronounced in heirachy based organizations or cultures.
Wiki on Diffusion_of_responsibility
Is this in part how you explain Nazi Germany and other examples of ethnic cleansing around the world? How do you explain cultures and religions that still now allow 8 year old girls to be married to old men? Are all individuals involved in those situations evil? Or are some of them good people who stood by and let it all happen?
There's another effect called the bystander effect where in a crisis situation people stand and watch or move on rather than doing anything to help.
I'll leave you with a final thought and a chilling video link of the bystander effect in action. Don't be a Mike McQueary, a Joe Paterno, a parent of one of the early victims, the police officers involved in the 1998 complaint of him showering with two children where he allegedly confessed, the children and youth services employees who closed the case, or any of the many others who knew or suspected and ultimately let it go on.
Be a hero, help those who need it, and be true to yourself. If you won't do it for the victim then do it for yourself. Otherwise you might find yourself remembering a punch thrown in a bar 11 years after it happened and still second guessing and berating yourself.
Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’'
Can anyone involved in witnessing or knowing of the acts in this case and not moving heaven and earth to get them stopped still claim to be in any way good? Does not speaking up, or backing down in the face of authority after speaking up, destroy any claim to 'goodness' for ever after? Is there a path to redemption or forgiveness for anyone involved?
The comment sections of articles all over the web are filled with people who are crystal clear on whatthey would have done if they had witnessed the act or learned about it. I like to think I also know what I would have done. I'm the father of 4 and 5 year old boys and I think my reaction would have been influenced by that. But I don't know what I would have done if I was Mike McQueary or Joe Paterno or any of the other people involved. I, like most of the commentators, like to think of myself as morally upstanding person willing to stand up for what I believe in.
I do find it weird that there seems to be more outrage at the perpetrators of the inaction than there is with the perpetrator of the act itself. The bulk of my anger is directed at Jerry Sandusky. I can accept he is sick but that doesn't excuse what he has done.
But a lot of people knew or suspected what he was doing and either all those people are morally bankrupt and evil or there is another force at work here.
Time and time again we see examples of people who don't want to intervene. Who back away from confrontation. Who justify in their own head why they should or shouldn't act. I did it once in a night club when I saw a woman knocked to the ground in front of us. There was a group of us standing stunned in the VIP lounge. The woman, obviously drunk, approached one of the high rollers in the area who was drinking with friends. They seemed to know each other pretty well. They had some kind of argument and he punched her and knocked her to the ground. Violence against women is not okay for me. My initial reaction was to immediately intervene but no one else was moving and I hesitated. It was long enough for the voices in the head to get started. There were 30 or more people who had seen it with me and none of them were moving. None of us was moving. The "if I go over there what will be the consequences" analysis started. We liked our access to the VIP and this guy was a regular and high roller. He had a lot of friends with him. How many of mine had my back? Conversation broke out again with many of my friends acknowledging what we had all seen as well and we all spoke in hushed outraged tones. She was crying and the bouncers, who had also seen it occur, picked her up off the ground and physically escorted her off the premises while she called insults back at the guy. The guy and his friends laughed and went back to their drinks. To this day I carry guilt for not doing something. She wasn't badly hurt but I still saw something that was morally reprehensible to me and did nothing. Am I evil? Am I a good man who did nothing? Did I let evil triumph that day? Am I flawed for thinking it isn't okay for a man to hit a women short of self defense or to prevent a greater evil?
What I experienced was an effect called the diffusion of responsibility. It is more pronounced the bigger the group and more pronounced in heirachy based organizations or cultures.
Wiki on Diffusion_of_responsibility
Is this in part how you explain Nazi Germany and other examples of ethnic cleansing around the world? How do you explain cultures and religions that still now allow 8 year old girls to be married to old men? Are all individuals involved in those situations evil? Or are some of them good people who stood by and let it all happen?
There's another effect called the bystander effect where in a crisis situation people stand and watch or move on rather than doing anything to help.
I'll leave you with a final thought and a chilling video link of the bystander effect in action. Don't be a Mike McQueary, a Joe Paterno, a parent of one of the early victims, the police officers involved in the 1998 complaint of him showering with two children where he allegedly confessed, the children and youth services employees who closed the case, or any of the many others who knew or suspected and ultimately let it go on.
Be a hero, help those who need it, and be true to yourself. If you won't do it for the victim then do it for yourself. Otherwise you might find yourself remembering a punch thrown in a bar 11 years after it happened and still second guessing and berating yourself.
Be the Change!
#change #addvalue #motivation #inspiration
Amazing clip. Take a look at your world. The network of people you interact with are the opportunities you have at the moment for making the world a better place right now and you can do make that change no matter where you are at in life.
The right word of support, the right challenge, the right compliment, the right request for help, or the right lesson delivered to the right person at the right time can change a life.
How do you know if it is the right time? You probably won't. So just go for it now.
All the people you don't know yet could use a hand as well.
Be the change you want to see. If the world is unfair, unfaithful, or just plain hard. Be the change you want to see it become.
You have more power than you can possibly imagine.
Amazing clip. Take a look at your world. The network of people you interact with are the opportunities you have at the moment for making the world a better place right now and you can do make that change no matter where you are at in life.
The right word of support, the right challenge, the right compliment, the right request for help, or the right lesson delivered to the right person at the right time can change a life.
How do you know if it is the right time? You probably won't. So just go for it now.
All the people you don't know yet could use a hand as well.
Be the change you want to see. If the world is unfair, unfaithful, or just plain hard. Be the change you want to see it become.
You have more power than you can possibly imagine.
Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will stop the mail. But bankruptcy might.
#postoffice #usps #economy #employment #bankruptcy
So the Post Office is looking at axing 28k-35k jobs by March 2012 to get their 14billion dollar deficit under control.
post-office-to-cut-services-jobs
As a small business owner who relies on them for the bulk of my shipping I have to say I am disappointed. I print my shipping labels and pay for my postage through their free online application. I'm currently working having a new Prestashop website that will automate the copying and pasting of address information from my ecommerce site to the USPS site. So generally I am pretty happy. For many parts of the country their priority mail comes close to Fedex delivery times to my customers. I only have to deal with the terrible wait times at my local post office when I'm clearing returns. It's a strong motivation to make sure I have happy customers who don't want to return anything!
Anyway during those long waits to clear my box I've often wondered why it seems so hard for the post office to get the customer facing part of their business right.
I have some suggestions for them.
1. Invest more in their automated kiosks and their online tools. They obviously aren't user friendly enough because way too many people end up waiting in line for stuff they could be doing at home.
2. Double the cost of a stamp and invest in better quality service. Maybe not everyone will agree but I would happily pay more for letter or card rates for a better quality of service for all postal services in general. You would still be looking at under a dollar for most postage. Online alternatives are already eating away at that business and many of them are free. So people aren't posting something because it is necessarily the cheapest option. The post office loses a lot more business from their bad post office experiences than they do from the cost of a stamp.
3. Change your employee policies. Treat them better and demand they treat the post office customers better.
4. Make your trucks into limited functionality mobile postal outlets. Empower your delivery vehicles to offer those postal services that can be quick and to sell products. Some drivers will take my labelled and paid for packages and some won't. Being able to pay for a package right there would help as well.
5. Install more consolidated mailboxes. So people collect the last of the neighborhood leg from a centralized point in the neighborhood thereby freeing up the drivers time for more of option 4 above and 6 below.
6. Offer additional paid services that make sense for location based value add. For example the postal delivery vehicle could be modified for electronic meter reading for energy and other utility companies. It could deliver newspapers at the same time it delivered the mail. It might collect certain types of non hazardous recycling for a small fee. It could have a mobile redbox kiosk on the back for DVD rental (not sure how keen netflix would be on that one since they toss a ton of business the post offices way). Anyway there are many possibilities they could be and should be looking into.
The post always gets through but in the future it probably won't be in any rush.
So the Post Office is looking at axing 28k-35k jobs by March 2012 to get their 14billion dollar deficit under control.
post-office-to-cut-services-jobs
As a small business owner who relies on them for the bulk of my shipping I have to say I am disappointed. I print my shipping labels and pay for my postage through their free online application. I'm currently working having a new Prestashop website that will automate the copying and pasting of address information from my ecommerce site to the USPS site. So generally I am pretty happy. For many parts of the country their priority mail comes close to Fedex delivery times to my customers. I only have to deal with the terrible wait times at my local post office when I'm clearing returns. It's a strong motivation to make sure I have happy customers who don't want to return anything!
Anyway during those long waits to clear my box I've often wondered why it seems so hard for the post office to get the customer facing part of their business right.
I have some suggestions for them.
1. Invest more in their automated kiosks and their online tools. They obviously aren't user friendly enough because way too many people end up waiting in line for stuff they could be doing at home.
2. Double the cost of a stamp and invest in better quality service. Maybe not everyone will agree but I would happily pay more for letter or card rates for a better quality of service for all postal services in general. You would still be looking at under a dollar for most postage. Online alternatives are already eating away at that business and many of them are free. So people aren't posting something because it is necessarily the cheapest option. The post office loses a lot more business from their bad post office experiences than they do from the cost of a stamp.
3. Change your employee policies. Treat them better and demand they treat the post office customers better.
4. Make your trucks into limited functionality mobile postal outlets. Empower your delivery vehicles to offer those postal services that can be quick and to sell products. Some drivers will take my labelled and paid for packages and some won't. Being able to pay for a package right there would help as well.
5. Install more consolidated mailboxes. So people collect the last of the neighborhood leg from a centralized point in the neighborhood thereby freeing up the drivers time for more of option 4 above and 6 below.
6. Offer additional paid services that make sense for location based value add. For example the postal delivery vehicle could be modified for electronic meter reading for energy and other utility companies. It could deliver newspapers at the same time it delivered the mail. It might collect certain types of non hazardous recycling for a small fee. It could have a mobile redbox kiosk on the back for DVD rental (not sure how keen netflix would be on that one since they toss a ton of business the post offices way). Anyway there are many possibilities they could be and should be looking into.
The post always gets through but in the future it probably won't be in any rush.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Choose wisely
#choice #meaning #livingfornow #selfdevelopment #katiekirkpatrick
When I have trouble finding anything positive in the moment I think of the images of this beautiful bride on her special day.
Katie Kirkpatrick's Wedding Day
Many of you might have seen them before. The story and images circulated a lot in 2009. They're inspirational and uplifting and very very sad all at the same time.
The truth is any day could be our last. At any point we might get that pain in the chest that won't go away, the diagnosis from our Doctor that we dread to hear, the accident that catches us on our blindside.
We're all vulnerable out there. That doesn't mean you should wrap yourself in cotton wool and hide under the blankets. You still might get hit by a meteorite in your bed or be stuck there when a fire breaks out in your house!
I would argue that _understanding and accepting how short our lives are is part of the path to living a fulfilled and happy life_.
Viktor Frankl is another inspiration to me when times are tough. He found humanity and freedom and understanding in a concentration camp during a horrific time of personal loss. A place of execution and death. Where you would think hope was dead and nothing reigned but despair and desperation.
Doctor Kurt Van Wyk is also an inspiration to me. You probably haven't heard of him. He was my chiropractor and he passed away last year after a battle with cancer. His funeral was hugely attended and I while I knew he was an amazing man just from how he helped me, I had no idea of the impact he had made. A small unimpressive office in a strip mall which was always busy but not insanely so. At his funeral I heard things I'd known and also things I hadn't known. How he discounted his services for the clergy, how he treated patients free of charge for months or years when they had circumstances where they couldn't pay, and how he touched the lives of many many people in small but deep and meaningful ways. The large church was packed to standing room and the eulogies and respect flowed.
Seeing Doctor Kurt's impact through the eyes of the people who's lives he changed I realized there was so much more I could be doing to help others than I had been doing. There were small things he did every day. Small interactions that made the man into a force for good in the world. He empowered and supported and healed others with his time.
We're all sending out ripples constantly in this ocean we call life. The ripples from others wash over us all the time and they can lift us up to the sky or drag us down into the depths. Our own ripples might be small little circles that travel only a small way or they might be mighty waves that surge out from us. The question is do our ripples buoy people up and carry them on to their destination or do our ripples swamp over them or push them backwards? In my case I really want my ripples to be the former kind because I feel responsible for the ripples I send out and because I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Because I feel compassion for others and how I affect them. Do you?
If people like Victor and Katie and Kurt can find a path to meaning and freedom in the circumstances of their lives, then it becomes obvious to me our state of mind is something that we do have control over. Just like our actions. We might be fighting our own bodies or brains on a chemical or physiological level. We might be experiencing circumstances that most people, thankfully, will never come close to being tested under.
*But while we have limited control any of the external stuff that happens to us, we have control over our response and how we react to it.*
So I'm going to send a little ripple out right now. The next time things are tough for you. When you think it's all a little too hard. When maybe the challenge feels less like a challenge and more like an ass whipping being handed down to you by life. I challenge you to find your own inspirational thoughts and your own inspirational people. I challenge you to find the levers that help you move yourself to the state you want to be in when you want to be in it. Meditation, Music, laughter, smiling, hugs, and beauty can all perhaps move you from a dark place into the light if you use them right. In the case of severe depression it might take even take drugs and therapy and other tools external to help you. Whatever the tools you need you should do your best to figure them out and use them to supplement your own personal power.
Above all remember you have more power and freedom than you perhaps realize. You have the ability to choose how you react. Choose wisely. Choose the path that lets you spread some ripples of your own.
When I have trouble finding anything positive in the moment I think of the images of this beautiful bride on her special day.
Katie Kirkpatrick's Wedding Day
Many of you might have seen them before. The story and images circulated a lot in 2009. They're inspirational and uplifting and very very sad all at the same time.
The truth is any day could be our last. At any point we might get that pain in the chest that won't go away, the diagnosis from our Doctor that we dread to hear, the accident that catches us on our blindside.
We're all vulnerable out there. That doesn't mean you should wrap yourself in cotton wool and hide under the blankets. You still might get hit by a meteorite in your bed or be stuck there when a fire breaks out in your house!
I would argue that _understanding and accepting how short our lives are is part of the path to living a fulfilled and happy life_.
Viktor Frankl is another inspiration to me when times are tough. He found humanity and freedom and understanding in a concentration camp during a horrific time of personal loss. A place of execution and death. Where you would think hope was dead and nothing reigned but despair and desperation.
Doctor Kurt Van Wyk is also an inspiration to me. You probably haven't heard of him. He was my chiropractor and he passed away last year after a battle with cancer. His funeral was hugely attended and I while I knew he was an amazing man just from how he helped me, I had no idea of the impact he had made. A small unimpressive office in a strip mall which was always busy but not insanely so. At his funeral I heard things I'd known and also things I hadn't known. How he discounted his services for the clergy, how he treated patients free of charge for months or years when they had circumstances where they couldn't pay, and how he touched the lives of many many people in small but deep and meaningful ways. The large church was packed to standing room and the eulogies and respect flowed.
Seeing Doctor Kurt's impact through the eyes of the people who's lives he changed I realized there was so much more I could be doing to help others than I had been doing. There were small things he did every day. Small interactions that made the man into a force for good in the world. He empowered and supported and healed others with his time.
We're all sending out ripples constantly in this ocean we call life. The ripples from others wash over us all the time and they can lift us up to the sky or drag us down into the depths. Our own ripples might be small little circles that travel only a small way or they might be mighty waves that surge out from us. The question is do our ripples buoy people up and carry them on to their destination or do our ripples swamp over them or push them backwards? In my case I really want my ripples to be the former kind because I feel responsible for the ripples I send out and because I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Because I feel compassion for others and how I affect them. Do you?
If people like Victor and Katie and Kurt can find a path to meaning and freedom in the circumstances of their lives, then it becomes obvious to me our state of mind is something that we do have control over. Just like our actions. We might be fighting our own bodies or brains on a chemical or physiological level. We might be experiencing circumstances that most people, thankfully, will never come close to being tested under.
*But while we have limited control any of the external stuff that happens to us, we have control over our response and how we react to it.*
So I'm going to send a little ripple out right now. The next time things are tough for you. When you think it's all a little too hard. When maybe the challenge feels less like a challenge and more like an ass whipping being handed down to you by life. I challenge you to find your own inspirational thoughts and your own inspirational people. I challenge you to find the levers that help you move yourself to the state you want to be in when you want to be in it. Meditation, Music, laughter, smiling, hugs, and beauty can all perhaps move you from a dark place into the light if you use them right. In the case of severe depression it might take even take drugs and therapy and other tools external to help you. Whatever the tools you need you should do your best to figure them out and use them to supplement your own personal power.
Above all remember you have more power and freedom than you perhaps realize. You have the ability to choose how you react. Choose wisely. Choose the path that lets you spread some ripples of your own.
Microsoft Improving
#marketing #bing #microsoft #surface #kinect #microsoftstore
There are a number of things that are impressing me about Microsoft lately. The first was my experience early last year in buying a couple of computers from the Microsoft store. I got a great deal as they were having a sale and the fact they had removed all the bloatware from the product meant I got them both home and ready to roll immediately out of the box. They probably ran faster and more smoothly than any PC I've purchased in the last 10 years.
One was a Samsung laptop and the other a Dell Zino. The Zino hasn't held up to well to everyday use from a couple of small boys but my wife loves her laptop.
Compare that to buying a similar specification laptop on black friday from Best Buy (who I should be boycotting on principal but they sometimes have deals the bargain hounds in me drag me along for). It is so loaded with garbage I've put it aside until I have a half day to clean it up and get it working. Completely disappointing experience compared to buying from the MS Store.
The Windows 7 phone has been quietly consuming market share and getting a lot of positive reviews, they've brought out the commercial version of their surface products, they are bringing out a PC version of the minority report interface using the Kincet, and now they created this kind of cool Bing Xmas calendar.
Keep it up Microsoft. Might be time to invest in some stock.
Bing Calendar
Gizmag article on Windows 7 Minority Report
Microsoft Surface
There are a number of things that are impressing me about Microsoft lately. The first was my experience early last year in buying a couple of computers from the Microsoft store. I got a great deal as they were having a sale and the fact they had removed all the bloatware from the product meant I got them both home and ready to roll immediately out of the box. They probably ran faster and more smoothly than any PC I've purchased in the last 10 years.
One was a Samsung laptop and the other a Dell Zino. The Zino hasn't held up to well to everyday use from a couple of small boys but my wife loves her laptop.
Compare that to buying a similar specification laptop on black friday from Best Buy (who I should be boycotting on principal but they sometimes have deals the bargain hounds in me drag me along for). It is so loaded with garbage I've put it aside until I have a half day to clean it up and get it working. Completely disappointing experience compared to buying from the MS Store.
The Windows 7 phone has been quietly consuming market share and getting a lot of positive reviews, they've brought out the commercial version of their surface products, they are bringing out a PC version of the minority report interface using the Kincet, and now they created this kind of cool Bing Xmas calendar.
Keep it up Microsoft. Might be time to invest in some stock.
Bing Calendar
Gizmag article on Windows 7 Minority Report
Microsoft Surface
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Food Horror
#health #nutrition #bpa #FDA
Wow. Following on from my bpa post the other day on canned food here's a few more things to worry about in your food supply and your health. Food is medicine and our nutritional source's are in many cases bad medicine. They are affecting our health.
Food Horror!!
It is hard to understand how we can end up with so many threats in our food supply. When you consider how long some of the technologies we use have been around why the effects on nutrition and health haven't been better studied and reported is a mystery that opens us all up for serious health risks.
Take the example in the article of microwave popcorn releasing a chemical into the popped corn that causes infertility. We know this and the microwave popcorn is sold without any kind of warning label? Even though companies are voluntarily phasing the chemicals out by 2015 so they obviously know about the health issues? All this with an FDA watchdog who should be protecting us?
The mind really does boggle. I guess it is time to get more serious about forming a local food coop to source fresh groceries from local farmers who grow organically.
Theoretically the best health move you can make is to eat plenty of fresh living food like vegetables and fruits that haven't been treated with tons of chemicals and pesticides. But eating vegetables from a can is obviously now out. Fresh vegetables can be contaminated like the recent Lysteria outbreak here in Denver from Rocky Mountain grown Cantelopes.
At the point we are at with the technology and knowledge we have why is it so hard to come up with a guide on eating for health and protection of the nutritional values of our food?
Wow. Following on from my bpa post the other day on canned food here's a few more things to worry about in your food supply and your health. Food is medicine and our nutritional source's are in many cases bad medicine. They are affecting our health.
Food Horror!!
It is hard to understand how we can end up with so many threats in our food supply. When you consider how long some of the technologies we use have been around why the effects on nutrition and health haven't been better studied and reported is a mystery that opens us all up for serious health risks.
Take the example in the article of microwave popcorn releasing a chemical into the popped corn that causes infertility. We know this and the microwave popcorn is sold without any kind of warning label? Even though companies are voluntarily phasing the chemicals out by 2015 so they obviously know about the health issues? All this with an FDA watchdog who should be protecting us?
The mind really does boggle. I guess it is time to get more serious about forming a local food coop to source fresh groceries from local farmers who grow organically.
Theoretically the best health move you can make is to eat plenty of fresh living food like vegetables and fruits that haven't been treated with tons of chemicals and pesticides. But eating vegetables from a can is obviously now out. Fresh vegetables can be contaminated like the recent Lysteria outbreak here in Denver from Rocky Mountain grown Cantelopes.
At the point we are at with the technology and knowledge we have why is it so hard to come up with a guide on eating for health and protection of the nutritional values of our food?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
A green car and some entrepreneurial lessons learned
#eco #green #electric #design #entrepreneur
It's a few years off but this looks like a pretty cool concept for an electronic car.
Concept electric car for $7000
I particularly like the fact that it is a _collaborative_ project built around modular design. We need more of that in the world and it's a good lesson for those of us who are entrepreneurs.
Sometimes it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to do it all yourself. I just spent way more trying to build a website for my business on the cheap than going with the 5k price I was quoted from someone a year ago to do it for me. I'm still trying to do my own manufacturing here in the US despite massive challenges and in the last year I've turned down an abundance of opportunities to outsource it all back overseas.
I think I'm ready to admit defeat and give up. The local suppliers I source my raw materials from are changing their colors and lines which has a massive knock on effect for my business. In light of that I will probably go back offshore next year.
I'm still a huge proponent of American made and of vertical integration (where you own the supply chain and the distribution chain as well as the manufacturing like Henry Ford did with the model T) but realistically I'm trying to get there too soon in my companies life cycle.
So my advice to all the other entrepreneurs out there is to do the bits you do really well and partner for the bits you don't. While stubbornness is a good trait for a business person if something proves really really hard then you should probably start to look for a path of less resistance.
It's a few years off but this looks like a pretty cool concept for an electronic car.
Concept electric car for $7000
I particularly like the fact that it is a _collaborative_ project built around modular design. We need more of that in the world and it's a good lesson for those of us who are entrepreneurs.
Sometimes it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to do it all yourself. I just spent way more trying to build a website for my business on the cheap than going with the 5k price I was quoted from someone a year ago to do it for me. I'm still trying to do my own manufacturing here in the US despite massive challenges and in the last year I've turned down an abundance of opportunities to outsource it all back overseas.
I think I'm ready to admit defeat and give up. The local suppliers I source my raw materials from are changing their colors and lines which has a massive knock on effect for my business. In light of that I will probably go back offshore next year.
I'm still a huge proponent of American made and of vertical integration (where you own the supply chain and the distribution chain as well as the manufacturing like Henry Ford did with the model T) but realistically I'm trying to get there too soon in my companies life cycle.
So my advice to all the other entrepreneurs out there is to do the bits you do really well and partner for the bits you don't. While stubbornness is a good trait for a business person if something proves really really hard then you should probably start to look for a path of less resistance.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Gamification
#gamification
For those of you who aren't familiar with the topic, Gamification is the act of applying game mechanics to non game arena's. Examples include Nike+ (fitness), Mint (finance), and Chore Wares (relationship / household chores).
Loyalty schemes have been around for ages and are crude examples of gamification. If you google Sebastian Deterding, Jane McGonigal, Bigdoor, Bunchball, Gamify, Gabe Zichermann, or just gamification itself you will be overwhelmed by how much content is out there for such a new topic.
We now have an annual Gamification Summit organized by Gabe Zichermann. I have attended the last couple of years through ForaTV although the last one had technical issues and I had to just watch the recorded elements when they were available.
We also have the first Gamification MBA course run by Kevin Werbech and Dan Hunter. They also organized a symposium of gamification back in August of this year. They have been kind enough to publish the course notes etc online for anyone who is interested.
Coursekit from Gamification MBA course
The reason I am so excited for the gamified future is that I see a huge potential to engage people in big issues using gamified solutions. If we can get people to focus on some of the challenges that we face as a species by using game mechanics then I am all for the concept.
I am working on a platform to give people the tools to bring game mechanics to the areas of their life that they think need improving. Until I get it built we'll have to just pretend it is all a game.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the topic, Gamification is the act of applying game mechanics to non game arena's. Examples include Nike+ (fitness), Mint (finance), and Chore Wares (relationship / household chores).
Loyalty schemes have been around for ages and are crude examples of gamification. If you google Sebastian Deterding, Jane McGonigal, Bigdoor, Bunchball, Gamify, Gabe Zichermann, or just gamification itself you will be overwhelmed by how much content is out there for such a new topic.
We now have an annual Gamification Summit organized by Gabe Zichermann. I have attended the last couple of years through ForaTV although the last one had technical issues and I had to just watch the recorded elements when they were available.
We also have the first Gamification MBA course run by Kevin Werbech and Dan Hunter. They also organized a symposium of gamification back in August of this year. They have been kind enough to publish the course notes etc online for anyone who is interested.
Coursekit from Gamification MBA course
The reason I am so excited for the gamified future is that I see a huge potential to engage people in big issues using gamified solutions. If we can get people to focus on some of the challenges that we face as a species by using game mechanics then I am all for the concept.
I am working on a platform to give people the tools to bring game mechanics to the areas of their life that they think need improving. Until I get it built we'll have to just pretend it is all a game.
We live and die in interesting times
#environment #population #singularity
The singularity is the concept that technology will eventually exponentially accelerate to the point where we as humans can become immortal. Ray Kurweil first suggested it I believe. Based on an extrapolation of Moores law of doubling computing power.
The form the singularity might take is up for debate. How will we live forever? Will it be as ghosts in a digital machine or will it be through maintenance of the meat sack we currently reside in? Will there be some combination of the two or various options people will be able to chose?
There are numerous issues that we are going to have to contend with. What happens if the deaths stop? Or even slow to an absolute trickle? Will immortality be available to billions of people in the world before they even get regular supplies of clean water? I doubt it. Companies who invent the technology are going to want to get paid and immortality that really works is going to be able to command a huge price tag. There will be all sorts of discussions and arguments about who gets it and who doesn't. There will be ethical, legal, and logistical issues on hundreds of different topics. Everything from multi generational legacies already in place to resource management to motivating people who have forever to accomplish what they need to get done.
If the singularity takes the form of digitizing humans in a virtual world then food and other physical resources would cease to be a problem for those who went with it. But if we are to continue on living here and exercising our species need to have children then where does that leave us? Will parent / child relationships be defined the same way if you are 1000 years old and your son is 975? How much of a relationship do you have with your great great great great great great great great grandparents?
There are ton of issues once the technology is here but I for one am excited at the idea of getting multiple life spans to experiment, play and learn in.
We live and die in interesting times.
If you watch this video and imagine the flow of deaths diminished or flowing to a trickle you will see a visual representation of a world where no one dies looks like.
The birth and death flow
Here's to a lot more good years for all of us.
The singularity is the concept that technology will eventually exponentially accelerate to the point where we as humans can become immortal. Ray Kurweil first suggested it I believe. Based on an extrapolation of Moores law of doubling computing power.
The form the singularity might take is up for debate. How will we live forever? Will it be as ghosts in a digital machine or will it be through maintenance of the meat sack we currently reside in? Will there be some combination of the two or various options people will be able to chose?
There are numerous issues that we are going to have to contend with. What happens if the deaths stop? Or even slow to an absolute trickle? Will immortality be available to billions of people in the world before they even get regular supplies of clean water? I doubt it. Companies who invent the technology are going to want to get paid and immortality that really works is going to be able to command a huge price tag. There will be all sorts of discussions and arguments about who gets it and who doesn't. There will be ethical, legal, and logistical issues on hundreds of different topics. Everything from multi generational legacies already in place to resource management to motivating people who have forever to accomplish what they need to get done.
If the singularity takes the form of digitizing humans in a virtual world then food and other physical resources would cease to be a problem for those who went with it. But if we are to continue on living here and exercising our species need to have children then where does that leave us? Will parent / child relationships be defined the same way if you are 1000 years old and your son is 975? How much of a relationship do you have with your great great great great great great great great grandparents?
There are ton of issues once the technology is here but I for one am excited at the idea of getting multiple life spans to experiment, play and learn in.
We live and die in interesting times.
If you watch this video and imagine the flow of deaths diminished or flowing to a trickle you will see a visual representation of a world where no one dies looks like.
The birth and death flow
Here's to a lot more good years for all of us.
Wealth distribution by age
Wealth Inequality has something to do with age
#economy #occupy #income #inequality
This backs up some of the comments I've made on various occupy movement and income inequality posts.
You have a large concentration of wealth in the hands of an older demographic. They are already relatively risk adverse as a demographic and they have just gone through 3 scary years watching a lot of their accumulated wealth and income evaporate. The are now very focused on trying to make that wealth last them for the rest of their lives. That is one of the reasons the free market approach and top down economics are not ideal in this situation. You can tax them a lot less if you like but you won't see a rise in jobs as a result. They are not going to risk the capital they have accumulated in the kind of investments we need to stimulate growth and they are not going to radically increase their spending levels as a result.
The financial sector is bruised as well and still recapitalizing. They are not lending out the amount the way they once were. Criteria for getting loans off them are tighter in the more risk adverse world we live in. Loans to Businesses that fail contribute to the economy but they don't look good on shareholder reports.
So in some ways Government spending has to be the spark that ignites the economy and encourages risk and wealth creation. Particularly in the younger demographic. If not the Government then who?
If they were to open the borders up and offer visas on a point system where age and wealth factored into the granting of a Visa it would go some way to giving an injection in the arm of the capacity and capability of the middle class to prime the economy.
But until people start spending and banks start lending it's the Government or stagnation. Yes it is a redistribution of wealth in the form of taxes but if people and businesses won't spend voluntarily then the economy will grow anemically, stagnate, or even shrink. That isn't good for anyone except those betting against the US.
If people in power could just agree on that we could stop a lot of pointless debate and focus on the really important question. How should the Government be spending to stimulate the economy and get us back on a path to prosperity? Where would they get the best bang for their buck?
#economy #occupy #income #inequality
This backs up some of the comments I've made on various occupy movement and income inequality posts.
You have a large concentration of wealth in the hands of an older demographic. They are already relatively risk adverse as a demographic and they have just gone through 3 scary years watching a lot of their accumulated wealth and income evaporate. The are now very focused on trying to make that wealth last them for the rest of their lives. That is one of the reasons the free market approach and top down economics are not ideal in this situation. You can tax them a lot less if you like but you won't see a rise in jobs as a result. They are not going to risk the capital they have accumulated in the kind of investments we need to stimulate growth and they are not going to radically increase their spending levels as a result.
The financial sector is bruised as well and still recapitalizing. They are not lending out the amount the way they once were. Criteria for getting loans off them are tighter in the more risk adverse world we live in. Loans to Businesses that fail contribute to the economy but they don't look good on shareholder reports.
So in some ways Government spending has to be the spark that ignites the economy and encourages risk and wealth creation. Particularly in the younger demographic. If not the Government then who?
If they were to open the borders up and offer visas on a point system where age and wealth factored into the granting of a Visa it would go some way to giving an injection in the arm of the capacity and capability of the middle class to prime the economy.
But until people start spending and banks start lending it's the Government or stagnation. Yes it is a redistribution of wealth in the form of taxes but if people and businesses won't spend voluntarily then the economy will grow anemically, stagnate, or even shrink. That isn't good for anyone except those betting against the US.
If people in power could just agree on that we could stop a lot of pointless debate and focus on the really important question. How should the Government be spending to stimulate the economy and get us back on a path to prosperity? Where would they get the best bang for their buck?
Global Warming, Local Warming, or Just regular Warming?
#climate #environment #contingency #weather
Is Global Warming a real trend? Leaving aside all the pro and anti scientific debate this well researched paper about the mineral rights of the arctic circle and how many countries are working to lay claim to them is a strong suggestion to me that the arctic cap is melting and opening up access to the area in the process.
http://docs.law.gwu.edu/stdg/gwilr/PDFs/41-3/41-3-
That would indicate Global Warming is definitely real even if you want to argue the semantics of what is causing it.
Not to mention the pictures circulating of polars bears with no sheet ice to head out on.
You can argue that humans aren't causing the warming or have any way of slowing it but I believe it is going to get hotter over time and local climates are going to change as a result. Contingency planning is a smart idea regardless of whether you believe or not. Just don't go nuts and spend a fortune or do anything extreme like put your future on hold or inconvenience yourself as part of your contingency plan. Moving to the North or South Pole just because you think it will be temperate beach front and in high demand when people can no longer live anywhere else on the planet is not a good idea. Unless you are right in which case you'll be worth billions. But if you are wrong you might need to pray for Global Warming and wrestle polar bears for seal blubber for your dinner.
I think the 'normal' climate has changed in odd ways several of the places I've lived in. The climate seems to be warming to me. I'm only 40 years old and I've lived in quite a few places around the world so my opinion might be from flawed experiences and analysis. But it definitely feels like there are more extreme weather events in northern and southern hemispheres.
The attached article on Snowtober discusses some of them.
Snowtober hits the USA
There are some interesting arguments in the comments mostly against the idea that Global Warming has anything to do with the extreme climate events we've experienced this year.
The good news is that over time the climate events may be getting more extreme but it appears less people are dying from them.
http://www.csccc.info/reports/report_23.pdf
The interesting thing is that whether we believe in something as a species is mostly irrelevant as to whether it happens or not.
I have a question for any geological scientists reading this. We have a planet with a layer of liquid around a solid core and then a crust floating on top if it. As the glaciers melt and the polar ice turns liquid is there any danger of the increase in the volume of liquid in the seas moving around on the surface and causing different stress points on the plates and generating more earthquakes than in the past? Global Warming may well rock the house around the globe if that is the case.
As a disaster recovery planner and someone who grew up on the ring of fire in New Zealand I am quite enjoying the lack of earthquakes here in Denver. I also like the place because other than extreme snow storms and tornado's there are relatively few natural threats here (unless you decide to go hiking with a large quantity of raw meat perhaps?). Also if Global Warming does cause massive shifts in land masses then I'm well prepared by being a mile above sea level.
Is Global Warming a real trend? Leaving aside all the pro and anti scientific debate this well researched paper about the mineral rights of the arctic circle and how many countries are working to lay claim to them is a strong suggestion to me that the arctic cap is melting and opening up access to the area in the process.
http://docs.law.gwu.edu/stdg/gwilr/PDFs/41-3/41-3-
That would indicate Global Warming is definitely real even if you want to argue the semantics of what is causing it.
Not to mention the pictures circulating of polars bears with no sheet ice to head out on.
You can argue that humans aren't causing the warming or have any way of slowing it but I believe it is going to get hotter over time and local climates are going to change as a result. Contingency planning is a smart idea regardless of whether you believe or not. Just don't go nuts and spend a fortune or do anything extreme like put your future on hold or inconvenience yourself as part of your contingency plan. Moving to the North or South Pole just because you think it will be temperate beach front and in high demand when people can no longer live anywhere else on the planet is not a good idea. Unless you are right in which case you'll be worth billions. But if you are wrong you might need to pray for Global Warming and wrestle polar bears for seal blubber for your dinner.
I think the 'normal' climate has changed in odd ways several of the places I've lived in. The climate seems to be warming to me. I'm only 40 years old and I've lived in quite a few places around the world so my opinion might be from flawed experiences and analysis. But it definitely feels like there are more extreme weather events in northern and southern hemispheres.
The attached article on Snowtober discusses some of them.
Snowtober hits the USA
There are some interesting arguments in the comments mostly against the idea that Global Warming has anything to do with the extreme climate events we've experienced this year.
The good news is that over time the climate events may be getting more extreme but it appears less people are dying from them.
http://www.csccc.info/reports/report_23.pdf
The interesting thing is that whether we believe in something as a species is mostly irrelevant as to whether it happens or not.
I have a question for any geological scientists reading this. We have a planet with a layer of liquid around a solid core and then a crust floating on top if it. As the glaciers melt and the polar ice turns liquid is there any danger of the increase in the volume of liquid in the seas moving around on the surface and causing different stress points on the plates and generating more earthquakes than in the past? Global Warming may well rock the house around the globe if that is the case.
As a disaster recovery planner and someone who grew up on the ring of fire in New Zealand I am quite enjoying the lack of earthquakes here in Denver. I also like the place because other than extreme snow storms and tornado's there are relatively few natural threats here (unless you decide to go hiking with a large quantity of raw meat perhaps?). Also if Global Warming does cause massive shifts in land masses then I'm well prepared by being a mile above sea level.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)