Big things changed today in Syria and it impacts the USA, especially if you have ever taken a flight.
For the first time since Syria began its death spiral for dictator Bashir Assad, Israel launched an air strike against a convey of Syrian trucks IN Syria.
The Israeli's did NOT make this raid to help the rebels trying to take control of Syria from its dictator whose troops have deliberately fired at civilians including women and children trying to get food.
The Israeli action was a desperate act needed in desperate times to keep antiaircraft missiles from being transferred by Assad's Syrian military to a terrorist group in Lebanon --missiles which posed a threat to both Israel and the USA.Those missiles threatens anyone flying a commercial airliner and Israel and American military aircraft.
The Syria death spiral is terminal. We are witnessing another well-armed Middle East dictator thug - the chinless Bashir Assad who has murdered tens of thousands of his own people with his military being driven from office -- an inescapable event that has dangerous spin offs to the world.
The Assads have a huge stockpile of dangerous military weapons, such as chemical weapons that have just hit the global Black Market. Syria's arsenal includes the anti-aircraft missiles attacked in this rare across border raid by Israel.
Israel has rarely struck across its border. Historically, they are on defense and are not aggressors actively attacking its neighbors (although it did take out an Iraqi nuclear complex Saddam was building in 1981 and they also hit a suspected nuclear facility in Syria several years ago). Israel doesn't start wars but has been on the receiving end of several attacks (if you remember history, Israel was attacked in the 1967 war, `73 war etc. I've followed each)
That changed today when Israeli jets hit a Syria truck convey that was heading towards Lebanon- and Hezbollah. Stay tuned - global events DO impact Americans (and Israelis) future...
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
India's Pollution like China's
Ironically, when I went to India for the Fortune 500, it was to sell POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY to reduce emissions from their coal fired power plants...
Apparently they haven't used enough of it some 30 years later...Smog is killing them.
Above photos: Top is a shot of New Delhi traffic back in 1982 - its much worse today.
Bottom photo: Me with a technical guy from our UK office where Lodge Cottrell invented pollution control technology for coal about 100 years ago. When I was with Dresser, we owned the Lodge Cottrell division based on Birmingham, England...
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/01/20131277313524482.html
Apparently they haven't used enough of it some 30 years later...Smog is killing them.
Above photos: Top is a shot of New Delhi traffic back in 1982 - its much worse today.
Bottom photo: Me with a technical guy from our UK office where Lodge Cottrell invented pollution control technology for coal about 100 years ago. When I was with Dresser, we owned the Lodge Cottrell division based on Birmingham, England...
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/01/20131277313524482.html
Canada Plans to Take High Tech Immigrants USA Pushes Away...
The USA has over 2 million OPEN, UNFILLED, HIGH TECH, High Pay jobs - yet Americans don't have the skills to fill them. Nor do we give immigrants with those skills a chance to stay - So Canada will get them instead.
Meanwhile we have dumb and dumber flipping burgers with millions of jobs begging for skilled workers...make sense to you? Me either...
Actually "dumb and dumber" describes our Congress that neither allows skilled immigrants to stay nor helps train Americans to have those skills...
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-25/how-canada-plans-to-steal-silicon-valleys-immigrant-entrepreneurs#r=hpt-ls
Meanwhile we have dumb and dumber flipping burgers with millions of jobs begging for skilled workers...make sense to you? Me either...
Actually "dumb and dumber" describes our Congress that neither allows skilled immigrants to stay nor helps train Americans to have those skills...
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-25/how-canada-plans-to-steal-silicon-valleys-immigrant-entrepreneurs#r=hpt-ls
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
America's Drop Out Rate - Down? Not for All...
A recent report suggests that America's drop out rate has declined to about 78% of students, which sounds like things are moving in the right direction.
Yet the drop out rate for our fastest growing minority, Hispanics, is still about 50% - a shockingly high number.
I asked an Hispanic professional friend, JR Gonzales, about that. I met JR as the leader of a tour we took of China last October. I wondered outloud if perhaps having an Hispanic Governor, someone like Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio as our next Governor (of Texas) would improve the drop out rate among Hispanics.
His answer? "Having more Hispanic teachers as role models would be more effective."
I think he has a good point. What do YOU think would help reduce minority dropouts, not just in Texas but across the U.S.?
Yet the drop out rate for our fastest growing minority, Hispanics, is still about 50% - a shockingly high number.
I asked an Hispanic professional friend, JR Gonzales, about that. I met JR as the leader of a tour we took of China last October. I wondered outloud if perhaps having an Hispanic Governor, someone like Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio as our next Governor (of Texas) would improve the drop out rate among Hispanics.
His answer? "Having more Hispanic teachers as role models would be more effective."
I think he has a good point. What do YOU think would help reduce minority dropouts, not just in Texas but across the U.S.?
Leaving Afghanistan - after 11 years of corruption
The Afghans should have been trained from Day 1 to do their own defense - instead of the U.S. forces doing everything - 11 years later and they are novices and used to our money. Now the gravy train is pulling out of the station...Afghanistan is still the most corrupt in the world - and that's a hard feat to accomplish compared to Nigeria, Russia, etc...
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/22/opinion/afghanistan-us-tough-love/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/22/opinion/afghanistan-us-tough-love/index.html
A NEW WORLD Currency?
I have posted a link (here) to an article that looks at the potential the Chinese Yuan could become
a world currency in a few years - rivaling the American dollar.
If you want to know why, then I invite you to review my PowerPoint show on the vast changes China has made in the last 30 years - it now holds over $3 TRILLION in CASH Reserves - and this is after it has bought 40% of our debt since 2001...
Check it out - and while you are at it take a 7 minute ride on the Fastest Train in the World - which happens to be in...not America, not Europe, but CHINA..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
If you want to know why, then I invite you to review my PowerPoint show on the vast changes China has made in the last 30 years - it now holds over $3 TRILLION in CASH Reserves - and this is after it has bought 40% of our debt since 2001...
Check it out - and while you are at it take a 7 minute ride on the Fastest Train in the World - which happens to be in...not America, not Europe, but CHINA..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Israel, like America, Turns from Right Toward the Center
Israeli voters just did what American voters did last November and turned away from the far right parties. They picked a new Centrist party by a large margin.
Many Israeli's felt things had gotten out of hand. They were angry that ultra-orthodox religious members were able to avoid National Service that everyone else does in Israel --they live on government payments and spend their entire time in religious activities. The Centrists demanded the ultra-orthodox be subject to the same rules. No more being paid to pray all day while avoiding service.
Netanyahu came out of this election much weaker. He has to form a coalition with either the Centrists - or fringe far far right parties that are so far out that they disagree among themselves. Such a coalition would collapse quickly and he'd be forced to form yet another one.
The Centrist leader, Lapid, wants a two state solution with the Palestinians - he says they should not think that it would be a "happy marriage" with the Palestinians, but more like "a divorce we can live with" which is very practical. Already Netanyahu is changing his tune to a more moderate one.
Bottom line: Two major elections -- and each time the voters have decided to pull away from far right leaders - bringing both America and Israel back towards the center.
It is in the center where people can work with each other to solve issues.
This could be a very good sign for our future.
That's the problem in our Congress. The center has been destroyed by gerrymandering into districts that favor the most extreme candidate instead of the most balanced one. Until we fix that, Congress will remain dysfunctional.
That dysfunction also explains the American choice of a President who is much more centered then the legislature he has to deal with. Americans did NOT choose the Presidential candidate who spent $1 billion as he verbally wrote off "47%" and favored the wealthy over the middle class. This is the only "balance" we have!
Pass it on!
Many Israeli's felt things had gotten out of hand. They were angry that ultra-orthodox religious members were able to avoid National Service that everyone else does in Israel --they live on government payments and spend their entire time in religious activities. The Centrists demanded the ultra-orthodox be subject to the same rules. No more being paid to pray all day while avoiding service.
Netanyahu came out of this election much weaker. He has to form a coalition with either the Centrists - or fringe far far right parties that are so far out that they disagree among themselves. Such a coalition would collapse quickly and he'd be forced to form yet another one.
The Centrist leader, Lapid, wants a two state solution with the Palestinians - he says they should not think that it would be a "happy marriage" with the Palestinians, but more like "a divorce we can live with" which is very practical. Already Netanyahu is changing his tune to a more moderate one.
Bottom line: Two major elections -- and each time the voters have decided to pull away from far right leaders - bringing both America and Israel back towards the center.
It is in the center where people can work with each other to solve issues.
This could be a very good sign for our future.
That's the problem in our Congress. The center has been destroyed by gerrymandering into districts that favor the most extreme candidate instead of the most balanced one. Until we fix that, Congress will remain dysfunctional.
That dysfunction also explains the American choice of a President who is much more centered then the legislature he has to deal with. Americans did NOT choose the Presidential candidate who spent $1 billion as he verbally wrote off "47%" and favored the wealthy over the middle class. This is the only "balance" we have!
Pass it on!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
LANCE ARMSTRONG: Not a Global American...
NOTICE:
LANCE ARMSTRONG is NOT a GLOBAL AMERICAN.
Why?
Because:
he hasn't passed the HONESTY standard
he showed no INTEGRITY
He certainly was NOT TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT (the way YOU wish to be treated). He is said to bully everyone, even waiters. He sued those he knew were speaking the truth, etc.
EQUALITY - using performance-enhancing drugs to win races is NOT a level playing field.
FAIRNESS - Lance wasn't that either. Even the Oprah interview is probably geared to selling a book so he can make more millions from ordinary Americans who have far more honesty and integrity than he has had, or may ever have....
just saying, the TRUTH, which is another Global American Value...
LANCE ARMSTRONG is NOT a GLOBAL AMERICAN.
Why?
Because:
he hasn't passed the HONESTY standard
he showed no INTEGRITY
He certainly was NOT TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT (the way YOU wish to be treated). He is said to bully everyone, even waiters. He sued those he knew were speaking the truth, etc.
EQUALITY - using performance-enhancing drugs to win races is NOT a level playing field.
FAIRNESS - Lance wasn't that either. Even the Oprah interview is probably geared to selling a book so he can make more millions from ordinary Americans who have far more honesty and integrity than he has had, or may ever have....
just saying, the TRUTH, which is another Global American Value...
If I had been voting on Sandy Relief, it Would Have Been...
If I had been in Congress for the Sandy relief vote, I would have voted YES.
Why?
Because Americans help Americans when disaster strikes.
That's what makes us special.
When my dad injured his back on our farm in Iowa when I was young, I remember that the neighbors came over and helped put up the hay. We did the same for another farmer who fell on hard times. But a SuperStorm is far beyond the resources of ordinary people. That's where Congress steps in.
Americans helped us on the Gulf coast when IKE hit in 2008. We helped when Katrina hit in 2005. That's what we do as AMERICANS.
I can't imagine as a person standing on the shore when someone is drowning -- and refusing to throw them a life line Is that pro-life? Hardly.
Learning how to succeed in the global economy is what being a Global American is about - what it takes in education and knowledge to win in this inescapable, high tech global economy...
Global American VALUES are the values that have made America great in the past and can in our future - if we embrace them:
HONESTY
INTEGRITY
TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT (the way YOU wish to be treated)
EQUALITY
FAIRNESS
(NO, It's NOT all about MONEY). But adults in Congress would be a big step up - denying funding for Disaster victims does not make us great. It doesn't make us religious. It doesn't even make us human.
To see how this journey to the Global American awakening started - and what solutions can carry America back to No. 1 in the 21st century, take a walk on the wild side at
"Better Times Ahead: April Fool?" -
and Join us today...for updates on global issues that will impact your life today, and for decades to come.
Why?
Because Americans help Americans when disaster strikes.
That's what makes us special.
When my dad injured his back on our farm in Iowa when I was young, I remember that the neighbors came over and helped put up the hay. We did the same for another farmer who fell on hard times. But a SuperStorm is far beyond the resources of ordinary people. That's where Congress steps in.
Americans helped us on the Gulf coast when IKE hit in 2008. We helped when Katrina hit in 2005. That's what we do as AMERICANS.
I can't imagine as a person standing on the shore when someone is drowning -- and refusing to throw them a life line Is that pro-life? Hardly.
Learning how to succeed in the global economy is what being a Global American is about - what it takes in education and knowledge to win in this inescapable, high tech global economy...
Global American VALUES are the values that have made America great in the past and can in our future - if we embrace them:
HONESTY
INTEGRITY
TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT (the way YOU wish to be treated)
EQUALITY
FAIRNESS
(NO, It's NOT all about MONEY). But adults in Congress would be a big step up - denying funding for Disaster victims does not make us great. It doesn't make us religious. It doesn't even make us human.
To see how this journey to the Global American awakening started - and what solutions can carry America back to No. 1 in the 21st century, take a walk on the wild side at
"Better Times Ahead: April Fool?" -
and Join us today...for updates on global issues that will impact your life today, and for decades to come.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Recessions Lay Offs and Re-Invention - 21st century Survival
One thing I haven't talked about much that is in my book "Better Times Ahead" is how a lay off and a financial Tsunami that sucks 100% of your life's savings is still not a fatal blow. I found that out personally during the Great Texas Bush of the 80's when even the Governor went broke.
In fact it can lead to amazing revelations and re-inventions.
That is what I write about in my book -- what that awful process is like - going from farm to flying the Concorde Worldwide - to losing EVERYTHING, BUT then surviving and even thriving when re-invention gives us another chance at the brass ring.
To see what I mean, you have to go on a journey to far off lands at a time long ago. It is a wild ride from one extreme to another, where lessons learned apply to making it a better today.
Check out "Better Times Ahead: April Fool"
It was those lessons (with experience to the far reaches of our planet) that led to the "Agenda for American Greatness" at the web link.
Take a ride on the wild side. See how even failure leads to success when we re-invent ourselves. THAT is the key to America's future and our own.
Better Times Ahead: April Fool? It's up to US whether or not we fool ourselves - or win the global high tech space age 21st century...
In fact it can lead to amazing revelations and re-inventions.
That is what I write about in my book -- what that awful process is like - going from farm to flying the Concorde Worldwide - to losing EVERYTHING, BUT then surviving and even thriving when re-invention gives us another chance at the brass ring.
To see what I mean, you have to go on a journey to far off lands at a time long ago. It is a wild ride from one extreme to another, where lessons learned apply to making it a better today.
Check out "Better Times Ahead: April Fool"
It was those lessons (with experience to the far reaches of our planet) that led to the "Agenda for American Greatness" at the web link.
Take a ride on the wild side. See how even failure leads to success when we re-invent ourselves. THAT is the key to America's future and our own.
Better Times Ahead: April Fool? It's up to US whether or not we fool ourselves - or win the global high tech space age 21st century...
Algeria Crisis: Is Foreign Work/Travel Too Dangerous?
The recent news about the attacks on a gas facility in Algeria may have Americans wondering about the risks of working or traveling aboard. But they may be surprised which country I found to be the most dangerous.
In the last 30 plus years I have traveled to nearly 50 countries on business. After a layoff from the Fortune 500 I traveled as an entrepreneur - once flying from Jakarta Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand just as a coup was happening. I traveled to Syria in the late 90s on an international child kidnapping case. Nothing bad ever happened to me on those trips (other than once getting some bad food in Singapore).
The most dangerous place I've been? Unfortunately, the USA.
It was in the USA that I was once kidnapped - yes, kidnapped by a guy who wanted money. And I had known this person for nearly two years while working on a case in East Texas. We have the most gun violence of any country in the world, including places like Pakistan where I have also been.
All of these stories are included in my book: "Better Times Ahead: April Fool?" (Surviving a Layoff on a Global Scale) at the link.
Americans need to travel the world to see how we stand in it - we are falling behind in both education and technology.
If you don't believe me, go see for yourself. You can start with a comparison of China 30 years ago versus today - and see how they now lead us in 7 key technologies that I compiled in this narrated PowerPoint report...
Traveling the world is less dangerous than being ignorant of what is going on in it that impacts our future leadership and economy.
In the last 30 plus years I have traveled to nearly 50 countries on business. After a layoff from the Fortune 500 I traveled as an entrepreneur - once flying from Jakarta Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand just as a coup was happening. I traveled to Syria in the late 90s on an international child kidnapping case. Nothing bad ever happened to me on those trips (other than once getting some bad food in Singapore).
The most dangerous place I've been? Unfortunately, the USA.
It was in the USA that I was once kidnapped - yes, kidnapped by a guy who wanted money. And I had known this person for nearly two years while working on a case in East Texas. We have the most gun violence of any country in the world, including places like Pakistan where I have also been.
All of these stories are included in my book: "Better Times Ahead: April Fool?" (Surviving a Layoff on a Global Scale) at the link.
Americans need to travel the world to see how we stand in it - we are falling behind in both education and technology.
If you don't believe me, go see for yourself. You can start with a comparison of China 30 years ago versus today - and see how they now lead us in 7 key technologies that I compiled in this narrated PowerPoint report...
Traveling the world is less dangerous than being ignorant of what is going on in it that impacts our future leadership and economy.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The Less They Know, the More "Expert" They are...
I posted an article on Facebook today about a rare place few people have seen, but I was lucky enough to see over a 30 year time span -- China. It showed they have $3 Trillion in CASH and lead us in 7 key technologies.
My point was to spur an intelligent conversation on what America should do to get back in the lead. Instead, dumb and dumber showed up.
Suddenly a couple "commenters" were cutting down my information - without even reading my presentation, a photo essay (I took the photos) showing what the actual China looked like 30 years ago when I first went there in 1982 - as lead negotiator on behalf of a Fortune 500 company - and again in 2012 when I went back to compare.
These commentators have NEVER BEEN THERE EVER. Yet they were so confident in their opinion, not even seeing mine. They spewed nonsense about "Hitler" and autobahns and how building new wasn't really an advantage over our 70 year old, falling down bridges.
It was beyond clueless and stupid.
This arrogance of opinion and disrespect of experience and FACTS by Americans is not rare these days in America. It makes me wonder how we keep being great if we become delusional and detached from the real world around us. When I speak of upgrading our skills - which is what is will take to get our mojo back to No. 1 - you would think I had just shot them with a gun.
I see this all the time, not just on FB but in real life.
It seems the less some people know, the more "expert" they seem to think they are.
Worse, they reject learning anything from someone who had personal experience. Sure, they will listen to some moron on the radio who never left Iowa or the USA. This kind of ignorant arrogance is sabotaging our future. Failure to learn and adapt to this global economic world is going to kill us.
I am seeing this all through America.
It wouldn't matter if we were still No. 1 in technology and had the best education system in the world. But we aren't.
FACT: America has 2 million UNFILLED, High Tech Jobs OPEN - but there aren't AMERICANS qualified to fill them. Does that sound like we are "NO. 1" to you? Then listen up.
That attitude won't help us - it will kill us. It won't help us win this real life global competition for the No. 1 economy in the world when China is No. 2 and barreling in on overtaking our No. 1 by 2030 - and could be sooner.
That could be easily fixed if people WANTED to learn something related to those issues.Too many Americans have a fantasy view of the world.We need REALITY if we are going to WIN. An ostrich with its head in the sand doesn't fool the hungry Tiger.
Monday, January 14, 2013
7 Key Technologies Where China Leads USA
14 January 2013
Global American Series
In October 2012 I went back to China after an absence of nearly 30 years to
compare what I found in 1982 to the China of 2012 - and how it compared to the
changes in the USA during the same time.
It was shocking. China has transformed itself far beyond what the U.S. has done.
From a country where everyone made $30 month in 1982 to a land with over a
million millionaires today.
I have put together a narrated slide show with my photos taken in 1982 and 2012
to show Americans the difference, including 7 high tech 21st Century
technologies where China leads the U.S.
Did you know that China will have a bran new space station in 2020 when our ISS
is due to be retired? Here is the link to the YouTube video. Pass it on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
Michael Fjetland
Global American Series
Follow or comment at:
http://globalamericanvalues.blogspot.com/
Sponsored by Armor Glass International, Inc.
www.ArmorGlass.com
Saves Energy and Protects your Weakest link from break-ins, superstorms and
Solar Heat
Global American Series
In October 2012 I went back to China after an absence of nearly 30 years to
compare what I found in 1982 to the China of 2012 - and how it compared to the
changes in the USA during the same time.
It was shocking. China has transformed itself far beyond what the U.S. has done.
From a country where everyone made $30 month in 1982 to a land with over a
million millionaires today.
I have put together a narrated slide show with my photos taken in 1982 and 2012
to show Americans the difference, including 7 high tech 21st Century
technologies where China leads the U.S.
Did you know that China will have a bran new space station in 2020 when our ISS
is due to be retired? Here is the link to the YouTube video. Pass it on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
Michael Fjetland
Global American Series
Follow or comment at:
http://globalamericanvalues.blogspot.com/
Sponsored by Armor Glass International, Inc.
www.ArmorGlass.com
Saves Energy and Protects your Weakest link from break-ins, superstorms and
Solar Heat
Our Congress Hillbillies Need to See China - and Wake UP
We elected a bunch of hillbillies to Congress that barely been outside their state until elected. They talk about "shutting gov't down." Every damn one of them needs to go to China and see how they are beating us in education and technology - AND how not having an EPA makes the air BLACK (let them choke on it, I say). This are photos of two China's - the one in 1982 that had NOTHING. And the one in 2012 that leads us in 7 key technologies that our own hillbillies refused to invest in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmHObhCseM
Sunday, January 13, 2013
India's Rape Problem - And America's Military
My book "Better Times Ahead: APril Fool?" starts with a scene in India. It's where the title came from. I am mystified WHAT IS GOING ON IN INDIA - where men just rape women on buses - the driver wouldn't let the woman off at her village.
What the hell is wrong with these sexually repressed countries - in Saudi men will follow women in cars and harass them. India has a caste system - but the lowest caste aren't the "untouchables" but, apparently, WOMEN...
India still does sonograms - so they can determine sex of the child - and to abort female babies. As the largest democracy in the world, something is WRONG. Please FIX IT...
www.BetterTimesAheadAprilFool.com
But then, we also have a rape problem in our military. Let's FIX IT too..
What the hell is wrong with these sexually repressed countries - in Saudi men will follow women in cars and harass them. India has a caste system - but the lowest caste aren't the "untouchables" but, apparently, WOMEN...
India still does sonograms - so they can determine sex of the child - and to abort female babies. As the largest democracy in the world, something is WRONG. Please FIX IT...
www.BetterTimesAheadAprilFool.com
But then, we also have a rape problem in our military. Let's FIX IT too..
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
My only Concern is the School Girls - Leaving Afghanistan -
America has spent over $1 TRILLION in Afghanistan, after more than a decade. It is America's longest war. Afghan soldiers are shooting NATO soldiers. It is time to go.
But my one and only concern is for the Afghan School GIRLS who will be killed and denied an education if the taliban come back.
The Taliban are Conservative extremists. HOW do we protect these girls after we leave?
I am for bringing them to the USA--Let the Taliban have ZERO girls to kill...
WHAT do U THINK?
But my one and only concern is for the Afghan School GIRLS who will be killed and denied an education if the taliban come back.
The Taliban are Conservative extremists. HOW do we protect these girls after we leave?
I am for bringing them to the USA--Let the Taliban have ZERO girls to kill...
WHAT do U THINK?
Americans have to get smart to survive or thrive
Tonight the FOG is thick. And I'm Watching PBS NewsHour.
Why them? Because I don't have time to waste.
I want substance information on issues that impact the quality of our lives!
Everyday I read over a dozen news sources from across America and from around the world. I've been in nearly 50 countries.
Yet even I learn a ton when I tune in to PBS Newshour. That means the same information is available to ANYONE with a desire to know facts about important issues of the day that impact their lives.
Americans have to get smart to survive or thrive in this 21st century...
Why them? Because I don't have time to waste.
I want substance information on issues that impact the quality of our lives!
Everyday I read over a dozen news sources from across America and from around the world. I've been in nearly 50 countries.
Yet even I learn a ton when I tune in to PBS Newshour. That means the same information is available to ANYONE with a desire to know facts about important issues of the day that impact their lives.
Americans have to get smart to survive or thrive in this 21st century...
Sometimes it Takes 3 Computers to Do the Work of One - Progress
NONE of my scanners on two different printers work with Windows 8! They Got me again! Windows 7 had become too slow and the new 8 doesn't work with the programs that worked with Windows 7.
Luckily i have a Notebook computer that has Windows 7 and it IS communicating with a scanner. So at least I can actually do something simple, right? LOL. I've seen this movie before. Every time a new MS comes out critical components of your existing system sounds chokes and stops working.
Moral: ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP! It's like your spare tire. The crappy notebook is a "refurnished" lemon i got at Frys; now it apparently can do 1 thing well - scan. Glad I didn't invest in Windows 8 on that one or it wouldn't have it doing its one trick pony act.
To meet the work demand I've now got 3 computers working - one for narrating a powerpoint i made about the current state of the critical US vs China Tech race (in case you are wondering, we are losing it -- but i know how to win it).
Meanwhile, the "electronically challenged" notebook is waiting for its next scan assignment (I can't give it away because it wouldn't work right for the recipient - PLEASE Steal this one (so it will drive the thief nuts if he tries to use it as a real computer!).
And this 3rd computer (fairly new machine that also has "issues") is needed for checking NEWS, FB, email etc while the other ones are busy Otherwise I am waiting on them to catch up.
Moral 2: DON'T SLOW DOWN - It could all end in a second. Don't let your world come to the inevitable end with the music still playing in your head. Because then it is lost forever.
FOGGY OUTSIDE. Good night to be IN...
Luckily i have a Notebook computer that has Windows 7 and it IS communicating with a scanner. So at least I can actually do something simple, right? LOL. I've seen this movie before. Every time a new MS comes out critical components of your existing system sounds chokes and stops working.
Moral: ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP! It's like your spare tire. The crappy notebook is a "refurnished" lemon i got at Frys; now it apparently can do 1 thing well - scan. Glad I didn't invest in Windows 8 on that one or it wouldn't have it doing its one trick pony act.
To meet the work demand I've now got 3 computers working - one for narrating a powerpoint i made about the current state of the critical US vs China Tech race (in case you are wondering, we are losing it -- but i know how to win it).
Meanwhile, the "electronically challenged" notebook is waiting for its next scan assignment (I can't give it away because it wouldn't work right for the recipient - PLEASE Steal this one (so it will drive the thief nuts if he tries to use it as a real computer!).
And this 3rd computer (fairly new machine that also has "issues") is needed for checking NEWS, FB, email etc while the other ones are busy Otherwise I am waiting on them to catch up.
Moral 2: DON'T SLOW DOWN - It could all end in a second. Don't let your world come to the inevitable end with the music still playing in your head. Because then it is lost forever.
FOGGY OUTSIDE. Good night to be IN...
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
WORST FLU seasons EVER - Take ACTION Now
IT's ONE OF THE WORST FLU seasons EVER. Hospitals are overflowing and people say they haven't seen anything like this in YEARS.
So GET A FLU SHOT. Wash hands OFTEN and use hand sanitizer.
This is the FIRST time in my 62 years that I have gotten a Flu Shot. It is a DEAD virus shot, so it won't give you the flu. BUT it takes up to 3 weeks to start working - so
DON'T WAIT...or risk getting really sick.
"FOLLOW" to Stay Tuned to Developments...
So GET A FLU SHOT. Wash hands OFTEN and use hand sanitizer.
This is the FIRST time in my 62 years that I have gotten a Flu Shot. It is a DEAD virus shot, so it won't give you the flu. BUT it takes up to 3 weeks to start working - so
DON'T WAIT...or risk getting really sick.
"FOLLOW" to Stay Tuned to Developments...
Sunday, January 6, 2013
"WE used to do big stuff like this! Now its the Chinese. WHY?"
Thanks to Steve Stelzer for a great research recommendation, Friedman's "That Used to Be Us" as another resource for my second edition of "Better Times Ahead: April Fool?"
As I looked around China, comparing it to the China I first saw 30 years ago in 1982, I kept thinking "WE used to do big stuff like this! Now its the Chinese. WHY?"
Above photo: Author, Michael Fjetland in Beijing, 1982, as negotiator for Fortune 500 company selling pollution control technology for coal plants.
Why has America become so timid - too willing to invest Trillions in pointless wars for over a decade, and so unwilling to INVEST IN OUR FUTURE?
Part of the problem is that Americans tend not to focus much attention on the world - until a Pearl Harbor or a 9/11 wakes us up. We are so self focused that we are missing the Big Picture of what is going on around us--like other countries technical advancements versus our own. If America was an Olympic swimmer, we'd be out of the running for a metal when it comes to our education status. China now leads America in 7 key technologies of the 21st Century (detailed in "Agenda").
A major purpose of "Agenda for American Greatness" is to lay out that big picture - How America wins when it has dealt itself a short hand, $16 Trillion in debt and China sitting with over $2 Trillion in Foreign CASH reserves. This is after China has lent the U.S. 40% of that new debt since the Bush tax cuts starting hemorrhaging the deficits that led to our debt bomb.
One of my nephews is a big fan of Ron Paul. He thinks Ron Paul rocks the world. My nephew is not an economist with a Ph.D. and he hasn't been out of Texas or had experience negotiating business deals in multiple countries where one has to figure out how to be paid in real money for our products and services. I have, over 30 of them on behalf of Fortune 500 companies.
He doesn't understand that Paul's "Gold Standard" would plunge us into a Depression. Our economy is too huge to be tied to any metal dug from the ground.
The Chinese discovered hundreds of years ago that there wasn't enough silver to meet the demands for their currency in their economy! After first starting coin currency they eventually went to paper not backed by a metal. Their economy was the backing.
That was about 1200 - over 800 years ago! If it couldn't support an ancient economy then obviously there isn't enough of it to back up a modern Trillion dollar economy - not even Platinum can do that.
Besides we need that rare and precious Gold and Platinum to make things like high tech parts for computers, missiles, space parts, not to mention $200 fighter jets! You think will be doing good sitting in Ft. Knox when the Pentagon needs Gold and Platinum for its weapons?
By the way, the Chinese are buying up the world's supply of it while our politicians fiddle and avoid any big thoughts or smart strategic actions in DC.
Our economy is way to big to be saddled to a metal...there are better, more realistic solutions, which we started laying out in the original "Agenda for American Greatness" published before the election. It is just if not more relevant after the election.
Here is the modern spin on what their ancient Chinese brothers discovered with silver:
"There is a controversial theory
percolating in the gold community that China wants the yuan to become the
world’s reserve currency and is buying gold and silver in order to do it.
A Chinese gold standard?
The idea is staggering and not to
mention fraught with difficulties. China’s central bank currently holds 1,054
tons of gold, about 1.8% of its total reserves.
China holds $2.85 trillion in
foreign reserves, which means the country would need to buy roughly 66,000 tons
of gold to fully back its currency. Even if the country upped the ante to just
3%, the country would need to buy 1,000 tons..."
Ummmmm. History repeating itself?
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Stay tuned for the updated "Agenda for American Greatness" with more about how we fix our mess and win the future when the deck is stacked against us. We have no time to waste. It has to be done smart.
Click "Follow" or "Subscribe" to stay up on these rapidly changing times...we may yet even see Congress do a circular firing squad!
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