Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Future: What About the Path of the Trajectory?

As we plan into the future, are we considering the path of the trajectory?

Case in point. The pendulum swings both ways. The farther it swings one way, the farther it swings back.

Globalisation: Will the path of globalisation eventually lead to a path of isolationism.

Information: Will the information that we are relying upon so heavily, eventually become a curse that will lead people to retrench? An information overload can make the information virtually worthless if too much stuff cannot be accepted as reliable.

Technology: Will the technology that enhances our efforts become so "intrusive" that we are paralysed by its intrusiveness?

Politics: Will the politics of globalisation lead to "Superpower Centers" with a detente between ie: The Asian Center, The African Center, The Middle Eastern Center, The European Center, The Latin American Center, the North American Center?

Regards,

Slim

Mail: tilden9@yahoo.com

Copyright (c) 2010 Slim Fairview

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Mudpies and Martinis or The Global Hunger Problem

In some parts of the world, people eat dirt to survive. This may sound strange, but when you realize that by the time foreign aid trickles down to the poor and hungry, the only thing left to be had is cooking oil and salt. These, mixed with dirt and laid out to dry mean that people will live to suffer another day.

In this country, when we think of mud pies, we think of little girls' tea parties. But not to worry because mom has that new laundry detergent that makes her whites whiter and her brights brighter.

Not too long ago my wife and I came home from a day running errands. My wife said, "I'm starving." I replied "Me too." Of course, I solved my problem by adding a couple of extra olives to my martini. Now this may be a solution in Beverly Hills or Bloomfield Hills or Bedford Hills, but it does not play well in the South Bronx where a single working or perhaps welfare mother has three hungry children to feed.

Now I understand that in the Hamptons there are people who go without eating all summer. But that welfare mother won't solve her problem by asking her children, "Don't you want to look good in your swimsuits when we vacation in St. Bart's next month?"

Just a little something for you to think about.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Bon appetit!

Mail: slimfairview@yahoo.com


copyright 2010 Slim Fairview

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Future of the G20 in Good Times and Bad

The Future of the G20 in Good Times and Bad

[Available as a PowerPoint Presentation on SlideShare http://slideshare.net/slimfairview

1. Establish a Crisis Management team with an established MIS for a continuity of operations plan.

2. Determine potential threats from those outside the G20. Coordinate a defense plan among the G20 nations.

3. Quantify the needs of the people of each of the countries, the resources available from each of the G20 countries and establish a coordinated distribution system for the resources available.

4. Create a forecasting team to create a snapshot of the situation and to plan a recovery strategy.

5. Leave my phone number with the secretary.


Follow Up

A: What are the potential threats?

1. Military invasion
2. Population dislocation
3. Starvation, disease, violence
4. Political unrest
5. Propaganda

(3 and 4 are also internal threats.)


B: Can you please identify the source or sources of threat?

1. Hostile nations
2. Displaced persons
3. Agents provocateur
4. Propaganda

C: What will be your single point defense plan in addition to (3) and (4) which are precisely what the G20 needs to immediately do?

Disseminate information trusted to be authentic:

Disseminate information directly through all available media to the greatest number of people apprising them of the situation and reassuring them of official protection and support.

Disseminate information through pre-determined media to principals responsible for the mobilisation of forces to repulse external attack, and to internal organisations responsible for the protection of civilians.

However, in the event that all goes well:


I will now leave my comfort-zone of being analytical to being philosophical. The economists will know if there is any value in what I have to say on the G20 plan.

A. Link the currency exchange rate to the trade deficit/surplus numbers in a way that would balance out the trade and currency issues. My guess would be that this would:

1. Help to stabilise the playing field discouraging trade wars.

2. Encourage co-operation instead of competition among the nations while at the same time encouraging competition within industries to become more efficient thus cost-effective.

B. Encourage both shared biotechnology and the establishment of a food bank to stabilise the food supply, among the G20 and to stabilise emerging nations by being able to offset political and civil unrest arising from lack of food.

C. Provide for the co-operation among those in the pharmaceutical industry to develop what will be necessary to inveigh against existing and emerging diseases. (Op. cit. B)

D. Establish an intra-G20 agency to inventory energy resources, calculate energy needs, an forecast future energy needs among the G20 nations and among the non-G20 nations.

E. Please, forgive me for my little joke about my leaving my phone number with the secretary.

Warmest regards,

Slim

Mail: slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright (c) 2010 Slim Fairview