I'm teaching an introduction to government class this semester for MSU. Tomorrow's lecture involves the constitution and amendments thereto. Rereading the constitution is always a pleasure as well as an enlightening experience.
I highly reccomend it to every citizen in America: http://www.house.gov/house/Educate.shtml
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Passing of Richard Jett, Pillar of Appalachia
Friday night Appalachian Kentucky lost a great man. Richard Jett, former Mayor of Campton and former Superintendent of schools in Wolfe County, passed away Friday night after suffering a heart attack at “Hoedown Island” at the Natural Bridge State Park. Richard was helping officiate the summertime weekly singing, dancing and clogging event when he collapsed. He died in route to the hospital.
I first met Richard when I moved to Wolfe County in 2004. I had been hired to be the Innovation Center Director for MSU. My wife was a native of Wolfe County and had always counted Richard as one of her family’s strongest friends. I came to know and admire him over the next couple of years.
Richard was the perfect example of the type of leader Appalachia needs. He was educated and intelligent, yet down to earth. He was a successful entrepreneur who cared about the poor and uneducated. He spent a career in education, working with students in one of the poorest counties in the United States. He was a connoisseur of Appalachian and country culture who found a way to make a second career and successful business by providing thousands of Kentuckians a way to enjoy those cultures. He did this through a successful charter tour company that toured the Grand Ol’ Opry and dozens of other places throughout the United States.
Richard was probably involved in every civic organization in Wolfe County. Kiwanis, UNITE, the local Chamber of Commerce, and various committees were practically his second home. He was active in politics. Despite being a lifelong Democrat, he supported Republicans when he felt it was proper. He was an early and steady backer of Senator Robert Stivers. He had been Mayor of Campton and was on the City Council when he passed away.
Most importantly, he always believed in the kids of Appalachia. From organizing clogging tours for Appalachian kids at the Grand Ol’ Opry and paying them for their dancing, to promoting aspiring local youth musicians, to helping Wolfe County grads find an entry path to new careers, Richard was always there for the youth of Wolfe County. I’ll also always remember Richard for his caring efforts to pay tribute to the young men and women from Wolfe County who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He organized dinners in their honor and helped set up charity for their families.
Richard has touched thousands of lives in Wolfe County, Appalachia, Kentucky, and numerous points throughout the United States. But to me, the most important thing Richard Jett did was serve as a role model for those of us who care about the region. His dedication and service is a reminder that service in Appalachia can transcend personal, familial, and political self interest. Appalachia will be a lonley place without him; heaven a livlier and better organized place with him. God bless you friend Richard and many thanks to what you've done for me, my family and the people of Appalachia.
I first met Richard when I moved to Wolfe County in 2004. I had been hired to be the Innovation Center Director for MSU. My wife was a native of Wolfe County and had always counted Richard as one of her family’s strongest friends. I came to know and admire him over the next couple of years.
Richard was the perfect example of the type of leader Appalachia needs. He was educated and intelligent, yet down to earth. He was a successful entrepreneur who cared about the poor and uneducated. He spent a career in education, working with students in one of the poorest counties in the United States. He was a connoisseur of Appalachian and country culture who found a way to make a second career and successful business by providing thousands of Kentuckians a way to enjoy those cultures. He did this through a successful charter tour company that toured the Grand Ol’ Opry and dozens of other places throughout the United States.
Richard was probably involved in every civic organization in Wolfe County. Kiwanis, UNITE, the local Chamber of Commerce, and various committees were practically his second home. He was active in politics. Despite being a lifelong Democrat, he supported Republicans when he felt it was proper. He was an early and steady backer of Senator Robert Stivers. He had been Mayor of Campton and was on the City Council when he passed away.
Most importantly, he always believed in the kids of Appalachia. From organizing clogging tours for Appalachian kids at the Grand Ol’ Opry and paying them for their dancing, to promoting aspiring local youth musicians, to helping Wolfe County grads find an entry path to new careers, Richard was always there for the youth of Wolfe County. I’ll also always remember Richard for his caring efforts to pay tribute to the young men and women from Wolfe County who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He organized dinners in their honor and helped set up charity for their families.
Richard has touched thousands of lives in Wolfe County, Appalachia, Kentucky, and numerous points throughout the United States. But to me, the most important thing Richard Jett did was serve as a role model for those of us who care about the region. His dedication and service is a reminder that service in Appalachia can transcend personal, familial, and political self interest. Appalachia will be a lonley place without him; heaven a livlier and better organized place with him. God bless you friend Richard and many thanks to what you've done for me, my family and the people of Appalachia.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Business Concept Competition for Appalachian College Students
EKU's College of Business, Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, and the Center for Rural Development announce the 4th Annual Excellence in Entrepreneurship Collegiate Business Concept Challenge. The competition invites business ideas from Eastern and Southern Kentucky University, College, and Community College students to compete for cash awards and professional consultation. A cash prize will be awarded to the contestant or team with the top concept. Contestants/teams with the top concepts will be selected to participate in the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Collegiate Business Concept Challenge where participants will have the opportunity to discuss strategies for their ideas with entrepreneurs and business professionals.
The business concept should provide a thoughtful investigation into a new business idea. The idea should be innovative, yet sensible. The idea must be an original business concept or extension of a current business activity suggested by the student. It can be a product, service, or social venture. A general outline for the plan is provided under the headings below. Judging guidelines are attached.
The business concept submission should not exceed 5 pages, but may include reasonable appendices in excess of the 5 pages.
Key Dates
To obtain forms online, go to www.cbt.eku.edu (click on The Collegiate Business Challenge link)
Monday, April 2 Business Concept Due
Monday, April 9 Finalists Notified
Friday, April 20 Oral Presentation
Friday, April 20 Winner Notified
September 10, 2007 Awards Presented
The business concept should provide a thoughtful investigation into a new business idea. The idea should be innovative, yet sensible. The idea must be an original business concept or extension of a current business activity suggested by the student. It can be a product, service, or social venture. A general outline for the plan is provided under the headings below. Judging guidelines are attached.
The business concept submission should not exceed 5 pages, but may include reasonable appendices in excess of the 5 pages.
Key Dates
To obtain forms online, go to www.cbt.eku.edu (click on The Collegiate Business Challenge link)
Monday, April 2 Business Concept Due
Monday, April 9 Finalists Notified
Friday, April 20 Oral Presentation
Friday, April 20 Winner Notified
September 10, 2007 Awards Presented
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Stumbo's Running!
The gentleman from Floyd is purportedly an experienced hunter… of both the four legged and, as Bocephus would say, of the two legged kind. More importantly, he’s an experienced political hunter. He’s familiar with two lessons every country boy learns from his dad when hunting:
1. A wounded animal is most dangerous.
2. Don’t waste your ammo on dying game.
Today’s news makes it clear that Stumbo's decided the Governor is no longer dangerous (at least in November) and that further use of ammo is worthless. It’s also clear he’s determined that the Republicans are likely to lose the House, that Ben Chandler will stay in Congress, and that Greg Stumbo stands a very good chance of being elected Governor.
If these assumptions bear out, there will be some major and minor repercussions for Appalachian Kentucky.
First, while Hal being Ranking Member of a House Appropriations Subcommittee isn’t beanbag, it won’t afford Appalachia anywhere near the same benefits it had enjoyed while Hal was Chairman. Would such a loss spur a Rogers’ gubernatorial candidacy?
Greg Stumbo appears determined to run. Without Chandler in the race he is probably the odds on favorite to win. Luallen is popular but has limited name recognition. Despite their former differences, Patton and Stumbo are reportedly still friends. Patton’s former Executive Cabinet Secretary might be comfortable as Stumbo’s running mate. Such a ticket would probably be unbeatable without a Chandler in the race. If he were to win, Eastern Kentucky would once again be in the driver’s seat. Patton was able to steer millions into the region, despite having dissed many of the state’s coal miners (and Stumbo, for that matter.) Eastern Kentucky House Democrats know that. Look for them to work hard for Greg.
Stumbo’s absence from the Attorney General’s race may spur some local prosecutors to make the leap. They weren’t likely to want to run against Stumbo. A run for an open seat may make all the difference. Previously I’ve blogged about Lawarence County Attorney Michael Hogan’s interest in the office. Will this be the opening that makes him jump?
In the short term Governor Fletcher, already fatally wounded for a November bid, may be able to rally some support for a likely primary challenge. Most of the Republican masses in Eastern Kentucky are likely to vote against him. They’re upset because they feel they haven’t received the patronage they deserve. They’re too hot blooded to completely embrace the cucumber cool Governor. And teachers, the largest single group of employees in the region, are still big time upset over the attempts to cut their health benefits.
Will Rocky run for a lower office? Two mountain boys on the same ticket is impossible to imagine. But it’s hard to see Auditor or Secretary of State being of interest to him. Maybe he’ll hold out for Stumbo to create a Cabinet level Energy czar and appoint him to the office.
1. A wounded animal is most dangerous.
2. Don’t waste your ammo on dying game.
Today’s news makes it clear that Stumbo's decided the Governor is no longer dangerous (at least in November) and that further use of ammo is worthless. It’s also clear he’s determined that the Republicans are likely to lose the House, that Ben Chandler will stay in Congress, and that Greg Stumbo stands a very good chance of being elected Governor.
If these assumptions bear out, there will be some major and minor repercussions for Appalachian Kentucky.
First, while Hal being Ranking Member of a House Appropriations Subcommittee isn’t beanbag, it won’t afford Appalachia anywhere near the same benefits it had enjoyed while Hal was Chairman. Would such a loss spur a Rogers’ gubernatorial candidacy?
Greg Stumbo appears determined to run. Without Chandler in the race he is probably the odds on favorite to win. Luallen is popular but has limited name recognition. Despite their former differences, Patton and Stumbo are reportedly still friends. Patton’s former Executive Cabinet Secretary might be comfortable as Stumbo’s running mate. Such a ticket would probably be unbeatable without a Chandler in the race. If he were to win, Eastern Kentucky would once again be in the driver’s seat. Patton was able to steer millions into the region, despite having dissed many of the state’s coal miners (and Stumbo, for that matter.) Eastern Kentucky House Democrats know that. Look for them to work hard for Greg.
Stumbo’s absence from the Attorney General’s race may spur some local prosecutors to make the leap. They weren’t likely to want to run against Stumbo. A run for an open seat may make all the difference. Previously I’ve blogged about Lawarence County Attorney Michael Hogan’s interest in the office. Will this be the opening that makes him jump?
In the short term Governor Fletcher, already fatally wounded for a November bid, may be able to rally some support for a likely primary challenge. Most of the Republican masses in Eastern Kentucky are likely to vote against him. They’re upset because they feel they haven’t received the patronage they deserve. They’re too hot blooded to completely embrace the cucumber cool Governor. And teachers, the largest single group of employees in the region, are still big time upset over the attempts to cut their health benefits.
Will Rocky run for a lower office? Two mountain boys on the same ticket is impossible to imagine. But it’s hard to see Auditor or Secretary of State being of interest to him. Maybe he’ll hold out for Stumbo to create a Cabinet level Energy czar and appoint him to the office.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Beyond Welfare and the Kennedy's
Check out this commentary from the The Globalist.
The comments were highlights of a speech given by the African Mail & Guardian (Africa’s first online newspaper) Editor Ferial Haffajee. The speech was given to the International Press Institute in July in Edinburgh. The speech was entitled: "Beyond Aid and Bono."
Here are some highlights:
Africa. South Africa. Nigeria. Darfur. Swaziland. Côte d’Ivoire. These are not places we can leave behind. We live there.
[O]ur continent must be the architect of its own destiny… It is my view that we must begin to see an Africa beyond aid. The Brenthurst Foundation has calculated that post-colonial Africa has received $580 billion in donor funds — to no great effect.
[I]s aid the answer? Increasingly we must realize that it is not the answer — or at least not all of the answer. There is no argument for immediate self-sufficiency.
[O]ur continent needs to harness its diaspora as India has done. In a global age, there is no use decrying the fact that there are more South African nurses in Dubai than there are in Soweto, more Ugandan doctors in San Francisco than in Uganda.
Wonderful commentary! Haffajee’s wisdom is also sound advice for Appalachian Kentucky. Hazard, Pikeville, Manchester. These are places we want to live and work. They're not simply the weekend playgrounds of fly by night environmentalists. They're home for us.
For too long we’ve been told we’re the victims, that wealthy outsiders are the oppressors, and that if just listen to the latest bunch of carpetbaggin’ wannabee Kennedy’s, our region would improve. Decades after the misguided war on poverty began, we have more families in poverty, less industry, and fewer opportunities than we did in the 60’s. If you want to talk about lost wars, you needn’t go to Baghdad. Just come to my home community of Sizerock, Leslie County, Kentucky.
It’s the kind of place where your kid sister comes home crying after school wondering why she’s so strange and different when she’s one of the only ones in class who doesn’t get free lunches. It’s also the kind of place where, despite all that poverty, one seldom passes a house that doesn’t have a Dish satellite.
I don’t begrudge these folks’ gaming the system. Most take it and laugh about the ignorant Kennedy’s that come plying “gov’ment” salvation. But the aid removes incentives to work and improve their lives.
Haffajee also mentions the need for Africa to tap into its diaspora. So too must Appalachian Kentucky. We currently count five Congressmen who have Appalachian blood: Congressman Rogers (of course), Congressman Ron Lewis (originally from Greenup County), Congressman Mike Turner of Dayton (parents from Floyd County) and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (originally from Harlan.) These are just four examples of folks who left the region and did magnificent things. In the private sector, there are thousands upon thousands of highly successful ex-hillbillies.
Finally, whereas Africa has an asset in oil, Appalachian Kentucky has coal. Coal offers the potential to rid ourselves of the scourge of mideast oil and to attain energy independence.
It also offers us yet another reason to gain our independence… independence from the wastes of welfare. Whereas Africa's call to arms is "Beyond Bono." Perhaps Appalachian Kentucky's call should be "Beyond Kennedy."
The comments were highlights of a speech given by the African Mail & Guardian (Africa’s first online newspaper) Editor Ferial Haffajee. The speech was given to the International Press Institute in July in Edinburgh. The speech was entitled: "Beyond Aid and Bono."
Here are some highlights:
Africa. South Africa. Nigeria. Darfur. Swaziland. Côte d’Ivoire. These are not places we can leave behind. We live there.
[O]ur continent must be the architect of its own destiny… It is my view that we must begin to see an Africa beyond aid. The Brenthurst Foundation has calculated that post-colonial Africa has received $580 billion in donor funds — to no great effect.
[I]s aid the answer? Increasingly we must realize that it is not the answer — or at least not all of the answer. There is no argument for immediate self-sufficiency.
[O]ur continent needs to harness its diaspora as India has done. In a global age, there is no use decrying the fact that there are more South African nurses in Dubai than there are in Soweto, more Ugandan doctors in San Francisco than in Uganda.
Wonderful commentary! Haffajee’s wisdom is also sound advice for Appalachian Kentucky. Hazard, Pikeville, Manchester. These are places we want to live and work. They're not simply the weekend playgrounds of fly by night environmentalists. They're home for us.
For too long we’ve been told we’re the victims, that wealthy outsiders are the oppressors, and that if just listen to the latest bunch of carpetbaggin’ wannabee Kennedy’s, our region would improve. Decades after the misguided war on poverty began, we have more families in poverty, less industry, and fewer opportunities than we did in the 60’s. If you want to talk about lost wars, you needn’t go to Baghdad. Just come to my home community of Sizerock, Leslie County, Kentucky.
It’s the kind of place where your kid sister comes home crying after school wondering why she’s so strange and different when she’s one of the only ones in class who doesn’t get free lunches. It’s also the kind of place where, despite all that poverty, one seldom passes a house that doesn’t have a Dish satellite.
I don’t begrudge these folks’ gaming the system. Most take it and laugh about the ignorant Kennedy’s that come plying “gov’ment” salvation. But the aid removes incentives to work and improve their lives.
Haffajee also mentions the need for Africa to tap into its diaspora. So too must Appalachian Kentucky. We currently count five Congressmen who have Appalachian blood: Congressman Rogers (of course), Congressman Ron Lewis (originally from Greenup County), Congressman Mike Turner of Dayton (parents from Floyd County) and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (originally from Harlan.) These are just four examples of folks who left the region and did magnificent things. In the private sector, there are thousands upon thousands of highly successful ex-hillbillies.
Finally, whereas Africa has an asset in oil, Appalachian Kentucky has coal. Coal offers the potential to rid ourselves of the scourge of mideast oil and to attain energy independence.
It also offers us yet another reason to gain our independence… independence from the wastes of welfare. Whereas Africa's call to arms is "Beyond Bono." Perhaps Appalachian Kentucky's call should be "Beyond Kennedy."
Monday, August 21, 2006
KY's July Job Jeepers
The Cincy Business Courier ran a story Friday about job loss figures. The Burea of Labor Statistics estimates that Kentucky and Ohio were among the six states that lost the most jobs over the past month. Both Ohio and Kentucky lost more than 5,000 jobs. The state with the biggest losses was Michigan, which lost nearly 30,000 workers.
This is still further evidence that states making industrial economic growth their economic development priorities are in for a rude awakening… unless of course the states are located in Bangladesh and India and China.
Rather than putting the bulk of our assets towards industrial growth, Kentucky should instead concentrate on a strategy of small business creation, entrepreneurship, and, most importantly, technology business growth.
This is still further evidence that states making industrial economic growth their economic development priorities are in for a rude awakening… unless of course the states are located in Bangladesh and India and China.
Rather than putting the bulk of our assets towards industrial growth, Kentucky should instead concentrate on a strategy of small business creation, entrepreneurship, and, most importantly, technology business growth.
"Gaming" Appalachian Kentucky's GOP Governor's Primary
Greg Stumbo pitched out an interesting idea concerning legalized gambling at Fancy Farm. Herald Leader political reporter Ryan Allessi has a good take on how Stumbo’s proposal to eliminate auto taxes and instead use the revenue generated from new casinos may change the debate and affect the Governor’s race. Trey Grayson seemed to be mulling the idea over.
Apparently support for legalized gaming is strongest in Northern Kentucky. N. KY is now the reddest part of Kentucky; having more Republicans than any other area. Meanwhile, opposition of legalized gaming is strongest in the second reddest area of the state, south central Appalachian Kentucky.
Given these facts, it’s possible we could see a schism of the Republican vote in next year’s Governor’s primary. If one candidate supports gaming, the other can oppose it and potentially siphon off votes in the “old fifth.”
It might be a weak hand, but you play the hand you're dealt.
Footnote:
The fact that Stumbo, a Floyd County Democrat, feels confident this issue won’t harm him also highlights another divide. Eastern Appalachian Kentucky, that part of Kentucky that formerly made up Carl Perkins’s old seventh Congressional district, places less emphasis on social issues than Western Appalachian Kentucky, the so called “old 5th.”
Apparently support for legalized gaming is strongest in Northern Kentucky. N. KY is now the reddest part of Kentucky; having more Republicans than any other area. Meanwhile, opposition of legalized gaming is strongest in the second reddest area of the state, south central Appalachian Kentucky.
Given these facts, it’s possible we could see a schism of the Republican vote in next year’s Governor’s primary. If one candidate supports gaming, the other can oppose it and potentially siphon off votes in the “old fifth.”
It might be a weak hand, but you play the hand you're dealt.
Footnote:
The fact that Stumbo, a Floyd County Democrat, feels confident this issue won’t harm him also highlights another divide. Eastern Appalachian Kentucky, that part of Kentucky that formerly made up Carl Perkins’s old seventh Congressional district, places less emphasis on social issues than Western Appalachian Kentucky, the so called “old 5th.”
I-66 in the Crosshairs
The Herald Leader carried a story in today’s paper about I-66. While the greens have ginned up and gone all out fighting the proposed stretch between London and Somerset, they haven’t gotten organized yet in Pikeville.
The Herald has plenty of “conservative” quotes from plenty of liberal environmentalists. They’re supposedly worried we’ll break the bank with a road that will bring much opportunity to a poor region.
Just remember, these are the same folks who would have us pass Kyoto, legislation that could bankrupt American industry and cost trillions to implement.
The Herald has plenty of “conservative” quotes from plenty of liberal environmentalists. They’re supposedly worried we’ll break the bank with a road that will bring much opportunity to a poor region.
Just remember, these are the same folks who would have us pass Kyoto, legislation that could bankrupt American industry and cost trillions to implement.
Con Edge: Supply Side Success
Conservative Edge has an interesting post about the surge in federal tax revenues.
Bottom line: Taxes go down – consumer spending goes up – enterprise creation goes up – more taxes are paid from additional consumer spending and more enterprise growth – and the deficit goes down thanks to the eventual increased tax revenue.
On the other hand, we could just plow that money back in bureaucracies and see how effectively they could spend it.
Tough choice.
Bottom line: Taxes go down – consumer spending goes up – enterprise creation goes up – more taxes are paid from additional consumer spending and more enterprise growth – and the deficit goes down thanks to the eventual increased tax revenue.
On the other hand, we could just plow that money back in bureaucracies and see how effectively they could spend it.
Tough choice.
Democrats- Plan A: Chandler. Plan B: Jones.
Over the weekend I spoke to a long time Democrat office holder in Eastern Kentucky. According to him, Brereton Jones has already notified key Eastern Kentucky supporters of his intention of running if Chandler takes a pass. Further, Chandler reportedly has pledged to Jones that he will run if the Democrats fail to retake the U.S. House of Representatives. Despite this pledge, Jones is said to be somewhat miffed with Chandler after being mislead by Chandler on previous occasions. The office holder said he would support either Chandler or Jones, but preferred Jones. Chandler never really resonated with Kentucky’s courthouse crowd, particularly in Eastern Kentucky.
While Chandler has reportedly given his pledge to the former Governor, many on the left and right remain convinced that Chandler won't run. They describe him as being much more comfortable among D.C. Democrats than Kentucky Democrats.
Meanwhile, prominent Eastern Kentucky House Democrats remain wary of Chandler and are instead talking up Crit Luallen’s candidacy. Luallen of course was Paul Patton’s Secretary to the Executive Cabinet. Patton was extremely popular among House appropriators from Eastern Kentucky, perhaps explaining some of the Reps’ fondness for her.
Although Luallen, now State Auditor, mentions her service with the Executive Cabinet on her web page, she never mentions Paul Patton. She does list her service to Wendell Ford.
While Chandler has reportedly given his pledge to the former Governor, many on the left and right remain convinced that Chandler won't run. They describe him as being much more comfortable among D.C. Democrats than Kentucky Democrats.
Meanwhile, prominent Eastern Kentucky House Democrats remain wary of Chandler and are instead talking up Crit Luallen’s candidacy. Luallen of course was Paul Patton’s Secretary to the Executive Cabinet. Patton was extremely popular among House appropriators from Eastern Kentucky, perhaps explaining some of the Reps’ fondness for her.
Although Luallen, now State Auditor, mentions her service with the Executive Cabinet on her web page, she never mentions Paul Patton. She does list her service to Wendell Ford.
Trey Grayson Seen as Superstar in Frankfort
Heard in Frankfort:
Last week I heard this interesting tidbit. It came from a career state government staffer in Frankfort who serves in one of state government’s most important and political bureaucracies. According to this person, Trey Grayson is regarded as a virtual superstar among Frankfort’s government workers- Republican and Democrat alike. The admiration runs both deep and to high levels.
Last week I heard this interesting tidbit. It came from a career state government staffer in Frankfort who serves in one of state government’s most important and political bureaucracies. According to this person, Trey Grayson is regarded as a virtual superstar among Frankfort’s government workers- Republican and Democrat alike. The admiration runs both deep and to high levels.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Venture Financing Via the Web
From the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship:
As social networking sites continue to expand, entrepreneurs are now seeking to use these technologies as a way to build peer funding networks. Several interesting new businesses have emerged... [Britain] based zopa.com was one of the first such efforts while http://www.prosper.com (Pikeville based Mountain Venture capital club... an angel network.)
2. http://www.tristatecapital.org/ (The Tri-State investment club is an angel forum with investors from WV, Eastern Ohio, and Ashland, KY.)
3. http://www.mcrtc.com/innovation.php (The Foothills Are Venture Club, also an angel forum. I helped organize this effort and currrently serve as the club's secretary. We meet every three or four months in Mt. Sterling and Morehead.)
4. Although obviously not E. KY based, Lexington also has an angel forum.
As social networking sites continue to expand, entrepreneurs are now seeking to use these technologies as a way to build peer funding networks. Several interesting new businesses have emerged... [Britain] based zopa.com was one of the first such efforts while http://www.prosper.com (Pikeville based Mountain Venture capital club... an angel network.)
2. http://www.tristatecapital.org/ (The Tri-State investment club is an angel forum with investors from WV, Eastern Ohio, and Ashland, KY.)
3. http://www.mcrtc.com/innovation.php (The Foothills Are Venture Club, also an angel forum. I helped organize this effort and currrently serve as the club's secretary. We meet every three or four months in Mt. Sterling and Morehead.)
4. Although obviously not E. KY based, Lexington also has an angel forum.
National Govs Assoc. Pushing Innovation
From the National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship:
The National Governors Association (NGA) plans to make a major push to support new innovation policies in the coming year. NGA Chair, Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) announced her new plan, “Innovation America,” as an effort to promote two objectives:
1) To educate students to become innovators
2) To carry this innovation imperative through the university level and into the workplace.
This multi-pronged initiative will seek to raise national awareness about the importance of innovation, create regional learning labs to help states improve education in science, technology, engineering and math, and develop a “tool box” of effective state strategies for promoting innovation. For more, see: “Innovation America.”
It's good to see the Governor's championing this sort of initiative. Innovation is the key to economic success in the 21st century. This poses a difficult challenge for those of us who are intent on seeing Appalachia grow. Many of the cultural factors necessary for an innovation based economy, such as an entrepreneurial climate, a population that values education, and a prevalence of talented engineers, are not present in the numbers we need.
The National Governors Association (NGA) plans to make a major push to support new innovation policies in the coming year. NGA Chair, Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) announced her new plan, “Innovation America,” as an effort to promote two objectives:
1) To educate students to become innovators
2) To carry this innovation imperative through the university level and into the workplace.
This multi-pronged initiative will seek to raise national awareness about the importance of innovation, create regional learning labs to help states improve education in science, technology, engineering and math, and develop a “tool box” of effective state strategies for promoting innovation. For more, see: “Innovation America.”
It's good to see the Governor's championing this sort of initiative. Innovation is the key to economic success in the 21st century. This poses a difficult challenge for those of us who are intent on seeing Appalachia grow. Many of the cultural factors necessary for an innovation based economy, such as an entrepreneurial climate, a population that values education, and a prevalence of talented engineers, are not present in the numbers we need.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Austrian Economics in Appalachian Alabama?
Auburn, located on the outskirts of Appalachian Alabama, is probably one of the last places you’d expect to find a center dedicated to the study of classical liberalism and the Austrian School of economics. Football, fried food, world class veterinarians, yes; but Austrian economics?
Thanks to the presence of The Ludwig von Mises Institute, that’s exactly what the town is best known for among many of Europe’s staunchest free market adherents.
The institute, named for Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist who motivated notable economic thinkers like Hayek, claims as its mission:
[The effort to] restore a high place for theory in economics and the social sciences, encourage a revival of critical historical research, and draw attention to neglected traditions in Western philosophy.
And its work:
[To] advance the Austrian School of economics and the Misesian tradition, and, in application, defends the market economy, private property, sound money, and peaceful international relations, while opposing government intervention as economically and socially destructive.
The presence of this independent think tank (not affiliated with Auburn University) was unknown even to some of the state’s most ardent free market conservatives. Kyle Wingfield, Wall Street Journal editor of the Business Europe column, and Alabama native, wrote an editorial about the institute that appeared in Monday’s Wall Street Journal. He says he didn’t realize that: “[the] Heart of Dixie was a wellspring of sensible economic thinking,” until travels to Europe uncovered scores of free marketers who’d studied there.
Some of the institutes work product: documentary films [like] "Liberty and Economics: The Ludwig von Mises Legacy"; "The Future of Austrian Economics"; and "Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve." 125 books and monographs, from Man, Economy, and State to Theory and History and Human Action. The Institute has [also] distributed [6.5] million books, journals, monographs, newsletters, audio tapes, and video tapes throughout the world.
Helping students to discover the economics of freedom, and inspiring them to go on to teach at the university level, is perhaps the Institute's most important program. Since 1985, [they’ve] held… summer schools for students from all over America and the world, and… assisted 10,000 students at more then 1000 colleges and universities with aid ranging from one-year book scholarships to full multi-year PhD fellowships. Altogether, it has reached millions of students at all levels.
Here’s Wingfield’s closer:
The institute's location also says something about the quality and depth of American intellectual life. America is lampooned as philistine in many quarters, especially in Europe, yet its bastions of learning are not limited to its Gothams. In fact, having such an outfit so far away from the country's usual hubs is in itself a rejection of the central planning and authority Mises spent his life fighting. He might never have visited Auburn, but something tells me he wouldn't have put this institute any other place.
Thanks to the presence of The Ludwig von Mises Institute, that’s exactly what the town is best known for among many of Europe’s staunchest free market adherents.
The institute, named for Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist who motivated notable economic thinkers like Hayek, claims as its mission:
[The effort to] restore a high place for theory in economics and the social sciences, encourage a revival of critical historical research, and draw attention to neglected traditions in Western philosophy.
And its work:
[To] advance the Austrian School of economics and the Misesian tradition, and, in application, defends the market economy, private property, sound money, and peaceful international relations, while opposing government intervention as economically and socially destructive.
The presence of this independent think tank (not affiliated with Auburn University) was unknown even to some of the state’s most ardent free market conservatives. Kyle Wingfield, Wall Street Journal editor of the Business Europe column, and Alabama native, wrote an editorial about the institute that appeared in Monday’s Wall Street Journal. He says he didn’t realize that: “[the] Heart of Dixie was a wellspring of sensible economic thinking,” until travels to Europe uncovered scores of free marketers who’d studied there.
Some of the institutes work product: documentary films [like] "Liberty and Economics: The Ludwig von Mises Legacy"; "The Future of Austrian Economics"; and "Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve." 125 books and monographs, from Man, Economy, and State to Theory and History and Human Action. The Institute has [also] distributed [6.5] million books, journals, monographs, newsletters, audio tapes, and video tapes throughout the world.
Helping students to discover the economics of freedom, and inspiring them to go on to teach at the university level, is perhaps the Institute's most important program. Since 1985, [they’ve] held… summer schools for students from all over America and the world, and… assisted 10,000 students at more then 1000 colleges and universities with aid ranging from one-year book scholarships to full multi-year PhD fellowships. Altogether, it has reached millions of students at all levels.
Here’s Wingfield’s closer:
The institute's location also says something about the quality and depth of American intellectual life. America is lampooned as philistine in many quarters, especially in Europe, yet its bastions of learning are not limited to its Gothams. In fact, having such an outfit so far away from the country's usual hubs is in itself a rejection of the central planning and authority Mises spent his life fighting. He might never have visited Auburn, but something tells me he wouldn't have put this institute any other place.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
BioFusion 2006: Global Bioscience Partnering Conference
Event website: www.BioFusion2006.com.
Event highlights:
BioFusion is a partnering event where big pharma and emerging technology providers come together to explore business development opportunities
As of now, Lilly, GSK, Merck, Pfizer, 3M, Solvay, Genzyme, J&J, Roche and many others are attending as ‘technology seekers’
Technology providers can meet one-on-one with business development officers from these companies
There are several sponsorship opportunities still available
The event is in Raleigh, NC from September 17-19.
Registration is $795.
Event highlights:
BioFusion is a partnering event where big pharma and emerging technology providers come together to explore business development opportunities
As of now, Lilly, GSK, Merck, Pfizer, 3M, Solvay, Genzyme, J&J, Roche and many others are attending as ‘technology seekers’
Technology providers can meet one-on-one with business development officers from these companies
There are several sponsorship opportunities still available
The event is in Raleigh, NC from September 17-19.
Registration is $795.
Bureaucrats Learn Business
Interesting idea from one of the newsletters I receive...
The European “Enterprise Experience”If you’ve ever been asked to think of a “typical entrepreneur,” it’s highly unlikely that a vision of a European Union (EU) bureaucrat popped into your head. Unfairly or not, EU ministers and staff are better known for writing regulations than for acting in an entrepreneurial manner. A new EU experiment—the Enterprise Experience—is seeking to change these expectations. Working with European business trade associations, the EU Enterprise Directorate plans to place 350 of its personnel in one-week work experiences with small businesses. While this short session is unlikely to spawn new entrepreneurs, it should help expose EU bureaucrats to the many challenges facing small business owners and hopefully encourage them to consider a more “entrepreneur-friendly” approach in future decisions and regulations. This interesting idea seems worthy of adoption elsewhere. To learn more about the European Union’s proposed “Enterprise Experience” program, visit http://www.euractiv.com/en/innovation/civil-servants-get-hands-sme-experience/article-156800.
Maybe this could spur b'crats to start thinking of ways to make government more efficient and less expensive.
Was it Bob Graham who used to spend several days a month working normal, "working man" jobs when he was in Congress?
The European “Enterprise Experience”If you’ve ever been asked to think of a “typical entrepreneur,” it’s highly unlikely that a vision of a European Union (EU) bureaucrat popped into your head. Unfairly or not, EU ministers and staff are better known for writing regulations than for acting in an entrepreneurial manner. A new EU experiment—the Enterprise Experience—is seeking to change these expectations. Working with European business trade associations, the EU Enterprise Directorate plans to place 350 of its personnel in one-week work experiences with small businesses. While this short session is unlikely to spawn new entrepreneurs, it should help expose EU bureaucrats to the many challenges facing small business owners and hopefully encourage them to consider a more “entrepreneur-friendly” approach in future decisions and regulations. This interesting idea seems worthy of adoption elsewhere. To learn more about the European Union’s proposed “Enterprise Experience” program, visit http://www.euractiv.com/en/innovation/civil-servants-get-hands-sme-experience/article-156800.
Maybe this could spur b'crats to start thinking of ways to make government more efficient and less expensive.
Was it Bob Graham who used to spend several days a month working normal, "working man" jobs when he was in Congress?
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Hacker Dogs Trey
From the Herald Leader:
Word of Grayson's move even reached Cincinnati, where former University of Kentucky radio announcer Ralph Hacker was spending the evening with his wife. Hacker said he's now considering running for Grayson's post as secretary of state -- particularly if Grayson runs for governor but perhaps even if he doesn't.
Hacker, a former Fletcher aide, said he didn't consider Grayson disloyal. But he quoted Democratic strategist James Carville: "I would rather lay down with a dog with fleas than to turn my back on a friend."
Hacker, a fellow country boy, should remember another bit of dog wisdom that I learned, with sadness, when I was growing up: occasionally even the best dog gets so sick it has to be put down.
Word of Grayson's move even reached Cincinnati, where former University of Kentucky radio announcer Ralph Hacker was spending the evening with his wife. Hacker said he's now considering running for Grayson's post as secretary of state -- particularly if Grayson runs for governor but perhaps even if he doesn't.
Hacker, a former Fletcher aide, said he didn't consider Grayson disloyal. But he quoted Democratic strategist James Carville: "I would rather lay down with a dog with fleas than to turn my back on a friend."
Hacker, a fellow country boy, should remember another bit of dog wisdom that I learned, with sadness, when I was growing up: occasionally even the best dog gets so sick it has to be put down.
Is Rocky Running?
Check out http://www.rockyadkins.com/ and look at his Energy Independence efforts. Tell me this is the typical site of a House Majority leader.
More and more folks in the old 7th of Appalachian Kentucky are talking about a Rocky run. He brings to the table name recognition, a conservative philosophy on Kentucky values, and, with E.I., a signature issue. Whether he runs or not, hopefully both parties are listening carefully to the so called “Representative from Addington Brothers.” His vision is a creative way to build up Kentucky’s economy using coal and bio-fuels and simultaneously kicking the expensive habit of mid-east oil.
Quote from one local Republican government offical about Rocky: “The [danged] guy delivers. I ask the Fletcher folks for something and they say it can’t be done. I ask Rocky for the same thing and he does it. If it can’t be done by them, how can it be done by him??”
More and more folks in the old 7th of Appalachian Kentucky are talking about a Rocky run. He brings to the table name recognition, a conservative philosophy on Kentucky values, and, with E.I., a signature issue. Whether he runs or not, hopefully both parties are listening carefully to the so called “Representative from Addington Brothers.” His vision is a creative way to build up Kentucky’s economy using coal and bio-fuels and simultaneously kicking the expensive habit of mid-east oil.
Quote from one local Republican government offical about Rocky: “The [danged] guy delivers. I ask the Fletcher folks for something and they say it can’t be done. I ask Rocky for the same thing and he does it. If it can’t be done by them, how can it be done by him??”
Trey Grayson: 3 E's Rather than the 3 R's
With Trey Grayson's decision to test the gubernatorial waters, Kentucky has a chance to hear, in-depth, from a young man who could bring some significant reform and revitalization to Frankfort.
Grayson studied government at Harvard and law at the University of Kentucky College of Law (the premiere training academy for future Ky. Govs, Congressmen and U.S. Senators). He’s spent the last four years revitalizing and modernizing the Secretary of State’s office. Along with some of America’s best politicos, he currently serves on the advisory board for the Harvard Institute for Politics. He’s the Chairman of the Republican Association for Secretaries of State.
While his position doesn’t afford him a tremendous amount of power in Frankfort, he’s made the most of the past four years by pushing for items like more civics education in KY schools, legislation changing Kentucky’s business partnerships laws, and the Cradle to College Commission, a bipartisan effort lead by Grayson and State Treasurer Jonathan Miller to address the need of financial aid for higher education. Most importantly, Grayson is also a family man, a devoted husband and a father.
Grayson, a former Democrat, also has the ability to work well with both parties. In addition to his work with Jonathan Miller, Trey is well regarded by many hard core partisans on the left. When Mark Nickolas recently suggested that a Ben Chandler-Jeff Hoover ticket would be good for Kentucky, several liberal bloggers suggested another scenario: Grayson-Miller. Over at Bluegrassreport’s blog, KY’s Netroots, not known for their niceties, have thus far replied gently to a Grayson candidacy. Over at the The Kentucky Democrat, Grayson got positive reviews in a post last year. If you can make those hard-corps happy, you’ve done something.
In 2005, when I was involved with the KY Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute Trey agreed to speak to our group. The group of 28 business men and women, activists and educators from 19 north central and eastern Kentucky counties was pretty well split between Democrats and Republicans. Everyone in the group was outspoken and highly involved in their community. They all came away impressed by Grayson. More than one liberal Democrat has approached me since that time and mentioned how warmly they now felt about Trey.
Perhaps the most important traits Trey Grayson would bring to a Governor’s campaign are his youth, intelligence, and innovative streak. He came of age in the internet era and understands modern business. More importantly, he understands how un-modern KY’s government is and, I believe, recognizes how important it is that we change this.
I believe Kentucky’s stuck in a rut and is too bound by tradition. We need to innovate. We’re being held back by the old paradigm of the three “R’s”:
Relocation of existing businesses- this is the old school, “industrial recruitment” model. It has a great future… if you’re an economic developer in India or China or Mexico. But making it Kentucky’s top economic development strategy makes little sense in today’s global economy.
Rewarding “our” bubbas over “their” bubbas- In state government hiring practices, of course. We need a governor who’ll spend more time thinking about reinventing government than one who simply rewards their hacks over the opposition’s hacks.
Rejection of education- among too many of Kentucky’s workers. In most Eastern Kentucky counties, for example, nearly 50% of adults don’t have a high school diploma or GED.
We should instead focus on the three “E’s”:
Enterprise creation- Economists know you can swim against the tide of comparative advantage and fail or with it and succeed. Kentucky’s comparative advantages lie in small businesses, e-commerce, and entrepreneurs who live and build businesses here because they love our culture and habitat. We don’t have a comparative advantage in areas like mass manufacturing, evidenced by the fact that we have to pay, in the form of tax credits, factories and call centers to locate here. Then when the incentives are gone, the companies are gone.
Entrepreneurial government- I’ve blogged consistently about the need to overhaul and reinvent government. I know from conversations with Trey that he recognizes this. I also found this book review of Trey’s on Amazon. As Trey says: [the author’s point] that government needs to change to adapt to the new information-based economy is dead-on. Rather than rewarding our bubbas with state highway jobs, let’s do away with bubbas in state government. Let’s transform the state highway system from a patronage laden bureaucracy to a lean, mean, and effective machine. Too many Kentuckians rely on those roads for their local economies to have them be the subject of patronage piggy banks.
Education for the 21st century- First, we need more of it. I believe Kentucky should find a way to get every working aged resident to achieve, at bottom, a high school degree or GED. We also have to improve our college graduation rates and work to create more engineers, scientists and mathematicians. The Universities should be given much of this responsibility but they must be told that if they don’t deliver results, they will suffer the cuts.
I’m not sure Trey would identify the above as his main priorities, but I think he would acknowledge that they are important goals. His youth could be an asset to reforming and revitalizing Kentucky’s economy. When I think of reform there are several names that come to mind: Tony Blair, John F. Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Alexander Hamilton. With the exception of Reagan, each of these leaders were in their reforming prime when they were young. (And yes, to those Neo-Bentsenites, I know Grayson is not a Jack Kennedy or any of the others… yet.)
The idea of a Harvard educated, talented young man with bi-partisan appeal as Governor or Lt. Governor doesn’t sound too bad to me. He’d bring to office a much needed breath of fresh air. It’s high time someone like that came in and cleaned up the mess in Frankfort and the rest of Kentucky.
(NOTE: Expect Trey to play well in Eastern Kentucky. I know of several Democrats who’ve been impressed by him from the region and he’s courted many county leaders in Appalachia. Area bankers Mike Duncan and Denny Dorton recently hosted a fundraiser for Grayson. His Press guru, Les Fugate, is from P-burg.)
Grayson studied government at Harvard and law at the University of Kentucky College of Law (the premiere training academy for future Ky. Govs, Congressmen and U.S. Senators). He’s spent the last four years revitalizing and modernizing the Secretary of State’s office. Along with some of America’s best politicos, he currently serves on the advisory board for the Harvard Institute for Politics. He’s the Chairman of the Republican Association for Secretaries of State.
While his position doesn’t afford him a tremendous amount of power in Frankfort, he’s made the most of the past four years by pushing for items like more civics education in KY schools, legislation changing Kentucky’s business partnerships laws, and the Cradle to College Commission, a bipartisan effort lead by Grayson and State Treasurer Jonathan Miller to address the need of financial aid for higher education. Most importantly, Grayson is also a family man, a devoted husband and a father.
Grayson, a former Democrat, also has the ability to work well with both parties. In addition to his work with Jonathan Miller, Trey is well regarded by many hard core partisans on the left. When Mark Nickolas recently suggested that a Ben Chandler-Jeff Hoover ticket would be good for Kentucky, several liberal bloggers suggested another scenario: Grayson-Miller. Over at Bluegrassreport’s blog, KY’s Netroots, not known for their niceties, have thus far replied gently to a Grayson candidacy. Over at the The Kentucky Democrat, Grayson got positive reviews in a post last year. If you can make those hard-corps happy, you’ve done something.
In 2005, when I was involved with the KY Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute Trey agreed to speak to our group. The group of 28 business men and women, activists and educators from 19 north central and eastern Kentucky counties was pretty well split between Democrats and Republicans. Everyone in the group was outspoken and highly involved in their community. They all came away impressed by Grayson. More than one liberal Democrat has approached me since that time and mentioned how warmly they now felt about Trey.
Perhaps the most important traits Trey Grayson would bring to a Governor’s campaign are his youth, intelligence, and innovative streak. He came of age in the internet era and understands modern business. More importantly, he understands how un-modern KY’s government is and, I believe, recognizes how important it is that we change this.
I believe Kentucky’s stuck in a rut and is too bound by tradition. We need to innovate. We’re being held back by the old paradigm of the three “R’s”:
Relocation of existing businesses- this is the old school, “industrial recruitment” model. It has a great future… if you’re an economic developer in India or China or Mexico. But making it Kentucky’s top economic development strategy makes little sense in today’s global economy.
Rewarding “our” bubbas over “their” bubbas- In state government hiring practices, of course. We need a governor who’ll spend more time thinking about reinventing government than one who simply rewards their hacks over the opposition’s hacks.
Rejection of education- among too many of Kentucky’s workers. In most Eastern Kentucky counties, for example, nearly 50% of adults don’t have a high school diploma or GED.
We should instead focus on the three “E’s”:
Enterprise creation- Economists know you can swim against the tide of comparative advantage and fail or with it and succeed. Kentucky’s comparative advantages lie in small businesses, e-commerce, and entrepreneurs who live and build businesses here because they love our culture and habitat. We don’t have a comparative advantage in areas like mass manufacturing, evidenced by the fact that we have to pay, in the form of tax credits, factories and call centers to locate here. Then when the incentives are gone, the companies are gone.
Entrepreneurial government- I’ve blogged consistently about the need to overhaul and reinvent government. I know from conversations with Trey that he recognizes this. I also found this book review of Trey’s on Amazon. As Trey says: [the author’s point] that government needs to change to adapt to the new information-based economy is dead-on. Rather than rewarding our bubbas with state highway jobs, let’s do away with bubbas in state government. Let’s transform the state highway system from a patronage laden bureaucracy to a lean, mean, and effective machine. Too many Kentuckians rely on those roads for their local economies to have them be the subject of patronage piggy banks.
Education for the 21st century- First, we need more of it. I believe Kentucky should find a way to get every working aged resident to achieve, at bottom, a high school degree or GED. We also have to improve our college graduation rates and work to create more engineers, scientists and mathematicians. The Universities should be given much of this responsibility but they must be told that if they don’t deliver results, they will suffer the cuts.
I’m not sure Trey would identify the above as his main priorities, but I think he would acknowledge that they are important goals. His youth could be an asset to reforming and revitalizing Kentucky’s economy. When I think of reform there are several names that come to mind: Tony Blair, John F. Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Alexander Hamilton. With the exception of Reagan, each of these leaders were in their reforming prime when they were young. (And yes, to those Neo-Bentsenites, I know Grayson is not a Jack Kennedy or any of the others… yet.)
The idea of a Harvard educated, talented young man with bi-partisan appeal as Governor or Lt. Governor doesn’t sound too bad to me. He’d bring to office a much needed breath of fresh air. It’s high time someone like that came in and cleaned up the mess in Frankfort and the rest of Kentucky.
(NOTE: Expect Trey to play well in Eastern Kentucky. I know of several Democrats who’ve been impressed by him from the region and he’s courted many county leaders in Appalachia. Area bankers Mike Duncan and Denny Dorton recently hosted a fundraiser for Grayson. His Press guru, Les Fugate, is from P-burg.)
Friday, August 04, 2006
Lieberman Foe Blasts Wal-Mart, But Owns Stock
Oops... I guess Lamont's been reading the work of fellow New Englander Ralph Waldo Emerson... remember that old saying: "consistency is the hobgoblin of a small mind."
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060803-112200-4787r.htm
BTW, given the left's continual bashing of Wally World, does anyone remember that Hillary once sat on their board of directors?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060803-112200-4787r.htm
BTW, given the left's continual bashing of Wally World, does anyone remember that Hillary once sat on their board of directors?
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Gore's Penguin Army
This hillarious must see video, Al Gore's Penguin Army, was the subject of a front page Wall Street Journal story today:
In the video, Mr. Gore appears as a sinister figure who brainwashes penguins and bores movie audiences by blaming the Mideast crisis and starlet Lindsay Lohan's shrinking waist size on global warming. Like other videos on the popular YouTube site, it has a home-made, humorous quality. The maker is listed as "Toutsmith," a 29-year-old who identifies himself as being from Beverly Hills in an Internet profile.
In an email exchange Toutsmith didn't answer when asked who he was or why he made the video, which has just over 59,000 views on YouTube. However, computer routing information from [his] Yahoo account indicate it didn't come from an amateur working out of his basement [but from] a computer registered to DCI Group, a Washington, D.C., [PR] and lobbying firm whose clients include Exxon Mobil Corp.
[…] The anti-Gore video represents a less well-known side of YouTube. As its popularity has exploded, the public video-sharing site has drawn marketers looking to build buzz for new music releases and summer blockbusters. Now, it's being tapped by political operatives, [PR] experts and ad agencies to sway opinions.
[…] Internet videos could prove particularly potent, because they may influence watchers in ways they don't realize. A communications professor at California State University… viewed the penguin video and calls it a lesson in "Propaganda 101." It contains no factual information, but presents a highly negative image of [Gore]. Such images harden the views of those who already view [him] negatively.
YouTube has an estimated 20 million viewers daily, but with thousands of videos on the site, it can be difficult for marketers to reach their audience… Traffic to the video, first posted in May, got a boost from prominently placed sponsored links that appeared on the Google search engine when users typed in "Al Gore" or "Global Warming."
Although the producer of this video was a pro, I wonder what level of sophistication is required to produce one of these? How long before they start appearing in E. KY. political campaigns?
In the video, Mr. Gore appears as a sinister figure who brainwashes penguins and bores movie audiences by blaming the Mideast crisis and starlet Lindsay Lohan's shrinking waist size on global warming. Like other videos on the popular YouTube site, it has a home-made, humorous quality. The maker is listed as "Toutsmith," a 29-year-old who identifies himself as being from Beverly Hills in an Internet profile.
In an email exchange Toutsmith didn't answer when asked who he was or why he made the video, which has just over 59,000 views on YouTube. However, computer routing information from [his] Yahoo account indicate it didn't come from an amateur working out of his basement [but from] a computer registered to DCI Group, a Washington, D.C., [PR] and lobbying firm whose clients include Exxon Mobil Corp.
[…] The anti-Gore video represents a less well-known side of YouTube. As its popularity has exploded, the public video-sharing site has drawn marketers looking to build buzz for new music releases and summer blockbusters. Now, it's being tapped by political operatives, [PR] experts and ad agencies to sway opinions.
[…] Internet videos could prove particularly potent, because they may influence watchers in ways they don't realize. A communications professor at California State University… viewed the penguin video and calls it a lesson in "Propaganda 101." It contains no factual information, but presents a highly negative image of [Gore]. Such images harden the views of those who already view [him] negatively.
YouTube has an estimated 20 million viewers daily, but with thousands of videos on the site, it can be difficult for marketers to reach their audience… Traffic to the video, first posted in May, got a boost from prominently placed sponsored links that appeared on the Google search engine when users typed in "Al Gore" or "Global Warming."
Although the producer of this video was a pro, I wonder what level of sophistication is required to produce one of these? How long before they start appearing in E. KY. political campaigns?
Conservative Edge on the Big 3, American Energy Policy
Brian Goettl, Jessamine County Attorney and blogger extraordinaire, did a post earlier on the slow and public death of America’s big 3 automakers. These guys keep turning out gas guzzlers that are too expensive to drive while Toyota’s handing them their heads in a platter. Meanwhile, for those brave and wealthy souls who continue to drive gas guzzlers, Congress is busy subsidizing their behavior with American blood, money and political capital.
When will America get the hint that, as Goetti says, it is time for the big 3 to start: pioneering vehicles that run on alternative fuels:” and for Congress to mandate the creation of “infrastructure to make such vehicles viable.”
While Nero fiddles and Rom burns, we have more energy locked in the coal reserves of Illinoiis than in all of the oil in Saudi Arabia.
When will America get the hint that, as Goetti says, it is time for the big 3 to start: pioneering vehicles that run on alternative fuels:” and for Congress to mandate the creation of “infrastructure to make such vehicles viable.”
While Nero fiddles and Rom burns, we have more energy locked in the coal reserves of Illinoiis than in all of the oil in Saudi Arabia.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Global Warming, Global Priorities
In the battle over global warming the idea of how much it will cost to “fix” it is often lost in the battle over whether the earth is warming. Given that the latter proposition seems more and more untenable every day, pro-growth advocates should instead look at whether we can actually stop the apparent rise in temperatures due to excess, man-made, CO2 emissions and at what cost.
Foreign Exchange, a weekly, half-hour international affairs series, hosted by noted author, journalist and international commentator, Fareed Zakaria took on this issue in their previous episode with an interview of environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg.
Lomborg believes that the Earth is warming; believes we can stop it… at the huge cost of $150 billion per year every year for the rest of this century; and is convinced this money would be better spent tackling other priorities.
According to Zakaria: Lomborg, author of the book “How to Spend Fifty Billion Dollars to Make the Word a Better Place” organized a group of eight economists including four Nobel Laureates to prioritize the world’s problems. The group was called the Copenhagen Consensus and the conclusion basically was don’t waste valuable resources trying to prevent global warming; focus instead on things like: communicable diseases, malnutrition and hunger, subsidies and trade barriers, sanitation and access to clean water, governance and corruption, population and migration, access to education, conflicts, financial instability, climate change. Source: the Copenhagen Institute.
Lomborg posits a fascinating thesis... for a transcript of his remarks click here.
Foreign Exchange, a weekly, half-hour international affairs series, hosted by noted author, journalist and international commentator, Fareed Zakaria took on this issue in their previous episode with an interview of environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg.
Lomborg believes that the Earth is warming; believes we can stop it… at the huge cost of $150 billion per year every year for the rest of this century; and is convinced this money would be better spent tackling other priorities.
According to Zakaria: Lomborg, author of the book “How to Spend Fifty Billion Dollars to Make the Word a Better Place” organized a group of eight economists including four Nobel Laureates to prioritize the world’s problems. The group was called the Copenhagen Consensus and the conclusion basically was don’t waste valuable resources trying to prevent global warming; focus instead on things like: communicable diseases, malnutrition and hunger, subsidies and trade barriers, sanitation and access to clean water, governance and corruption, population and migration, access to education, conflicts, financial instability, climate change. Source: the Copenhagen Institute.
Lomborg posits a fascinating thesis... for a transcript of his remarks click here.
USPS a Rare Bird: Bureaucracy that Innovates
I’m always harping on government to innovate and challenging folks to show me examples where government actually took advantage of new technology to radically change how they do business. (Aside from the military that is). Unsurprisingly, thus far I haven’t had too many takers.
But today I found this story from the NY Times about USPS and the rise of e-commerce. It seems that e-commerce has done more than simply rejuvenate this two hundred plus year institution. It’s also spurred the post office to make some pretty radical changes in the way they conduct basic business.
For example: Consider the annoyance of going to the local post office and waiting in line to have a package weighed. Enter the $8.10 flat-rate box, introduced in late 2004 and big enough to hold five hardcover books, as well as an assortment of services for shippers on the Postal Service’s Web site.
Roy Schott, an eBay seller in Phoenix with enough sales and endorsements from buyers to have reached the rank of “power seller,” grows positively romantic when talking about his newly streamlined interactions with the Postal Service.
“I think the post office is an absolutely fabulous partner to eBay,” Mr. Schott said. “Without the post office, satisfying customers would be much harder. I have delighted customers.”
Mr. Schott, who sells Zippo lighters and other pieces of vintage Americana, much of it to collectors overseas, does most of his shipping preparation from home.
The Postal Service and eBay provide him with boxes in a variety of sizes that bear their logos, delivered free by his mail carrier. He is an enthusiastic user of the flat-rate box, and everything else he weighs on his own postage scale.
Using a feature on the Postal Service Web site called “Click to Ship,” Mr. Schott fills out his labels online, as well as international customs forms, has the postage deducted from his account with PayPal (an eBay service), and prints everything out.
[The USPS is also using its old fashioned skills to create partnerships with companies like FedEx.]
FedEx depends on the Postal Service to handle some e-commerce deliveries. FedEx now has a service called FedEx SmartPost for high-volume shipping from online retailers like L. L. Bean. FedEx uses its planes and trucks to get packages to a nearby postal facility, and they are then delivered by the Postal Service, taking advantage of its expertise in handling the “last mile” of mail delivery.
“They’re most efficient walking down the sidewalk,” said Bram B. Johnson, executive vice president for FedEx Ground, referring to the Postal Service. “They go to every single address every single day. No one else does that.”
To get a sense of why this program has done such a good job of evolving check out these comments by their Post Master General:
“If you look back at the history of Postal Service, there’s always been a threat… the telegraph, the telephone, the fax machine. Any new form of communication has been viewed as, oh wow, it’s the beginning of the end. But I take great reassurance that the American public always seem to find new ways to use the mail.”
More aptly, the mailmen find new ways for the American people to continue using them rather than private enterprises. Maybe we should give some other governmental bureaucracies a dose of this medicine. Is vouchers the word I was looking for?
But today I found this story from the NY Times about USPS and the rise of e-commerce. It seems that e-commerce has done more than simply rejuvenate this two hundred plus year institution. It’s also spurred the post office to make some pretty radical changes in the way they conduct basic business.
For example: Consider the annoyance of going to the local post office and waiting in line to have a package weighed. Enter the $8.10 flat-rate box, introduced in late 2004 and big enough to hold five hardcover books, as well as an assortment of services for shippers on the Postal Service’s Web site.
Roy Schott, an eBay seller in Phoenix with enough sales and endorsements from buyers to have reached the rank of “power seller,” grows positively romantic when talking about his newly streamlined interactions with the Postal Service.
“I think the post office is an absolutely fabulous partner to eBay,” Mr. Schott said. “Without the post office, satisfying customers would be much harder. I have delighted customers.”
Mr. Schott, who sells Zippo lighters and other pieces of vintage Americana, much of it to collectors overseas, does most of his shipping preparation from home.
The Postal Service and eBay provide him with boxes in a variety of sizes that bear their logos, delivered free by his mail carrier. He is an enthusiastic user of the flat-rate box, and everything else he weighs on his own postage scale.
Using a feature on the Postal Service Web site called “Click to Ship,” Mr. Schott fills out his labels online, as well as international customs forms, has the postage deducted from his account with PayPal (an eBay service), and prints everything out.
[The USPS is also using its old fashioned skills to create partnerships with companies like FedEx.]
FedEx depends on the Postal Service to handle some e-commerce deliveries. FedEx now has a service called FedEx SmartPost for high-volume shipping from online retailers like L. L. Bean. FedEx uses its planes and trucks to get packages to a nearby postal facility, and they are then delivered by the Postal Service, taking advantage of its expertise in handling the “last mile” of mail delivery.
“They’re most efficient walking down the sidewalk,” said Bram B. Johnson, executive vice president for FedEx Ground, referring to the Postal Service. “They go to every single address every single day. No one else does that.”
To get a sense of why this program has done such a good job of evolving check out these comments by their Post Master General:
“If you look back at the history of Postal Service, there’s always been a threat… the telegraph, the telephone, the fax machine. Any new form of communication has been viewed as, oh wow, it’s the beginning of the end. But I take great reassurance that the American public always seem to find new ways to use the mail.”
More aptly, the mailmen find new ways for the American people to continue using them rather than private enterprises. Maybe we should give some other governmental bureaucracies a dose of this medicine. Is vouchers the word I was looking for?
Coal Reclamation Money Used by Thomas in Logrolling Legerdemain
Bob Novak did some interesting work in his most recent “Evans and Novak Poltical Report.” Novak described the legislative legerdemain used by California Congressman and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Bill Thomas to get his way in a recent tax and spending bill.
According to Novak: In a typical act of legislative brinksmanship, the imperious retiring House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) left town for the August recess after shoving through a complicated bill which the Senate must now pass, untouched, or else risk grave and dramatic real-world consequences.
Referred to as the "last train" of the legislative session; the final vehicle for tax and spending provisions. If it passes the Senate, the bill will simultaneously (1) raise the exemption and lower the rate on the estate tax, (2) raise the minimum wage by 41 percent, (3) extend tax credits and deductions (mostly for corporations, but also for higher-education expenses), and (4) overhaul the antiquated defined-benefit pension systems of several large corporations, which face an estimated $450 billion shortfall.
[While] Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Thomas's counterpart and arch-enemy, was furious about [the] maneuver… Grassley was undercut by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) support of Thomas's plan.
Thomas, the fabled legislative mechanic, didn't need to negotiate -- he arranged it all himself. He added [lots of goodies including] $3.9 billion over 10 years for an "abandoned mine lands" program to attract mining state Democrats, perhaps including Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and to help Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).
To read more click here.
According to Novak: In a typical act of legislative brinksmanship, the imperious retiring House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) left town for the August recess after shoving through a complicated bill which the Senate must now pass, untouched, or else risk grave and dramatic real-world consequences.
Referred to as the "last train" of the legislative session; the final vehicle for tax and spending provisions. If it passes the Senate, the bill will simultaneously (1) raise the exemption and lower the rate on the estate tax, (2) raise the minimum wage by 41 percent, (3) extend tax credits and deductions (mostly for corporations, but also for higher-education expenses), and (4) overhaul the antiquated defined-benefit pension systems of several large corporations, which face an estimated $450 billion shortfall.
[While] Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Thomas's counterpart and arch-enemy, was furious about [the] maneuver… Grassley was undercut by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) support of Thomas's plan.
Thomas, the fabled legislative mechanic, didn't need to negotiate -- he arranged it all himself. He added [lots of goodies including] $3.9 billion over 10 years for an "abandoned mine lands" program to attract mining state Democrats, perhaps including Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and to help Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).
To read more click here.
Wal-Mart and the Rules of Empire
A little earlier I did a fairly long post on Wal-Mart and the Rules of Empire. I looked at Robert Kaplan’s work on imperial power in the Atlantic Monthly and analyzed several of those rules as they applied to Wal-Mart’s overseas’ dominions. The spur to do this came when I read a NY Times article today describing how Wal-Mart’s coping after getting its butt kicked in Germany.
While I don’t particularly enjoy shopping there (come to think of it, the only place I do enjoy shopping is Barnes and Noble), I think Wal-Mart is one of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories in American history. It’s a shame that so many people spend so much time, often at taxpayers’ expense, kicking them around.
Please read and post comments.
Full Link: http://cyberhillbillycontent.blogspot.com/2006/08/wal-mart-and-rules-of-empire.html
While I don’t particularly enjoy shopping there (come to think of it, the only place I do enjoy shopping is Barnes and Noble), I think Wal-Mart is one of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories in American history. It’s a shame that so many people spend so much time, often at taxpayers’ expense, kicking them around.
Please read and post comments.
Full Link: http://cyberhillbillycontent.blogspot.com/2006/08/wal-mart-and-rules-of-empire.html
China Puts Brakes on its Ecnonomy; or, Fear Not the Red Dragon
From the Lexington Herald Leader, this story about China’s economy:
Officials [contemplate] new steps to cool off China’s sizzling economy as its top planning agency called for tighter bank credit and curbs on construction. .. reports suggested Beijing believes earlier measures, including an interest rate rise in April, are failing to contain runaway growth in spending on factories and other assets that Chinese leaders worry could ignite a financial crisis.
This puts China in a quandary. A state-managed, soft landing is always better than a hard landing, but China’s problems go beyond simple economics. Back in June I blogged on this issue after receiving Stratfor's analysis.
Here’s a quick revisit:
What must be understood is that China now is moving from an economic problem to a socio-political one. The financial problem is a symptom; the fundamental problem is that tremendous irrationality has been built into the Chinese economy.Enterprises that are not economically viable continue to function through infusions of cash. Some of the cash comes from borrowing, some by exporting at economically unsustainable prices. The result is a squandering of resources. The reasons that this continues have nothing to do with economic rationalism and everything to do with political and social reality.If interest rates were to rise and lending were to become disciplined, many of China's enterprises would fail. This would bring several consequences.
Among the potential consequences:
* Massive increase in unemployment
* Political instability: [Excess] lending has become a system for maintaining the political solidarity of China's elite. Loans have been made not only to avoid the problem of unemployment; they also were made as part of political arrangements that allowed the [ruling] Party and regional party organizations to avoid conflict and divisions. If the pie starts contracting, there will be losers and winners.
* The Chinese government may shift the burden to the creditors: [Because China has the power to regulate bankrupt companies, it can use this power to allow them to keep functioning. It can also use its excess cash reserves to prop up businesses.] [However,] on the other end of a bad loan is a damaged creditor. A loan … deferred by fiat is an asset that can no longer be used. [A]void economic disaster for the debtor, you transfer the pain -- and potentially the disaster -- to the creditor. And since the creditor is normally the economically healthier entity, you postpone the death of the weak by weakening the strong. [W]hether the Chinese use cash reserves to postpone the problem or use regulation to do so, the net result will be buying time at the cost of increased pain.
Among the outcomes Stratfor can envision:
The end result of China's economic crisis will be a deep-seated political crisis. Only ever-increasing amounts of money have allowed China to maintain the current political alignment. Without that, it has two options. The first is a return to some sort of dictatorship from Beijing, under which economic problems would be dealt with inefficiently but unambiguously.
The other is to accept a split between the coastal regions and the interior, the weakening of Beijing's authority and a period of instability and intense regionalism.Two possible geopolitical models emerge from this. Under one -- in its extreme form -- China returns to some sort of geopolitical Maoism. It encloses itself from the world, becomes increasingly bellicose but is limited by its own geography in what it can do. Under the other model, China slowly fragments and becomes a cockpit for the ambitions of foreign economic interests -- backed up by political and military power, with regional Chinese officials collaborating with foreigners to continue economic development.
Officials [contemplate] new steps to cool off China’s sizzling economy as its top planning agency called for tighter bank credit and curbs on construction. .. reports suggested Beijing believes earlier measures, including an interest rate rise in April, are failing to contain runaway growth in spending on factories and other assets that Chinese leaders worry could ignite a financial crisis.
This puts China in a quandary. A state-managed, soft landing is always better than a hard landing, but China’s problems go beyond simple economics. Back in June I blogged on this issue after receiving Stratfor's analysis.
Here’s a quick revisit:
What must be understood is that China now is moving from an economic problem to a socio-political one. The financial problem is a symptom; the fundamental problem is that tremendous irrationality has been built into the Chinese economy.Enterprises that are not economically viable continue to function through infusions of cash. Some of the cash comes from borrowing, some by exporting at economically unsustainable prices. The result is a squandering of resources. The reasons that this continues have nothing to do with economic rationalism and everything to do with political and social reality.If interest rates were to rise and lending were to become disciplined, many of China's enterprises would fail. This would bring several consequences.
Among the potential consequences:
* Massive increase in unemployment
* Political instability: [Excess] lending has become a system for maintaining the political solidarity of China's elite. Loans have been made not only to avoid the problem of unemployment; they also were made as part of political arrangements that allowed the [ruling] Party and regional party organizations to avoid conflict and divisions. If the pie starts contracting, there will be losers and winners.
* The Chinese government may shift the burden to the creditors: [Because China has the power to regulate bankrupt companies, it can use this power to allow them to keep functioning. It can also use its excess cash reserves to prop up businesses.] [However,] on the other end of a bad loan is a damaged creditor. A loan … deferred by fiat is an asset that can no longer be used. [A]void economic disaster for the debtor, you transfer the pain -- and potentially the disaster -- to the creditor. And since the creditor is normally the economically healthier entity, you postpone the death of the weak by weakening the strong. [W]hether the Chinese use cash reserves to postpone the problem or use regulation to do so, the net result will be buying time at the cost of increased pain.
Among the outcomes Stratfor can envision:
The end result of China's economic crisis will be a deep-seated political crisis. Only ever-increasing amounts of money have allowed China to maintain the current political alignment. Without that, it has two options. The first is a return to some sort of dictatorship from Beijing, under which economic problems would be dealt with inefficiently but unambiguously.
The other is to accept a split between the coastal regions and the interior, the weakening of Beijing's authority and a period of instability and intense regionalism.Two possible geopolitical models emerge from this. Under one -- in its extreme form -- China returns to some sort of geopolitical Maoism. It encloses itself from the world, becomes increasingly bellicose but is limited by its own geography in what it can do. Under the other model, China slowly fragments and becomes a cockpit for the ambitions of foreign economic interests -- backed up by political and military power, with regional Chinese officials collaborating with foreigners to continue economic development.
New Sales Tactic: Scaring the Customers into Buying Your Products
From today's Wall Street Journal:
Karen Coxall is starting to see a few wrinkles when she looks in the mirror, but otherwise her skin looks clear. [But] not to Procter & Gamble Co.
After scanning her face with its new scope, a P&G researcher told the 43-year-old mother of three boys that age spots are starting to form under her skin. "It's looking rough, isn't it?" said Ms. Coxall as she studied the computer images generated by the scope at a P&G research center outside London.
But the expert reassured her: P&G sells a new cream that can stop these changes.
Consumer-products companies are trying a new strategy to hawk their beauty wares. In the past, they relied on images of beautiful models to sell the fantasy that women could look that good by using the companies' products. Now, they are exposing and magnifying women's hidden flaws to scare them into buying the products.
Where will this trend lead us in the future? Remember the annoying tailored commercials spurred by retinal scans in Minority Report? Perhaps in the future when you take your baby to his first Doctor’s visit the Doc will offer to prevent his likely future cancer… for a small fee of course. Private companies could maintain stop lights in return for the privilege of scanning your car and suggesting a tune up at the local garage. The possibilities are endless in this brave new world. And all of this pre- singularity.
Karen Coxall is starting to see a few wrinkles when she looks in the mirror, but otherwise her skin looks clear. [But] not to Procter & Gamble Co.
After scanning her face with its new scope, a P&G researcher told the 43-year-old mother of three boys that age spots are starting to form under her skin. "It's looking rough, isn't it?" said Ms. Coxall as she studied the computer images generated by the scope at a P&G research center outside London.
But the expert reassured her: P&G sells a new cream that can stop these changes.
Consumer-products companies are trying a new strategy to hawk their beauty wares. In the past, they relied on images of beautiful models to sell the fantasy that women could look that good by using the companies' products. Now, they are exposing and magnifying women's hidden flaws to scare them into buying the products.
Where will this trend lead us in the future? Remember the annoying tailored commercials spurred by retinal scans in Minority Report? Perhaps in the future when you take your baby to his first Doctor’s visit the Doc will offer to prevent his likely future cancer… for a small fee of course. Private companies could maintain stop lights in return for the privilege of scanning your car and suggesting a tune up at the local garage. The possibilities are endless in this brave new world. And all of this pre- singularity.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Free Trade Far Cheaper than Subsidies
From the National Journal, this portion of an article on the failure of the Doha talks on free trade by Clive Crook:
Liberal trade works exactly like a resource-saving technology. So, it makes exactly as much sense for a country to deny itself the advantages of open borders to trade as it would to deny itself the use of personal computers -- another disruptive technology that shares its gains unequally within and among nations. Where my analogy [comparing rejecting free trade to a ban on computers] goes wrong is that each government has its own liberal-trade machine, which it can switch on independently if it chooses.
No international agreement is needed for a country to unilaterally lower its tariffs or cut its farm subsidies. If it does this, most of the gains (lower prices, lower taxes) flow to its own citizens -- but there are benefits for foreigners, too. For the past five years, each government has been refusing to switch on its own machine unless other governments switch on theirs first. Why should the United States help Europe and Asia, if Europe and Asia won't help the United States? And vice versa. In the end, this week, the governments agreed that the easiest thing was to forget the whole idea. When you put it like that, it just sounds crazy. It is crazy. Nonetheless, this is precisely what happened.
[…] The world has settled for less-than-liberal trade. It is a multi-trillion-dollar error; a crime, truly, against the world's poor; and, it seems, a story barely worth reporting.
Subsidies used to protect small farmers who were continually on the brink of failure from bottoming out; this in a time when failure might mean near starvation. Today, subsidies prop up huge agribusiness concerns.
When this happens, as Crook points out, U.S. consumers pay higher prices for agriculture, U.S. taxpayers bear the costs, and poor countries are denied a valuable source of income… which probably means more U.S. governmental expenditures, borne of course by U.S. taxpayers, when those countries need aid.
If Eastern Kentucky tobacco farmers, many of whom were among the poorest people in the nation, could do without their subsidies, why can’t the rich agribusinesses?
Liberal trade works exactly like a resource-saving technology. So, it makes exactly as much sense for a country to deny itself the advantages of open borders to trade as it would to deny itself the use of personal computers -- another disruptive technology that shares its gains unequally within and among nations. Where my analogy [comparing rejecting free trade to a ban on computers] goes wrong is that each government has its own liberal-trade machine, which it can switch on independently if it chooses.
No international agreement is needed for a country to unilaterally lower its tariffs or cut its farm subsidies. If it does this, most of the gains (lower prices, lower taxes) flow to its own citizens -- but there are benefits for foreigners, too. For the past five years, each government has been refusing to switch on its own machine unless other governments switch on theirs first. Why should the United States help Europe and Asia, if Europe and Asia won't help the United States? And vice versa. In the end, this week, the governments agreed that the easiest thing was to forget the whole idea. When you put it like that, it just sounds crazy. It is crazy. Nonetheless, this is precisely what happened.
[…] The world has settled for less-than-liberal trade. It is a multi-trillion-dollar error; a crime, truly, against the world's poor; and, it seems, a story barely worth reporting.
Subsidies used to protect small farmers who were continually on the brink of failure from bottoming out; this in a time when failure might mean near starvation. Today, subsidies prop up huge agribusiness concerns.
When this happens, as Crook points out, U.S. consumers pay higher prices for agriculture, U.S. taxpayers bear the costs, and poor countries are denied a valuable source of income… which probably means more U.S. governmental expenditures, borne of course by U.S. taxpayers, when those countries need aid.
If Eastern Kentucky tobacco farmers, many of whom were among the poorest people in the nation, could do without their subsidies, why can’t the rich agribusinesses?
Pro-Growth Editorials in the Herald Leader
The Herald ran a pair of pro-business editorials in yesterday’s issue.
First, Lexington Businessman Doug Alexander of the Commonwealth Progress Council rightly points out the need for labor reforms.
A portion: If Kentucky was a right-to-work state, where workers are free to decide for themselves whether or not they want to join and pay dues to a union, this issue would be moot because the availability and cost of labor would be dictated by the marketplace rather than by special interests.
[…] Enacting employee-choice legislation means Kentucky would no longer be the only Southern state in which collective-bargaining contracts are allowed to include provisions that require all employees in the covered workplace to join that union and pay dues.
Of course it would also mean that workers would be paid what the market dictates they should be paid and no more, and that Kentucky’s taxpayers would save the difference.
Next, Pulaski County physician Dr. Kevin T. Kavanagh takes the state to task for its failure to remove laws and regulations that stifle medical competition.
His conclusion: Why is it that in health care, a service vital to us all, prices are hidden and competition stifled? If the Fletcher administration is serious about being "focused on the task of making Kentucky a better place to work and live," drastic changes must be made in the administration's health care policy.
It’s nice to see some pro-growth editorials from the Herald Leader… even if they did have to find outsiders to write them.
First, Lexington Businessman Doug Alexander of the Commonwealth Progress Council rightly points out the need for labor reforms.
A portion: If Kentucky was a right-to-work state, where workers are free to decide for themselves whether or not they want to join and pay dues to a union, this issue would be moot because the availability and cost of labor would be dictated by the marketplace rather than by special interests.
[…] Enacting employee-choice legislation means Kentucky would no longer be the only Southern state in which collective-bargaining contracts are allowed to include provisions that require all employees in the covered workplace to join that union and pay dues.
Of course it would also mean that workers would be paid what the market dictates they should be paid and no more, and that Kentucky’s taxpayers would save the difference.
Next, Pulaski County physician Dr. Kevin T. Kavanagh takes the state to task for its failure to remove laws and regulations that stifle medical competition.
His conclusion: Why is it that in health care, a service vital to us all, prices are hidden and competition stifled? If the Fletcher administration is serious about being "focused on the task of making Kentucky a better place to work and live," drastic changes must be made in the administration's health care policy.
It’s nice to see some pro-growth editorials from the Herald Leader… even if they did have to find outsiders to write them.
Women in Appalachia
The Herald Leader reports today that University of Kentucky researcher Dr. T.K. Logan, of the Department of Behavioral Science and the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research is conducting research into domestic violence’s effects on women.
A key focus of Dr. Logan’s research will be on how this issue affects rural communities differently than urban ones.
HL: In some Eastern Kentucky locations, women don't have as many housing or job opportunities” [Dr. Logan] said. That, coupled with different beliefs about the family unit, makes leaving abusive relationships harder for women in rural areas.
Having practiced law in a rural Eastern Kentucky county I can attest to the challenges many of these women face. They’re often afraid to leave and endure the abuse for years.
I have to assume this is largely a cultural phenomenon. Many women in a traditional area such as ours are probably afraid to speak out and are probably taught to value loyalty over personal welfare. I think it’s safe to say that this issue transcends abusive relationships and often holds back women in all walks of life in Appalachia.
I recently read in the Economist that one of the principle reasons our economy has boomed while economies in the Middle East have tanked is the gender divide. American women and European women are more likely to be integrated into the workplace.
While Appalachian women are infinitely more likely to work than women in Arab countries, is it possible they are working in lower numbers than women in other areas of America? And that they’re reaching lower pinnacles as well? If anybody has any research on the economics of this issue, please share.
A key focus of Dr. Logan’s research will be on how this issue affects rural communities differently than urban ones.
HL: In some Eastern Kentucky locations, women don't have as many housing or job opportunities” [Dr. Logan] said. That, coupled with different beliefs about the family unit, makes leaving abusive relationships harder for women in rural areas.
Having practiced law in a rural Eastern Kentucky county I can attest to the challenges many of these women face. They’re often afraid to leave and endure the abuse for years.
I have to assume this is largely a cultural phenomenon. Many women in a traditional area such as ours are probably afraid to speak out and are probably taught to value loyalty over personal welfare. I think it’s safe to say that this issue transcends abusive relationships and often holds back women in all walks of life in Appalachia.
I recently read in the Economist that one of the principle reasons our economy has boomed while economies in the Middle East have tanked is the gender divide. American women and European women are more likely to be integrated into the workplace.
While Appalachian women are infinitely more likely to work than women in Arab countries, is it possible they are working in lower numbers than women in other areas of America? And that they’re reaching lower pinnacles as well? If anybody has any research on the economics of this issue, please share.
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