Power to the People...

The other day I heard a snippet of a report on NPR about how poor the drinking water can be in Pakistan. I don't recall the exact statistics they presented, but the number of kids getting ill because of filthy drinking water was astronomical and the doctors there can't do much about it.

Situations like this one that was depicted are truly deplorable, especially to think that the main pollution in the water in places like Pakistan come from man made chemicals, untreated sewage, and other preventable sources. It's no wonder that angry citizens rise up and riot and overthrow governments in various corners of the world. While I never can condone violence, I can at least empathize with the plight of those that have to live in these filthy conditions day in and day out.

Interestingly, however, it seems that those groups who do rise to power do absolutely nothing (for the most part) to help their fellow citizens, but instead run off with their newfound power and leave the people behind. I, personally, would think that if these people overthrew the government, the first thing they would want to do in order to gain MORE power would be to help their countrymen. By having a safe, happy, healthy citizenry behind you, by default you become a more powerful person since you're their leader.

An example of this is right here in America. While poverty does still exist in this country unfortunately, it's safe to say that most people have all of the basics building blocks (like running water, ample food at affordable prices, shelter, etc.) at their fingertips to live a healthier life than those citizens of Third World countries. And as a result, American citizens can strive for more prosperous livelihoods. In doing so, they, in turn, help strengthen the country by contributing to the well-being of society.

But in a place where people can't even obtain the basic elements of life, the ability to move up in the world will always be out of reach since most people's time and energy is spent just trying to get by.

So the lesson here, in my viewpoint, is if you want to gain success as a leader (be it as a leader of a country or just at your job), your best bet would be to empower others along the way.

A Lesson on College Costs in the Future

A certain co-worker of mine delivers rants, opines, and repetitive lectures every single day about the exorbitant cost of college. Despite the annoyance of having to listen to it day in and day out, I do feel for him, as he is in the process of putting two kids through higher ed and it ain't cheap. (I could give you an exact figure as to what each of his kids' college costs per year, but I'm sure can surmise a guess.) Indeed, financial planners around the country emphasize the importance of planning for your kids' future. College expenses are quite worrisome.

At any rate, twenty or so years from now I will likely be in a similar situation as this particular co-worker. I have no kids at press time, but for argument's sake, let's say I will have two kids going to college in the year 2027. On one hand, I'm scared to death as to what college will cost by then. On the other hand, I have to think that the entire paradigm of college will be completely different from what it is today. At least I hope.

As the years go on, college will become increasingly expensive. However, there will have to be a breaking point. A point where people say enough is enough, this doesn't make sense anymore. "Why am I paying $128,000 per YEAR to send my kid to college??? This is insane!" To add to that, life is changing SO fast that college classes will have to change their format to keep up with the pace. For instance, I graduated in 2001 and just six (wow, is it six already?) years later, I feel that 95% of what I learned is irrelevant in my life or outdated. This is nothing against my alma mater (I miss you Happy Valley!). But either technology has surpassed what I used in college (remember when modems and Napster were all the rage?) or the techniques of business and communications have changed so much that I've learned more by surfing the internet in the past few months than from the stale books I had to read for classes.

In the year 2027, today's internet will be long gone, or merely a fossil in the rapidly evolving line of technology. Information on ANYthing will be available instantaneously. Google will actually be imbedded in our minds. Well, you get the drift. So why would parents send their kids to an expensive institution just to learn things that they can get "online"... whatever online entails in 2027? People will be working FOR the internet, not the other way around. Education will be a whole new ballgame.

Putting that all aside, let's just say that I'm totally wrong at this point that learning will be completely different from today's college experience, and instead, kids actually ARE going to college in the same manner as they are today. I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams that the government, businesses, and American citizens will tolerate the price of college skyrocketing at such a tremendous rate as it is today. Either more scholarship and public money will be available for incoming students, or prices will level off. That's Economics 101.

Or maybe it's all just wishful thinking for me...

Pithy Thought of the Day: American Jobs

There's been much discussion about American jobs getting outsourced overseas. While I do feel for the people who lose their jobs here to cheaper labor in foreign countries, perhaps we should at least be flattered that the world actually wants to take our jobs, such as sitting in cubicles answering customer complaint phone calls, mining in hazardous conditions, and sewing away in sweat shops. These are jobs that we created that are not generally desirable, yet other countries actively want them. Whodathunkit!

America has enough talent, ingenuity, and resources to now focus on making the world a better place-- environmentally, socially, medically, etc.-- , rather than dwelling on mundane tasks that, while necessary in many ways to the world's economy, may just be better off being done by someone else.

So instead of striving to maintain jobs that "suck the life out of us", perhaps we can reach for the stars and create better jobs to take on challenges to improve the world-- such as improving the environment, improving the health of others, and improving job conditions in developing countries (how ironic), to name a few. Hopefully other countries will then want to copy those jobs as well...

Your Identity: Safe, for Now...

10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10=1 billion

Yes, 10 to the 9th power is equal to one billion, or the number of Social Security Numbers that are available in the U.S. (nine digits with 10 possible numbers in each spot equals one billion possible combinations).

With a population of about 300 million people living today, and a total of 450 million social security numbers given out in America's history, we have a long time until these numbers will need to be recycled... meaning you will die with your SSN, and it will never be used again. Or will it?

According to npg.org, this country's population grows by 2.5 million people per year. Since there are 550 million SSN combinations yet to be used, this leaves approximately 220 years until we reach 1 billion, assuming the rate of 2.5 million new SSN's per year. Then what!? Will your identity be safe in the year 2227? Or will you, Joe or Jane Blogreader, be victimized by somebody else having the same number as you currently have? Are we looking at identity theft of the six-foot-under population in the next couple of centuries? Many questions remain...

Consider yourself warned!

8 Things I'd Like to See Disappear from America by 2010

Sure, there's more than 8 things that I would like to see removed from the American landscape. But, here's a start...

1. Paris Hilton: Need I say more?
2. Preposterous health insurance plans: There's got to be a better way than paying skyrocketing premiums for high deductible plans, not to mention having millions of people uninsured or under insured. I understand there are a lot of factors here, but I can't imagine the system being worse than it currently is.
3. Gas stations: I cannot wait for the day when I no longer have to fill up my car at a gas station. Granted, gas stations have served a long history as being that last resort for getting directions, grabbing an overpriced and undercooked hot dog, or squeegeeing your windshield, but every time I think about where the gas I'm buying comes from (a foreign country), how it gets to me (via sophisticated and dangerous logistics), how much it costs (a good 50 bucks a week for getting to work), and what it's doing to the environment (not much good, that's for sure), I want to gag. I also want to gag thinking about people who actually buy those hot dogs.
4. American Idol: Yup, I'll be the first to admit I can't stand the show. Are we this desperate for live music and up and coming talent that we have to watch a bunch of karaoke hacks sing other people's songs and generally make fools of themselves? Thanks but no thanks. I'll stick to real comedy, like The Office.
5. Bad teeth: It is too easy and affordable not to have presentable teeth in this day and age. Brush. Floss. Go to dentist. Done.
6. Toys, ad nauseum: I know too many kids who have stockpiles of toys, 95% of which are never used more than once (or even opened). I was an only child growing (still am!) and generally got what I wanted. However, I honestly didn't ask for all that much... I've always been tough to buy for because I have rather simple tastes. When I look at the gifts that people shower on their kids nowadays, I can't help but think about what a monumentally spoiled and materialistic society that will be leading our future. Good for the economy, but at what cost?
7. Bad advertising: It's everywhere. I work in the industry and sometimes I just hang my head in shame about the poor marketing that is done out there. Just imagine how much better this world would be if commercials/ads where entertaining AND effective at driving sales. There's got to be a way.
8. Wars: Well, I guess I can't have everything. But I can always hope!