10 NEW IDEAS

 

 

 

 

TIME (2008) 3/14

 

10-60

 

1.The USA is now really a global country in a global world. Both multi-nationals and related media have placed us in the wider world. Jobs go out and come back in. Globalization has created both wonderful and terrible change. Postmodern means that humans are non-rational. We face a common fate with the rest of the world. We are more connected to the world than ever before.

 

2. Customer service will be drawing down. There will be less of it, because technology can take care of much of it, but not all of it. The first supermarket cut out a number of clerks. Self serve gas eliminated the gas jockey. The ATM reduced the number of tellers.

 

3. Stars begin to fade as the story in a movie generally has an ensemble. When stars ask for too much perhaps a new face will do.

 

4. From the early days of Eric Hoffer’s THE TRUE BELIEVER, it is the educated professional that is bored who is attracted to terrorism. Paradox and reverse radicalism by keeping their goals, but changing their violence.

 

5. Warm it up food with the microwave continues to increase over self made food.

 

6. Geoengineering. With global warming, rather than stop carbon emissions, flood the skies with sulfur particles that will cover the ozone layer.

 

7. Synthetic authenticity. Would you like to have a Rolex watch, but can afford it?. You buy a fake that looks exactly like a Rolex with the name of the brand hidden from view.

You get the best of both worlds. You get a fake that looks real and increases your prestige among peers and you get a watch that works for cheap.

 

8. It appears that we are in for a serious recession and a new austerity is coming over the world. Do less with more.

 

9. Mandatory health. Employers make you quit smoking, make you start running and exercising. It is good for you and not much fun.

 

10. Re-Judaizing Jesus. To know Jesus, you must know Judaism of his time. When Jesus said something to the Jews, it should read, when Jesus said something to his FELLOW Jews. Much of the New Testament is written to encourage the reader that Jesus was in a totally new religion. Jesus and the religion of Jesus or about Jesus (Christianity) came after his death or after his resurrection.

 

THE NEW REPUBLIC (2008) 3/26

 

ORANSKY 20-21

 

It appears that some new scientific findings never start or never reach medical practioners. Stents were thought to be the best heart procedure and slightly less efficacious than by-pass surgery. The procedure blossomed for years. However, no scientific test was used. So after a randomized clinical trial, stents proved no better than good old fashion drug treatment. Along comes evidence based medicine. It is unearthing some unsettling findings. Doctors don’t use the right strategy, but rather about 70% of the time, use strategies that are their personal favorites or those of a fellow

medical doctor. Although Beta blockers appear to be a viable alternative, most doctors didn’t try then until 25 years later.

 

Why? Doctors fear loss of autonomy, believe that the studies are too good in comparison to reality, and some new strategies may make the doctor more vulnerable to a law suit. At any rate, the cost of medicine could be cut with some of the new strategies and medical doctors to not feel that they would be adequately paid.

 

THE WEEK (2008) 3/23

 

Health findings/20

 

The fMRI is becoming a mind reading machine. Scientists were accurate in telling what a person was looking at when they watched the brain activity.

 

Elections make us smarter. The more emotionally involved we get the more we remember.

 

Expensive placebos give us more pain relief than less expensive ones.

 

What is in a snow flake? It contains bacteria and pollutants.

 

Cell phones make us feel safer to go out at night. However, the cell phone acts as a stimulus to take more chances.

 

Colonoscopies are less accurate than thought because of the medical doctor examines the big puffy polyps, but may overlook the harder to find pancake type growths.

 

Fortune Cookies/ 40

 

Fortune cookies are falling on tough times. There are only a handful of writers left. Most come from Asia and a prediction in the East is sometimes very hard to translate into Western society. Further, each saying must be gender neutral and not easily misinterpreted. It also must so general that it is very probable that the fortune cookies forecast will come true. “You will confront a mystery and solve it in the next week.” That is about right for a cookie. “Someone special will soon enter your life.” You read it here first.

 

 

BUSINESS WEEK (2008) 3/14

 

OPTIONS FOR SAVING THE ECONOMY

 

1. The Federal Reserve floods the economy with money. Home owners and banks get better rates.
2. The federal government bails out homeowners. Banks must change both the interest rate and the value of the mortgage based upon the new lower value of the home. Does not apply to speculators or 2nd or 3rd homes.
3. The federal government bails out lenders. Homeowners get new mortgages that are more likely to be paid back.