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March 13, 2010
TV, Advertising, and Newspapers are dead – deal with it…
You know what - change is a funny thing. For me, I can't wait untill I can watch all my movies and TV shows on demand instantly whenever I want without having to worry about which channel it's on, or which device I'm going to use to watch it - just click and watch. I can't wait till I can read my latest thriller I bought on my iPad while sitting at 35,000 feet depending (I'll still read the hard cover at the coffee shop though!). I can't wait till I can walk on to my next flight without needing a physical boarding pass, and I can't wait till I do my first payment by swiping my phone instead of my credit card (in fact I already have really). For me technology adoption is not only a way of life, but it's just plain cool.
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March 12, 2010
Education and the End of ‘Why’
A liberal by any definition, Carol Smaldino takes on President Obama's proposed educational reforms with the concern that they equate to "the murder of diversity at home."
Regarding our children's educational needs, I propose the following: They have different educational needs and styles, which is part of diversity at its core. As such, our key mission should include creating opportunities for "hope," "change," and confidence for them all. Of course, to do this, we would need to make space for their sparks of inspiration, curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration.
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Regarding our children's educational needs, I propose the following: They have different educational needs and styles, which is part of diversity at its core. As such, our key mission should include creating opportunities for "hope," "change," and confidence for them all. Of course, to do this, we would need to make space for their sparks of inspiration, curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration.
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Dangerous Visions for Desperate Times
The good ship USA is sailing through an iceberg-laden sea, severely damaged and taking in water. Beset by an array of daunting problems, including a failed economy and global climate change, Americans have two choices. We can ignore how bad our situation is or we can fight to save our democracy. For those of you who feel like taking action, here are ten dangerous visions.
1. Reform campaign finances. The financial crisis was driven by Wall Street greed and a lax regulatory environment fueled by political payoffs. Elizabeth Warren , chair of the TARP Congressional Oversight Panel observed: "The banks lobbied Washington so they could write the rules that got us into this mess. They then lobbied Washington to get the money to bail them out. And now they are lobbying Washington to write the rules so they can get us into the next crisis." We can't repair our failed system until we get big money out of the political process. The first step is a constitutional amendment prohibiting private contributions to political campaigns. This change would fund campaigns with public monies, drastically restrict use of television advertisements, and prohibit "independent expenditures" in all forms.
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1. Reform campaign finances. The financial crisis was driven by Wall Street greed and a lax regulatory environment fueled by political payoffs. Elizabeth Warren , chair of the TARP Congressional Oversight Panel observed: "The banks lobbied Washington so they could write the rules that got us into this mess. They then lobbied Washington to get the money to bail them out. And now they are lobbying Washington to write the rules so they can get us into the next crisis." We can't repair our failed system until we get big money out of the political process. The first step is a constitutional amendment prohibiting private contributions to political campaigns. This change would fund campaigns with public monies, drastically restrict use of television advertisements, and prohibit "independent expenditures" in all forms.
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March 11, 2010
Where Do Things Stand on International Efforts to Address Global Warming?
It is almost 3 months after the Copenhagen Accord was hammered out by 28 of the world’s key countries that represent over 80% of the world’s global warming pollution and some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (as I discussed here). Given the state of the Accord just after Copenhagen with some calling it a failure, some outlining the foundations in the Accord for international efforts (and as my colleague discussed here), and others…well not quite sure what to make of it, where do things stand on international efforts to address global warming?
If you just picked up the paper, watched TV, listened to the radio, or read blogs you might think that things aren’t really moving as there is very little coverage of international global warming discussions (especially compared to last year when every 5 seconds some news story or analysis emerged). But that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening on the international front. In fact, despite the lack of regular coverage, things are moving forward – albeit tentatively, behind the scenes, and without a big splash. Here are four things that are occurring that are worth following.
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‘Soul Of A Citizen’ Excerpt: The Real Rosa Parks
Last week, I began my excerpts from Soul of a Citizen by writing about the costs of cynicism. One reason people despair so easily these days is that we often have little sense of how change has occurred in times past, and of what it took for ordinary people to persist until they prevailed. The Rosa Parks story offers an example that we all think we know, but where the story as usually told omits the key context and blurs the key lessons.
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March 10, 2010
Healthcare Is a Moral Right
I find it absolutely absurd when I hear people, especially elected officials, saying, "The debate on healthcare has been too short. How can we expect to figure out such a massive change in our country with such a short conversation?" For those that don't realize -- a group that I hope would not include elected officials -- we have been talking about healthcare and fixing our system since the beginning of the 20th century. Almost 100 years! Is that a short debate? Is that not enough time to understand that corporations making billions of dollars on the health of our citizens is an immoral and irrational way to render care? Is it not enough time, from Presidents Theodore Roosevelt to F.D.R to Truman to Eisenhower to Kennedy to Johnson to Nixon to Carter to Clinton and now Obama, to figure out that we need to overhaul and change how we provide insurance and healthcare for our citizens?
The "not enough time" argument is just a smoke screen for the "we are not interested in doing this" argument, which opponents of healthcare reform are too afraid to say out loud. The "not enough time" argument is a smoke screen for the "we get millions of dollars in campaign contributions from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and other industry lobbyists and we like that money" argument. The "not enough time" argument is a smoke screen for the "those who can afford healthcare are doing fine and those can't, well, work harder" argument that perpetuates a horrible trend in America that the wealthy dictate what the rest of the country has access to. It is time for this to end, and we are very close to making that happen.
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The "not enough time" argument is just a smoke screen for the "we are not interested in doing this" argument, which opponents of healthcare reform are too afraid to say out loud. The "not enough time" argument is a smoke screen for the "we get millions of dollars in campaign contributions from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and other industry lobbyists and we like that money" argument. The "not enough time" argument is a smoke screen for the "those who can afford healthcare are doing fine and those can't, well, work harder" argument that perpetuates a horrible trend in America that the wealthy dictate what the rest of the country has access to. It is time for this to end, and we are very close to making that happen.
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Last Thursday, CNN was in Washington. Maybe they should have been in Coral Gables.
During the healthcare blahblahthon at Blair House, we watched on national TV how extreme politics poisons Washington's ability to resolve our most pressing problems. The same day, another meeting occurred in Coral Gables.
There, leaders of some of the country's most innovative organizations for social change met to advance their mission: finding more effective solutions to the challenges facing communities throughout the country with less government bureaucracy and fewer taxpayer dollars.
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There, leaders of some of the country's most innovative organizations for social change met to advance their mission: finding more effective solutions to the challenges facing communities throughout the country with less government bureaucracy and fewer taxpayer dollars.
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March 8, 2010
Global Sisterhood
I could barely feel my toes after 8 hours of standing in line outside at the Bella Center, where the international conference on climate change was taking place last December in Copenhagen. The bitter cold had done a number on my cheeks too, but I was on a mission.
I headed to Copenhagen for an opportunity to participate in a climate hearing organized by Oxfam with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a number of my sisters from around the world whose communities are struggling because of climate change. I was ready to tell the world the story of Biloxi, Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation. The perseverance and community spirit. The lessons of preparedness. And how women picked up the pieces.
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I headed to Copenhagen for an opportunity to participate in a climate hearing organized by Oxfam with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a number of my sisters from around the world whose communities are struggling because of climate change. I was ready to tell the world the story of Biloxi, Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation. The perseverance and community spirit. The lessons of preparedness. And how women picked up the pieces.
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International Women’s Day: 11 Women Who Are Changing The World (PHOTOS)
Today is International Women's Day. March 8 is set aside to commemorate the achievements of women in politics, science and social change.
At HuffPost Impact, we wanted to recognize a number of women who have been essential voices for positive change. Some have fought for universal human rights, some have moved to get women more involved in politics. Nearly all have surprised the world with their bravery and resilience. All are strongly independent, intelligent, courageous and innovative.
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At HuffPost Impact, we wanted to recognize a number of women who have been essential voices for positive change. Some have fought for universal human rights, some have moved to get women more involved in politics. Nearly all have surprised the world with their bravery and resilience. All are strongly independent, intelligent, courageous and innovative.
More...