Mindset 3.0

In Haiti, where three-quarters of the population earns less than $2 a day and one in five children is chronically malnourished, the one business booming amid all the gloom is the selling of patties made of mud, oil and sugar, typically only consumed by the most destitute.

“It’s salty and it has butter, and you don’t know you’re eating dirt,” said Olwich Louis Jeune, 24, who has taken to eating them more often in recent months. “It makes your stomach quiet down.” This is an excerpt from today’s International Herald Tribune. Click here to read full article.

I am guessing that most people who will read this post likely missed this article. For me, it was the poignant illustration to see what people will do to survive. Then I ask myself, why? Why does a 24 year old have to resort to eating “mud” literally.

Of course, problems exist on our home turf, but many have relatives from Haiti experiencing this madness and waste. Yet, we don’t hear much about it. What is compelling and interesting is that similar challenges are brewing right here at home in the United States. For example, real wages have not increased in over 10 years. Gasoline is now over $3.35 per gallon for regular unleaded. Food prices continue to increase. Student financial aid is in peril. Job loss continues to accelerate across all industries and regions of the country. Home foreclosures and the home mortgage fiasco remains to be a bitter reminder of economic greed, or our corporate titans who in many respects walk away in shame much like Robert Mugabi or Aristide and other dictators who are exiled only to retire in luxury and ultimately forgotton in short order.

Yet, the damage is done to be sure. So, when we think about that next 65 inch plasma “we think we must have”, or a fancy trip to Hawaii or a sale at the outlet mall, please stop and think and instead purchase a 42 inch if you must at all. Visit our national parks or Bandon Dunes Oregon if you must travel or get those pants altered for $12 dollars instead of buying four pair for $34 dollars only to have to pay $12 additional dollars or more to get them altered, all in the name of a good deal.

Then donate to a worthy cause, share your time or send money to a relative who really needs it. It is now time to THINK.

Something for the weekend! Inspiration, exciting, motivating, powerful and something to make you think about what we can do and how we can help others who may not be as fortunate. Have a great weekend!

from www.ted.com posted with vodpod

In a time of financial crisis globally, public perception about the war in Iraq, here is a harsh reality that we should consider carefully. More than 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen either refused to fight or simply abandoned their posts during the inconclusive assault against Shiite militias in Basra last week, a senior Iraqi government official said Thursday. Iraqi military officials said the group included dozens of officers, including at least two senior field commanders in the battle.

My take on this has more to do with basic fear, anxiety and the future security of men who want to be with their families. In many respects, this reminds me of my suburban dad-friends taking up arms to go fight a war we know nothing about, not trained and completely under prepared. As my wife likes to say, the first kids to die in Iraq are the gung-ho suburban kids who tend to romanticize about what they will do in Iraq. Sadly, these suburban kids, typically from conservative backgrounds are the first young people to get killed.

So, does this manic war make YOU feel safer?I was asked this [do you feel safer] in an aggressive, violent tone of someone about a year and half ago? And my answer, I never felt in danger. When these young Iraqi husbands and sons abandoned their posts, I was not impacted in suburbia, the crime rate in the inner-city of Philadelphia did not go down. No! But, this further adds support for the notion of remaining in Iraq for even longer periods of time since the behaviors shown reflect the lack of confidence in obtaining victory–whatever that means?The desertions in the heat of a major battle cast fresh doubt on the effectiveness of the American-trained Iraqi security forces. The White House has conditioned further withdrawals of American troops on the readiness of the Iraqi military and police.

So what’s the White House to do? Will another surge help? The hearts, minds and the “will” of the Iraqi people is what is at stake here. If the collective will is to “run” and “quit” then what can the American troops and allies really do to stabilize the situation long-term? Real diplomacy is the answer in part and the current administration has not been as willing to try this in an earnest way. The Rambo tactics and shoot’em up policies do not reflect what we need here in the US, but rather an imperialist approach to protecting geo-political, economic interests.

On this day of memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, I got to thinking, who in Iraq has captured the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people? Of the more than 1.000 forces quitting it is clear that nobody has crafted a compelling enough message for which people are willing to sacrifice as did the men and women in the 1960s. So, does John Mcain have the answer? The Bush administration? Stay tuned. More Than 1,000 in Iraq’s Forces Quit Basra Fight - New York Times

Take a moment to look at these pictures.  Now, ask yourself, does the woman on the left have the right to live a healthy life for medical treatment if she is unable to afford it?  Now, ask yourself the same question of the young boy receiving antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV from becoming full blown AIDS and ending his life before the age of 6?

The woman on the left is well-insured, but had to scramble to find the money to cover the high cost of her anti-cancer pills when her coverage was changed. Should she choose between personal financial ruin and homelessness potentially to cover the cost of paying for the medicine she needs?  Should the government intervene?  What would the Republicans think of this woman’s life?  Should living be the right of the few people in the United States or countries who are wealthy enough to afford to continue living rather than being a “burden” on the so-called system?

The young boy on the right has no say in the quality of his life because he was dealt a “bad” hand from birth.  His opportunities are limited because of the environmental and geo-political aspects of the region in Africa where he lives.  These pictures are worlds apart but both people face the same challenges, the same worries and concerns each day.  Their lives, to be sure, are both worth just as much to their families and to the world. 

Drug prices are a growing issue for every disease, especially for people who are uninsured. But cancer sticker shock is hitting hard now, as a list of more advanced biotech drugs have made treatment rounds costing $100,000, or even more, no longer a rarity. Also, patients are living longer, good news but meaning they need treatment for longer periods.

How would the Democrats attack this issue regarding healthcare?  How would the presumptive nominee of the Republican party who has experienced a personal battle with cancer address this pressing concern?  This is what the election should be about as well as other important issues.

Weighing the high cost of cancer care - Cancer- msnbc.com

This is an important day for Cuban’s.  Much like what we are experiencing with the campaign of Barack Obama, the time is now in Cuba for a younger set of leaders with whom the United States can work.  Some of the basic privileges that includes the ability to purchase a car, participate in commerce (as a non-tourist) free speech and much more is constricted or forbidden by the government.  This is where a presidential hopeful like Barack Obama could have a tremendous and relevant impact to his presidency, assuming he beats McCain in the general election.  As it was aptly stated at a recent McCain gathering, the audience was made up of old, white men.  Nothing wrong with that, but that is precisely what Fidel Castro is sans the ethnic bloodline of being Cuban.   As Barry White said, in one of his songs entitled: “It’s Time”.  Thus, it is now time for communism in Cuba to go, as it has left the eastern bloc and other regions of the world. 

Fidel Castro Resigns as Cuba’s President - New York Times

In 2008, this is a compelling video talk that highlights an explosive opportunity in Ethopia. Economist Eleni Gabre-Madhin outlines her ambitious vision to found the first commodities market in Ethiopia. Her plan would create wealth, minimize risk for farmers and turn the world’s largest recipient of food aid into a regional food basket. “There is no place in the world and no time in history that small farmers have had to bear the burden of risk that African farmers bear today,” Gabre-Madhin says. “But I’m not here to lament or wring my hands. I’m here to tell you that change is in the air.”

from www.ted.com posted with vodpod

We will blog about the goings on at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland this year. The theme for this year’s Forum is The Power of Collaborative Innovation. One of the greatest opportunities to improve our economy is the notion of global citizenship. When Jay-Z kicked off his Water for Life campaign last year, this signaled, I believe, his prominence as a global citizen. Before this, he was a global entertainer. The concept of citizenship is about participation, having new and different conversations, new business partners and creating lasting relationships that includes contacts in your Outlook from Sri Lanka, Morocco, Beijing, Mumbai, Dubai or for that matter any point on the planet.

Each day, you can expect a recap of the most salient points of the day and what it means to people right here in the United States. The conference starts on Wednesday, January 23. See you on Wednesday!

The recession that continues to be discussed is real and there’s nothing the Stimulus Package can do about it. It’s really quite simple: consumers are tapped out. There is not enough money to pay all the bills. Just look at the proliferation of pay day advance stores that litter inner-city and even suburban areas. The fact is, consumers don’t need more stuff.

Now, after taking a peek at the video, the actor talks about “planned obsolescence”. This means that the stuff we buy has a finite life span. So, if you use credit to buy something that costs $250 bucks against your $1,000 credit card limit, and the item lasts 3 months before it breaks, you have to buy another one. So, you buy another one and now you have $500 remaining on your credit card. So, now let’s assume, you need new tires, which costs you $400; now you have $100 on your credit limit.

For African-Americans it is now time to revisit those trips to the mall, and perhaps consider doing one’s hair at home rather than spending 4-5 hours on the weekend to look pretty. So, the leading democratic candidates Obama and Clinton will be forced to get real creative if they want to create lasting economic change to change things. This next clip highlights why the democratic candidates need to seriously rethink their approach to getting the economy back on track.

After viewing these clips, I realized that going out to shop, is NOT the answer. Despite what the pundits say, and George Bush’s attempt to “stimulate” the economy, buying more stuff that we actually don’t need is simply not the answer. So, what is the answer?

Well, the first approach is to increase wages. Real wages have not kept pace with inflation and thus it is difficult to continue the torrid pace businesses have come to expect. The second piece of advice is to invest in spending quality time with your family. This might seem odd to some, but by spending quality time reading, sharing, walking and dancing at home, gets people away from the deluge of marketing messages that they get from watching television incessantly. Third, families have to get real about their finances and cut back on unnecessary driving, multiple cell phones and other financial leaks.

Recession means, marketers have done their job. But guess what, the bill is due and no amount of stimulus will help the U.S. economy. When real wages increase, savings increase, education becomes a priority, an economic stimulus package will provide “perceived” relief but in reality, this stimulus package, will simply be, well, much ado about nothing.

Happy New Year!

I often hear the argument from people in the United States and especially people of color, even my mom on why should we be concerned about problems in Africa or India or places to which we have never traveled or do not know anyone?   

However, as simplistic as this sounds to focus on things here at home, focusing at home has brought and continues to bring failure, a few benefiting, corruption and frankly a poor return on investment.  From what I have seen personally and continue to witness is that our social fabric and mindset is limiting millions of people from advancing in our country.  Why?  It’s actually simple, but the journey is complicated.  Simply put, people tend not to think critically and in new ways as global citizens about how to address challenges. 

Here’s an example of a person who get’s it.  His name is Roderick and I get my newspaper from him each day as I approach the traffic light.  Roderick told me one day how globalization is hurting his business; he explained without prompting, because he likes to chat; he said with the Internet, people buy fewer papers and migrant workers will work for much cheaper and our local paper is more inclined to hire them for distribution.  Roderick has a huge smile, sans a top row of teeth, but he is conscientious, has a clear mind, honest and conversant about issues besides himself, but truly sees that the world is indeed flat.  Admittedly, he does not worry about what might have been, but is genuinely excited about what is happening; he lives in the moment in a healthy way.

Healthcare

To dive a bit deeper, there is an increasing number of aspiring medical school students who come to the United States to earn medical degrees and now, because of improvements “back home” they are leaving the U.S. to help their native country.  While here in the U.S., we continue to face increasing costs for healthcare and ever increasing wait time’s as well continuing lack of involvement in clinical trials that involve minority groups.  All of this is going on while our children continue to do worse in science and math and are moving away from the medical professions.  Young people, parents, teachers and higher education officials will only see this mindshare loss accelerate over the next 10 years and well beyond.

Food, Finance & Consumption

When it comes to food, products like Plumpy Nut is saving lives in countries like Africa, India and South America, while people in the U.S. continue to go to bed and subsequently to school hungry almost daily.  Remember, the United States is the richest nation on the planet, at least for now.  So, maybe we should think about getting Plumpy Nut into our public schools.

World Wealth Distribution in 2015: Will You be Participating?

Because of the ever increasing appetite for stuff and personal gratification to consume more and less on creating wealth in communities, people have become slaves to creditors and mortgage companies.  Our communities across the country are littered with “payday” loan stores that suck the life out of people.  By contrast, micro credit (lending in small dollar amounts to people who make less than $2 dollar a day) in countries like Mexico, India, and across Africa is creating opportunities for parents to send their children to school and improve their lives for the first time.  

Further evidence also shows we are finding that college graduates today are finding it difficult to become independent citizens with their own place to live outside their parents and that prospects look even bleaker for long-term prospects despite their education and technological know how.  Rather, many young people wait in line at American Idol auditions or hope a “baller” or entertainer or successful business person (woman or man) can help us click our heels and rescue us from the trials one might experience day to day. I have an inordinate number of women tell me that  a great many men they meet today often expect to receive gifts, cash and meals simply for “being there for them.”

By contrast, our brethren in every part of the world are participating in the global economy at any chance they might get to introduce their products, develop a relationship or have a conversation, no matter how difficult it might be for them to understand.  I hired a firm from Minsk, Belarus last year to work with and we had twice a week conference calls (4:30am for me) using Skype for over 6 months; while it was difficult for both of us at first, I learned a lot and now have solid connections should I visit Moscow or Eastern Europe.  Please note, MySpace friends do not count as real relationships especially if you have over 300 and you have never had a live conversation with them.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS continues to increase at even more staggering rates in places like Washington, D.C., Atlanta and other urban centers with high concentrations of minority groups despite all the rhetoric, funding, programs, non-profits, anti-retroviral drugs and the lessons learned since Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s announcement almost 17 years ago, in 1991.

Despite the knowledge we have (aka the media), access to information (aka the Internet) and tools to prevent this dreadful disease, hedonism, lust, narcissism and this unabating selfishness continues to prevail.  To be sure, there are rebel leaders and their soldiers in the Congo spreading this disease; by contrast, however, “In Thailand it was through education and condom promotion, and in Uganda via their “ABC” program — for abstinence, “be faithful”, and condoms, implemented in the early 90’s.  These governments made stemming the human and economic toll of the disease a priority of their administrations and poured tremendous resources into the effort.  Are you listening Obama, Hillary, anybody?

Yet, other program efforts have been undermined as in Uganda last year by collaborating with the U.S. world AIDS project that promotes abstinence only.  The new campaign does not support condom use; in fact, promotional material was distributed declaring condoms to be porous and pre-marital sex a form of ”deviance”, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).  It is this same type of arrogance and complete ignorance that African-American women face when African-American male sexual partners expand their horizons with “down-low” trysts for sport, only to bring home this disease resulting in skyrocketing infection to their female partners, who unknowingly pass it on and BOOM, we have an epidemic.  

These same brothers are behaving just like the Bush-driven policies that do not support condom use, because clearly, if these down-low brothers did support a different policy, I would not have to tell this story.

Why Global Social Problems are Relevant to People in the United States is the title I have chosen for this post, and my last one for 2007, unless something really compelling happens between now and the drop of the ball to bring in the New Year.  Why is it relevant?  Here’s the answer: People in this country, need to learn how to think critically about what they do, who they deal with, how they deal with them, how to advance their life; improve their value to themselves and to their families.  By THINKING, TALKING and DOING (making personal changes no matter how small) with our global neighbors serving as a source of innovation, inspiration, and motivation, you get a fresh and perhaps clearer perspective on what could and should be right here at home.  It’s hard work, it’s exciting, and it’s refreshing and actually cool to make happen!  Happy New Year 2008!

Often consultants come up with chic new terms like Mindset 3.0 and of course most people don’t understand what it means other than it being another buzz phrase.  For most women and men in developed countries, we hear about famine, hunger and the 4 billion impoverished souls who live on less than $2 dollars a day and give it scant thought.    Now, I want to share with you a real-life illustration of what it takes to make American Idol Gives Back a worthless exercise in popular television altruism.  To illustrate: In Malawi itself, the prevalence of acute child hunger has fallen sharply. In October, the United Nations Children’s Fund sent three tons of powdered milk, stockpiled here to treat severely malnourished children, to Uganda instead. “We will not be able to use it!” Juan Ortiz-Iruri, Unicef’s deputy representative in Malawi, said jubilantly.

Farmers explain Malawi’s extraordinary turnaround — one with broad implications for hunger-fighting methods across Africa — with one word: fertilizer. 

Over the past 20 years, the World Bank and some rich nations Malawi depends on for aid have periodically pressed this small, landlocked country to adhere to free market policies and cut back or eliminate fertilizer subsidies, even as the United States and Europe extensively subsidized their own farmers. But after the 2005 harvest, the worst in a decade, Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawi’s newly elected president, decided to follow what the West practiced, not what it preached.

In a withering evaluation of the World Bank’s record on African agriculture, the bank’s own internal watchdog concluded in October not only that the removal of subsidies had led to exorbitant fertilizer prices in African countries, but that the bank itself had often failed to recognize that improving Africa’s declining soil quality was essential to lifting food production.  Full article.  This is what Mindset 3.0 is about.

This is my last post for the week as I will be taking off for the holidays.  What’s important here is the innovation and the thinking that goes into the products shown on the video.  What’s more, these are people of color making this happen across the globe, the examples will take you from Los Angeles to Sri Lanka.

 My charge to all of you is to visit these some of these sites.  For the elephant dung paper, visit www.ecomaximus.com to see the process in action.  Or, visit www.buychange.com to make a purchase.  I will bring to you more opportunities for global innovators who don’t want handouts, but a chance to bring their products to the world.