BBC Global News Podcast Summary

Saddam Hussein's absence has been replaced by Sectarian violence.  Though violence in Iraq has continued, they now at least have a chance to fight against it.  Jalal Tlabini, president of Iraq, said that Iraq needs US and GB for at least one more year (www.gulfnews.com)

The Federal Reserve Bank has made a 3/4% cut to the Interest Rate.  The author of the book, Devil Take the Hindmost, Edward Chancellor, had the following to say about the "credit crisis" in the US:

-there is always a build up of debt and wreckless behavior, followed by the collapse of a large financial institution (...Bear Sterns anyone??)

-this is followed by Fear + Distrust = Impact on the Economy

-there is no consensus about "Recession" right now (like we talked about in a Global Economics class yesterday, though, we never know until we are on the outside of a Recession, that we were in one--Kondratiev Cycles)

-Ben Bernanke, who is seen as an expert on the Great Depression attempts to counter what was the biggest criticism of the Fed in previous generations-reacting TOO slowly. 

-basically it all boils down to a failure to regulate irresponsible growth of credit

Tibetan protesters in GanSu provence:

interesting fact: 1/2 of the Chinese population lives outside the tibetan province.  More frustration than previously known.  

Kenya was talked about also in this BBC podcast, which is a topic very close to my heart.  The coalition power deal between PM and Pres looked at as a positive.  However, it seems to me that the severity of what happened in Kenya has been lost.  Perhaps not completely, but to go from people starving and not being able to get out of compounds, to news comments on the two men who killed over power joking with each other at parliamentary meetings  seems to take the event too trite.  

Bad Pick-Lines

"You look exactly like my ex girl-friend"

....bad in the first place, worse when followed by an explicit description of how you look like an ex-girlfriend

"Is that a de La Renta?"

....I was wearing a WOOL dress, never before has Oscar de La Renta made a wool dress

"I used to train the Power Dancers"

....if you go to UTD, you know that this is nothing too impressive

"I have seen you for two seconds, and already I am in love"

"You know you want to go out with me, so why not save the trouble and just do it."

Either get Flat or be Flattened

Friedman so far. . .

Ten Forces that flattened the world:

1. 11.9--when the Berlin Wall fell

2. 8.9--when Netscape went public

3. Workflow Software

4. Community Software

5. Y2k Outsourcing

6. Off-shoring

-Specifically about the concept of MNC's.  Friedman appears to be an advocate of such because it would create innovation beyond the scope of our current imagination, except for one minor problem.  China could be a completely "flat" dominating world power if it could overcome the "speed-bump" of political reform.  Local politics, whether admittedly or not, is a reflection of our current mindset, especially towards economics.  Perkowski, in the book, discusses the difficulty of trying to find Chinese managers that were somewhere in the balance between communist and "cowboy capitalists."  We either seem to polarize from what our country does, or embrace it.  As in all things in life, the best stance is somewhere in between.  

Flatteners 7-10, have yet to be read. . . 

Two Jews, Two Russians, A Moroccan, and Love Actually

Only in America...

"Jack, it is the same kind of gum." I told him firmly

"Whatever..." he said looking at me somewhat doubtfully and frustrated at the same time

I held the 24 pack up the 12 pack, "See they both say Extra, sugar-free, bubble gum.  They are the same.  Same brand, same flavor, smaller size."  It was obvious that I was starting to get frustrated.  

I watched as they walked slowly to the movie theatre entrance.  I can only stay frustrated for so long, until my heart melt again.  I love those two people and it has been an honor being able to help care for two holocaust victims.  

20 minutes later:  

"I'll take a large cup of coffee." 

"Make sure you look at the back of the receipt, if you take the survey, it really helps us out!"  said the guy who took my order, "This gentlemen behind us does it all the time..." He continued, nodding his head at the guy standing behind me. 

"Anything to better society," he replied, in a really peculiar accent.

A little deep for a Corner Bakery customer service survey, I thought as I just smiled and threw my receipt in the mini-trash receptacle.  

Me, my best friend, and her husband continued on with our nice little dinner after church.  No biggie, until there was a water spill.  I walked to get a napkin.  

"Is that a Betsy Johnson that your wearing?" I heard from behind me-same strange accent."  

"Actually I got it at Dillards," I told him

"Well, you wear it very nicely,"  He said and smiled, accent still strange.

When I got back to the table and remedied the spill, we continued with dinner.  

"Can I ask you to help me?"  I heard from behind me, I had now become faintly accustomed to this strange accent-it was like a cross between french, spanish, and middle eastern.  

"Sure..."

"I need help with this."  He demonstrated to me, what he needed help with.  I saw on the screen his resume.  I kind of picked up his story from it.  His name was Mohammed and he just moved to Dallas from Morrocco three months ago.  His resume, I'm assuming he had help making on another computer, was a Read-Only file and he wanted it transferred to be able to save to a different folder.  Easily and quickly done.  

"You have been with me for five seconds and already I am in love."  He said.  I just kind of looked at him and smiled.  Not a chance in hell bud, I was thinking as he took my hand.

Yet another 60 minutes later:

blah, blah, blah, blah is all I can understand I thought, smiling at the adorable rotund lady standing in front of me.  

I told her daughter that my sister spoke fluent Russian and when her daughter was there to translate I learned the the little babushka thought I was a sweet girl.  She pointed at my face and kept saying, "Ukraine, Ukraine."  

2 hours later after all of the above

I like red wine and I like Hugh Grant 

Summary of all of the above: please explain how I can chauffeur two jews to a movie, meet two russians, and get hit on by a Moroccan all in a 4 hour period of time.  

Chicken a la Tent

Only in Kenya will they have a tent that holds the chickens.  When I was teaching at a youth camp this December, they slaughtered chickens every day for us.  A little disturbing at first, but gave us the best they had, and I hope I gave that back in return.

The World is Flat

In an excellently informative book, Thomas Friedman discusses the advances of the twenty first century that have come to make the world "flat."  Basically, a flat world is one where you can live in India, but work for Microsoft and help customers over the phone in Michigan.  I can sit and with the click of my mouse, contact people in Asia, Europe-anywhere!  It seems so petty now.  I was born and the internet was there.  But, it has been a major force in shaping, or I guess you would say, de-shaping the world.  I just started the book, but I'll summarize it by chapter as I go along....

Bridging the Gap

This goes way back to when I was in high school, but I think everyone nows how this whole spiel goes: 

Summer vacation, finally the whole student population breathes a massive sight of relief at the commencement of this time of year.  Its the end of nine long months of studying, procrastination, and stress.  Its the beginning of three months, twelve weeks, ninety days of:

NOTHING

Its always a particularly special time of year for high school graduates.  Life holds so much.  No more high school, no more home room, no more football, no more cheerleading.  Its all finished. 

Seniors are entitled to some especially great privileges preceding this emancipation"

1. The Senior Picture: It takes twelve years, standardized testing, and the SAT for us all to achieve ONE good picture.

2. The Graduation Announcement: (also including the aforementioned single good picture of a lifetime) Its the equivalent to being a mini-rock star.  "Mr and Mrs [insert name] are proud to announce the graduation of their [pick one: son/daughter] from [insert generic high school name]"--sometimes also accompanied by the following: [senior motto] quoted by historical figure that 50% of the student population do not know who it is.   All of the above is on personalized, chosen stationary, typically with the little business type cards saying the graduates name inserted in the said announcement, and also an invitation to. . . 

3. The Graduation Party: this is where the pay off comes.  There is a reason that most "Congrats Grad" cards are money holders.  

first blog--ever

Because I want to!