Dear William,

July 2008 This week was our first proper family vacation, just the three of us. So we got the CityPass and headed out to fill our brains and become kids again--first the planetarium followed by the Shedd Aquarium and the Natural Historarium also known as the Field Museum. Then a couple of days lounging around the house and the beach. William, all 3 years old, was just bursting about everything, he was on overload trains, bikes, beaches, buses and museums he could not believe it got this good I imagined he would just make like one of those robots in the movies, smoke would start coming out of his head and explode or at least he would scream or something fortunately by the end of the day usually on our way home instead he would sleep. In the space in between one word will forever remind me of this week--Why? He's all over it and I love it. Truly these kids are genius. He always has a follow up question and its always spot on again.....Why? So today I sit at the beach Will f...

In the debate about Iraq, presidential, media or water cooler, there has been little stimulating conversation about what really to do given the reality on the ground. Breaking down this issue into two impractical choices does not serve the situation in Iraq or US goals and objectives. Building on the “You break it you bought it” mantra I have a plan. First the break down, what are our choices? Proponents of the war and extended US involvement represented best by The Surge/any amount of money and resources we might attempt to throw at Iraq, cannot provide for a government that is willing to pass legislation and work past ethnic partisanship. We “stay” and maintain the status quo, fight fires and US troops continue to die driving down the street policing Iraq’s civil war at astronomical long term cost to you and me without any real accountability. Patton's "America doesn't accept defeat" doesn't apply because like Vietnam what is there to win. So the rhetorical “sta...

I ♥ NAFTA! The North American Free Trade Agreement is in the news, again. While I disagree with the argument against free trade, lowering the cost of trade benefits consumers and extends the great equalizer, comparative advantage. Trade issues are becoming increasingly complicated by the established precedents of past agreements. For example, developing countries dissatisfied with the results of current agreements and workers in developed countries have legitimate concerns that deserve attention. Concerns that if they are not resolved will continue to stall if not deteriorate trade agreements and long term prospects for growth and development. It’s worthwhile taking a moment to examine the current history of global trade relations. Seattle, 1999 the launch of the new millennial round of trade negotiations, activists estimated at 40,000, took to the streets in protest of the perceived subversion of democracy represented by the WTO . In July 2006 the Doha Development Round negotiations o...

I found this while cleaning out my drafts, initially started as the opening in a piece about the economic growth theory and the effectiveness of tax cuts in these type of situations which low and behold well we all know by now how its worked out and the unfortunate situation many find themselves in. Anyway, I never had the time to commit to writing it but thought this was funny. July 2008 I received my notice from the Department of the Treasury that I am “entitled to an economic stimulus payment” payable by my government directly to me. Unprecedented, I sat there holding it and thought that perhaps the white paper should have come with a pole so that I might wave it like a flag. Not in patriotic rejoicing but rather more like a white flag of surrender. The legacy of the Bush Administration as it relates to economic policy, saying in effect that we are so sorry, we have been so bad at managing the economy that we don't feel quite right taking your money so have it back. Sure ...

National Public Radio entry for the “This I Believe” radio segment This I believe, since the age of 14, when I first saw the visual manifestation of it on the shirt of a sweaty, weary and worn middle aged basketballer with double knee braises that: Change Is Good. Change is good I said aloud as I read his shirt and thought the same. Since that time, I have taken this as my mantra, creed, anthem, declaration whatever you want to call it as a matter of practical understanding and truth. Why? Because change is the way of the world. When Ben Franklin said the only things that are certain are death and taxes I would add change. I believe change is good because history bears its truth. We substitute change and progress to produce better outcomes like emancipated slaves, voting for women and walking on the moon. Change rendered democracy and personal liberties, society, arts and culture. Sure it’s not perfect the hurdles seem endless the mountain too high. But when you look back marvel at how...

I'm done watching, listening and reading about this election. I've made up my mind and I will tell you why. Watching the final debate on Wednesday, a lot of issues were covered and ideas communicated and it was all good, especially, finally the mediation. But what does it all mean? What's really important and practical. For me it all boils down to this: Let all the peripheral issues slip away. Don't give another thought to Palin or abortion, Iraq or William Ayers, education or the debt. Focus on what makes us work? Why are we so productive? How could we be more efficient?what do we commulatively consume most every day? What drives us? From the moment we wake till the lights go out--energy and technology. The question was raised; what are you going to do with respect to energy independence? The response by both candidates spoke volumes to me about who should be elected and why. At this moment in time we need a president who is not simply a war hero or Harvard Law grad b...

8.01.08 Today General Motors announced an 18.5 billion dollar loss for the second quarter. When I heard the announcement my thoughts shifted to the recent documentary film “Who killed the electric car?” and how this recent financial outcome and that of the auto industry in America could be different. This timely documentary provides the framework for the relationship, the natural tug of war, between enlightened regulation or legislation, consumers and entrenched, powerful institutions like the auto industry. The intersection between the internal combustion engine and technological progress in the film highlight the opportunity for a new paradigm for industry growth. If like oil/energy companies today GM were able to look beyond their primary mechanism for sales and provide a new platform like the EV1 they diversify toward greater growth opportunities. That General Motors maintained its vested interest in the internal combustion engine is understandable structurally. Not, however, profi...

While rummaging through some personal affects in a box full of old things,mostly garbage, from seemingly another life. You know the box, the one that all those cheesy letters and cards, pictures and yearbooks, baseball cards, Cd's , stuffed animals(yes its true x2) and other bits and pieces of youth end up piled into. The kind of box that is full of stuff you keep because it is funny or nostalgic, stuff that you can look back and laugh at the experience of youth. In this box shaped like one of those old shipping crates complete with locks and latches, band and bumper stickers, otherwise homeless items needing to make space for what comes next found safety from the bin. My box stored in the rarely visited corner of my mom's basement seemed at first like buried treasure. I felt a wave of nostalgia and giddy, embarrassing emotion come over me when I thought to open it up for a look. To my surprise I discovered this piece of paper, an idea for the toast that I was to give at my br...

Today there is war and rumor of war. We want none of it. But while we guard our shores against threats of war, we will continue to remove the causes of unrest and antagonism at home which might make our people easier victims to those for whom foreign war is profitable. You know well that those who stand to profit by war are not on our side in this campaign."Peace on earth, good will toward men"‹democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live without that true religion which gives a nation a sense of justice and of moral purpose. Above our political forums, above our market places stand the altars of our faith-altars on which burn the fires of devotion that maintain all that is best in us and all that is best in our Nation.We have need of that devotion today. It is that which makes it possible for government to persuade those who are mentally prepared to fight each other to go on instead, to work for and to sacrifice for each other...