KIVA.org Atheist group breaks US $1 Million!
On October 7, the Atheist, Agnostic, Skeptic, Freethinker, Secular Humanist and other Non-Religious (AASFSHNR) team passed the amazing sum of US $1,000,000 in loans. Join us!
Want to make a difference, and do it nearly for free? Kiva.org collects small amounts from individuals (as little as $25) and lends the money to poor entrepreneurs with humble business plans. The site allows you to pick who you lend to, and to track their progress throughout the loan. You can watch as loans are repaid and your account is credited. All accounting is in the open, and repayment rates are exceptionally high.
Kiva.org is also a social site. You can chat with other lenders from all over the world by joining one of the over 450 existing communities, or by creating your own.
As a strategy for alleviating world poverty, microlending has many advantages over traditional charitable approaches. For lenders, it is much more sustainable since each dollar can be re-loaned countless times. For borrowers it is more respectful, educational and empowering. Put simply, it’s more effective.
Microcredit originated in 1976 when Professor Muhammad Yunus, Head of the Rural Economics Program at the University of Chittagong, successfully enabled extremely impoverished people to generate income through self-employment and, in many cases, exit poverty.
John Hatch, a Fulbright-trained economist and international development expert—began a similar loan program in Bolivia in 1984. From FINCA International’s www.villagebanking.com website:
The program allows them to obtain loans without collateral and gives groups of neighbors the power to collectively disburse, invest and collect loan capital as they see fit.
Microcredit is increasingly gaining credibility in the mainstream finance industry, and many traditional large finance organizations are contemplating microcredit projects as a source of future growth.
Visit Kiva.org to find out more, and join like-minded people all over the world helping others help themselves!
Made in America, or: how soon they forget
Does anyone remember “Made in America – Regaining the Productive Edge,” published in 1995 by Michael L. Dertouzos, Richard K. Lester, Robert M. Solow? My favorite part of the conclusion:
Understanding the root causes and agreeing in principal with a broad set of imperatives is a still a far cry from the relentless resolve that we feel will be necessary of the U.S. to revitalize its industrial performance. Regrettably, the kind of will and purpose that we believe will be required is not yet pervasive, even though much progress has been made. Perhaps it is too early, and a few more economic tragedies must take place before the process of awakening becomes widespread.
Are we there yet?
“Made in America” is the report of the commission appointed by MIT President Paul E. Gray in November 1986 “to identify what happened to US industrial performance and what we and others might do to help improve the situation.”
It’s an analysis of US industrial problems, with detailed recommendations on how to help the US regain our productive edge. And guess what! There’s an industry study on the auto industry. In the first paragraph in the study, they ask the question
How did the auto industry, a bulwark of the American economy, lose it’s strong competitive position?In retrospect, it appears a crucial event was Detroit’s decision to concentrate on the “family-size” car, which allowed overseas competitors to capture other market segments. The most important other segment was that of compact cars, imports of which grew rapidly after the oil crisis in the early 1970s.
The bold is mine. Deja vu all over again.
In an article on the release of the report (1989), Prabhat Mehta writes
The culmination of a two-year, eight-industry study, Made in America examines the causes of the recent slowdown in US productivity growth and makes recommendations for improved economic performance. It cites six problems relating to productivity performance: outdated strategies, short time horizons, technological weakness in development and production, neglect of human resources, failures of cooperation, and government and industry at cross-purposes.
Recommendations for improvement include specific proposals for industry reform and larger macroeconomic imperatives. Focusing upon international markets and the importance of technology and education, the macroeconomic recommendations call for a focus on “the new fundamentals of manufacturing,” the cultivation of a new “economic citizenship,” a blend of cooperation and individualism, adaptation to an emerging world economy, and provision for the future through investment and education.
This is a great book, and tragically, still absolutely relevant. Besides the mea culpa issues for the auto industry that are parroted in the media and on Capital Hill, the authors cite major productivity weaknesses, including short-term research and development horizons, neglecting technological best practices and improvement, neglecting education and training (a topic Krugman has championed for coping with a global economy), and government and industry at cross-purposes in the use of tariff and trade laws. There’s plenty of blame for the auto industry, but plenty to go elsewhere too, like universal health care, which our competitor businesses don’t pay for; like an education system that addresses the reality of a changing workforce in the face of global free trade; and like a government that doesn’t leave critical, long-term R&D to to the profits-focused free market. Just to start…
Update: Read on MIT’s website, “With over 300,000 copies in print in eight languages, Made in America is the best-selling title in the history of MIT Press.”)
I’m $aved! Church of Stop Shopping
I’m on an anti-liturgical spree! The statement of belief for the Church of Stop Shopping:
Reverend Billy in Times Square
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir believe that Consumerism is overwhelming our lives. The corporations want us to have experiences only through their products.Our neighborhoods, “commons” places like stoops and parks and streets and libraries, are disappearing into the corporatized world of big boxes and chain stores. But if we “back away from the product” – even a little bit, well then we Put The Odd Back In God!
See the movie ‘What would Jesus Buy?’ (it’s at Netflix)–see WalMart exorcised. It’s a riveting documentary, with an eye-opening commentary on sweatshops and international labor practices.
For more “odd in god” see the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and be touched by his noodly appendage…
Feeding America
Give if you can.
Feeding America says one in eight Americans are struggling with hunger—and it’s only going to get worse. I’ve given up exchanging Christmas gifts in favor of giving what I can to local food banks. All of you struggling with what to get me, just follow the link!
Why Tuesday?
I love this idea—an election holiday for voting. I believe our voting system is badly broken. With as much lip service as the US gives to other countries on democracy, our voting system and levels of participation don’t compare well. Election day should be a holiday, a celebration—not a burden.
And the voting machines shouldn’t be pre-set.
I found a link on Think Progress to Why Tuesday? and saw that Norm Ornstein is on the Board.
I love Norm, he’s a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (really Norm?—AEI?), an election analyst for CBS News and writes a weekly column for Roll Call newspaper. I have every book he’s written (how many people can say that?)—my favorite is “The Broken Branch.” He can be hired for speaking engagements; I’m saving up for him to speak at my next birthday. And Andrew Young is on the Board, too. Go on over there and give ‘em some love…
