Archive for October 7th, 2008

Synergic Guardians — Protecting the Future

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

20century: Timothy Wilken, MD
writes: The human body is a community of 40 trillion individual cells.
The individual cells are organized synergically to be interdependent
upon each other. They cannot separate themselves from the body as
community.

The survival of the cells depends on the survival of the
body. The needs and safety of the body precedes the needs and safety of
the individual cells.

Sometimes individual cells are injured or even
sacrificed to protect and insure the survival of the body as a whole.
The needs and safety of the community of cells takes precedence over
the needs and safety of the cells as individuals.

With the discovery
that humanity is an interdependent species comes the realization that
we humans can no longer separate ourselves from community. Humanity as
community is larger and contains humanity as individuals. The needs and
safety of humanity as community must precede the needs and safety of
humanity as individuals.

Our present culture based on the false premise
of human independence often places individual needs and safety over
community needs and safety.

This will shift dramatically in a synergic
culture.

The first law of the of the Guardian Trust Code commits to
protect Humanity as Community. The second law commits to protect
Humanity as Individuals.

This represents a major shift in human values
from today’s focus with the individual as primary to tomorrow’s focus
with community as primary. …

Within synergic community, actions that
injure humanity as community and/or humanity as individuals are
prohibited. …

Further, it is understood that actions that injure the
EARTH and environment—the natural resources, fertile soils, waters,
minerals, ores, metals, and the very air we breathe—also injures
humanity. It is understood that actions that injures LIFE—the plants
and animals and the biodiversity of all non-human Life—also injures
humanity. It is understood that actions than injures the wealth
produced by human action—whether in the form of Time-binding Trust or
Property of living humans—also injures humanity.

Therefore, the
Synergic Guardians stand to protect humanity both as community and as
individuals. (10/07/08))
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PLAN B: Time for Co-Operation

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Barry RitholtzBarry Ritholtz writes: Markets are looking ugly around the globe. Investors are voting on the bailout plan with their feet. The crisis is now accelerating.

This is a speech I’d like to hear either one of the candidates give. The man who expresses these views (or something close to it) gets my vote:

My fellow countrymen:

These are indeed extraordinary times. The country is in an economic crisis, housing has been in freefall, we are clearly in a recession, and now credit freeze is  worsening. We are living through what future historians will call The Great Financial Crisis of 2008.

Times such as these call for extraordinary leadership. Unfortunately, such leadership has been in precious short supply in Washington D.C. Our government has been reacting to events, rather than pro-acting. Its been all crisis management — putting out fires rather than preventing them. We have been on our heels, playing defense. That is not leadership; that is not considering possible events, and planning accordingly.

It is time for this leadership vacuum to be filled.

We have made some positive steps: A $700 billion-dollar bailout plan was passed by Congress last week, and while flawed, it is a first step. It is the biggest bailout bill in America’s history. But now is not the time to sit back and wait for results. We need to consider the next steps that must take place as a follow-on to this rescue plan, as well as contingency plan in case things do not go as we hope. Pray for the best, but be prepared for the worst.

We need a “Plan B.”

I propose the following: As of this morning, I have sent invitations to our nation’s brightest financial and economic thinkers. It doesn’t matter if they are in academia, or the private sector, or in government. It matters not to me if they are a Democrat or a Republican or Independent. Your country needs you, and I hope you will answer the call.

It is time for us to get on the offense.

What is needed now is for the intellectual capital in this country to be put to good use. We have many of the world’s finest universities, we have unparalleled genius amongst our populace. Rather than merely rely on a hastily crafted on-the-fly  plan, improvised in response to the eruption of crisis, its time we used our brains. We need to be both optimistic, and at the same time, we must always have a contingency plan. A great nation such as ours deserves at least that much. (10/07/08)
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