They're huge and ruthless and define our lives. They're close to monopolies. Let's make them public utilities
EXTRACT
Broadband as a public utility? If not for corporate corruption of our political process, that would seem like an obvious solution. Instead, our nation’s wireless access is the slowest and costliest in the world.
In the last three days I have found four stories making the specious argument that we must continue to support carbon energy because it, and only it, will end poverty. I published one of the most glaring examples the other day. The truth however is rather different. Developing nations that are not already in the grip of the carbon energy corporatists are finding they can skip the whole carbon energy business in the same way they skipped the whole copper wire communications era, and went straight to wireless and mobile phones. And, when they make this decision, they discover how quickly they can develop power even in remote areas, as this essay describes.
5.0 out of 5 starsNobel-Level Work Essential to Understanding Our Bright Future, October 29, 2014
Sadly, the author is deceased. I have always considered him a contender for the Nobel Prize.
I am upset with Amazon for not carrying over reviews from past editions — new readers are advised to look up older editions of any books if they wish to take advantage of some of the extraordinary material provided by past reviewers. I will not replicate those other reviews — they are worth finding.
Here's the math that I was surprised to not see in the book: the top billion people that business focuses on are worth less than a trillion in potential sales. The bottom four billion, with less than $1000 a year in disposable income, are worth four trillion in potential sales.
Ashok Gangadean, PhD is Margaret Gest Professor of Global Philosophy at Haverford over the past forty-five years. He completed his PhD in Philosophy at Brandeis University and his early work focused on Logic (Science of Thought) and Ontology (Science of Being). Throughout his career he has been in quest of the primal integral logic at the heart of human reason, and in bringing to the fore the deep dynamics of communication and dialogue between diverse worldviews. He is Founder-Director of the Global Dialogue Institute which seeks to embody the powers of Deep Dialogue in all aspects of cultural life. He was a convener of the World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality which brings eminent world leaders together in sustained deep dialogue to cultivate global vision and wisdom for the new millennium. He is also Co-Chair of the World Wisdom Council which is focused on bringing the transformative power of wisdom to addressing the crises facing humanity today.
What will it take to get into the doughnut? Tackling inequality is key – and that means addressing resource inequalities in both consumption and production. Here’s why, in three messages.
Election officials in 27 states, most of them Republicans, have launched a program that threatens a massive purge of voter rolls, especially targeting minority voters.
Al Jazeera America has obtained 2.1 million names from the target lists, kept confidential until now. Experts reviewing the lists conclude it is suspiciously over-weighted with Black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters.
