Nine Shift

Pope Attacks Capitalism and Inequality

In an historic and turn-about for contemporary religion, the Pope has lent his support for more equality, attacking unfettered capitalism and the awful inequality of wealth in society.

See the story here.  One hundred years ago, when inequality was at the same disproportion, there was a huge movement to make society more equal. It led to the income tax in 1916.

Today a similar movement is gaining ground. The $15 an hour minimum wage law in Seatac, WA, passed last month, is one example. 

What the Pope has done is to allow people of faith to support greater equality of wealth. The church, both Protestant and Catholic, has ignored or even praised inequality of wealth.  Now the Pope has made a huge turn-about for the church, injecting a moral imperative in the fight for more equality. Thank you Pope Francis.

 

The Future of the Post Office

The new Sunday post office delivery for New York and LA this holiday season is a good sign.
We did not predict the Post Office will do package deliveries several times a day, but we did recommend it years ago as the way to save the Post Office.

So the Sunday package deliveries is a good start.  The deliveries can only come from one source: Amazon, but again it is a good start.

Late fall in Wisconsin

Mainstream Republicans Start to Take Back Party from Tea Party

It's good news for the country.

This week mainstream Republicans started to take out the "Tea" in their Party. They challenged, with money as well as moral support, Tea Party candidates. In 2016 they will regain control of their Party. In 2020 GOP will win the White House.

Here's an example of why this is good for the country. Before 2010, train advocates unanimously praised the bi-partisan support they had for trains. And by 2020 both Republicans and Democrats will support trains and funding a passenger rail infrastructure.  And that's good for the country and Gen Y-- the future of our country.

Beginning of the end - - of autos. Above, the first car share cars I have seen in our small town. Some 100 years ago the first autos appeared in small Midwestern towns like ours, and within ten years autos had beat out the horse and buggy.  Within ten years, trains will beat out cars, with car sharing contributing to the decline in driving and car sales.

 

 

Election Results

Election results: 21st century wins. SeaTac minimum wage up to $15/hour. Colorado passes marijuana tax; education tax fails, but it's a start. GOP beats Tea Party in several races, start of GOP return to mainstream.

November and the leaves are still beautiful

Khan Academy: From Math to Propaganda

Part 2 of my rant on why Mozilla and Khan Academy are non-profit in name only.

Last night I saw a TV ad for the Khan Academy, sponsored by the for-profit Bank of America.
Then I found a Khan video on banking. Here's the actual title or preview copy,

"Introduction to how banks make money and the value they (potentially) add to society."

There's the payoff.  What do you think?  Has Khan moved from math to propaganda?

Pumpkins in the river after Halloween.