Author: Tim J. Clark

Big Ideas, Abortion, Elections, Alternative to the Zero-Sum Game

POST: Roy’s prediction on Islam in France going the route of unreformed Catholicism, Thomas P.M. Barnett on October 22, 2008

POST: I have waited years for this analysis on management consulting! Posted by Thomas P.M. Barnett on October 21, 2008

Started to reply to Tom’s postings but got long-winded so posted here …  The first post provides insight on religion, catholic schools and a position on the abortion issue.  I share a common background on being raised catholic and sending my kids to catholic schools. I’m also opposed to abortion and against any major changes to the existing laws.

The second posting  references the concept of the next Big Idea and positions Enterra and Resilience as the front-runner.

My pet theory on management consulting is that successful initiatives/programs re-package what every company has already done under a different name – the latest being lean and six sigma. What successful organization has never reduced waste, improved cycle time and maintained/improved stakeholder satisfaction?  From what I’ve read, seems Development-in-a-Box is an innovation that can accelerate cycle time for improving quality by providing systems and processes tailored to a specific situation.

My entry for the Next Big Idea is an improved problem resolution/decision making rule-set that offers an alternative to the zero-sum game.  Application of the process as it applies to the abortion issue.  Key points on the system/process: People can agree on facts, ideals and can find common causes that they can choose to work together to resolve. People will likely always disagree on desired outcomes, e.g., the legality of abortion. The U.S. system of government as is our legal system, is founded upon these principles.

The implication when it comes to the abortion issue is that those who are against abortion and who do not take action that results in improvement are contributing to the problem they say they want to resolve. In other words, improvement becomes a moral imperative.

Regarding the current presidential election, the zero-sum paradigm is maintained by political parties who generally have the most to gain by maintaining the current system.  An alterative (system/horizontal thinking point of view) for breaking this cycle provided in the article: A Transformation to Quality Government.   Another Big Idea is to use the concept of Prediction Markets to raise awareness and allow people to predict/anticipate which indicators will get better or worse over time.

The Two Koreas: Prospects for the Future

POST: Catching up with the Kims, Thomas P.M. Barnett on October 22, 2008

My years-old diagnosis for the second Bush term remains valid: deal with Iran, push North Korea’s collapse.

 ARTICLE: Forget not their abominations, By Václav Havel and Kjell Magne Bondevik, September 19, 2008

… we must not lose sight of the fact that the North Korean government remains responsible for one of the most staggering human-rights and humanitarian disasters in the world.

The world cannot continue to postpone discussion of these critical issues. We owe it to the people of North Korea to finally take action to alleviate their misery.

DoD: Business Transformation

CACI Wins Defense Deal, Washington Post, October 21, 2008, Pg. D4

CACI International, an information technology company in Arlington, said it received a Defense Department contract worth up to $260 million, calling for the company to support the department’s effort to provide “thought leadership and change management.”

The Business Transformation Agency, which CACI will be working with, is charged with guiding the “transformation of business operations throughout the Department of Defense.”

South Korea: Defense

U.S. Reaffirms Commitment To Defending South Korea
(Korea Herald)…News Reports, October 18, 2008

The United States yesterday made official its commitment to deploy “appropriate” additional forces to South Korea if necessary on the peninsula.

Under a Korea-U.S. alliance agreement, if a war breaks out on the peninsula, Washington plans to send 690,000 troops, 160 warships and 2,000 aircraft. The size of reinforcements will remain the same, the official said.

Economics: Mortgages

Blame Game Gets Nasty When It Targets the Poor, By Michelle Singletary, Sunday, October 12, 2008; Page F01

Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, or CRA.

CRA specifies that financial institutions cannot be forced to make loans or investments or provide services inconsistent with safe and sound banking practices.

No sir, it wasn’t lending under CRA rules that took down the mortgage industry. It was greedy, reckless banking executives, lending officers and mortgage brokers who were supposed to properly screen borrowers and apply prudent loan underwriting standards. It was lax and inadequate federal and state regulation that allowed exotic and predatory mortgages to be sold to borrowers.

New Weapon System Targeting Electronics

Fried Chips, (Aviation Week & Space Technology)…David A. Fulghum, and Amy Butler, Oct 20, 2008, pg. 28.

New USAF weapon could shut down or damage enemy electronics.

After years of hopeful talk and a number of test failures, U.S. Air Force researchers are planning to demonstrate an airborne, electronics-killing, standoff weapon that could receive funding in the Fiscal 2010 budget.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is planning to develop a weapons system that integrates a payload capable of generating pulses of high-power microwaves (HPM). The Joint Concept Technology Demonstration is called “Champ,” according to officials at Eglin AFB, Fla. If selected for funding in Fiscal 2010, the program would include feasibility studies and flight-testing.

Iraq Democracy Challenges Iran

Next President’s Iraq War, (Washington Times)…Austin Bay, Oct 17, 2008. p25.

In a month, Iraq will be the next president’s war. From the American perspective, the next president’s phase of the Iraq war will be twofold. First off, it will be a proxy war with Iran’s tyrannical mullahs. The second “fold” will be even more strategically significant: The next president’s war will measure America’s commitment to defending democracy and promoting genuine international security in the 21st century.

The Iraqi perspective differs a shade. Iraq’s war will be yet another Iran-Iraq war, but one where the Iraqis will have an organizational advantage and a significant ideological edge.

Iraq’s organizational advantage has two components. First and foremost, Iraq engages Iran with the United States as an active ally – unless the next U.S. president proves feckless and makes the inexcusably stupid mistake of denying Iraq diplomatic and military support in a crisis.

Iraq’s second organizational advantage is its increasingly capable military and more responsive government.

The next president will be tested by these robed thugs.

Iraq’s emerging democracy presents the mullahs with a complex challenge. Democracy gives Iraq an ideological advantage in its struggle with Iran’s dictatorship. Disgust and discontent has become a way of life inside Iran. The Khomeinist revolution has failed and fossilized as a corrupt theocracy backed by secret police and Revolutionary Guards. The Iranian people look west and see Iraqi Arabs and Kurds seizing a historic opportunity to create their own open, democratic system – and they know the mullahs are the gangsters denying them that opportunity.

Iraq Democracy Challenges Iran

Next President’s Iraq War, (Washington Times)…Austin Bay, Oct 17, 2008. p25.

In a month, Iraq will be the next president’s war. From the American perspective, the next president’s phase of the Iraq war will be twofold. First off, it will be a proxy war with Iran’s tyrannical mullahs. The second “fold” will be even more strategically significant: The next president’s war will measure America’s commitment to defending democracy and promoting genuine international security in the 21st century.

The Iraqi perspective differs a shade. Iraq’s war will be yet another Iran-Iraq war, but one where the Iraqis will have an organizational advantage and a significant ideological edge.Iraq’s organizational advantage has two components. First and foremost, Iraq engages Iran with the United States as an active ally – unless the next U.S. president proves feckless and makes the inexcusably stupid mistake of denying Iraq diplomatic and military support in a crisis.Iraq’s second organizational advantage is its increasingly capable military and more responsive government.The next president will be tested by these robed thugs.Iraq’s emerging democracy presents the mullahs with a complex challenge. Democracy gives Iraq an ideological advantage in its struggle with Iran’s dictatorship. Disgust and discontent has become a way of life inside Iran. The Khomeinist revolution has failed and fossilized as a corrupt theocracy backed by secret police and Revolutionary Guards. The Iranian people look west and see Iraqi Arabs and Kurds seizing a historic opportunity to create their own open, democratic system – and they know the mullahs are the gangsters denying them that opportunity.