What's the Big Idea?

We face a crucial time in history. There are two paths before us: the way to utopia and the way to oblivion. There is no “middle road”. The consequences of our action and inaction lives have global implications. We all live on the same planet. Our lives are intertwined and interconnected.

We see now the consequences of betting on overly inflated housing markets to keep growing. The poor decisions made both by financial institutions and borrowers is having a devastating affect on world economies. Credit is drying up. Financial institutions do not trust the solvency of other financial institutions and will not lend to each other. Banks do not have the capital to lend to borrowers. They also wonder if loans will be repaid. Without access to credit, businesses cannot invest in research, development, production, etc necessary in order to grow. When folks are laid off from work or fear loosing their jobs they curtail spending. Businesses stop growing and shrink in size when demand for their goods and/or services ceases. We call this an economic recession, which we know describes the current state of affairs worldwide.

Similarly, in terms of waste and pollution, environmental policies, standards, and practices in San Francisco affect the quality of life in Beijing -- and vice versa. Unfortunately, the poorest people – those who live in the world's low lands and who farm for a living will be the most adversely affected.

Abject poverty worldwide is the leading cause of disease and death. It is also the biggest obstacle to everlasting peace and security. Desperate people will resort to desperate measures in order to survive. For this reason abject poverty threatens the earth's resources and health. As examples is this hemisphere rain forests have been clearcut and plowed under for wood and land. In this category are Haiti and Brazil. Closer to home Hurricane Katrina would have done less damage to the Gulf States if monies were set aside to repair, rebuild, or build systems and levies.

Today we have the resources to phase out abject poverty. As I see it, there are three basic and essential building blocks to create everlasting happiness and peace on the earth. I call these building blocks “Mega Intelligence Fields”. They are:

• Positive Collaboration on a Grand Scale – Research Revolution; a collaboration market of those motivated to end thug capitalism ("shadow" governments and gangsters who earn their money from victimless social prohibitions and taboos). The Harvard Business Review devotes numerous articles regarding collaboration as an effective management style (in http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org do a word search on “collaboration” and see what you get).

• Computer Based Learning (CBL) and Computer Based Training (CBT) – The best companies have the best educational programs. An excellent example of a blue chip company employing a brilliant and innovative scientist is the mathematician and father of fractal geometry, Benoit Mandelbrot, who works at IBM.

• Offer network services to “medallion holders” (to be explained in the Business Plan article of this blog) of research pertaining to their business, group, interest, hobby research project, etc. Every W.A.K.E., Inc. name, plan, or project offers network services to medallion holders.

The “financial glue” of these three building blocks come from the revenue received from sales to medallion holders and in “billboard” advertising to sponsoring agents of special interest groups (or SIGs).

Those with “more than enough” have the opportunity TODAY to share with those with "less than enough" to lift humankind out of abject poverty. (For the background of this concept see the article story of “Enuff” on this blog.)