“Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking,” Jerry Brown said in a statement. “The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.”

This is so true, just not for undocumented immigrants. We all want to work with people that are creative thinkers and improve our lives, but guess what, this is a dream. Dreams are achieved by hard work and determination, not hand outs or “entitlements”.

Are these students “entitled” to these funds? I am not saying that just because you are a documented U.S. Citizen that you’re entitled to these funds either, but they should get first dibs on them. This law really creates an economic discrimination against the current legal California Citizens, almost penalizing them for obeying the laws of the state. Entitlement seems to be the underlying theme to all of legislature and policy related to hand out/bail out programs. We constantly reward individuals for making bad decisions. So do we think by educating these individuals we eliminate these bad decisions? When do we start holding people responsible for their choices and actions? No matter if you are a documented or undocumented citizen there should not be any entitlement for anything not earned. The government makes it too easy for us to not apply our skills or learn new skills. This is a lot like training wheels on a bike, but due to these failed policies and laws of entitlements we will never take those training wheels off.

By no means is the message saying that these undocumented immigrants are not hard working, determined or deserving of these funds. While the pursuit of higher education is commendable and understandable, the point is that even if undocumented students were granted taxpayer funded aid for college, they would not be eligible to legally obtain a job in the U.S. The point is we are granting amnesty and free college funding to undocumented immigrants through this bill, but no one is paying attention and it has no long term economic benefit. This sends the message that if undocumented immigrants break the law by crossing the border, they will have the same rights and entitlements as U.S. Citizens. As someone who worked full time to put themselves through college this seems like it goes against everything learned along my journey to where I am today.

I will leave you with the Webster Dictionary definition of the word “entitlement”:

1a: the state or condition of being entitled : right b: a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract
2: a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also: funds supporting or distributed by such a program
3: belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges

Ironic?

The MLB has been beat up during this postseason with each successive Red Sox, Phillies, and Yankees loss.  Each of those teams bring their army of passionate fans not only to the stadium, but to the seats and barstools planted directly in front of the television.  When they don’t play deep into October, postseason television ratings suffer.

So purists rejoice, the St. Louis Cardinals are hosting the Texas Rangers in tonight’s Game 1 of the 2011 World Series.  The fans of both teams are passion-rich, yet number-poor and do not carry the TV ratings of their brethren of the Northeast.  And considering (1) the last time the Central time zone hosted the entirety of the World Series – in 2005, Astros v. White Sox – the MLB endured the lowest TV ratings to date, and (2) World Series ratings have dropped 74% since their peak in 1978 and 46% in the last 10 years alone, this World Series is almost assured to usher in the lowest TV ratings in the event’s history.

Via TVbytheNumbers.com, here are the World Series ratings data, from 1968-2010:

Which begs the question, why is it so easy to be dismissive of this “movement”?  The quick answer is the lack of leadership, the lack of credibility, and the lack of a coherent message and strategy.  A perfect example of these facts is the raw video I shot of the Occupy SF participants last Friday.

Certainly we can appreciate the passion, but is yelling, “F*** the Ferraris” going to resonate and add to your ranks?  Is posting 20 different signs with completely different messages going to connect with the target audience that can actually help make a difference?  Is standing shirtless on the side of the street going to get you a seat at the table?  Clearly rhetorical questions, but the barriers are easily highlighted.

So, should we just dismiss all of the “Occupy” protests?  Of course not.  Not until we’ve taken the time to understand what they’re truly after.  I’ll defer to outlets that do a far better job of outlining the Occupy mission (LA Times, Business Insider) and proponent web sites that articulate a more succinct message (We Are the 99 Percent, Occupy Together) to help with that.

And while I understand how easy it is to dismiss Occupy Wall Street and each of the other Occupy protests around the world, the movement is worth a little research, since they might actually be fighting for something we support.

Now, I’m no mathematician (an accountant, yes…totally different from mathematician…an astronomer to an astronaut would be apt comparison), but if a regular coffee pot holds six cups of coffee and I drink two cups a day, my gut tells me I could expect to make coffee once every three days. Is this a realistic expectation? Of course not, since there are several variables at play here, including what time the coffee is initially made, what time I make my coffee runs, how many people choose to wait for a fresh pot rather than taking the last cup, and most importantly, how many people work under the assumption that they were not hired to brew coffee.

Does this last factor bother people? Should we really expect our higher-paid employees to make the coffee like everyone else? Our inner-monologue pleads the case of the egalitarian breakroom, but perhaps the reality doesn’t transcend the cost-benefit economics of the situation. While some like to picture the office kitchen as the great leveler where CEO and summer intern work side-by-side, one filling the water reservoir while the other spoons the coffee grounds, the fact is that one of those two is prepping for a board meeting and the other is planning his next epic tweet. That is to say, the CEO is involved in making high-level decisions that will make or break the company, while our hypothetical intern has spent the last two hours raising his klout score.

Fortunately, Betty Feng, a former supply chain management professional over at GSCMotion, wrote a piece two years ago that is the answer to all our prayers…From Coffee to Business Process Improvement: A Story of Office Coffee. Now, this article is a little high-minded for this light-hearted conversation, but Ms. Feng was able create an efficient, scalable process for brewing the office coffee. And guess what else? There’s a flow chart! Problem…solved.

So if this deal passes through Congress, the Democrats need to call the EGTRRA extension what it really is, the Obama tax cuts.

- Matt

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Also, here is New York representative Anthony Weiner questioning the President’s “fight“ on this deal with Republicans.

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UPDATE, 12/9: Well, that didn’t go as planned.

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Since the British Petroleum (BP) well erupted at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20th, roughly 800,000 gallons of oil has been spilling into the Gulf of Mexico on a daily basis. While BP has been making limited progress in slowing the leak, they have estimated that the well will not be capped until August, at the earliest. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has now estimated that the disaster cleanup could take years, but we can only speculate on the long-term damage to the sensitive Gulf marshes and the likely collapse of the local marine population. Rest assured we will be feeling the reverberations of this catastrophe for decades to come. One just has to look at the environmental and social impact on the Prince William Sound area 20 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill to get a glimpse of the exponential future repercussions of the worst oil spill in United States history.

If you are like me and have been following BP’s self-inflicted soap opera over the past 49 days, you are frustrated and angry. You are frustrated over BP’s risky business practices and their inability to plan for the potential consequences of such behavior (hastily strung together stoppage techniques like “The Box” and “Top Kill” do not count as a disaster plan). Surely you are also frustrated over the widespread corruption and incompetence at the Minerals Management Service, which is supposed to act on behalf of the American people and is “responsible for inspection and oversight of energy companies to ensure they are following the law and protecting the safety of their workers and the environment.” Unfortunately, having a good mission statement doesn’t stop oil spill disasters. And finally, if you are like me, you feel angry at your inability to make any meaningful impact on this disaster. Fortunately, both you and I would be wrong to think we are completely helpless.

When I typed “how to help the oil spill cleanup,” strangely very few applicable links popped up and there certainly was no comprehensive resource. However, after some digging I found a lot of good information and have already started taking steps to make my own personal impact. And assuming there actually are people out there like me who want to help, but aren’t sure how, I have summarized five action items you can start today.

1. Volunteer your time -- Many organizations are recruiting volunteers, including The Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LBB) offers a few ways to volunteer and the Environmental Protection Agency has created DeepwaterHorizonResponse.com, which includes hotlines to volunteer opportunities.
2. Adopt a bird -- The International Bird Rescue Resource Center (IBRRC) has an ongoing adopt-a-bird program where you can help ducklings, egrets, and pelicans that have been effected by this oil spill and other disasters (see image below).  Perhaps due to legal requirements, sometime in the past few days the IBRRC changed their donation page to note that “BP has committed to paying for the clean-up and wildlife rescue efforts in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. While your donations cannot be used to fund bird rescue operations in this spill, IBRRC welcomes support for its ongoing programs to rescue and rehabilitate aquatic birds by donating, becoming a member or adopting a bird.”  In any case, the IBRRC appears to be on a mission worthy of your support.
3. Get a haircut -- A unique way to support the oil spill cleanup effort is to get a trim at a barbershop or salon that sends off your clipped hair to be used in those oil containment booms we’ve seen all over the news. The non-profit Matter of Trust provides further information and the following video offers a little insight into this unique way to help:  

   www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAou7qy4BvE

4. Make noise -- Although you can submit suggestions on stopping the oil spill and/or limiting the damage to the Deepwater Horizon Response site (apparently BP’s suggestion box has been overflowing for some time now), you should also be sharing your thoughts with both your locally and nationally elected representatives. If you think the government response has been lacking, if you want better oversight of offshore drilling, or if you’re tired of multi-national corporations polluting our oceans (all of the above?), make yourself heard.  Review our Contact Your Government article from last year, which provides an easy way to get in touch with your mayor, governor, congressperson, senator and president in a matter of minutes.
5. Stay informed -- Several sites keep you up-to-date on the oil spill, but some of my favorites include the LBB’s Oil Spill Crisis Map, the National Wildlife Federation, NOAA, and the sad but true Consolidated Fish and Wildlife Collection Report from IBRRC.  Most news outlets will give you top-level information on BP’s response, but these sites will give you more detailed information that shows the true breadth and impact of the disaster.

If you have any other suggestions on how individuals can help the oil spill cleanup effort, share your thoughts below.  And if you’re in need of a laugh at BP’s expense, check out the Twitter feed of their “public relations” consultant, Terry (@BPglobalPR).  During this dark and absurd time, we need all the levity we can get.  Best of luck.

- Matt

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

- Matt

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“Political freedoms (in the form of free speech and elections) help to promote economic security. Social opportunities (in the form of education and health facilities) facilitate economic participation. Economic facilities (in the form of opportunities for participation in trade and production) can help to generate personal abundance as well as public resources for social facilities.”

You might find this either basic or esoteric, but it certainly deserves some thought. Although I think he was actually discussing nation-building, if there is a formula for what makes America such a prosporous nation, Sen’s idea has provided the most accurate and concise I’ve ever seen.

- Matt

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Before you take a look at the 45-minute video, here are my main five takeaways from Friedman’s presentation:

1. Global economic competition has been flattened in the last decade. (06:10)  According to Friedman, “From the year 2000 to the present, [competition] was shrinking the world from size small to size tiny and flattening the global economic playing field at the same time.  Only what’s really new, really different, really exciting, and really terrifying, is that this era of globalization is certainly not spearheaded by countries, and it’s not exclusively spearheaded by companies anymore.  This era of globalization is spearheaded by individuals.”  During these times of mass media and mass communication, we are also witnessing a new dawn of mass competition on a global level. 
2. Friedman’s four “Key Flateners” consist of the PC, Netscape, the “Work-flow Revolution,” and Uploading. (07:20)  Everyone’s familiar with the power of the PC, but the Netscape browser brought the Internet to life and it’s successful 1995 IPO boosted investment in fiber optic cable all over the world.  This led to greater world-wide collaboration and eventually, to today’s YouTube and Wikipedia.  
3. Iron rule of business on the Flat World Platform: Whatever can be done, will be done. (17:48)  “The only question left is, will it be done by you, or to you?”
4. The way the U.S. is going to stay on top is to start a real Green Revolution (32:50).  We all like to think we are becoming more energy efficient and making progress in the fight against global warming, but Friedman brings up an important point about this Green “Revolution”.  He says, “Have you ever been to a revolution where no one got hurt?  This is not revolution, this is a party.” (36:55)  Now, Friedman’s not suggesting an uprising and installing an authoritarian regime.  Rather, he’s stating that for true fundamental change in clean energy, companies who fail to innovative will disappear. 
5. The problem with the term “green,” is that is has always been named by its opponents. (42:16)  Green has been labeled “liberal, tree-hugging, sissy, girly-man, unpatriotic, vaguely French.”  This term needs to be rebranded to mean what it truly stands for: “geo-political, geo-strategic, economic, capitalistic, entrepreneurial, patriotic.”  As Friedman says, “Green is the new red, white, and blue.” 

Pretty powerful stuff. 

- Matt

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• First they had to deal with the American consumers’ notion that foreign cars were better built and lasted longer (a complete exaggeration, American cars are perfectly engineered… to last exactly 36,001 miles);
• Then came that pesky gas crisis, when $4/gallon gas forced consumers to realize that their Escalade on 24′s wasn’t as good on gas as a Mini Cooper (might explain the meteoric sales increases of Big Dog brand clothing (overcompensation perhaps?));
• Don’t forget that whole national auto sales down 40% from previous years thing;
• And now they have to deal with a new boss… not a CEO, but a CIC! (Commander in Chief)

Obama has very clearly lowered the boom on GM and Chrysler (Ford did not need bailout money) going so far as to remove GM CEO Rich Wagoner after 30 years of service explaining that this is “a recognition that it will take a new vision and new direction to create the GM of the future.”  No offense Mr. President, after all you did correctly choose the Final Four winner, but I don’t think that riding around in the back of an armored General Motors limousine qualifies you to run the company!

And why all the scrutiny?  We don’t care about the $170 billion we gave to AIG, but a tenth of that has you dedicated to push GM into bankruptcy which could lead to the destruction of an American institution?  The President has ordered GM to shrink labor costs, reduce the models available for sale as well as the dealers that sell them, and if possible, get rid of the under performing brands (sorry Hummer and Saturn owners).  Now honestly, I am as shocked as you that I am writing this today in defense of the Big Three.  As a confirmed BMWphile who has also owned four Fords, I can promise you its not because I think the cars are amazing.  But I think that as far as bailouts go, fair is fair.

As far as I am concerned, AIG participated in outright daft if not intentionally deceitful business practices, and they are still allowed to function without ridiculous oversight.  All GM did was build millions of dramatically inefficient light trucks and SUV’s for consumers who wanted to buy them, attempted a sacrifice bunt (sorry, it’s opening week for MLB, finally!) in the small car market (has anyone had the privilege to drive a Cobalt?), and when the market demands shifted they had nothing to sell.  I agree, not smart, but now they have until June 1st in a recessionary auto market to fix their problems, or Washington will declare bankruptcy for them.

I am truly scared, because what is more American than eating apple pie and drinking PBR in the back of your Chevrolet pickup while tailgating at a St. Louis Cardinals game?  Try that in your Honda pickup and we will probably find you with Jimmy Hoffa and Pepsi Clear.

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