The Unfolding Fallout of an Unhinged US

Canada, and Mexico, the USA’s two largest trading partners have been attacked with tariffs and sanctions, Canada is going to become a new US state, so too is Greenland apparently.

China, that holds $750 billion in US Trade Bonds (effectively holding the actual reins for US economic decisions) has been hit with tariffs over 200% or 75%, or 152% or whatever number it is today. Australia get’s a 10% whack.

NASA activities getting shut down, Women’s Health Initiative offices (ones that support cancer patients, dementia and more) to close, an already decrepit roads and bridges infrastructure country will see public works programs cut because, some guy that bought an electric car company off two inventors thinks that’s also a good idea.

The EU circle the wagons and China pretty much shrugs its shoulders, deciding what it might do instead – sell US Bonds causing the collapse of the US economy (probably not until they’ve secured some more business elsewhere in the world) but one thing China does have in spades that the US needs is rare earths for batteries. And computer chips – let’s not forget those. So that card is bound to be played pretty soon just as a nice reminder to the Trump offices.

Tourism bookings to the US have dropped by around 60%, especially since the ‘target any foreigner for deportation’ gang have started arresting tourists both at the border and inside the country.

And no we’re hearing hints of trumpian like ‘policies’ offered up in Australia’s election campaign (3rd of May).

How will this all end?  Sadly for my friends in the USA, poorly

Why who the next Prime Minister is might be of little importance

Aug 29, 2010

Whilst the counting of votes is over the election is yet to be completed. Right now the discussions continue between the ‘three amigos’ who are clearly maximising their time in the spotlight, and the two leaders of the major parties. And whilst the media is fixated on who ought to be, deserves to be, should…

Read More >

May we get the Goverment we both deserve AND need

Aug 20, 2010

If you’ve seen any of the media campaigns for the Australian Federal Election you could have come to the following conclusions: Julia Gillard had a fixation with hand getsures; Tony Abbott had a fixation on Boats; and the Greens had the best Television Commercial not only of this campaign but of any other they’ve had…

Read More >

Is Mainstream media a reliable guide to the 2010 Australian Federal Election?

Aug 12, 2010

If you’ve been following any of the mainstream media election coverage here in Australia (stuff in the usual papers, radio and TV programs) you’ve no doubt got a good understanding of what is going to happen on election day. The mainstream media synopsis thus far is that a) Julia Gillard got off to a good…

Read More >

‘Us’ or ‘Them’ – how to tell the customer they are irrelevant on your website

Aug 1, 2010

This great little cartoon/graphic says it all and although looking at the subject of Universities, there is much that we can all learn   Here’s the Graphic.  If your website spends all its time talking about you, and no time talking about the customer, how do you think your customers (and prospective customers) feel?  I…

Read More >

Preparing for your future corporate strategy

Jul 15, 2010

A series of recent activities has me writing on the idea of ‘future strategy’ and how different organisations are approaching their future development. What is interesting is the strong sense that preparing for your potential future requires multiple paths forward, not a single ‘home run’. To that end I’ve recently considered sporting bodies and local…

Read More >

The Crisis of Capital

Jul 4, 2010

Stephen Downes is one the handful of bloggers I follow consistently. I do so because Downes (unlike many others unfortunately) like to write about his thinking AS WELL AS promoting the thinking of others, whether or not he agrees with them. In that way you get a solid collection of alternative views within his field…

Read More >

Catching Up on some ‘Light Reading’

Jun 27, 2010

Coming off what has been undoubtedly my busiest period (3 months) in the past decade, I’m in the throws of catching up on some light reading. I usually have at least two books on the go and my preference is for the books to be about diverse topics because it allows the mind to seek…

Read More >

Nanotechnology Moves from idea to Application

Jun 15, 2010

Every now and again you have an opportunity to listen to some rare insights to an industry sector. These opportunities are typically rare because the insights need to come from someone who not only ‘knows their stuff’, they need to be able to translate their knowledge in a way that the average person in the…

Read More >

Another side to the Super tax on Mining

Jun 7, 2010

The ‘Supertax’ debate is an interesting one and as expected, both parties are heavily invested in their own outcomes. One thing the Mining Companies understand is that the tax will lower the size of their profits in boom times for the resources sector – they’ll still be raking in billions, its just that some of…

Read More >

Design Thinking as a Competitive Advantage

May 3, 2010

As more organisations look to gain an understanding of how to both identify and prepare for their potential and desired futures, Design Thinking is on the current radar screen as a skill set likely to provide significant value. On the 25th to 27th of may you can attend a highly interactive and practical conference on…

Read More >