margin

Leon the Pigfarmer

It was my birthday on the 27th.
My China team gave me this cute little guy for a cake.

In my first advertising job I got the nickname Leon the Pigfarmer.

I have come full circle.

According to this analysis in the International Herald Tribune, more Republicans turned up to vote for Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul rather than the presumptive GOP nominee, John McCain than the margin with which Sen. Hilary Clinton beat Sen. Barrack Obama.

This spells trouble for the Republicans. If they can’t make hay while the sun shines now before the Fall, they are going to have trouble beating either Clinton – or more likely Obama.

In this TED.com talk, Amory Lovins offers some ideas on how the USA can deal with its peak oil problem. Which frankly, scares the living see r ay pee out of me. Just ask James Howard Kunstler. He’ll tell you.

I am no economist. But Lovins’ ideas seem so simple and executable that you wonder what all the panic is about.

Which brings my to a favourite issue of mine. Ideas should be open. Really, really open. How else do they break down the places where they are needed.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a database could be built on teh interwebs through which simple, beautifully articulated solutions could be posted. And if the system could match to beautifully articulated and simple issues or challenges. And if users could vote for their favourite solutions to a problem, like:

• How to recycle tyres
• What to do with old ladies
• Solving Beijing’s atmosphere

etc. etc.

But then, I’m the eternal optimist.