Saturday Links of the Week – Oct. 8, 2005

Posted on October 8, 2005 by Dave Pollard
anwrLessons from the Collapse of the Soviet Union: Dmitry Orlov digs into the real reasons for the Soviet collapse, and draws some frightening parallels to the current state of the US. Sample: “During the pre-perestroika “stagnation” period, due to the chronic underperformance of the economy, coupled with record levels of military expenditure, trade deficit, and foreign debt, it became increasingly difficult for the average Russian middle-class family of three, with both parents working, to make ends meet.” Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Thanks to Dale Asberry for the links.

Canada to Get High-Speed Wireless Everywhere: Canadian communications giants Bell and Rogers are jointly working on a proposal to make high-speed wireless Internet access everywhere in the heavily populated strip of the country. It will take three years, but it’s an important project, one that will differentiate Canada powerfully from most other Western countries.

US Arctic Drilling Law Indemnifies Big Oil: The new legislation to allow drilling in the fragile ANWR (pictured above) lowers environmental standards and contains loopholes big enough to drive an oil tanker through. Here’s the analysis from the Wilderness Society.

New Book on Self-Realization: One of our favourite readers, Indigo Ocean, has just published an intriguing book called Being Bliss. Read excerpts here. My review will be coming up later this month.

Taking Customer Collective Wisdom to its Logical Conclusion: What’s next after tapping the wisdom of crowds of customers to identify and design your next new products? This article from Business 2.0 suggests it may be giving your customers the means to design and create their own personalized versions of your products. In other words, outsourcing manufacturing to your customers. 
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8 Responses to Saturday Links of the Week – Oct. 8, 2005

  1. Conor says:
    October 8, 2005 at 14:15

    RE: Wireless in Canada – Yes, except in the Republic of San Francisco if Mayor Newsom has his way. Hurray for public wireless for everyone!

  2. J.D. Hollis says:
    October 8, 2005 at 20:47

    Just one more reason to move to Canada:)

  3. kerry says:
    October 10, 2005 at 08:31

    The South African government is allocating funds and land to American spiritualits who claim to cure AIDS by the ‘laying on of hands’. Is anyone aware of this? I have all the details!I would not for a single second disagree with giving emotional warmth to AIDS babies who have been abandoned. But claiming that the HIV virus is cured by their ‘spiritual’ practises is not only dubious, it may even be dangerous.The government also consults with self-proclaimed European ‘shamans’ to hold workshops encouraging people to embrace and create chaos. I’m not making this up.Is there anywhere left in the world that acknowledges true science and nature as a means to survive?Superstition is not the next step beyond religion.Both are based on lack of knowledge.Knowledge is our only way forward.Is there anywhere in the world that isn’t run on one or the other?

  4. kerry says:
    October 10, 2005 at 08:52

    In my naive optimisim I truly thought that SA had a chance to move beyond religion.I had so much hope for this country. I truly believed that the origin of human kind would also find the way forward by leap frogging all the mistakes and embracing knowledge as the way forward.Instead, it would appear that its becoming fertile ground for intellectual outcasts to come and experiment with every pseudo-science imaginable!

  6. Emily says:
    October 10, 2005 at 21:51

    Speaking of self-realization, Eckhart Tolle’s new book is coming out on the 11th. It’s called “A New Earth”. Sounds like it has at its heart a “spiritually evolve or die” message for our species.

  7. Indigo says:
    October 12, 2005 at 15:20

    Thanks for the mention of my book, Dave. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy reading it – and please, please, please do the exercises. Best to you.

  8. Dave Pollard says:
    October 15, 2005 at 16:05

    Emerging: That really is discouraging news. A nation that healed itself so brilliantly after such dreadful segregation, and yet it can’t seem to face the reality of a disease that is the scourge of a generation, and which promises to undo everything that has been done. Avi/Emily, thanks for the references, I will check them out.

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