Kiwi Scrum

February 2009, Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

There are disturbing messages below. This may not be pleasant reading.

The February LinkedIn hint:

If you were forced to change your job, does your LinkedIn profile support that objective?

Does your LinkedIn profile support your new business priorities given the 2009 Depression?

The Useful Common:

The Useful Common allowed me to collect over 600 pages of economic ideas during the last 4 years. That background helped me the write 12 essays about the Depression of 2009. Confidence in the future has evaporated. There are too many problems in the too hard basket.

There are investment opportunities in Brazil, Russia, India and China, but the Earth itself won't allow that using the industrial method we know. For billions of people to live well, they can't live like the "rich west". The BRIC countries can't develop using the old industrial model.

Like it or not, economic depression, reduces the pressure on all those problems that are "too hard". New values are being established. What is real and what is pipe-dream is being distinguished. A new beginning will be made possible. First: the re-evaluation of everything.

Engage with other people and Groups:

People who lack confidence about the future, you are unwilling to invest in capital goods. That's the "key" to the depression really.

The remarkable thing about the networks is that the Depression of 2009 is being denied. It's the devil that nobody is willing to mention. There's a lot of magical thinking going on. What we need is more talking, more cooperation, better planning and effective leadership.

Invitations

Grow your own network both on LinkedIn and in the real world. Help me to grow Kiwi Scrum, which now has 636 members. Are your own family members actively networking?

Volunteers

In Christchurch we have community email list called "Canterbury Issues" which is part of the E-Democracy movement that Steven Clift has been growing for over 10 years. Local forums will be very valuable if my dire predictions for the economy are true. So what about your city? Get two or three people together and do something about it.

The software for E-Democracy is developed in Christchurch by Online Groups."Email collaboration for groups".

The Value of Democracy

People complain about democracy because it's messy and inefficient. I wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs om 29th of December, distressed by the weakness of his statements about the war against Gaza. Today, unexpectedly I got a reply, plus two statements made by NZ at the United Nations. Those statements are strong and purposeful, while remaining "diplomatic". Full marks to Hon. Murray McCully on this one.

Regards
John