“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”

- Laozi; ancient Chinese philosopher, central figure in Taoism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sZKlKEU2do

You heard it here first, the Obama Administration will be investing heavily into the nation’s future by spending your (future) tax dollars on further developing renewable energy, retrofitting federal buildings to be energy efficient, and upgrading the nations’ energy and transportation infrastructure.

To quote President-elect Obama, “However we got here, the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security know no boundaries of party or ideology.”

Friends, we must all participate in building up America, again, to be the leader that the world expects and demands.  We must lend our support (time, money, expertise and skills) to the endeavors that move the United States and world in the right direction.  Be sure to communicate with your representatives in Congress to tell them about the problems and your communities face.  Our government officials need our input as leaders can not lead without the feedback from their followers.

Also, be active in reviewing the legislation that eventually is proposed in Congress.  It may contain provisions that do not move America in the right direction.   Tell our government leaders your opinion.  This, my friends, is more valuable than voting and you have earned the right to voice your opinion.

1) The United States elected its first minority President when it elected Barack Obama.  Some might even call Obama the U.S.’s first “green” President as fighting climate change is a top priority.  (Just 5 years ago, Americans would have scoffed at the idea of a President championing “green” initiatives.  Oh, we’ve made much progress!)

2) The 2008 Olympics occurred without major incident, proving that the world can come together to celebrate life and sport in a developing country and a Communist regime.  It also marked the arrival of China as a world economic power.

3) The world financial community has come together to combat what is considered the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

4) A record amount of investment has been made in the clean technology industry and it does not seem to be ending anytime soon.

5) The United States auto industry received a harsh wake up call and now must focus on selling what the market is demanding, fuel-efficient vehicles.

The list continues after the jump!

6) Globally, consumers have woken from their slumber to realize that “consumption for consumption sake” is not a sustainable behavior and they are rethinking what they purchase and consume and are doing more with less.

7) Globally, commuters are turning to transportation alternatives such as mass transit and ride sharing to get to and from work each day to save money and fight global warming.

8) Microfinance has become a viable and standard method to develop economies in impoverished nations thanks to the efforts of Muhammad Yunnus.

9) The public is choosing to consume locally grown, organic food to support their local farmers and to ensure a local and sustainable food supply.  There is even a term for it.  It is called being a “Locavore”.

10) Dr. Randy Pausch reminded us that life is not about the number of years lived, but about the quality of the years lived.

As I stated earlier, these are somber times in which we live, but there is much for which to be thankful.  I look forward to the positive steps society will take together in 2009.

Here is wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday season and wonderful New Year.  Cheers!

“Life means to have something definite to do—a mission to fulfill—and in the measure in which we avoid setting our life to something, we make it empty. Human life, by its very nature, has to be dedicated to something.”

- Jose Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955); philosopher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGpIT2bVZDw

We first wrote about President-Elect Obama’s transition into office by commending his use of new media technologies to interact with the public and he will be continuing his weekly address during his administration.

This week’s address is of particular note because he has unveiled a few key parts of his economic recovery plan.  The main points of his plan are:

1. All public buildings will be retrofitted to be more energy efficient.
2. Investments into the U.S. national infrastructure.
3. Upgrade and modernize school buildings.
4. Renew the U.S. information superhighway and provide opportunities for every child to access a broadband internet.
5. Connecting every hospital to each other via the internet as well as schools and libraries.
6. Measuring progress by the reforms made and the results achieved: jobs created, energy saved, and the competitiveness of the U.S.

I believe that item number 6 is the most important piece of his economic recovery plan.  Without the right measurements in place to measure each reforms’ success, the U.S. will be spending taxpayers’ money without knowing the effect it is having.  (It’s akin to driving at night without headlights.)  This piece brings everything together and justifies the money spent on each initiative.  Do you agree or have your own opinion?  Well, President-elect Obama and his team want to hear your ideas and feedback.  So, please share it with them.

I’m very excited by the investments in renewing the U.S. information superhighway, investments in the national infrastructure, and connecting all hospitals, schools, and libraries via the internet.  Obama’s economic recovery plan shows a lot of promise and l look forward to learning more about the details of his plan.

“Quit, don’t quit. Noodles, don’t noodles.  You are too concerned with what was and what will be.  There’s a saying, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.  That is why it is called the present.”

- Oogway, Quote from “Kung Fu Panda” (2008), Kung Fu Master, Turtle, Fictional character