IT’S ALL GOOD... GOOD NEWS!

It seems the world is getting back in track. After some uncertain months of rollercoaster economic forecasts, bailouts and bankruptcies it seems the future is looking brighter than ever. Here are some news that are sure to lift your spirits (that is, if you are in the green wagon)

- This article talks about the new Prius which has factories working overtime. While the rest of the car manufacturers are shutting down Toyota is selling more Priuses than it can produce.To read full article click here

- A public-private coal plant previously discarded because of high cost will be built in Mattoon, Ill. This plant will store nearly all of its emissions underground. The decision change was based on a cost calculation error that turned the project’s cost from $1.8bn into $1.3bn. To read full article click here

- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) one of the largest semi-conductor producers in the world is jumping into the solar cell and LED light arena. This compatibility between semi-conductors and solar cells first identified in Israel will open new markets for this industry giant. But, more importantly, it will call the attention of other competitors and therefore reduce solar cell and LED costs for the consumers. To read full article click here 

- Bonneville Power Administration, whose power lines carry much of the electricity in the US Pacific Northwest is ramping up their capacity using wind power. The article talks about the demand of some groups to shut down some of the company’s hydropower to protect wild salmon. But, from my perspective, the article brings good news regarding substitution of dirty sources of power generation with clean power. The fact that this creates some conflicts with other groups is just part of the process. To read full article click here

- Climate Change Treaty, to Go Beyond the Kyoto Protocol, Is Expected by the Year’s End. More than 100 nations are negotiating a new treaty that will push the agenda further into cutting emissions of heat-trapping gases and preventing deforestation. To read full article click here

Any thoughts?

Here are some comments from last week’s Why incentives work, and don’t work? (some are VERY INTERESTING. Thanks!)

“In my experience good people tend to attract money rather than money attracting good people”

“Tell me how you reward people and I will tell you how they will act. If you reward people in an illogical inconsistent manner, that's exactly how they will act. Now, if they also get the best administration who understands how to motivate people to giving students a better education with above average teachers in the classrooms I think it will be an amazing system”

“The problem isn't the incentive it is the accountability. The inflated pay is not the reason why good teachers would be found in this new school. It is the accountability that comes with the high pay that weeds out the lesser candidates”

“My thoughts were to have a top school who charges zero tuition but gets paid a percentage of the students earnings for the first 20 years of work. From that, the teachers receive a "dividend" from each child they taught. This way their retirement fund grows from those they taught. It would be a great incentive for the teacher to see that the student is truly able to succeed in life, as their retirement directly depends on the success of the children they taught.
Also, while teaching have bonus pay based on the number of students actually retaining what was taught. This would require the elimination of all multiple-choice tests and every test would have only one question, regardless of subject matter. The question would be "What have you learned this semester from this teacher and show with examples". This would foster critical thinking skills rather than memorization and regurgitation. The percentage of subject matter that the students learned would directly relate to the bonus given.
This would create accountability and a co-dependency relationship between teacher and students”

“All incentives have the challenge of hitting the sweet spot of their intended and invoking the desired response. This one sounds off-target. Did teachers become teachers to make big money? Only if they were misguided and misjudged the teaching space”

“I think in your article you are ignoring that we as society have a very big interest that energy be cheap. Energy is one of the major taxes that everybody has to pay on their lives, so if we are worried over the long-term development of our industries and their competitiveness over time, energy, over time, needs to be low-cost (also, btw, communications and finance).
We should have an interest in developing 50mpg cars and such other technologies. Apart of having lower pollution, such machines are cheaper to operate and provide real advantages. But is making energy expensive the right way? Although it is a good incentive, it goes against other, more important goals”

Until next time: SHALOM!