Ideas, actions, and inspiration for a better tomorrow - June 16, 2017

Natural Resources, the Future

Why hydro-politics will shape the 21st Century

“While the evil syndicate’s role in the film (Quantum of Solace, 2007) might not be entirely realistic, this piece of fiction does raise a scenario that is worth considering seriously: what would happen if a country’s water supply was cut off? What would be the global fallout?

Think about it: sure, we need water to survive. But it also fuels a country’s commerce, trade, innovation and economic success. This has been the case for time immemorial, from the Nile in Ancient Egypt to the Amazon in the Brazilian rainforest.”

Family Leave, Equality

Most Major U.S. Employers Fail on Paid Paternity Leave. The ACLU Says That’s Illegal.

Fair is fair. Men should have the same parental/family leave rights.

“Rotondo is asking J.P Morgan to apply its paid leave policies equally to men and women and to pay retribution to him and other male employees who didn’t get the same paid leave their female peers were granted. If he succeeds, companies around the country may have to revisit policies that seem generous from the outside but ignore the realities of contemporary parenthood.”

Climate resiliency, Infrastructure

Building Towards Resiliency with Healthy Digital Ecosystems

“So how can we reimagine and rebuild our relationship to technology to rebuild our communities of trust, even as social and political forces work against building unity and safety through ethical applications of technology? This work is increasingly important as the media and communications industries become more consolidated; as regulations are rolled back and consumer protections eroded; and as poorer communities, with less access to information and technology, have less access to meaningful employment.”

Invisibilia Podcast – Implicit Bias

The Culture Inside

This is so worth a listen. 

“Scientific research has shown that even well-meaning people operate with implicit bias - stereotypes and attitudes we are not fully aware of that nonetheless shape our behavior towards people of color. We examine the Implicit Association Test, a widely available psychological test that popularized the notion of implicit bias. And we talk to people who are tackling the question, critical to so much of our behavior: what does it take to change these deeply embedded concepts? Can it even be done?”

Leisure, Wine

How to make sangria

It’s the start of the weekend, so enjoy a refreshing sangria. Click on the title to get the recipe. 

“It has a unique charm, whether you’ve picked it up in a carton from a Spanish supermarket or have made your own, festooned with abundant bobbing orange slices. The relatively simple composition of wine, a soft mixer and fruit leaves it open to interpretation too, meaning if iced red wine with lemon isn’t your thing, there’s sure to be a version to suit you.”

Ideas, actions, and inspiration for a better tomorrow - June 15, 2017

Education:

Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs

“Meaningful progress toward equity in education does not necessarily mean equal resources for all. Some students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds are starting with less than their peers, and therefore require additional resources to achieve the same level of success. Educational equity means that every student has access to the resources and educational rigor they need at the right moment in their education, despite race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, family background, or family income. State education chiefs are uniquely positioned to lead their state toward achieving educational equity.”

Click on the title above to download the PDF, which is a 10-point plan to guide education chiefs. It is a short read and one that I found to be compelling and packed with ideas for improving educational outcomes for all students.

Science, Space, Education & Opportunity:

The Millennial Astronaut Who Wants to Go to Mars

Meet Jessica Watkins:

“Watkins and 11 others were introduced last week as NASA’s newest astronaut class, selected from a pool of more than 18,300 applicants. Watkins turned 29 years old last month, and is one of the youngest astronaut candidates in history.”

“The space shuttle program did influence Watkins in another way. Watkins said she has dreamed of being an astronaut since she was about 10 years old, when she was attending Judith Resnik Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, named for the NASA astronaut who was killed with her six crewmates in the Challenger explosion in 1986, two years before Watkins was born.

“I imagine that I must have had a conversation about my parents at some point about, who is Judy Resnick, what did she do?” Watkins said. “And I think that must have been when I was inspired by her story and led to this passion.””

Technology & Healthcare:

3D printed bionic hands trial begins in Bristol

Click on the title above to view the short video.

“The world's first clinical trial of 3D printed bionic hands for child amputees starts this week in Bristol.

They are made by a South Gloucestershire company which only launched four years ago.

If the trial is successful the hands will become available on the NHS, bringing life-changing improvements for patients.”

Entertainment: 

Yoko Ono added to Imagine writing credits

Imagine is also one of my favorite songs. Congrats, Yoko! Giving credit where credit is due:

“Ono and her son, Sean Ono Lennon, were at the ceremony to pick up a song of the century award in honour of Imagine, and were not expecting the announcement.

"When they officially acknowledged - through my father's account - that my mother co-wrote Imagine, the song of the century, it may have been the happiest day of mine and [my] mother's life," Lennon told Billboard magazine.”

Personal Development:

17 Bold Ways to Boost Your Confidence 

Who can’t use a little more confidence? These ideas aren’t groundbreaking but need to be said or read repeatedly. Building confidence takes a little work too. #16 is the advice I most need to remember on the list. Good luck!

16. Stop comparing. Seriously.

Each of us has a unique mark to make on the world, and when we are caught up comparing ourselves to others, it only leaves us feeling less than or not enough in some way and diminishes our capacity to make the impact we alone can make.

The fact is, most of your comparisons are unfair because you have a tendency to compare...

• Your weaknesses to others’ strengths
• Your insides to others’ outsides
• Where you are now starting out against someone who’s been in the game far longer

Ideas and actions for a better tomorrow -- June 14, 2017

Skin cancer prevention:

Drug that creates a 'real sun-tan' could prevent cancer

The drug is not yet ready for use but holds much promise for getting a safe tan while also protecting against UV radiation.

Healthcare:

The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review

As the Trump Administration and Congress debate ACA repeal and replacement, gains in coverage and access as well as economic benefits to states and providers are at stake if the Medicaid expansion is repealed.

Corporate responsibility:

One Way to Fix Uber: Think Twice Before Using It

Time to quit Uber—for a while anyway. Give Lyft a little love instead, or a taxi.

“There’s a lot at stake. Ride-sharing, as an industry and a civic utility, is too big an idea to be left to a company like the one Uber is now. The company that wins this industry is bound to become one of the world’s most powerful corporations. Its executives and culture will indirectly shape how we build cities, how we use energy, how we employ and pay people. We will entrust it with the safety and the security of our families, our streets, our private data and even, conceivably, the national infrastructure.”

Civic action—read and listen:

Building America’s Next Great Awakening

“While Liu is encouraged by the post-election wave of civic engagement in this country, he is aware that many of us do not know what to do after the initial “primal scream.” Protests and marches are only the beginning of a movement. Truly knowing how to wield citizen power requires a deeper understanding of power itself.”

On voting, he says that not voting is voting. You are voting to give away your power. Think about that.

Tourism:

Move Over, Woodstock: There’s a New Generation of Great American Small Towns

“Part of the appeal of these small towns is how removed they can feel from the anxieties that complicate life elsewhere in the country. But as much as they serve as refuges, they also offer a measure of hope by challenging the currently popular notion that an insurmountable divide has opened between urban and rural America.”

I had an idea, while reading the article, that this could be a way to revitalize small towns across America. Create must-see tourist destinations, capitalizing on the uniqueness of the town's geography, culture, and industry plus promote locally owned businesses. Finance it through federal grants and private-public partnerships. An initiative such as this could create jobs too.