Saturday, May 30, 2015

Global inequality: Some good news for development economists | The Economist#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15

From the link below, some useful indicators for the future, especially in the year of #action2015 and with the drive with the SDG's to #zeropoverty2030:











WE'VE been pointed towards this interesting chart, from a new paper by two economists at the Peterson Institute, a think-tank. It shows that development economists have much to be cheerful about. The chart shows the estimated global per-capita income distribution at three years: 2003, 2013 and 2035. From 2003 to 2013, global income inequality fell. There were fewer people bunched at extreme levels of poverty. The Gini coefficient of global inequality fell from 69 in 2003 to 65 in 2013. And median income rose from about $1,000 to $2,000 in just ten years.

The authors of the paper, Thomas Hellebrandt and Paolo Mauro, think that the next twenty years will be even better, largely thanks to rapid growth in emerging-market economies. Hundreds of millions will be lifted out of abject poverty due to strong growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. And as China's economy continues to expand, consumption patterns of people living there will start to look more like those in the West. As a result, the two economists expect global income inequality to continue to fall.




Global inequality: Some good news for development economists | The Economist#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15#b05g29f20b15

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Carter Emmart: A 3D atlas of the universe | Talk Video | TED.com

One of my themes has been tracking visualisation, so here goes:




Carter Emmart: A 3D atlas of the universe | Talk Video | TED.com

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

How to turn a liberal hipster into a capitalist tyrant in one evening | Comment is free | The Guardian

This is a good article for me, it shows how the Guardian are trying to position themselves in the light of the last Labour defeat and the proof that they and Labour mis understood their readers and the wider public and they want to find face in shifting their rhetoric.




It shows the nature of a created symbolic order formed by words, it shows what is being signified and what the signifiers are and it tries to present a case of a road that others are going down that they do not think they should, or at least that's how I read it.




How does the scenario of economic development lift people out of poverty, where and why does it start, how is momentum gained, at what point are the brakes applied or thye direction or rules changed.




Is this a supply driven or demand driven thing, do people what to buy Chinese stuff no, do they want sweat chops no, who is selling and who is buying what. I think it points to micro equality and ethics being driven upwards and macro inequality and ethic being imposed downwards. At some stage it normalises, by who and how. I don't think the left or right now, I think its down at the people level and of course there are many forces and effects there. Helping everyone is never easy but critical to be effective for the most people and ensure no one is left behind. No real answers in this link but the thinking divide is clear:




How to turn a liberal hipster into a capitalist tyrant in one evening | Comment is free | The Guardian

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Technology helps feed a hungry world - FT.com

From food to conflict and human migration, this is a good read on technology lead change and the role of mobiles, drones etc etc




".....................Mobile technology also facilitates the delivery of new forms of food assistance. By transferring cash or vouchers to people via their mobile phones, for example, relief agencies can go beyond simply delivering food and support local food suppliers.

Meanwhile, Global Pulse, another UN organisation, is using mobile technology to track patterns of human behaviour, helping improve the efficiency of humanitarian responses. “We’re looking for data out there that can help us understand what people are saying related to food security,” says Robert Kirkpatrick, Global Pulse’s director.
Social media are one source of useful information. For example, tracking Twitter complaints about having to pay too much for food can provide signals that people are struggling financially to feed their families adequately.

Additionally, by analysing the calls made through various cell phone towers, it is possible to track the movements of communities in the wake of conflict or natural disasters such as droughts, helping agencies to make faster, more accurate decisions on where to deliver food supplies.

Digital technologies are also helping improve the efficiency of farming. The available tools range from sensors and video cameras to drones and satellites. These technologies are what make “precision agriculture” possible, bringing scientific rigour to farming. .........."







Technology helps feed a hungry world - FT.com

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Jim O’Neill takes Treasury post for infrastructure and devolution - FT.com

Smart move with the focus ive seen over the years on antimicrobial strategy as well as regional development and economics




Jim O’Neill takes Treasury post for infrastructure and devolution - FT.com

Goodreads | Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Quotes (Author of Phenomenology of Spirit)

Goodreads | Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Quotes (Author of Phenomenology of Spirit)




Id love to find the quotes of those who today suggest one or other is left or right or extremist. What are the best quotes from people at either end of the spectrum, I suggest the best quotes are from people not on that spectrum but free. Today I believe many of us are free and can be free, much more so than in the past, but some choose not to be and that's all the way up and down the social spectrum.

Tackling Complex Social Problems Through Positive Deviance

And through the crossing the chasm and minding the gap the issue of disruptive thinking and even the concepts of akrasia and risk taking comes into this: leadership, avoiding nepotism and narcissism while leveraging any of the benefits they bring.




Tackling Complex Social Problems Through Positive Deviance

Diffusion of innovations

The roots of Crossing the Chasm and the impact of leadership and behaviour change in markets and social and societal contexts is now very clear!




Diffusion of innovations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Friday, May 08, 2015

#Election2015 result

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633099

The polls were wrong, although the exit poll pretty good.
The pundits were wrong.
The parties departing either new it and deceived or were deluding themselves by their nepotistic and narcissistic habit.

It was on the cards, due to the economic data, the lack of policies by the opposition and the fact that the UK public are not fools and want leadership and answers not just a narrative and attempts to make a smell stick somewhere else.

Lots of people dreading the next 5 yrs, we will see. The conservatives and SNP are now fully accountable and come 2020 they and the majority will know it!

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Watch Elon Musk announce Tesla Energy in the best tech keynote I've ever seen | The Verge

I loved watching this. I've seen a few keynotes/launches in my time. Humility, humor and pragmatic.I'm a fan !




Watch Elon Musk announce Tesla Energy in the best tech keynote I've ever seen | The Verge




17minutes and well worth the watch!