Real threat to the economy looming

Several student-loan lenders are backing out of the federal program, the result of the credit crunch and government subsidy cuts that have made the business of lending to students increasingly unprofitable.

An estimated eight million students and parents will seek $109 billion through FFEL for the coming fiscal year, according to Education Department data.

This is a genuine threat to the economy in a variety of ways, first the immediate threat of a contracting economy and that adverse effect on students, college town economies, and the broader economy; which includes back to school computers and all the items associated with those 4 years of life. Then there is the cost to the society of a loss of R&D talent, tomorrows leaders in business and technology today. And then there is the societal loss of divisiveness when H1B talent must be brought in to meet short falls in science and technology and the disenfranchised workers become zenophobic when opportunistic demagouges capitalize on hard times.

Students should shop aggresively for educations within budgets, and college should not be a deferred adolescent stage, where the "college experience" is financed with curriculum that doesn't meet societies needs.

So what of the engineers that we need to build closed systems that will turn algae to biofuel and sequester carbon? Where are the engineers to create even more efficient low wind turbines? Where are the chemical engineers to create higher density and conversion PVC? Where are the bio-engineering talent that will genetically modify algae to grow in darkness, under ground, and turn CO2 into fuel?

History tells us that adversity builds character, and history tells us that talents can be unrecognized as was the near case of the math genuis who solved the road coloring challenge, and that is the best summation of where we stand, a CHALLENGE for the ROAD forward.

I have supported the Apollo Alliance, and read an interesting article today. “Stop sending me research papers.” “Its doable” - Doug Kirkpatrick, DARPA

Lets reconsider that statement: When failure is not an option, “Stop sending me research papers.” “Its doable”

Well that is the attitude that is needed to tie-together funding of educational grants "REQUIRING" math and science, even for liberal arts students such as myself, for tomorrows needs. And a good Apollo Alliance will need non-partisan inclusion of unniversities and colleges, specifically community colleges to meet the first two years of advanced curriculums, where six years should be the norm.

There is a mind altering movie "the commanding heights" and the premise of that PBS show should now be sub-titled the race to sustainability. We cannot afford to fail as a society, it will take a utilitarian true believer of math and science, pragmatists, scientists, to make this next leap.

Even taking the time to look in the rear view mirror and point fingers is a waste of time, but in the global challenges that lie ahead, we cannot afford the inertia of tradition to lead us to failure.

“Stop sending me research papers.” “Its doable”
“Stop sending me research papers.” “Its doable”
“Stop sending me research papers.” “Its doable”

There needs to be emergency legislation tying hard science to funding, funding made available, and a mass movement to a sustainable economy where we re-emerge as the leaders in innovation and leadership.

Any organization interested in surviving, keeping pace with the rate of change that surrounds it, realizes this. This is why DOD generates 15% of their power from renewables. And the sad fact? That the private sector, the civillian sector does not meet a third of that value in the US.

Leila Abboud in the WSJ (sub reqd) reports that Denmark now gets 20% of its electricity from wind—or even 28% these days—which can overwhelm the power grid, sending a lot of juice to Germany and Norway. One solution from local utility Dong Energy and Better PLC? Use the excess juice to power electric cars.

“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati
“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati
“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati

The metrics of the health of a society is the manner in which a social contract is honored among the generations. If we fail this next generation, we are to blame!

“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati
“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati
“No more fucking excuses.” “Its doable” Dee Illuminati

We need to tie funding (emergency funding) to hard sciences, and fast!