Name That Group

Here are the suggested names for our new discussion group. Please feel free to comment or suggest other possibilities.

1) Facts-R-Us : to emphasize that the group discussion will be fact based, over rumor or uninformed opinion.

2) Zoom-in :  that we will take a topic raised in the current events group and go into greater detail

3) Focal Point : that we will stay on a chosen topic known in advanced

4) Peer Review : that group discussion will be among equals, the group will decide the topic and process

5) Hindsight : that topics will have some history so we have the benefit of hindsight

6) Second Look : that we will discuss topics that probably already discussed in our Current Events group, but we can discuss them again with the benefit of preparation.

New Submissions:

7) In-Depth Review : indicating a more detailed, thorough, hopefully factual review of items of interest

New Discussion Group

Thank-you everyone for your show of interest in forming a new discussion group. The main concern seems to be schedule. We will need to coordinate that with the Bain Center management through the SPRING program. First we need to create a short synopsis of what our group will be about. If the SPRING program approves, we will get a time slot. There may schedule conflicts and we will work things out when the time comes. If we have a choice of time, you will have input before we decide.

Right now we need to create the synopsis. We do not have a deadline, but Norm, Ron and I will be attending a SPRING facilitator meeting on Feb 8th. It would be nice to have a first cut ready by then. Our new group needs to be open to anyone, so our group synopsis will be printed in Bain Center newsletter, along with the other the other SPRING groups. We need something that will make our group distinct and attractive. A good name for our group would certainly help.

We will be different from the Current Events Group in that the number of topics will be limited and known ahead of time. But we need something more to attract new members. For example, there is another Bain SPRING group, called the Trenders, which is an open discussion group with an emphasis on humor.

Please send me, either by email or by commenting in this blog, suggestions on what distinguishes our group and/or a possible name for our group.

3D Printing

Today we talked about 3D printer becoming so cheap that people can now setup small scale manufacturing plant in their homes. The home 3D printer print in plastic, but the advance 3D printers can print with living tissue. Here is a TED talk about how it may soon be possible to print a human kidney.

Healthy Diet

The fiscal cliff was the main topic of discussion at today's meeting. So why is this blog post about food? Simple, our diet determines our heath and healthcare cost will dominate the Federal budget as the boomers age. In our discussion, it was pointed out that the healthcare crisis will not be solved unless we improve the American diet. While we don't like the idea of the government telling us what to eat, there is one area where government guidance is welcome, school lunches. After all whose going to take care of the sick old people if the young people are also sick.

Here is a TED talk about what was wrong with the school lunch program. Talks like this, has inspired Michelle Obama to champion the new school lunch rules, which came into effect a few months ago. Unfortunately, with so much other news, we did not discuss the school lunch diet, even though is could have a profound effect on the nation's long term future.

So let me use this blog to open the issue. Was the new school lunch program rules an example of good government or bad government?

Over the Cliff

Officially we are now over the cliff. Even though the Senate passed a deal, (89 yea - 8 nay),  at 1:39am 1/1/13, the House has yet to vote. The deal makes middle tax cuts permanent and delays the sequester by two months, just about time when the Treasury runs out of money.

If the deal passes the House, we will have two months more of Congressional brinksmanship before we have to raise the debt ceiling. The real fight has just begun.

Like other tragedies, we can use this as a teaching moment. How has our political discourse become so toxic? Rather than vilify the people we disagree with, we can try to understand what underlies their beliefs. Here is a TED talk which tries to revive the lost art of democratic debate.