starve Stunted missions

“ROME – Nearly 200 million children in poor countries have stunted growth because of insufficient nutrition, according to a new report published by UNICEF Wednesday before a three-day international summit on the problem of world hunger.”

You can gather some details around this grim news by reading an article here.

Meanwhile, Jacques Diouf, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization through the United Nations has called on the world to join him in a day of fasting ahead of the summit to highlight the plight of one billion hungry people.

Mr. Diouf said he hoped the fast would encourage the deliverance of boat-loads of cash action by world leaders who will take part in the meeting at his agency’s headquarters starting Monday.

I certainly don’t mind participating in a fast. However, I do have some questions. And, perhaps this needs to be one of the points of this particular post. I’m skeptical enough people actually ask enough of the right questions before they take any form of action. We’ve all heard the saying: “Fools rush in”. So, let’s hesitate, review some easy to find information, and then consider some options.

So… Apparently most of this “stunting” occurs in Africa (and, Asia, to a lesser extent).

In my community Christian missions to Africa are currently all-the-rage. People from local churches raise a lot of other peoples money to go on holiday and build schools (with no teachers), aqueducts for farms (that have no seeds or education around seasonal planting strategies), and distribute condoms to communities that are led by men that punish their wives for breast feeding because it’s inconvenient taboo to have sex with women who do so (… and, are too stupid to sort out that unmanaged sex combined with moronic traditions equal starving children). Some people call this “rewarding bad behavior” – my Nana (Grandmother) would have. The evangelista’s call it “opportunity”.

This has replaced creationist-frenzied missions to China – that were all-the-rage two years ago when obnoxious Chinese started asking too many questions around logic, evolution, fossils, and accountability.

Perhaps it’s all that fasting that’s got people thinking non-strategically.

Aside from Darwinian-driven campaigns of genocide and various efforts towards ethnic cleansing, what has changed in-and-amongst these continents the last one thousand years? It’s called the “Dark Continent” for a lot of reasons, right? Well… Other than North America and Western Europe pouring billions of dollars into programs that are designed to prolong life and grow populations that exist in arid regions that were, otherwise, designed by God to support thirty percent of their current populations.

…shifting feet, now.

I’m told (only) hundreds of millions of dollars (ministries and non-profits often seemed challenged when it comes to accurate financial accounting) apparently go towards travel to foreign countries and the delivery of poorly distributed resources.

Lest we go too far without recognizing some programs of merit, I do applaud efforts like that of friend Oprah and Madonna opening schools, and making sure they have the resources to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining. I like education-oriented and self-perpetuating programs (because this is an indication they work), myself.

In any event, what about troubled children in North America? Remember that 60 Minutes segment on Mountain Dew (owned by PepsiCo) guzzling school-deprived children in the mountains of Tennessee? Their teeth are rotting out of their sugar-saturated heads. Mountain Dew is apparently less expensive than bottled water, and there is often no running water in several of those regions. That’s great profit for PepsiCo, but bad for children. Let’s educate the kids and be a real part of the solution, and not the problem.

It strikes me that boycotting PepsiCo would be both a healthy and noteworthy mission. Possibly more productive than fasting.

I could go into more detail through some of the touchy topics I’ve referenced above. But, I’ll add a short story, of sorts, so we can move and rap this post up…

I’m often approached by locals that want me to pay their expenses for mission trips to Africa. I always say no (I might even arch my eye brow when I do so). This scenario played itself out, yet again, late last week when “Phil” swung by my offices with such a request. When I declined his generous offer to allow me to pay for his family holiday, Phil went all rigid-like and advised me that I am “..not setting a Christian example”. I thanked him, of course, and then asked why he simply did not pay for the trip himself? He was clearly annoyed with me, to be sure, but told me it was not part of their “financial planning”, and they could not afford it. So, I suggested he drive up (I’m sitting next to Haley Anne as I prepare this post, and she assures me, with an emphatic finger pointed up, that’s the right direction) to Tennessee and build a water tower near a school. I offered to pay for the whole trip and materials. He didn’t even hesitate, as he actually looked me in the eye and said: “that’s not Gods will because we make a bigger difference in Africa, and my kids would get more out of the Africa experience any way”.

My first thought, as he said that to me was: “I have standing before me a great example of good money thrown after bad (a lot of bad)”.

Okay… My points are some times clear, and some times not so clear. I know what I mean. Some times people call me about them. I get a lot of emails because of them. Every now and then, I get visits around them. But, I hope this one makes a difference.

You don’t need to fast. But, you can do your homework. And, while your at it, save hundreds of millions of dollars that could then be leveraged into schools in our own backyard, as we develop young and great minds that can then come up with better solutions than holiday junkets to far away lands, visiting with people that think it’s perfectly fair and reasonable to starve their own children, who would rather not fast in such a fashion, if given the choice.

For a lot of reasons (but, probably not why you might think), I’m listening to Only You as performed by Alison Moyet (and Vince Clark) while she was still with Yazoo (They were only known as “Yaz” in the United States). Then under the causality of “why not”, go take a peak at Flying Pickets covering the same arrangement.

Think different. That’s a good point, eh.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

being pleased or being satisfied

Careful and loyal readers of this Blog know, and full well, that I coach my Haley Anne and her Shockers teammates.

This past Wednesday night at practice, with some ill-advised shenanigans afoot, I found myself relating a story to our Shockers about “being pleased or being satisfied”.

I think most of them will remember the moment. If not the words, well, perhaps the catch in my voice – hopefully my heart, certainly.

We have a lot of soccer ahead of us this season. And, our Shockers collectively, have a lot of life to prepare for.

I’ve asked them to start asking themselves that simple extrapolitive question: “If I’m pleased, am I satisfied?”

I’ll always hope the answer is no. But, their tests, realized daily will forge that view of the world. I do hope they think of me in those moments. My Grandad called it: “remembering the face of my father”. Great story and parable for another time.

The point of this being, when they do anything, are they willing to ask the most of themselves, and those around them. My Grandad also used to say: “if you must judge a man do it by those around him”. When Shockers come to practice I want focus and best efforts. I added that winning and losing matches is important and fun. But, I care more about the look on their faces and the feelings in their hearts after the match – regardless of which way the ball bounces. If they can look one to the other, and know they did their best, truly and sincerely, their best, I will be both pleased AND satisfied with them.

By the way… I also challenged them with the question: “What is the difference between philosophy and strategy”. And, I’m quite curious over who comes back with an answer, where the information came from, and what it inspires going forward.

Coach Brian

running in that Zone

I’ve been running most of my life.

There have been District, State and National championships.

Along the way, and as most runners can relate, there have been those sublime moments in the “zone”.

Typically they occur during training. Some times by luck, during a race. Ideally when something significant is at stake. This is why we sometimes train to peak.

I’m forty nine years old. I admit that I plan to run until I am one hundred years old. It’s a goal, to be sure. And, there is a lot that goes along with that in terms of other, and peripheral, goals.

As many close friends are aware, I’ve been fighting two fairly serious injuries, and another challenge. I grudgingly admit all of that has sapped my strength and focus considerably.

However, today I was feeling pretty good. And, my body has begun to knit itself back together – and, I recognize myself. That’s hard to explain. But, many of my training partners, through all manner of adventures, that span almost thirty years, understand. Yes… They certainly do.

So… With a warm sun in my face, and the promise of an easy sweat, I decided to try six miles at three quarter speed. However, it took me less than half a mile to realize that today was going to be one of the really good days. I found that zone; literally caught the rail – just like a glassy fronted wave under a short board. I flew; my feet synced with my heart and a rhythmic staccato tapping on the gravel, as if winged. I considered that Superman, who is my brother in more ways than one, although a son of Krypton, draws his strength from the sun, but it was all mine this day as I sighted, and ran down, no less than five runners on Brittle Road.

Another great memory in front of countless miles, and the expectation of many and many more to come.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

There you have it: #14

“I’ve never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body.”

- Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

Widely believed to be a cousin of former Miss Kentucky Betty “pickles” Merlotte, and a worthy suitor for Heather Whitestone, 1995’s Miss USA.

So… There’s a good many (fairly reputable) meat packing companies in Alabama and Kentucky. If all went in accordance with Laws of Natural Selection, Alpo could realize a much cheaper supply of low-range beef. The various beauty contests and oxymoronic college sporting events might be an ingenious way to herd the poor creatures (God’s all, certainly) into one area for easier identification and tagging.

Or,

We can also consider a breeding program for the United States Army Corp of Live Shooting Targets (USACLST)…

“We don’t necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people.”

- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

a slice of Apple’s market (or, no bones for the clones)

The not likely enigmatic, and potentially un-researched Brian Caulfield at Forbes (hello Brian) recently asked the question:

“Would you build Apple clones if you got a green light from Cupertino for it? Would you buy one?”

You can read the entire article, as uninspired as it is, here: Apple Cloner Wants To Be Declared Legal.

But, here’s a taste:

“The Florida startup is determined to build a business putting Apple’s software on its computers. Would that really be so bad for Apple?”

I dutifully responded to Brian’s article. You’ll see my thoughts there. But, to make it easier I’ll add them right here on this post – because it’s the point I want to make.

Thusly, both my experience and  thinking is:

“No. Historically, when apple permitted “clones” to run it’s Operating System, the user experience, and always, the customer service, was awful. Apple insists that the entire experience be best-of-class from where you purchase your reliable and state-of-the-art technology (the Apple Store), through the user and application experience, to the Genius Bar, in the rare times there is a problem. When other manufacturers are involved Quality Control has to be a major concern. And Pystar is much too unproven in this arena. In, fact, it’s likely this law suit is more about grabbing attention than legitimate business strategy and desire to compete.”

For perspective (certainly to help Mr. Caulfield to remember to research before you write), I’ll add a a bit of history to my experience…

By 1995, Apple Macintosh computers accounted for about 7% of the worldwide desktop computer market. Apple executives decided to launch an official clone program in order to expand Macintosh market penetration. Apple’s clone program entailed the licensing of the Macintosh ROMs and system software to other manufacturers, each of which agreed to pay a flat fee for a license, and a royalty for each clone computer they sold. This generated quick revenues for Apple during a time of financial crisis. From early 1995 through mid-1997, it was possible to buy PowerPC – based clone computers running Mac OS (though OS 7), most notably from Power Computing. Other licensees were Motorola, Radius, APS Technologies, DayStar Digital, UMAX, MaxxBoxx, and Tatung. In terms of exterior styling, Mac clones often more closely resembled generic PCs than their Macintosh counterparts.

And, of course, quality was an issue for everyone. We tried to use them in our businesses (we’ve been Apple evangelists since 1984 just as I was graduating from college and figured out early I did not want to bother with telling a DOS computer what to do). It was never a satisfying experience.

Soon after Steve Jobs, triumphantly, should add, returned to Apple. He quickly backed out of recently renegotiated licensing deals with OS licensees that Apple executives complained were still financially unfavorable. Because the clone-makers’ licenses were valid only for Apple’s System 7 operating system, Apple’s release of Mac OS 8 left the clone manufacturers without the ability to ship a current Mac OS version, and effectively ended the cloning program. NOTE: Apple bought Power Computing’s Mac clone business for $100 million, ending the Clone era.

Jobs publicly stated, taking a good and solid jab at the outbound CEO (whose name must not be mentioned), that the program was ill-conceived and had been a result of “institutional guilt,” meaning that for years, there had been a widely held belief at Apple that had the company aggressively pursued a legal cloning program early in the history of the Macintosh, consumers might have turned to low-priced Macintosh clones rather than low-priced IBM/PC-compatible computers. Had it pursued a clone program in the 1980s, in this view, Apple might have ended up in the position currently occupied by Microsoft – an extremely powerful company with high profit margins and a wide base of consumers perpetually dependent on its system software products. Jobs claimed it was now too late for this to happen and the Mac clone program was doomed to failure from the start, and since Apple made money primarily by selling computer hardware, it ought not engage in a licensing program that would reduce its hardware sales.

This is a great lesson in terms of having a clear vision and executing through it. Apple’s products and services are, indeed, considered best in all categories, and they have the delighted customers, profitable bottom-line, and satisfied shareholders to prove it.

By the way… The very fact that Pystar, the cloning company, wants their machines to be declared “legal” obfuscates the fact they know and understand that they are illegal. And, this is a real story that should rile the Apple faithful.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork