Australian manufacturing and productivity

So it's been a while (OK, a couple of years!) since I posted here.

So here goes.  I was surfing the web, as you do, jumping from work mode to "hey - a putt-putt course", when I landed on an Aaron Swartz post - Fix the machine, not the person, which led me to this Wikipedia page, where this jumped out at me;

Team production

On a related note, Drago and Garvey (1997) use Australian survey data to show that when agents are placed on individual pay-for-performance schemes, they are less likely to help their coworkers. This negative effect is particularly important in those jobs that involve strong elements of "team production" (Alchian and Demsetz 1972), where output reflects the contribution of many individuals, and individual contributions cannot be easily identified, and compensation is therefore based largely on the output of the team. In other words, pay-for-performance increases the incentives to free-ride, as there are large positive externalities to the efforts of an individual team member, and low returns to the individual (Holmstrom 1982, McLaughlin 1994).

Bold is my emphasis.

Hmmm, I thought, could this be part of the reason why we currently have here in Australia, what the pollies and "business" are so fond of calling, "poor productivity", when we could be a dynamic economy again, if only "the workers" were "more productive"?

"More productive", for most workers, is employer speak for individual work contracts, unions busted, reduced conditions, reduced entitlements (the age of which we're apparently over now), and lower real wages than your parents enjoyed.

These titans of industry also wail that manufacturing (inherently a team production sphere), just isn't viable in Australia anymore, because of the high dollar, high electricity costs, the Carbon tax, the mining tax, high wages, lack of skilled workers, their poor productivity, blah blah blah, wah wah wah.

Well, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.  (No disrespect intended to our fellow Simians, who've already mastered learning by tablet.)

And funnily enough, by visiting the blog today, and catching up on a few of my favs, it got me to this Peter Martin post about an excellent presentation by journo Tracey Spicer, who stripped down to her underwear to make a point, at a recent TedXSouthBankWomen confab in Brisbane.

Play the video, and wait for the punch line. It relates.

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Who'da thunk my first true posterous would be from my "Mr DeMille" side?

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Gillard should demand US apology for threats to Assange

When is the Gillard Govt going to get a backbone and carpet the US ambassador, to demand the POTUS apologise publicly to Julian Assange, Australia and its people, for the death threats and calls for "extrajudicial measures" in the US media and by elected officials, that are being directed against a citizen (who has not broken any US law inside or outside of that country, as far as anyone can tell so far), of a country supposedly considered "no better partner and no stronger ally"?

And while Mr President is at it, he can tell everyone stateside including psyops, policy wonks, elected representatives and the media to take.a.cold.shower.

While I was aware of the hysterical hyperbole and public threats, perhaps it should not have been a surprise while watching 4 Corners "The Forgotten Man" on Monday night, to see in an excerpt from Fox TV, a commentator suggesting of Assange ..."illegally shoot the son-of-a-bitch", and another, "you should take this guy out, have the CIA take him out", and a third person interviewed say "that we may have to consider extrajudicial measures in order to detain him and stop him from proceeding". [Full transcript]

What the frak is in their Kool-Aid?!

Don't they have any idea of how they are presenting themselves, and by default, their nation to the rest of world, when they jump on that bandwagon, and make stupid, inflammatory and dangerous remarks like that?

And as a more pleasant aside and a demonstration to all the wingnuts and political wannabes out there, of how it's really done; winner of the evening goes to .... Senator the Hon. Helen Coonan on QandA. Just when you think you have her pegged, she displays true stateswomanship.

Egypt ahead

Didn't we all just burst with joy in solidarity for the Egyptian people when they achieved their aim of removing a US backed dictator of 30 years standing?

And marvelled at how much good will and fraternity was and is being shown by the people.  Men, women and children, secular and faithful, dancing together in the streets in celebration.  And then respect shown for the more than 300 protestors who lost their lives, becoming martyrs to the movement of 25 January 2011, when Egyptians finally had their say.

And then smiled, when the people came back to the streets to clean them up.  What an inspiration!

But I fear for Egypt.  I fear the military will dash the hopes and dreams of the Egyptian people by not ensuring as smooth a (and still ongoing) transition as was seen through the post Suharto era in Indonesia under the leadership of President, B. J. Habibie, in 1998.

And I fear more for Egypt, not from any internal threat, stuff up or constitutional meltdown, but from the usual running interference of the USA, its allies and organisations like the IMF and World Bank.

The Egyptian military may show true leadership and deliver a free and fair election process to their people, and the people of Egypt may elect a socialist government to redress the social inequalities, injustices and outrages perpetrated against them over the last 30 years, by a government which was propped up by the US and its allies, who turned a blind eye to, and even took advantage of the very same injustices for their own clandestine purposes when it suited them.

And if this happens, then just as the USA and its allies could not bring themselves to support a democratically, freely and fairly elected Humas* administration in Palestine in 2006, I fear the USA and its allies, will do the same again in Egypt.

They will deny a freely and fairly elected socialist government in Egypt, not because the election, when it comes, is not free and fair, according to international observers.

They will deny it as a knee jerk reaction to "socialism" and the prospect of a socialist government.

Because when it comes down to it, the USA is not about "freedom and democracy".  It is about what's in it for them.  (Not that that should be a surprise to anyone who's watched international affairs played out by the USA over the last 60 years.)

If the USA were a person, based on their actions and reactions toward other people (nations), they might well be declared a paranoid sociopath with gambling, sex, shopping and violence addictions.

They would be locked up for their own good and other peoples' safety, to undergo treatment, and not be let out again until they showed that they weren't going to wave a gun around and shoot themselves or an innocent bystander, and they showed that they could play nice and share with the other kids in the playground.

So I fear for the Egyptian people.  Because despite their hopes, they may end up continuing to be a pawn in the usual game, either under military rule or yet another dictator who will be anointed as acceptable to the USA and its allies.  It will be back to business as usual.

* I will not get into the debate over terrorist organisation status, corruption or any other argument which seems to be bandied about in regard to Hamas.  The election was declared free and fair, and they were the winners under the constitutional rules the election was held under.  Either it's free and fair and democratic - the people having spoken; in which case, suck it up and let them try to transition to a legitimate govt. without preconditions for recognition, or it's not free and fair democratic - in which case; complain and whinge all you want and try to effect change.

But don't trumpet freedom and democracy, and then deny it when you don't like the outcome, otherwise you might be seen for the raging hypocrites you really are.

Sharp Dressed Man - Wil Anderson

Sometimes, you just can't help but realise that the suit maketh the man, especially on telly.

In this instance, it's Wil Anderson, Aussie standup comedian and host of ABC TV shows "The Glass House" (defunct) and "The Gruen Transfer".

While Wils' style can usually best be described as casual, for Gruen, he (or his stylist/s) decided to pull out all the stops, and dress up so sharp that you can almost hear Savile Row cheering.

Related: Monster mash gives ad boss nightmares -The Age, 26/06/08.

More than 6000 spoof ads made by viewers have been uploaded to the website for an ABC television series about the advertising industry, delivering the state broadcaster the kind of viewer participation that would be the envy of the commercial world.

America, the USA or something else?

When did the United States of America purloin the title of "America" for itself?

Over the years, it's begun to annoy the hell out of me.  I find myself yelling at the telly or radio journo, newsreader or presenter, "It's the USA or US or United States of America - you idiot!  The USA IS NOT America ".

And indeed, if you look at any atlas or globe, you will not find a place identified as "America" in the same way you'll find a "Europe", "Africa" and "Asia".

There is North America, Central America, and South America, often collectively referred to as "the Americas", but there is no "America" per se'.

And last time I counted, there were 22 other nations in "the Americas" (counting continental countries only).

But it's unlikely you'll ever hear natives of any of those nations refer to themselves as "Americans", although technically in  my opinion, everyone who is a citizen of any nation located in "the Americas" would be entitled to do so.  just think how often you'll hear of people referred to as Europeans, Africans or Asians.

I've asked a few Latin American (i.e. not "USian") friends and acquaintances what they think of the USA perennially being referred to, and referring to itself as "America", and the consensus seems to be that it's a nagging thorn in the side, and they wish it would stop.

This got me wondering.  How did the United States of America come to generally been known as "America", and is citizens as "Americans", when by other common measure, they are not the only ones entitled to use it?

I blame show business.  More specifically, song writers, lyricist and performers.

We have the anthems: America, the Beautiful and God Bless America.  Then there's show tunes and pop songs:  I want to be in America, Coming to America, spring to mind.  I'm sure there are heaps more, I can't be bothered looking just to plump out this post.

All these references in popular culture, being repeated time and again, across the globe, with barely a whimper, make for a meme which is almost impossible to counter.

So, on behalf of my Latin American friends and my own blood pressure, I say to the global news media and the USA:  STOP IT!  Stop referring to the United states of America as "America", and stop referring to citizens of same as being "American".  They're not.  The USA and USians are just one of many, in the Americas.

To the USA and USians I send this challenge.  What can you call yourselves if not "America" or "Americans"?  Get creative.  You've always prided your society as being innovative and forward thinking.

(And let's face it - if New Zealand - aka Aotearoa, Middle Earth, can rename, rebrand and market Chinese gooseberries to the world as "Kiwifruit" - surely you Yanks can come up with a new moniker for yourselves?)

Or maybe the new Americas bloc slated at a meeting in Cancun in February (for which spokespeople on all sides have already denied that it's an alternative grouping to the OAS), and from which the USA and Canada* will be denied membership, should take up idea as a PR exercise to get attention for their organisation, before getting into the heavy stuff? ;-)

Whaddya reckon?

*Inexplicably, IMO - Canada has always seemed to me, to have been much more sympathetic to Central and South American self governance, and less inclined to political interference than the USA, so I can only assume it's a bit of socio-political payback for simply being "first world". <shrug>

Forget climate change science - here's why we should go renewable.

Forget the science on "climate change, global warming, anthropogenic global warming (AGW)" or whatever you want to call it - here's why I think we should go renewable, and invest in solar, wind, tidal and all the other potential sources of clean, renewable, green and greener energy that are now available to humanity.

First off, because I'm assuming that, regardless of the "side" your bias puts on, you don't drive a Model T Ford car, or ride a Penny Farthing bike, or wear the same suit you bought for your first job interview 20 yers ago, or probably even have the same job you had 20 years ago, or wear only "Made in [your country here]" clothing, and assiduously grow your own food, or buy local everything. (But if you do - good on ya!)

You do what we all mostly do, go with the times, and update your car, bike, fridge, computer, consumer goods, and if the rest of us are lucky - your suit, every few years.  Presumably, because the old technology is obsolete, and new items are better engineered, more efficient, prettier, smaller, bigger, more powerful, etc.  And you can afford it.

And if you have a fridge or aircon unit or a motor vehicle with aircon, or if you rummage through your bathroom toiletries for hairspay, deodorant etc, you'll notice these are no longer using* CFCs for cooling or as accelerants, because the world got together back in the 1980's to ban their use, in order to protect the Ozone layer and reduce and prevent damage.

Manufacturers succesfully transitioned to other less harmful chemicals, the sky didn't fall, the world's economies continued to grow, and the Ozone layer's health is improving.

(*The DuPont patent on "Freon" being due to run out, was also bandied about, but I digress.)

So it's not like we haven't already set the precedent for action on a global environmental emergency.

I also assume that you're not still using your very first computer and the same dial-up connection to the "internet", or the myraiad other examples of improvements in technology and productivity, that have impacted your llife since the day you were born, and you can point to, if you look around your office or home right now.

Remember Y2K?  In my opinion, Y2K was a "non event" because the global commuity again decided that there was an imminent threat; i.e. put simply (excluding conspiracy theories) - the fear that legacy computing systems which were built in the days of limited RAM, ROM and what are now considered laughably tiny hard drives, wouldn't recognise the date 2000.

This would impact on everything from your bank account statement to the plane ride you were about to take. So we decided we'd better do something about it if we didn't want a mess to wade through and clean up afterward.

(2000 zero zero, party over, oops, out of time.)

As a result of global action and investment (more USD $300 billion apparently), aside from saving the jobs of millions of financial industry workers* around the world, it created huge investment - and jobs, in computing and IT hardware, firmware and software industries.  I would also assert that this directly impacted hugely on what is a global industry called "the web", which continues to grow directly and indrectly, in ways that were unimaginable in the lead up to Y2K.

An ounce of prevention is cheaper than a pound of cure.

*They could be sacked in the wake of the GFC a decade later.  But that's another story.

These improvements in technology have allowed those of us fortunate enough to live in "the West", to enjoy the lifestyle which the rest of the world looks to also be able to also enjoy soon, by using the same energy technology we have used for the last 400 years. That is; coal, oil and every other fossil fuel we could cheaply dig or pump out of the ground or seabed.

But, now there is a more effective option with renewable energy technology, some of it proven over the last 40 years or longer. It creates clean energy, it's limitless*, it helps drive other forms of renewable energy, it's more healthy for us as a species and for the planet as a whole.

*Well, until the sun goes nova or the human race ceases to exist - whichever comes first, with the latter more likely than the former.

AND, the more R&D we do the better it will get, just like the R&D and investment money we've poured into the sunset fuels of yesteryear, over the last 400 years.

Fossil fuels did their job magnificiently, but they've done their time, because, well, we've simply got better ways of doing these things now to get the same or better result.

Like gas lamp lighters, carriage makers, vacuum tube repairmen, secretarial pools where the clatter of typwriters declared "money making activities happening here!", and all those other occupations which no longer exist, it's time to downsize, outsource, retire and make these obsolete energy sources redundant as soon as possible. 

Oh, and did I mention that I know that we'll make lot's of money doing it?

The Now Show - Dr Seuss at Copenhagen

Stop laughing, this is serious.

Johnny Diesel and the Injectors- Please Send Me Someone to Love

This track needs no explantion.  Superb.

Salt N Pepa ft. En Vogue - Whatta Man

Barry White - eat your heart out.

Reply to Heartbreaking denialism by Joshua Gans

Reply to Heartbreaking denialism by Joshua Gans via 1petermartin: Sharing... They are environment haters; pure and simple - Gans http://bit.ly/87pLXy

But don't you see?  It's the extra layer of government, and the extra taxes (although they'll happily spruik for their constituencies and special interests to get tax payer funded "compensation"), and the jobs that will be lost, and the end of the economy as we know it.

What I wonder is, how is it then that the European Union, which has arguably had an even more flawed ETS for 6 years now, seems to be surviving?

Including in Germany alone, the directly attributable creation of 230, 000 plus jobs in the renewable energy industries (R&D, manufacture, sales - domestic and international, and installation of wind, solar, biomass, tidal technologies), and creation of an additional, invaulable income stream to (especially) farmers, from energy production.

You know, from all those solar panals and wind turbines they've planted in the paddocks where the livestock graze.

Good grief.  Who knew?  The sun shines and the wind blows and the tide goes in and out in Europe!

And they're (SHOCK! HORROR!) progressively decommissioning nuclear power stations, as more renewable energy sources come on line.

Oh well, guess we should just get used to a nice balance of trade deficit with the Euro zone over the next few years, importing technology and know-how, what with having sold off, closed down and driven out most of our world class renewables R&D technologies and intellectuals, to everywhere else during the last two federal administrations.

No, Joshua, they're not haters, they're just humans stuck in the oldest human dilemma.  Having to change their minds about a belief they hold dear, rather than admit to a mistake.

Like King Canute trying to hold back the tide, this is (I hope!) their last hurrah.  Just as the GST became the inevitable "tax reform" we had to have, so will the ETS and/or carbon tax be part of the new reality of the carbon constrained and oil depleted future of the Australian and global economy.

The sooner we all face this fact, regardless of our belief, the sooner we can start getting results.

Links:

• Emissions trading schemes by country
• Emission Trading System (EU ETS)
• Nuclear Europe: Country guide
• Decommissioning nuclear facilities
• Going where the green jobs are
• Green Jobs: The Future of America’s Economy?
• Cnut the Great
  

Twitter Apps - Seesmic and echofon

I currently have 3 twitter apps on my desktop: echofon (a Firefox add-on) which is great - simple and effective if you're into the "twitterstream" and not too worried about missing anything, while still providing effective monitoring of your followings tweets, RTs and DMs ; TweetDeck, which I'm currently using to manage my twitter identities to follow groups/cohorts of tweets; and now I'm also trying out Seesmic Desktop.

Originally released as "Twhirl", I've been using Seesmic Desktop application for a couple of weeks, and think it will be great for "intermediate" users who may have a couple of Twitter identities, but who don't need the "power user" features that TweetDeck provides, to manage multiple social media service accounts at Twitter, Myspace and Facebook.

And the folks over at Seesmic seem very proactive regarding user ideas and feedback.  (They also have an iPhone app and Web In-broswer service on the go).

Most of the ideas I'd like for Seesmic Desktop, that aren't already included, are under consideration; like upload and random schedule of multiple tweets (Oh - yes please!), UI customisation and a few other minor features (like repeat/recently used #hashtags).

My favourite feature so far, is the "sent' column, where all of my twitter accounts most recent tweets and DMs appear.  Great if you don't use DM a lot, but tweet heaps, and want to keep track of your more recent tweets at a glance.  Least favourite; getting followers who don't tweet much onto custom userlists.  It's a bit cumbersome at the moment, but looks like they're working on it.

Only potential downside I see, is inclusion of too many suggestions/requests, and bogging it down too much.

But overall, pretty happy so far.  So if you're looking for a new desktop Twitter app that can manange your multiple Twitter IDs and (presumably) Facebook accounts, then check out Seesmic Desktop.

Affirm Humanity - Habitat for Humanity

Affirm Humanity - Habitat for Humanity

1.6 billion people around the world live in substandard housing.

Join with Habitat for Humanity (YouTube channel) as we build a new world.

My favourite Michael Jackson songs

Now all the dust has settled, here's a quickie post, just to show I'm still alive in the land of blogosphere.

Some of my favourite MJ songs:

• Rock with You
• Smooth Criminal
• Man in the Mirror
• The Way You Make Me Feel
• Thriller
• Wanne be Starting Something
• Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough

Affirm Humanity - Juan Mann

Affirm Humanity

Free Hugs Campaign*   (Web site)

My favourite Free Hugs :

• First Hug @ 0:50  - 'Bout time! 
  
• Double take, Oh - Why not?  Bloke hug @ 1:15
  
• Juans' mate @ 1:33, 1:40 - Wait for it, wait for it .... Here it comes!
  
• Hey, anyone can do it, just hold up the sign @ 2.04
• WHAT!?  @ 2.26
  

Free Hugs YouTube Channel

*Free Hugs is now worldwide.  Humanity affirmed.

Comment Invited.  Who would you like to see included in Affirm Humanity?  Help build the Affirm Humanity collection by suggesting your favourite affirming humanity moment. 

Affirm Humanity - Matt Harding

Affirm Humanity

Where the Hell is Matt?  (Web site)

Take only photographs, leave only footprints.*

My favourite Snoopy Dance moments.  (C'mon - doesn't it just perfectly look like a Snoopy Dance?) :

• Kuwait City, Kuwait @ 0:42 - the obligatory dog!
• DMZ, Korea @ 1:55
• Tongatapu, Tonga @2:21
• India - @2.36.  Matt, you've got some serious Bollystyle!
• Tel Aviv, Israel @ 3:42
• East Jerusalem, West Bank @3:45
• Nellis Airspace, California @ 3:55.  You lucky dog!

* With permission, where permitted.

Matts' YouTube Channel

Comment Invited.  Who would you like to see included in Affirm Humanity? Help build the Affirm Humanity collection by suggesting your favourite affirming humanity moment.

My favourite Twitter tools

So, I've been spending more time than I should tweeting, but it's all research.  For clients.  Really.

Anyway, as lists seem to be a popular blog post option, here is my contribution to the ever growing Twitter tools collection, of those I'm currently using, to my endless amusement and wastage er..., use ... good, solid research type use, of time.

1. Twitterfox (for Firefox users who don't want to install TweetDeck)
2. Twitter Analyzer
3. Twist - see trends in twitter
4. TweetStats :: Graphin' Your Stats
5. Twitoria - How Many Twitter Friends Are You Really Following?
6. Twitterholic.com  I'm King of the World!

Search for Twitter in All Places on Yauba.com (my latest favourite search engine that isn't Google.)

Palestine 09

"They stole my land, burnt my olive trees, destroyed my house, took my water, imprisoned my father, killed my mother, starved us all, humiliated us all. But I am to blame : I shot a rocket back. So they stole more of my land, burnt my olive trees, destroyed my house, took my water, bombed my country..." Palestine09

Featuring words partly inspired by one of the hundreds of hand-written anonymous placards carried at the Jan 3rd demonstration in London our Palestine 09 design expresses vividly the cycle of despair that has turned the tiny Gaza strip into a war zone of Israeli reprisals using its overwhelming military might. JUST £16.99!  Helping to raise funds for the Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza.

Buy this T-Shirt

Chirpy Cheep, Twitter Tweet

Forgive me blogosphere, it's been two months since my last post.

I've been .... busy.  No, I'm not seeing anyone else, honest.

Just business.  You've met him you know.  Look, he's standing right over there.

He looks taunt and trim?  Of course, you look fantastic too, dear.

No, I'd never leave you, darling.

Look, I know you're feeling hurt and a little neglected right now, but I promise, I'll be more supportive.

When?  Uh, well, how's right now?

What?  You don't think I'm really trying?

Uh .... hang on a second will you?
I'll be with you in a minute ... promise ....

I'm just checking my Tweetstats and Twitterholic ranking.

No!  I swear, you're the only blog for me.

Aviation goes green - Air New Zealand biofuel test flight

With around 2% of global greenhouse emissions being generated by air travel and air transport activity, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has a keen interest in the development and take up of more environmentally friendly aviation fuels.  (Not to mention the potential $$ savings!)

Air New Zealand, in association with Boeing and Rolls Royce, finally got their test flight off the ground on Tuesday 30th December 2008, after more than a year of planning and behind the scenes work.

Scoop: Air New Zealand Biofuel Test Flight Underway

The test is seen by IATA as part of a short term goal, "... for its members to be using 10% alternative fuels by 2017".


IATA’s Green Vision: Algae Biodiesel By Barbara E. Hernandez