| Why would a Think Tank meet at a coffee shop on | | | | people are often social outcastes and parents do not |
| Sundays, what might problems might they solve while | | | | want their kids to be nerdy. Perhaps we need to |
| everyone is in slow mode? Well, interestingly enough | | | | change our social focus on this issue? |
| we did have such a Think Tank meeting and it was | | | | Many kids just want to grow up and start a band and |
| amazing the number of interesting subjects in our | | | | make a million dollars that way? Want to Start a |
| dialogues. One gentleman who had a little squabble last | | | | Successful Band - Do Not Forget Music is a Business. |
| week with the tax payer said; "I Want to Sell My | | | | To get a business degree these kids will need some |
| Home to the Tax Assessor for What They Said it is | | | | math skills, do some business planning and understand |
| Worth" | | | | a bit of economics too. Luckily neuroscientists find that |
| Fat chance of that, but it led to a discussion of the | | | | music early on in a child's development helps with the |
| problems with the current level of local government | | | | math part of the brain. That is good news indeed, |
| expenditures and the current property tax values, | | | | maybe folks will figure out the math and the interest |
| which most likely need a sharp reduction, due to the | | | | prior to buying a home or real estate at the top of the |
| economic down turn in residential real estate the last | | | | market. |
| couple of years. Can local government cut back - will | | | | The USA Today and the Arizona Republic noted that |
| they? Or will it cause them to increase property taxes | | | | the Housing Crash is now filtrating thru the economy to |
| rates percentages once they lower the values to the | | | | many other sectors and hurting small businesses too. |
| current reality? | | | | Construction, real estate, small businesses and huge |
| Of course, the US is not the only country with internal | | | | lay offs with Mortgage Lending Companies were cited. |
| economic issues. Take China for instance. Will Inflation | | | | In Florida Trends Magazine an expose on Fort Myers, |
| Kill the Economy in China? Note that 2007 inflation | | | | FL was but an echo of the economic issues on the |
| figures for China might hit 5%, due to soaring food | | | | giant sandbar there. If small businesses are taking in |
| prices. Much higher than originally thought and this was | | | | less and they employ 2/3rds of our population you can |
| the second estimated hike, the first was 1.8% increase | | | | see the problem there. |
| to 4.2% and not another .8% is expected. The Chinese | | | | Those without any money are attempting to copy the |
| Bank is busy doing the math and looking for a way to | | | | money down to $5.00 bills. The $5.00 bill is now getting |
| head the inflation issue off, and fixing the problem by | | | | a make-over to prevent counterfeit bills, as apparently |
| mid-2008. The Chinese are some smart folks, but are | | | | the changes with the $100, 50, 20 and 10 are working. |
| they smart enough to figure out a way to float their | | | | This does however meet some resistance in some |
| currency, curb inflation and keep their stock market on | | | | industry sectors, like coin-operated laundry mats, car |
| track? | | | | washes and self-checkout stations at some retailers. |
| In the US we are having a bit of a problem with this | | | | No sense in going to war over the changes in |
| issue. Inflation, recession, housing, credit crunch and | | | | currency, after all War Has Never Solved the |
| wobbly stock market all big issues, as retail sales, | | | | Problems of Mankind; well, except for problems such |
| shipping figures and orders plunge. We are smart | | | | as Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, Communism and things |
| enough in the US to solve our problems but will we? | | | | such as that. |
| Meanwhile it seems that our problem with subject like | | | | That pretty much raps up the flow of our conversation |
| math in the schools stems from issues at home too. | | | | at the coffee shop on Sunday, what did your think |
| Parents really do not want their kids to be too brainy. | | | | tank talk about? Maybe you should start a think tank |
| This is one reason why parents are not as concerned | | | | yourself? Sincerely, Lance. |
| with math and science in our schools. The "Brainy" | | | | |