ICT Global Collaboration - The answer to fix the US economy?

John T. Chambers, Chairman & CEO, Cisco, USA states “Broadband access literally transforms the way we live, work, play and learn by providing unprecedented opportunities for people to communicate, access information, improve education and healthcare, enter new markets and expand the reach of businesses,” as part of his point of view toward The Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009. I think that Johnny states the obvious.

Now here come the boring stats. The Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009 from WEF ranks the U.S. in 3^rd place, up from 4^th in 2007-2008, on the Networked Readiness Index. The U.S. has ranked in the Top 10 on the NRI since 2001, and placed 1st three times during the past eight years. Based upon those stats, it’s probably safe to say that the U.S. holds a strong presence with Information and Commutations Technologies on the Global platform.

If we recognize that ICT plays a dominant role within the global community equating to global economy, it stands to reason that collaboration is necessary. The U.S. entered into a global economy long ago. Is it possible that the U.S. has had such tunnel vision that we’ve overlooked an approach to change the U.S. economy?

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 will take place January 27-31 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. This humble Global citizen is curious to see the US ranking for 2010 but more interested in the ranking for 2011. Will the powers that be humble themselves and get the United States back on track?

©2009-2010 YP Mazzulo

Freedom Of Speech: Yes, No, Maybe?

STLtoday.com, the website for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, runs a light-hearted piece “Talk Of The Day.” On November 13^th, 2009 the Dispatch posts a topic called, “What is the strangest thing that you’ve ever eaten.”

Kurt Greenbaum, Director of Social Media for STLtoday.com, notices a rather offensive comment. The comment is deleted but appears again. What was the comment? A version of the word kitty usually used to describe a particular female body part. I’m sure that Kurt had better things to do but with commenter having left this comment twice, he chose to investigate.

Mr. Greenbaum discovers that the IP address is from a local school. He proceeds to contact the school, thinking it’s a student. As it turns out it was an employee of the school. The headmaster confronted the employee, who resigned on the spot.

People are pissed at Kurt Greenbaum for his actions? This employee’s place of employment was a school! Plus the former employee was “playing” versus doing their job! The overall U.S. National Unemployment rate is at 10.5%, maybe this person should have been concentrating on their job and maybe they’d still have one.

To all of those whom are angry with Mr. Greenbaum and currently unemployed, there’s a job opening at a school. ;-)

Rock on Kurt!

©2009 – YP Mazzulo

The UEC Extension Act of 2009

Bill H.R. 3548 - President Barack Obama signed into law a $24 billion economic stimulus bill providing tax incentives to prospective homebuyers and extending unemployment benefits to the longtime jobless who have been left behind as the economy veers toward recovery.
The House, displaying rare bipartisan agreement over the seriousness of the jobless situation, voted 403-12 for the measure. The Senate approved it unanimously on Wednesday.

The law also includes tax cuts for struggling businesses, builds on provisions in the $787 billion stimulus package enacted last February that aim at spurring job creation.

"The need for such a measure was made clear by the jobs report that we received this morning," Obama said, citing Friday's government report the jobless rate hit 10.2 percent last month, the highest since 1983. The rate was 9.8 percent in September.

The extra 20 weeks could push the maximum a person in a high unemployment state could receive to 99 weeks, the most in history.

Detailed Summary:

Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 with respect to the state-established individual emergency unemployment compensation account (EUCA). Requires a further additional Tier-3 period for deposits to an individual's EUCA, using the current formula, if, at the time the amount added to such individual's account under the Act is exhausted or at any time thereafter, the individual's state is in an extended benefit period.

Prescribes a formula for determining if a state is in an extended benefit period.

Allows the Tier-3 period augmentation to be applied to the individual's EUCA only once.

Authorizes a state to pay extended compensation to an otherwise eligible individual before any further additional emergency unemployment compensation (EUC), if such individual claimed extended compensation for at least one week of unemployment after the exhaustion of additional EUC.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend from 2009 through 2010 the 6.2% surtax on employers under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA). Delays the scheduled 2010 reduction in the surtax to 6% until 2011.

Amends title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of the Social Security Act to require an employer to report to the state Directory of New Hires, in addition to other information, the date services for remuneration were first performed by a newly hired employee.

Qualifies the requirement that an employer file new hire reports on a W-4 or equivalent form by adding the phrase "to the extent practicable."

Sources: United States Dept. Of Labor, washingtonwatch.com

©2009 – YP Mazzulo

100 Terrific Productivity Tools for the Bored or Unemployed

“Whether you’re bored out of your mind at the office or don’t have an office to go to, there’s no reason to sit around idly when there’s so much you could potentially be getting done. With the web at your fingertips, you can find numerous ways to keep your mind and body engaged and active.

These 100 tools will help you get busy doing just about anything from organizing your DVD collection to planning your potential future, giving you no excuse to be bored or unemployed for long.”


Source: Onlinecollege.com

©2009 YP Mazzulo