This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Danger of Ignorance

The Herman Trend Alert August 13, 2008 The Danger of Ignorance In his landmark monograph released earlier this year, Professor John Alexander, with the United States Joint Special [Military] Operations University, outlines the threat of ignoring the widespread political and social unrest in Central and South America. The document titled "Intelligence Scotomas [Blindspots] in Central and South America" details country-by-country the lack of security and sounds an alarm for the developed world to take notice. From Brazil's drug gangs in and out of prisons to the corruption and violence in Paraguay, from the outright terrorist attacks in Argentina, to the kidnappings in numerous countries including Columbia, criminal activity with ties to Islamic terrorism is a growing threat. Alexander points out numerous ties between illicit activities and terrorist groups, citing specifics, e.g., a US State Department report affirms "The United States remains concerned that [Hezbollah] and HAMAS were raising funds in the TBA [infamous Tri-Border Area of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil] by participating in illicit activities and soliciting donations from extremists with in the sizable Muslim communities in the region..." According to Alexander, "Aggressive application of American foreign policies has alienated large segments of the world's population. . .[and] in reality, there are no simple solutions". One solution he proposes is to stop "the biopiracy". (Biopiracy is the theft by Big Pharma of indigenous plants for their curative values from the native peoples and forests.) By eliminating the theft of this intellectual property and rewarding the countries of origin appropriately, the resources for development would be available. Second, Alexander suggests "Land Reform versus Agribusiness", choosing to distribute wealth more equitably, by giving landless peasants a fighting chance at subsistence and moving away from the growth of products used to make biofuels. Though opponents argue that this redistribution of land might result in increased deforestation for agriculture, "the problem is not hunger, but poverty". Presuming the current trend toward populist control continues, greater restrictions on extensive corporate land development are likely. Expect more segments of the population to influence social and economic developments. Another continuing concern for the region will be competition of low-cost labor between Latin American and Asian countries. The developed world can not afford to ignore these connections. © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to schedule a no-obligation conference call. DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND! If you've been thinking about attending our valuable Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program, don't delay--limited spaces remain. With the employment market heating up, many positions are literally impossible to fill. Attend this course and you will learn dozens of low-/no-cost valuable strategies to attract and retain the talent you need. Recertification credit from HRCI. Next program: September 9-10, Las Vegas. Call Carol at 336-282-9370 or visit http://www.employeeretentionspecialist.com. GET INSIDE THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

[ Home · About · Products · Telebridge · Resources · Media ]

Web site design by WebEditor Design Services, Inc.