Some argue that even hands-free and voice activated phones are as dangerous as well and that they all contribute to distraction of particularly teen and novice drivers. 

The question is when do we stop blaming technology for our errors and mishaps due to our own overuse and  exploitation of it and what controls can we put on technology to prevent us from passing that threshold?  Isn’t this something that has always haunted the human being - the relationship between man and the machine?

The research adds to an economic puzzle that dates back hundreds of years: Why do the poorer economies of the world tend to be in hot places, while the more successful economies are found in cooler climates?

The French writer Montesquieu wondered about it in the 1700s. Now there is significantly more data to work with. A graph of per-capita GDP and average temperature shows rich countries at one end — Norway, Germany, France and the U.S. — and poverty at the other end in Cambodia, Liberia and Congo.  Many historian argue this is just the result of colonialism but Olken has taken the study even further and has researched warmer years within a country  to see if there is any relationship to economic growth and the answer has been positive. The finding was that for poor countries, an increase in annual average temperature by 1 degree centigrade corresponded to a 1.1 percent drop in per-capita gross domestic product.

It’s “a huge effect,” Olken says. The difference between a country that’s in recession and one that is buzzing along amounts to a 3 percent shift in GDP. “So, 1 degree explaining a 1.1 percent shift is a huge effect of temperature.”  Its unclear why this is so - whether the crop yields go down or that there are more disease but one theory is that in warmer temperatures we tend to become less productive. 

“This stuff is not implausible,” Olken says, “If you look back at the U.S. before the advent of air conditioning, there were times when the federal government would shut down. It was too hot out.”

Researchers also have found that temperature shifts did not appear to affect the wealthier countries, perhaps because of air conditioning, or because they already are situated in cooler climates.

The results suggest that global warming could increase the gap between rich and poor. In summary this is a new study and some argue that its much too soon to reach such conclusions. 

Do you think there is any validity for the relationship of temperature and our per-capita income?

Are our giving trends reflective of the direction our society is heading in shaping  its core values or are they just reflective of the better marketing strategies on the part of the charities that earn the most?

Profile of Trident Internet Systems

Would Time and Attendance using mobile phones with GPS technology be an effective way to cut down on truancy in US classrooms as well?

 Can we say for sure that the recession is ending or is it rather that we are tired of the status quo and by human nature, we would like to move on and believe that we are out of the slump? What more signs will be necessary to ease our confidence in the system and boost the labor markets?

Eighteen complaints have been files since the April 24, 2009 hearing; yet the officers, Ulloa and On did not appear at the hearing and reports have been filed that they have already fled the Commonwealth. The workers testified that the respondents asked them to pay processing fees, failed to pay their wages and to provide them with work for several months, did not pay them overtime and refused to reimburse their plane tickets.

Should a mandatory time and attendance system be enforced on certain companies to track and monitor labor compliance regulations?

As we all know abuse happens in every society; we just have to learn how to outsmart it.  Is it the fault of the individuals or is it also the fault of the institutions.  Should our institutions not be more careful with how they implement their organizational apparatus?  Is it right to rely on the “honor system” especially if the institution is being funded by either tax payers or stock holders?  Should we not have better controls in place?