The Time Has Come for a National Innovation Foundation

As another recession is getting started and the USA watches more manufacturing go overseas one wonders when we'll do something to get off our bums and be more competitive and retain jobs.  

Well, somebody is at least thinking about it.  A think tank issued a press release today recommending that a National Innovation Foundation should be created, and funded, in order to help the USA compete and drive growth.  See the release here:

www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_9023834

I'm glad that the ITIF (see www.itif.org) came out with this suggestion, although it strikes me as a bit obvious.  One wonders why this wasn't done 15 years ago.  The Bush administration, in it's infinite wisdom on support of small business, is trying to eliminate the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a government entity trying to assist companies in modernizing their operations.  Congress has kicked around a couple of ideas, such as the America Competes Act, but without funding where could that go and what could it achieve?

Susan Collins, Republican senator from Maine, is working now to create an innovation foundation.  

I would hope that whoever is elected would support this important initiative.

Are you listening Barack, John, and Hillary? 

Last Night at the Lobster

If you want to read a wonderfully tasty, short, and elegant piece of creative fiction, go immediately to Amazon and order Stewart O'Nan's "Last Night at the Lobster."  About every five years or so I read something so well done, so heart felt, that I can't put it down.  This is it, I only wish it had gone on another 100 pages, it totals about 145.  Sometimes the best things are fundamental, and this book proves it.  A simple premise -- a restaurant manager walks through his last day at the Red Lobster, a place he manages with passion and grace.  Corporate is closing him down and the book is infused with melancholy, and yet, it's hopeful as well.  The co-workers and customers aren't characters, they are people you know. Creative writing can be inspirational when it's this good and therefore good for your entire creative self.  Do yourself a favor and read this succulent novella and nourish yourself.