If you believe, like most scientists, that climate change is largely man-made and poses an existential threat to humanity, then you probably feel a pretty strong sense of urgency about doing something about it. Especially if you are a young person. Greta Thunberg embodies that sentiment probably more than any person in the world. The sixteen-year-old Swedish teen, singlehandedly started a global movement around the issue. Her impassioned speech at the United Nations brought her global recognition and earned her a few critics, including the President of the United States. This past week, Time Magazine named her their person of the year. A remarkable honor for the teen with Asperger syndrome. My kids, along with millions more, love Thunberg. They think she is amazing. Whether you believe climate change is real or not, it is refreshing to see the impact that one small voice can have. In an era when the role models for our kids are limited to indulgent celebrities like the Kardashians, Greta Thunberg certainly stands out. Bravo to Time Magazine for their choice.
By definition, unintended consequences are the results of an action different from what was expected or planned. They are often referenced in relation to changes in policies. I have heard the term used for years, primarily related to government policies. Still, I didn’t realize until recently that much has been written on the subject, and most experts believe that there are three categories of unintended consequences:
This week's big news in real estate was the settlement of the class action lawsuits directed against the National Association of Realtors (NAR)...Despite what you may have heard from the media, if the settlement is approved, this would be a modest victory for both realtors and homebuyers. The lawsuit's deeply misguided proponents, including Steve Brobeck from the Consumer Federation of America, have been calling for an outright ban on broker cooperation. In that regard, they didn't get what they wanted.
For years, large companies have been outsourcing to India and China, but the politics with China is unpredictable at best, and India has its limitations as well...However, Mexico and Latin America are just on the other side of our southern border, in the same time zone as the U.S., and with a talented and plentiful population of eager workers. There are also a number of companies that make the process of hiring a nearshore team practically turn-key.