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Trilogy Tidings
December 2009
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in this issue
Do you want vitality or security?
Are organics the answer to worldwide energy needs?
Resources from our Archives
What does Trilogy do?
     'Tis the season to wax philosophical.  Time to step back and examine the forest and filter out the trees.  No, I've not hit the punch bowl once too often; bear with me.
 
     This time of year is always a good time to step back from day-to-day stuff.  Are you doing what you really want to be doing?  Are you serving yourself, your family, your community?  Are you meeting your customers' or clients' needs?  Could you be making your colleagues and the enterprise for which you work more successful?  Food for thought.  And worthy thought, too.
 
     Two writings that crossed my desk last month reinforce the importance of occasionally stepping back to see the big picture, both dealing with rather important issues: one on healthcare, the other on energy policy.

 
Season's Greetings,
Joe

 
Do you want vitality or security? 
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     It's easy to get caught up in the daily machinations of health care/insurance reform here in the U.S.  But when you step back from the fray it comes down to a choice between economic vitality and economic security.  My favorite columnist (by far), David Brooks, reminded me of this truth in a recent New York Times column.  If you've not seen it, I urge you to read it.
 
     Brooks' most important point is that a choice must be made; we cannot have both vitality and security.  Western Europe made the choice several decades ago.  Now it's our turn.  Here's a quote from his column that sums it up perfectly:
"Reform would make us a more decent society, but also a less vibrant one.  It would ease the anxiety of millions at the cost of future growth.  It would heal a wound in the social fabric while piling another expensive and untouchable promise on top of the many such promises we've already made.  America would be a less youthful, ragged and unforgiving nation, and a more middle-aged, civilized and sedate one."
 
     So you decide.  Would you prefer security or vitality?  Then advocate for your choice because, over the long term, you cannot have both.
Are organics the answer to worldwide energy needs?
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     The simple answer is no, according to a couple of academics at Georgia Tech's school of electrical and computer engineering.  (Don't sneer, we electrical engineers really are capable of addressing systemic societal issues!)
 
     Okay, I know you're bored by this topic already.  But stay with me; it's really important.  Right now nations of the world are planning their energy strategies and making large investments and largely irreversible choices.  If we choose wrong, we could all be in big trouble.  And, believe in it or not, climate change is just one part of the puzzle.  My questions are: (1) who really understands this stuff and (2) who's driving the bus?  I fear the answers are: (1) nobody and (2) nobody.
 
     What these guys (Divan and Kreikebaum) at Georgia Tech have done is construct a rather simple model of world energy development and consumption, one that accounts for just about every possible source.  The model also can adjust for various levels of economic development in every world region.  They conclude that organics in general and biofuels in particular will not cut it.  Only inorganic energy sources can provide prosperity for all and forever.
    
     Check out the article.  If you don't like their assumptions you can alter them because the model is interactive.  Log on and give it a try.

 
     Okay, I suspect you're not really interested in the details.  But here's the thing: Do we know who's driving the bus?  Can we find a fully qualified driver (not Al Gore) with that magical blend of analytical capability, leadership qualities and political savvy?  If not, our descendants are going to be in big trouble!
Resources from our Archives 
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     Check out our Reading Room to view my published articles, presentations and white papers on a variety of topics.
 
     And, you can examine an archive of my prior newsletters (since February 2007).
 
What does Trilogy do? 
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     Trilogy Associates facilitates business growth and renewal through commercialization of new products, providing the following services:
  • Opportunity assessment
  • Business planning and enterprise growth strategies
  • New-product conceptualization, commercialization and marketing
  • Market research and competitive assessment
  • Business development and partnering
  • Market and technological due diligence
  • Assessment of the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of novel technologies
  • Design of efficient and effective development strategies for early-stage biomedical products
  • Business and technical writing/publishing

     Inquiries to establish whether and how we might support your business initiatives are always welcome.  Contact us.
Contact Information
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ContactInfoJoseph J. Kalinowski, Principal
919.533.6285
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/trilogy
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