OPTIMISM: By Bill Clinton

In these times of economic difficulty worldwide and Muslim versus Christian and secular strife and China burning down Japanese Factories in China over islands off of Taiwan it's nice to hear some of the positive and encouraging trends now happening in the world.

Begin Quote from new Time Magazine with Bill Clinton on the cover dated October 1, 2012 page 38:

The Case for Optimism

From technology to equality, five ways the world is getting better all the time

By Bill Clinton

Our world is more interdependent than ever. Borders have become more like nets than walls, and yet this means that wealth, ideas, information and talent can more freely move around the globe, so can negative forces shaping our shared fates. The financial crisis that started in the U.S. and swept the globe was further proof that--- for better or worse---we can't escape one another.

There are three big challenges with our interdependent world: inequality, instability and unsustainability. The fact that half the world's people live on less than $2 a day and a billion people on less than $1 a day is stark evidence of inequality, which is increasing in many places. we're feeling the effects of instability not only in the global economic slowdown but also in the violence, popular disruptions and political conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. And the way we produce and use energy is unsustainable, changing our climate in ways that cast a shadow over our children's future.

But I firmly believe that progress changes consciousness, and when you change people's consciousness, then their awareness of what is possible changes as well--- a virtuous circle. So it's important that the word gets out, that people realize what's working. That where there's been creative cooperation coupled with a communitarian view of our future, we're seeing real success. That's the reason I try to bring people together every year for the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). Here are five areas in which there has been concrete, measurable and reproducible progress.
end quote.

The five areas of progress on the next page on a world with a smile are Justice, equality, technology, economy, and health.

To encourage you to read this article for yourselves by buying a Time Magazine or buying a subscription online I will give you the titles of the sections of these five areas of proven success and progress:

Begin quote:
1. Technology: Phones mean Freedom
2. Health: Healthy Communities Prosper
3. Economy: Green Energy Equals Good Business
4. Equality: Women Rule
5. Justice: The Fight for the Future is Now

on page 42 at the bottom is regarding CGI (Bill Clinton's philanthropic worldwide organization)
begin quote:
How Clinton Changed Philanthropy

The Clinton Global Initiative, as its founder and namesake once said, is a bit like an EBay of philanthropy, bringing together buyers and sellers in the world of giving. Unlike most other foundations, CGI doesn't disperse grants. Instead, it defines an agenda at its meeting in New York City---this year's, which takes place September 23 to 25, is about "designing for impact"---and motivates world leaders, CEOs and celebrities to share the stage with innovators of  the nonprofit world. Action is promised, and tangible commitments are made. It's a philanthropic model that only Bill Clinton's charisma and connections could make work. Put it this way: the only place where you'll see both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama this fall--- other than a presidential debate--- will be CGI's annual meeting, where both are scheduled to appear. They'll be joined at the summit by the new President's of Libya and Egypt, along with more than 50 other current or former heads of state. Since its founding in 2005, its members have made pledges worth a combined $69.2 billion, touching everything from climate change to children's health.---Brian Walsh
end quote from bottom of page 42 October 1st 2012 Time Magazine.

I find it very encouraging to hear positive results from an idea that world leaders, nonprofits and individuals have joined together on worldwide to raise a total of 69.2 Billion Dollars worldwide. The positive changes are remarkable. Let's look closer at some of these changes.

1. Phones mean freedom.
Look back about 20 years now and almost no one on earth had a cell phone. Now, almost anyone with a job or who is over about 10 years old now has a phone in their pocket, purse or backpack anywhere they go now worldwide. Just think about what that means every single day now worldwide. If someone is in trouble they can call for help. If someone is having a health issue they can summon their relatives and friends. If someone wants to talk to someone they just pull out their phone and call. If someone wants to discuss business they just pull out their phone at literally ANY location they can get phone reception and talk (even from the top of Mt. Everest).

2. Healthy Communities prosper

Foundations like the Gates foundation founded by Bill Gates and his wife have led the way in efficient health care around the world especially in Africa. Also, using cell phones more people can be kept healthy by having a way to communicate distress or ill health and keeping many more people alive worldwide than would have stayed alive over 20 years ago.

3. Green Energy Equals Good Business. With Oil prices seesawing every year businesses tied to oil are victims to it's price changes all year long. However, businesses that have solar, wind or water or geothermal KNOW everyday what their energy costs will be. Nuclear power more than ever is not safe or as useful as people once thought. Germany has decided to give up Nuclear power entirely since what happened at Fukushima in Japan.

4. Women Rule: Just like in Micro banking more people in every family tend to benefit when women become a part of the ruling process. Less children in every country tend to starve with more women in the political process and when more  women in government is combined with micro banking business loans to women everyone gets educated, fed and is more safe than ever before worldwide.

5. The Fight for the Future is NOW. The present fights around the world will decide whether ANY country can survive long term or whether most third world nations become like Somalia since "Black Hawk Down: The movie" mostly government less states of anarchy run by warlords and terrorists. That is really what is at stake here!

If Governments can find a way to feed their people and keep them alive and happy enough not to overthrow the government then fine. But if they can't expect things to go south when the people don't have enough food or water for a few days.

It was once said that, "Any mob is about 3 or 4 meals away from a food riot! In other words any group of people that doesn't eat for a couple of days is going to get pretty irate and if that group is large enough it is going to overthrow that government. This is a given everywhere on earth!

So, of all five points number 5 likely is the most serious of whether civilizations can be maintained or whether countries descend into anarchy and warlords like what happened to Somalia 20 years ago.
 

However, without optimism like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and hundreds of other world leaders and philanthropists worldwide are joining together for, the world doesn't stand a chance of making it through this century with civilizations intact. But, with enough people thinking ahead and thinking for themselves, the future can be bright for Everyone!