Thinking of Christmas in August

It may seem odd to be thinking of Christmas in August, but it is for more than just sentimental reasons. The holiday season, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, are a time of year when, as Dickens writes, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute”. Typically, charitable organizations, and food banks endeavor “to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth” for it is in the holiday season “when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices.”

This year, however, a confluence of events makes the outlook bleak for charitable giving.

The high price of crude oil has impacted the price of virtually all consumer good, the cost of commuting to work, or anywhere else, and will cause the price of heating oil this winter to be over 30% higher than last year.

Even while less discretionary income is available, the political campaigns of this presidential election cycle, and the anticipation of expensive and hotly contested initiative elections (such as Proposition 8 on Gay Marriage in California) are tapping into those ever dwindling financial reserves.

And so, I’m thinking of Christmas in August. With less discretionary income available, and with more people in need, what will happen to the “Poor and destitute” this coming holiday season?

Online Life Affects Offline Behavior

In a TIME magazine article published Monday, May 12th, Kristna Dell reports on the impact that the use of online Avatars (personal characters created by users) can have on the real world behavior of those using the Avatars.

This is more than just a curiosity or social oddity. Second Life, a highly popular virtual world on the internet which uses Avatars, has over 13 million registered users. The Second Life virtual world has shopping districts, distinct neighborhoods, parks, beaches, clubs, etc. Where previously there was concern that individuals would get lost in online chat rooms, Second Life, or other such virtual worlds provide not just a chat "room", but a complete virtual world.

World of Warcraft, which is a war game played in a virtual world, while not using Avatars also provides opportunity for individuals to lead virtual lives online. World of Warcraft has over 10 million subscribers.

Although the TIME article points out that in an appropriate therapy setting these virtual worlds might actually aid patients, it would seem that for many no real benefit is being gained. Conversely, what may be lost is not only time, but real world associations and perhaps even portions of an individuals real world personality.

Time article

Why is Moscow showing its big guns?

Friday, May 9th, Russia celebrated its largest secular holiday, Victory Day which commemorates its WWII victory over Nazi Germany. For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Victory Day parade in Red Square included military hardware: tanks, mobile missile units, armored vehicles, and Topol missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The speech delivered by President Dmitry Medvedev to mark the occasion was softer in tone than the address given by his predecessor Vladimir Putin last year. Nevertheless, beyond being an opportunity to show renewed military strength, this display does raise several questions:

1. Why now?
2. What messages is Russia trying to send and to whom, and
3. What implications do these messages have for other aspects of Russian interaction with the west.

For organizations seeking to establish business or social links in Russia, this signal is worth noting.

AP Article

Moscow Times Article