The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism 3rd Edition (2007) by Russell Roberts

Book's pages:  132

This is a easy and short read for anyone interested in understanding the basic operations, assumptions and even impacts of Capitalism. The author effectively uses a hypothetical example to show the different economic aspects and concepts of Capitalism.

A careful reading can help the reader also identify what I consider the limitations and even dangers of capitalistic thinking and prioritization. I recommend this book for anyone who feels economics is too complicated to understand. You may be amazed how well you many understand capitalism and its economic assumption after reading this book. For example, you will understand the principles advocated for international taxation from a capitalistic worldview.

Click here to buy a book of the The Choice:  A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism 3rd Edition (2007) by Russell Roberts 

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The Rising of Africa: A Video and Various Resources

This is just a roughly put-together post. It's interesting how this CNN video shows that trouble for Europe is becoming an opportunity for Africa.

Here are a few books and reports that are great for anyone with an interest in Africa and where Africa could be headed. Please put these on your reading list.

Africa Rising: How 900 Million African Consumers Offer More Than You Think (2009) by Vijay Mahajan

Africa's Greatest Entrepreneurs (2009) by Moky Makura

The Promise of Emerging Africa (In the report Rapid-Growth Markets (January 2012) by Ernst & Young)

Africa Oil and Gas: A Continent on the Move (2011) (Report by Ernst & Young)

Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa (2009) by Dambisa Moyo

Look out for more resources of Africa.

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Urban America: US Cities in the Global Economy (2012) by McKinsey Global Institute

Book's Pages:  54;

This McKinsey Global Institute publication has many interesting insights but I will note a few that were very interesting to me.

1. Large US cities will contribute more than 10% of global GDP by 2025.
2. 80% of the US population lives in large cities.
3. Almost 85% of US GDP was generated by 259 large cities in 2010.
4. The cities that attract and retain new residents have greater chance of growing their GDP. The report even mentions something as "simple" as possessing universities that attract foreign students to be a benefit to GDP growth.
5. Tokyo is projected to retain its position as the largest city by both GDP and population. The current largest cities by GDP are as follows (from largest to smallest):  Tokyo (Japan), New York (US), Osaka (Japan), Paris (France), London (UK), Los Angeles (US). 
6. Atlanta, Georgia (the city in which I will be working) rose from being the 15th largest US city to 10th largest US city (GDP ranking). I like the fact that the median home price in Atlanta is $104,000 compared to the US city average of $110,000, San Jose's (California)  median price of $397,000 or Washington, DC, median home price of $191,000. If I decide to buy a home in Atlanta it would be at a relatively cheaper price than most other comparable cities.
7. Some global cities are creating strategic ways to grow their GDP. For example, Netherlands aims to attract 50 significant international businesses through the efforts of its Dutch Innovation Platform that brings together government, business leaders and other key players. France has an Ambassador for International Investment. Singapore and Ireland have agencies that attract foreign direct investment. Chicago's World Business Chicago is an organization that developed a program to produce a fact-based analysis of Chicago's strength and weaknesses, define strategies to respond to future trends, and engage a broad set of stakeholders to assist in Chicago's economic growth efforts.
8. Raleigh, North Carolina (the city in which I just graduated with a Master in Accounting degree last Saturday) is considered a "gazelle." A gazelle is a top performing city that has had significant GDP and population growth "by building on [its] strong university and research presence in growing tech industries." Austin, Texas is another example of a gazelle city.

The report is very insightful to businesses and policymakers who are thinking about tapping into the power of cities to help reap opportunities and/or assist in economic growth and development.

Click here to read this McKinsey Global Institute report

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989/2004) by Stephen R. Covey

Pages: 340;

This is probably the third or fourth time I have read this book and surprisingly I still feel that I will have to read it again. The book is very rich. Stephen Covey states,

"I would recommend that you not "see" this material as a book, in the sense that it is something to read once and put on a shelf.... [The] material is designed to a companion in the continual process of change and growth."

Of the many books I have read, this is one of the few books that uses a lot of practical examples to illustrate its concepts. In my view, Stephen Covey possesses a teaching style that is comparable to that of one other person who taught similar principles many centuries ago (leave a comment if you can guess who I am alluding to).

The book teaches the following seven principles which Dr. Covey argues to be principles essential for high effectiveness in individuals, families, organizations, communities and nations.

1. Be Proactive.
2. Begin with the End in Mind.
3. Put First Things First.
4. Think Win/Win.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
6. Synergize.
7. Sharpen the Saw .

For those of you who may be as busy as I am, you may want to learn about the Quadrant II Tool (the fourth generation time management tool) which teaches the concept of "organizing and executing around priorities." The tool teaches what Covey believes to be the best method of time management: organizing the week. The stages for this time management tool (or rather self-management tool) are as follows:

1. Develop/tap into your mission statement.
2. Identify your roles as they relate to your mission statement.
3. Choose one or two goals to accomplish in each role in the next week.
4. Schedule time to accomplish the goals you identified above.
5. Adapt each day to prioritize your goals "while responding to unanticipated events, relationships, and experiences in a meaningful way."

Click here for an overview of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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Learning From Toys: Lessons In Managing Supply Chain Risk from the Toy Industry (2001) by M. Eric Johnson

Pages:  20;



M. Eric Johnson writes about the supply chain risks of the toy industry and provides ways to manage these risks. This document suggests that the solutions to manage the supply chain risks for the toy industry can be used by other industries with similarly short product lives.

The author classifies the risks into product demand risks and product supply risks. An example of a product demand risk in the toy industry is short product life and an example of a product supply risk is logistics capacity. The short product life can managed using a rolling mix strategy. Logistics capacity risks can be managed using supplemental outsourcing.


Click here to access the document.

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Global Risks 2012 Report by the World Economic Forum's Risk Response Network

Pages:  64;

The World Economic Forum has published the seventh edition of the global risks report entitled the Global Risks 2012. It first features an insightful section that covers the cases which show the potential catastrophic events that could result because of the interconnectedness of the global risks. The three cases are:

1. Seeds of Dystopia:  This case highlights how societies worldwide could become chaotic as high unemployment rates among young people persist and as governments fail to maintain social provisions.
2. How Safe are our Safeguards:  Experts are concerned that our regulatory/governance systems will fail to manage today's complex systems including our financial and political systems.
3. The Dark Side of Connectivity:  Virtual hyperconnectivity creates enormous personal and organizational risks. Think of cyber attacks and the infamous/famous Wikileaks.

The report features 50 global risks in five categories which experts believe global leaders should be most concerned about. I will list three risks under each category. The first risk under each category is the most frequently chosen.

1. Economic Risks:  chronic fiscal imbalances, severe income disparity, prolonged infrastructure neglect.
2. Environmental Risks: greenhouse gas emissions, persistent extreme weather, irremediable pollution.
3. Geopolitical Risks:  global governance failure, terrorism, critical fragile states.
4. Societal Risks: unsustainable population growth, food shortage crises, backlash against globalization.
5. Technological Risks:  critical systems failure, cyber attacks, massive incident of fraud or theft.

Don't miss the section with the special report on The Great East Japan Earthquake (and tsunami) that killed nearly 20,000 people in March, 2011.

Click here to read the Global Risks 2012 report: http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-risks-2012-seventh-edition.

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Reading Progress: Slow but Steady!

I started the challenge some time around November, 2011. Currently, I have finished reading 12 books, which total 2,801 pages. That is nowhere close to where I should be. The inertia at the beginning was tough but now that I'm a few months into the challenge, I'm gaining momentum. To stay on course, I need to have read about 200,000 pages (or about 500 books) by December 2012. You can tell I've got a lot of catching up to do. A luta continua!!! (The struggle continues!) Here is the list of the 12 books I finished reading.

Education by Ellen G. White

 Surviving and Thriving in Uncertainty: Creating the Risk Intelligent Enterprise by Frederick Funston and Stephen Wagner

Increasing National Resilience to Hazards and Disasters: The Perspective from the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi by The National Academies

The Fourth Dilemma - P. E. Barkhuizen

Miracles of My Life: Autobiography of J. N. Loughborough

Individuality in Religion by A. T. Jones

Success through Failure: Paradox of Design by Henry Petroski

Welfare Ministry by Ellen G. White

Reaping the Whirlwind by Joe Crews

What Every Adventist Should Know About 1888: An overview of events and issues that made the  Minneapolis General Conference session so important in church history by Arnold Valentin  Wallenkampf

Christ Our Righteousness by E. J. Waggoner

Risk Intelligence: Learning to Manage What We Don't Know by David Apgar

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Surviving and Thriving in Uncertainty: Creating the Risk Intelligent Enterprise (2010) by Frederick Funston and Stephen Wagner

Pages:  305

Check for description and update soon.

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Risk Intelligence: Learning to Manage What We Don't Know (2006) by David Apgar

Pages :  204


Check for description and update soon.

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Why do a 1 Million Page Challenge?

So why would someone do such a challenge? What's the motivation behind this challenge? Am I just crazy? Don't worry, I'm not crazy! I've decided to do this because I believe it will enrich my life a lot so that I can achieve my long-term goals. Basically, I have huge goals for my life (those who know me fully understand what I mean... very huge goals) and I'm going to do whatever I can to see them to fruition. This challenge will help me achieve my objectives in the following areas:

1. I will launch my career with an amazing employer and I look forward to doing great things for both my employer and my employer's clients. This career gives me a wonderful opportunity to make a huge global impact. It is going to be exciting and challenging, I'm sure.
2. My goal is to be a global citizen who will be a lover of humanity in heart, soul, and action (strength). I want to turn the world upside down... positively. By the time I retire (if I retire) my efforts need to have impacted billions of lives. This sounds impossible so you may have gotten the hint that... I'm on a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! 
3. I'm part of a global organization that has a mission to reach every individual on this planet. How do you reach 7,000,000,000 (billion) people and leave a positive impression/impact in their lives? This is another "mission impossible"! I hope that when I finish this challenge, I will have some answers that are actionable for this global organization. (Then again, in ten years we might be talking of 8 or 10 billion people.)

Anyway, by this time it should be clear that I have some major goals in life and I could use all the ideas I can get. I apologize that the ideas above are vague; it's not necessary to get into the details at this time.

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Launch of the 1 Million Page Challenge Blog

In the next 10 years (actually 9 because 2011 is gone), I'm going to be busy but I will certainly enjoy it. I'll use this blog to reflect on the books, articles and journals I will be reading. Be warned, I read very different topics that most people. You might not find a single fiction book here... maybe! I like to stay in real life (kind of...). We'll see how this goes. Wish me well, please! :) Ok, I'm heading back to study for my tax quiz. Yes, I'm still a student... for a few more months.

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