Comments

My late beloved Dad used to say 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themsevles' and that is how some accumulate wealth and to use Gordon Browns word 'prudence' is fine in most circumstances. But on this one you are spot on - that is just taking the p**s as we say in England.

Another politican saying 'Do as I say - not as I do.'

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 2, 2005 8:45 AM

Why do you hate Chavez so much? He's the democratically elected leader of the country. Sure, his economic policies might not be the best thing in the long-term for his country, but he seems less noxious than the corrupt opposition in Venezuela.

Posted by Barry Kelly at December 2, 2005 9:25 AM

I think that this is a really easy statement to make, you're not going to worry about keeping your children warm this winter.

Recently moved to Massachusetts myself from the South and am wondering what I'll need to cut to pay the heating bills until my husband finds a job.

Posted by Cathy at December 2, 2005 9:40 AM

Tom, I know it's a mark of genius to hold contradictory ideas simultaneously, but just how do you reconcile your opinion of no oil from Chavez for poor folks ... with your grudging acceptance of profits for rich folks from Exxon Mobil and all of the other petroleum rakes? (I understand your warning to oil execs and that you are not defending those profits, but ...).

Just asking, mind you.

If you're not for a windfall tax;

and you understand that sky high petro prices will drive research into affordable, sustainable energy generation;

then what is proposal for helping millions of Americans who will freeze to death in the interim?

Must ordinary working people, retirees and oh so many of us middle class dupes continue facing such choices as health care or food, heating oil or food, opportunities for our children or food, leisure time or food ... and the whole interchangeable matrix of these and other real choices?

Any ideas?

Posted by Alan Brewer at December 2, 2005 9:45 AM

Whoa, hold it right there!!!!!!

Patriotism is great, but Tom, what's wrong with this Massachusetts congressman helping out his constituents? If President Chavez decides to do himself a disservice and offer discounted products in the old Soviet model of commerce - just to show his socialist and populist credentials - why not take advantage of it?

In fact why not import as much as possible of Venezuela's production to the US? Commerce can only help build relations!

Posted by Arun Sadhashivan at December 2, 2005 10:03 AM

I hear that - Chavez as major Fascist Junior Hitler in the making - lucky Tom to now be in Eastern Washington with its abundant Columbia River electricity [#1 hydroelec production world-wide] and inexpensive water - vs. recent D.C. area and now $350 / month natural gas bills!

Energy, water, tax costs - as we age become bigger factors - even Greenspan agrees.

Posted by Sean at December 2, 2005 10:19 AM

Fly to Boston, find a poor family, and explain that they should freeze this summer because you don't like how Chavez runs his country.

Sorry Tom, I think you're way off on this one.

Posted by Shea Gunther at December 2, 2005 10:55 AM

I think you're probably using Chavez "filthy oil" already. It's being supplied to MA by Houston based subsidiary Citgo, with 12,000+ gas stations throughout the US.

If one chose to boycott oil tainted by corrupt, dictatorial governments, he might find it difficult to travel regularly from MA to CA.

Posted by Fred at December 2, 2005 11:25 AM

Welllll. So Chavez's oil is filthy. Is oil from the middle east, sourced from tyrannical governments angelic? !! Is oil from Sudan any better? Oil from Nigeria?
Unfortunately, money or any other commodity (like oil) does not have any "virtue". The banknotes generated from war, crime, as well as from perfectly legit occupations (even noble ones like teaching underprivileged students) look exactly the same.

Posted by Mandar at December 2, 2005 12:18 PM

I'm not so sure Washington would have refused Venezuelan oil at Valley Forge.

Posted by Steve at December 2, 2005 1:54 PM

Could somebody - preferably Tom P. - explain to me why Chavez's
oil is "filthy"? By whom's standard?

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 2, 2005 6:45 PM

Hmm,

This is one seriously ill-informed opinion.

I think Tom should follow his own advice and "stick to his own knitting".

s'okay though, still luv ya!

Posted by John at December 3, 2005 12:04 AM

The Chavez oil-to-Massachusetts thing is a case of "birds of a feather..." one politician washing the back of another. I'm with you, Tom. I'd throw an extra sweatshirt on (Philly Eagle green, mind you) and smile in the fact that I don't need the oil of a serial propagandist like Chavez.

My old man and my wonderful mother threw down an extra two layers of insulation back in October in anticipation of a cold winter and high oil prices.

Plan ahead and one never has to compromise their values.

Posted by Mike at December 3, 2005 12:46 AM

Clearly Chavez wants to roll back the democratic free enterprise process and hardly won a "free election" - maybe by Jimmie peanut farmer Carter standards ... the Chavez vision is anti-free world - some oil to the south Bronx hardly improves his standing - you can put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig dog ...

Posted by Sean at December 3, 2005 10:01 AM

Tom: Maybe you should just do without heat if the situation upsets you so. You might also consider setting up a foundation to help low income people pay their heating bills. As someone with means and influence, you might consider action rather than rhetoric in this situation.

Posted by Nancy R. at December 3, 2005 10:26 AM

Oh yes. Let's hit on Hugo Chavez. The guy who wants the poor in his country to not stay poor a lifetime. The one who does not sell out to Big Oil. Let's put all our American bias against that.

Let's face it: people in the states are freezing. Poor people, that is. Because the president gave tax cuts to those people who would support his re-election. And NOBODY gives them any help, not the Silicon Valley boys like Tom, and the ones at Exxon for sure not.

The U.S. might have an amazing gift of rising out of the ashes, but this time the Administration might have gone a tad too far.

Tom might not be able to see this: let's face it: writing a bestseller without any research is a feat only to be accomplished in the US - how many of the companies in "Search for Excellence" are still around? But to critisize help, from wherever it comes, to the U.S. poor is a very cynic point of view. In fact, in the aftermath of Cathrina, it is a typical W.A.S.P. statement that not only shows ignorance, but an amazingly barren way of obeying the government from Texas.

Posted by Harald Herrmann at December 3, 2005 10:41 AM

Let me guess, are you also in support of the fatwa Pat Robertson placed on Hugo Chavez?

Which he then rescinded by saying to take him out meant to kidnap him. Like, earlier advice, I like you Tom, but just stick to your own knitting.

For once, a government in the "3rd world" decides to raise its people out of poverty following a model that refuses to succumb to American influence and that should be commended.

Democracy only really works for the educated and informed, the choices Americans have made cannot be said to be exemplary in that regard.

If freezing to death on the principle of not using filthy oil is what you advocate, then where is the hope of change after death? Commendable perhaps, wise? I think not.

As an Anglo/Nigerian in diaspora, if our past governments just invested a tenth of oil revenue in elevating the poor out of poverty with education, health and opportunity, Nigeria would have been a different place.

The same goes for the American economic engine and the revelations of the aftermath of Katrina.

You, having travelled the world and lead a very successful life, I am tempted to advise you to get out a bit more - not to those sheltered opulent business places, but the slums, ghettoes, run-down project areas and see how you can bring your business acumen and prowess to change those circumstances.

This time, you have definitely sown to the wind, hopefully not for shame ... :-))

Posted by Akin Akintayo at December 3, 2005 2:01 PM

For winter heating see the 'Thunder in the Skies' episode of James Burke's 'Connections' BBC series
and Michael Graves' redesign of the $10:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/avisolo/70022538/

Posted by Avi Solomon at December 4, 2005 7:56 AM

I am no great fan of George W. Bush. But he is my elected president, whether or not I pulled the lever next to his name in 2000 or 2004. Hence, as a fervent supporter of the U.S. Constitution I do not believe it is the job (nor right) of each of our 535 members of Congress to make direct American foreign policy in the name of their district/state. That is the role of the executive branch, with appropriate Congressional oversight. (I know, I know, WMDs ...) If each of the 535 played the game the way Delahunt is playing it, there would be utter chaos in global foreign affairs. Representative John Murtha, D.Pa, stuck his nose deeply and aggressively into foreign policy, as is his unquestionable right. His impact may prove to be enormous, but surely he did not seek to make direct deals with various factions in Iraq to further his aims.

Does Rep Delahunt have the right to push his district's interests? Of course. But not to the point of making seperate foreign agreements with miscellaneous foreign nations. Moreover, one hopes (often in vain) that our Representatives and Senators also act upon occasion in their country's interests--not just that of their districts or states.

(As to sticking to my knitting, fat chance. I am a professional busybody.)

Posted by tom peters at December 4, 2005 12:13 PM

Tom: So what would be your solution to the problem of helping low income people afford heating oil this winter?

Posted by Nancy R. at December 4, 2005 12:18 PM

Tom, I agree with your thoughts on the responsibility for foreign policy, but is that what happened?

Elected leaders from senators to governors to mayors strike out on their own on behalf of improving the economic condition of their jurisdictions. They offer tax incentives and infrastructure improvements as incentives. In countries where the government owns the companies involved, they talk to government leaders to do it.

It does pose the question as to exactly where the line is drawn on foreign policy vs, economic development.

Posted by Jeff at December 4, 2005 12:58 PM

Your reply simply compounds your first statement and the analogy with john Murtha doesn't work. I think you should answer Nancy R's
question and respond to her earlier suggestion of setting up a foundation - we could all contribute in some way.

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 4, 2005 1:49 PM

Hey Tom, I like your description of Boston from a business leadership position. I'm here in Austin (Texas) where we have long had an affinity for diversity and some of the other positive qualities you described. Maybe you can sort of adopt us? We are the oasis of Texas.

Posted by Mike Chapman at December 4, 2005 2:21 PM

I agree with Nancy R. Tom,we have the luxury of being disgusted at things you dont like.

If you really want to help, how about meeting the governor and offering an alternative plan?

Start a funding campaign and seed it with some of your own money. Make a few phone calls to some of your friends and celebrities. See how far that gets you.

For someone who believes in "A bias for action", this is the perfect time to prove it to the world.

thanks

Posted by khan at December 4, 2005 4:03 PM

Ahh ... to be poor in the USA v. most anywhere else - the romance of helping low income people and poor with heating and food

- maybe John Heinz Kerry with his 57 ways to offshore your career and his brilliant 71 average at Yale has the answers? Personally for those above calling for Tom and celebrity action

- hey take a look in the mirror for the solution this Christmas season - get lean and energized to do it yourself - the last thing we need is to wait for others - free agent nation - be an activist for 30 minutes per day

- amazing the positive change 1 person can stir up - especially via Internet traffic - all the politicians really MUST answer their e-mail or that slight gets esculated so they get snapped in their lazy free-lunch snarky backsides

- must love the political process - make it a fun game to win - 1 person can change the world - it has happened over and over and over throughout history - be a master media manipulator PhD

Posted by Sean at December 4, 2005 5:59 PM

We are all quite confy with the oil, heating, etc, but still it is neccesary to start swiftching our mentalities a bit on this regard because it is going to be a fact that renovable energies will occupy the place of oil today, this will affect low and high income families, that is, all sectors of population.

Nancy,upon my view TP here proposes topics for us to reflect on and act accordingly, that is each one of us.

Posted by Omara at December 4, 2005 9:08 PM

Hey Tom,

I’m spending the winter in your home state – down in Bennington. I’ll tell you this – my perception of this state as being liberal and affluent was totally wrong.

Vermont’s dirty little secret: rural poverty is overwhelmingly prevalent here – what a shock. It's like living in the deep south only with a cold, cold winter!

I’m going to email the governor of Vermont and beg him to get in on some of that filthy heating oil for your poor neighbors.

Posted by carbonboy at December 4, 2005 10:24 PM

carbonboy, there is extraordinary poverty in pockets of VT as in all 50 states + DC. However, VT's overall economic and education numbers and social indicators, from unemployment to test scores and the likes of divorce rate, are exceptional. For example, in 2004 Vermont's unemployment rate was tied for 4th lowest in the country, behind only Hawaii, North and South Dakota and tied with Virginia at 3.7%. Virtually all social and educational indicators are in the 1st quartile. (None of which means heating oil is cheap.)

Posted by tom peters at December 4, 2005 11:25 PM

Methinks you must have known what the overwheling reaction would be to this topic before you even posted it. If it helps, I agree with you in principal. I'm disgusted every time I so much as put gas in my lawnmower - let alone my car - that I am (more often than not) putting money in the hands of governments that mistreat their citizens and fund terrorism around the world.

It took an offer for cheap heating oil from a blowhard generalisimo wannabe like Chavez for you to get so bent out of shape?

The energy landscape must change, and soon. Change starts with each one of us and our consumption habits. But it MUST become a political imperative, something I don't quite see happening in an administration so beholden to the petroleum industry.

Until independence from foreign energy takes a political front seat, we will be forced to sleep with undesirable bedfellows in order to heat the homes of those less fortunate than we.

Posted by Chris at December 5, 2005 12:42 AM

Hey Tom,

I love you but I think you dropped the ball on this Chavez thing... What's so bad about Chavez?

Posted by Kevin at December 5, 2005 3:45 AM

Kevin, I don't know your age, but I am of an age so that I clearly remember the slides in and out of democracy all over the Southern Hemisphere. Argentina's "disappeareds," the Chilean mess, Fujimori, etc, etc. Chavez is another Latin American anti-democrat impeding the Continent's progress, and I hate to see a solo Congressman encouraging him. Plus, as I said above, G.W. Bush is my President, and Chavez went out of his way to tweak his (and thence our) nose/s. Having stuck it to us, I think it's a disgrace that a Congressman was immediately conned into publically doing his bidding. Sorry, I think it's shameful. To take my view is hardly to support people freezing this winter. To deal with that, let's start with Governator Arnie pledging not to drive his Hummer on weekdays.

Posted by tom peters at December 5, 2005 7:19 AM

So, Chavez went out of his way to tweak GW's/our noses - without provocation! The generalities ("... impeding the Continent's progress," etc) are either naive or disingenuous. You still have not answered the questions asked of you.

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 5, 2005 7:30 AM

Tom: So are you not planning on taking any sort of action about the Chavez oil? Are you going to write to your governor/congressman/senator? I didn't really expect that you would overnight create a foundation to assist low income people, but I do think it's sad that someone with your means and influence simply points out what's wrong without offering any solutions or even ideas. I think this is an opportunity to apply some of your ideas in a very rewarding way.

Posted by Nancy R. at December 5, 2005 8:42 AM

Nancy, I am not a Mass. voter. I will do my damndest to make sure Bernie Sanders doesn't try the same grandstanding in VT.

Posted by tom peters at December 5, 2005 8:48 AM

And so it goes.

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 5, 2005 8:57 AM

Tom: But your are a Mass. resident and an American. Must you be a Mass. voter to take action?

Posted by Nancy R. at December 5, 2005 9:32 AM

Tom: One last comment and then I'll hush. I think you need to look at you TIB #19. This is what I have always admired about you. What happened to the man who said "Action ALWAYS takes precedence." or "As for the blame game thing, the issue for me is selfish. My energy is far too precious to waste a single droplet on emotionally draining acts of recrimination." Do something Tom, I dare ya.

Posted by Nancy R. at December 5, 2005 10:31 AM

Tom, listen to Nancy R. Change your mind about the windfall tax. Levy one and use the proceeds to fund government programs that:

1. pay for weatherinzing rehab for poor people and
2. subsidize heating oil and natural gas to poor people, for starters.

And be honest, did you really expect to hit this nerve with your original "Shame" posting?

Posted by Alan Brewer at December 5, 2005 11:17 AM

Tom, it's disappointing to read your stance on this issue. All oil is dirty. I fail to see whats so wrong with Argentina's oil that isn't wrong with the Saudis or Iraqis. At least our troops arent paying the price for this oil. (And as for Chavez, anyone who tells Dubya to kiss his ass can't be all bad.) As someone who grew up poor, on welfare, and who's grandmother works for the Northern Berkshire Community Action (they provide fuel assistance to low income families), I can tell you that there is nothing worse then going to see Gram at work and seeing nothing but mothers and fathers that can't afford to keep their children warm. Growing up poor in the Berkshires maybe makes me a bit biased in my opinion-but then again I have experienced first hand what its like to have your heat turned off. And now, living in Charlestown where the rent is $1700-not including the gas heat-I can see why Congressman Delahunt embraced his "Bias for Action" since nobody else would. Shouldn't we be more concerned with the DeLay's and the Frist's and the Libby's and the Cunningham's rather than chastizing the Congressman that actually does something good for the poor of this country? I think there are more important things going on in Washington that should be discussed before this issue.

I am one of the lucky ones who is fortunate to have a better financial life than the one my parents gave me- but just because I can afford to pay the bill doesn't mean I forgot about those that can't. Always remember your roots. Remember, we are all in this together. Why not lend a helping hand where it is needed?

Posted by Rachel at December 5, 2005 11:28 AM

Nancy, I only meant that as a VT resident writing, Mitt Romney is not likely to rattle any cages. As to the other half of your point, I only meant to provoke with this Post; frankly this is not on my "top 10" list of issues to which I'm willing to devote time. The likes of bird flu preparedness, education, micro-finance, and healthcare (quality, wellness) are higher "action" priorities.

Posted by tom peters at December 5, 2005 11:29 AM

And so it goes.

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 5, 2005 11:56 AM

Tom: Thank you for taking the time to answer. I do appreciate it.

I would take issue with your statement that your letter to Mitt Romney wouldn't carry much weight. You are TOM PETERS. I think that carries some weight. And if this isn't on your Top 10 list, well okay. It's a free country and you're entitled to make your choices. I'm choosing to make a Top 10 list of my own. #1 on the list is clearing your books off of my bookshelves. viagra black

Moving on,

Nancy R.

Posted by Nancy R. at December 5, 2005 12:00 PM

How silly of Nancy R. not to realize that bird flu preparedness (yours), education (yours), micro-finance (yours) and healthcare (yours) are higher action priorities for you. As soon as she does your books will go right back on her shelf I bet.

"I only meant to provoke with this Post..." - I don't believe that for a moment.

Posted by Ciaran McCabe at December 5, 2005 12:19 PM

I think I have heard enough about bird flu - how many are really dying of bird flu NOW and how many more are dying of HIV/AIDS and other diseases that already plaguing the human race.

We have not clue of how the bird flu virus would mutate to a pandemic influence and it is not guaranteed that Tamiflu would deal with the bird flu that does cross species.

Our clamour for a future expectation over dealing with a current and present situations drives me to distraction.

Thankfully, the baying for a viral transition from bird to human has departed the breaking news slots of CNN and news-wires having been consigned to focus groups in all sorts of organisation.

Education, micro-finance and healthcare are probably the needed preparedness for bird-flu such that we can be better removed from living with our poultry under the same roof.

Posted by Akin Akintayo at December 5, 2005 5:32 PM

Seems like more than a few haven't done their homework on Chavez who is indeed a Castro communist low-class/IQ civil rights stomping fascist. The romance of heating poor people always pulls at heartstrings but latin America / African dictators are prime issues that end up killing 10's of millions unless aggressively mitigated. The democrat Delahunt's solo end run around the State department and USA citizens discredits all USA democrats and furthur buries them in quirky anti-USA perverse action sets.

Posted by Sean at December 6, 2005 9:21 AM

Sean, I won't say "my feelings exactly"--but pretty damn close.

Posted by tom peters at December 6, 2005 12:45 PM

I also oneself something would want to find out on this theme. Very attentively I will read every post.

Posted by Aparaty cyfrowe at December 6, 2005 2:06 PM