[Its.an.education.project] Income in villages (was Re: The rest of the puzzle

[Edward Cherlin]

Microfinance has a strong record of building village economies and
bringing people out of extreme poverty. What businesses does a village
in the Peruvian Andes need? What businesses can provide revenue from
outside?

On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 2:39 PM, Edward Cherlin <echerlin at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm going to break this conversation into separate threads for
> electric power generation, corruption, and income generation in the
> villages. We can continue to discuss electric power on peripherals,
> and the other subjects on other lists.
>
> On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 10:55 AM, Yama Ploskonka <yama at netoso.com> wrote:
>>
>>> pay for power if it becomes available in this way? What other business
>>> opportunities arise in a village if there is a modest amount of
>>> fuel-grade alcohol available?
>>
>> No opportunities exist in the present state of corruption, except those
>> depending on corruption, like drug trafficking, for example.  Everything
>> else is merely survival.
>>
>>> I am thinking now of potato power. I assume that there is in the
>>> villages generally the knowledge, skill, and equipment for fermenting
>>> potatoes and distilling the resulting alcohol/water/plant residue mix
>>> into 95% ethanol. It is my impression that the uplands of Perú are
>>> excellent potato-growing areas. Hm, yes, potatoes originated in Perú,
>>> which has more than 3,000 varieties. I'll need to know the market
>>> price of potatoes in the villages, and the cost of the resulting
>>> ethanol. We will have to help to get the ethanol from the vodka level
>>> to the fuel level. Well, this
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_purification
>>> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_purification> will do to get the
>>> conversation started.
>>
>> You know, it's better business to do so for the vodka, and then use that
>> money to buy gasoline.  One little problem, producers might drink that
>> vodka.  That is why producing your own ethanol is illegal in most places
>> of the world, the government wants taxes on it.  So OK, you make a law
>> that people can make ethanol, but should not drink it, or should pay
>> taxes on it.  Sure.
>>
>> With the levels of corruption existing, no one can realistically think
>> this will work.  I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
>>
>>> Another possibility seems to be a hybrid system using solar power for
>>> half the year, and microhydro in the cloudy/rainy season. Well, we
>>> must run the numbers and find out.
>>
>> Well, double expense to begin with.  Again, won't pay itself because
>> there are no opportunities for business, because of corruption, etc...
>>
>>> I have contacts in sustainable fuels, business, and engineering, but I
>>> wouldn't turn down any others that people here come up with. What
>>> mailing lists, social networking sites, and other places can we ask
>>> these questions on? I know that we can ask on LinkedIn.
>>
>> Unless you have contacts with someone who can do something about
>> corruption FIRST, all the rest is moot.  Yes, they will spend the money,
>> they will get their picture.  Changes for the people?
>>
>> The list of goodwill projects that have been a waste of resources, not
>> solving anything, is long and growing.  See and weep, and this is just
>> ONE list.
>> www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/MAE_BOLIVIE_annexes.pdf
>>
>>> We also need a grant writer. Doubtless some of you can suggest other
>>> needs. Let's hear them.
>>>
>>>  > From a "practical" point of view... it was right (and it is) that OLPC
>>>  > worries about the lack of energy (electricity)
>>>
>>> Yes.
>>
>> Jensen has announced publicly the matter was solved, with the hand crank
>> charger and with solar, in Peru...
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classmate_PC#Comparisons_with_OLPC_project
>>
>>> No. OLPC has done a lot to make the XO low in power consumption, but
>>> has done nothing, zip, nada, about creating power solutions for
>>> customer countries. It's odd, with all of the MIT enginering talent
>>> around, that Nicholas never asked the question, but there it is.
>>
>> Oh, he did.  He did even spend an undisclosed sum on Potenco and
>> demonstrated in front of the camera.  And the OLPC  enthusiasts have
>> swallowed it whole.  But I don't think it is fair to blame him, but
>> rather our own gullibility and refusal to come forth when we knew that
>> made no sense.  I don't know when Potenco presented his report, but it
>> has never been made public.
>>
>> Bottom line, even if we get the machine there, and get it to run, will
>> it train entrepreneurs?  or is it expected that once we have artists and
>> creators galore, someone outside will pay their salaries?
>>
>> At least we can talk.  Thank you, Ed.  Sorry for being such a sourpuss,
>> but I call 'em as I see 'em
>>
>> Yama
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Edward Cherlin
> End Poverty at a Profit by teaching children business
> http://www.EarthTreasury.org/
> "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay
>



-- 
Edward Cherlin
End Poverty at a Profit by teaching children business
http://www.EarthTreasury.org/
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay