The Future of Black Colleges in America

It is 2020. Technology reigns supreme. Adam West stands as a great American hero. West is young, mobile, and intuitive. His scientific mind has unlimited potential. Many wonder how such an intellectual could come from a heritage academy, a descendant of historically black colleges. West understands the reason. It came from his roots.

The Situation

We came from everywhere. We arrived in Washington State. It was culture shock for many. There was a 1% black population. Our recruiters celebrated us. Yet, some people feared us. We were young, energetic, and confident. However, urban legends persisted. We weren't smart enough or good enough to be there. Some black elitists, who hailed from white institutions, appeared to despise us. In spite of it all, we succeeded in this situation. As a Southern University graduate, I had learned adaptability skills. In fact, we were given an unspoken mandate to be the very best in our fields. As a graduate of different academic institutions, I feel destined to examine the future of black colleges. Let's closely analyze this matter.

A Historical Perspective

Currently, there are only 105 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). According to one study, HBCUs make up just 3 percent of the nation's academic institutions, yet 24 percent of all US black students start at one. The principal mission is to educate black students. According to United Negro College Fund, over half of all black professions are HBCU graduates. Nine of the top ten colleges that graduate black PhDs are HBCUs. Tennessee State University (TSU) is the number #1 institution for producing black baccalaureates in agricultural related fields. National rankings praise HBCUs like Spellman College. HBCU graduates include Oprah Winfrey (TSU), Martin Luther King Jr. (Morehouse), Alex Haley (Alcorn State), Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley), P. Diddy (Howard), and Thurgood Marshall (Lincoln) to name a few. Initiated by America's segregated practices, some HBCUs have been riddled with mismanagement, declining enrollments, deterioting facilities, inadequate funding, lack of alumni support, and a lack of clear vision.

The Real Matter

Demographic shifts are transforming our society from an assimilationist to a multicultural society. According to the US Census projection, whites will make up barely 50 percent of the future population. If students attend schools without any diversity, will they be at a future disadvantage? Surprisingly, HBCUs' populations are becoming more diverse. Nationally, white enrollment at HBCUs has climbed about 30 percent in the past several decades. Bluefield State, a HBCU, is predominately white (91%) now. The reason students are selecting HBCUs is simple. Students now realize HBCUs are less expensive, have smaller classrooms, and provide a good education.

As companies exist in hypercompetition, can we afford to leave anyone behind? Knoxville needs future workers. Vision-minded HBCUs can be a catalyst. Researchers Jorge Jeria and Gener Roth claim that black students attending HBCUs are more likely to complete a degree than those attending predominately white institutions. As an adjunct Knoxville College (KC) professor, I teach multicultural students from such areas as South America, Japan, and Africa. There are highly capable faculty and staff. Despite many pressing issues, KC provides personal and relevant learning. In fact, small colleges may represent a model for future academic institutions. Today's students want an intimate and engaging environment, not a sterile one. If HBCUs want to survive, they must have a global vision with key alliances. For example, Vanderbilt University and TSU have a strategic relationship. There are other similar arrangements. Darwinism will continue to exist. HBCUs that manage to adapt will survive. However, those that fail will exist in Black History trivia. Clearly, globalization will awake us all from our social complacency. I pray that it isn't too late.

Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of four books, including More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to make better decisions? If you answer "yes," then go to the 'master decision-making' website at http://www.darylgreen.org

Infrared Sauna - Its History and Future

How did the infrared sauna come into being? Let's take a look at the history of the sauna in general. The sauna has been around for about two thousand years. Originally the sauna was where people took real baths, the purpose was for cleansing. However as time progressed so did the ideas of what the sauna could be used for. In some cultures the sauna was a place where a woman would give birth and the sick would go to be treated.

Today's sauna can find its roots in Finland. The people of Finland were the first to build saunas that were based on the flow of hot air. The theory is that the Finnish people created these places because the weather in their country is cold most of the year. If you take a look around the globe, you will find that there have been similar structures built by the Romans, the American Indians, Russians and Turkish people.

History shows that the Finnish people built their structures beneath the earth, dug into hillsides and eventually progressed to the above ground structures. In the beginning the saunas were heated by a fireplace that was set beneath rocks that had been carefully picked and heated. The room would then slowly fill with smoke which would heat the air, it wasn't until the desired temperature was reached that the smoke was removed and the people would enter.

Technology helped with the advancement of how the saunas were heated so that their efficiency was improved. They went from using wood to metal to ceramics. We also saw the products that were needed to clean the sauna come about.

The sauna world saw significant changes in the 20th century with the advent of the electric sauna, followed in a couple of years by the infrared sauna. The infrared sauna was and is the first of its kind to use energy beams as well as direct rays to warm the people in the sauna. This sauna is a more effective then the traditional types.

Most often it is constructed as a wooden box and it houses several infrared heaters. The air is heated and you feel as though you are in a traditional sauna. The heaters are producing a radiant energy much like the heat the sun gives off minus the harmful UV rays. It was Dr. Tadashi Ishikawa that came up with the technology for these heaters in 1965.

Many people stated that the saunas heated by infrared are not only more efficient, but it also offer significant health benefits. The basis of the statement has a lot to do with wavelengths of the infrared waves and that of water molecules. It is believed that because the infrared wavelength of about 5.8 -1000 micrometers is so close to the wavelength of water molecules (9.4 micrometers) that the infrared waves are able to help you to get rid of the water soluble body toxins by exposing yourself to infrared radiation on a repeated basis, and it does this by causing you to sweat. Thereby provoking detoxifying and tissue stimulation.

What does this mean then to the consumer? Is it possible that this type of sauna can cure many common diseases? The researchers will not go that far, but they do know that the sweating is good for the body as it does in fact help rid the body of impurities and toxins. The health benefits that the infrared sauna offers could lead to a new future for the sauna. It could possibly go from being something that people enjoy casually to a treatment that is recommended and prescribed to help not only treat certain health conditions but to help prevent them as well.

Here is a run down of some of the health benefits the infrared provides that other saunas don't: it can help you lose weight, it treats cellulite, gives your immune system a boost as well as increases your vitality and strength. If you suffer from psoriasis, eczema or acne the infrared sauna is an effective treatment. The benefits continue, improving the cardio-vascular system, lower your blood pressure, relieves stress, gives you more energy, it relieves joint and muscle pain, lowers cholesterol, treats bronchitis, hives, gout, prostate hypertrophy and tissue damage.

And is seems a great way to help you relax, after a busy day working. As part of a daily routine it only has health benefits for body and mind.

Future Cities Will Move and Change Shape

Every day millions of people all over the world go to the office to work at the same location. It is another work day at the same address in the same office building. The structure may be old or it may be new, but the structure does not change. It remains constant. The building faces in the same direction and each window offers the same view to the outside.

In fact, the same thing exists in our own houses and condos, either in the city or in the suburbs. Our residence is constant, it is the same every day and does not move or change. Some people are comforted by the repetitive view of familiar surroundings in their daily lives. However, other people are pretty bored by the same bland, static buildings and surroundings that they encounter every single day. Indeed, if you fall into the "bored" category, the current planning and design for the city of the future may prove to be very exciting to you.

Consider that the city of the future will feature moving buildings that constantly change shape. Skyscrapers, buildings, condos, and even houses will constantly move to change outward appearance while giving every tenant inside a new and different perspective of the outside world with each glance through the window. For the city visitor, each new trip into town will prove to be a different and unique visual experience.

The fact is that the concept of a house in motion has already become a reality in Australia today. The Everingham Rotating House is known as a pioneer in rotating house design. The house was designed to rotate a full 360° around a central core of plumbing and electrical equipment. Computers maintain the house rotation and therefore hold complete control over the resulting outside view.

The house encapsulates many aspects of ecologically sound building principles; such as, optimizing on natural light and heat, while the rotation takes advantage of sunshine and shade at different times of the day and year. The concept of the rotating house is the result of nearly a decade of research, planning, and design, and ten months of construction over a two-year period . The house was completed in March 2006, built largely of glass and steel and powered by an electric motor about the size of an ordinary washing machine.

The only rotating multi-story building functional in the world today is in the city of Curitiba in Brazil. Architect Bruno de France has designed a tower called the Suite Vollard, which enables the individual floors to rotate around the building's main core. All eleven floors rotate 360 degrees and each floor can spin individually in any direction. One rotation takes a full hour. So, the dining area can be turned towards the sun at six in the evening while at breakfast time, coffee and a paper can be enjoyed overlooking a view of the city center. The building was constructed and designed for residential use.

Suite Vollard has facades that are composed of double sheets of glass, in different colors (blue, gold, and silver), on different floors. The glass and color work together to give a constantly changing unique visual effect to the outside world as the floors turn in different directions.

Of course, homes and eleven-story residential buildings do not comprise most major city skylines. So, the final engineering and architectural challenge to create the city of the future is a shape shifting skyscraper set in constant motion. This is a challenge now being undertaken by Italian architect David Fisher.

Fisher is planning to begin construction of an eighty story Dynamic Tower in Dubai in the fall of 2008 that would feature revolving floors. The motion of the floors would result in a skyscraper that is constantly changing shape. The plan includes giant wind turbines to be installed between every floor. The turbines would work in conjunction with the skyscraper's solar panels to generate enough electricity to power the entire building with enough power left over to even provide electricity to some of the surrounding buildings.

The penthouse floors would have the additional feature of allowing occupants to control the rate of rotation by voice command, rotating their floor from one to three hours during a full rotation. Penthouse owners would also have the luxury of using an elevator to bring their car up to their floor in order to park it

A second Dynamic Tower for Moscow is now in the advanced design phase, with completion scheduled for 2010. The Moscow tower, will have 70 floors and be 1,310 feet tall, and will be located in the Moscow City area. A third rotating tower is being considered for New York City. Other rotating towers are in discussion for major cities in Canada, Germany, Italy, Korea, and Switzerland.

Houses, buildings, condos, and skyscrapers set in motion and changing appearance. It is the new architectural and engineering wave of the next decade. Major international cities are about to get a new and unique look. They are about to be set in motion and will constantly change shape.

James William Smith has worked in Senior management positions for some of the largest Financial Services firms in the United States for the last twenty five years. He has also provided business consulting support for insurance organizations and start up businesses. He has always been interested in writing and listening to different viewpoints on interesting topics. Visit his website at http://www.eworldvu.com

Artificial Intelligent Intelligence Agent Software - the Future is Closing Fast

Now that DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has its counterpart in the Intelligence Sector, IARPA or the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, it should come as no surprise that artificial intelligent computer bots pretending to be humans will engage Internet users in on-going dialogue. Recently, we were discussing such tactics that might be employed using artificial intelligent software at our think tank.

One thinker stated; "A being that only exists virtually. I figured maybe having an A.I. join could infiltrate, talk, take ideas, and bring them back to the programmer."

Of course, that's the plan for surveillance online, I think it could work with a project like Dark Web in Tucson; those guys are kind of humorous about what they are doing.

Now then, these AI interfaces have great purpose for law enforcement, surveillance, finding terrorists, threats, etc. It's a great technology, what about Avatar instructors for learning, prisoner companions, VR instructors, simulators, talking manuals, can't you see that future? It's so obvious, of course, folks are working on this and they are getting pretty damn good at it. Search on this on the Internet.

Some who do not like the idea of intelligence gathering online say; "It creates more delusion by creating false entities." And believe this to be detrimental to online human conversations. Of course, this might also slow the bag guys or evil doers and create suspicion or paranoia amongst their ranks. To this the critics ask; "Is it worth it, as regular people might be afraid as well?"

Whether this whole concept bothers you or you believe that it might help track down international terrorists is somewhat irrelevant, as it is the way of the future and we may as well get use to it.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.