There is a growing awakening that the way things have been progressing just can't continue if we are to sustain a growing world economy. The "flat world" has made your business my business even if you're conducting your business on the other side of the planet.  Available and affordable technology has made it possible to make current decisions based on future consequences.  Intelligence will tie it all together and thus intelligence is our most valuable asset.

From Wickipedia: Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology, or S.M.A.R.T. (sometimes written as SMART), is a monitoring system for computer hard drives that detects and reports on various indicators of reliability, in the hope of anticipating failures.

IBM recently launched its "Smarter Planet" campaign focusing on climate disruption, energy geopolitics and food supply hazards.  They are spearheading an infusion of intelligence into the way the world works through technological systems and procedures.  IBM wants to be seen as a leader in the way goods and services are developed, manufactured, sold and delivered.  They see opportunities in the fields of people, money, water and electronics, and it's all about becoming a "Smarter Planet". 

In January of 2008 Daimler-Benz AG introduced the Smart Fortwo in the United States, the "it" car of Europe. The Smart Fortwo claims to not only be a fuel efficient mode of transportation but a worldwide statement on innovation, intelligence, functionality and the return of the simple joy of driving.

Last month Best of the US has launched a new website, SmartestofUS.com, in an effort to find the smartest people in the United States.  The site administers an IQ Test then ranks the participants against all other participants.  They want everyone in the United States to have a SUS Score (Smartest of US Score) making it apparent who we are electing to governmental positions, who we are placing at the head or our corporations, and who we are considering dating next weekend.

 What brought all this on?  Could it be that we've been acting so dumb over the past several decades?  Consider our abuse of our environment, our abuse of credit, our abuse of our fellow man, our abuse of our own bodies, our abuse of personal values. 

 If we had acted with any level of "Smart" would we have allowed our economy to fall into the depth of financial jeopardy that we find ourselves in today?  It's time that we evaluate our corporate and governmental leaders based on there level of intelligence as well as their character.  Could an intelligent man or woman could have taken our country and our banking system into the financial collapse that we are experiencing unless they had a terrible character flaw.  The sub-prime crisis was openly predicted in early 2007 yet both our corporate and governmental leaders chose to ignore these warnings.  The Trillion Dollar Meltdown published in January 2007, and discussed in a Senate hearing, detailed what was going to happen over the coming months but it was ignored by our leaders.

 We have known that we were increasing our dependence on foreign oil for decades yet we have never established a national energy policy designed to eliminate this dependence even though we recognize it as a threat to our national security.  In comparison to the rest of the developed world, our country holds gasoline prices artificially low allowing our cars to remain large and thirsty. We consume 390 million gallons of gasoline per day in the United States.  A "Smart Government" would establish a $2.00 to $3.00 national gasoline tax to force us into more economical automobiles, reduce our use of foreign oil and stimulate the discovery alternative fuel sources.

 Our nation is becoming an island of "fat people"; my trips to Europe, China, South America, and Russia all ended in a U.S. airport with the recognition that the U.S. is full of obese people.  Why is this a surprise?  We provide them 200,000 fast food restaurants and take from these fatties over $120 billion yearly to assist them in their quest for obesity. These are the same people that are taxing our health care system, these are the people who are increasing our health insurance rates, ending up on workman's compensation, SSI, and welfare, and these are the people who are eating themselves to death.  A "Smart Government" would discourage this behavior.  A fast food tax is past due, groceries should not be taxed but a Big Mack should cost at least $10.00; that's a lot less than by-pass surgery, that you and I end up paying for in our health insurance premiums.

 How can a "Smart Nation" allow health insurance costs rise while allowing 50 million packs of cigarettes per day to be sold to its citizens?  Why doesn't a pack of cigarettes sell for more then $20.00? We know that cigarettes cause cancer, heart disease, and a multitude of other illnesses, all which are reflected in our health insurance costs. We ban smoking in restaurants, public buildings, even in some apartment buildings yet we chose to ignore the cost to our health care system.

 Over 42,187 of us will die on our highways this year; 13,500 or 32% of which will involve the consumption of alcohol.  Wouldn't a "Smart Nation" discourage such a behavior?  We consume 21 million gallons of beer per day.  This consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages is reflected in our health insurance and auto insurance costs.  Wouldn't it make since to enact a national 6-pack tax?

 Have you noticed that our nation is falling deeper and deeper into debt?  What if as a "Smart Nation" we could discourage bad behavior, reduce our health insurance costs, eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and raze over $500 billion in new taxes per year .  My SUS Score is only 104, but this seems like "the smart things to do."

Let's follow the lead of a few and grab hold of this "Smart Movement".  Let's demand that our government and our corporations are led by Smart People, and that they have a Smart Agenda. I don't think it maters anymore it their Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, if their not Smart let's get rid of them.

There is a growing awakening that the way things have been progressing just can't continue if we are to sustain a growing world economy.  Available and affordable technology has made it possible to make "Smart Decisions" based on future consequences.  Intelligence will become our most valuable asset in this new age.