Systems Thinking on the Credit Crisis

This diagram is from a white paper written on the current financial crisis. The R's mean reinforcing feedback, the B's are balancing feedback, the S's (same) are where more of one thing lead to more of another, and the O's (opposite) are where more of one thing lead to less of another.

The most interesting effects occur when you have a delay in a loop, where you initially don't know if the link does anything or not, you have to wait.

The Dreamer - A Graphic Novel about the American Revolutionary War

I visited the S.P.A.C.E. graphic novel and comic book convention in Columbus, Ohio today. What a treat!

One of the most unique finds there was "The Dreamer" series of graphic novels, done by a young woman named Lora Innes. The artwork is exquisite and the story is very fun. Lora remarked that she has accumulated a very well-informed fan base which includes "Thomas Jefferson fan-girls, Alexander Hamilton fan-girls the fights between them!" Lora started out with a short graphic novel including some vague historical references, but the further she got into it, the more she found she had to improve her own knowledge of America's history. Soon, she (and her fans) were delving into the battles, lives and loves of many of the heroes and heroines of 1776 and the surrounding era.

I was truly impressed with Lora's work. You can view her The Dreamer series online here. If you like her work, donate here.

Luis Gutierrez is Outed as a Payday Loan Patsy