You Can’t Handle the Truth!
Eric Burger, Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men" and Dr. Robert Pepper

You Can’t Handle the Truth!

Today, I want to write about a different type of veteran Those who serve in the government, but not in the military and particularly those that help shape regulation.

Our Friend Eric Burger (who spoke at IoT Evolution last month) in a recent article wrote about his experience in serving in the US government.??

“The most senior policy makers in the Administration needed an understanding of the physics, engineering, economic, business, and policy implications of the various ways of moving forward. As it was, this spectrum neighborhood was being thought about for sharing for close to twenty years and no one was able to break the logjam. Note that no matter how much one thinks they know about the topic, the role is not to directly calculate the solution. Rather, it is to drive the constituencies to a workable solution. In this case, more than 170 engineers and scientists contributed to the final plan. The result? The FCC will be holding Auction 110 of this spectrum later this year.”

Note: If you want to follow or participate in FCC Auctions you can find the link here.

I have known Eric for decades and to this day, I don’t know his political views, however I do know his willingness to serve.

Yesterday I wrote about Dean Kamen and his ability to problem solve and his goal to educate the youth of world with FIRST. Solving the problems requires people understand the laws of physics and economic principles.?It’s one thing to write well, it’s quite another to understand the consequences.

Often historical speeches sound insane today but were a rallying cry at time they were spoken.?I think it’s safe to assume that history will see much the same in our current events.

The problems we face do not lend themselves to simple solutions,?if you search the web for words like Spectrum or acronyms such as M2M, we see why we need lawyers and English majors to make it, so the terms are described, and regulation is logical.

But to Eric’s point, we need to be advocates.?When Jeff Pulver petitioned the FCC for the Pulver order.?Candidly, I thought it was silly.?The reality was that the smart people at the FCC took Jeff’s petition and made it policy, so the regulation rules were better defined.

Kudos to Jeff Pulver and Bob Pepper for defining the future.

Focusing on solutions to solve problems is what we should advocate.


What I can't handle is the idea that you're 10 minutes up the road from me and we can't find the opportunity to get together! Would love to see you.

回复

Great article Carl, as usual. We each choose how challenges are faced. The burden becomes one of an influencer when they see what others don’t. This burning passion toward the tech persons desire to be a socially aware contributor, almost becomes what others ask of them. When you take your words and influence seriously, change can occur. I view both Eric and Jeff as not only mentors but affirmation when doubting your own ability to dedicate to the goal of maintaining your north on the compass of major community change. Individual success is earned and by an individual, everything else takes a community. Learn this lesson from them both, it takes politics to make an impactful change and protect those who don’t see what you do. This is never an overnight event but a lifelong investment. Thanks to my mentors, friends, and providers of positive change. You made me who I am today!

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Carl Ford的更多文章

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了