Thursday, March 27, 2008

Thinking out of the box

Throughout my life I have learned an important lesson, you have to always be looking ahead, learning from the past and thinking out of the box. As most of you know I am passionate about finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. I am pleased to share that we are funding an important project at Massachusetts General Hospital that is actually going to test a potential cure on humans - not mice.

Go to www.iacoccafoundation.org for the news article.

12 comments:

Marci said...

Mr. Iacocca,

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say thank you for all the effort you've put into the cure of diabetes. I can't wait to hear about the project results.

Thank you again,
Marci

AngZee said...

WOW! A world free of diabetes? This is incredibly important work. History is in the making!

kathi said...

Mr.Iacocca,I've three type 1 diabetics in my family: husband, son and daughter. They were diagnosed at ages: 40,12 and 6. I am curious about stem cell research and the possibility of donating cells to my children, if compatible. Thank you for your continuing work to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. My daughter calls tells everyone I'm a type 3 diabetic...caregiver to type 1's.

Charles Eaton said...

I hope and pray that one day we can finally move ahead of this disease and towards a better and brighter future. Keep up the hard work Lee and lets keep this train called "America" rolling forward so that this types of experiments can be possible for other causes too.

-Charles

Joe Montealvo said...

Hi Mr. Iacocca. I just ready your book on leadership, or the lack thereof in our country today. I just wanted to thank you for putting your thoughts on paper for the world. I think it is important for men such as yourself to do that so we in the younger generation can learn how it should be done. Like yourself, I am also in the car business. Though, on a much smaller scale. I was raised in the used car industry here in Houston. I'm 29 years old and have many ideas I want to put into action in the near future in the auto industry. I thouroughly enjoyed your book. I got through it in about 6 hours. The next book I want to read is your autobiography. Thanks again, Mr. Iacocca, and may God bless you with many more years on this earth to share your wisdom, knowledge, and stories.

Fernando Martínez said...

Hello Mr Iacoca:

I'm Fernando Martinez, I live in Monclova, Mexico. I heared about you more than 20 years ago, then I bought your first book and got engaged of you. I teach in a small university and I ordered my pupils to read it and do a summary and during final exam main questions were from it too. You are an Idol for entrepreneurs and for me too. I also colaborate in a radio program sponsored by Chrysler local dealer; I spoke of Jeep history, Dodge Brothers, Chrysler Building and Mr Chrysler; next week I will speak of you and your colaboration to american automotive industry, such as mustang, voyager ( I have one) and company improvements during time you worked in Chrysler plus all comunnity impacts you did. Congratulations for this blog, I will continue checking it and writing my comments if I feel confident to have a reasonable true

Rod Lockwood said...

Dear Mr. Iaccoca,

This is the closest and most recent post of yours that is related to the bail-out proposal currently being discussed in Washington. I am sending the message below to the lawmakers that represent me in both the House and the Senate.

Comments are welcome.

OK, you want a bail-out? Fine. These are the only acceptable terms.

1. The homeowners and credit card holders will have their debts written off. The homeowners will receive the deeds to their homes free and clear.

2. Credit card holders will have their debts written off.

3. All of the credit card accounts of all of these people will be closed and these people will not be allowed to have credit for a minimum of ten years.

4. Banks must tighten their policies of who can receive credit. They must also stop advertising credit cards and mortgages the same way advertisement for alcohol and tobacco is banned. Retailers will be forbidden to offer credit cards.

5. Interest rates must be raised to the same level it was in the 70s.

6. Advertising for pharmaceuticals will also be banned.

7. All U.S. citizens who make over $500,000 per year in annual salary and benefits (including stock) will be taxed 50% with absolutely no deductions.

8. The laws of incorporation will be re-written so that they no longer protect the corporate executives or stock holders of large corporations. In the case of bankruptcy or failure any owners, stock holders or corporate executives must relinquish all dividends, salaries, stock options, returns on investments and benefits from the past two fiscal years of the existence of the corporation. This comes from any assets outside of their main residence and one vehicle. This does not include any assets of value which may be inside their main residence.

9. The copyright laws will be changed to the following:
The copyright shall last for fifty years or until the death of the creator, whichever comes first. Any years of the fifty left over after the death of the creator shall pass to his estate. If a copyright is sold to a corporation or any other non-living entity, the copyright shall not exceed fifty years from the original date of the copyright. No corporation may file for a copyright. Businesses are not human beings and therefore do not have the capacity to be creative. Only humans can create and therefore only humans may file for copyrights. Any work abandoned by the corporation for more than five years from the last sale the copyright will be terminated and shall pass immediately into public domain. No extensions of any kind may be issued for a copyright. This is to take effect retroactively to all copyrights.

Congress wanted to make it easier for the average person to copyright their works. That is fine, they can do that also. Just as long as corporations are forbidden to file for copyrights. They may purchase them from the original owner or their estate, just not file for the initial right.

Perhaps some exception could be made for non-profit, apolitical institutions.

10. Patent laws also would be changed so that there is no longer an indefinite time limit for patents to be pending. Once the initial application for a patent is filed, the person filing for the patent has six months to complete the process. After that, if the patent is still pending the patent is put straight into public domain. There will be no appeal, no extension or re-application.

****

The fact is that the United States does not need Wall Street. What happens in the stock markets should not be affecting nor influencing our economic policy. What should have been influencing our economic policy is things like what the incomes of the people who work for a living are and what the unemployment rate is. Wall Street has always enjoyed making money whenever the unemployment rate went up or people were laid off. Now its pay-back time. Let’s see how they like it when a few CEOs loose their jobs and cannot find work. How ever rough it might be for them, it would still beat jumping out a window.

The argument that any changes to protect the copyrights and patents beyond a reasonable length of time will discourage entrepreneurs and technological growth is a false one. Entrepreneurs do not have that kind of money. And how much technology in the past twenty-five years has been developed that has really been useful or needed? How many of the original artists were really able to make even a living from their copyrighted materials. Or has it been only the corporations making the profits? If anything protecting the interests of large corporations and wealthy investors discourages entrepreneurs from competing against them. Ask yourself this, if the Wright brothers were just starting out today, would they have been able to invent the process for controlled flight that led to the development of the airplane?

I really resent the fact that my savings is being given to someone who has no business borrowing money. The bank risks loosing my money and what do I get? A lousy one or two percent interest? Absolutely not! I want at least five percent and I really think today it should be more like at least ten percent.

Sincerely,
Rod Lockwood

Support your local and online small businesses!
Feed the pig. (http://feedthepig.org)

Chris Garvey said...

Ginger and cinnamon reduce insulin insensitivity and simulate insulin. Combined with exercise and weight loss, these can be a way to normalize some diabetics.

M+T said...

As Kathi said above you can call me a T3D...

Mr Iacocca....we need you again for phase II so please help Dr Faustman reach her fundraising goal this year. We can't do it without you!

Dr Faustman and her research has for the first time in almost 12 years

(...July 7, 1997 my husband Mike's diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes (age 30), Jan 9, 2005 my daughter Jadyn's diagnosis (age 8), July 10, 2008 my daughter Shayla's diagnosis (age 10), everyday my littlest daughter Ashly's fear of diagnosis...)

given me hope that a cure will actually come for type 1 diabetes.

This is the exact place that we should be sending our money right now...not JDRF, not ADA, Send it directly to Denise Faustman...the Dr that discovered this and pushed through to get it into clinical trial even when everyone thought she was wrong!

PLEASE spread the word...spread the email - tell everyone to support her and get this to the next step - Phase II clinical trial PLEASE.

www.faustmanlab.org/support.html

Thank You Mr Iacocca for all you have done and continue to do.

Best Regards,
Tania

kopi said...

my friend just lost his mother-in-law to diabetes.it was painful.mr.lido,thank you for your many helps to humanity.For this research you have initiated,it will take a while before we forget about you once you are gone.What a way to leave.

Stan Krause said...

Please allow me to introduce and I want you to join through me because This is an altruism business the only way I can be successful at saving lives and becoming successful is by making you successful so go ahead and sing up under me I am a admirer of yours. So you should admire me too when you find out I am one of those leaders you speak-Please allow me to be your partner Please do the right thing- I have all your answers. What knowledge is to life ----it brings more life;
as ignorance is to death --- and to not believe in me is as silly as not believing in the truth I am your friend and future colleague if you'll have me-- God Bless you and America I have proof=truth American's are the Chosen ones

The spiritual truth is in this tried and true Product- a break through see for yourself it makes anyone no matter how old they are 80yrs 65yrs. + a 20 year old on the inside. I am an over achiever from the car business I am the greatest car salesman in the history of the world but nobody ever told me they took advantage and recorded my every word that's why you don't see leaders any more IO am an altruism man who never knew I was being shiest ed. This is the last time I speak of anything negative from now on it's all positive that's what America needs we are all brain washed and not able to make appropriate decisions. The positive all Good and of the truth is all that matters to the power of U.S. of America "We are the chosen ones" and we don't even know it" please tell me where I can send mail to you because I'm being watched most the times But Jesus Christ is leading and protecting me He is the only one I acknowledge any more --- He is why I have all the answers he is the Truth you know. I stand for Truth, Justice and the American way. Praise the Lord for he protect U.S of America and has blessed U.S. of America with some miraculous businesses. Here is your first step take it ---
www.lifevantage.com/stan1

God bless you -in the name of Jehovah God whose name means to cause to become and he causes our thoughts to become things

Don't you know about this

www.thesecret.tv
only rich and famous knew about this and all the inventors and you must have known about it but I have mastered- the secret I'm the secrets guy in the automotive business - that's how I became the highest gross man in an 8 stores since 1986 history and I can see into the future in my minds eye ---
I am programmed positive so I can see what others can not see--
America is sick with negativity -itus

God bless You
SK

cjs said...

Diabetes comes from sugarcane being divided into maybe
three parts...white sugar, caramel, and powdered sugar.
How do I believe this? Because there are more types of
Diabetes--which is strange to other health problems. You
can eat maybe only one type of sweet, like candy that is
mostly white sugar with no caramel. My guess is bases on
the principle of the WHOLE! Alone, the yoke of an egg is
constipating, while, alone, the white is a laxative. Together
they are a balanced whole and cancel out their lone power.
Eating watermelon excites the kidneys, but tea made from
watermelon seeds stopped bedwetting by American Indians. Poison Ivy plants are low, and dry, and always
grow within feet or yards of a taller, wet antidote plant like
Caesar's Weed. You find tons of opposites in the Bible.
A pool of water was too bitter to drink until a nearby tree was cut down, dropped in the water, and soaked up the
bitterness. A flint rock had water inside...what is drier than
water? And what is wetter than water? And where did they
dwell? Together! Consider the old propeller planes to
compare with today's super-fast jets! I believe diabetes is
a body's response to the MISSING part of the needed whole. The power of a vacuum is in many health problems,
like beri-beri; rickets, etc., missing vitamins. We need to
understand the principle of a WHOLE. Maybe diabetes can be so lethal because the missings are not as a half, but, when two-thirds or three-fourths of the whole is
missing for a sensitive body. I was shocked at all the many
procedures that happen to sugarcane as found in a 1969
encyclopedia graph to divide the original into parts!