It's All About Ideas

Ken Manchester of Princeton and John Macdougall of Westboro are in Washington, D.C. today to be honored for their inventive work. Their creativity led them to develop "ion implantation, a process that changes the electrical conductivity of certain areas of silicon" and according to an article in the Telegram & Gazette (Feb. 11, p.B10) by Priyanka Dayal, this "process they discovered is used today in just about every modern electronic device, from computers to cell phones, TVs to radios." They started with a good idea, got the funding and followed through with it, and although they are receiving awards at the National Inventors Hall of Fame, they remain humble and seem to pass off their accomplishments.

Contrast Mr. Manchester and Mr. Macdougall's life stories with Governor Patrick's response to our state fiscal crisis. When asked about the gas tax hike, Mr. Patrick is quoted as saying, "The range of options is all about how much reform we're prepared to pay for." [Feb. 11, T & G (p. A8)] Since when do we have to pay for reform? Shouldn't reform take away from the cost rather than add to it, or am I missing something here?

Massachusetts needs forward thinkers, people like Ken Manchester and John Macdougall to come up with a few good ideas and follow through with them.

Read about Governor Patrick's 27 cents more per gallon gas tax idea, along with his idea to set up toll booths coming into Massachusetts from New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Then read about Mr. Manchester and Mr. Macdougall's semiconductor ideas.

Telegram & Gazette, Feb. 11, 2009, p.A8, "Gov. now backs I-93 toll" by Glen Johnson of the Associated Press
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090211/NEWS/902110400

Telegram & Gazette, Feb. 11, 2009, p.B10, "'Ion' inventors" by Priyanka Dayal
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090211/NEWS/902110329/1002/BUSINESS