Biznez Time

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. In...

2009-03-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

In a free country, a country that remains free because of the shed blood, sweat and tears of brave men and women, we are free to speak. We are free to judge others, we are free to contest the judgments of others.

Let those who have grievances present their case publicly. Let those who have served honorably receive honor that is due them. Let those who were required to make life/death decisions in the heat of battle join the rest of us in calling upon a merciful God. In God we trust, not men; it is before Him that we will, all of us, utimately stand and be required to give account for our deeds.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full

Correction.The Taleb interview is published in Was...

2009-03-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Correction.
The Taleb interview is published in Washington Post, Sunday, March 15: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/12/AR2009031202181.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter
CR, author of Glass half-Full

Interesting inerview earlier this week with Nassim...

2009-03-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

Interesting inerview earlier this week with Nassim Nicholas Taleb in NYTimes. I'm supposing you saw it.
The Black Swan that we now see is a phenomenon about which I am surprised to have seen no comments by Biznet MBAs thus far.
There is quite a lot going down now. What's up?
CR, author of Glass Chimera

8 and 9 were both impactful reads. 8 much lighter ...

2009-01-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

8 and 9 were both impactful reads. 8 much lighter than 9, but eye opening none the less.

At the heart of the professor's article was this i...

2008-12-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

At the heart of the professor's article was this idea, which he saved for the last sentence:
"...utopia always a distant and destructive mirage. Administrations come and go, but the Conservative Mind--this constellation of ideas--is a permanent achievement and assesses them all."
If a man/woman can find the time to adequately conserve whatever good has been established--if he can do this and still allow the winds of impetuous ideology to form new currents of discovery--then he has chosen the best course for his fellow citizens. He is the true leader.
This requires at least some conservative perspective.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full

Whatever level of "systematic repression" is at wo...

2008-12-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

Whatever level of "systematic repression" is at work here, it's shouldn't really be that surprising. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein established benchmarks for such depravity not very long ago; and they were able to evade the world's notice for a long times.
Perhaps, in our media-intense age, we can become electronic vigilantes. That's what you have done by mentioning this despicable eugenic atrocity.
It's citizen-journalism. Keep your eyes open, and your analysis acute. We don't want any more Third Reichs or Baath parties.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full

Electrons trump ink. Hypertext is changing the way...

2008-12-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

Electrons trump ink.
Hypertext is changing the way people read. Attention spans are getting shorter. Publishers who can wrestle their assets into serving online readership will survive. Those that cannot make the change will go the way of the linotype.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full

This is what we call creativity. His art does ...

2008-12-22T05:54:00.000-08:00

This is what we call creativity. His art does not languish, but continues to develop through his entire life. The K is not a coach; he is a Michelangelo of the art of the hoop & ball.
There are only a few other basketball man whose art comes close to his. They are: MeadowLark Lemon, Pete Maravich, Michael Jordan, John Woodin.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full

i think we just need to face it, it's right for so...

2008-12-22T04:50:00.000-08:00

i think we just need to face it, it's right for some people and not right for others. but we can still be friends (and dating). :)

I am pleased to have read your last paragraph abou...

2008-12-21T15:20:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to have read your last paragraph about the possible bankruptcy of GM (et al); I'm glad to see that you're a true-blue free-market advocate, and that the advocacies of a GSB guy like yourself do not include nationalization of our major industries. We just need to take the hit. As President Ford (a noble man from Michigan) said back in 1974 when he was placed in the Oval Office behind President Nixon: Bite the bullet.
Nevertheless, it appears on this side of the Pacific that Congressional friends of the auto industry will crowbar their sympathetic entitlement fix via the the already-allocated Paulsen fund. This is pathetic, but is a better solution that allocating more tax-money and red ink for the inefficient, outdated auto industry.
If the bankers know what's good for them, they'll cut the automakers a share of the pie before it's too late.
Furthermore, if Uncle Sam is going to meddle in these affairs, he should exert some pressure on those carmakers to move toward production, distribution and financing of light rail systems in metropolitan areas. Such a strategy would also segue nicely into President Obama's challenge to reconstruct "infrastructure." That might put a lot of those line workers to work on something new and better, and also tap the creative instincts of our next generation of engineers.
Carey Rowland, author Glass half-Full>

What I noticed first about Nils's presentation was...

2008-12-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

What I noticed first about Nils's presentation was his casual use of the word "states."
Could we be on the cusp of an international federalism that parallels, on a worldwide scale, the developing unity between those "United States" whose identity(ies) were forming some 230 years ago?
If so, we're in for a long, rough ride, which will certainly include (as we have seen in America) a "wild west" phase.
This anarchic Wild West scenario is where we are headed; it is a law(lessness) unto itself, and its ruthless implementation is promulgated at the end of a gun barrel.
This is what Presidents Johnson and Bush learned the hard way; President Obama may pay the same price (public humiliation) unless he can more successfully walk softly (via diplomacy) and carry a big stick (you know what.)
And this balance of constitutional civility with military force will present the same challenge for all the civilized leaders and societies of this world.
Nils' last point about developed world conforming to the ways of third-world warlordism and gangsterism (instead of the other way around) is frightening. The Biznez Duo will most likely live to see more of this digression than I will. May God be with you.
Carey Rowland, author Glass half-Full

i would agree except i think we're still a long wa...

2008-11-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

i would agree except i think we're still a long way off before america would vote an asian-american into office. just think about all the ppl who freaked out over obama's supposed ties to terrorists, etc...indian-americans are an even lesser known quantity. but i agree, it would be great!

ps. nice blog, nerds. :)