Texas and California ARE different, and they have the chickens to prove it.
Read More
You don’t have to be a tourist when you Travel. Tourism tends to put guardrails on one’s mind because of the expectations we often pack along with our Bermuda shorts. Here are just a few of the things Mark Twain had to say on the subject of Travel.
Read More
The author of this article , Mitchell Friedman, is right to ask, "Is this really tourism?" There's an old saying about greed which is an admonishment not to take more than your fair share: "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered".
Read More
Limitations are strange things, at once defining boundaries which might be exceeded while at the same time corralling us in. How can something be both?
Read More
Being certain seems so important to us these days. We just can't help adopting "truths", which beget further truths, and so on, until we cannot fit inside our own truth-house because the string of truths may have crowded us out. The great anxiety of our age might not be FOMO ("fear of missing out"), but rather, FOBW ("fear of being wrong").
Read More
There were days when we knew our limits were governed only by the length of the string that bound our creation to our own hand. But there were other days when the puff of glory was soon followed by silent stillness, and then by a sickening limpness which could only be addressed by a rapid reeling in of the kite before it crashed back to earth.
Read More
They are a collection of “strings.” However, I did not choose, or perhaps I did not know what type of string they might be, or what the connection to anything else was. Only now am I looking back to discern this. For instance, from this last year’s collection, here are a few observations on why I might have chosen each topic:
Read More
Kipling’s knack for describing true integrity, as well as an authentic road to happiness, is on full display in both the missive, and the poem “If-”. These can be words to end our year of 2018 by, and begin our new year, 2019. I wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Read More
The symbol of the day is a headdress of four candles, which symbolizes the notion that St. Lucy wore this illumination around her head, so her hands would be more free to carry stuff to the needy inside the catacombs. The illumination around one’s head is a symbol of spiritual intuition, a type of faith, which can be called upon when times are darkest and there does not seem to be a path forward. I love this story, and these symbols.
Read More
Every how-string has its origins, its starting point, and if you keep pulling, you might be lucky enough to discover the starting point. That starting point may not even resemble what's on the other end of the string anymore.
Read More
If my signature were a string and I pulled on it, it might straighten into something uniform, and perhaps even recognizable. But its not now. Instead it has evolved in to this squiggly, ugly mess over years of neglect, contempt and self imposed rush. Yet, this still seems to be the basis of my identity in many realms- proof. Positive. That I am who I am.
Read More
Election Day! I thought it would never come, but here we are. By the time you read this excellent article by Barry Ritholtz, entitled "How to Debate Financial Policy", the die will have been cast, and we will all have great clarity about our path into the future.... Right??
Read Barry's article to remind yourself of what your high school debate coach taught you about how to discuss issues in a civilized and effective way. His basic advice is "stick to the facts, and don't get personal". How quaint! Nevertheless, this advice is timeless and puts the onus back on your to at least try to know what you are talking about before you open your big fat mouth (I am talking to YOU, Ray Brimble). His focus is on financial matters, but obviously his tips apply to virtually every other subject and kind of debate.
I have been involved in a lot of fund raising over the past couple of years, both for my own deals, and as an investor in other folks' deals. The emphasis tends to be on the total amount raised. However, as Alejandro Cremades says in his article, "How to Find a Lead Investor," sometimes finding a lead is the most important step toward also finding the total amount of investment you seek.
Read More
Today’s conversation is about the value of diversity in America. Several pundits forcefully argue that cultural diversity is, in fact , NOT a strength, but rather a liability. I would disagree and could back up my position with lots of historical, financial, empirical and anecdotal information. In short, a fact-based analysis supports the case for diversity. However, never mind that, for now.
Read More
The real challenge for a #Dreamforce18 newbie like myself is scheduling… Just how is it conceivable to hit as many relevant sessions as possible, work in the @Salesforce Customer Success Expo and hands-on training, meet with industry leaders and attend client mixers, and still have some time to eat and sleep?
Read More
The question is, “how much money is F-U money to you?” I hesitate to define the question—part of it’s charm is it’s ambiguity. Nevertheless, it should be obvious that at least part of the ask is about how much money you think you need not just to get by, but to defiantly do what the hell you want.
Read More
“I have a soft spot for Pan Am. I took my first international flight on this airline in 1972, from Houston to Hong Kong via Honolulu and Tokyo. It took forever, including an overnight stop in Honolulu because back then, the aircraft could not span the Pacific Ocean non stop. I was a poor student, riding in the very back of the plane, but I recall the grandeur of the front and the general romance of the experience. What a great idea for Anthony Toth to recreate it in a very unique restaurant atmosphere near Los Angeles. I’m so there!”
Read More
When I read this article by Richard Florida, entitled “The Global Tourism Backlash”, it reminded me of my own master’s thesis at George Washington University about the negative effects of international tourism on small Caribbean island nations. Back then, as now, tourists can overrun places, affecting the local culture, environment, transportation and economy. Back then, as now, tourism can also be a boon to the local economy and a force for positive change. These arguments are similar to those concerning the effects of urban gentrification. I can’t help but believe these conversations are also a backlash against the borderless world spawned by post- WWII globalization and the new fluidity of our urban and cultural boundaries. How can we maintain the benefits of this fluidity without turning every place of history and art into a theme park, or hipster watering hole? Who has the right to benefit (financially) from this? What happens when more than half of the planet, recently deemed “middle class or more” has the resources to travel to your city to see your great sites, clog your roads, and generally misbehave?
What rights must we have to maintain some semblance of “order”. Who is “WE” , anyway? And who are “THEY”?
Read More
A lot has been written about the virtues and independence associated with being a small business owner. However, comparatively little attention is paid to the instinct of “going with the flow.” After all, entrepreneurs are usually Type A control freaks. However, being on and part of the water in a small boat will eventually inform you that you are not the thing, but rather just part of the process, and your job is often just to keep everything afloat and moving forward in the right direction.
Read More
This article describes another string that connects- expectations. We see what we expect to see. Only this time, research shows that those who choose to see the brighter side more often than not end up with the brighter outcomes. Did you expect something different?
Read More