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Who Are We Really Mourning?

06.26.2009

The seemingly global angst surrounding the death of Michael Jackson has me thinking: what are we really mourning? I doubt that it’s who he was at the time of his death, but rather, for those of use who remember, who he was when we liked him best.
We’re mourning the guy who introduced the moon walk, [...]

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Choosing Between Two Unattractive Options

06.12.2009

Catching up on the news, I discovered this tidbit in the WSJ (full article behind subscriber wall):
The use of company-issued mobile phones could trigger new federal income taxes on millions of Americans as a “fringe benefit.”
The Internal Revenue Service proposed employers assign 25% of an employee’s annual phone expenses as a taxable benefit. Under that [...]

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Bold Words Refocused

06.02.2009

My silence the last two months isn’t a reflection of not having anything to say. Instead, the last two months have been filled with an internal debate about whether there was value in continuing to share what’s on my mind. To that end, I’ve changed a few things that I hope will improve this blog [...]

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March Madness

03.31.2009

March has proven a crazy month. Between work, travel, and illness, I’ve had little time to write. However, I’ve been doing a lot watching and listening.
I’m baffled.
We seem to have lost our collective minds.
The country was so outraged over bonuses paid to AIG that Congress responded by proposing a 90% tax. Never mind that the [...]

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Bad Science Language

02.11.2009

Language in science is a challenge. Science comes with gray areas that both intrigue and confuse.  Getting it right every time is unlikely, making science a perfect example of ongoing thought evolution. However, few things make me more angry than when science is twisted to suit agendas. Consider the case of Dr. Andrew Wakefield:
The doctor [...]

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Happy Ex-Customers

01.09.2009

The web abounds with stories about unpleasant customer service experiences. In the context of today’s economy, customer service is more important than ever, even when dealing with a customer who wants to leave one’s service for another. Admittedly, making it easy for a customer to leave you for a competitor seems counterintuitive.
However, in both of [...]

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A Bookish Resolution

01.05.2009

I have a thing for books and most anything related to places that hold books…book stores, libraries, shelves, etc. My heart holds a special place for the library of my youth (i.e. the library before computers and Internet). Watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s reminded me of this affection as I watched Holly and Fred search for [...]

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Empires of the Mind

05.14.2008

Last October, The Economist published a piece titled “The Battle for Brainpower.” Based on my experiences, tales of friends, and even what I read in major publications, business is scrambling for capable, talented people. I’ve seen firsthand how HR and department heads have rushed to fill a position, settling for any warm body out of [...]

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Know Thy Opponent

04.16.2008

Recent research indicates that more than company profits fuel the stock market.
In a new study [John Coates] reports that traders who start the workday with high testosterone levels make more money on that day than their low-testosterone colleagues do. A hot day on the market sends their levels of the natural steroid up even more, [...]

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Love, Hate, and Indifference

04.15.2008

If, as Elie Wiesel says, “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference,” I wonder why some people inspire equal parts adoration and loathing. The current presidential race, for example, highlights the almost 20-year love/hate affair the American public has with the Clintons. Individuals seem to either love Hillary or despise everything she [...]

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