In his bestselling business management book Good to Great, Jim Collins implies that there are companies which can perform well almost indefinitely. The boom-to-bust cycle can be curtailed, it would seem, if a company focuses in on what it's intended for and has the right people on board. These are nice, reasonable ideas and make good business sense overall, but can adherence to them truly predict greatness? According to Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt, the answer in this case is no. Most of the "great" eleven companies profiled in the book are as much affected by up and down performance cycles as any company.
My question is, can anything predict an organization's ability to get to or remain at the top of the game? How often does any of us experience true "greatness" in our lives? Is it reasonable to assume it can be predicted, as if controllable? What do we gain and lose with attempts to make it happen? Something to ponder as you read From Good to Great...to Below Average. Then I encourage you to check out the Business Pundit's very reasonable (imho) review of books like Good to Great.
July 28, 2008
July 21, 2008
No malfunction here
Finally, some sanity to report. A federal appeals court threw out the FCC's $550,000 fine levied against CBS three years ago for Janet Jackson's alleged "wardrobe malfunction."
July 17, 2008
Is it elitist to say this whole thing is ridiculous?
The cover of The New Yorker this week--the July 14 issue depicting the Obamas surrounded by evidence of various false rumors--was, I thought, kind of funny. Not hilarious, mind you, but certainly not completely un-funny. Unfortunately I did not get to arrive at this conclusion before I had been told 12 ways how offensive it was. Apparently no one in the media who commented on the cover is an actual reader of the magazine (hello, context). Fortunately I can think for myself and can take political art with a grain of salt and a sense of humor.
I understand where artist Barry Blitt took a risk. Clearly not everyone has been following the easily disproven rumors that have been circulated concerning Barack Obama. David's grandfather thought the cover was terrible; I feel I should add that he is not a New Yorker reader and only heard about the cartoon from the story's heavy rotation on TV. When we discussed it over lunch I realized that where I saw a picture poking fun at all the absurd allegations and conjectures about our democratic Presidential nominee, he saw an artist promoting such allegations and conjectures.
As a political cartoonist I'd say it's Blitt's job to push the envelope, and sometimes it works better than others. While this one probably helped the New Yorker sell more newsstand copies, it probably won't go down as one of Blitt's best loved works. Consideration for that honor ought to go to Blitt's October 2007 New Yorker cover depicting Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a foot-tapping bathroom stall. Now that was some clever political-fun poking.
To finish things off I encourage you to check out a few other elitist funnies right after you read a bit more about charges of elitism in general.
I understand where artist Barry Blitt took a risk. Clearly not everyone has been following the easily disproven rumors that have been circulated concerning Barack Obama. David's grandfather thought the cover was terrible; I feel I should add that he is not a New Yorker reader and only heard about the cartoon from the story's heavy rotation on TV. When we discussed it over lunch I realized that where I saw a picture poking fun at all the absurd allegations and conjectures about our democratic Presidential nominee, he saw an artist promoting such allegations and conjectures.
As a political cartoonist I'd say it's Blitt's job to push the envelope, and sometimes it works better than others. While this one probably helped the New Yorker sell more newsstand copies, it probably won't go down as one of Blitt's best loved works. Consideration for that honor ought to go to Blitt's October 2007 New Yorker cover depicting Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a foot-tapping bathroom stall. Now that was some clever political-fun poking.
To finish things off I encourage you to check out a few other elitist funnies right after you read a bit more about charges of elitism in general.
- MUST READ: Jon Stewart on The Daily Show had a hilarious take on the latest New Yorker cover, including a fabulous response suggestion for the Obama camp.
- Daily Kos posting, The New Yorker Cover: An Anti-Elitist Opportunity
- And two more elitist New Yorker cartoons: one and two. (It's okay to label them as such; they use the word themselves.)
July 15, 2008
Drilling down
Take a look at this informative little financial opinion piece from The New Yorker on why oil prices are so high. After outlining a number of reasonable points, the author asserts that:
And on to a related topic...
Expanding offshore oil drilling alone will never solve our energy problems. Even if it were to be expanded (and politically, environmentally, and financially this is a huge longshot), the impact would be relatively small and not immediate (estimates vary, but the amount of oil and gas the industry itself predicts could be harnessed might get us only two years' worth of supply--then what do we do for a fix?). We might feel better in the short term by expanding drilling offshore, just because we took some action over which we seem to have control (it's a domestic bandage of sorts), but a year or two from now we will have moved on to whatever our latest insecurity is and not necessarily fixed the underlying need for the bandage. I don't think the environmental risk of drilling and piping-in is worth taking just so I can feel better for a few months, especially as it won't have effected a substantive solution whatsoever.
So expanded offshore drilling is not going to supply enough oil and natural gas to make an appreciable difference in energy prices for long enough to be significant, and once it’s used it’s gone (aka it is completely non-renewable). What are we supposed to do then? Oil is a one-trick pony (or Clydesdale horse, as the case may be); aren’t there other options we can expand upon? That’s what I want to hear people talk about—realistic, get started now, varied solution plans. What I’m sick of hearing about is how tough we all have it (I got it, can we move on now?), predictions of just how high gas/crude oil can/will go (predicting earthquakes holds about as much appeal for me—why do I want to constantly hear about something that might happen instead of living my life, which really is happening?), and arguments about whether offshore drilling is good or bad (there are other options, people, so get your heads out of your bottoms!).
Maybe when it comes to this latest oil/fuel price crisis we're both over-reacting and under-reacting. One on hand, the price of gas is in many ways out of our control, and what's the point worrying over things out of our control? On the other hand there's something we can very much influence: public policy. Last I checked, we live in a representative democracy, electing our public officials and voting not only in private at a ballot box a few times a year (assuming you take advantage of this nice privilege), but also in how we spend our money, how and how often we publicly state our opinions, and what news we choose to read. Imagine what would happen if we all started educating ourselves about government policies and practices?
Sorry, I’m just getting a bit tired of negative news and hype, people selfishly complaining but not taking care of themselves or contributing to meaningful solutions. *sigh*
I recommend these interesting reads, for your edification on the gas/oil/energy issues that are undeniable, if occasionally overhyped:
none of the problems that have driven up the price of oil lend themselves to a quick fix, and most, like the boom in global demand and the inaccessibility of certain oil fields, aren’t under our control at all.Now go read what the Freakonomics guys have to say about why rising gas prices are so disturbing to us. Notice any similarities in the source of panic?
And on to a related topic...
Expanding offshore oil drilling alone will never solve our energy problems. Even if it were to be expanded (and politically, environmentally, and financially this is a huge longshot), the impact would be relatively small and not immediate (estimates vary, but the amount of oil and gas the industry itself predicts could be harnessed might get us only two years' worth of supply--then what do we do for a fix?). We might feel better in the short term by expanding drilling offshore, just because we took some action over which we seem to have control (it's a domestic bandage of sorts), but a year or two from now we will have moved on to whatever our latest insecurity is and not necessarily fixed the underlying need for the bandage. I don't think the environmental risk of drilling and piping-in is worth taking just so I can feel better for a few months, especially as it won't have effected a substantive solution whatsoever.
So expanded offshore drilling is not going to supply enough oil and natural gas to make an appreciable difference in energy prices for long enough to be significant, and once it’s used it’s gone (aka it is completely non-renewable). What are we supposed to do then? Oil is a one-trick pony (or Clydesdale horse, as the case may be); aren’t there other options we can expand upon? That’s what I want to hear people talk about—realistic, get started now, varied solution plans. What I’m sick of hearing about is how tough we all have it (I got it, can we move on now?), predictions of just how high gas/crude oil can/will go (predicting earthquakes holds about as much appeal for me—why do I want to constantly hear about something that might happen instead of living my life, which really is happening?), and arguments about whether offshore drilling is good or bad (there are other options, people, so get your heads out of your bottoms!).
Maybe when it comes to this latest oil/fuel price crisis we're both over-reacting and under-reacting. One on hand, the price of gas is in many ways out of our control, and what's the point worrying over things out of our control? On the other hand there's something we can very much influence: public policy. Last I checked, we live in a representative democracy, electing our public officials and voting not only in private at a ballot box a few times a year (assuming you take advantage of this nice privilege), but also in how we spend our money, how and how often we publicly state our opinions, and what news we choose to read. Imagine what would happen if we all started educating ourselves about government policies and practices?
Sorry, I’m just getting a bit tired of negative news and hype, people selfishly complaining but not taking care of themselves or contributing to meaningful solutions. *sigh*
If you choose not to decide,
You still have made a choice.
--from "Freewill" by Rush
I recommend these interesting reads, for your edification on the gas/oil/energy issues that are undeniable, if occasionally overhyped:
- Take a look at the article from The New Yorker entitled The Island in the Wind for an example of how a community of apathetic skeptics turned the idea of renewably energy into a successful, proud local enterprise
- Check out the Energy Information Administration, out of the Dept of Energy, for facts on the United States’ sources of crude oil and refined petroleum products.
- Follow this discussion about the gasoline market (warning, it's a bunch of economists)
- Read this progressive policy take on Gas Prices: Why Our “Free-Market” Economy is Anything but Free
July 11, 2008
Escape
I don't have a comfy air conditioned office to escape to these days, so when the heat wave struck this week I instead escaped to the movie theater. Apart from the negative cash flow aspect of such a plan, it's quite a nice way to spend one's weekday afternoon, dontcha think?
Wall-E
I could watch the character of WALL-E all day. He's just a trash compacting robot continuing to clear Earth of the mountains of trash that choked the planet and ultimately drove its remaining human inhabitants into space. But he's so darn cute. WALL-E is, alas, lonely, sharing his days and nights with an indestructible cockroach and a well organized collection of intriguing or useful objects. At the end of each workday he stows the day's findings in his trailer and dreams (with help from repeated viewings of Hello Dolly) of finding someone to love.
It's not surprising to us the viewers that just such a love interest arrives one day. EVE has come to scan Earth for signs of life, and her shiny, round sleekness entices WALL-E immediately. The majority of the film focuses on the classic romantic pursuit of WALL-E attempting to gain EVE's attention, affection, and hand. They travel far in space (apparently in a very short time, but I won't quibble) to dock with the cruise ship Axiom which houses Earth's human-evacuee descendants. Some hijinks ensue over control of the specimen EVE has brought back with her. There's also a rather unsubtle storyline about getting off one's bum and appreciating/working for what we have.
The ending could have turned bittersweet but instead is predictably hopeful. (As an aside, I'd love to see a darker ending released, as I think the final message could be more powerful, if less kiddie-friendly, but I know that ain't never gonna happen.) You can read and analyze all the detail you like about the storyline, but ultimately the charm of this film is firmly planted in liking and rooting for the character of WALL-E who--have I mentioned it?--is adorable. This latest Pixar offering is lovely from the get-go, and charming for all ages. Highly recommended.
The Visitor
There's nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about this quiet independent film, though I enjoyed it. The Visitor tells the story of college professor Walter Vale's gradual awakening from the fog of his adult life. Widowed and teaching courses by rote, Walter's bland existence is interrupted when he is forced into attending a conference in New York and finds two illegal immigrants in his long-unused apartment. He generously allows the harmless looking couple to stay until they can find a new place. The man, Tarek, is friendly to Walter, teaching him the joys of drumming, while Tarek's girlfriend Zainab is wary. When Tarek is detained by immigration and threatened with deportation, Walter becomes involved and along the way uncovers the passion he needs to move on with his life.
The Visitor is a nice movie, well acted and well paced. What is maybe nicest about it is that it gives veteran actor Richard Jenkins the chance to lead. The frustrations of impersonal immigration and detention policies probably won't surprise you, and the likelihood of finding innocent people living illegally in one's apartment are unreal, but these issues don't cloud the relating of Walter's overall journey. Recommended to fans of simple, independent movies.
Wall-E
I could watch the character of WALL-E all day. He's just a trash compacting robot continuing to clear Earth of the mountains of trash that choked the planet and ultimately drove its remaining human inhabitants into space. But he's so darn cute. WALL-E is, alas, lonely, sharing his days and nights with an indestructible cockroach and a well organized collection of intriguing or useful objects. At the end of each workday he stows the day's findings in his trailer and dreams (with help from repeated viewings of Hello Dolly) of finding someone to love.
It's not surprising to us the viewers that just such a love interest arrives one day. EVE has come to scan Earth for signs of life, and her shiny, round sleekness entices WALL-E immediately. The majority of the film focuses on the classic romantic pursuit of WALL-E attempting to gain EVE's attention, affection, and hand. They travel far in space (apparently in a very short time, but I won't quibble) to dock with the cruise ship Axiom which houses Earth's human-evacuee descendants. Some hijinks ensue over control of the specimen EVE has brought back with her. There's also a rather unsubtle storyline about getting off one's bum and appreciating/working for what we have.
The ending could have turned bittersweet but instead is predictably hopeful. (As an aside, I'd love to see a darker ending released, as I think the final message could be more powerful, if less kiddie-friendly, but I know that ain't never gonna happen.) You can read and analyze all the detail you like about the storyline, but ultimately the charm of this film is firmly planted in liking and rooting for the character of WALL-E who--have I mentioned it?--is adorable. This latest Pixar offering is lovely from the get-go, and charming for all ages. Highly recommended.
The Visitor
There's nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about this quiet independent film, though I enjoyed it. The Visitor tells the story of college professor Walter Vale's gradual awakening from the fog of his adult life. Widowed and teaching courses by rote, Walter's bland existence is interrupted when he is forced into attending a conference in New York and finds two illegal immigrants in his long-unused apartment. He generously allows the harmless looking couple to stay until they can find a new place. The man, Tarek, is friendly to Walter, teaching him the joys of drumming, while Tarek's girlfriend Zainab is wary. When Tarek is detained by immigration and threatened with deportation, Walter becomes involved and along the way uncovers the passion he needs to move on with his life.
The Visitor is a nice movie, well acted and well paced. What is maybe nicest about it is that it gives veteran actor Richard Jenkins the chance to lead. The frustrations of impersonal immigration and detention policies probably won't surprise you, and the likelihood of finding innocent people living illegally in one's apartment are unreal, but these issues don't cloud the relating of Walter's overall journey. Recommended to fans of simple, independent movies.
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