Scene: Jack has just graduated from college with a degree in art. Parents: “It’s time to give up. You’ve had four years to be happy and do what you want.” Jack: “But I want to do what I want my whole life.” Parents: “Awffff! Jack, life is not a fairy tale.” Jack: “But Dad, I [...]

Venkat Rao has been a significant (and ongoing) read. Cloudworker economics documents the shift in the meaning of the word “employed” by acknowledging the shift to corporate life preceding the War Between the States (though without discussing that historic conflict of cultures that overlays his observations) and then away again at the turn of the [...]

“All work is an act of philosophy.” – Ayn Rand

“I don’t intend to build in order to have clients. I intend to have clients in order to build… Those who want me will come to me.” – Howard Roark It’s so easy to look at a business and think it’s primary purpose is to gather clientelle. And there are plenty of businesses like that [...]

“Your work is your own private megaphone to tell the world what you believe.” —Simon Sinek #99conf

NPR ran another piece today on how college graduates aren’t finding it easy to find jobs. Immediately, one might ask “should they?” I mean, they’re fresh out of college – who really thinks college prepares you for anything like corporate life? Sure, high school does. High school is about cliques, conformism, accepting authority with minimal [...]

People want to believe the shift from traditional employment to contracting isn’t a broad cultural shift with lasting implications, but we think it is. Just as WWII changed the relationship of individuals to jobs, the post-Iraq environment (if we ever get out of that fiasco) represents more self-reliance and work being ascendant over jobs. But [...]

The Taikoskin Blog just did a piece on the unwritten rules of work in Japan. This was my favorite: “Got a meeting? Don’t express your opinions. Debates aren’t debates, discussions aren’t discussions. It’s just a place for you to say ‘yes’ enthusiastically, bow, and agree with whatever the highest-ranking proposes. And definitely don’t be on [...]

I refer people to kiva.org routinely, and I get asked about the interest on the loans a lot. So I thought I’d mention how I handle it. I always look at the lending partner details for the average interest rate. Some of them will be surprising by the US standards, where we give credit to [...]

Technology has two important meanings, in my view: 1) If you can think it, you can do it. 2) Technology is man’s superpowers – his wizardry – it is designed to further the vocational aims of a man, not replace them. “All the tools and engines on earth are only extensions of man’s limbs and [...]

The sooner people retire from work, the sooner they lose their memories. Conversely, then, continuing to work later in life contributes to a healthier mind [NYT Service]. The decision to keep working, then, and not to retire, is a decision for mental health, physical wellbeing, and continued functionality – a decision not to shut down. [...]

“I learned something very important at college, today. I don’t want to be there.” – Luanne (King of the Hill)

I love the way places like Office Depot and Best Buy try to rip people off on cables. $20 for a $3 SATA cable, to make up for the drives they sell that don’t include them. That sh*t is going to help drive their whole business model six feet under, and good riddance. To replace [...]

Personally, I think Zuckerberg’s (Facebook’s) new communication system will flop. I could be wrong, certainly. But there’s a difference between innovating a new technology based on the organic force of the culture pushing upward, and arrogantly telling people what they’re going to use, that you’ve researched them and know what they want, with an ad [...]

According to the Wall Street Journal (10/12/10), from 1991-2001, 2.8 million outsourced jobs at foreign subsidiaries were matched by 5.5 million jobs at parent firms in the US. By insourcing, those overseas subsidiaries also employed about 5% (5.4 million) Americans and paid them about 31% more than non-subsidiary American competitors. One can’t help but observe [...]

A recent editorial recommended “a visa for job creators” (WSJ 10/12/10). It pointed out immigrants are 30% more likely to start a business than non-immigrants. The current EB-5 immigrant investor visa category requires $500K capital, but most startups in the US actually launch with only $31K. The author recommends discarding capital requirements. Some of the [...]

Tear the pouch, pour in a bowl, fill pouch with water, pour in bowl, microwave 90 seconds. Oat Heads instant oatmeal is healthier than the usual keyboard food, and it’s fast, and cheap at a buck a box (5 pouches). I’m having it now. [site]

“Opportunities are never lost. They’re just taken by someone else.” – Anonymous

I finally added Delicious to my workflow. I needed a faster way to NOT have 40 tabs open when I call a client (chewing up Skype bandwidth). I’m used to having that many open across 3 browsers. Delicious is the fastest bookmarker I’ve found (maybe Pinboard would beat it). I love the social capabilties of [...]