Sunday, April 27, 2003

License to steal Philip Greenspun:"The theory is that it is tough for a manager to do a good job if he or she is paid only a straight cash salary of several million dollars; the manager also needs to get an additional $10-20 million per year in stock.[Scripting News] Isn't it very common for managers and their cronies on the Board to steal from the shareholders?  Of course.  But the airlines are different... Greenspun writes, since THEIR execs aren't just pocketing shareholder money, they're pocketing taxpayer money. Paraphrasing what Ghandi reportedly said when asked what he thought about western civilization: "Capitalism? I think it would be a very good idea." 2:36:32 PM    comment []  trackback []

Management by blog? [Business 2.0]: Many employees might feel that such a system is akin to management eavesdropping on water-cooler discussions. The internal weblogs I've seen work are those that track an idea's progress from offhand notion to fully matured proposal. I have seen three such blogs, always-on virtual whiteboards that have sped development and kept the status of projects clearer than they'd been before. They don't attempt to capture an organization's mood. Such systems are not for every company, and they're far from widespread. And such success depends entirely on an individual firm's culture. If the company personality is too buttoned-up or secretive, a blog initiative will either fail to take off (there's nothing lonelier than a blog that doesn't get updated) or deteriorate into something unhealthy. The internal blogs that succeed will be safe, clean, well-lit virtual places in which diverse opinions are welcome and ideas -- not people -- are judged. Companies should always explore new ways of getting messages out and new tactics for fostering idea-exchange among the staff, but right now the blogging action is almost exclusively for external readers. Some useful looking links as well. 9:23:41 AM    comment []  trackback []

Zoom Zoom At 16 Cylinders, Here Comes the Ultimate American Dream Machine. At the New York auto show, Ford has an interesting little vehicle on display. Fascinating but very lonely. By Serge Schmemann. [New York Times: Opinion] The fascinating vehicle is the Model U, Ford's super-efficient, bio-materials based, hydorgen powered, ultra-eco concept car. It's lonely because it's surrounded by the rest of the profound American auto lust. It is easy to scoff at this, to giggle at the paunches of the middle-aged adolescents wriggling into a sports coupe or gazing at an old-fashioned V-8, or to speculate on the physical deficiencies of the guys in the huge, blacked-out Escalade. Deep inside, we all know that S.U.V.'s are jacked-up station wagons, and that nobody will ever take the hot-rod version of Dodge's subcompact Neon to the 150 miles an hour it can achieve. We know that all these Cheyennes, Centiemes, Kahunas, Triants and Washus are largely hype. Hummer? Get serious. But I, for one, do not feel quite ready for a Model U. . . . Hey, did you spot that Cadillac XLR convertible? Shift into low gear. It may be a long uphill climb. 8:57:38 AM    comment []  trackback []

The brain you save... The Monk in the Lab. The Dalai Lama's belief that humans can curb dangerous impulses is basend not only on spiritual practice and Buddhist teachings, but also on the work of scientists. By Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama). [New York Times: Opinion] The implications of all this are clear: the world today needs citizens and leaders who can work toward ensuring stability and engage in dialogue with the "enemy" -- no matter what kind of aggression or assault they may have endured. It's worth noting that these methods are not just useful, but inexpensive. You don't need a drug or an injection. You don't have to become a Buddhist, or adopt any particular religious faith. Everybody has the potential to lead a peaceful, meaningful life. 8:46:26 AM    comment []  trackback []