Video of my conversation with Betty Liu of Bloomberg outside Smith and Wollensky.



Ever since I joined Toastmasters, my ability to speak in front of various different kinds of audience has gotten a lot better.  In particular, I joined Pacers toastmasters, which meets twice a month at the Sony Building in mid-Town.

Posted by Guy Spier at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

You gotta love the French.  And, after all, why not if it is effective in rehabilitating the prisoners.

Posted by Guy Spier at 08:34 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

It has been hard to follow the Iran protests via twitter - because there is so much noise.  As usual, Wikipedia provides an excellent summary of events / timeline.

But one important part of the story that has not been widely covered is the leading role played by Iranian women. 

Here is what one student wrote in a letter to the Jerusalem Post:

Girls are extremely active in all these rallies (a little less in night riots where patches of young men are more visible). They courageously charge anti-riot police, chant slogans in front of them, lead the crowd, etc., but they are equally beaten too.

I also know that Iran’s women stand in the vanguard. For days now, I’ve seen them urging less courageous men on. I’ve seen them get beaten and return to the fray. “Why are you sitting there?” one shouted at a couple of men perched on the sidewalk on Saturday. “Get up! Get up!” 

Another green-eyed woman, Mahin, aged 52, staggered into an alley clutching her face and in tears. Then, against the urging of those around her, she limped back into the crowd moving west toward Freedom Square. Cries of “Death to the dictator!” and “We want liberty!” accompanied her.

Posted by Guy Spier at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I like this article which appeared The Atlantic.  It updates the reader on the new technologies that will enhance our brains - starting with various drugs that target specific brain functions, all the way to the point at which we will be able to "upload" our brains onto computers.

Outlandish? That's what I thought untill I read Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity is Near".  Also worth checking out is his Blog/Website - KurzweilAI.net

I was unwilling to take ritalin at the time that it was prescribed for my ADD.  Now I find myself curious about modafinil.

Posted by Guy Spier at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

How interesting that Tyler Brule just wrote an article about Zurich for the FT.

As I have said to my friends - I am really interested to find out what I am saying about Zurich in a couple of years.

Posted by Guy Spier at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Posted by Admin at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

When I left HBS, there was a controversy over the stealing of an election for the HBS Finance Club.  At the time, I thought that it would be a good idea if HBS could retroactively rescind the MBA if someone behaved badly.  For example, the MBA could be automatically rescinded if the person in question was convicted of a felony.

Now HBS MBA's have created the business school student's equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath.

For my part, I found Warren Buffett, and spent a good part of my life studying him.  I susepct that studying Buffett is a good deal more productive.  That said, there is nothing wrong with taking the oath as well.  A bit like the Lord's Prayer, there is little in it that any rational human being would disagree with.

I suppose that it does leave me wondering whether these students feel that they had their ethical muscle excercised enough during the 2,000 or so cases that they will have studied over their two years in Cambridge.  Perhaps not.

Therefore I promise:

• I will act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner.
• I will safeguard the interests of my shareholders, co-workers, customers and the society in which we operate.
• I will manage my enterprise in good faith, guarding against decisions and behavior that advance my own narrow ambitions but harm the enterprise and the societies it serves.
• I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise.
• I will take responsibility for my actions, and I will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly.
• I will develop both myself and other managers under my supervision so that the profession continues to grow and contribute to the well-being of society.
• I will strive to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity worldwide.
• I will be accountable to my peers and they will be accountable to me for living by this oath.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.

Posted by Guy Spier at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

From time to time, I come across something that makes me really proud of Israel.

How many of the best human qualities to you need to think of making a mechanical snake for military use?

Israel seems to produce those qualities in spades.

http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2009/06/israels-robot-snake-with-video.html

Posted by Guy Spier at 12:44 AM | Permalink | Comments ()