Commentary
The Summer of our Discontent
June is the cruelest month, at least in western Washington.After a long winter and a short spring, hopes for warmer weather are oftendashed by long stretches of even more cold and rain. And so it is with the economy. The current recession, now 18months old, has lasted longer than any downturn since the Great Depression….
A Recession is a Terrible Thing to Waste
During the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy presented thegoal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth by theclose of the 1960s, saying, We choose to go to the moon in this decade … notbecause [it is] easy, but because [it is] hard. As we know, on July 20,…
The MBA Final Exam (Revised)
Name: _____________________________________________ Desired Occupation: __________________________________ Desired Salary: ______________________________________ Note to the MBA candidate: This years final has beenshortened and simplified in keeping with the challenging economic and businessclimate we face. Because a strong economy needs strong entrepreneurs, cheatingis expressly prohibited except where it is done to prevent failure. 1. Youare the CEO of a large…
Crossing the Valley
The Obama administration is pouring billions of stimulusdollars into research on everything from medical science to alternative energy.Its a windfall. The University of Washington alone could receive up to $300million. Whats not to like? Research, and the technology it produces, opens newfrontiers, raises productivity and improves our quality of life. Apples iPodwas the result of…
No Time for Cutbacks
In the winter of 2008, Starbucks saw the early days of therecession as an opportunity for innovation. Several weeks previously, thecompany announced that it would close stores for the first time in its history,and its stock price began to fall. While in these conditions most brands sinkinto retrenchment, Starbucks implemented a plan to reinforce its…
Tapping Experts to Teach
Four years ago, I was dismayed by the terrible matheducation my son was getting at a Seattle public K-8 school; for two years in arow, he had had the same incompetent teacher. So I pulled together a committeeof similarly concerned parents and started a before-school math program. I putan ad on Craigslist and received resumes…
When Hiring, Look For Native Intelligence: That Doesn’t Just Mean Math, Stupid!
The Gates Foundation’s Global Health President Tachi Yamada offers great management advice in an interview in today’s New York Times. Asked what he looks for in a hire he makes two recommendations: 1) Hire someone who is willing to embrace change. Often that means hiriing someone who has been through a lot of change in…
Climb Every Mountain
Journalists love anniversaries that end with zero; the mathis so much easier to handle that way. So, as you prepare your calendars for March, here is a10-year anniversary to jot down and for which to plan the appropriatecommemoration: March 10, 2000. That date isn’t jarring a flood of memories, is it? Not to worry. March…
The Jobs Recovery Could Be Much Stronger Than Most Expect
A Fidelity economist makes the case for rising investments and a “job-full” recovery! Lisa Emsbo-Matinglly, Director of Economic Analysis argues that while a jobless recovery followed the dot com bust, that dowturn came after a long cycle of large investments in technology and other capital investments. By contrast, while there has been a great deal…
Area Brokers See Modest Gain in Dow, Offer Stock Picks
At the Metropolitan Grill’s annual “Guess the Dow” luncheon Thursday, area brokers predicted, on average, that the Dow would climb to 11,676 by the end of 2010, up less than 10 percent from current levels. The Dow closed on December 31, 2009 at 10,428.05 points.The most optimistic broker suggested the Dow could end the year…
Windows 7 Service Pack 1
So it appears that Microsoft is getting ready for Windows 7 Service Pack 1, according to the Seattlepi.com. The Service Packs are the upgrades Redmond inevitably releases for its operating system which, depending on your frame of mind, either provide additional enhancements and fixes to the initial release, or are a tacit admission that the…
A Hard Fall
The Washington state economy will build steam through the spring and summer of 2010, but total employment won’t return to peak levels of 2008 until well into 2011, analysts forecast. And for many residents and businesses, the gloomy outlook will persist. “Economists say they see a recovery, but try to tell that to the 7…
Our Boeing-less Future
Boeing’s announcement of a second 787 production line in South Carolina, an economic development plum the state of Washington had expected as its birthright, prompted reactions of disappointment, anger, resignation, frustration and bewilderment. Then there was this response to a piece written by your columnist for The News-Tribune in Tacoma: “I don’t give a crap…