01/30/21

Monetary Policy v Fiscal Policy — What Do They Even Mean?

Other day I am scanning a blog post from what was once my favorite blog. The author uses the words “monetary policy” and “fiscal policy” in a manner that reveals he has no earthly idea what they mean, but they sit nicely in the sentence and give off the erroneous notion that he is an erudite and educated observer of the condition of the world and our economy.

So, your Big Red Car will tell you what they actually mean.

Monetary policy and fiscal policy are not interchangeable. They mean different things.

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01/28/21

The View From Afar — South Africa #4

Please see earlier posts from:

Spain #1

Israel #2

Chile #3

The questions:

1. How are you feeling — optimistic, pessimistic — about business, the world, your country in general?

2. What is the world’s biggest challenge from here on out?

3. Anything that you think I need to know?

Comes now the voice of “deepest darkest South Africa” which speaks with authority as to South Africa and Kenya.

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01/27/21

The View From Afar — Chile #3

Please see earlier posts from:

Spain

Israel

The questions:

1. How are you feeling — optimistic, pessimistic — about business, the world, your country in general?

2. What is the world’s biggest challenge from here on out?

3. Anything that you think I need to know?

My amigo from Chile is a high level, seasoned software professional (with languages, children, and perspective) with English roots and sensibilities in this lovely country with its mountains and endless coastline.

Snow skiing on one side, surfing on the other.

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01/26/21

The View From Afar — Israel #2

We have heard from Spain. Today, we hear from Israel.

A week ago, I sent out an email to clients, friends, folks I know in: Chile, Japan, Ireland, India, England, Spain, Germany, Korea, Columbia, Dubai, Israel, Canada, Mexico, and California. I believe there are a total of sixteen. All of these persons are entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and brilliant persons.

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01/26/21

The Speech Joe Biden Needs To Give But Never Will

There are no extraordinary men. There are ordinary men who are called to lead in extraordinary times. Today is such a time and Joe Biden has been called to lead.

The simple question is this — can he lead? Can he do what needs to be done?

Right now, the lingua franca is a besotted call for healing and unity, something as likely to happen as me turning dried up leaves on my lawn into gold leaf with a wave of my hand. But, can we hope to hear from our better angels?

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01/25/21

The View From Afar — Spain

A week ago, I sent out an email to clients, friends, folks I know in: Chile, Japan, Ireland, India, England, Spain, Germany, Korea, Columbia, Dubai, Israel, Canada, Mexico, and California. I believe there are a total of sixteen. All of these persons are entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and brilliant persons.

I asked them to give me their thoughts on the following topics:

1. How are you feeling — optimistic, pessimistic — about business, the world, your country in general?

2. What is the world’s biggest challenge from here on out?

3. Anything that you think I need to know?

The thoughts have begun to trickle in and today we start with the views of a 36-year old Spanish entrepreneur, founder, and CEO of a software company with operations in the US and Switzerland (did I imagine that?). He is married to a German woman, an American educated electrical engineer, who is the Chairwoman of the Board of an almost century old manufacturing business with global operations. He was a client and she is a client. They have lovely children.

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