Some thoughts on the layoff practices of companies that once professed the highest regard and appreciation for their employees.
People
Economist Milton Friedman Sparked Boeing’s Fall
Boeing’s decline is the collective result of greedy executives, compromised regulators, a somnolent media, and some of the best politicians money could buy. What fueled the decline was a 1970 essay by economist Milton Friedman published in the New York Times.
On Discovering I’m Smarter Than I Thought
Readers of my blog shouldn’t be surprised by Hertz’s EV debacle, but my late mother would have been shocked that my early skepticism has proven correct.
The Billionaire Penny Managing Harvard’s Decline
The appointment of Harvard President Claudine Gay and the university’s disgraceful mismanagement of allegations that she repeatedly plagiarized the works of other scholars makes a lot more sense when one understands the controversial business and political background of Penny Pritzker, who is ultimately responsible for the unfolding debacle.
The NHTSA Heroes Seeking to Protect 140 Lives
Here’s a real-world morality question: Should automakers be required to spend billions of dollars to potentially protect 140 lives from death and injury? As far as some unsung heroes at the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration are concerned, the answer is an unequivocal yes.
Toyota, I Still Love What You Do For Me!
Why I’ve long admired Toyota and argue that what’s good for the Japan-based automaker is good for America.
My Faded Awe of Harvard, MIT, and Penn
For the longest time, I was wowed if I met someone who taught or studied at Harvard, MIT, and Penn. Here’s some “context” why that’s no longer the case.
GM Mary Barra’s $10 Billion Smash-and-Grab
There was once a maxim holding that what was good for GM was good for America. Under the leadership of CEO Mary Barra, GM has come to embody all that’s wrong with America.
Elon Musk Should Go F*** Himself
It’s admirable if Musk is so true to his beliefs and morals that he’s willing to tell advertisers to go f*** themselves if they don’t like how his X platform is perceived. I’d more admire advertisers who respond in kind and say, “Elon, back at you.”
The Humility of JB Straubel and RJ Scaringe
To understand why GM and Ford have failed so miserably adopting to the EV world, appreciating the personalities and business approaches of Tesla co-founder JB Straubel and Rivian founder RJ Scaringe is a good starting point.