No matter how much gloss and hype are applied, large organizations continue to possess the ability to create hugely unsuccessful programs and products.
Keep this in mind while reading today's papers.
P.S. When charismatic leadership is a factor, a copy of this should be close at hand.
The charming little touches in Smith’s writing caught his more careful readers’ attention and gained their admiration. The British middleweight Randy Turpin, late in his fight against Sugar Ray Robinson, “was weaving like a cobra dancing to a flute.” The knees of the heavyweight Archie Moore, in his fight against Rocky Marciano, “were wet spaghetti.” He called the Yankees pitcher Allie Reynolds, a member of the Creek Indian nation, “that estimable aborigine.” The fight promoter Don King shows up in a pair of “brown pants with a crease that could draw blood.” There is scarcely a column in this book that is without one or more of these fine touches.
Read the rest of Joseph Epstein's essay here.
Noah Millman gives a list of 10 books children should read, some of which I've never heard. Any list, of course, invites additions.
I'd quickly add The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island, Johnny Tremain, and Call It Courage.
The restaurant was damp and dim and showed every indication of having been hollowed out of a massive stump, with floorboards scoured as white as wood grubs and tall booths separated from the stools at the counter by an aisle just wide enough for skinny waitresses like you never see in Greektown. It was Greektown, and the only waitress in sight looked like a garage door in a uniform. She caught me checking out the booths and trundled my way, turning stools with her left hip as she came.
- From Greektown by Loren D. Estleman
"They looked forward to the day when he was frogmarched out of the building."
Caesar or nothing.
- Motto inscribed on the sword of Cesare Borgia
All of us have had enjoyable conversations, but have you ever had a conversation with a person who was an artist at making small talk?
I have and although it was years ago, I still recall the luncheon conversation. The man was the director of a community organization. He dressed immaculately and had a large smile and a pleasant voice. If I were to sum up his two qualities: He was friendly and fascinating.
Our conversation, which could have been a focused review of what his group did and didn't do, wound up covering a range of topics including health, friends, and the type of cereal he liked as a child. Nothing went on too long and although I never felt that he dominated the conversation, I sensed that he knew when to pause and when to move on. There was just the right combination of friendliness and business. He was attentive and a good listener and there was not a trace of the falseness you sometimes feel when a person is trying to sell you something.
Afterwards, I knew I had been in the presence of a master.
By the way, the cereal was corn flakes.
TaxProf Blog is on day 161 of collecting links.
Prediction: This will get much worse.
