Tag Archives: Wall Street Journal

Real bite in the cuts – from all perspectives

Good article in the online Wall Street Journal ‘Wealth less effect, earning well, feeling otherwise’.  Looks at a number of  people who may appear to be earning well but are now experiencing the impact of the recesssion and large scale reduction in their apparent wealth.

Article makes the point that the perspective of a couple making $250K may be very different from a person on $50K  - which is pretty obvious, but intended to show some social awareness on the hehalf of the journalist.

Felt the same article could be written to describe many situations in Ireland at present.  Investment properties, pension funds, etc. taking a hammering.  Reuced earnings in business.  Increased taxes.  Second homes which are proving a significant burden.  And the promise of more taxes to come.

Bu then this is globalisation – same problems in Florida, California, Dublin and Connemara.

Technology and optimism

Today’s Wall Street Journal included a piece ‘Technology and Optimism’ from L. Gordon Crovitz.  Crovitz comments ‘…does the easy availability of information necessarily mean the advance of knowledge and wisdom?’..He goes on to say ‘My own bias is that as information becomes more accessible, individuals gain choice, contol and freeedom.’

Crovitz’ comments are interesting in the context of Weinberger’s ‘Everything is miscellaneous’. 

Undoubtedly we have a long way to go – to generate real wisdom or improved wisdom, as a by product of technologies such as web 2.0.  However I would share the overall optimistic note taken by Crovitz.