Dispatch 9/21/11

9:42 A.M.  Sitting in a computer lab.  This week has been a whirlwind of activity especially in the Eurozone as the sovereign debt crisis worsens over there.  The U.S. stock markets performed well in the beginning stages of yesterday, but that rally quickly evaporated late in the trading session.  I'm amazed at how well Apple has performed--that company is a true titan.   

The front page of the Wall St. Journal today shows President Obama and other world leaders at a global corruption-fighting initiative.  No matter what you say or do, there will always be people that behave unethically and get away with it.  The best advice I can give is to listen to your conscience.  Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to review the decisions you made, and make your these decisions align with your own moral code.  Personal reflection is not a priority in the fast-paced, hectic society we live in, but it is a valuable way to collect your thoughts and attain inner peace.

I'm not impressed with many of the GOP candidates.  Ron Paul and Herman Cain are the only two of the bunch that have made a strong first impression on me.  Herman Cain has an excellent business resume--he returned the nearly bankrupt pizza chain Godfather's back to profitability. He served on the Board of Directors at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City was subsequently elected as the chairman.  Ron Paul understands that limited government is a good thing.  He understands economics and has stayed consistent.  Because he isn't willing to budge on his convictions, the mainstream media has marginalized him. 

Last night, I attended an informative session on how to use LinkedIn to enhance your professional career.  LinkedIn is mainly used for professional "networking".  You'll never hear me use the term "networking", large because I believe the term is far too informal and impersonal for the meaning business professionals wish to convey.  In American, we have the idea that business ought to be separated from personal lives.  However, in many parts of the world, business and personal elements are one in the same.  Networking has a connotation of building relationships with the motive of benefiting yourself.  True goodness lies in building relationships in which you give, understand, and demonstrate compassion and kindness. 

Thanks for reading this.

Joe