Friday

On poverty and violence

20070611
(answer to the question "Poverty generates violence: true or false?")

I always distinguish poverty from despair. Poverty can be measured, and some people manage to live happily with only a few things. Despair is what people actually feel. More than poverty, despair and injustice lead to violence, and moreover, violence generates violence. The initial violence can be either physical or psychological, and great injustice is a kind of violence.

Hopelessness makes people do extreme things. You cannot repair injustice but have some impact, make yourself be heard. With the help of often cynical manipulators, you can be turned into a suicide bomber : your suffering stops, you make other people suffer, you have an impact and you make yourself be heard in a final kaboom.

On truth

20070613
(answer to the question "how can we be sure of what is "true"?")

Our digital world relies on series of 0 and 1, and for every single digit you can truly tell whether you have a 1 or a 0. Beyond that, there is no guarantee whatsoever regarding what you make of these series. You may not speak the same language nor share the same culture, you can at least use some common tools.

Our world basically works on compromises, truthes that any logician could destroy in a blink. Truth is a subjective label. It wholly depends on the referential and the context. This car is blue ? True, but wrong to the eyes of a color blind people or to a vast number of animal species. The plant you see green reflects the only color it doesn't need.

Truth is about certainty, psychological comfort. People need certainties, some landmarks. You are a farmer, feeling comfortable when standing with your feet down on the ground, but do you realize this earth is cruising space at an amazing speed ?

The quest for truth is universal, but if you are looking for truth, you are bound to end up either disapointed or manipulated. Truth is the ultimate Weapon of Mass Disinformation for propagandists, who offer comfort and certainties for free. No one can claim a belief to be true.

To me, truth is boring. I don't enjoy contemplating series of 0 and 1 for long. I need to feel the sting of doubt, the beauty of life blooming beyond the tracks. Which doesn't mean I enjoy staying in the dark, in the cave described by Plato. I don't believe progress will bring answers to all questions but I enjoy research all the same. It is just that I don't expect to find truthes.

A scientist who always talks about truth is likely to be a fake scientist, generally acting in the name of a caricature of religion (see Intelligent Design, the Discovery Institute, almost every sect...).”

On the future of globalization

20070613
(answer to the question "What is the future of globalization?")

We have come to the point time and space cannot be shrunk any more significantly. Our instant societies allow people to seize opportunities at the other end of the planet in a blink. Reaching the cutting edge requires tools that are now almost commoditized. Differenciation becomes difficult.

To me, the financial system is on the verge of a turning point, things will have to change. A consensus on the diagnostic should emerge as surely as it did on our environment. I'm not sure transitions will be smooth. Globalization demands a global approach, a comprehensive approach. People fear for their identities, their culture, their independence, but they also feel things have to change.

Alter-globalization is not very mature nowadays, mostly reactionary or conservative in a sense it proposes XIXth century alternatives, as radical as the ones it condemns.

On Boeing and Airbus

20070613
(answer to the question "Boeing & Airbus what are the similarity & differences ? Where are they heading actually ?")

Airbus' hubris mirrors that of Boeing in the 90s. Both are heading for big disapointments if they keep believing they live in a duopoly.

It won't take long for China to come rockin' and rollin'. And the beauty of it is that China offers yet another kind of public subsidies : neither the US DoD model, nor guarantee from national governments, but the massive demand of private companies controlled by the board of China Inc.

On DC and Marvel

20070610
(answer to the question are you "DC or Marvel?")

Marvel, definitely. At least at the turn of the 70s-80s, when I would read them. I can hardly tell the difference between a Superman from the 30s and a clone from the 80s. When I re-read the Marvel comics from the 60s to the early 80s, I see the cultural changes in the US society.

DC heroes were never-doubting, monolithic superheroes and supervilains meant for a good vs evil era. Each of Stan Lee's characters had more subtle weaknesses than an aversion for green meteorites. Good old Big Apple replaced Gotham and Metropolis, and the younger generation could eventually read about poverty, drugs, racism, sects, religious fundamentalism, social and political unrests...

But Marvel pushed too far the marketing, launched too many products, and turned into some kind of a boring sitcom factory during the eighties (except a few masterpieces by Chris Claremont, Frank Miller...).

DC top execs eventually did the right thing : they fired Superman and hired Marvel's Frank Miller to get at last something exciting out of Batman.

Precisions added :
- Beyond DC/Marvel, the ultimate masterpiece came from the UK (Alan Moore's "Watchmen").
- Come to think of it : DC could make something out of Batman because he was the most human character (no superpowers). And I liked the mention of MLB : I'm both Marvel and NL, the Yanks do have something of a DC league of superheroes, and I feel closer to more human losers (Peter Parker, Paul Auster, the Mets).

On the lottery of democracy

20070609
(answer to the question "
Can lottery replace/complement democracy?")

Your concept sounds close to Athenian democracy, but it would be much more complex nowadays. A parliament is made of lawmakers and lawmakers are coping with a very complex system of laws, impacts, lobbies... The people need to know their MPs better than they would know candidates in a reality TV show. Not all politicians are crooked or evil, and democracies work because of the expertise of great lawmakers. Besides, I don't want the future of my country to be sponsored by Ladbrokes or betwin.com. As a parallel reality show to contribute to the education of the masses maybe, but not as the main dish, and even that show could turn into a dangerous joke, making people less interested in actual politics, more boring and less demagogical.

In the Middle Age, some cities used to treat a fool as their king or their bishop for one day, but the joke was on him ("Fete des fous" or "Fools Fete / Party", not to be confused with April Fools' Day).

During the French elections, Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate, suggested to have a group of voters randomly selected to keep an eye on their MPs, mayors... which any citizen has already a right if not a duty to do in a democracy. So the joke was on "Demagolene".

My favorite / least favorite brands

20070612
(answer to the question "What is your favorite brand?" by Interbrand)

Funny. All my top of mind brands are media (France Football, The Economist, BBC) Then I realize there isn't a brand I could put in such a list as yours. I respect many companies and naturally I do have favorites (ie models, authors, designers, cars...), but I'm more interested in the content than the shell, and I don't feel affection for a brand or a label. Even if it does happen (hard to avoid), I don't like the idea of having something writen (nor some logo) on me. I reckon it may have something to do with my being an author. As Roy Disney brilliantly reminded us, brand is for cattle. Being loyal to a brand is being as dumb as a cow. You are loyal to people or things you trust.

PS : be careful : picking faves could be dangerous when working for Interbrand !

20070612
(answer to the question "What is your least favorite brand?" by Interbrand)

That one I can answer a little bit more easily.

Since we're on LinkedIn, I'll start with a shared connection : Hummer.

My hall of shame : Microsoft, Halliburton, Bud, Wal-Mart, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Billy Graham, The Sun (a UK toilet paper brand passing for a newspaper brand), World Wrestling Entertainment, The New York Yankees, The Carlyle Group and the Discovery Institute.


At the risk of infuriating a few contacts, I'll put a slice of Dunkin' Donuts, Taco Bell, A&W Root Beer, Jif et al on top of it (barf bag, anyone ?)

On sustainable arrested development

20070606
(answer to the question "Sustainable development : illusion or action")

- Most companies are still at the "feel good PR" stage.

- A significant number of them are getting serious, and the past few years brought significant tools (ie labels, environmental tools...), beyond general awareness and a consensus from the public on key issues. Economists are embracing ecology as a key topic, ecology becomes a key issue in economics (see recent reports on the costs of global warming). Beyond the buzz, there are now high expectations for action (from all circles, social, economical and political).

- The swiftest ones have already understood a lot of money could be made, and great competitive advantages taken.

On releasing press releases

20070606
(answer to the question "Is there still a point to creating press releases?" with all those blogging and social networking tools)

More than ever.

Anything can happen to the multitude of formal and informal messages you (willingly or not) send to the market ; you want to keep a trustable source for yourself as well as for outsiders :
  • - press releases are a good exercise for your company, to formulate your position and put your action into words, take some distance with your daily routine, look back in the mirror anytime needed (paper and webpages tend to end up in dustbins)...
  • - medias, bloggers, outsiders want to know your position on key issues, know the official line at any given moment. A company that communicates respects the market, and the market respects a company that disciplines itself.
To me, you have a duty to keep creating press releases. And to study innovative ways of optimizing their diffusion (which leads us to the blogs and social networks thing : there will necessarily be foes out there, and that's a good reason to make new friends).

On Ron Paul for President

20070607
(answer to the question "How do you feel about Ron Paul as president?")

Reps would be as likely to nominate Ru Paul (if I dare say, a "hole in one" as far as minorities are concerned). I don't think Republicans can select this free thinker, in many ways more Democrat than a few donkeys running for '08. Ron Paul looks like a good man and I give him good credits for Iraq and the Patriot Act, but not so good for economics, abortion, and certain principles. Being 72 doesn't always mean being always wise.

On happiness and business leadership

20070607
(answer to the question "Do you know any happy business leaders?" - for a book project)

There are quite a few happy business leaders out there. But how about the "ever after" part of the tale ? I guess that could make an interesting chapter to wrap your fairy tales up.

Most biz leaders discover the hollowness of their quest at the end of the corporate road, especially those who didn't create their company. Being a former CEO doesn't mean anything, and even Jack Welch didn't recover from this first death.

Many try to compensate in a different dimension (ie philantropy, the Gates / Buffet syndrom). It depends on the kind of leader : some are born to rule and command, only a few have something that makes them special whatever they do, even when they do nothing, because it is about who they truly ARE.

About think tanks

20070604
(answer to the question "What is the business model for a Think Tank?")

There is a room between dark conspiration theories and total transparency. Basically, a Think Tank is an Outsourced Lobbying Tool, a Non-Profit Outfit for big profit companies (kind of "His Master's Voice" without the Marconi logo).

Some are Hot Air Factories specifically designed to accelerate Global Warming. The funding system is similar to that of a lobby, the casting generally slightly different. You just have to offer a few big lunches to a few big names.

Some actual non-profit initiatives (people who prefer the think thing to the tank thing) prefer the Foundation business model for an easier financing (in : taxes - out : expenses of VIP members who would not join otherwise) and a clearer legal frame.

On flying comfort

20070607
(answer to a question / survey on flight comfort - which of the 5 following items are your 2 priorities ? leg room, armrest size, seat width, tray table size, reclines a lot)

1. Leg Room (you don't want to scream each time the guy in front of you reclines)

2. Reclines a lot (you want to rest your back during a long trip without crunching the guy behind you)

Why the 1+2 combo :
- if your legs and back can't take a good rest, neither can you
- I'm not particularily tall (rather avg), but for the price of the ticket, I expect to enjoy my seventh inning / hour stretch without leaving my seat.
- you are neither trapped when seated next to a window, nor feeling your neighbor crawl over you when seated next to a corridor, which solves most guy-seated-next-to-you issues (except for supersized Golden Arches lovers, size matters more vertically than horizontally)

My favorite business publication

20070531
(answer to the question "What´s your favourite business publication?")

The Economist. They won't tell you everything, but they have a unique way of telling things. You are not compelled to agree with everything but it's never boring. The European / UK origin shows but they cover all areas rather fairly. I remember warning many colleagues about the internet bubble years ago, to no avail. To me that bubble burst around February 1998, when a dramatic @@@@@@@@rgh scream splashed The Economist's cover. I passed that article around and it instantly calmed quite a few gamblers down.

About ideology and leadership

200705
(answer to a question about "Ideology and 'Leadership' in Your World")

Ideology can be a means of leadership (ie to challenge, reach, maintain, strengthen the status), but one doesn't necessarily need it to enjoy leadership. Content generally matters less than the look, or charisma. When both are combined, that can be very efficient and potentially dangerous, depending on the character and the ideology : the first face that generally comes to mind when you mention "ideology" and "leadership" is Adolph Hitler's.

The rencent French presidential elections opposed two styles of leadership and clearly raised the issue of ideology, traditionally a taboo in French politics (it echoes dark periods of our history). Both finalists had a lot of charisma and overused images and symbols, but one would rely on an outspoken and consistent ideology (the winner, Nicolas Sarkozy) while the other (Segolene Royal) avoided the issues because her own camp was too divided to agree on a clear and consistent vision (not to mention the lack of consistence of the candidate herself). The socialists had to admit this failure on ideology cost them the elections. Note that Blair also won 10 years ago on that turf. Time will tell whether Sarkozy can deliver the goods he promised... or the evils he is sometimes stimulating.

To me, true leadership is about changing the ideology, not surfing on it.

Define: hero

20070601
(answer to the question "What is a hero?")

A hero cannot be self proclaimed and has to be somehow distinguished by someone else. By whom, in which context and on what ground ? Answering to these questions will give you a fair notion of the value and durability of this distinction.

Warning : heroes in mirror are hollower than they appear. By no means can this superficial notion define a being : it is not about what you are, nor even about what you do, but about how you are perceived.

On the border of corruption

20070601
(answer to the question "Where would you draw the borderline towards "corruption"?")

For me, corruption starts where respect stops. All you have to do is to respect the law, but also your customers, your employees, your partners, your competitors, your environment, yourself...

You may not always win, but there is a room for sane business.

How do you value time ?

20070529
(answer to the question "How do you value time?")

Time is what you make of it. Time is a measuring tool which may differ from person to person. I don't think one should think of life or love in termes of gallons, cubic centimeters, pounds or whatever.

I don't value the thermometer, I value life itself, and I certainly don't wan't to figure it out that badly / poorly.

The most significant concept in human history

20070529
(answer to the question "What has been the single most significant concept, idea or notion in human history?")

Humor.

Beyond intelligence and the awareness of death, humor requires the ability of self-depreciation.

On the innovation process

20070530

(answer to the question "What are the essential elements of the innovation process?" - the creative and synthetizing part)

From experience (as a strategist as well as as an author), I know it takes at least two sets of qualities : at the concept / idea level, and at the communication level. I've always enjoyed the conceptual part, and I have a lot of fun writing. Being an author is a permanent state and writing just an action, but people judge you by your output.

Ideally, there should be a visual / mental "click" from your audience / readers, but it is not always easy to translate your great vision the most efficient way. Pedagogy / communicability is key : your vision should be simple to understand and explain. Some doors can remain open if needed (you cannot embrace every dimensions, solve all questions), but everyone should be able to see what's at stake, share a common ground with all others. Besides, there is certainly no such thing as a "one size fits all" process for innovation, nor a universal way of synthetizing.

Actually, each consulting firm has a method, some are relevant in certain contexts, counterproductive in others. For example, the BCG can be help you bulldoze small bumps on the road and have a big corporation embrace a clear strategy, but when it comes to innovation, you want to protect diversity and be careful not to destroy valuable germs. The devil is in the details but a great value lies in theses details too.

At the end of the day, it is all about making a vision of a piece of knowledge useful, more valuable than it is by itself.

On mankind growing by learning from its mistakes

20070519
(answer to the question "Do you think that mankind has grown by learning from its mistakes ?")

Our civilization has been surviving for quite a few centuries and won't vanish overnight like the Maya's... unless someone decides to push that darn red button that is. I'd say mankind has grown to the point it became one civilization, and it has no choice but to learn from its mistakes. I don't think mankind has always grown by learning from its mistakes but I know it can't keep growing without it. The XXIst century is key at all levels (environment, economics, politics, religion, health, social divides...).

Such "positive" thinkers as Lobby Dick Cheney could dub Yugoslavia's collapse and the Rwanda or Darfur scandals the "last throes" of the old order (heck : some dictators have been "smoked out" even in Africa), but I'm not so sure. Ten-twenty years from now, we'll eventually have some notions of what can be achieved during this century.

On VCious questions for prospective entrepreneurs

20070519
(answer to the question "What kind of questions would venture capitalists ask to prospective entrepreneurs?")

In the "simple, to the point" range, I suggest : why ? what ? when ? and most important : who ? (who are you, who is following you, whom are you facing...) what if ?

On brain training

200705
(answer to the question "Is Brain Training fun, fad or a little of both?" and various softwares for soft brains)

To me it's like training in a gym, following a program while checking your heartbeat and the number of calories you're presumably burning... It can be fun and even make sense for people under reeducation, for medical purposes... but this isn't the real thing.

You want to err in open spaces, off the path, work things out with people instead of softwares and machines. Brain is one thing, intelligence another. Try to stimulate your intelligence instead of training your brain. And diversify your programs - reading a good book, listening to great music, that often beats your DS provided you open your mind beyond your eyes.

On books on business knowledge

200705
(answer to a question on the "Pretence of Business Knowledge")

As an author, I don't believe in books. Some people are swallowing books like pills to enhance their performance. I've never heard of a great businessman / manager who learnt from the books.

Experience, sharing views, challenging one's own way of thinking and seeing things, opening up beyond one's business and environment... this is actual business knowledge.

My favorite weather information source

200705
(answer to the question "What is your favorite weather information source, and why?")

The President of the United States. When he's wearing a flight jacket, I know it's gonna rain bombs. When he's wearing a tux, I know it's gonna rain blunders.

My favorite NGO / charity

200705
(answer to the question "What is your favorite NPO / NGO / Charity? & Why is it your favorite?")

Wal-Mart.
By far the most successful organization when it comes to make third world countries converge with US social standards. Working the other way round proved quite disruptive but efficient.

;)

Is brand loyalty dead ?

200705
(answer to the question "Is brand loyalty dead?")

As Roy E. Disney smartly reminded us, brands are for cattle. If you are loyal to a brand, you are as dumb as a cow. You are loyal to a company that respects something somehow. You know the company wants to make business with you but you don't want to end up as a medium rare steak. I take what I need, you take what is fair. No one loses. You are loyal to a fair partner. Basically, P&G and their likes are still XXth Century foxes in the hen house. This model can't last long.

On the transparency of news reports

200705
(answer to the question "How transparent media Mass in reporting News?")

1) You can have a few hints after checking who owns the said mass media.

2) Anyway, you must understand that there is no such thing as objectivity - reporting news is necessarily subjective. Certain words are written, certain images caught, news are composed, selected, sorted, edited and formated - keyboards, cameras and the humans who operate them are not Godalmighties, even when they have the best intentions.

3) subjectivity is not necessarily bad - the only thing is you must realize it and understand the limits before enjoying the show.

4) You can be both subjective and transparent. The BBC and al Jazeera have different standards but both tend to present the points of views of different sides.

On SWOT analysis

200705
(answer to a question on SWOT analysis templates)

I never used any template for a SWOT. I cannot open up my mind in closed walls. You must have a comprehensive view of your environment, but always a fresh one. You must always challenge it, leveraging on the expertise around you. Do not see your company and your environment as you see it but as your coopetitors would do. And don't see competitors as competitors ; see beyond your market to spot new coopetitors.

Rule number one : have fun. You know you cannot cover every dimension nor every angle so relax and embrace uncertainties. If you are looking for a competitive edge, think ahead.

20070606
(answer to another question on SWOT analysis in general)

SWOT is only a frame, and the value doesn't lie in the frame. Your kid's drawing may look terrific, you probably wouldn't get as much money from it as if you sold your Basquiat over eBay. Besides, SWOT should be open and dynamic, evolutive. It is a (big) picture, but you should be able to see the movement behind, get the notion of what's missing.

Saving the US automobile industry

200705
(answer to the question "What can be done to save the U.S. Automobile Industry?")

Stop thinking as the US Automobile Industry.

Start thinking as mobility service providers in a new, open, competitive but respectful and responsible environment.

On Europe, the Old World

200705
(answer to the question "Europe: how do you see the Old World?")

I see Europe as a chance because of the richness of its cultural diversity and the size and soundness of its common ground. I see Europe at the crossroads of reinvention and disruption.

I see China embracing its own diversity to design a more agile, pervasive and adaptative variety of imperialism.

I see America on the verge of negating diversity and evolutivity - more conservative and monolithic, more inwards than outwards. A Bushite Amerika and a neo-Showa Japan would be the Old World of tomorrow.

Define: power

Power is about perception. You can feel it when it is at work, but it is much more difficult to tell who has it at other times. You can feel your hair rise when you pass by a small and obsolete power plant because much of the energy is wasted and that's OK because not much is at stake. But while fishing on a quiet lake, you cannot feel the huge potential of the dam you cannot see.

Don't see people as they want you to see them. See them as they truly are, beyond the power the may exert on their environment, including you. And see yourself as you truly are. We all have power within, not all the same, and not the same capacity to control it.

200705
(answer to the question "WHAT IS THIS THING WE CALL POWER? Does it come from OTHERS or does it come from WITHIN US, as a state of mind?")

Define: managing director, managing partner, general manager

The Managing Director manages the dates of lunches with the Managing Partner. The General Manager manages the rest.

200705
(answer to the question "What is the difference between a Managing Director, a Managing Partner, and a General Manager?")

What is unique in blogging ?

200705
(answer to the question "what is unique in blogging ?")

I use the term "blogule" for my small blogs. Red or white depending on my mood, not very important by themselves but somehow vital to me. As an author, blogging is part of what I call my "junk writing". And I enjoy it because as ugly as it seems, it can taste good and fulfil you. I need to zap from actual writing to junk writing to keep my balance. Because at the same time, blogging is like gymnastics to me. It's a quick fix when I need to stretch or let my mind wander on any topic I want.

You don't have to bother about the structure, nor the big picture. I've been blogging for 4 years but at the beginning, I didn't want to use a genuine blogging platform - that was frustrating and stupid considering the ease of use / instantaneity of blogs.

Define: change

Change goes beyond trade (giving up something for something else). Change is about abandoning one's very nature, modifying it. You can change your shirt but there's no way back when YOU change. Change has a cost and an impact. It is both a sacrifice and an opportunity. You often grow stronger after a change but you often are weak during the change. Change is somehow more radical than evolution, quicker too.

200705
(answer to the question "CHANGE - What does it mean to you?")

On innovation and branding agencies

200704
(answer to the question "What are the most important qualities managers want in an innovation and branding agency?")

I prefer smaller structures for reactivity and true innovation - provided the casting and methology don't suck, of course. A big name will do if the aim of the game is just for the manager to have his own concept sold to his own hierarchy.

International reach helps for branding : you don't want to waste time on verifications, and you certainly don't want to end up like another case study (ie Alcatel means "killer" in Arabic, Sega "to masturbate" in Italian).

On the success of reality shows

200705
(answer to the question "Why do you believe Reality Shows have grown in numbers regarding various subjects, along with the television viewers ?")

It is basically the same trend as on the internet : reality shows have this consumer generated content flavor and give the illusion something is really happening on the screen, something you could be involved in, something you could even be doing yourself. The illusion that at last TV is somehow about me, somehow as interactive as the internet.

The internet positioned TV as a monolithic media for the masses, TV answered with real life real time individuals. People get hooked to it for fear of missing an event, something happening, some naughty movement in front of these fake webcams. Of course everything is set, staged, programmed, scenarized, but it doesn't feel like broadcasting (or better : I'd dare say "downcasting") anymore. Rather like bottomupcasting / grassrootcasting. And it tastes like s..t.

Entrepreneurial culture and market valuations

200706
(answer to the question "Do you believe that large companies with more entrepreneurial cultures have higher stock market valuations than their more traditional counterparts ?")

To my humble opinion, the stock exchange is not the place where actual business is being done, except for stock traders. If you don't accept that fact, if you don't realize that you are in a different level of reality, you may wake up in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode.

That said, take two companies from the same field and with the same assets. In a rational market, the company with the higher value should be the one with the higher potential to grow beyond its current position.

But the market is not rational, there is no such thing as two similar companies, and communication / propaganda plays too big a role out there, especially where "culture" is involved. Remember the late nineties ?

Define: innovation

An innovation literally brings something new inside a given environment, which means innovation shouldn't be considered without taking into account its impacts on the said environment, the time factor, the very process of "bringing".

Innovation can be immaterial, like a new way of considering that environment, even using the same old tools (ie your eyes and brain). Sign' o the times : I noted that in today's vocabulary, "progress" turned somehow negative (a colateral damage of the end of the myth of eternal progress during last century) while "innovation" became the new fave. As a matter of fact, innovation is not necessarily positive - the "novation" doesn't necessarily mean "one step forward" like in "progress". Who knows when this beautiful world will fall out of fashion...

200704
(answer to the question "how would you define innovation ?")

On the impacts of new technologies

200704
(answer to the question "With all this great technology - computers, email, cellphones, IM, YouTube, MySpace, wireless Internet, etc. - where is it taking us? How is it impacting society?")

This question has been answered by countless books and essays. As I feel it, the very texture of society has changed (society as a whole as well as society as a puzzle of societies) and identity crisis is not over yet. The tissue can look much more elaborate, yet it can easily be torn. Societies either lock out to protect themselves, or collapse - the fittest survive, their frontiers blurred and everchanging. No wonder identity became a more complex concept and challenge for individuals as well as for societies...

The technology boom you mentioned is neither good nor bad in itself. It changed our perception of time and space, it changed the way we interact with our environment and with each other It contributes to diversity (ie revival of languages) and speeds up evolutions, but also facilitates globalization and uniformization. It contributes to knowledge, but also threatens intelligence. The sexier virtual worlds become, the duller real ones appear and the more people try to escape. ... and so on....

All this is at least disruptive and upsetting for any society. Gaps and divides are formed and not everybody will adapt, not everybody will follow the same path nor the same pace. More than ever, education is key. Beyond the learning of the tools you mentioned, of course.

India 10 years from now

200703
(answer to the question "What are the images that come to your mind when you think of India 10 years from now?")

Plenty of hot spots and a few dark pits : a huge, diverse and beautiful powerhouse facing major problems which could endanger its very integrity. Beyond poverty, I'm thinking about terror, separatisms and religious clashes fueled by international fundamentalisms. Nationalism is bound to rise and I do hope it won't be only the wrong kind of nationalism.

Moderates may eventually rise against these attacks on the oldest democracy, and a positive common conscience could emerge as a new power, like South Korea's netizens. I also hope the urban / rural and litterate / illiterate divides will be better dealt with. I see more conglomerates become major players at the global level, but more and more in services instead of industries.

Loosers under capitalism

200703
(answer to the question "Are you a loser under capitalism ?" - only the fittest survive)

I read some interesting research about evolution and the relation towards risk taking for humans. Our brain couln't evolve as fast as our civilisation, and some of us still need the occasional chill to prove their ability to survive in a prehistoric environment. From that, one may deduce entrepreneurs or extreme sports lovers somehow missed some steps somewhen. They are great survivors where the law of the jungle is applied but global warming means the end of rain forests...

So here is my answer : I must be a loser under capitalism but could turn out to be a winner under evolution... which I don't consider such a sweet victory (ruling over a desert, anyone ?)

About great technos and great business models

200703
(answer to the question "Does a great business model foster great technology, or does a great technology foster great business models ?")


I've survived a couple of start-ups in the innovation field and I know two things : great technology can be a curse, and failing to deliver a death warrant. If I get your question right, you have both techno geniuses and marketing whizz kids, and you are wondering what a brainy manager would do to get the most value out of this explosive combo.

First : lock patents, don't waste your gems and don't let them go. They shouldn't feel like they are locked in a monolithic joint playing a "us vs them" game. You foster innovative approaches in general and as a general you must take decisions. If time to market is key, keep a playing ground for research - give your techies time to work on pet projects in exchange for the delivery of the dreadful quick-and-dirty gizmo your salesforce requires. Market the smart upgrades while selling the monster. It may work even if you are not Microsoft.

Actually, that's the essence of Google part II (growing into a powerhouse beyond the initial innovation) : the new bricks added to the edifice are either smart tools fresh from the lab or quick and dirty me-too products launched basically to fill the blanks, the time for competitive upgrades to be completed. You may not be able to stretch your staff that far, but at least mentioning Google could help stretch the smile on your investors' face for a while.

Define: intellectual capital

I would define it as the maximum potential of intangible assets for a given company. Putting a value on a patent is one thing, putting a value on a member of your staff another, not to mention the countless combinations of internal and external networking.

FC Nantes' former soccer coach, Raynald Denoueix, used to say a player costs a lot, another player costs a lot, and what goes between them is unvaluable. One could try building a scoring tool taking into account all variables including the networking abilities but I wouldn't pay much attention to a monodimensional score. To me, it is like IQ : it may look convenient but you can neither sum up nor shrink intelligence into one dimension.

Yet, you are into strategy and development consulting, your clients expect some nice and efficient tools. I would try a spiderweb shaped matrix (ie 5-notch-axis).”

200703
(answer to the question "How would you define & meassure the "Intellectual Capital" of a company?")

Define: intelligence vs information

=> Intelligence is the capacity to apprehend (ie your environment, other people, situations...), understand and give sense beyond what you see, feel, touch, smell, or hear.
  • NB : intelligence is not something absolute. you can be very intelligent in certain situations and dumb in others. There is no such thing as one kind of intelligence and IQ is an heresy : you cannot sum it up in one dimension.
=> an information is a message an entity (ie person, network, group) receives from other entities or from its environment (ie it's raining).
  • NB : the format of the information is very important. Information can be perceived differently by the emitter, the receiver or a third party, it can be altered during the transfer and edited anytime. For instance, this chair is blue but the color blind person will get another information, I say something, you hear something else.
=> Information can be made intelligible for a specific target. I would call that intelligent outformation.

Many people consider the ability to memorize a lot of information as a sign of intelligence - the most clever people I know make complex things look simple - simplicity is not always stupidity but often the key to intelligibility, apprehensibility.

My job used to be providing intelligence for decision makers and convincing them to see beyond the information they asked for. I would industrialize information as much as I could, always keeping in mind the necessity to often change the formats and adapt to a disruptive environment. Managers who stick to a few indicators tend to miss major changes in the market. Pedagogy was also useful to promote human networking within the organization. Intelligence was considered as information gathering in an hostile environment, strategic intelligence became a way of peacefully moving a few steps ahead of competition.

The public is so much overwhelmed by information it cannot see intelligence when it comes across it. Internet is a kingdom of information / disinformation where the public can easily be fooled. There is a realization of that and the emergence of a need for genuine intelligence. Unfortunately, prevails the one who advertizes the best, not necessarily the most relevant.

200703
(answer to the question "intelligence vs information")

Crowdsourcing - innovation accelerator or fad ?

Crowdsourcing is smarter than it appears and must be handled with intelligence. To me, its pros and cons can easily be visualized : think about a coffee break with scores of people in the same room. Some are from your company, friends or relatives, some just joined from the street below. Their only thing in common is to be interested in the conversation taking place. You will get interesting points of views from experts and ignorants, insiders and outsiders, inconvenient truths and convenient hoaxes... a 3D / 360 vision of the topic. Often uncensored (praise informal gatherings and Coffee Break Allmighty). You can be overwhelmed by it quite easily.

Tools will help you sort the mess, but don't rely totally on them either. Beyond your own judgement, trust that of people and experts you trust. Don't rely fully on crowdsourcing, too. That said, crowdsourcing has already become a very valuable strategic intelligence technique, as well as a wonderful marketing tool (to sell all kinds of things, buzz and disinformation included).

200703
(answer to the question "Crowdsourcing: a massive global innovation accelerator or another hype that will fade away?")

Gadgets - a man thing ?

200603
(answer to the question "gadgets - is it a man thing ?")

Gadgets don't think. They may be smart but have no emotions. To me, they are a mirror reflecting the power the owner feels / wants to feel on "his / her" environment.

I guess the key is the owner has total control in his relationship with the gadget. It actually becomes "his / her" gadget once "he / she" fully masters, full throttle. People who love gadgets may have either a big surplus or a big deficit in their relationship with fellow humans. They may need a gadget as a certificate. I don't know...

How would I know ? I'm not much into gadgets, but I'm not much of a social animal either... I'm afraid I may be too much in love with my wife, doctor.

Must see films for an alien visiting earth

200703
(answer to the question "If you were to compile a list of "must see" films that an alien should see when visiting earth, what would you suggest as a top five?")

I guess 2 movies would do. These two answer the 2 key questions any alien would ask :

1) is there intelligent life out there ? => "Airplane!"

2) who's in charge down here ? => (my all time fave) : "Dr. Strangelove or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb"

Define: partnership

Partnership is a mode of relationship that goes beyond the standard / natural mode usually observed in a given environment.

1) ie in business : beyond sell / buy
2) ie at the personal level : beyond love / hatred, family / friendship
3) ie in the wilderness : beyond symbiosis / parasitism / predation

Binding or not, a partnership is decided by all parties and requires their involvement and agreement.
=> Partnership truly requires intelligence, an understanding of one's environment beyond the natural reach. In a successful partnership, both parties fully understand each other's environment, which generaly includes a new point of view on their selves.

200703
(answer to the question "Partnership - what is it ?")

Define: disruptive innovation

A disruptive innovation brings an evident solution to a key unsolved question. And a truly disruptive innovation does the same for a key unsolved question that had never been asked before.

Simplicity often comes with a paradigm shift, a total reformulation of the initial question, a complete change of plane ; you have to think out of the box, where old problems offer new solutions, where old constraints open new horizons...

A disruptive innovation changes the very way we consider our environment.

20070612
(answer to the question "What does disruptive innovation mean to you?")

Define: WOM, Buzz, Viral

. WOM is the descriptive term for one specific medium.
. Buzz focuses on the impact on the environment and generally certain groups of people.
. Viral is more about time, reach and depth, how things spread.

20050721
(answer to a question for a thesis on Viral Marketing for Souki.com - differences between WOM, buzz and viral ?)

Thursday

About

This site is to step by step mirror my bilingual personal portal as a back-up*, starting with :

Other parts of my personal portal other beers cannot reach shall join the party in the future.

Meanwhile, you can browse my other websites :

You can also leave comments on the blogs or contact me through LinkedIn.

Stephane

* since I did the back-up by batch and Blogger only considers the dates of input for each blog, the blogs may not always appear in chronological order. I specified when needed the original dates. I also decided to use only one set of labels, which explains the existence of pages in both French and English.

Red Blogule to the Bush system - Prevent a New War of Secession

Archives 20041101

The Republican Party is bound to lose : they either lose this election or lose their very soul. A Bush reelection would mean the success of the raid of a group of extremists on the GOP. To those who wonder how such a mob of liars, crooks, religious fanatics and extreme right madhatters could ever be reelected, remind them a man like Hugo Chavez managed to get democratically reelected earlier this year.

What would mean a Bush reelection but the risk of a political war of secession across the US ? Moderate Reps and Dems could unite in the Resistance. Whole states could refuse more extremist laws or worse fully comply to them. History proves any people can regress into fascism and never since McCarthy-Hoover has this country been so dangerously close to it - we're not talking neibourhood watch militia : remember Patriot Act I encourages denouncement and Patriot Act II would legalize the deportation of US citizens. Can America afford four more years of Kind Dubya, Lord of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America ? Beyond the man, there is a system of negation of what made this country a great country respected across the globe. What would History think of a people who decides to keep them in power ?

This can be prevented : America must wake up on time and elect a President who respects the values of this country. Vote Kerry.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the Alliance of Fanatics - Vote Bush-Bin Laden 2004 !

Archives 20041030

(regarding Osama Bin Laden's intervention before the US Elections)

What I saw yesterday was a politician - neither a jihaddist warlord nor a religious leader - inviting himself to the debate, behind his stand. No red tie but as elegant an outfit as Karzai's. He waited for the candidates to use their time up and spill their beans. He's exposing his results and his programs. Facts and figures. No need to talk about his convictions - the message obviously passed earlier during the campaign.

Bin Laden just reminds the American audience he's not at war with the US and that his ennemies are moderate muslims. America was the one to start hostilities, helping Israel attack Lebanon. On September the 11th, Baby Doc paid for Papa Doc. Joseph Goebbels being long gone and Karl Rove being already hired by someone else, I wonder which hotshot propaganda expert this man drafted...

Without spending hundreds of million dollars in campaigning, this man sets the agenda. This is neither about Bush's results nor about Kerry's program. You want to promote democracy ? Be consistent and let the US majority withdraw the troops of Iraq, let the middle east populations, polarized by your fanatism, elect radical leaders... Now that you've done your job beyond my wildest expectations you can leave me alone. You think you're leading the world but you've misled it. Vote Bush-Bin Laden 2004!

SM on a forum

White Blogule to John Edwards- One heartbeat away

Archives 20041026

Some Bush supporters think John Edwards is too unexperienced to be one heartbeat away from the presidency.

I think John Edwards is a good person and would make a great President.

And I'm much more worried about President Bush being one armpit away from Karl Rove.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the Republicans for Kerry-Edwards

Archives 20041026

To me this election mirrors the fight on terror.

Regarding the latter, Bush doesn't understand (or pretends not to understand) this is not a religious war between America and the terrorists but a war from radical islamists to moderate muslims. The US have been drafted in order to magnify it but I don't think Bin Laden, even in his wildest dreams, ever hoped America would react as stupidly as this Administration did: instead of fighting extremism and terror they fueled it by launching a religious crusade - the way a medieval leader would have proceeded, not a responsible XXIst century leader.

Regarding this election, the key battle is not about Reps vs Dems: we are witnessing an attempted coup of extremists on the GOP, against moderate Republicans. Should Bush win November the 2nd, there may well be a much deeper crisis within the Republican party than within the Dems, who would unite even stronger as Resistants. Because the Republican Party would lose - if not this election, more fundamentally its very soul.

Kerry proved he has the ability to work hand in hand with Republicans because he is the one candidate to respect the values that built America, and most Republicans share this vision.

You are a Republican and you want to vote for Kerry but you are wondering if it is consistent ? It is, since President Bush is not a Republican. He doesn't respect the Republic (the res publica is about accepting the debate, bringing the issues out there, not about hidden agendas, undiscussed laws, preventing even Republicans from knowing what's going on...) nor the values that earned this country respect from its citizens as well as from other countries. As a Republican, you have a moral duty to protect your country. And the biggest danger it is facing right now is not terror but about the direction it is about to take, about it's very leadership. You are making the right choice for a true Republican.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to this "pro-life" President - Stem cells : who's the murderer ?

Archives 20041023

Somebody tell me why this "pro-life" President, so much eager to protect life in the form of embryos, is the biggest supporter of death penalty and holds the record for executions in the US.

Somebody tell me why this man, who says every tiny cell counts, doesn't show any remorse when soldiers die because of his failures or kids are slaughtered during his massive bombings to smoke Zarkawi out before November the 2nd.

Somebody tell me why this imposteur, who dares say he defends the values that built America, should even have the slightest chance of fooling the electors once more.

Wake up America !

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the diplomacy of coercion - al Qaeda votes Bush

Archives 20041019

Look how Dubya tries to draft more leaders behind his reelection bid:
- For over one year and a half, Blair has been coerced into redeploying more soldiers to the Iraqi hot spots. He managed to postpone the decision till now but cannot refuse anymore since Washington imposed an ultimatum. Should he refuse, he would contradict his own defense of the invation and lose next elections. The only reason why he's hesitating now is : "what if this son of a Bush loses his own elections ?"
- Putin says terrorists want his fellow dictator Bush ousted November the 2nd, but why would muslim fundamentalists want to fire their best ally in the world ? To the contrary, they contribute to the climate of fear that keeps this excuse for a Prez rolling in the polls. What will Putin get for casting his ballot ? Expect a global warming of the relationships between him and the US. Expect a generous portion of Youkos to land in certain oily hands. Expect a wider access to Iraqi contracts to Russian investors.
- Look how Powell is travelling across the globe these days. Expect a kind intervention from say Koizumi or Berlusconi, lauding Dubya's stature as commander in chief of the biggest diplomatic failure this side of WWII.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the November (c)Rush - Comical Ali Burton

Archives 20041016

The US army is carpet bombing Fallujah again. This time the aim is to get Zarkawi before November the 2nd, whatever the cost for the population (and for the image of the US - this is not the deserted mountains of Tora-Bora we're talking about but an Iraqi city where many kids have already been killed by the American bombs).

Significantly, the man has just been put on the list of most wanted terrorists because Bush knows he can get him ("smoke him out"?) on time. But Bush is not your friendly cow-boy hero; he is the corrupted sheriff who invited the bad guys to rule the country.

Again, bringing more chaos and fueling more hatred abroad, hurrying the agendas of the country you invaded is not the most respectful way of salvaging an election. Bush is right when he says we should get rid of the thugs: it's time for him to get the heck outta the White House.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the US Prez debates - The Rock and the snake

Archives 20041014 (see blogules 2004)

The three debates clearly exposed the characters of both candidates : on one side a steady rock, inflexible on principles but animated by positive dynamics, on the other, a snake unable to elevate the debate but when exposing his religious fanatism.

As Kerry confirmed his Presidential stature, Bush confirmed his smallness. What a contrast between the consistance of the Senator across the 3 debates, and the inconsistance of a next-ex changing roles at each debate, hiding in uncomfortable jokes and winks, cowardly running away from his responsibilities and stubbornly refusing to accept his failures.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the US Prez debates - The 3 winners of last night

Archives 20041014

The three undisputed winners of debate #3 are the Yanks and the Cards (which defeated Boston and Houston as the candidates were on stage), and John Kerry, who while the men were watching the play-offs could connect with the feminine part of the audience a much more honest and efficient way than Dubya did in debate 2.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "Lobby Dick"

Archives 20041013

(discussion with a former Halliburton worker in Iraq, complaining about the way the company behaves)

Taking the money and running, exposing innocents to the consequences of their failures, showing neither remorse nor respect for anyone... no wonder Halliburton picked Lobby Dick as their Prez a few years ago. No wonder the POTUS loves this guy.

Bush & Friends are not only looting Iraq : they're emptying the safes of the Nation. Bush is an expert in transferring public funds to private pockets (remember the Texas Rangers stadium ?).

SM on a forum

White Blogule - putting more pressure on Dubya for debate 2

20041004

(discussion between prez debates 1 and 2)

Homeland security is one thing, homegrown propaganda another. Kerry should expose W in next debate.

Last thursday, John made a strong point remembering Osama was the one who did 9/11, not Saddam. He has one more move to do in order to complete the home run on this issue.Let's make it clear, with the bold facts :
- because of the Weapons of Mass Disinformation carpeting the US since 9/11, too many US citizen still believe there was a link between Iraq and 9/11
- the intelligence cannot be blamed since the only tiny thread (a meeting in Baghdad) was very early confirmed as a fake by the US as well as by European and Middle East intel services
- the Veep keeps telling lies about it
- the Prez did admit something but not wholeheartedly, and even now keeps leaking fake lapses (oops, did it again during debate 1 - too bad a smart man was in the audience and had the opportunity to talk back)

Here and now, during this very debate and in the name of truth, let Kerry ask Bush to confirm he was wrong when he said there was a link between Saddam and 9/11, and that Dick Cheney, the man who would be President if anything happened to him, is wrong when he maintains it. Now regarding the way this Administration is defending the US : the strategy is totally counterproductive. It is the way a fascist regime would proceed : isolating the country from its partners, depriving citizens from freedom and raising fear across the land with people as respectful of democracy as Hoover or McCarthy, exporting chaos and fueling terrorism abroad and at home with a crusade in the name of God...

The question is not what President Kerry could do to improve this arsenal, but how long it will take for America to fix the mess and restore its pride.

Bush fails to defend the US because he fails to respect its values. He is corrupting America from the inside and should not be allowed to do more harm at the command of the country...

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the first US Prez debate - Masks off

Archives 20041004

Thursday's debate revealed both candidates as they truly are : an honest man guided by a strong personal ambition but also the values that built America, and a man less and less able to hide his own limits and contradictions.

The thing is the one who doubts is not the one you may think : while Kerry decides after a long decision process but never compromises on values, Bush doubts more fundamentally about himself. His own lies don't fool him anymore and he knows his so called values are just one more set of lies.

For over one year now George W. Bush has been betrayed by his body language : the more the man insists on his confidence, the more his body screams the opposite. Last thursday, this lonely man looked like the tragic buffon success has abandoned. Beyond the loss of the debate (how could a man who refuses the very idea of debate win ?), Bush seems lost for good.

Can his staff manage a spectacular turnaround before next debate - any other way than with more lies in more coward ads that is ? I can't even dare imagining how deep in the mud Karl Rove will have to dig this time...

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to W - Bush flip-flopping before the debate

Archives 20040928

Funny how Dubya's man in Iraq (the great democrat Allawi formerly known as "Saddam Sans Moustache" in Baghdad) raised the opportunity of an international conference about Iraq just days before the Kerry-Bush debate on international issues.

The French had been asking for such a conference for over one year, but Bush remained deaf to their recommandations. Now the French diplomats are finding ways to postpone this meeting since they do not want the process to be hostage to Bush's reelection bid.

I'm sick and tired of the manipulation of the international agenda by King Dubya of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America. The truth is Bush failed. He brought chaos instead of democracy. He fueled so much hatred across the muslim world any true democratic process would bring extremists to power. Do the Americans want to be treated as puppets too ? Do they really want four more years of this sick joke ?

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to Allawi - Allawi is the thug

20040924

The Americans are not told Bush's man in Baghdad was nicknamed "Saddam Sans Moustache" by the Iraqis as Hussein ruled. That he was one of his worst thugs till Saddam decided to mollify the Baath doctrine.

Allawi dares present himself as a hero because of his hostility to Saddam, but he was the one to blow the whistle to the dictator for the uprising attempt in Kurdistan, contributing to the bloodbath.

Now that he has the job he'd been dreaming of for decades (fighting over it with his cousin Chalabi), Allawi is not likely to leave it. He's bound to have the democratic legitimacy he needs because Bush forced elections in Iraq in january so that no opponent has time to make himself known.

Now Allawi can pay Bush back by praising his disastrous attack on Iraq, contributing to his French bashing frenzy or whatever his master sees fit.

Democracy ? No way Jose. Business as usual.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "garbage diplomacy" - Cheney accused in France ?

Archives 20040924 (see blogules 2004)

"Lobby Dick" could very much be convicted for the Halliburton-Technip scandal (corruption in Nigeria during the late 90s). The French prosecutor is considering asking the presidents of all the companies involved (Halliburton's KBR, France's Technip, Italy's Snamprogetti and Japan's JGC) to testify.

John Ashcroft is to meet France's Minister of Justice, Dominique Perben, on september the 30th. The issue will definitely be raised, and one could envision 2 scenarii :
- the clash : nothing is done to prevent Cheney's embarrassing fate
- the last minute deal : we save your campaign, do something for us (ie cancel that heavy fine you set earlier this year for the French regarding the Executive Life scandal - the person who's supposed to pay the most is a close friend to Chirac).

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to Bush Outlook 2.0 - No to Bush's agenda

Archives 20040919

Bush keeps on abusing the countries he "liberated" to serve his own agenda. He already "democratically" imposed an impossible schedule for the elections in Afghanistan and Iraq (even if he eventually could not get elections before november the 2nd in Iraq, he managed to get them in january, which is much too soon according to everyone).

Now, just because the heat is on him for the situation in Iraq (and right after the UN wisely remembered the international audience the war was illegal and the january schedule was absurd), he's organizing the Saddam trial for next month !!!

And we still do not know how this trial will be held, since Mr Democracy refuses to abid to international standards and made his own country an outlaw : no to a legal war, no to the international tribunal, no to the Geneva standards - even in the usage of forbidden weapons of destruction (the defragmentation bombs the US and UK used in Iraq, which killed hundreds of people, are strictly forbidden by Geneva)...

How dares this man speak in the name of democracy ?

WAKE UP AMERICA !!! GET THIS DICTATOR OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE !!!! SM on a forum

Red Blogule to subliminal ads - Subliminal ads watch

20040914

Is anyone making sure there is no remake as far as subliminal ads are concerned ? Four years ago BC would insert a "RATS" for the fraction of a second during a negative campaign on Gore, and he had to withdraw the ad before the scandal went too far. A 2003 experiment proved once more the efficiency of subliminal images to influence elections and I wouldn't be surprised if they gave it one more shot.

For those who wonder how a bold liar could be reelected, don't forget these guys got their masters in Weapons of Mass Disinformation.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to fanatism

20040911

(discussion on the elections in Afghanistan)

A candidate speaking in the name of religion and defending medieval theories ? No need to go to Afghanistan to get this. Just listen to The Man Who Sold The War...

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to eraserheads- HOW ABOUT CHALABI FILES ?

Archives 20040910

Remember the spectacular showdown at Chalabi's office, a few monthes ago ? Why do you think the US raided their former partner's place ?The guy was a notorious blackmailer and collected naughty secrets from everyone. He was said to keep track of all US abuses in Iraq, just in case...Now whatever happened to these files?

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "DEMISSION ACCOMPLISHED" (continued)

Archives 20040910

(discussion about the media)

You will hear a lot about Afghanistan since Bush has planned presidential elections there for october the 9th - totally insane considering the situation there (and Afghani leaders complain, except the man the US put in power*), but what counts is the nov 2nd elections.

You said it : Afghanistan was a war on terror... not Iraq. But the US didn't invest what they said they would : the country is back to mass production of drug, and anarchy rules across the country. Talibans and intolerance are back, security is inexistant but in certain parts of Kabul. "Dismission accomplished".

Bush waged the war there because he was compelled to. But he used this alibi ticket to ride much further than allowed...

SM on a forum

* there may not be oil in Afghanistan, but there is a power issue as well : Hamid Karzai used to be adviser to UNOCAL - a US oil company with a good position in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico - for a pipeline project.

Red Blogule to "dismission accomplished"- Don't let Bush take the lead and tell more lies about Afghanistan

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

Attacking Bush on Iraq is fine, but don't forget Afghanistan's "demission accomplished". Bush wanted free elections to help his reelection, and they will take place on october the 9th. Get ready for more disinformation folks.

What Bush will say : Afghanistan is discovering democracy. For the first time, free elections will be held. 18 candidates prove there is a true democracy on the move. Mission accomplished. + BONUS : by the way, we just arrested Osama in the area! Vote for me!

What we must say about Bush's failure in Afghanistan : "dismission accomplished". Because of the war in Iraq, the US didn't finish the job in Afghanistan. The country didn't receive the help it was supposed to get. Intolerance and insecurity are back, so are the talibans, and the production of drug has boomed as never before. Bush betrayed his promise to Afghanistan, which was supposed to be the priority. Afghanistan was truly about the war on terro, not Iraq. Everybody supported it and French soldiers are still fighting there. But Bush used this alibi ticket for a wilder ride.

What we must know about these elections : most democrats in Afghanistan denounce them as a simple reelection tool for Bush. The country is not ready for elections, the calendar is too short to let a real campaign take place, and most people don't even have any ID in the country. Everything is set to elect Karzai, the man of Washington. Because the world was focusing on Iraq, it was possible to prevent the same from happening there, but at the beginning, Bush demanded elections in Iraq to be held before november 2004 too...

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the preparation of the debates - Reality check

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

(discussion about "how would YOU attack Bush?")

I would attack Bush on what are supposed to be his strongest points :

. He is amoral and would do anything to win
.His decision making is catastrophic
.He is not compassionate but makes show of his fake compassion
.He is not clean. He may have recovered from booze and dope but is still badly addicted to power
.He is not even Republican. Not a Dem either. The guy just wishes he were a dictator
.He is not for this space and time. You could find fundamentalist rulers back in the Middle Age, but Bush is the worst man at the worst place at the worst time
.He is not a strong leader. His weakness shows on how he behaves, how he speaks. Body language doesn't lie. Deep inside, he knows he is a fake.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the "Dear Compassionate Leader" - Bush: the opposite of compassion

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

Imposture again. Would deserve more exposure in the medias.

How dares Bush say he is compassionate after missing such an historical opportunity as the "after 9/11"?

Just remember - it's not that far away: right after America has been struck by the most massive terrorist attack ever, the whole world is with the USA and grieves with them. Beyond terror, there is the hope for a new world: will the international community seize this unique opportunity to do things differently, to move closer to each other, to build a more tolerant and compassionate world ? The very first statesman to visit the US and Ground Zero is a man who as a mayor and Prime Minister, knew all about being hit by terror. A man who knew the worst thing to do was to start a religious crusade and fuel the hatred across the globe. Jacques Chirac offers Bush his full support and will send troops to Afghanistan because the war to the Taliban regime is legitimate for the war on terror.

But the POTUS made the wrong choices. Instead of leveraging on the support of the whole international community, he accumulates mistakes and manages, within a few weeks, to have most countries against the US (and the few leaders backing his crusades don't have the support of their own people). The victim becomes a wreckless outlaw, the criminals become heroes or victims. Bush is killing the 9/11 victims one more time, and will even do it once more during his campaign, using the images of the tragedy for his reelection ads.

The problem is showing compassion is not being compassionate, especially when you're making a show out of your so called compassion. Compassion is not about stealing other people's hearts.

But the American people isn't aware of this imposture. People who know are those who are used and abused by Bush's weapons of mass disinformation:
- look at the grieving 9/11 families opposing this misuse of their pain
- hear the Iraqi soccer players rebel at the Athens Olympics when they hear Bush is trying to take advantage of their successes (Bush eventually canceled his plans to go to Athens and tried to send his dove alibi Powell instead. A series of demonstrations made Powell cancel his trip too)
- listen to the Afghan leaders complain about the october 9 presidential elections (the calendar is totally irrealistic for the country, they know these elections are just another argument for Bush reelection campaign).

SM on a forum

White Blogule to nickname contests

20040905

Dubya himself found the perfect nickname for Karl Rove : "Turd Blossom". The POTUS knows best how his main counselor makes the fragrance to get him more attractive... Smells like tin can spirit.

For the ex-prez-to-be, I'd suggest "Dear Compassionate Leader". It suits the disinformation campaign conducted about his personality, and that's the way a North Korean dictator could be dubbed.

As far as "The Man Who Sold The War" is concerned (the vice who could become Prez in your worst nightmare), I suggested "Halliburton And The 40 Thieves" last year, but now I'd give "Lobby Dick" a try.

Any suggestions ?

SM on a forum

White Blogule to Kerry's biting back - Wake up call

Archives 20040904

Now this is closer to the wake up call I've been expecting for America !

Wake up, wake up, wake up, everybody!!!

Wake up and look back at what this self-proclaimed "compassionate leader" (doesn't it sound north korean to you?) did of your country at home and abroad!

Wake up and respect the world you live in - only then could you be proud again!

Wake up and unite to restore the values your country was built on!

Let's expose the true Bush and the true Kerry to the public. Man to man. No man to mean old Karl.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to BUSH'S ADDICTION TO POWER (continued)

Archives 20040905 (see blogules 2004)

(discussion following previous blogule - you should read "Bush On The Couch" by Justin A. Frank)

Thanks for the tip. I'm not into psychology but I'm quite interested by the genesis of this psychopath.

Maybe our King Dubya, Lord of The Banana Republic of The Divided States of America, has something to do with Oedipus Rex... poor Barbie ! (as far as Herb is concerned, I don't think he has to fear from his son: W doesn't want to kill him - he's too s..t scared for that).

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to BUSH'S ADDICTION TO POWER (continued)

Archives 20040904

(discussion following previous blogule - Bush loves his role but is a puppet)

Definietely. Bush insistes heavily on his decision making capabilities because he knows he's always been a puppet to these lads, always been surrounded by powerful people and expecting their recognition*.

His lapses / bushisms about wishing to be a dictator or not feeling accountable to anyone prove he's craving for more because he is not fully exercing power.

Yet, power abuse is getting him high at different stages : when he announces the decision to the public, and when he feels the envy / respect / expectation from other people's look. It is a matter of make-believe. But deep inside, he's still the same unsure self. It shows on the TV. Body language doesn't lie.

This is why Dubya constantly needs to be told you good boy did the right thing, you look great, especially in this pilot suit, you're the hell of a golf player (I did watch your drive buddy... awesome!)...

* first of all from his father, but he's always failing in his quest to match his record at Yale, as a pilot, as a sportsman, as a oil businessman and eventually as a politician (I hope this other Walker won't reach second base either). He's more likely to stand next to his granddad in history books (infamous Nazi ties).

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