Review: Soft Despotism, Democracy’s Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect

Erudition Demanding Concentration–Need Lay Chapter or Pamphlet October 12, 2009 Paul A. Rahe This is an extraordinary book offering a very detailed and superbly integrated examination of the consistencies and differences among Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, both to illuminate precisely what was in the Founding Father’s minds when they sought to create a Republic of, …

Review: The Design of Business–Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage

In Its Niche Beyond a Six–In Larger Context a Four October 11, 2009 Roger Martin First off, what got me to buy this book does not appear in the book at all–the author on record as saying that Wall Street was not designed to make money for its investors, only for its mandarins–the same is …

Review: Green Intelligence: Creating Environments that Protect Human Health

Excellent Overview Book, Great Price, Nice Emphasis on Public Information Gaps October 9, 2009 John Wargo I like this book. It is not as detailed as any of the following but does a super job of blending together in a very easy to read manner coverage of five areas: nuclear testing, military contamination of training …

Journal: India, Demography, & the Future

India’s Demographic Moment With the right conditions in place — education, entrepreneurialism, and environmental awareness among them — a young, eager, educated workforce can be the key to prosperity. by Nandan Nilekani August 27, 2009 Harvard Business Review When conditions are right, large numbers of young workers can drive a nation’s growth to remarkable levels. …

Journal: Pork as Usual, John P. Murtha Oinks On

Washington Post October 8, 2009 Pg. 2 Ex-Staffers Winning Defense Panel Pork, Study Finds By Carol D. Leonnig, Washington Post Staff Writer In the coming year’s military spending bill, members of a House panel continue to steer lucrative defense contracts to companies represented by their former staffers, who in turn steer generous campaign donations to …

Review: Betrayal: How Black Intellectuals Have Abandoned the Ideals of the Civil Rights Era

My Head Hurts–Time for a Black Caucus on Black Power October 7, 2009 Houston A. Baker My head hurts. After enjoying and reviewing Waiting for Lightning to Strike: The Fundamentals of Black Politics yesterday evening, I was not anticipating the firestorm of erudite adjective-laden brow-beating that this author delivers. Minus one star for beating several …