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September 30, 2006
4th Carnival of German-American Relations.
Yes, that exists.
And if you think that Europe likes America again, think again. Animosity toward and distrust of the U.S. is worse than ever, and pretty much a constant since the spring of 2003. But this carnival may help matters.
For the 4th Carnival of German-American relations on September 24, bloggers on both sides of the Atlantic submitted over 20 blog articles on German-American Relations, including these topics: Anti-Americanism, Pro-Americanism, free speech, cultural diplomacy, John F. Kennedy, Old Europe, NATO, the Geneva Conventions, Berlin, and patriotic Muslims. There are posts of both German and English language articles from two blogs--see here and here--for each carnival.
The next one is December 11. See The Atlantic Review, a press digest on transatlantic affairs edited by three German Fulbright alumni, who created this carnival.
Posted by JD Hull at 06:34 PM | Comments (0)
The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy
Neil's in the basement mixin' up the medicine. Tune in to San Diego's CA$H 1700 AM, Sundays, 3-4 p.m., Pacific Time, or listen live via simulcast on the CA$H web site. With Neil Senturia and Barbara Bry.
Tomorrow is Show #14. Learn why nonprofit entrepreneurship is not an oxymoron. Listen to the podcasts any time.
Posted by JD Hull at 01:39 AM | Comments (0)
September 29, 2006
"Proactive?" Huh? Say what?
Real customer service is hard. But first you have to get that. And hardly anyone does. In a great short post, Michelle Golden of Golden Practices, one of my favorite client-centric blogs, says it all about the relentless tendency to embrace mediocrity in customer service standards. It's called "How Do You Define Proactive?".
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
More HP: Dunn and Hurd Before the Committee.
Here's an Associated Press article, "HP Whistleblower’s E-mail Issued Blunt Warning", on hearings before before the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday on Hewlett-Packard's in-house investigation of boardroom leaks.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)
Patrick McKenna's E-Book First 100 Days
My boutique firm goes to wherever our clients need solutions--litigation, interesting deals coupled unique international tax problems, lobbying and lots of consigliere exercises--and so we travel and work. Western Europe, US and Latin America. We won't stay put. But for my odd, peripatetic life, I might have finished Patrick McKenna's e-book First 100 Days: Transitioning A New Managing Partner weeks ago. Patrick is a Principal with Edge International, a well-known global consultancy which makes higher-end law firms even more effective. Lots of savvy consultants and bloggers have given rave reviews to Patrick's book. Now I've read it--I get it. First 100 Days is short, colorful and easy to use and read. It's long on substance and gives you the real keys to law firm management success in only 23 idea-drenched pages. Usable ideas and experiences of several current law firm managing partners at fine firms are featured in 100 Days. It's unique, and jumps outs at you. Read it.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)
September 28, 2006
HP: GC Quits.
From Associated Press, "HP’s Top Lawyer Resigns Ahead Of Hearing". The U.S. House hearing is today.
Posted by JD Hull at 05:23 AM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2006
HP: Boardroom Leaks, Probes, Probes of Probes.
Whether you run large companies, advise them, or both, here's Hewlett-Packard: Oh My!" from Broc Romanek's CorporateCounsel.net Blog. On Thursday, as Romanek reminds us, the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce holds hearings on charges of Hewlett-Packard's recent "pretexting," a method of investigation of posing as someone to obtain their calling records: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, September 28, 2006, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building, 10:00 AM. And since we're on the subject see Carolyn Elefant's "What's A GC To Do?" at Law.com's Legal Blog Watch.
Posted by JD Hull at 07:41 AM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2006
Real Brits Blog--Part II
See our recent post re: trainees at London law firm being required to blog and then see "Muttley Dastardly LLP - A Blog For The Modern Era" by Charon QC, the alter ego of Mike Semple Pigott, a London-based academic, writer and pundit who is regularly accused of having too much fun blogging.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
Vietnam as "China Lite".
An inspired and thoughtful piece from China Law Blog based on Dan Harris's recent 3-day stay in Saigon: "Vietnam - Tastes Like China Lite".
Posted by JD Hull at 08:59 PM | Comments (0)
"Small Is the New Big" (and you can still get rich...go on, it's okay)
Read Seth Godin's new book Small Is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas. It's what WAC? has been trying to tell you. Godin just says it better.
Posted by JD Hull at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
September 25, 2006
Finally: "The 7 Habits of Bad Writing".
There are 7 habits of "Bad Writing". Do see Susan McDonald's post at Legal Research & Writing blog, as well as Roy Jacobsen's, both commenting on Matthew Stibbe's original post setting out the 7 types at Bad Language. "It was a dark and stormy night..."
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Does The Pope Need Jim Carville?
"The Pope Smokes Dope" after all? No, just playing with you. That's a David Peel song of 34 years ago, from my protracted youth, referring playfully to Pope Paul VI. Don't sweat it. Popes aren't toking up.
Do worry and be perplexed about this pope, a world leader. And about Mel Gibson, a powerful leader in a major world industry, too. Recently, starting with Gibson and then Pope Benedict XVI, high-profile Christians have been accused of trashing two different major world religious cultures. Gibson has apologized twice for making anti-Jewish remarks while drunk. The Pope has said he's sorry four times for besmirching Islam while cold sober. His remarks were taken out of context but, as in Mel's case, some people aren't buying it. Does The Pope need high-priced Beltway or Hollywood talent for damage control? Should someone just put in a call to James Carville? Or maybe Mel Gibson's PR person?
Hunter Thompson is no longer with us, and so we miss his gift of covering and explaining this age-old story: elite people with bad habits saying and doing dumb things because they are human, too. I won't try to explain, or judge, it. But when any of us violate something sacred, even inadvertantly, it hurts and divides. When leaders do it, hell comes and stays awhile.
So I had merely hoped that Pope Benedict XVI would be--to borrow from President Kennedy's quip about a certain Iranian Shah--my kind of pope. Every day, millions of Christians, Catholic or not, listen to The Pontiff. So what's up with this pope? Benedict explained that his September 12 speech in Regensburg, Germany--quoting a 14th century Christian emperor, Manuel III of Trezibond, who had said Islam was "evil and inhuman" and violent--did not reflect his own thinking, and that's certainly true. Benedict did nothing wrong, but he might have picked a different quote. He's apologized. Four times. Will that be enough? See from Reuters "Muslims want to know more on Pope's view of Islam".
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Knock, Knock: The Supremes in Hudson v. Michigan.
Two Boy Wonders grace U.S. legal blogging: Anonymous Lawyer author Jeremy Blachman, and recent OSU law grad Ian Best of 3L Epiphany. Ian just posted this one: "Where is the Hudson v. Michigan Blog? - A Suggestion for Law Students". Be you an "R" or a "D", if you're in the law business, here's something to talk about.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
David Maister Hosts Blawg Review #76
The Trusted Advisor author David Maister at Passion, People and Principles hosts Blawg Review#76. David's not a lawyer, so parts of #76 may make too much sense.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
Keith Richards Watch: Breaking Shocking Pirate News...
From the Irish Examiner, note that "Richards 'Drunk' on Pirates of the Caribbean Set".
Posted by JD Hull at 03:59 AM | Comments (0)
How did your firm get better today?
See this one from Matt Homann's the [non]billable hour.
Posted by JD Hull at 12:59 AM | Comments (0)