It’s Small Business Saturday. Has that concept been successful in the U.S.?

Small Business Saturday 2012 registered about $4.5 billion in sales two years after being created (the concept was) by American Express. By some estimates, Black Friday 2012 registered about three times the sales ($11-$12 billion); that was even a drop of… Continue Reading

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Poland, a country with basically 200 years of tragic history, is now Europe’s most vibrant economy

Consider this: only 20 years ago, the Russian army still had troops in Poland. Democracy in Poland didn’t even start to gain steam as an idea until June of 1989, and that followed a long period where many economic observers… Continue Reading

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What exactly happened with PA Governor Tom Corbett’s popularity?

This Tom Corbett situation in PA is endlessly interesting. Basic facts: he’s the Governor. He’s a Republican. He’s insanely unpopular in his own state. He actually just had the worst poll numbers in Franklin and Marshall state polling history, and GOP… Continue Reading

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Aaron Levie, the CEO of Box, could help reshape how we function at work

Until 20 minutes ago, I had never heard of Aaron Levie. In some ways, i.e. for my sense of self, that’s probably a good thing, since he was born five years after me and is already worth significantly more than I ever… Continue Reading

Black Friday: Like all great things in America, we have Philadelphia and the service academies to thank

Here’s a typical look at Black Friday, via the Twitter Machine: Long lines @BestBuy. Let the madness begin #BlackFriday pic.twitter.com/dJ6samtFoT — Annalyn Kurtz (@AnnalynKurtz) November 28, 2013 In reality, Black Friday isn’t even a thing anymore — the stuff can start a… Continue Reading

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The next great startup / entrepreneur hub may be … (pause) … Indianapolis

When you think of startup culture, or tech projects, or entrepreneurs throwing money at the next big thing — be it a behind-the-scenes software or an out-in-front platform like a Facebook — you probably think of the Bay Area, maybe New York,… Continue Reading

The Bay Psalm Book is likely the most valuable book in the world, and now we’re about to prove it

Here’s the basic story: in 1638, the Reverend Joseph Glover and family set sail for the new world. Glover died on the journey, but Stephen Daye survived and, along with Glover’s widow, printed the first documents in the American colonies.… Continue Reading

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In which I breathlessly and irrelevantly discuss Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell was profiled on 60 Minutes last night. My wife and I were trying to make dough at the time, and it needed about an hour to rise. I had just watched the obliteration of the Colts by the Cardinals, and 60… Continue Reading