If you are like most baseball fans, you watched the San Francisco Giants steamroll the Texas Rangers in the World Series, beating the vaunted Cliff Lee twice and holding the juggernaut offense to a total of one run in three games, and you wondered how this collection of kids and castoffs who were nobody’s pick for anything in […]
Biz 101 for a Growing Crowd: San Francisco Magazine, November 2010
David Abernathy knows about image problems—he dropped out of high school and college, then burned out as an investment banker before starting his own consulting practice. Perhaps that’s why he’s a perfect fit for his new job: As a director of Compassionate Green Financial Services, the only company of its kind in the country, Abernathy […]
Even Rich Folks Need Friends — On Facebook: Forbes, September 2010
Want to know who is hoping to make some new friends on Facebook? Talk to Chuck. Or maybe, given the discount brokerage’s new embrace of social media, that should be Chat with Chuck – or Tweet with Chuck.
PayPal Founder Not Sure About Meg: Forbes, September 2010
So PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel is supporting Meg Whitman, the eBay CEO who bought PayPal for $1.5 billion in 2002, in her race as the Republican nominee for governor of California (as I reported Friday). But Thiel’s co-founder and investing partner Max Levchin is not so enthusiastic.
Old (Pay)Pals: Peter Thiel backs Meg Whitman: September 2010
When eBay acquired PayPal for $1.5 billion in 2002, it received a lot more than a great system for online payments. The acquisition, like so many in Silicon Valley, also brought in a horde of top-notch talent. But there was one smart guy at PayPal that eBay CEO Meg Whitman didn’t get: Peter Thiel, the CEO. She’s got […]
Baseball’s Billionaires by the Bay: Forbes, September 2010
Baseball billionaires? No, I’m not talking about the players – they may be millionaires, but I have yet to hear of a billion dollar ballplayer. (That may happen: Alex Rodriguez‘ last contract, the richest ever, paid him more than a quarter billion dollars over 10 years.) But the owners, now there’s another story. Looking at my […]
Steve Jobs, the Control Freak, Lightens Up: Forbes, September 2010
Steve Jobs, Apple’s iconic CEO and number 43 on Forbes’ list of the wealthiest Americans, has long both thrilled and infuriated geeks — thrilled them with his company’s gorgeous, easy-to-use products, and infuriated them by maintaining tight control over them, even in an age of increasing online openness.
Economic Impact Report: UCSF, June 2010
In an age of remarkable scientific and technological advancements, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) stands as one of the principal economic engines in San Francisco and the nine-county Bay Area. UCSF benefits the entire San Francisco Bay Area, generating more than 39,000 jobs and producing an estimated $6.2 billion economic impact when including […]
Think Globally, Learn Locally: Edutopia, April 2010
Edutopia: April 2010 Think Globally, Learn LocallyIn this 2,000-word feature for the magazine of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, I explored a variety of programs that are trying to lead America on a path to learning global languages. In the quickly evolving world of global-language learning, America is waking up to a new reality. Though […]
Tech Gets a Time-Out: San Francisco magazine, April 2010
San Francisco: April 2010 Tech gets a time-out In this 4,500-word feature for San Francisco magazine, I explored why so many high tech high achievers choose to send their children to Waldorf elementary schools, where there are no computers in the classrooms. The bottom line: The kids don’t need it, they learn the tech later, […]