The Venezuelan Ape is going, going........

After fourteen years of full fledged economic and moral destruction the head of the current communist gang ruling Venezuela, Hugo Chavez seems to be in trouble. I guess destruction to others may turn in destruction to yourself. He destroyed everything in his path and when he could not destroy anything else he turned on himself. He is leaving a country with one the highest murder rates on the planet. A regime that is competing with Putin's as one of the most corrupt in the history of the world. No infrastructure  including no electricity, no decent roads, no decent hospital that he would be willing to stay in( he went to Cuba for his health care) and no institutions. The private sector was decimated .The economy in shambles totally in debt.  He create millions of more poor people because remember communism and socialism needs lots of poor people for it's existence. It main resource: oil has been sold to the Chinese for present and future revenues at low fixed price and the main petroleum company PDVSA once a player in the oil business is now simply a bodega of a company. Million of people have been lied to and left in the cold with a dream that will never happen. I guess nature can take so much. Time to recycle a monster

May the creators and producers stop the American slide towards becoming like Europe or worst Latin America

This country is being divide between the producers/creator/builders and non producers. We are becoming Europe which through its tax policies has killed production/entrepreneurship sending the creators and innovators running for cover. A recent example is the owner of the biggest luxury brands conglomerate in the world LVMH, Bernard Arnault an extremely successful French entrepreneur  is now moving to Belgium and giving up its French citizenship as the French President Hollande and his the socialist party in power gets ready to increase  capital gains taxes to 64% and individual tax rates that could reach as far as 75%. I wonder where is the revenue going is going to come from, I know who is going to spend it but not who is going to make it. They will probably print more money, create higher levels of inflation, debt, economic stagnation and more capital flight. Money goes where it is treated well. We need to be extremely careful because we could be become the next Europe or worst Latin America and be gobbled up economically and militarily by the Chinese. Vote with your brain and not by your need and desire to be entertained.

The Castro mafia letting people travel freely what a joke

The two destroyers of Cuba Fidel and Raul are now playing the open democracy game within the confines of a jail which is Cuba. It is all a public relations stunt. They did the same things when they announced the permission to let small business operate within the Island. Slowly but surely all the  regulations and restrictions brought it all  back to reality. It turns out it was another scam from the Castro mafia. The same will come about with this new lifting of the travel ban. Already the restriction, regulations and can't dos are becoming public knowledge, for example if you have any profession of value to the country you will not be able to travel freely, that means that only those hanging out on the streets corners playing dominos can travel. All Doctors, scientist, military personal and all valuable parts of society continue to have restrictions. The one good thing about this law is that it would permit the Castro brothers, their families as well as members of their gang to travel freely and leave the island for 24 months, giving Cubans some relief, since they the Castro's add no value to the Cuban society they have no restrictions. It is also up to the government to issue passports. You cannot simply grab your bags and get on the plane you have to go through an approval process(we all know what that means). You must have a specific objective to travel that the so called government must approve. The well know cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez says she has been turned down twenty times for permission to travel. The Cuban mob is up to is old tricks. It is time for the Castro brothers to try out this new  law themselves and travel freely forever with no return or even travel to hell and stay there. What a shame to have these gangsters still in power on rampage of destruction, oppression, corruption and tremendous human rights violations. Come on and we are all standing here and watching this happen.

Wild Company a great story

I am reading a great book called " Wild company" is the story of the two founders of "Banana Republic" the clothing brand. They started with $1,500, Patricia and Mel Ziegler. It is a wonderful story, very well written and a fantastic read. It also very inspiring for us entrepreneurs. How money is just one of the elements of the success equation. I highly recommend this book and may this  story repeat itself millions of times through this land.

The Venezuelan regime: Fraud Nation

The Venezuelan Dictator got way with another stolen election. He contaminated the pool of votes with thousands and maybe million of none Venezuelan citizens that he registered illegally with Cubans, Iranians and Chinese. He has also had members of his party vote several times under false identities of people that have been dead for many years. Lets also add to the fact that he has been using state funds for his campaign as well as the PDVSA the main oil company as the main organizer and the funding arm for the dictator rallies and events. They have threaten  public worker with the lose of their jobs if they do not vote for the regime, same with business people that have contracts with with Government, if they do not vote for Chavez they lose their contracts, mind you, more then ninety percent of the Venezuelan economy is dependent on  government business. That have intimidated journalist, Television stations and Newspapers that are not in favor of the authoritarian regime with suspension of their licenses like the case of  RCTV the most watched Television station in the country which was close down. Prior to the elections they open up the government's coffers to give thousands of gifts to the millions of poor people to make sure they voted for the regime. In the meantime the opposition  had none or very little access to the media, no access to public funds and no government protection against the Dictators street gangs. Next time you go fill your car up with gas at Citigo (own by the Venezuela regime) remember you are helping this monster continue to destroy a country, families and people lives. If you are politicians why are you buying oil from these rough nations? Lets have a conscious for once. Lets stop these animals(with all due respect to the real animals) for once and for all.

People management

I wonder if in a not so distance future people will have personal managers like people have personal trainers. If you are willing to have someone help you train your body why not have some help you manage your career and your life. Most of the top actors, writers, directors, celebrities and athletes have a manager and an agent or just an agent. I believe in the near future lots of executives, creators, knowledge workers, university professors will have managers to improve the percentage of their potential that will be expressed in the world instead of just staying dormant. It is just a thought  and potentially a good idea.

Makers by Chris Anderson a very cool book

I am reading "Makers" a book about The new industrial revolution. It is a revolution about the creation  of stuff. The Creation of products and hardware using  the internet and its distribution power. It is a fascinating book. Check it out, many believe is the new evolution and the new phase of Silicon Valley.

The Latin American Gaddafi will steal another election

On October 7th  the Latin American Gaddafi will once again steal another election as we continue to fund his atrocities, violence, destruction and repression by buying his only source funding, Oil. On Monday October 8th  as you fill your car with gasoline remember we have all conspire by continuing to buy our oil  addiction for monsters like the Latin American Gaddafi which rules and destroys Venezuela. We should a brand a chain of gas stations called" building monsters" we create a global dictator one gallon at time. See you Monday

The Green economy seems to be taking off finally

It is a very quite revolution taking place  in the USA with three big enemies: The fossil fuel establishment, the democratic and the Republican parties. These two parties have been bought off and lobbied to death by the oil player. This political exchange has kept us in the dark in terms of advancements towards a cleaner, non toxic, sustainable and energy secure living model.
 But regardless there is an underground current slowly moving us forward to the inevitable switch that has to be made to avoid a mega global crisis due to climate change.This crisis could mean lack of water, food, severe weather shifts, large numbers of environmental refugees, etc. There is more awareness and money moving towards a global shift. One thing is for sure this current model does not work and will not work. I am very hopeful that we are moving in the right direction because if it is not-Game over

Passion versus craft

I am reading a very good book about the great dilemma that most of us are confronted with, finding our passion. The author takes a reverse approach, first become really good at something and eventually you will become passionate about that activity that your are mastering. The Book is "So Good they can't ignore you" by Cal Newport. It has  changed my all whole view on finding my passion. He actually believes that focusing on your passion is actually the wrong approach.  I am enjoyed it very much. Now I am looking at my business and creative life as the process of mastering my craft instead of the constant search for what I am suppose to be passionate about which could be very vague and abstract and therefore hard to pin point.

The UN General Assembly meeting should be done over Skype

This week New York City is full of diplomats and so called leaders running around in their limos loaded with their US security entourage  creating big traffic jams. I was walking on Madison Avenue around 56 Street when I saw a group of FBI or CIA looking agents, like ten of them protecting the wives or family members of these dignitaries. The first thought I had was" what a waste of tax payers money to protect all these people that are doing more damage than good to the world", probably a lot of them are part of corrupt regimes and governments. Here we are protecting them as they shop at high end luxury brands in NYC with most likely revenues from their nation's people's income paid for by our very over extended and severely in debt USA government. The worst part is that the United Nations accomplishments are very little on the expense to results ratio. But yes are putting up with all this traffic, cost and annoyance for not much. I say the General Assembly should be broadcast online via Skype. It would be best for all of us on this planet. This meeting is a big waste of fossil fuels and stolen funds. The next step would be for the UN to go condo.

Time for transparency algorithms

Transparency is the new killer app but extreme clarity is the new paradigm. It is becoming harder and harder to hide. Politician, dictators and corrupt and in humane corporate practices will slowly be on the run, being chase by the network, transparency algorithms, information pirates and hopefully well informed and conscious masses of citizens. We must not accept any less them extreme Transparency.

Today is a sad reminder of the dark consequences of chasing oil around the Planet.

Today is a reminder of the terrible consequences of our oil chasing practices around the planet. If the Arab countries were Tomato producers we would never be involved in their affairs which has had deadly results in terms of lives lost and economic destruction.  It is now time we stop. Yes stop and move into a sustainable, energy independent, low or zero toxicity environmental paradigm. We could do it the technology is there what is not there is a group of honest and visionary politician willing not to be bought by the fossil fuel sector. These power pimps simple give a bad name to Capitalism. We need to move out the old paradigm of crony capitalism and become real American capitalist.

A narco Orangutan is on loose in Latin America

This wild Orangutan is destroying and polluting his country. He feeds himself with Oil and power. Lately he has turned to drug trafficking. Several of his top primate generals have been called out by the US government as kingpins and to be precise one of them is the minister of the defense very close to orangutan number one. The Minster of defense is  in charge of defending the supreme primate not from  outside forces but from others in the zoo that are tired of the abuse, the humiliation,  the destruction and in some cases are starting to rebel. The top primate(orangutan #1) has closed down thousands of business eliminating productivity as well as expropriating great amounts of land to be left unproductive and abandoned. He wants all in the zoo to be dependent on him and his bananas and never be self reliant. This angry primate does not permit other monkeys to have different opinions nor beliefs. Corruption is how  he keeps the zoo in check. He feeds the top monkeys lots of money and then they become addicted to stealing and then he has them under his control forever. He has been trying to expand his destruction through out Latin America, be careful it could reach the USA shores. Stop feeding the beast do not buy his Oil. Orangutan alert is on. He is on the loose, armed and dangerous. He is angry but ignorant.

The Gu Kailai trail exposes Chinas power play-Does Arab Spring translate to Mandarin

This trail really exposes the hypocrisy of the so called Chinese Communist system. It really is about the two worlds existing within China, those that are connected(part of the power structure  and those that are not). If I was  a Chinese person watching this bad horror show I would be very angry. Murder for the powerful means one thing and for the common person it means another so does the consequences.
As the planet becomes more transparent due to technology people are becoming very aware of these difference and injustices masked under so called democracy, communism, religion, etc. We better be careful because the global masses are staring to catch on that to the fact that the game is rigged and people are slowly starting to get angry and acting out. We could have a global Arab spring.

Lets Celebrate debt independence day-when?

We will be celebrating our independence from the tyranny of our own addiction to debt. 

We will celebrate the day we stopped borrowing from the Chinese.

We will celebrate the day the US population understood the importance of making
hard choices based on the long term future of this country.

We will celebrate the day politician stopped being debt pimps by focusing
 on being elected
and start looking out for the future generations of this country.

We will celebrate day government is run efficiently and not a source of funding
for the uncreative bureaucrats and their kingdoms of mediocrity.

Yes we will celebrate, but when?

Does Transparency Kill the current game?

I wonder if our global financial system and the political power centers only work when they operate in the dark. When light is pointed at them the whole game starts to fall apart like now. Maybe it is because it really only works for a few and they do not want the rest of us to really know. My next question is what will be the consequences of transparency on a globe scale. One thing is for sure transparency is growing, it will become ubiquitous and operating in the dark will be harder and harder. What will all this mean to Dictators, bankers, to the corrupt elites, the congress, oppressive party regimes, etc. It is going to be fun watching as they all run for the small cover darkness left. Run MF, run.

Going after Lance Armstrong? how about going after those doping our kids with sugar and junk food?

I think bureaucrats need a reason to be and to have a big budget and lots of expenses. Since we can't solve the street doping issue and we have failed miserably in the so called war on drugs lets now go after athletes like Clemens, Bonds and Lance Armstrong. Spend million in these bogus trials for nothing. I do not care if Lance Armstrong was using illegal substance or not, he is a great American success story. He came back from being basically dead to winning seven tours of France that to me is exceptional. If you want to go after him you need to go after the whole sport since we all know it is rampant problem. I say we put our money to better use.I say go after those doping our kids with sugar and junk food how about that, the weapon traffickers, or the corrupt campain financing schemes. Since we cannot do such important things lets distract the masses by going after notorious sport figures, a great waste. I say we add to our trillions in debt by borrowing  a bit more from China to pay for the anti doping agency and  their very important trials and investigations.

Austerity-No, Stimulus-No, how about a new system

There is a battle ragging in Europe over how to deal with the gigantic debt created by their governments and banks. Some believe that  austerity measures is the solution. Now there seems to be a growing backlash against reducing government spending in a drastic manner.  Stimulus has not worked including in the USA where the Obama stimulus package seems to have done zero in getting the economy moving and reducing  unemployment. If this is so, we are in a real global jam. Meaning that our current economic and financial systems are not applicable to life on this planet for the 21 century. The question now is how do we change this global matrix of financial and political interests that is no longer applicable? In my opinion there something very obvious taking place: the current rules for scoring our economic endeavors only work for a small group of people that have one thing in common: power and profits not ideology nor religious believes . They are Socialist, Communist, Capitalist, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, democracies, dictatorships,etc.  They want the game to continue going on at all cost but the rest of the planet is starting to wake up to the fact that the game is rigged and some have noticed that they are not the only victims that the Earth is also being destroyed in the process. Game over? now what? Big uncertainly, volatility.......

Why are leaders so mediocre? maybe it is my fault

I have always thought and wondered why do we have such poor and mediocre leadership on a global scale. Why do we render the fate of the world to such a caliber of individuals when we know we have a great pool of brilliant people with tremendous integrity that could run this planet in very efficient, humane and enlightened manner. This dilemma continues to baffle me year after year as the planet continues to deteriorate and the political elite becomes more corrupt, incompetent, mediocre and out touch with the real needs of people and the earth. As I contemplate this absurd situation I have come to realize that the reason this is happening is that we(the majority of the population on this earth) have become broadcasters and commentators for a terrible game that gets worse and worse. I think we all need to throw away our microphones and jump into the playing field rip off their uniforms put them on ourselves and start playing the game. Because if we continue as such the whole stadium is going to go down in flames while we watch, comment and criticize. We all need to start playing ball if we want to have a league in the near future.

Start up crowdfunding-the future of finance

I am going to be taking a class this month on "Start up crowd funding" at the General Assembly in New York City. Last April 5th was signed into law the JOBS Act which legalizes equity crowdfunding. Companies will be able to raise up to $1million a year  in equity and debt. To me this is the beginning of a new paradigm of global finance. Where the big control and command players will slowly be removed from their dark role of gate keepers of capital. I believe this will bring about an explosion of creativity and possibilities as capital becomes more democratic and decisions made by individuals and not financial institutions nor governments. A brave new world where individual responsibility and credibility will be the most important currency. Please buckle up your seat belts for a wild and exciting ride.

The Niche Makers are bring down the industrial revolution

After reading "The Long tail" by Chris Anderson I became aware of the economics and the shift taking place to a niche model in business for the 21st century. It is becoming evident how the wide play, vague and impersonal paradigm is starting to collapse while the strong niches are starting to dominate. It is even a matter fiction by such writers as Cory Doctrow in his novel "Makers".We can also can read about it in E.F. Schumacher's book "Small is Beautiful" as well as by Seth Godin in "Small is the New Big". I would say that the industrial revolution is slowly dying and we are moving into a more intimate, one to one, humane and nurturing model of doing business and living. Niche your way to success and happiness.

Breaking down the Media Gatekeeper

The current information ecosystem is really starting breakdown. It is moving away from the corporate and government  centralize model. It is slowly being sliced  by thousands of niche offerings with very specific information and  committed audiences. This new landscape is giving people the opportunity to really participate, create and report. I think this  dynamic puts the individual in a position of power and moves him or her away from a victim framework. The time has come to start communicating among ourselves uncover our great intelligence and creativity by cutting out the current media and information gatekeepers- enjoy this new model and participate. How about creating a new reality on this planet, one that is not about fear and negativity which as we know is designed to make you shop and hide.

The death of massification

There is revolution going on in the planet it is of decentralization. The control and command system of operating is starting to fall apart. We are starting to see it the energy business, content and information distribution in as well as the creation of local currencies. The world is becoming more local, small and of niches with incredible value. It is part of the human evolution away for the massification of the individual towards a more individualistic driven paradigm. The system is starting to transform itself to a New global paradigm, a new model existence.

Destroying America one ounce of junk food at a time.

Obesity is probably more of a threat to our national security then terrorism is. I look at my surrounding including my family & friends and obesity in not a television story anymore it now part of our everyday existence, including the emotional consequences and health care costs. The question is why do we continue to feed our children such poison? To me it is a four way conspiracy: The food companies(poison pushers), media companies(drive by advertising), the politicians(policy pimps) and the parents( playing dumb for the sake of convenience). It is simply disgusting to continue to watch so many people become sick and have their lives cut short as a consequence ingesting kilos and kilos of junk food, sugar, etc. I wonder if there  is any difference in terms of collateral damage between drug trafficing and junk food dealing. People in this country have two options : 1-Become radically responsible for your health and eventually drive the dealers out of business or 2- continue to play dumb until we reach our personal, family and country collapse. If there is a poison heaven it is right here in America. Imagine covering such a beautiful country with junk food rappers, garbage and corpses of people killed by introducing into their bodies legally approved poison. Shame, shame and more shame.

Facebook: $100 billion valuation? Really?

I am trying to figure out the real value of Facebook. I have a Facebook page. I use it very little. Yes it does have an initial connectivity value  to it but what about afterwards. It seems  the personal investment of time  in such a social media platform seems to be a diminishing return. There is also a significant lost of privacy due to the fact that Facebook owns your personal information and sells it.   After this initial public offering I was left wondering why would it have a $100 billion plus valuation. I was looking at their advertising  revenues per user, at one point it was $33 now it is $2. They currently have very low CPM(Cost per thousand impressions). General Motors recently announce that they were going to stop advertising on Facebook because it did not work for them. Of course they have close 900 million users that gives them tremendous latitude to create new business models and ways of bring in revenue. But I still can't figure out the real value of Facebook for me moving forward. It feels like a global distraction while really important things are happening that could determine our destines. Please somebody explain this to me. Thanks

What is Wall Street going to do next?

The housing debacle was the last scam created by a tag team of politicians and financiers. The congress wrote the right laws to create the opportunity for Wall Street to execute the scam. As the pressure to create higher and higher returns continues to be a fact in the markets and little sources available of new growth I wonder what is the new global Ponzi scheme being designed as I write this blog. Stay alert because the media is not going to inform you remember last time? they were the cheer leaders. It is coming for sure, let me know which one do you think it is.

Are social media platforms the future?

I heard a very smart and successful venture capitalist talking about this subject matter. He said that he does not think social media platforms will be the future. He believes that  most content will be distributed directly to consumers without the need of such platforms. We are now starting to see this dynamic taking place in music, films, documentaries, e-commerce and the creation of personal brands. I agree with this assumption that is why I have always said that one of the most powerful skills moving forward is online marketing because it is going to be all about who can take incredible and desirable content from the creators to the consumers. The group Radiohead is a great example. Many filmmakers are skipping the centralize model to go directly to their audience. Yes models like Facebook I think will be great marketing tools but not the distribution mechanism. We are entering a cool, individually empowering brave new world. Que Viva online Marketing, Que Viva the creators and Que Viva individual power.

It looks like sustainability could be the next gold rush

I believe our current system of excess consumption, environmental destruction and fantasy finance is now really starting to hit a wall. This paradigm and it tools have stopped working. It is not feasible to create prosperity, health, happiness and a toxic free environment  on this train. I am now starting to believe sincerely that the way to create growth and get the global economy going in a real way is through implementing a sustainable system and shifting to a green economy. It is not about saving the planet. It is about prosperity and growth in the right way. It is real capitalism and democracy not this quasi democracy and quasi capitalism we have going on now.

Syria come on?

How long are we going to continue to watch this massacre by this ruthless beast in Syria and not doing anything? We have to start choosing humanity over gangsters. We have stop protecting, rationalizing, justifying, doing with business, selling stuff to, protecting their associates  and looking the other way when it comes to these regimes and dictators, specially governments, corporations, cultural, media, entertainment elites and their own societies. It is not cool to support oppressors, killers and thief's. There are so many incredible people doing incredible things why support these creatures and their friends.

Dictators: the new victims of transparency-they are being demolished

It is seems that Dictators are being demolished by technology and transparency. They are dropping like flies all over the place of course some are hanging on by a thread like Putin and Chavez that now seems to be dying. Chavez has tried very hard not tell the Venezuela people the truth about his disease. As consequences he ran to Cuba for treatment to avoid transparency and got probably the worst of medical care on planet for his cancer. It looks like it is going to cost him his life. Transparency ambushed him and maybe killed him.The world is entering into a new model where more and more transparency will rule. Dictators you can run but you cannot hide. We got you! next step return the money that you and your friends have stolen as well as pay the consequences-we are watching.

The Establishment is starting to come around

I read and watched videos of a Wall Street Journal conference called ECO:nomics about the future of energy. I thought it was fascinating to see the status quo of business being slowly dragged kicking and screaming into changing their ways and joining the new model of global sustainability. The reason being that they are starting to realized that the profits are not in the old paradigm anymore the money is in the new way being and doing business where people and the planet matter. They are still using the old language and references but trying to apply it to the new world order of sustainability.This conference is a must see and read:http://online.wsj.com/public/page/environment-economy-03262012.html

Enjoy as they are being dragged into being responsible and conscious human being playing the role of business people.

wow wow

We need a third party now

The two party's main alliance in this country is with the past, the old ways, the old clans, the old status quo, the old group of friends, the old destructive habits. These two guys cannot move us forward. They can only move us down and we are going down fast. It seems we cannot get out of the traditional pattern, even though the world as become very untraditional. I am fiscally conservative, a libertarian, socially moderated and very angry at these two dirty characters. They only way to stop being victims of this matrix is to disconnect from this game and create a new grid. Politics in America is like junk food, big long term consequence and really stupid.

It is all about inspiration

I read, I listen, I see and I try to understand what is going around me in the world, I perceive a lack of inspiration and no will to really move in a new direction that will spark our inner juices and the inner juices of our human race. It seems we are heavily invested in the current non functional status quo and holding on to for dear life to the old living paradigm. It is a scenario in which we all know most of it is not working, it is destructive, boring and and has no heart. To me this is why has Apple's market capitalization that as over taken Exxon at least today at $445.25 billion. Why? because Apple's brand, products and philosophy inspires us. It does not compromise for the mediocrity the world seems to have taken as it default status.

Apple is actually a good living model to study. We are all eventually going to explode into a shift.