Bill Gross and Defining "Normalcy"….

In my previous blog on income inequality, I quoted  Bill Gross, the founder, and chief investment officer of PIMCO who in a USA Today article eschewed present-day excesses in the market place and called for a return to "normalcy".  Not surprisingly, conservatives who dominated the comment thread implied that Gross presumed a great deal when he attempted to define "normalcy".

Just because slavery or indentured servitude are historically "normal" - doesn't make it right...

Few would probably disagree with the heading above.  However, many commenters questioned Gross's definition of normalcy.  "Who's to say what is normal anyway?"  asked one commenter.  To his credit, Gross defined what was NOT "normal" with our current system and his criteria seemed spot-on to me:

Of Pitchforks, Revolutions, Capitalism and our Better Angels…

It's a rare thing when within one week I run across two articles written by two very different members of the financial elite (the  0.1-0.015%) ringing alarm bells about the rising tide of income inequality. But it happened this week.  Both addressed their fellow plutocrats directly and had the audacity to speak out strongly against the rising tide income inequality.

Nick Hanauer and the Tedtalk that wasn't…

Nick Hanauer, a very successful entrepreneur, CEO and philanthropist is decidedly a part of the exclusive financial elite. He is also no stranger to controversy.  In 2012 Mr. Hanauer gave a TEDtalk that TED declined to post.   Why?  Well as it turns out that instead of invoking his own personal success story, Mr. Hanauer had the chutzpah to focus his talk on the emerging oligarchy, income inequality and its impact on business, society and the economy. OOPSIE!   TEDtalks are all about rugged individualism and empowerment - that's a no-no!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/bBx2Y5HhplI[/youtube]

Lessons From Game of Thrones: Invention & Innovation Requires PublicCommitment

In the very first episode of a Game of Thrones,  10-year-old  Branden Stark had an unfortunate "accident". He was pushed from a high window and nearly died. Although he survived, he was paralyzed from the waist down.  A few episodes later,  the decidedly book-smart and wealthy  Lord Tyrion Lannister offered Bran a gift.  He designed a special saddle so Bran could ride horseback once again.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/vGN73ufuc4U?t=22s[/youtube]

Invention often happens that way.  Someone with the technological know-how and the money sees a need and acts to fill that need.  This is but one of the more minor routes to discovery and invention.  It is simple, direct, but far from the most likely.  For the most part, big gains and earth-changing discoveries are generally not sprints; they are marathons.