| Failure Is An Option, Just Do It Early
A blog post of mine over on The Converging Network is getting some attention today. The post, Fail Early, Fail Often, is about viewing failures as something that shapes, crystallizes and forms successes over time. The key is to fail early in the life of a product or company because those failures end up being lessons about what works. And if you're too afraid of failure, you'll likely never push yourself or reach far enough to achieve much success in the world of competitive products. That's a lesson I've learned many times building products. As hard as it might be to hear at times, you want as much criticism, critique, praise, ambivalence, -- all of the feedback you might get because ultimately that's what shapes good ideas, products and companies into great ones. You can see that in Microsoft in so many examples.
For some Hawaii residents, tourists make lousy neighbors
HONOLULU Hawaii's verdant volcanic peaks and crystalline waters have made tourism the state's biggest industry. But not all Hawaii residents are thrilled by the millions who flock to their shores. They complain that some visitors are renting homes and rooms in their residential neighborhoods. These tourists create noise, drive up home and rental prices and destroy the sense of community, residents say. "When you live in a place like Hawaii that is a resort 24-7, you need areas where people can feel at home," said Katherine Bryant-Hunter, chairwoman of a neighborhood board on the island of Oahu. "Our neighbors change everyday. They don't coach volleyball. They don't go to church with us. They are not part of the community fabric." Their concerns have led to a flurry of new proposals by lawmakers on Oahu, Maui and Kauai.
Japan may move to support crashing dollar
Japan's industrial output fell 2pc in January on slowing exports to the US, Europe, and lately the rest of Asia. While China has held up well so far, there is mounting evidence that tighter credit rules are starting to bite. The Xinhua Finance index of business confidence fell from 67.7 to 60.3 in February and production index tumbled from 61.1 to 51.3. "Over coming months, we expect this deteriorating outlook to becoming increasingly evident in industrial production," said Barclays Capital. China's yuan has risen 2.6pc against the dollar this year alone as Beijing attempts to head off an inflationary crisis. Prices rose 7.1pc in January, with clear signs of knock-on effects into pay demands. The minimum wage in Guangdong is to rise 18pc in April. The triple effects of tight credit, inflation, and a rising yuan are squeezing export margins, tipping hundreds of companies into the red.
McNerney calls for estate tax exemption
D-Pleasanton, could exempt some farm and business owners from estate taxes. McNerney told reporters Thursday that small businesses, farmers and ranchers pay more in estate taxes as property values in his 11th Congressional District continue to rise. The result, he said, is that many have to sell of pieces of their property, usually to real estate developers, to pay the tax bill. "Most of them want to keep land in agriculture, and because of the estate tax they’re not able to do that," McNerney said. The congressman’s proposal would exempt all inheritance valued at $3.5 million or less from the tax. Small businesses and family farms would be exempt for up to $8 million in value. Previously, the exemption limit was $2 million. The exemption would have benefited third-generation Sunol rancher Tim Koopman, who had to pay $747,000 in taxes when he inherited the family’s 850-acre ranch from his father.
Advertising.com co-founder Scott Ferber's latest venture lands $15M in ...
Advertising.com co-founder's new venture lands $15M in funding [Washington, D.C.] Time Warner to split up AOL division [Baltimore] Advertising.com strengthens retail reach with AOL purchase of U.K. e-marketer buy.at [Baltimore] Google, Yahoo and Ask.com Internet search market share up in January [East Bay] AOL launches Spanish-language site [Baltimore] .
Kidnap leader 'showed off bomb ingredients'
Parviz Khan, the ringleader of the Muslim soldier beheading plot, was running ingredients used in the July 7 bombs to Afghanistan to be used in training camps, police believe. Plot leader 'groomed children for terrorism'Beheading plot ringleader jailed for lifeOn surveillance tapes he seemed to be showing off tablets of hexamine used in camping stoves - one of the ingredients used by the suicide bombers in the construction of their devices. .
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