CSR, or Corporate Social Resposibility, is the subject of a "survey article" in the Economist this week by Clive Crook. It is complex and far-reaching, to say the least. As I physically stopped my socialist knee from jerking about, I opened my mind and some meaty ideas began to emerge. Like this one; Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations describes the idea that promoting self interest (as an individual/corporation) in turn serves the overall good of the people. Crook differentiates self-interest from … [Read more...]
Buy Locally and Attain Freedom
O.K. Maybe not freedom. Allow me to explain. The other day, my sick friend Liddy, who lives a block away, needed a few things from the store. I walked down the street to Rockwell Mini-Mart (a.k.a. Milk and Honey Stores), a place I frequent and adore. The father of the guy I usually see there rang up my items, and I planned to pay him with my debit card. Woops. They only take cash, which I had none of. He looked up at me without hesitation and said, "You go ahead. Pay me tomorrow, or … [Read more...]
GNU – The “Recursive Acronym”
GNU stands for "Gnu's Not UNIX" and is the genius behind what most of us know as the Linux operating system. For those of you who instantly turn away from conversation because it sounds too "techie", hold on tight. This subject has more to do with a free society than an operating system. This philosophy is all new to me, because I am NOT informed in the "computer world." Having first been exposed to Linux OS by overhearing my knowledgeable computer-geek friends, and then by the documentary … [Read more...]