Brian Gongol

A fascinating forecast, to be sure. If the Euro flops, Britain will look smart for having stuck with the pound sterling.

A New York Times columnist opines that Newsweek should find a "grid of smart contributors from Phoenix, Miami and Austin, Tex., etc." That's an absolutely dead-on suggestion; oddly enough, it's a suggestion that should apply to the "national" newspapers, like the New York Times, as well. But even the national newspapers have been slaughtering their news bureaus across the country -- where, for instance, are the Washington Post bureaus outside of metro DC? -- and it makes them seem hopelessly out of touch with what's happening across the country.

Yahoo lists some of the highest-paid starting salaries for college graduates. The top of the list includes consultants (Question: What college graduate knows diddly squat that's worth a consulting fee? Answer: Not one) and Federal government employees (as though the Federal government needs to drop further into debt). Government jobs shouldn't be a path to quick riches, and college graduates aren't reasonably qualified to consult on anything more complicated than a lemonade stand.

The General Motors exhibit, Futurama, in which GM sold a concept of automotive freedom, rather than a particular car. Aside from the occasional iPhone ad, most American companies seem disinterested in selling a vision today, which confirms a certain lack of long-term planning.


