Gongol.com Archives: 2013 Weekly Archives
Brian Gongol


An adversarial labor relationship won't keep a company around for the long term


Former Sen. Chuck Hagel could be the next Secretary of Defense



Are we using enough prizes in this country?



The relentless forward march of Google Plus
It's hardly an active, widespread social-networking site...for now. But the company just isn't going to give up on the project. Guaranteed.

Towards a future of many more companies...but not many more employees
The more it becomes possible -- and even rewarding -- to have employee-free businesses, the more they're going to show up. Technology enables this. It's bad for people who just want to punch a clock or who aren't interested in making their own skill sets more valuable.

Target says it'll start price-matching online competitors
That includes Amazon.com. The Internet is great for consumers, but it can definitely be painful to the people who own the companies whose markets it undercuts.

A positive spin on classroom rumors
A team of kids in Iowa City is using Twitter to say nice things about other people

Some interesting (and important) risk-related questions for 2013
Not all of them will be effectively asked in Washington, but they should be



What's on display at the Consumer Electronics Show

Making electric-car drivers pay the same registration fees as everyone else
The Iowa DOT is looking to lawmakers for help matching the registration fee to that paid by other drivers. And it still won't cover their share of wear and tear on the roadways that isn't recouped by the gasoline tax.

Does a pretty building require an ugly tax subsidy?
A 20-story tower planned for Iowa City might get $13 million in tax subsidies towards its $54 million price tag

Why a debt jubilee isn't going to do any good

Baseball Hall of Fame elects no one
After how they treated Ron Santo over the years, it should be no surprise they let down everyone this year



Americans aren't the only chronic under-savers
South Korea has a household debt level of 89% of GDP. That doesn't make it good for either country -- but it does signal that we perhaps have a common problem.

What really is the impact of "Tosh.0" on society?
Or, put another way: "What happens if we spend all day exposed to the extremes of life, to a steady stream of the most improbable events, and try to run ordinary lives in a background hum of superlatives?" It's a good question. Maybe even a great one.

Some long-missing images from Benoit Mandelbrot's collection

"Man has alarming level of pride in institution that left him $50,000 in debt"
And yet again, The Onion satirizes a painful truth

A conversation with Charlie Munger
(Video) A most interesting two-hour Q-and-A session with the Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman

WGN shuts down "Extension 720"
Milt Rosenberg's nightly program was unique: It was public-radio highbrow without being public-radio boring. Sometimes he had his mind already made up on a topic, but more often than not, it was enlightening listening.



Message Mark Zuckerberg for $100
What message could you really have for the guy that would be really so important?


Underfunding of public pensions: The iceberg nobody sees yet
We're in for a world of hurt. Cities, counties, school districts, and states have all been badly underfunding their pension systems. It's going to be a disaster when the reality hits.

Problems with the 787 shake faith in Boeing
It's been a bad week for Boeing

How to survive a plane crash
The chances of being in a crash are infinitely low. But if the cost of reading and internalizing the information is sufficiently low, it might be a worthwhile exercise.

How much subsidy will the new Metrodome need?

"What?"
(Video) News anchor finds himself surprised by the camera

"We've got a truckin' convoy..."
Where that nutty song came from

Many factory jobs that have gone away aren't coming back
ISU economist says: "Manufacturing remains a huge part of our economy, but it’s relying on less and less labor over time." True.



Would Jack Lew be a business-savvy Treasury Secretary?