Wool Suits and Ties in August?
One hot August day, I organized a luncheon in New York City where the President of the Philippines gave a speech to about 150 bankers and business leaders. When I say it was hot, it was a day that defined sweltering. You could see the heat waves rising from the asphalt.  Arriving early to make sure everything was ready, I found that the luncheon hall had been refrigerated (air-conditioned would be a gross understatement) to feel like a walk-in freezer.  >More

What to do with the old cities?
All over the developing world, ultra-modern megacities are being built.  In Egypt, two new megacities are rising from the desert about 20 miles outside Cairo because city planners have deemed the existing city center to be "overtaxed beyond repair."  In the Philippines, a new "Global City" with modern high rises, shopping centers, and hospitals has sprung up on the high ground of a former military base near the existing business center.. >More

Investing in American Competitiveness
Warren Buffett explains the root of his success as acting rationally about capital allocation over the long term.  Our elected officials would be wise to take note of this investment advice when deciding on laws and budgets.  By focusing on where to allocate our society's capital over the long term, we can make wiser decisions  >More

Economics trumps physics
Solar panels in the northern hemisphere should generally tilt south to maximize the generation of energy.  But in the US, solar panels are installed with a slightly westward tilt.  Why?  Because the power of physics is trumped by the power of economics and finance.  Electricity rates in the US are generally higher in the afternoon.  A kilowatt-hour (kwh) generated by your solar power system in the afternoon is worth more than a kwh generated in the morning.  So it makes sense to generate more kwhs of solar power in the afternoon, even if that means your solar power system loses more kwhs of potential generating capacity in the morning.  >More