Carnival of the Capitalists

Welcome to the July 9 edition of Carnival of the Capitalists. Usually at The Married Guy Cook it’s all about food, cooking, and making fun of the contestants on Hell’s Kitchen. That last being why I am proudly number one for the search Hell’s Kitchen 2007 episodes, even ahead of Wikipedia and TV Guide.

I thought it would be nicely surreal to host here; not to mention being a reminder that you don’t have to be a business or economics blog to host CotC.

You might also want to visit my main blog, Dispatches from Blogblivion, or Deb’s new blog, Neatly Tangled and corresponding Etsy shop.

Regarding this week’s CotC, I didn’t get a host in time and used myself as a fallback. While I looked at all the entries over the weekend and tagged them with Yes, No or Maybe, It’s late enough and I’m busy and hurried enough that I will probably include only the entries that garnered a Yes immediately, without further consideration. I already know I’d leave out the majority of the Maybe entries if I reviewed them, so not like it’s a big different.

The host for July 16 will be Marketing Whore, and for July 23 it will be Small Business Essentials. More hosts are needed after that, so if you might be interested have a look at this page and e-mail accordingly.

InsureBlog
Massive Mass Ifs (Part 1)

“Massachusetts’ new mandatory health care requirements are a direct assault on free enterprise. InsureBlog’s Henry Stern explains how.”

As a self-employed Massachusetts resident, this is a topic near to my heart, as you know if you read Blogblivion regularly.

Software Project Management
CEO’s Alter Ego

“Almost every CEO (or company leader) needs an alter ego – someone who agrees on the general direction but differs on tactic. Pushes when the leader wants to slow down and brakes when the leader wants to speed up. That makes their decisions better, no matter which is made at the end of the day.”

Three Star Leadership
Letter to a New Manager

“Advice to a young man who’s just been promoted to his first management job.”

Nice examination of good management in a unique format.

The Time and money Group
Outraged at Oil Companies, but Not Chicken Farmers?

An unexpected comparison of industries, cost increases and public reactions.

Managing Leadership
Creating Creativity

“Creativity is an important element of innovation, and one that business managers are struggling to find ways to incorporate into their businesses. But you don’t just “do” creativity, or delegate it to specific “creative” individuals – you generate it using tried and tested business thinking.”

Atlantic Canada’s Small Business Blog
Every rivet is mission-critical

“Rivets are one of the minutest parts in the airplane, but each and every one of them is critical to the objective of the plane – flying safely. Check your business. Are your rivets mission critical.”

Econbrowser
Puzzling over the employment report

Econbrowser’s James Hamilton tries to reconcile the latest solid employment numbers with other indicators of economic weakness in Puzzling over the employment report.

Businesspundit
What Bullet Holes in Airplanes Can Teach You About Making Better Business Decisions

From airplane rivets to bullets in one CotC edition! This is a great anecdote about analyzing data counterintuitively and learning from failure.

Blog Business World
Simple marketing: Ideas you can use everyday

“Marketing is one of those big concept departments. Everyone talks about it, but not all business people are entirely certain who to make their marketing work. Constantly seeking the grand slam marketing idea, they miss the easy to use daily techniques. Some small efforts can reap some huge rewards.”

Here’s an honorable mention I thought was a cool post but not really on-topic. It made me think of the Alaska pipeline construction and migrant nuclear plant workers back in the day.

Queercents
Would you risk your life to get out of debt?

“Shouldn’t there be better economic possibilities for our youth? Instead, one soldier goes off to war to eliminate his debt.”

That’s it for this week!