Category: Uncategorized

THERE ARE THOSE TRADITIONAL VCs who have deservedly earned a bad (or worse) reputation for being greedy, difficult, Machiavellian, and lacking heart. Many have been under intense pressure from their LPs in recent years to get better than lousy returns on lousy investments. This has pressured them greatly in relation to raising new funds, which many have been unable to. Perhaps it is time to rethink the whole approach, and do what several at BioSpring are doing: reinventing rhemselves boldly. Not all VCs are created equally. View in LinkedIn

THE CALIFORNIAN APP ACADEMY TAKES A 15% ROYALTY on first year salary rather than fees for a coding boot camp. This is a creative solution, and is success-driven. No job, no payment. Other academic institutions worldwide need urgently to get creative with their fees, especially to compete against distance learning, and encourage student education. http://lnkd.in/tKbC4x View in LinkedIn

DETROIT DUG ITS HEELS IN AROUND THE US CAR BAILOUT, saying that attaining better car fuel efficiency was nearly impossible. Here is VW developing a blistering innovation in terms of efficiency. A little egg on the face? http://lnkd.in/PP_9gY View in LinkedIn

THE AMERICA INVENTS ACT, or more appropriately, The First To File Act, reverses the age-old First To Invent system in the US. While IP lawyers and others argue about its merits, it is the new reality that tech entrepreneurs must grasp. Forget notarized notebooks. Now, when you have an invention, the pressure is on you to file that invention with the USPTO as soon as possible. This is a huge change, and companies must adapt immediately. If you have inventions lurking that perhaps were on the back-burner, evaluate whether you should file them tomorrow. http://lnkd.in/MwFevJ View in LinkedIn

AN AUTHORITATIVE REVIEW OF THE THREAT OF BUG RESISTANCE, from a UK public health perspective, with specific recommendations. Among them, reduced use of existing antibiotics, greater attention to fundamental hygiene in hospitals, greater public health and political attention to outbreaks of resistance, and a focus on containment of the outbreaks. http://lnkd.in/DNy2PQ View in LinkedIn

SOMEBODY HAS SORTED THROUGH APPS and has made useful recommendations about those that enhance our lives. Thank you! http://lnkd.in/_M6UhT View in LinkedIn

ACTIVIST SHAREHOLDERS OF PUBLIC COMPANIES IN THE US obtain enough shares to shake down companies for large cash settlements, in the guise of reform. They are no better than Class Action lawyers who make outrageous false claims in their similar search for rich payouts to settle ridiculous nuisance lawsuits. These parties have adversely affected numerous honest businesses, and in some famous cases, created a culture of fear about this type of predatory behavior. There are many honest ways to earn a living. This is not one of them. Those cultures that are not litigious: please stay that way. View in LinkedIn

ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM POLYTHERAPY IS MOST SERIOUS IN ELDERS, and people with chronic serious diseases; it is clear that without consolidated medical records in the US, this is an inevitable problem. Monitoring drug interactions in a patient is not a single physician's responsibility. Sometimes good pharmacists may alert the patient or caregiver, but this is hit-and-miss. If you or somebody in your family takes numerous meds, be sure to get medical advice. http://lnkd.in/N_Mw7M View in LinkedIn

NEW YORK'S MAYOR BLOOMBERG SEEKS TO LIMIT SIZE OF SODAS, in an effort to curb obesity. Some UK schools are limiting or banning junk food sales in schools. Great initiatives. The junk food industry has cynically exploited our ancient lust for high caloric, salty and sugary foods. With a sedentary Western lifestyle, this leads to obesity. It's time to dump the junk! http://lnkd.in/vvTDYh View in LinkedIn

ENTREPRENEURS, BEWARE OF UNSOLICITED OFFERS OF CAPITAL. I receive 1-2 solicitations a month from 'investors' offering large sums of capital, quite often from the middle east, with a diversification story, although they vary a lot. THEY ARE 419 SCAMS. Please do not be tempted, as they are very seductive and clever and thousands of people fall prey to them annually. They always ask for some fee processing payments upfront. Contact me if you have questions, as I have an x-Scotland Yard friend who is an expert on the subject. Avoid at all costs! View in LinkedIn