Monday Mashup – No Regrets
I hope all of you in the US had a very nice long holiday weekend. It’s summer here in Chicago, sort of. The weather’s been quite erratic – hot, sunny, rainy, chilly as if it’s October, and then hot and sunny again. Still not sure whether to break out all my summer clothes or keep a few hoodies and sweaters handy.
It was a relaxing mixed with busy weekend for me. I filled it with some writing, some family, and some “business of blogging” activities.
Once and a while I feel that my efforts are falling into the futile category. To counteract that I do something that reminds me of what I’ve accomplished and where I’ve been. Check out my new About Francine McKenna and Speaking pages. I am refocusing my efforts towards freelance writing and paid speaking as that has less chance of conflict and constraint than consulting. I am still consulting on a limited basis, when it makes sense for the client and for me. But I’d like to be out there more, talking and writing in multiple outlets about the issues I raise here.
Lots of other great things happening at re: The Auditors headquarters. I am part of a new blog launch, Technically Women. It’s an all-star, global lineup that I am thrilled to be a part of. We’ll be writing about technology, women, social media and software, women in technology and as many variations on those themes that a bunch of women who share at least biology can come up with. Take a look. I hope you will find it intellectually stimulating as well as sometimes surprising and irreverent. You can count on me to give it my best shot.
I will be participating this Thursday at 2 pm EST in the “2009 Mid-Year Review – Securities Litigation and Enforcement” sponsored by Securities Docket. The webcast, which is part of BrightTalk’s Securities Litigation Summit, will be a follow-up and update to the popular “2008 Year in Review” we presented in January 2009.
I am joining several of the leading bloggers in the securities litigation and SEC enforcement world — including Kevin LaCroix (The D&O Diary); Tom Gorman (SEC Actions); and Lyle Roberts (The 10b-5 Daily) — with Securities Docket’s Bruce Carton for what promises to be lively and entertaining event.
Finally, I was asked by Accountancy Magazine in the UK to write a summary of the Compliance Week Annual Conference for their readers. This article, entitled “Regulatory Reformation,” can be found here. Please let me know what you think.
Music by Chris Blake
I wouldn’t have selected Liberal Arts as the degree of choice – but I do completely concur with TT’s sentiment. Back in my day liberal arts courses were required. So those in the college of science were still required to take sociology, pgych, music appreciation, comparison of religion and other such courses. It was a smart idea that a tech school would include a full 1.5 years of liberal arts coursework. But what I felt gave the true analytical skills were the hard sciences – math in particular. Although we also had philosophy in the liberal arts courses and that helped a lot. So, I would suggest a diverse education is important.
What I find amazing (and sad) is that folks graduating with a business degree have no ability to use the computer — simple tools such as Excel and Word are beyond them. Someone posted months ago about learning to use an incremental formula to add one and create a numbered list of things in Excel. This post talked about this as an advanced skill learned by first years. How can anyone leave college these days without a thorough knowledge of these basic computer tools? But then again, I remain amazed that there is this guy on TV who makes money selling CDs that teach you how to use eBay, Excel and Word — as if one really needs a lesson. These are so intuitive it seems like you need about a 10 minute overview and then you can get going.
i could graduate without knowing how to use a calculator and a typewriter. My father had to know the slide rule. It just makes sense that college grads should know some basics.
More anecdotes
1) I took a young asociate on a trip to Denver. When he took pictures of the Denver airport I thought it odd, but it is an interesting building I supposed. When he took pictures of the Remaissance Inn we were at I was in shock. This was his first trip more than a weekend drive away from home.
2) I asked an associate to multiply two numbers. The numbers had to be multiplied by hand cause they were too large for a calculator/computer. The calculator would lose precision and give the answer in scientific notation. I learned then that the associate could not do multiplication or division. Had no idea whatsoever how to multiple 2 numbers together.
As for travel — it is something that really helps a person grow. I agree with FM that her questions are good ones and the answers were not good.