Ben Mangan

More often than not, lionized public figures like Tavis Smiley and Cornel West bring out the cynic in me. But both men were intellectual and spiritual giants as they captured the hearts and minds of the packed house at The Paramount theater in Oakland on Saturday evening. Oakland was their...

I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but I had a bona fide epiphany while watching The X Factor (for those of you who live without TV, this is a singing contest like American Idol). I know -- I probably should have been polishing off the most...

I imagine that many of you, like me, feel completely inundated with requests from a variety of social causes that range from helping disadvantaged children in faraway places to helping feed the hungry in your own community. It used to be just the snail mail that piled up. This has...

Traditionally, the story of American prosperity goes something like this: study hard, stay focused you'll be able to get the education you need for your share of the American Dream -- and the long-term prosperity that's supposed to be part of this dream.

But this country stands at a...

This week, the future of money came to San Francisco as the conference Finovate Spring 2011 unfolded in SOMA. After two days of hearing many excellent pitches from scores of visionary entrepreneurs in the financial tech (fintech) industry, five things became clear:

1. A seismic shift is underway...

Unless you're living in seclusion out near those nukes that went offline in Wyoming, you know the Giants' can finally win the World Series as San Franciscans. And after last night, millions of us here in the Bay Area and beyond are growing and dying black beards.

...

So, how are you feeling these days? Kind of like you are in the midst of a trainwreck? Well, you are. My last poll on a double-dip recession revealed deep cynicism among readers. Nearly 90% of respondents said we would experience a double dip. Granted, this was not a scientific...

Ask ten "experts" whether we are headed for a double dip recession, and you'll likely get ten different answers. And the press is having a field day with this ambiguity. This is not surprising since stories predicting economic apocalypse are almost as tantalizing as forecasting the next boom.

If...

The nation's premier event on domestic Microfinance - Microfinance USA - opens here in San Francisco on May 20th. I have the privilege to speak on a plenary on savings at the conference, and look forward to what I know will be a fascinating conversation. There appears to...

Will the housing market start to slip again as the homeowners' tax credit expires? The tax credit expires today and reflects a very public move in the government's really significant disinvestment in the market. The government's role in the housing market has undeniably kept it, and much of the economy...

If you care about the consumer financial protection conversation that's been going on in Washington, you have undoubtedly experienced exulted highs and despondent lows as the issue winds its way through the Congressional sausage maker. If you don't care and have not paid attention to the debate, you should.

President Obama assumed office with the promise that he would conduct business differently in Washington. In the afterglow of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Obama has an opportunity to strengthen his leadership by emulating qualities beyond Lincoln's skills at bringing differing voices together. The president needs to channel Lincoln's steely resolve on...

OK, I'll admit it. I am one of those people the president was talking about. If you have read any of my writings, you know that I am anchored by my optimism. But in the dark, rainy days of January in soggy San Francisco, I have been feeling crestfallen after...

I am ranting all week about how alarmingly vapid I find so much of what drives us during The Holidays. Since I hate complaining without offering solutions, I'm providing ideas each day this week on how we can revive values that truly make the holidays special. For my full introductory...

Just yesterday, I began my rant about how alarmingly vapid I find so much of what drives us during The Holidays. Since I hate complaining without offering solutions, I'm providing ideas each day this week on how we can revive values that truly make the holidays special. For my full...

I don't know about you, but the term The Holidays has become a two-word proxy for a long list of things that seem less meaningful every year. Yes - I sound like that grumpy old man down the street who wears his pants too high. But let's face facts.The Holidays...

It's easy to poke holes in the work of elected officials and other policy makers. But all these folks will tell you that governing is exponentially harder than commenting, or campaigning - even the ones who complained most loudly about their predecessors. One principle that I believe will always make...

Have you seen those commercials for McDonald's where a guy roams around trying to get something for a dollar? I think he gets a wire clothes hanger and a small plastic palm tree before winding up with a panoply of fast food items available for a buck.

What if...

One night when I was in junior high, my recently retired stepfather was innovating in the kitchen. He was a burgeoning cook, with lots of time on his hands. Dinner that night was some sort of egg-based concoction, broiled on cookie sheets, with canned sardines mixed in, just for fun....

This is a pretty hard time to make a case for the American Dream. But I'm going to anyway. I have always been an optimist and I'm a big believer in the American Dream. But before you roll your eyes and surf away, let me reassure you. I'm no fool....