David Brooks

Bad Debts, Big Profits: How Private Equity Firms Turn Red Ink Into Gold

David Callahan | Posted 05.23.2012

Read More: Lbos, Romney and Bain, Ampad, Bain Capital, GS Technologies, David Brooks, Private Equity Firms, Josh Kosman, Private Equity, Business News
David Callahan

Modern American capitalism is rife with sophisticated financial intermediaries who exploit flaws and complexity in the system, as well as insider connections, to make profits off of predatory behavior -- which brings us back to why the attacks on Bain Capital are both accurate and fair.

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The Unsexy Reality: Joblessness Not Structural, Easily Soothed

Peter S. Goodman | Posted 05.08.2012

Read More: Paul Krugman, Unemployment, Structural Unemployment, David Brooks, Business News
Peter S. Goodman

Remember that unemployment problem we used to have? The one that politicians, pundits and policymakers used to talk about on a regular basis, debating how we might fix it? Well, forget about all that, because the problem is structural, meaning nothing can be done. So sayeth a loud slice of the econo-pundit class.

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Brad Pitt, Orchids and the Oakland Athletics

Olga Crosse | Posted 05.07.2012

Read More: Fred Goodwin, Orchids, Brad Pitt, Chartered Management Institute, Billy Beane Brad Pitt, Malcolm Gladwell, Penna, Henley Business School, Oakland Athletics, Dick Fuld, The Social Animal, David Brooks, Media News
Olga Crosse

I settled down last recently with a giant bag of Doritos, a lovely glass of wine and the DVD Moneyball, a true story about Oakland baseball team's man...

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Schwarzenegger Joins The Barrage Of Republicans Attacking Republicans

The Huffington Post | Kathleen Miles | Posted 05.08.2012

Read More: Arlen Specter, Future of Republican Party, Schwarzenegger, Video, Schwarzenegger Op-Ed, Republicans Criticizing Republicans, Arnold-Schwarzenegger, David Brooks, Olympia Snowe, Even Worse Than It Looks, Schwarzenegger Criticizes Republicans, Future of Gop, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Slideexpand, Richard Lugar, Los Angeles News

Republican darling former President Ronald Reagan popularized a phrase known as the Eleventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Repu...

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Beyond Information Transfer: An Initiation Into Lifelong Learning

Michael Roth | Posted 05.04.2012

Read More: Npr, Tufts University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Liberal Arts Education, Liberal Arts Colleges, Harvard University, Tovia Smith, David Brooks, University, College, Higher Education, Continuing Education, Lifelong Learning, College News
Michael Roth

Our campuses should be places where diversity leads to learning as students come to see differences among people as a deep resource for solving problems and seeking opportunities. Online education can complement this educational environment. But it does not replace the need for it.

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Obsessed With Success: David Brooks Warns of Cultural Decline

Nicole Glass | Posted 04.25.2012

Read More: Success, Reason, American University, Karl Popper, David Brooks, Synchronicity, Rene Descartes, Productivity, College News
Nicole Glass

This fixation we have on productivity is an epidemic that is destroying character and transforming men into automatons.

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Jason Linkins

Scenes From The Secret War Of The New York Times Columnists

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 04.20.2012

Read More: Eat the Press, Thomas Friedman, New York Times Feud, David Brooks, Media Criticism, New York Times, Paul Krugman, New York Times Columnists, Media Feuds, Media News

If you're a regular consumer of the New York Times editorial page, you may have already noted that a sort of sub rosa battle has been going on between...

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Mitt Romney and the Wealth Answer

Mark Cassello | Posted 04.20.2012

Read More: Social Class, 2008 Primary, Rush Limbaugh, Financial Collapse, David Brooks, Mitt Romney, Wealth, Diane Sawyer, 2012 Primary, Barack Obama, Romney Relatability, Romney Wealth, Romney 2012, Video, Politics News
Mark Cassello

It is not Romney's wealth that makes him unable to relate. It is his incapacity to acknowledge the privileged position from which he began.

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Social Entrepreneurs "Refreshingly Uncynical" -- But Not at All Delusional

Sally Osberg | Posted 04.20.2012

Read More: David Brooks, Skoll World Forum, Social Entrepreneurs, Skoll Foundation, Social Entrepreneurship, Impact News
Sally Osberg

David Brooks is concerned that social entrepreneurs have "little faith in the political process." But a number of organizations work with a "healthy political process."

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Think Again: The Ryan Budget Show, Part 2

Eric Alterman | Posted 04.12.2012

Read More: David Brooks, Republican Budget, Paul Krugman, Ryan Budget, Paul Ryan Budget Plan, Paul Ryan Budget, Media News
Eric Alterman

A year ago I wrote about the odd love being shown for Rep. Paul Ryan and his shockingly regressive, budget-busting tax and spending plans. Some of them apparently learned their lesson and have kept quiet this time. But not many.

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Propaganda War: Not Caring Is Not an Option

Dan Agin | Posted 04.11.2012

Read More: Propaganda, Liberal vs. Conservative, Morality, Media, Caring vs. Not Caring, David Brooks, Selfishness, Media News
Dan Agin

The term "propaganda" is defined as information spread for the purpose of promoting some cause. The two main forms of political propaganda in America...

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Michael Calderone

Paul Krugman vs. David Brooks?

HuffingtonPost.com | Michael Calderone | Posted 04.10.2012

Read More: The Backstory, Andy Rosenthal, New York Times Op Ed, Paul Krugman David Brooks, Video, David Brooks Obama, Paul Krugman Paul Ryan, David Brooks Paul Ryan, David Brooks, James Stewart, Paul Krugman New York Times, Paul Krugman Obama, New York Times, Paul Krugman, David Brooks New York Times, Media News

NEW YORK -- New York Times columnist Paul Krugman didn't name names in Monday's column calling out "centrist" defenders of Rep. Paul Ryan's budget pla...

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Is China Inc. Corporate America's Enemy?

Tom Doctoroff | Posted 03.30.2012

Read More: Crossroads Nation, Sina Weibo, Joint Ventures, Intellectual Capital, Chinese Shareholder Rights, Tcl, Haier, China's Service Sector, Creative Expression, Economy of Scale, Chinese Hierarchy, Chinese Brands, China Inc., David Brooks, Huawei, Shanzhai, Chinese Innovation, Confucian Culture, Trust Deficit, Chinese Manufacturing, Patents, Pricing, Corporate Governance in China, Midea, Yinlu, Business News
Tom Doctoroff

The Chinese are (not) coming! It will be decades before Chinese corporations -- even in strategic industries such as renewable energy or information technology -- beat American, Western, and European companies on their own turf. Indeed, it may never happen at all.

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How to Change the World: A Breakthrough Idea From the Front Lines

Max Klau | Posted 05.27.2012

Read More: City Year, Joseph Campbell, Leadership Development, The Social Animal, High School Dropouts, David Brooks, Impact News
Max Klau

In this era of urgent challenges and limited resources, we cannot afford well-intentioned but ineffective efforts to address pressing public problems like the high school drop-out crisis.

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Why David Brooks Almost Gets School Reform Right

Sam Chaltain | Posted 05.27.2012

Read More: Education, Education Reform, Sam Chaltain, Brooklyn, Learning, David Brooks, Education News
Sam Chaltain

Once again, David Brooks has written an important column about education. And once again, he offers a vision of modern schooling that is almost perfect -- but not quite.

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Game Change as It Happened: Palin Booed at Hockey Game, David Brooks' Disgrace, More

Greg Mitchell | Posted 05.09.2012

Read More: 2008 Campaign, Obama, John McCain, Game Change, David Brooks, Palin, Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin Movie, Game Change Palin, Julianne Moore Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin Vp, Sarah Palin Biography, Politics News
Greg Mitchell

The only thing surprising to me is that anyone at this late date would be surprised by any embarrassing facts about Palin. The truth has been known almost within hours of McCain lifting her out of obscurity back at the end of August 2008.

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"Futureproof" Innovation and the Power of Culture Clash

Marc Stoiber | Posted 05.08.2012

Read More: Futureproof Innovation, David Brooks, Globe 2012 Conference, Ameican Innovation, Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility, Csr, Business News
Marc Stoiber

Innovation is often treated as a trade secret. But closed vaults don't breed fresh thinking. Instead, it pays to create platforms which thinkers with different perspectives can "riff" on.

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Constitution Check: Did the Supreme Court Give Us Super PACs?

Lyle Denniston | Posted 05.07.2012

Read More: Dan Abrams, Buckley v. Valeo, Super Pac, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, David Brooks, US Supreme Court, Campaign Finance Reform, 2012 Election, Super PACs, Campaign Finance, Elections 2012, Supreme Court, Money in Politics, Citizens United, Politics News
Lyle Denniston

In the midst of a lively political campaign, with big spending a big issue, even the media can get the Constitution wrong. There is a link, but it is only indirect, between the Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and the rise of super PACs.

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Humanity And Sacrifice: Giving Up ESPN For Lent

Michael Rossmann, SJ | Posted 05.01.2012

Read More: Player Efficiency Ratings, John Hollinger, Blake Griffin, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Derrick Rose, Jeremy Lin, Espn, The New York Times, Sacrifice, Notre Dame, Lent, The Jesuit Post, Super Bowl, Spiritual Exercises, Miami Heat, David Brooks, ESPN.Com, LeBron James, Religion News
Michael Rossmann, SJ

Here, though, is my question: would it be better for me to give up paying attention to sports beyond this Lent? Would I be a more spiritual person? A more productive minister?

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How the Debacle in Aghanistan Disgraced its Cheerleaders

Jim Sleeper | Posted 04.28.2012

Read More: Wesley Clark, David Brooks, Max Boot, Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal, John Shalikashvili, The Weekly Standard, Politics News
Jim Sleeper

The biggest obstacle to the strategy in Afghanistan wasn't American liberals' failure of nerve, as conservatives seldom pass up a chance to insist. The biggest obstacle was the delusion that Americans could do for Kabul and Kunduz what we refuse to do for New Orleans or Detroit.

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David Brooks's Anti-Poverty Program: "Bourgeois Paternalism"

Joseph A. Palermo | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Economic Justice, Komen Foundation, William Julius Wilson, David Brooks, New York Times, Charles Murray, Poverty, Tony Judt, Catholic Bishops, Robert Rector, Media News
Joseph A. Palermo

Brooks writing about poverty is like a celibate writing about sex: it's something he knows nothing about.

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Confucius On David Brooks

Rodney L. Taylor, Ph.D. | Posted 04.11.2012

Read More: David Brooks, Confucius, China, Intellectualism, Protest, Religion News
Rodney L. Taylor, Ph.D.

Knowledge in, knowledge out -- no thought. Is that the definition of learning? Confucius thinks not.

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Congratulations, President Obama, for Safeguarding Religious Freedom!

Angela Bonavoglia | Posted 04.07.2012

Read More: Religion, Matthew Dowd, Meet the Press, Birth Control, George Will, David Brooks, This Week, Alex Castellanos, Contraception, Affordable Care Act, Obama, US Conference Catholic Bishops, Catholic Birth Control, Catholic Church, Politics News
Angela Bonavoglia

Catholic women who choose to use birth control are making that decision based on one of the most cherished beliefs in the Catholic faith: the primacy of conscience.

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Is Banking Immoral? Wrong Question.

Jedediah Purdy | Posted 03.21.2012

Read More: Banking Immoral, The One Percent, Bain Capital, David Brooks, Mitt Romney, Banking Crisis, Morals, Investment Banking, Nick Kristoff, Business News
Jedediah Purdy

This is how we've learned to talk about our economy: as a matter of personal virtue and vice, from the overdrawn consumer to the one-percenter with the fifteen percent tax rate and some senators' private numbers in his iPhone.

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David Brooks' 'Aristocratic' Presidency: A Tale of Two Romneys

Paul Kleyman | Posted 03.17.2012

Read More: David Brooks, 2012 Election, Paul Krugman, George Romney, Mitt Romney, US Presidents, Mitt Romney 2012, David Brooks Romney, Media News
Paul Kleyman

Heading Brooks' list of the prime presidential attributes successful presidents have shared are that they tend to be "emotionally secure" and "often raised in an aristocratic family."

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