I have not given this blog much attention since I started writing my book, The Flight of a Wild Duck, four years ago. It was published in September of 2021. I have a lot more that I want to write, but frankly, the effort of writing a 340-page book dampened my enthusiasm for writing. Now … Continue reading
Category Archives: Venture Capital
Goodbye Michael Johnson, you were one of a kind
This has been a year of lost. Four of my friends and former colleagues have died, way before their time. A remarkable man left us last Sunday. My friend, Michael Johnson, died at his home in South Africa. I attended a memorial Tuesday evening on Zoom. I think there were 20 or more attendees, friends … Continue reading
My book in the making
Below is a description of sorts about I book I am working on. It is actually a great deal of work as I have to conduct a lot of research and assure its accuracy. Now, I need some feedback. I am concerned that the companies, people and events may not be relevant to today’s readers. … Continue reading
Drinking the kool-Aid (how billions were lost creating PDAs)
As I try to decide if I should write a book, I have been reading or rereading various books about the computer industry. I just finished Jerry Kaplan’s Startup, written in 1995. Jerry founded GO Corporation in 1987 to develop pen-based computers, and I still think the book has value today for those starting technology-based … Continue reading
Venture Capital and Sexual Abuse
There has been a lot of discussion in the press about sexual abuse by venture capitalists. As frequent readers of this blog will know, I am not very positive about the venture capital industry which really means I am not very positive about venture capitalists (with some important exceptions). Since I was one of the … Continue reading
The Future History of Technology
The book I am probably not going to write From time to time, I think about writing a book on the evolution of information technology. I am designing it in my head. Sometimes it is divided into three sections, which are simply the past, present and future. Frankly, I am not that interested in the … Continue reading
QSBS Permanent: The end of year madness is no more.
I am always surprised that many sophisticated investors do not know about QSBS. Since 2009, there has been a 100% exclusion of all capital gains on the first $10 million of gain or 10 times the investment up to $50 million dollars, whatever is larger. This was put in to stimulate investments in early stage/small … Continue reading
How I evaluate early stage companies
My blog originated when I realized that I was writing the same things to different people over and over again, only at different times. For instance, I found myself giving advice about Prostate Cancer to many men because I had been diagnosed and treated for this. Once I began blogging about prostate cancer, I could … Continue reading
Could Qualcomm really buy Intel: It is all Heddy Lamar’s fault
Learning today that Qualcomm has a market capitalization that is now greater than Intel’s, makes me a bit sad and disappointed in myself. Continue reading
Born to blast
I just came back from a three day trip to Silicon Valley. I rarely visit Silicon Valley ever since that day in April 1999 when I turned in my badge at Intel and drove to my new home in San Francisco. My primary reason for the trip was to see my dad who lives in … Continue reading