Monthly Archives: March 2011

Grape Juice Diplomacy and Other Amusing Stories

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Mark

Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition is an amusing collection of stories best summarized by Mark Rutherford: This book masquerades as a book full of great stories and wonderful personalities – some well known, some utterly new – … Continue reading →

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Posted in Books, Government and Law, Society and Culture, United States | Comments Off

Igniting Startup Companies in Chile

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Mark

The economic development agency of the Chilean government, CORFO, believes that companies in Chile started by foreigners should be subsidized. Start-Up Chile plans to grant $40,000 to 1000 companies with few strings attached. Will Start-Up Chile succeed or fail? Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Chile, Government and Law, Start-Up Chile | 2 Comments

Vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina: A Profitable Hobby?

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Mark

Have you ever fantasized about owning one of the vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina? It might not be as far out of reach as you might suspect. If you want to invest in the Malbec boom, you can be part of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Argentina, Business, Chile | 2 Comments

Nuclear Chile?

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Mark

What is an “asymmetric loss function” (ALF) and what does it have to do with Chile nuclear power? Economist David Henderson says that if you had no ALF, you would miss half your airline flights. The asymmetry is that a … Continue reading →

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Posted in Chile, Economics, Government and Law | 2 Comments

Why You Should Move to Santiago, Chile

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Mark

Are you are a small business owner or working person living in the USA, Britain, Spain, Portugal, Greece, or Argentina? Your country has accumulated unprecedented debt that cannot be repaid, a huge penalty that will burden you and other income … Continue reading →

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Posted in Chile, Government and Law, United States | 66 Comments

Chilean Miner Rescue and the Demise of USA Capitalism

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Ted Thomas

A newspaper article a few days ago reported that President Obama is considering small cuts to the federal budget, to which I commented that small cuts will not suffice, the government has grown enormous, the situation is bleak and unlikely … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Chile, Government and Law, Guest Posts, United States | Comments Off

Poor Turbulent Families: Misfortune or Opportunity?

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Mark

Is it possible for a child to overcome life with parents who act like children, too? Two memoirs of poor girls describe the pains and joys of surviving, and eventually prospering, by seizing opportunities despite difficult parents and poor surroundings. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Books, Education, United States | Comments Off

Startup Businesses in Santiago

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Mark

Do you live in Santiago or are planning a trip? You could profit by meeting Luis Novoa of Proteus, Jesse Davis of Entrustet, and George Cadena of Aeterna Sol, each the subject of recent articles. Proteus is working with Children’s … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Chile, Profiles and Interviews | Comments Off

Irrational Exuberance in 1998 and 2011

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Mark

Vivek Wadhwa, whose visit to Chile I discussed previously, tweets, “Silicon Valley loves failure so much they came up with a fancy name for it: pivoting.” Similarly, Ben Casnocha tweets, “Seeing companies promote their Facebook fan page in advertisements reminds … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Personal and Biographical, United States | Comments Off