http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/ en-us Copyright 2008 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:10:51 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss I have recently argued that corporations, not governments, will be the power houses of the future. Corporations are gaining more power as they globally expand in our now flat world. I can't help but think of the tie between responsibility of the ecosystem and corporations; as corporations take up their new positions in the world. Corporations garnish profits larger than most countries. I am a capitalist and realist. I think business is great. I do think, however, that companies and corporations need to take power and responsibility hand in hand. If a corporation can make demands and exercise “human” rights in the court, than they need to be fully responsible for demeaning the ecosystem in their area. Profits need to be dispersed towards the community and local ecosystem. Many companies do promote community friendly programs. I don't think that’s enough. Earning large tax breaks should correlate into taking on more of a responsibility. How much money is enough? How much responsibility is needed for change by the big players? Of course these topics coincide with governments. Governments are crucial for every country. Rules and regulations are needed in SOME specific areas. I am all for hands off approaches in a seemingly stable market. But when we have problems such as the cold war or current global warming we need regulations to push us in the right direction. I say stop drilling and tax gasoline in a more strenuous manner. I personally use my car less and less because of gasoline prices. I try and use public transportation which is readily available. Alternatives are available. It is just a matter of making them a cultural norm which is very attainable. Change takes time but change is a good thing. We need to be active in our pursuit of alternative resources (air wind, etc.). And for goodness sake, would someone put those damn solar panels back on the White House?? My comment about the solar panels on the White House dates back to a symbolic move when Ronald Reagan removed the solar panels off the White House. Jimmy Carter had previously ordered solar panels placed on the White House and offered tax incentives to anyone who purchased solar panels. Reagan made a big government decision that day. That decision was to tell the American people that the environment is not a pressing issue for the United States. Reagan really had it wrong that time. I bring this issue up not to talk about political parties but to touch upon how important national leadership is when dealing with the environment. Now, more then ever, the American public needs the government to set a good example by practicing Eco friendly actions. And that brings me to innovation and technology. Innovation is the engine that will push us towards a green friendly future. If we really want the general public to reduce waste and use green friendly products we need more and more products do be built with these capabilities. And with that, I would like to introduce the world’s first real hybrid sports car; the Fisker Karma (http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/). Although this is a higher end car built for the wealthy it’s nice to see designers can combine innovation with a popular product such as a sports car. Besides a slick design with all the top amenities of a sports car, the Fisker Karma boasts an impressive 50 miles free of harmful emissions. It’s great to see the automotive industry take one step closer to an Eco friendly solution. I want to leave you, the reader, with one general thought and/or solution to America’s oil dependence problem and America’s increasing budget deficit. Unfortunately, the deficit is beginning to near a trillion dollars. As of now it seems that we can continue to borrow money forever, however, we cannot. It’s not as easy as printing out unlimited money and the money tree from China and other nations that we constantly tap into will eventually wither away. I am bringing this topic up because I believe we can reduce the national budget AND work on reducing our oil consumption in one fair move. I say the government needs to create a floor price on barrels of oil. This is a move highly supported of Thomas Friedman, the writer of The World is Flat and more recently Hot, Flat, and Crowded. A floor price would work like this…. The government would set an appropriate floor price of say $100. Anytime the price of a barrel of oil fell below $100 the government would keep the price of oil at $100 and use the profit from that difference to lower the deficit (i.e. oil drops to $90 a barrel, therefore the government receives $10 to use towards the decreasing the deficit). This might seem like gasoline prices would never be too low but in reality this would stimulate a national push for alternative energy. What can and will happen in time is that alternative energy (green energy) will be so common and easily usable that prices will substantially drop. The human race is very adaptable and a floor price on oil would only benefit the American economy in terms of taxable profit and a push for green Eco friendly energy. I think today, the most important thing we can do is be aware of the dangers that humans are creating with fossil fuels and inefficient waste practicing. It’s refreshing to know that the world leaders are finally agreeing there is a major problem. It’s also refreshing to know that solutions are available and beginning to be practiced. However, we will not be free from our wasteful fossil fuel era until the common American public is ready to practice cleaner techniques in their everyday life. I think this new green era is already in movement and it will be our generation, the young college students, who will be the largest advocates and contributors to a cleaner way of life. Until Then.... Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/10/fisker_karma_our_green_movemen_1.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/10/fisker_karma_our_green_movemen_1.html Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:10:51 -0500 MAMA PALMA's is literally becoming one of the hottest pizza places in town. This quaint little byob (bring-your-own-bottle) restaurant located on 22nd and Spruce offers classic stone oven pizza with a large variation of authentic Italian toppings. So just how good is the pizza at Mama Palma's? I'll refer you to one of my earlier entries touching upon the best places on campus for a buffalo chicken slice. The pizza at Malma Palma's truly blows the local competition out of the water. The restaurant has kept their gem pizzas in the local market with a byob stance on alcohol and a no credit policy (cash only). I personally suggest the good old Pepperoni style pizza or the Margherita topping. I promise you will not be disappointed. Until Then.... Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/09/mama_palmas.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/09/mama_palmas.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:03:33 -0500 Hot, Flat, and Crowded. The book is written by the best selling author who gave you The World is Flat and The Lexus & The Olive Tree. Thomas Friedman, an award winning author, is the foreign affairs writer for the New York Times. Although I have yet to even glance at the first page (the school semester HAS begun and IS time consuming) I am excited to read about Friedman taking on the issue of global warming. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few years, global warming is at the forefront of major issues in our generation. The world population is as large as ever and major resources are constantly being consumed. The idea that the world is truly flat ties into the issue of global warming. Countries that were once considered “3rd world” are being educated with billions of dollars being invested. New global competitors are springing up and creating a new labor force with new global markets. This of course means cheap labor which equates to a larger global middle class (more and more resources consumed!). In today’s integrated business world the name of the game is minimizing costs and maximizing profits for shareholders. Many jobs are being outsourced to these new markets for a fraction of the labor costs. The leaders of course are China and India (you can even hire an assistant in India to finish business reports while you sleep….meaning you go to bed with unfinished work and wake up with a finished project! ooo the world we live in). So what is the answer to global warming? Is global warming even real? Will gas prices keep rising??? I don’t know, I am not a scientist but I will give feedback on this book. So there is a general background of The World is Flat tying into Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Imagine the opinions I will have after the book! Until then…. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/09/i_have_finally_received_my.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/09/i_have_finally_received_my.html Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:30:29 -0500 Phillies game in style. This includes the full service of tailgating before the game. Prices are very cheap ($15 a ticket) and nothing is better than spending the day at a ball game; unless of course we are beating the Mets which is just an added bonus. Now that I have given my 2 cents on stress relief let me tell you what I plan on writing about this semester. I look to continue the outline I produced on my very first ever blog entry. I plan on writing about Philly destinations including great places to eat, student life at the Fox school, different topics that I find influential to a students life, and pretty much anything else that's on my mind. I will write about the good and bad of searching for a job post graduation. Maybe I will find my dream job, or maybe I will fail miserably and continue to be a student blogger my entire life (alright that's a bit extreme). One extra component I will include this year are videos I am creating for the Business School that will run on YouTube. Visual projects are always an added bonus to blogs. Hopefully they will add to the growing Fox Den blog. As for now I welcome everyone back to the Fox School. I hope we all have a great semester. Until then... Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/08/goodbye_summer_hello_fall.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/08/goodbye_summer_hello_fall.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:53:49 -0500 I am back in the states and happy to join the thousands of Temple Rome alumni. A semester abroad is exactly what everyone says...an opportunity of a life time. Words cannot explain the sheer magnitude of St. Peters Square, the ancient architecture of the Roman Forum, the capacity of the Coliseum, the quaint and quiet corridors in Trestevere, the seemingly life like frescos in the Sistine Chapel, the home-style appetite of the Italians, and of course the beautiful women. Personally I have gained a new appreciation for Italian culture. Italians put less of an emphasis on nationalism and more of an emphasis on their city or region. They have a very distinct language where everything has a detailed name and meaning. The word “Bella”, which means beauty, is included in every aspect of life, from futbol to food. The trips I took and stories I gained are priceless. I really suggest studying abroad, whether for a semester or a summer. You will never regret it...you will never forget it. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/07/a_summer_abroad_1.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/07/a_summer_abroad_1.html Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:32:43 -0500 A vacation to Cinque Terre is a bit out of the ordinary. Cinque Terre is made up of five coastal villages in the providence of La Spezia. The villages are located on the side of a mountainous region with sloping coasts that impede into the water. The villages are littered with villas strait from a Hollywood movie. The towns seemingly crash into the Mediterranean Sea making a beautiful spectacle. Vineyards are carved into the mountains that seemingly stretch on forever. I was lucky enough to travel with some friends to Cinque Terre for the weekend where I spent my time hiking between the villages, sampling the fine cuisine and vino, and swimming in the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea. At night we joined the village at the local outdoor pub to watch and cheer on the Italian Futbol team in the Euro Cup. On our final night we dined high above Monterosso (the first village) and sampled the areas seafood and pasta. Such a great weekend has little draw backs, although there were a few. The biggest draw back was the swimming area among Monterosso’s rocky shore (go to Riomaggiore or Manarola for swimming). I ended up stepping on a sea urchin the very first day of my Cinque Terre trip. My friends had the fun task of removing the spikes from my feet while I watched on in an unpleasant manner. Cinque Terre is a beautiful location to visit and a must see for any American. My only thrift was that the area has become a hot spot tourist area. Tourist area’s have positive aspects, however, some of the Italian charm is lost. Still it would be pretty difficult to visit Cinque Terre and have a bad time! Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/cinque_terre_1.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/cinque_terre_1.html Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:27:16 -0500 I must say, as a 21 year old, that the Euro Cup was the best experience of my life. I began my trip from Rome to Milan (never visit Milan unless you are traveling through or invading the city with the military). After two unfulfilling nights in Milan I made the trek up to Geneva. Geneva is a quaint town nestled on Lake Geneva. The town is very clean and nice. The most thrilling part of the futbol match was my ticket, as I was able to get second row. The pictures display my proximity much better than I could ever explain. Imagine a crowd of more than 100,000 futbol fans (only 30,000 holding tickets). In person, I have never seen more energetic fans than the Portuguese and Turk fans. I did want to note, however, that the Turks are not the friendliest crowd and do not seem to like Americans. I am very thankful to have experienced the Euro Cup and even more thankful that I survived. I would not recommend traveling to a match unless you are aware of the circumstances and possible dangers. However, if you are up for the challenge, the experience will be more rewarding than you can fathom. Above is Cristiano Ronaldo considered to be the best player in the world and one of my favorites (Glory Glory Man United!). Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/the_euro_cup.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/the_euro_cup.html Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:14:47 -0500 In one week I have seen the ruins of Rome, wined and dined in castles on the country side, climbed the ancient steps of the Duomo in Florence, survived an Italian futbol match, walked the magnificent canals of Venice, read in Vatican square, experienced Roman business, and even had time to attend class! Imagine what I will do with the next five weeks! I find it a necessity for any Temple student to travel abroad. You will have personal stories that you can boast about your entire life. Maybe you will even get “Italinitus” and find yourself moving abroad permanently. Temple has created a great study abroad system that is helping to develop domestic students into true international students. I am only giving you, the reader, the icing on the cake about my trip. In truth I have written much more and have taken hundreds of pictures. However, I am not one to make you sit here and read about my entire trip including every Gelati I ate or every landmark I visited. I will have much to write about in the next few weeks. This weekend I will be traveling to Switzerland to watch a Euro Cup game. Look for me on television as Portugal battles Turkey for the Euro Championship…I will be the American wearing neutral colors. Until then Cheers! Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/the_travel_of_a_lifetime.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/06/the_travel_of_a_lifetime.html Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:10:46 -0500 Acres of Diamonds. The infamous speech accounts story after story of intelligent men throwing away life opportunities for mere pipe dreams. True leaders and entrepreneurs have the uncanny ability to detour from mainstream belief and follow their own path. A true entrepreneur does not graduate school for a piece of paper that states “entrepreneur ready”. The best have the concept in their mind, ready to be exercised in the real world. The Russell Conwell’s of this world have the ability to find opportunity and do good for the world. There is one more characteristic that separates Conwell from the many visionaries in the world. The characteristic is passion and drive. Conwell poured his ideas and emotions into his life’s work. His knowledge bares resemblance to a Tibetan Buddhist, his passion is unsurpassed, and his commitment is unquestioned. So what does Temple owe to Russell Conwell? I would say we owe more than merely naming a building or organization in his memory. As students we need to embrace Mr. Conwell’s beliefs by incorporating his ideals into our own life. I guarantee by doing so, we will all benefit by finding guidance. Temple University is growing in leaps and bounds; however, the student body is missing unity. Maybe that unity lies in the principles taught by Russell Conwell; the founder and leader of Temple University. Now more than ever is the time to take away pride in Temple’s heritage. As a Temple student, we share that common heritage. It’s time to celebrate it. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/05/an_entreprenuar_and_a_belief.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/05/an_entreprenuar_and_a_belief.html Mon, 05 May 2008 16:30:47 -0500 For your entertainment, and as promised in my first entry, I am bringing you another fine place to dine in Philadelphia. La Viola is an authentic gem among Philadelphia's best restaurants. Located downtown on 16th street La Viola is rated as one of the best hidden secrets by Phillies eating guides. La Viola provides a neighborhood atmosphere with fantastic meal choices ranging from pasta dishes to seafood. The restaurant has a “BYOB” policy (for 21 and up) which allows the customer to mix their choice of beverage with the right meal. One great characteristic is the seating arrangements. The restaurant is a small “hole in the wall” with limited outdoor seating. Although you may believe that being seated next to strangers may seem a negative component of dinner, I found it very refreshing. The meals are rather inexpensive and the staff are very knowledgeable of the cuisine. I recommend the Penne Alla Caruso which is pencil point pasta in a vodka tomato sauce creamed with peas and pancetta. I highly recommend this restaurant as a must eat at for any true Philadelphian. Whether you are on a date, or just out for dinner to reminisce about the past, La Viola is right for you. All you need is cash and your choice of bottle, and La Viola will take care of the rest. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/la_viola.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/la_viola.html Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:42:38 -0500 What? Triumph Brewery Where? Old City Why? Because it's Fantastic Saturday night I had dinner at the Triumph Brewery in Old City. This hot spot has great service, great food, and great home made beer (for those who are 21 of course). Typically known as a great bar for young adults to mingle, Triumph should equally be known for their fantastic food. While my father ordered Fish and Chips (served in traditional manner, wrapped in paper), I chose the pork chops. My choice turned out to be one of the best pork chops I have ever eaten. It is meals like that where I'm glad I'm not a vegetarian. Make sure you put Triumph Brewery on your list of restaurants to visit. I give the experience an A. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/triumph_brewery.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/triumph_brewery.html Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:11:49 -0500 Center City Lit Up FMA Banquet I spent my Friday night on top of the world at the Pyramid Club, 800 feet above Philadelphia. The Pyramid Club is a favorite spot for top executives and other celebrity icons that visit Philadelphia. The event was the annual Financial Management Association (FMA) banquet. The guest speaker was former Temple Dean and Chief Economist Dr. Dunkelberg. Other honored members included Vice Dean Chandran, Professor Janis Campbell, employees from Lincoln Financial, and many Temple Alumni. The banquet was just another benefit of being involved in a student organization. Awards were distributed and everyone enjoyed great food and drinks. I highly recommend any business student majoring in finance or accounting to become an active member of FMA. The pictures I took barely encompass the extraordinary view high above Philadelphia. Philadelphia is truly a beautiful city and one of America's best. Center City The Comcast Center Liberty One Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/on_top_of_the_world.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/on_top_of_the_world.html Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:30:08 -0500 Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/spring_fling.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/spring_fling.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:31:18 -0500 This is not a little ditty about Jack and Dianne. This is a story about two top mavens belonging to a web design group in Seattle Washington. Shane Atchison and Tom Farmer, CEO and Director of Strategy for ZAAZ respectfully, are frequent business travelers. Their positions are not important in this story. What is important is the fact that Shane and Tom are regular hotel customers. The story I will outline touches upon a business trip “from hell” and the powerful use of the internet to spread the story with the rest of the world. Shane and Tom were victims of a much too regular occurrence for business travels. They had a horrible experience with a specific hotel. Many customers today can relate in to this story with their own experience. The difference here is the aftermath. Shane and Tom took it to themselves not only send their complaint to the hotels headquarters, but create a prolific PowerPoint slide to illustrate their story. The result is a powerful form of sharing an expansive view of customer feedback. For length purposes I will post only a fraction of the presentation which may be viewed in its entirety right here (click on PowerPoint Presentation). I recommend glancing through the entire presentation. This is a very modern idea of customer complaints and feedback. To the date, it's believed that over 500,000 people have viewed this PowerPoint. I would say Shane and Tom made their point. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den cited Winning Behavior, Bacon and Pugh MainSail.com ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/the_power_of_the_internet_1.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/the_power_of_the_internet_1.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:59:18 -0500 How Would You Move Mt. Fuji is actually the title of a book released by Microsoft Corporation outlining hiring practices to find the best and brightest young talent. As a member of the SPO Financial Management Association (FMA) I have the opportunity to learn from the very wise and experienced professor Stephen Kamp. Professor Kamp held a very entertaining seminar pointing out solutions to some of the most difficult questions in interviews today. Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting questions and see how you, the reader react to questions in the interview world. 1. Why are manhole covers (sewers) shaped as circles? 2. How many quarters, stacked by the ridge, would it take to equal the height of the Empire State Building? 3. Estimate the market for disposable diapers in China. 4. How would you move Mt. Fuji? Are you as clueless as I was when I first received the questions? Look at the bright side, you are being asked the questions here and not in an interview. How about I outline some tricks to help deal with these questions before structuring a solution. To figure out the answer to these questions let’s look at why they are asked. The truth is no one really cares about the real answer. The questions are meant to see the interviewee deal with pressure. The questions allow the interviewer to see how the individual will develop a plan and implement that plan for a solution. Always remember that you are in charge. A lack of details in the questions are a good thing!! You need to be able to control all assumptions. Do not make the process more difficult for yourself. Without details, you are able to make estimations that will better serve yourself in finding a solution. Ok, so we have a better foundation at answering these questions. Now we will solve these puzzling riddles. 1. Why are manhole covers shaped as circles? The solution is very actually very simple, when learned of course. A circle is the same in diameter at every angle. Why is this important? Because it is impossible to drop down the sewer hole. A square, on the other hand, would drop through the opening if put into a diagonal position. 2. How many quarters, stacked by the ridge, would it take to equal the height of the Empire State Building? Let’s remember the good advice from our professor. We are in control of the assumptions. We’ll assume the quarter is an inch in diameter. Next we assume the Empire State Building is 100 stories high with each story equaling 10 feet. 12 inches=1 ft., 12 quarters=1ft, 12q x 10 ft (per floor)= 120 q per floor. 120q x 100floors= 12000 quarters! 3. Estimate the market for disposable diapers in China. Wow, I hope you remember your cultures class. Luckily I do, and I know China has a population of around 1.3 billion. 1.3 is difficult to use so we will use 1 billion. Guys and girls are most likely equal so that is approximately 500 million women with 20% (estimation) able to give children. Now we have 100 million able mothers with 10% estimated having children. That means there are approximately 10 million babies. Children use around four diapers a day times 350 (365 is too difficult for mental math) equates to 1400 diapers a year. Take the 1400 diapers a year per child times 10 million kids and we come to a solution of 14,000,000,000 diapers per year! 4. How would you move Mt. Fuji? Although you could say use photo shop, that answer would not hold much water. I will not actually go through the demographics of this answer because there is really not one answer! That’s the beauty. If you really want an answer email me at kyle.sawdey@temple.edu and I will figure out the math. The math may seem overwhelming considering the circumstances but finding solutions can be done. I did the entire math here without a calculator because I made my own assumptions to help find an easy path to a solution. So the next time you find yourself in a tricky interview just take a breath, relax, make your own assumptions, and develop a plan towards a solution. Remember no one is interested in the right answer, just the right idea. Kyle Sawdey The Fox Den]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/how_would_you_move_mt_fuji.html http://blogs.targetx.com/sbm/KyleSawdey/2008/04/how_would_you_move_mt_fuji.html Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:49:37 -0500