“Last night, I took a 14 hour flight to Sydney, Australia from LA, embarking on PE’s 80th tour in 25 years. I just landed to 65 texts with the news. Adam and the Boys put us on our first tour 25 years and 79 tours ago. They were essential to our beginning, middle and today. Adam especially was unbelievable in our support from then ‘til now, even allowing me to induct them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I consider myself a strong man and my father says be prepared to lose many in your post-50 path of life. Still, I’m a bit teary-eyed leaving this plane. R.I.P. Adam aka MCA.” — Chuck D.
The Andrew and Jenny Kortina Party Starter Kit. Bubbles.
“Man, I don’t want to have nothing to do with computers. I don’t want the government in my business.” - Erykah Badu
[video]
(via darthsinatra)
“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” - Johnny Cash.
“When all of your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed.” - Marilyn Manson.
1. I am not a short seller.
It isn’t my job as an entrepreneur, and it’s not my job when investing, to pick the losers. So it’s not worth spending a lot of energy trying to prove that a particular company isn’t going to make it, most aren’t. Much more important is trying to figure out those rare few companies and few individuals that might break through, and the ripple effects if they succeed. I try and focus my effort spending time there.
gbattle sez:
There are both ethical and structural reasons why Nabeel is not a short seller (and I love that he used that specific term to emphasize picking losers for profit). Ethically, it’s just in bad taste to bad mouth every startup out there when you are in the business of attracting deal flow. Structurally, there is no market to capitalize on one’s ability to pick losing startups, so no matter how much one wants to attack Twitter, AirBnB, Pinterest or the rising star du jour, that position isn’t actionable in anything other than hot air (or journalism). Hence, much of the negative banter is a fool’s errand when the only logical response is either investing in or, better yet, creating the better mousetrap to express your position.
This reminds me of a great phrase: “There’s a reason why you’ll never see statues of the world’s greatest critics.”
“I don’t care about the rules. In fact, if I don’t break the rules at least 10 times in every song then I’m not doing my job properly.” - Jeff Beck
“Sunday school don’t make you cool forever” - Sly Stone.
Cheesecake made by @gbattle’s sister for last night’s GoT party.
Twas indeed delicious.