In a late February talk in Washington, HarperCollins chief executive Brian Murray declared that Amazon.com seeks to put publishers out of business. “No-one,” he said, “has yet discovered how to compete with Amazon.” He regards Amazon as more powerful than Walmart. Amazon’s Kindle that was unveiled in 2007, said Murray, triggered the explosive growth of ebooks, which now comprise 20% of all books sold in … Continue reading Kindle and the Rise of E-Books
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA The 65-mile Argus bicycle tour has been an annual fixture in Cape Town since 1978. A charity event run in part by the local Rotary Club, the Argus has evolved into the world’s biggest timed bicycle race. This year’s event on March 9th drew 35,000 cyclists, 90% of whom were South African. This year’s winners completed the scenic circuit winding around … Continue reading Up Against the Wind in Cape Town
Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are on a roll. The Silicon Valley start-up’s stock price has nearly doubled in recent months after rising 400% last year. Consumer Reports named Tesla’s luxury Model S the best overall car of the year. And the company is unveiling plans for a $5 billion ‘gigafactory’ to produce lithium ion batteries in the desert southwest. Under consideration for a … Continue reading Tesla’s Battery Magic
Zimbabwe is entering an unsteady transition politically and economically. Robert Mugabe, its sole leader since independence in 1980, turns 90 on February 21st. He can’t live forever. Who will follow Mugabe and what course will his successors steer? After four years of gradual improvement, the economy is again deteriorating. Money is in short supply. Workers are losing jobs. Government is starved of tax revenue because … Continue reading Zimbabwe’s Transition to What?
WASHINGTON, DC: Tesla Motors is on a roll. Last year its share price quadrupled and it sold over 20,000 cars. There’s a waiting list for every four-door sedan that rolls out of the Fremont, California plant. But with a single factory and a more complicated SUV expected down the line later this year, can Tesla nearly double production as planned? Other potholes include batteries, dealer … Continue reading Potholes Ahead for Tesla
Barry D. Wood 