I read Olivia Mellan's wonderful article, "Pants On Fire: Dealing With Liars And Cheats," in the June 2008 edition. Nice job.
I am a hedge fund manager and 29 years ago, Louis Rukeyser, the host of Wall $treet Week, got me started in my career. I was a student at Johns Hopkins at the time, and Rukeyser's waiter.
Presently, I am a contributing editor at the North Bay Bohemian in northern California, where my articles can be syndicated to the 130 alternative weekly newspapers throughout the United States and Canada, and often find their way into Congress and Wall Street from there. My last article—-about the collapse of Bear Stearns—-was the "most viewed, most e-mailed" article at altweeklies.com for five consecutive days (something of a record, I'm told). An interesting coincidence? The title of my article was "Secrets and Lies." As you can see, Ms. Mellan, we have similar concerns.
I loved the final quote from your husband at the end of your article. Like your husband, I am a student of Buddhism. Your husband is right. Telling the truth is the basis for all other dharma. Telling the truth is the basis for "correct thought" and "correct action." It's a lesson that has its place on Wall Street, especially now.
John Sakowicz
San Francisco
What about other minorities?
After reading your article "Giving Minority Students A Leg Up in the Business" (June 2008), I was left with one question. You stated that the screening process included a select group of historically black colleges as well as universities. I do agree that minorities do need a leg up in this business but what of the other minorities? I only question the single-sidedness of the program when it has greater appeal as a broad-based initiative.
