Best of links - Part 4

• An Open Letter to IIT Students
  "Your India is brimming with optimism. Take advantage of that mindset." I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS LADY'S WRITING FOR SOMETIME. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
• The long slide to gone
  Its so easy to lose focus on the direction of your firm. I can see this increasingly in Asian companies as they all jump into real estate to pump up earnings. Everybody should learn from the Germans. Wow.. these guys do one thing and they do it well!!
• Zillow and The Idealism of Engineers Going Shopping - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog
  The internet is all about 1.) Cutting out the middleman and 2.)Marketing to niche audiences that was not economically feasible earlier
• Why am I not going back to Google?
  "I've been asked a couple (hundred) times whether I was considering a return to Google, and people stare in disbelife when I say I'm not interested...." I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE SAME THING
• Would we miss you?
  "What about your personal marketing, though? If you disappeared tomorrow, would the customers you call on miss you? The places you're applying for a job? The guys on the board of directors you sit on? The users who call tech support where you answer..."
• blog.pmarca.com: Counterpoint: Ben Horowitz on micromanagement
  Completely agree
• Howard Lindzon » Due Diligence is for Underperformers!
  As a complete instinct-based person, I agree...
• The Hindu Business Line : IITs: Quality only because of exclusivity
  I agree...
• Dial D for Disruption - Forbes.com
  "Spencer is the inventor of Asterisk, a free software program that establishes phone calls over the Internet and handles voicemail, caller ID, teleconferencing and a host of novel features for the phone."
• What I Learned Today - Second Cheapest Syndrome
  "Restauranteur as microeconomist!...Ever order the second cheapest wine on the menu while dining out? Well, one in four diners do.....But did you know that the second cheapest bottle is usually the worst value?"
• George Patton quotes - (37signals)
  "Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." THIS IS HOW YOU EMPOWER PEOPLE.
• Our Financial Bailout Culture - WSJ.com
  "It is each and every citizen's job to manage our own affairs, make our own decisions, bear the fruits or painful consequences and learn our lessons...."