Opened the paper this morning and there he was, again. The one and only, the truly iconic Conrad Black.
So what's your position on money? I mean, do you blame people for making money or do you celebrate that they seem to have a God given talent for doing just that? Do you despise every Mercedes Benz or Jaguar that you see rolling blissfully down the highway with a driver that seems to have everything you ever wished you had? Does it ruin your day when you see money moving around in expensive cars, living in multiple residences and socializing in all the "right" circles?
Do you ever drive down Post Road and wonder how evil and crooked these people must have been to get they're hands on so much wealth? "Ahh, it's old money, for sure" you might think.
One such resident of the money set is the well known and in fact Canadian Icon, Conrad Black. How many people do you know who can sustain years of legal battles, ending in loss after loss and then ending up in prison for a few years, and still emerge seemingly unscathed (financially) carrying on as if nothing happened.
This was the image I saw when I opened my paper over breakfast this morning. There by the side of Huffington Post founder, Arianna Huffington and Toronto Sun editor, Peter Worthington was the one and only Conrad Black. To make my point here one only need ask him or herself, who was happier to be standing with whom? Was it Conrad who felt relieved to be accepted into the old boys club again or was it Arianna Huffington and Peter Worthington delighted by the coverage this pose would bring to their respective publications?
Well I say that Conrad made the effort to re-establish himself with the in crowd by being there, but he was certainly doing them all a favour by being there as well.
Conrad Black is and always will be a major Canadian Icon. Citizenship or not. True he did grow up in the pocket of old and very established Toronto money. True he has the Upper Canada College crest firmly tattooed on his heart, but lets not make any mistake here. Conrad Black had and still has the fortitude to birth incredible plans, initiate their existence and see them through to great and profound success, on a grand scale. By his own direction something simple and relatively unknown can be turned into something of a household topic or name. I suggest we haven't seen the last of Mr Blacks work.
Here is a man who is defiantly unrepentant for the crimes he was convicted of and actually spent time incarcerated for. I believe he will continue to be the news magnet that he has always been.
How do I feel when I see guys like him moving in the deep wealth he is so well known for? I say he has taken the risks, made the tough decisions, asserted the commitments and stayed the course regardless of the circumstances around him, even at the cost of loosing his freedom and some of his reputation. He really is a man with a mission and men with missions tend to become very very successful.
Some say pompous. some say big headed. Some say head in the clouds. Yes these could be things correctly attributed to Mr Black. I suggest, though, that incarceration along side of societies forgotten and even cast out and public shaming by the very media that he once owned have changed the way this man see's the world around him. My bet is that he is gentler. Calmer. More resolute. More determined and above all else, a little more skilled at covering his tracks going forward.
I won't be surprised to see Conrad Black involved in serious philanthropy and personal association with those in need as he morphs into his new roll on business and society. Even for the mighty and seemingly unshakable Conrad Black, I believe there have been some sincerely personal changes take place during his stay in U.S. correctional facilities.
Where he seemed cold and ruthless before I believe we will see warmth and forgiveness now.
Welcome back Mr Black.
RM
So what's your position on money? I mean, do you blame people for making money or do you celebrate that they seem to have a God given talent for doing just that? Do you despise every Mercedes Benz or Jaguar that you see rolling blissfully down the highway with a driver that seems to have everything you ever wished you had? Does it ruin your day when you see money moving around in expensive cars, living in multiple residences and socializing in all the "right" circles?
Do you ever drive down Post Road and wonder how evil and crooked these people must have been to get they're hands on so much wealth? "Ahh, it's old money, for sure" you might think.
One such resident of the money set is the well known and in fact Canadian Icon, Conrad Black. How many people do you know who can sustain years of legal battles, ending in loss after loss and then ending up in prison for a few years, and still emerge seemingly unscathed (financially) carrying on as if nothing happened.
This was the image I saw when I opened my paper over breakfast this morning. There by the side of Huffington Post founder, Arianna Huffington and Toronto Sun editor, Peter Worthington was the one and only Conrad Black. To make my point here one only need ask him or herself, who was happier to be standing with whom? Was it Conrad who felt relieved to be accepted into the old boys club again or was it Arianna Huffington and Peter Worthington delighted by the coverage this pose would bring to their respective publications?
Well I say that Conrad made the effort to re-establish himself with the in crowd by being there, but he was certainly doing them all a favour by being there as well.
Conrad Black is and always will be a major Canadian Icon. Citizenship or not. True he did grow up in the pocket of old and very established Toronto money. True he has the Upper Canada College crest firmly tattooed on his heart, but lets not make any mistake here. Conrad Black had and still has the fortitude to birth incredible plans, initiate their existence and see them through to great and profound success, on a grand scale. By his own direction something simple and relatively unknown can be turned into something of a household topic or name. I suggest we haven't seen the last of Mr Blacks work.
Here is a man who is defiantly unrepentant for the crimes he was convicted of and actually spent time incarcerated for. I believe he will continue to be the news magnet that he has always been.
How do I feel when I see guys like him moving in the deep wealth he is so well known for? I say he has taken the risks, made the tough decisions, asserted the commitments and stayed the course regardless of the circumstances around him, even at the cost of loosing his freedom and some of his reputation. He really is a man with a mission and men with missions tend to become very very successful.
Some say pompous. some say big headed. Some say head in the clouds. Yes these could be things correctly attributed to Mr Black. I suggest, though, that incarceration along side of societies forgotten and even cast out and public shaming by the very media that he once owned have changed the way this man see's the world around him. My bet is that he is gentler. Calmer. More resolute. More determined and above all else, a little more skilled at covering his tracks going forward.
I won't be surprised to see Conrad Black involved in serious philanthropy and personal association with those in need as he morphs into his new roll on business and society. Even for the mighty and seemingly unshakable Conrad Black, I believe there have been some sincerely personal changes take place during his stay in U.S. correctional facilities.
Where he seemed cold and ruthless before I believe we will see warmth and forgiveness now.
Welcome back Mr Black.
RM
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