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Gary Weiss Quotes

Powerful Gary Weiss for Daily Growth

About Gary Weiss

Gary Weiss (born October 31, 1945) is an American investigative journalist, author, and former columnist known for his in-depth reporting on technology, business, and organized crime. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Weiss developed a keen interest in journalism at an early age. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English and began his career as a reporter for the New York Post. In 1978, Weiss joined Forbes magazine where he would spend the next two decades, becoming a prominent figure in business journalism. During this time, he wrote several influential articles exposing corporate fraud, including the infamous insider trading scandal involving Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken. His investigative work led to significant changes in securities laws and regulations. In 1997, Weiss left Forbes to join Wired magazine as a senior writer. His tenure at Wired saw the publication of his groundbreaking book, "The Straight Dope on Cocaine," which provided a comprehensive look into the world of cocaine trafficking and its impact on society. In 2001, Weiss published "Show Trial: The Case of Philip Johnson," a controversial exploration of the architect Philip Johnson's life, work, and alleged ties to Nazi Germany. The book sparked widespread debate and criticism but is still considered a significant work in the field of architectural biography. Since leaving Wired in 2003, Weiss has written for various publications, including The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Salon. He continues to work as an investigative journalist and author, delving into topics ranging from corporate malfeasance to organized crime. His latest book, "Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture," published in 2003, chronicles the lives and careers of John Carmack and John Romero, the creators of the video game franchise Doom. Throughout his career, Gary Weiss has been recognized for his tenacious reporting style and ability to shed light on complex issues with clarity and insight. His work continues to influence journalists, policymakers, and the general public alike.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The truth is always more interesting than fiction because it's more complex, more subtle, and infinitely more unpredictable."

This quote emphasizes the depth and complexity inherent in reality compared to fiction. While stories or novels offer a structured narrative with predictable resolutions, real life is full of intricacies, subtleties, and unexpected twists that often make it more captivating and thought-provoking. It suggests that truth, despite its potential complexities, offers a richer and more engaging experience than the simplified version presented in fiction.

"Nothing in life is free, even fresh air has to be filtered through lungs."

This quote emphasizes the idea that everything we experience in life carries some cost or responsibility. Fresh air, something often taken for granted as a natural, free resource, needs our active participation (the "filtering" process of breathing) to enjoy it. Similarly, other aspects of life may require effort, time, skills, or resources. The quote underscores the importance of acknowledging and valuing these hidden costs in order to fully appreciate the experiences we encounter in life.

"Truth is not something you 'have'; it is something you 'do.'"

The quote suggests that truth is not a static, possession-like entity that one can simply obtain or hold, but rather an action or a way of living. In other words, truth is demonstrated through one's actions, behaviors, and choices that align with factual accuracy, honesty, and integrity. It encourages us to prioritize truthfulness in our words, thoughts, and deeds as a continuous process, not a one-time achievement.

"Facts are like parachutes. If they don't open, you can still have a nice landing."

This quote suggests that even if one lacks crucial information (facts) needed to make an informed decision or argument, they can still achieve their goal with finesse and adaptability (have a nice landing). It underscores the importance of being resourceful and open-minded in the face of incomplete or inaccurate data, emphasizing that success is not solely dependent on complete information but also on one's ability to navigate through the situation effectively.

"The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is the arrogance born of misunderstanding."

This quote suggests that a combination of ignorance (lack of knowledge or understanding) and the arrogance that arises from misconceptions can be particularly hazardous, as it may lead individuals to act with confidence in their incorrect beliefs, potentially causing harm or reinforcing erroneous ideas. The key takeaway is to strive for knowledge and humility, acknowledging our own fallibility and seeking truth instead of blindly trusting in our limited understanding.

I've met Dick Syron. I like the guy. He's a man's man kind of character, a real charmer, the kind of guy you'd want to have a beer with, as well as being an economist of considerable repute.

- Gary Weiss

Kind, Like, Repute, Economist

India may be the only country in the world that has been free of anti-Semitic prejudice throughout its history.

- Gary Weiss

World, Country, Been, Only Country

MF Global used to be known as Man Financial, and it had a reasonably good reputation. It did a humdrum business placing commodities trades for fund managers as well as farmers, grain dealers and others whose livelihoods depend on the vagaries of commodity prices.

- Gary Weiss

Financial, Depend, Commodity, Trades

All too often, the pitchmen are selling the notion that if you gain 'control' over your financial destiny - pick your own stocks and execute your own trades - it will be the first step on a short road to riches.

- Gary Weiss

Destiny, Financial, Own, Trades

If you think Wall Street has a short memory, you're dead wrong. No, the folks who work on Wall Street, regulate Wall Street - and, above all, invest in its wares, notably its hedge funds - don't have a bad memory. They don't have any memory at all.

- Gary Weiss

Memory, Bad, Regulate, Funds

The media and marketing deluge has spawned a new type of Wall Street loser: the armchair momentum player. These are novice investors who engage in short-term stock buying and selling based on media reports or an expert's enthusiasm.

- Gary Weiss

Expert, Spawned, Reports, Armchair

With 'posts' running in the millions, Internet message boards have become an essential part of the savvy investor's arsenal.

- Gary Weiss

Part, Essential Part, Boards, Essential

Humiliating events have a way of capturing the public's imagination. So it has been since antiquity, when gladiators were pitted against each other and the legions of Spartacus were crucified in endless rows on the way to Rome.

- Gary Weiss

Rome, Other, Been, Capturing

Newt Gingrich is a boastful kind of guy. But when it comes to Wall Street, the former House speaker is surprisingly modest.

- Gary Weiss

Kind, Newt, Gingrich, Surprisingly

When the Securities & Exchange Commission settled securities-fraud charges against Richard Harriton, former chairman of the clearing subsidiary of Bear, Stearns & Co., there were smiles all around. The SEC was happy. Harriton was happy. Bear Stearns was happy.

- Gary Weiss

Smiles, Richard, Settled, SEC

In the U.S., diversity is a politically correct slogan. In India, it is a historical fact. Much as we in the West may resent it, India has a lot to teach us when it comes to religious tolerance.

- Gary Weiss

Fact, Religious, Correct, Tolerance

The heart of the 2008 financial crisis was a coterie of reckless financial executives, working for too-big-to-fail financial companies, who were handsomely compensated for taking risks that almost ruined the economy when they failed.

- Gary Weiss

Crisis, Financial Crisis, Ruined

For Randy Neugebauer, the Texas Republican who chairs the investigations subcommittee, the top sources of funding for his 2012 reelection campaign are from the insurance, banking, finance, securities and real estate industries.

- Gary Weiss

Insurance, Randy, Sources, Chairs

Beefs against debt collectors are consistently among the top complaints received by both the FTC and state attorneys general.

- Gary Weiss

Against, Complaints, Both, Attorneys

Even a casual reader of the financial pages knows that microcaps are a perennial headache for regulators and, above all, for investors because they have been prone to abuse by stock manipulators.

- Gary Weiss

Abuse, Been, Perennial, Headache

Despite all the drawbacks, the Internet provides a wide array of information - and some of it is being watched pretty carefully by the pros.

- Gary Weiss

Some, Pretty, Wide, Array

There are a lot worse things you can do with all your bucks than giving them to even a mediocre mutual fund - such as, for example, giving them to a mediocre hedge fund. If supporting the lifestyle of a mediocre fund manager is your favorite charity, who am I to stop you?

- Gary Weiss

Giving, Your, Bucks, Who Am I

Kochi, formerly called Cochin, is a former European settlement with a large Christian population and a seafaring heritage. It is a town of enormous charm that reminds some visitors of the Caribbean more than India.

- Gary Weiss

Some, Town, Large, Reminds

Debt collectors should be required to disclose the applicable statute of limitations in the body of their collection letters, in bold type. While it's not illegal to dun a consumer for an old debt, it is illegal to sue for one.

- Gary Weiss

Old, Sue, Applicable, Consumer

In the struggle against sexual discrimination on Wall Street, Pamela K. Martens is a latter-day Rosa Parks - a woman who, metaphorically speaking, refused to sit in the back of the bus.

- Gary Weiss

Woman, Bus, Refused, Struggle

People are told their rights when they're arrested. Consumers getting collection letters are entitled to the same courtesy.

- Gary Weiss

Courtesy, Entitled, Arrested, Letters

Indians are sometimes accused of being condescending toward Westerners and of being excessively preachy in their attitude toward other nations. That accusation is sometimes correct.

- Gary Weiss

Sometimes, Other, Correct, Condescending

At their worst, message boards can subject you to mindless braying or outright stock scams. But at their best, they provide meaty insights on just about every stock imaginable.

- Gary Weiss

About, Insights, Subject, Imaginable

Oil futures were originally created to give heating oil dealers, gas retailers, aviation companies and other businesses a method of hedging against adverse price changes. Instead, they've become just another Wall Street plaything.

- Gary Weiss

Other, Against, Plaything, Businesses

Broadcasts from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange have propelled once-obscure financial journalists such as Maria Bartiromo to celebrity status and made CNBC to investors what ESPN is to sports fans.

- Gary Weiss

Financial, Celebrity, ESPN, Maria

No other facet of American business is more corrupt, more intoxicated with illegality, more weakly regulated, and has a greater impact on poor and working people than debt collectors; not credit card companies or subprime mortgages, not even payday lenders.

- Gary Weiss

American, Other, Mortgages, Collectors

Mutual funds dare to be average. In fact, they dare to be lousy. They have long since ceased striving for anything resembling perfection when it comes to managing your money.

- Gary Weiss

Fact, Striving, Average, Lousy

When it comes to making laws that protect the public from the financial services industry, Congress has done a progressively worse job since the Pecora Commission hearings of the early 1930s, which led to Congress taking bold steps to regulate banking and securities firms in 1933 and 1934.

- Gary Weiss

Financial, Congress, 1930s, Commission

Conspiracy theories feed on opacity, and that's a longtime problem with short selling. Large long positions must be reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission in public filings, but not large short positions.

- Gary Weiss

Longtime, Large, Positions, Commission

Some hedge fund managers have made big bucks trading oil futures - George Soros is one.

- Gary Weiss

Big, Some, Trading, Managers

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