6.5 Graphs Outlining the US Economy
I’m in a room that’s 8 feet by 10 feet. It’s just me. There’s a small box playing loops of TV shows, but I’m ignoring it. The temperature is 95 degrees but its cold in here. And I have a lot to think about. I know I’m going to pay for it. Situations like this [...]
May 2011 Jobs Report and Wages
Here are the job market and compensation numbers for April 2011 (based on the job report): Net gain of 54,000 jobs in the month (revised to a gain of 25,000 jobs) Analysts expected an overall gain of 180,00Private sector payrolls increased by 83,000 Private service producing industries added 80,000 (194,000 last month and 154,000 the [...]
When Ideas Come Together
I sit here and type. Sometimes I have inspiration and sometimes its a slog. I do it because I love when ideas come rushing in. It’s like the end of the Usual Suspects when everything comes together. Its powerful and rewarding. Good mysteries are fulfilling because we have to hunt for clues. They are rarely [...]
Defining the Future for the Class of 2011
Congratulations to the class of 2011. You’ve earned the gratification of moving your tassel from one side of the cap to the other. What does the future hold? What is out there? You’ll be told to find yourself, follow your passion, and chase your goals. And many of you will wonder what those are. There’s [...]
Huge Layoffs and What They Mean
I got a great email from Rose King of Accountingdegree.com the other day. She shared with me a blog entry they authored about 13 Huge Layoffs. Below is an excerpt from it. I’ve always been fascinated by layoff announcements. Not in a positive way, but in a curious way. It prompts questions about what went [...]
Split Personalities – Tax Breadth and Tax Depth
We seem to have split personalities when it comes to the news and our politics. In the news we hear about natural disasters and the sour economy. In politics we hear about the failings of the President and the deficit. Why are these two voices talking about different subjects? The truth is they are talking [...]
April 2011 Jobs Report and Wages
Here are the job market and compensation numbers for April 2011 (based on the job report): Net gain of 244,000 jobs in the month Analysts expected an overall gain of 185,000 (200,000 for private sector growth) Private sector payrolls increased by 268,000 Private service producing industries added 224,000 (199,000 last month and 152,000 the month [...]
Using Particular Phrases to be More Compelling
I’ve recently been on vacation and I’m catching up on some reading. One of my favorite magazines and websites is the Harvard Business Review or HBR.org. In the March 2011 issues is an Idea Watch section about the persuasiveness of experts. What the finding suggests is that when experts are less certain about their opinion, [...]
Using Data as a Predictor of Sports Success
There’s a huge celebration going on this week – a celebration of decision making. You see the NFL Draft starts Thursday (4/28/11) and runs through Saturday (4/30/11) and fans tune in to see who their team selects. No games are played, just people’s names being called. Why do we care? The simple answer is hope. [...]
Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart – A Book Review
Quick Take: Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart is a collection of academia based essays proving the comparative value of decision making based on good enough information. The examples and anecdotes are good, but there is complex math to wade through. It isn’t a leisure read. However, each section can be consumed on it’s own. [...]