Yesterday was the two year anniversary of Working Thoughts. I’m very proud of this blog and I feel like any success that comes with it is deserved. But the reality is, the hard work is the reward in and of itself.
So on to the interesting facts and opinions I’ve pulled over the last 731 days (leap year).
Blog Stats:
371 entries or about an entry every other day
81 different countries have at least viewed Working Thoughts once
48 states (no Alaska or Wyoming)
Top Entries:
Too Many CEOs Think They are One of the Very Few – 5.20%
Bubbles are Bursting – 3.17%
Sizing Up the New Guy – 3.13%
Education is Getting an Overdue National Review – 2.80%
1st Blog Entry – 2.27%
Dyslexia and Entrepreneurs – 1.97%
Interesting Facts:
For the US to add jobs it needs its GDP to be at least 2.5%
For China to add jobs it needs its GDP to be at least 7.5%
The top 400 wealthiest Americans have the same amount of wealth as the aggregate of the bottom 51% of Americans
Chinese exports account for 80% of toys, 85% of footwear, and 40% of clothing
7.5% of American spending on consumer goods is from China
The middle class in China is expected to multiply sevenfold by 2020 to 700 million people
The middle class of India is expected to multiply by tenfold to 583 million people
Wal-Mart’s (WMT, Fortune 500) international sales grew 17.5% this year (triple the US) and now constitute 24% of the company’s total revenue, up from 8.9% a decade ago
Health Coverage: In 1993 – 35 million Americans without insurance. In 2008 – 50 million Americans without insurance
Wealth Distribution: In 1980 – the top 1% richest Americans accounted for 8% of total national income. In 2008 – the top 1% richest Americans account for 20% of total national income. The last time the top 1% accounted for 20% of total national income was 1928
Adjusted Tax Returns:
Total income increase by $619.2 Billion, an 8.3% increase
- All of it went to people earning more than $75,000
- $260 Billion of that total went to those making over $1 million
Alex Rodriguez’s is paid $20,000 an inning
At the City University of New York philosophy majors are up 51% since 2002. At Rutgers the number of philosophy majors has doubled since 2002
The group born from 1977 and 1997 (Net Geners) is 81 million people: 27% of the US population
The group born from 1946 to 1964 (the baby boomers) is 77 million people: 23% of the US population
Baby Boomers watch TV 22.4 hours a week
Net Geners watch TV 17.4 hours a week but spend between 8 and 31 hours a week on the internet
Problem solving comes in differentflavors. It can be analytically, procedurally, relationally (collaboratively), and/or innovatively
Predictions:
Most proud of Peanut Butter and Pasta because I nailed the recession start period. I observed it starting at the end of October of 2007.
- The group that determines recessions said the US began its recession in December of 2007
Olympic Prediction (not for the reasons I state but pretty close nonetheless. I claimed the US economy would fall off a cliff on August 25th, 2008. It went down two weeks later.
My jobs prediction for a V shape isn’t correct just yet (we’ll know a good deal more on Friday). And my depth isn’t correct. I certainly
hope my theory that the US has gotten pretty good at allocating personnel resources.
In my Productivity Pays – The CEO post I state that I’m dismayed that gains from productivity aren’t currently affecting the US consumer. I then wonder what will change this course. In September of 2007 I realized that borrowing was way out of whack with pay checks.
Interviews (more in the future):
Norm Bogner of 4Refuel
Robin Fisher Roffer of The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You
Joy Bergmann of Fahrenheit 212
Reviews:
The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You
Grown Up Digital
Glassdoor.com and Jobschmob.com
Johnny Bunko
Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
I have another great year planned. I have several reviews coming down the pipe and some interviews lined up.
Working Thoughts 
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