Seth Godin had a blog post a week or so ago about data - and how everyone wants more data, so they can prove their point.

We live in the Information Age now. There's a common misconception that we entered the Informatin Age as a byproduct of computers. But we had an infatuation with data before computers were very common. It makes me think of the McNamara Fallacy, named for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. At a time when computers where not all that common, McNamara had a four-step process for reaching conclusions by exzamining the data:

• The first step is to measure whatever can be easily measured.


• The second step is to disregard that which can't easily be measured.


• The third step is to presume that what can't be measured easily really isn't important.


• The fourth step is to say that what can't be easily measured really doesn't exist.

Of course, step one is okay (for what it's worth). But the second step is misleading, the third step is blindness and the fourth step is suicide (or insanity).

McNamara left office in 1967.

Information is a marvelous thing. But given enough of it (and enough time) you can prove almost anything with it. And, as Seth says, "The problem is this: no spreadsheet, no bibliography and no list of resources is sufficient proof to someone who chooses not to believe. The skeptic will always find a reason, even if it's one the rest of us don't think is a good one."

Know what you beleive. The data comes after that...

Lalee Sadighi seems to think that the new Apple iPad will cut deeply into the market share of Amazon's Kindle. He's probably right...

The iPad is Apple's new tablet computer. It was announced today and a bunch of lucky people got to actually touch one and fiddle with it some. Mashable has a guide to it available. VentureBeat also has a nice write-up.

The iPad has a 9.7 inch screen while the Kindle has a six inch screen. The iPad works in color. Bigger and brighter. And it does more (since it has most of the functionality of a computer, and mobile access).

As an educator myself, I'm especially interested in Wesley Fryer's prediction that the iPad will bring interactive multimedia content to electronic textbooks.

The downside for the iPad? The Kindle has a better battery life, and it's still cheaper...

How To Beat The 1000lbs. Gorilla Bizinformer

The Sunday Times - UK published an excellent article yesterday on the importance and opportunity for small businesses to attach themselves to market niches. "You do not need a sledgehammer to crack a nut. This is why, when it comes to exploiting new high-margin markets, small businesses often have an edge over much larger competitors." Small business has a tremendous advantage in satisfying what larger companies often determine are undersized markets. What's [...] Read More


Do You Know The Lifetime Value Of Your Customers? Bizinformer

Several months ago, a friend of mine stopped by the office for a visit. In conversation with a couple of us, he mentioned a recent customer service experience worth sharing - the lesson can be worth 10's or 100's of thousands of dollars to your business. A while back, my friend had purchased a computer from Dell. He recalled how the invoice for his purchase was incorrect; he was erroneously charged [...] Read More


Secrets Your Customers Won't Tell You About Your Business Bizinformer

Your customers know things about your business you aren't aware of. Things that limit your ability to grow. Things you do as a habit you aren't likely aware of. Things you'd change if you only knew better. More specific, there are nine things you may unknowingly be guilty of that's limiting your potential. Patronizing your customer, not staying current with trends, and inconsistency are but there. NFIB has identified Nine [...] Read More


Product Loyalty:Familiarity mistaken for superiority Tech Without Wires

A new study shows that people mistake familiarity for superiority when it comes to analyzing and adopting new products and services. Hence, the great difficulty to introduce a new service in competition to Google, or a new operating system in competition with windows. People being familiar with Google or Windows see these products being superior rather than just a familiarity. The old Windows vs Mac argument comes in here -- [...] Read More


The Place of Loyalty in Your New Company's Values BootStrapMe

Jack and Suzy Welch over at BusinessWeek had a good article a few days ago on the role of loyalty in corporate culture - especially in hard times. I thought it was useful to consider in the context of building a new business. Your business is off the ground and you've hired a few people. Then hard times come along. Does loyalty matter? If you have to let someone go, [...] Read More

© russelljsmith


I don't usually write about politics here. But I saw a blog post recently that seemed to summarize clearly the economic impact of the Bush (43) presidency. I say economic impact because the policy decision of the second Bush Administration so clearly affected the national economy - through deficit spending and debt, and through its approach to taxation and the regulation of the financial industry.

So, let's review a little history: The day the Bush administration took over from President Bill Clinton in 2001, America enjoyed a $236 billion budget surplus - with a projected 10-year surplus of $5.6 trillion. When the Bush administration left office, it handed President Obama a $1.3 trillion deficit - and projected shortfalls of $8 trillion for the next decade. During eight years in office, the Bush administration passed two major tax cuts skewed to the wealthiest Americans, enacted a costly Medicare prescription-drug benefit and waged two wars, without paying for any of it.

The author goes on to talk about the "laissez-faire attitude toward the excesses of the financial industry" that led to the deepest economic catastrophe since the Great Depression.

I know that America has become a polarized society where a large minority on the political right think Republicans in general aren't fiscally conservative enough and where many "progressives" on the left are unhappy at what they see as half-steps on their political agenda. Revising history is natural. History is always open to interpretation, and humans aren't really capable of pure objectivity.

I'm not alone in my view that Bush took us from surpluses to deficits, implemented policies he didn't pay for, and let the bankers and brokers run wild. I know people who, if they read this, would tell me that the two wars weren't Bush's fault (which is true) and that Bush had to work with a Democratic Congress for part of his Presidency (also true). They'll try and blame Congress; and Congress bears part of the blame. But at the end of the day the policies belonged to President Bush.

Blame who you will. A year later we are still only beginning to recognize some of the pieces we have to pick up as a result of those eight years. Economic pieces...

© Jeff Lowe


USA Today recently pointed out a trend that is likely to gain more and more influence in the 21sr Century: virtual trade shows.

Virtual shows combine the latest technology in webcasting, online chats, video streaming, webinars and avatar graphics to offer the elements of trade shows: exhibitor booths, speeches, seminars, distribution of marketing literature and social "gatherings."

The technology companies that develop virtual-meetings software, such as Unisfair, ON24 and Second Life, say they're seeing big demand.

The recession has fed the trend. Who wants to fly everything to Chicago or Seattle when the cost of a virtual trade show is so much lower? Virtual trade shows can also have the benefit of more targeted marketing. The downside? No free cocktails...