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Portfolio - Professional Life - Blog - Travel - Consulting
History
- Continued Credit Card Company Customer Dis-Service - Some credit unions seem to actually believe in providing a fair service and treating customers with honesty and integrity (though many just outsource credit card service to a company that has no interest in the mission of the credit union to serve members).
- Toyota Execution Not Close to Being Copied - Toyota's innovation is not limited to process and execution. Toyota's long term vision results in very dramatic innovation (that granted is not getting the press today - check back in 20 years, I think you will be reading about it then).
Fed Funds Rate Changes Don't Indicate Mortgage Rate Changes - There is not a significant correlation between moves in federal funds rate and 30 year mortgage rates that can be used for those looking to determine short term (over a few days, weeks or months) moves in the 30 year fixed mortgage rates- Personal Finance Basics: Health Insurance - There are certain things that cannot be compromised in your personal financial situation. Health coverage for significant costs is one of the things that is required.
- Overview of 5 Nations Health Care Systems - Germany 10.7% (cost of health care as % of GDP), Japan 8%, Switzerland 11.6%, Taiwan 6.3%, UK 8.3%, USA 16%...
- Inspirational Engineer - "My father was a professor of engineering (chemical, industrial), statistics and business. He was very interested in applying technology and human knowledge to help people have better lives, and I share that interest."
- Packaging Improvement - tackling problems directly is not always the best strategy. The packaging doesn't actually change the taste, but really it is not the taste that is likely a concern but rather the perception of taste.
- What Should You Do With Your Government Stimulus Check? - most people should to pay off debt, build an emergency fund, save for retirement or something similar not get another toy. Of course donating it Kiva, Trickle Up, the Concord Coalition or your favorite charity...
- Losses Covered Up to Protect Bonuses - Of course the people that take unethical or illegal action are responsible for their actions. But managers that set up poor systems and then get poor results should not be surprised.
- Fed Continues Wall Street Welfare - "The investments have huge leverage and massive negative externalities to the economy. Any capitalist would know this is exactly what the government is suppose to protect the economy from."
- Pleasing Customers - The key is to then take that knowledge and see if you can find improvements that do not add features at the cost of usability. You need to think systemically.
- Scientists and Engineers in Congress - A list of Congressmen with science PhDs: Vernon Ehlers, Michigan, physics PhD; Rush Holt, New Jersey, physics PhD; John Olver, Massachusetts, chemistry PhD; Brian Baird, Washington, psychology PhD; and now Bill Foster, Illinois, physics PhD...
- Customers Get Dissed and Tell - instead of fixing the system, just burn the toast. Then wait from those that get the burnt toast to tell everyone that you sold them burnt toast. Then, after they do that, go scrape it for them. How sad...
- Kiva - Provide a Helping Hand - loan money directly to entrepreneurs around the world through Kiva's web site. Loan can be as small as $25. As the business produces income from the capital loaned the loan is paid back.
- Your Inner Fish - Evolution is not controversial scientifically. Just as gravity is not. But it is just a matter of time: similar to Galileo Galilei and heliocentric cosmology. At some point the evidence is accepted and life continues.
- What Motivates Programmers? - I will repeat my statement for all managers for all employees: your job is to eliminate de-motivation not to motivate.
- 401k's are a Great Investment Option - some details to consider: "tax rates will go up - we are passing higher taxes onto the future by not paying our bills now; the tax deferral is a huge benefit; 401(k) employer matching is another huge benefit (for those that offer it)"
- The Economic Consequences of Investing in Science Education - The debate now whether we are willing to invest more today to slow the decline or whether we are willing to risk the economic future where our centers of science and engineering excellence are eclipsed
- Software Supporting Processes Not the Other Way Around - I have a bias is against off the shelf software as it often ends up forcing the process to be designed around the software.
- Sneaky Fees - The Curious Cat credit card tips page provides advice on how not to get tricked by credit card companies into paying big fees along with some other tips.
- Starting Retirement Account Allocations - One of the most important financial moves you can make is to start investing for your retirement early...
- Management Books to Ignite Improvement - I have mentioned some of my favorite management books before but here some are again: The Leader's Handbook by Peter Scholtes, The New Economics by W. Edwards Deming...
- 12 Stocks for 10 Years, Adding Danaher - The performance since the last update has not been good but that isn't much of a concern to me. The long term prospects remain very good for this portfolio, I believe.
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John Hunter has experience with quality management, management improvement, customer focused continual improvement, process improvement and related areas. Since 1995, I have used the internet and internet technology to improve the results of management improvement efforts.
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