Part of the 4-hour work week irritates me. After years of floudering, the author Timothy Ferriss, started a successfull dietary supliment business. It earned him $30,000.00 a month. But, Ferriss found he was working 12 hour days and not enjoying life. So he developed his philosphy and a lot of buzzwords and grew his sucessfull business into something that earned him $100,000.00 per month with less time and commitment from him.
Starting a busines that nets $30,000.00 a month. Hmmm. He takes that for granted Yes, he grows his business astronomically while working less. But, he never quite realizes that starting a business that nets $30,000.00 a month is a mixture of opportunity and luck and not due to his philosphy.
The philosophy its self is nothing new. More or less the 7-Habits rephrased.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Good To Great
I went through "Good To Great" a few months back. I'm going through it again. It's suprising how many good observations are in it.
1. Great people are more important than great vision.
2. Great organizations have a "hedge hog" pricipal; a simple & clear statment of what they can be the worlds best at.
3. They optimize for "Profit Per Unit X" X is subtle and different for each organization. For some companies it's "Profit per customer visit." leading to decisions that can decrees the number of employees. In others it's "Profit per employee.' leading to decisions that increase the number of employees and the expectations per employee.
4. Great companies do not grow for growths sake. They only grow in ways guided by their hedge-hog pricipal, in ways that increase "Profit Per Unit X" and in ways they are passionate about.
1. Great people are more important than great vision.
2. Great organizations have a "hedge hog" pricipal; a simple & clear statment of what they can be the worlds best at.
3. They optimize for "Profit Per Unit X" X is subtle and different for each organization. For some companies it's "Profit per customer visit." leading to decisions that can decrees the number of employees. In others it's "Profit per employee.' leading to decisions that increase the number of employees and the expectations per employee.
4. Great companies do not grow for growths sake. They only grow in ways guided by their hedge-hog pricipal, in ways that increase "Profit Per Unit X" and in ways they are passionate about.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Amazon Fresh...
I like using home grocery delivery. There is no convenient grocery store around me so grocery delivery saves me a couple hours a week. The scheduled delivery and the minimum purchases force me to plan ahead which kills impulse buys and means I eat out less often.
In the past I've used Safeway.com. Unfortunatly their fees are slowly increasing. Last year I could get free delivery for orders over $75.00. This year it costs $10.00 for orders over $150.00. Since I'm buying for two, $150.00 in groceries is too much. The vegitables go bad or I run out of perishables before my grocery list is up to $150.00.
Safeway's delivery schedule isn't that convenient. If I order today, my groceries are delivered tomorrow night. Yes, technically they could be delivered between 10am and noon tomorrow, but I have a day job.
Along comes Amazon Fresh.
They have free delivery on orders over $75.00. Amazon also has unattended predawn delivery. If I order by midnight, my groceries will be on my door stop by 6am the next morning. Refrigerated and frozen goods are left in returnable freezer totes.
This is so good. I can reasonably spend $75.00 a week on food and the perishables won't go bad before my next order.
Safeway.com may have a larger selection than Amazon Fresh. For similar items, Amazon appears to be less expensive than Safeway.
I'll be using Amazon Fresh for some time to come.
In the past I've used Safeway.com. Unfortunatly their fees are slowly increasing. Last year I could get free delivery for orders over $75.00. This year it costs $10.00 for orders over $150.00. Since I'm buying for two, $150.00 in groceries is too much. The vegitables go bad or I run out of perishables before my grocery list is up to $150.00.
Safeway's delivery schedule isn't that convenient. If I order today, my groceries are delivered tomorrow night. Yes, technically they could be delivered between 10am and noon tomorrow, but I have a day job.
Along comes Amazon Fresh.
They have free delivery on orders over $75.00. Amazon also has unattended predawn delivery. If I order by midnight, my groceries will be on my door stop by 6am the next morning. Refrigerated and frozen goods are left in returnable freezer totes.
This is so good. I can reasonably spend $75.00 a week on food and the perishables won't go bad before my next order.
Safeway.com may have a larger selection than Amazon Fresh. For similar items, Amazon appears to be less expensive than Safeway.
I'll be using Amazon Fresh for some time to come.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The secret super powers of David Sedaris.
"When You are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris.
I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. But it's hard to communicate why. I like David Sedaris. It is amusing, but rarely laugh out loud. I'm not constantly wondering "what will happen next?" If I stop and set it down I'm in no rush to start it back up again.
Yet the book is entertaining. Perhaps it's his selfish world view. For being a successfull gay write during the Bush administration, Sedaris is oddly a-political. He writes about his life, his friends, his quirky observations and little more.
I know he'd hate to hear this, but his gentle voice plus the combintion of amusing but not engaging, plesent but not exciting writing, means that his audio books are great for managing insomnia. As a bonus "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" is about nine hours long.
My insomnia happens when I wake up in the middle of the night and start to worry and think too much My mind engages and won't let me go back to sleep. If a David Sedaris book is playing in the back ground, then I'll listen to it. Crisis averted. Within minutes I'm back to sleep.
I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. But it's hard to communicate why. I like David Sedaris. It is amusing, but rarely laugh out loud. I'm not constantly wondering "what will happen next?" If I stop and set it down I'm in no rush to start it back up again.
Yet the book is entertaining. Perhaps it's his selfish world view. For being a successfull gay write during the Bush administration, Sedaris is oddly a-political. He writes about his life, his friends, his quirky observations and little more.
I know he'd hate to hear this, but his gentle voice plus the combintion of amusing but not engaging, plesent but not exciting writing, means that his audio books are great for managing insomnia. As a bonus "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" is about nine hours long.
My insomnia happens when I wake up in the middle of the night and start to worry and think too much My mind engages and won't let me go back to sleep. If a David Sedaris book is playing in the back ground, then I'll listen to it. Crisis averted. Within minutes I'm back to sleep.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
I enjoyed "Prince Caspian" more than "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" The first movie suffered from too much arbitrary magic-- magic and the kids are in trouble, magic and the kids are out of trouble, magic and the kids are in trouble again. Prince Caspian avoids this. The characters appear to have some control over their lives and are not always the victims of arbitrary magic.
Of course the special effects are great.
Maybe I'm just too grown up. Too aware of the themes and hidden subtext. That Aslan is Jesus. That bad things will happen if you walk away from Aslan. You plans will fail if Aslan is not around. That a happy ending will happen for no better reason than Aslan has arrived.
That's my gripe with an otherwise fine movie. Aslan shows up because he has to, and not because the kids deserve it.
Yes, the allegory is not lost on me. However, this is a Hollywood movie. It has not affected my views on Christianity and redemption. Is there anyone whose views would change because of this movie?
The movie has a few stylistic quirks. Many people have to die, yet this is ultimately a family film. A great many soldiers suddenly fall over when they are touched by a sword or knife. This is a bit funny after a while. To be honest, I am happy the film approaches death this way. I don't enjoy gore.
Of course the special effects are great.
Maybe I'm just too grown up. Too aware of the themes and hidden subtext. That Aslan is Jesus. That bad things will happen if you walk away from Aslan. You plans will fail if Aslan is not around. That a happy ending will happen for no better reason than Aslan has arrived.
That's my gripe with an otherwise fine movie. Aslan shows up because he has to, and not because the kids deserve it.
Yes, the allegory is not lost on me. However, this is a Hollywood movie. It has not affected my views on Christianity and redemption. Is there anyone whose views would change because of this movie?
The movie has a few stylistic quirks. Many people have to die, yet this is ultimately a family film. A great many soldiers suddenly fall over when they are touched by a sword or knife. This is a bit funny after a while. To be honest, I am happy the film approaches death this way. I don't enjoy gore.
Monday, January 12, 2009
ABBA
I saw Mama Mia last night. and now I'm listenting to ABBA Gold.
Abba. Well... well, what can I say about Abba that hasn't been said hundreds of times before. Just a few questions.
Did Abba invent elevator music? Their songs are pure pop happiness, but musically sound so thin.
And the movie? It's an excuse to play Abba songs. Without the music, it's a high school play with a budget.
Abba. Well... well, what can I say about Abba that hasn't been said hundreds of times before. Just a few questions.
Did Abba invent elevator music? Their songs are pure pop happiness, but musically sound so thin.
And the movie? It's an excuse to play Abba songs. Without the music, it's a high school play with a budget.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Wordy Shipmates
... by Sarah Vowell.
Sarah Vowell covers the puritan roots of the U.S.A. In doing so, she touches on themes that shape America today.
She argues that many American splits, are similar, if not rooted in, to the events that shaped puritan America.
She covers separation of church and state and shows how this was necessary for two reasons; to keep the state out of the church and to keep one church from ruling. The puritans prevented the Catholics or Anglicans from ruling America by demanding separation of Church and State.
She argues that the anti elitism we see today is a logical extension of the puritan church-- which struggled to become not-Catholic, not hierarchical. Where each local church ran itself independently and mistrusted outside experts.
Sarah Vowell covers the puritan roots of the U.S.A. In doing so, she touches on themes that shape America today.
She argues that many American splits, are similar, if not rooted in, to the events that shaped puritan America.
She covers separation of church and state and shows how this was necessary for two reasons; to keep the state out of the church and to keep one church from ruling. The puritans prevented the Catholics or Anglicans from ruling America by demanding separation of Church and State.
She argues that the anti elitism we see today is a logical extension of the puritan church-- which struggled to become not-Catholic, not hierarchical. Where each local church ran itself independently and mistrusted outside experts.
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