Most of you know I live in Metropolitan DC. So, whatever happens in/to/from the Federal government is LOCAL. Like the shutdown- that cost the DC area more than $ 220 million each and every day in business. Since there are some 5 million folks living in the Metropolitan area, that’s $ 50 not spent by every man, woman, and child. OK, that doesn’t sound too bad. But, there are about 225,000 businesses in the area. Which means the average business took a hit $ 1000 a day. That is a significant number if you are a small business- even if you are a large one.
Monthly Archives: October 2013
Wage Follies
The US minimum wage is $ 7.25. There have been recent efforts to raise this to something more viable, but many (of a certain political ilk) aver that this would devastate business. But, let’s consider a few real facts. Continue reading Wage Follies
Make it hard!
I admit it. I love cheese. And, that’s a real problem. Because I can buy a pound of cheese for $4, which is about 1/3 cheaper than buying two 8 oz slabs and 50% cheaper than buying precut cheese (not the slices, which is even still dearer.)
How much is that?
College tuition. OK. Breathe… Yes, it’s high- very high. It amazes me that the highest tuition in the land is to be found at a STATE university. When I was going to college – back before we were a free nation- you could bank on two things. State schools were cheap. State schools were easier to get into.
Did that model apply?
A few days ago, I described a meeting I attended- on social responsibility. (I wrote about it here.) It made me consider how the firms I have started and been involved with would qualify by those metrics.
Those that can, do?
Social Responsibility
Mazon held a informational gathering on Social Responsibility a few weeks ago at Adat Shalom in Bethesda (they called it Potomac), Maryland.
Children’s Asthma- Redux
Remember when I wrote about how Children’s Hospital in Boston was dealing with the asthma problem? (What? You don’t? Shame on you. Here is the link ☺ ) As I said then, that’s the sort of practice that needs to be everywhere to manage our overall healthcare costs. And, now, Children’s National Medical Center (DC) is employing a similar practice. Which is a very good thing- since DC has among the highest rates of pediatric asthma in the US. And, one where the area emergency rooms (ER) are the modality of choice far too frequently (in my humble – or not– opinion).
Water, Water, NOWHERE!
You know how I hate folks who tell me what they think is important and then do the opposite. (You know- Congress saying the issue is Jobs, Jobs, Jobs- and then vote on Obamacare more than 40 times; clients saying their bottom line is important- but don’t have any key performance indicators that can let them know if they are even making a profit…) Or, the World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland, 2013) declaring that water risk is one of the four most important issues affecting businesses for this century.
MOOC mucking…
So, it’s time to see if this experiment is working. Which experiment? MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). I explained how these work (or at least the Harvard/MIT/UC Berkeley version, called edX) and explained that MIT also has had open courseware for more than a decade.