Dependency...

So, I stumbled on Haley House (http://www.haleyhouse.org/) through a news article on USA Today about lasermonks.com (http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2008-05-31-lasermonks_N.htm?csp=34). And, watched the video trailer about Haley House. about 4 minutes into it... a woman that does farming for homless people (Noon Day Farm) connected with Haley House said.... "dependency is profitable". That statement really struck me, as containing a powerful truth within it. Just look at credit cards, mortgages, materialism, consumerism, and the definitions of "needs" (obviously the definitions of "needs" varies between economies, cultures, individuals) and you will that dependency is profitable. I need clean water, electricity, natural gas, indoor plumbing, cell phone, I need broadband Internet, I need my home/house. Now granted even as I mention these, I guess I don't need them--but they sure are nice. There is a dependency ratio that is used in macro economics for things like social security, maybe we need an individual dependency ratio for items or categories of items.

Oh well, thought the quote, "dependency is profitable" was very intriguing and contains truth. Although, I don't believe you can legislate or force away dependency....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependency_theory
You can only educate, share, enlighten, and support Independence. Thus the value of Free Markets over Dependency Theory.

Here is the full quote from the video...
"It is a complete challenge to the entire system of this country to be self-sufficient. This country only cultivates dependency, because dependency is profitable."

After re-reading the full quote, it is almost insulting. This country DOES NOT only cultivate dependency. But, this country has cultivated dependency--and for that it is wrong! Here is a ethical/moral question for you... "Is it ever moral to cultivate dependence?" "Can you not be evil by cultivating dependence?"

I immediately think of my children... they are solely dependent upon my wife and I (and our family, community to a lesser degree). While I would never say I wish to cultivate dependence in them, I work to cultivate independence...but I also work to cultivate obedience, discipline, love, caring. Final thought, be very careful with the idea of "cultivating dependency". I believe it is a huge insult and ethically wrong to "cultivate dependence".

This leads me to another question of words, I had someone tell me once that in establishing business it was all about "leverage". Is "leverage" dependence? Wo... this is getting into free will and self-interest compared to selfless and altruism. Great topic to discuss over a glass of wine.

Got to love words!

Reading, Software, Selling and Life

Finished "Why does software costs so much" a week ago or so... very good... very informative! Creating teams, collaboration, communication is the most important thing on software projects--not metrics to control developers. Finished Predictably Irrational about the same time. Behavorial Economists is a fascinating role... check out his blog post Medicine: A Lesson In Efficient Markets good stuff about HealthCare and Markets. Still Reading Undercover Economist.

Picked up Spin Selling yesterday, looks to be very intriguing. The story on the end of page 8 and top of page 9... really frustrated me... give me a hint as to the right answer or the solution--not just the problem of how he wasn't succeeding at selling. But the Risk of Mistakes section is great... I love his example of how easy it was to get a $40K sale when there was no risk of others perception on the outcome, and how difficult it was to get a $1500 sale from the same person when there was a risk of perception on the outcome. It confirms for me that sales is all about showing someone how you can help to make them successful, and bring about a successful outcome--in my opinion that is the center of the relationship aspect of selling. Integrity, Trust, the best interest of others. I believe those are the most important aspects of sales and business. I guess that is "Love your neighbor as your self". Which is 50% of the most important aspect of life, in addition to "love God".

Luke 10:27

I also picked up Code Complete, to read with a good business, .net friend (the only person that probably reads this blog--and he really doesn't have too--it is more self-journalling experience--Steve Horn).

We'll see how Code Complete turns out, it seems practicle and focused on Construction--which sounds good.

Price of Oil

So.... ABC News did a story last night... where they said Bush asked Saudi Arabia to increase oil production to lessen the burden on American pocket books ($125+ per barrel of crude oil).... It was $27/barrel back in 2000 when Bush was running for President. What got me was they said two things... one a quote from Saudi Oil Minister.... Mr. Naimi said. “We supplied, to the tune of an additional 300,000 barrels per day, from 1.4 to 1.7 million barrels per day, for our customers in the U.S. So how much more can we do?”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/17/world/middleeast/17prexy.html

Then they showed an Oil Anlaysts that said it was just a drop in the bucket. I was like, "huh?" that's like 20% increase in production. Turns out... after digging... that that 1.4 is how much oil the US was purchasing from Saudi Arabia and we will now be purchasing 1.7MM... and they produce 9.4M a day. I don't know why the ABC News areticle and the NY Times article above couldn't publish that.... they really didn't look very intelligent saying a 20% increase in production of oil sold to the U.S by Saudia Arabia is not significant, sounds significant to me--until I factor in the goal is to get them to produce enough to lower prices (people say a 1MM increase in production should lower prices about $0.60)... what a fascinating look into supply/demand and the pain people feel, or the gains others feel.

"Bush's national security adviser, said Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi reiterated his pledge to give customers all the oil they want."

One piece I didn't research was the inventory levels. Saudi inventory would be interesting to know... from a quick dirty Google search--I'd guess they don't hold inventory... why bother. Just sell what you produce, and produce what you sell. What about Iraq coming online to produce oil, where is that at? How 'bout these speculators at Goldman Sachs...

http://www.forbes.com/markets/2008/05/16/oil-energy-solar-markets-equity-cx_cg_0516markets39.html

Iraq oil production, could reach 3MM bpd this year...

http://www.iraqoilreport.com/2008/05/08/iraq-industry-minister-iraqi-oil-production-including-from-iraqi-kurdistan-will-3m-bpd-this-year/

Ok.... all that said... this makes my heart break for the world turmoil over oil.

How 'bout this for an answer....

www.teslamotors.com (ok it is expensive!) how bout these links...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/under_3000_the.php
http://www.evalbum.com/1091

We are getting close!

Multi Touch is amazing... and other musings about Hardware interfaces

I just ran into these examples of Multi Touch large screens being used in the real world... posted on macrumors... being used in CNNs "Situation Room" (or whatever it is called--smile). Amazing! I love the things you can do with that interface.... If you haven't seen the original TED demonstration go here first...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcKqyn-gUbY

CNN examples...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqJm7PK2vhQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb5g19Nn4Cc

MacRumors post that turned me on to the CNN videos...
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/08/jeff-hans-multitouch-screen-hits-mainstream/

Speaking of hardware user interfaces... I am thinking I want a tablet PC for doing screen sketches (wire frames) and software initial design... was first turned on to the idea, when a friend mentioned his 9x12 wacom, then thought maybe I should get a Tablet PC... HP Compaq TC1100... seems like a good used choice... but they are high demand on ebay... price point probably $450... and the need to upgrade the RAM.... and that's for a 3 year old model...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TC1100

Now... maybe an Apple Tablet instead... that would be great.... would trade my PowerBook in for that, in a heartbeat.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/4243000.html?page=1

To bad they don't exist.

HealthCare IT... Google and Microsoft

Microsoft health Common User Interface
http://www.mscui.net/
Incredible Silverlight Health Interface Prototypes
http://www.mscui.net/PatientJourneyDemonstrator/
Who MS is working with UK NHS... http://www.microsoft.com/uk/nhs/

Google's Initiative... which is behind MS's technology focus... there are some talking about the complementary nature of both MS and Google systems and plans.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/google-health-first-look.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTZKNcx9sBA