Neat Idea

Make to order doughnuts. Brilliant.

The underlying doughnut is stock and comes out of this automated gizmo.

The doughnut is than hand dipped to order (like an ice cream cone).

In fact, you can get one with ice cream.

And they have a ton of flavors.

Most Stressful Jobs In America

The most 10 most stressful jobs in America, according to CNBC.com are:

1. Firefighter
2. Corporate Executive
3. Taxi Driver
4. Surgeon
5. Police Officer
6. Commercial Pilot
7. Highway Patrol Officer
8. Public Relations Officer
9. Advertising Executive
10. Real Estate Agent

What's interesting is what doesn't make the list:

+ American Serviceman
+ Astronaut
+ Coal Miner

Whale Facts

Things that quite possibly only interest me....

The Check's In The Mail
As Americans turned more and more from paper to electronic communications, the number of items handled by the post office fell from 213 billion in 2006 to 177 billion last year. Volume is expected to shrink to 150 billion by 2020.1

But Social Security Will Be There
29% of those who have already retired have saved nothing at all to support themselves, while only a third have saved at least $50,000. To put this in context: A retirement account of $50,000 will provide a 65-year-old man with an annuity of just $4,000 a year.

33% of current workers have saved $50,000 or more, and nearly a third haven't saved a dime. Forty percent of workers aren't saving at the moment.2

And You Can Take A Cruise
CRUISE SHIP Yields—the amount they make on each passenger—are down about 15% this year amid a broad drop in consumer spending.3

Notes:
1. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703312504575141932505872768.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond
2. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704349304575115780466873958.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance
3. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703735004574574173333119560.html

Inevitability

“The arithmetic is, unfortunately, quite clear,” Mr. Bernanke said. “To avoid large and unsustainable budget deficits, the nation will ultimately have to choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, less spending on everything else from education to defense, or some combination of the above. These choices are difficult, and it always seems easier to put them off — until the day they cannot be put off any more.”1

Mr. Bernanke is the Head of the US Federal Reserve, the guys who print the money and regulate the banks.2

Notes:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/business/economy/08fed.html?hpw
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve

We Are Experiencing Heavier Than Normal Volumes

The crack staff at Grassroots is still on the job. However, comma, things are hectic. Lots of good stuff still to come! Be back next week.

Really?

Slower spending by households could limit the vigor of the economic recovery and put a greater burden on businesses and government spending to drive a rebound.Lower consumer borrowing carries both benefits and risks for the economy.1

Note to self: When the economy is 70% driven by consumer spending their is no burden on business to the government to drive the economy. They can't drive the economy.

Note:
1. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303720604575169764274908690.html

Keep It Simple Stupid

People can tend to over-complicate things. The new shiny thing has got to be better than what they already have.

With Triathletes they like to buy really expensive bikes to make them go faster.

In reality, knowing how to use the bike that you already have puts you farther ahead.

And you don't look so silly.

Innovation Requires Detail

To truly be the best at something a company must understand the details better than anyone else.....in the world.

For example Proctor and Gamble know that the men on average take 150 strokes per shave. That they need to pull through 10,000 to 15,000 beard hairs and that those hairs are 50% more coarse than a woman's hair.1

When you understand things at such a finite level you understand cause and effect and can therefore manipulate the variables to create the desired outcome. When you don't understand you are just guessing.

Notes:
1. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704337004575059760286648800.html
2. Image credit: http://www.davidkrutpublishing.com/3914/wc-monotypes