jeremytliles

And the replacement of our manufacturing base by Japan and then China is not an issue?

Unemployed consumers don't consume.

I think I missed the part where he had the leverage to make that kind of demand. Perhaps even the brand-name consulting firms have figured out that ridiculous severance packages don't make a whole lot of sense.

I forget his name at the moment, but the author of "The Management Myth" retired early from management consulting to write a book on philosophy.

Although I agree with most of the premises of the article, I was dumbfounded by the assertion that marketing is a creative role that doesn't require mathematical skills. Marketing is quite analytical in nature, and is not about dreaming up ad campaigns (that is advertising). So Google's sins in this case were: 1) an inexperienced interviewer; 2) a rude interviewer. Despite these flaws, Google accomplished its goal, which was to rule out a candidate with poor analytical skills.

Bowker is the official issuer in the US. Different countries have different issuers. The cost-per-ISBN goes down as you buy larger blocks.

In business school we were taught to incorporate uncertainty into projections and models, at the very least by including multiple scenarios. I'm surprised this isn't done in the real world as it doesn't require that much additional effort once you've set up a baseline and identified your assumptions.

I think the comparison with housing is interesting, especially given the social status implications. RE: tuition vs. CPI, I think it has been pretty well documented that tuition increases have far exceeded CPI, at least over the last 20-30 years.

It would be interesting to also examine what educational institutions will have to do should they come under pricing pressure. If tuition has to go down, how can they increase revenues from other streams or cut costs?

And as Howard Lindzon alludes to in the comments, is there a social cost? Is there an important element of kids achieving quasi-independence in the shelter of a university setting apart from the educational material itself, and if so how can this be replaced?

If you're interested in doing this:

1. Google "POSE Running". The site has lots of information and drills for changing your form to accommodate a mid-foot strike.

2. Consider transitioning by using racing flats instead of immediately going to barefoot/Vibrams. Or get both and run in the flats but do all your walking around in the Vibrams. This will allow you to gradually strengthen your feet, ankles, and calves.

3. Start on grass with short distances, focusing on form.

I can save him the trouble of writing the book with one (compound) word: Crossfit.

They mix up the movements and there is a rest day every fourth day. If I do deadlifts one day, box jumps and pullups the next, and running/situps/back extensions on day 3, my body can handle it just fine. It beats running or biking every day, and I know plenty of people who do that, putting the same stresses on the same muscles day in and day out.

You have to listen to your body of course. When I first started, sometimes I would take extra days off when I knew I needed recovery time. As with any activity, you have to be smart about what you're doing.

I guess if you're completely unfamiliar with running, lifting, and movements like pullups and pushups, then you should probably start by going to an affiliate where a trainer can start you out on proper progressions, as opposed to learning the movements yourself. But I don't think going from couch-potato to Crossfit is any worse/harder than going from couch-potato to the sorts of low-effectiveness workouts I see out-of-shape people doing at the gym all the time. The key is knowing or getting to know your own body.

Yep, expense is one reason I haven't joined an affiliate. Luckily, I'm able to get through most stuff at my Bally's if I go when it isn't crowded, but I've thought about finding an affiliate.

The reason I thought this might be interesting for hackers is because it is high-intensity but fairly low time-commitment, it is effective (results/time), and it isn't boring (lots of different movements to learn).

Also, desk-bound people like programmers tend to suffer from weak posterior-chain muscles, which are emphasized in Crossfit.

I liked that as well. Although I am no expert on exercise science, I believe the science behind Crossfit is relatively solid. I've been doing it for about 2 months and it really is the most effective all-around workout I've done. The focus is on functional movements and a mix of strength and metabolic conditioning. And you really only need 30-45 minutes to do a warmup and workout.

That said, there is a somewhat off-putting Crossfitter ethos of overdoing it and injuring yourself, and some of the folks give off a cultish vibe. But if you're smart about learning the movements and knowing your body, I really think it's worth trying. I was skeptical and now I'm hooked.

I'm not sure what you've written here is entirely in opposition to the Crossfit philosophy, although they don't emphasize bench. I agree that beginners should be cautious about learning the movements properly and scaling.

Crossfit hits all the major groups, but not every day. You might hit squats one day, then the next be doing running and pullups--one group recovers while you work others.

I'm not claiming that Crossfit is perfect for everyone. If you're training for specific sports or for general bulk or for a model's physique with a lot of non-functional muscle, then maybe Crossfit isn't ideal for you. I just haven't seen any better all-around program for a sound athletic base.