What is Possible?

LifeStraw® Personal 'One of the Ten Things that will Change the Way We Live´ by Forbes

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:11:00 +0000

LifeStraw® Personal is a portable water purifier for prevention of common diarrhea disease – can be carried around for easy access to safe and clean drinking water.

More than one billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water.
The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6 km.
Half of the world's poor suffer from waterborne disease, and nearly 6,000 people - mainly children - die each day by consuming unsafe drinking water.

Please Donate a Life Straw. It is very simple and maybe the most direct great gift.

https://www.imaworldhealth.org/Donation/SecureDefault.aspx

Pasted from <http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw.htm>

25% of the World's Construction Cranes are in Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:26:00 +0000

Such are the contrasts of a megalopolis where a reported 5,000 buildings at this very minute are under construction, where they claim that 25 percent (some are now saying 30 percent) of the world's building cranes run 24/7, and the current work force of 848,000 (total population 1.4 million) is projected to more than double by 2015.

A cab driver is telling a tourist "America thinks 50 years ahead. In Dubai with think 100 years ahead." Now this is a works project!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT2QOyd4dKw

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=Dubai%20Construction&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iv#hl=en&q=Dubai%20Construction&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iv&st=month&start=20

The Route of What is Possible

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Every scientific truth goes through three states: first, people say it conflicts with the Bible; next, they say it has been discovered before lastly, they say they always believed it.”

Louis Agassiz quotes (Swiss born American Geologist, Teacher and Naturalist, 1807-1873)

Pasted from <http://en.thinkexist.com/book/mychapter.asp?idchapter=581646&page=3>

UPS MAY BE GREEN NOT BROWN

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:16:00 +0000

"UPS -95,000 big square brown trucks delivering packages every day. And this realization — that when you operate a gigantic fleet of vehicles, tiny improvements in the efficiency of each one will translate to huge savings overall — is what led U.P.S. to limit further the number of left-hand turns its drivers make."
"UPS employs what it calls a “package flow” software program which maps out routes for every one of its drivers, drastically reducing the number of left-hand turns they make

Last year, according to Heather Robinson, a U.P.S. spokeswoman, the software helped the company shave 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes, which has resulted in savings of roughly three million gallons of gas and has reduced CO2 emissions by 31,000 metric tons. So what can Brown do for you? We can’t speak to how good or bad they are in the parcel-delivery world, but they won’t be clogging up the left-hand lane while they do their business. "

Pasted from <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/magazine/09left-handturn.html?ref=magazine>

New York Times 2007 Year of Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:20:00 +0000

Braille Tattoos
Airborne Wind Generators
Digital search parties

The Edible Martini

Annually The New York Times Magazine publishes The Year in Ideas. The December 8 Magazine contains 70 ideas ranging from brilliant to quirky. Clearly it demonstrates "What is Possible"

http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2007/12/08/magazine/index.html

Ways to SAVE AND GENERATE ENERGY from The New York Times Magazine's Year in Ideas.

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=3a9e514db4759318dac57e8e5fd5462862c424ed

Will we need Two Licenses?

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:13:00 +0000

The Flying Car - deliveries 2009

Terrafugia has solved the last sticky issue - automatic folding wings. I am worried about the cars blind spots!

http://www.terrafugia.com/ They even have a flight simulator on the website.

Thanks to http://www.gizmodo.com/ for the introduction. "Gizmodo, the gadget guide. So much in love with shiny new toys, it's unnatural."

From Samuel Goldwin

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 22:02:00 +0000

“It's absolutely impossible, but it has possibilities”
(Polish born American movie Producer and Founder of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1924. 1882-1974)

www.thinkexist.com

Is it Possible to Redesign the Wrench - Simply

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 19:09:00 +0000

Data and images provided by IDSA
Business & Industrial Products
Revolutionized Wrench
Design Credit:
Proprietary Technologies

"The Revolutionized Wrench provides exceptional
user ergonomics, comfort, control and torque through an innovative design that offers a 500 percent larger surface area over traditional wrenches. The wrench heads and outer handles are positioned perpendicular to each other to provide maximum grip area when applying force. However, there is no planar rotation in the wrench handle to interfere with grip or comfort. In addition, the outer handles have a thin profile to ensure the accessibility of each wrench head to a work piece. Professional users will particularly benefit from this new ergonomic design by experiencing less repetitive stress and fatigue problems. In addition to seven patents, the Revolutionized Wrench has received numerous industry awards and much media attention, including a commendation from the National Arthritis Foundation.

Please find more similar at
<http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0720_IDEA/source/6.htm>

Competing in Computers - Again

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:06:00 +0000

Go to an Apple store. You'll know it by following the teenagers. Think of all the computer store failures. Dell and Gateway invested millions and withdrew.

These stores or should we say, destinations, are a hub of activity and sales. Visit one and you'll see Apples original school approach alive and well. You'll see staff, who are actually excited about working there. You'll see plenty of people buying.

These are electric places and demonstrate "What is Possible"

Thank You Viewimages.com

Curiosity and Creativity

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 14:47:00 +0000

http://www.mypersonalbrilliance.com/curiosity/

This an interesting website, with a interesting guests

The path to Personal Brilliance is:

Awareness, Curiosity, Focus and Initiative

There are many pod casts and the recent guest "The Name Tag Guy" spoke on Curiosity. He suggests every day
"Ask Yourself 100 Questions"
"Ask Yourself one question over and over and over"
"Asking People Unexpected Questions"

"Self Help is oversold" Sometimes, but not always

Build in US - Ask Dell?

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:50:00 +0000

It is Possible to Build Consumer Electronics in the US!

"Pleased, but Never Satisfied"

Dell is every bit as hard on itself as it is on the folks who make its disk drives and batteries. For proof, just look inside Dell's newest U.S. factory, the Morton L. Topfer Manufacturing Center (dubbed TMC) in north Austin. Along with its sister factory in Nashville, it's the only major computer-assembly plant still located in the United States. IBM, HP, Gateway, and Apple have all offshored their operations to manufacturers overseas. Taiwanese PC makers might be cheaper, but Dell is determined to control its manufacturing...

Dell has brought a maniacal focus to shaving minutes off the time it takes to assemble and ship a computer. By studying videotapes of "the build," as they call it, factory managers have slashed in half the number of times a computer is touched by workers. They've counted the screws in a PC and redesigned it so that the major components -- hard drive, graphics card, CD player -- simply snap in place.

In a blur of synchronized movements, a veteran builder can piece together a Dell OptiPlex or Dimension PC in three minutes. The software burn and testing, which is powered by Dell servers with enough bandwidth to download the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in eight seconds, takes several hours, depending on the amount of customization that's required. The entire process, from the time the order is taken to when the finished PC exits the factory, is wrapped up in four to eight hours.

While the TMC takes up less than half the space of its predecessor, it boasts three times the output. And even that's not good enough. Dell is always on a mission to outdo itself, and the factory is expected to increase its production by some 30% by year's end.

Full article can be found at: Fast Company Issue 88 November 2004 Page 86 By: Bill Breen

Manufacturing in US not Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:30:00 +0000

Contrary to common misconception, the U.S. remains the world's top manufacturer. A World Bank report put total manufacturing output at $1.7 trillion in 2001, the most recent reported period. That's almost as much as Japan and Germany combined, both a distant second at $900 billion each.
.
The U.S. had been steadily losing factory employment since its last peak of 17.64 million in March 1998. Since then, the factory sector has shed 3.1 million jobs, or 17.6 percent of its work force.
Yet the job decline in manufacturing is universal due to technology driven productivity gains, noted JP Morgan Chase economist James Glassman. China and Mexico also are losing manufacturing jobs due to automation, he said.
"The story is one of automation -- not de-industrialization," agreed Sheldon.
A turnaround?

Stay Up Late!

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:04:00 +0000

Sleeping in for Art's Sake

Complain about those night old neighbors, and you may be just suppressing creative genius. That's the implication, the new Italian study showing that evening oriented people form better on tests of creating. Then morning difference could be linked to the way the brain synchronizes the body time by nocturnal types advantage is unclear. But researchers suggest that living outside the clocks conventions Spurs originality.

Seed March 2007 http://www.seedmagazine.com/
Science is Culture

They will determine What is Possible?

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:53:00 +0000

Millennials - Start Appreciating 82 Million of Them

Who are 'Millennials'?
"Millennials" is one term sociologists use to designate those youths raised in the sensory-inundated environment of digital technology and mass media at the millennium. Unlike Gen X, which referred generally to people born in the 1960s and 1970s, this generation has yet to carry a name popularized by mainstream culture. Also known as "Echo Boomers," as the children of Baby Boomers, millennials were born from the 1980s on.

Millennials on Millennials: www.fururemajority.com

Future Majority: "Political beat reporting on the progressive youth movement."

Boomers About Millennials: Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation Howe and Strauss

Honestly Frank

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:31:00 +0000

How often have you asked someone a meaningful question and you can see in their eyes they are rushing to come up with an answer. They are not thinking about the question?

One of the most embarrassing moments in my career was at a Fortune 100 Business Plan meeting when I said to the Chairman "Honestly Frank" I was standing in front of 20 corporate executives and he lambasted me for 20 minutes

You are not listening to my question! You interrupt me before I finish! You aren't paying enough attention to even know if it was rhetoric! The best ... "Honestly Frank! Am I to assume when you don't say honestly your lying?"

From then on I practiced writing down the question, to stop me from talking, and to think about the question before responding

Change is Possible!

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:09:00 +0000

MAGIC PILLS

Change Management

While there are no Magic Pills, there are techniques you can learn. This is the best source of easy reminders

"The friendly text and colorful, contemporary illustrations in this book, part of Chronicle’s Positive Business series, render even big changes more approachable" Reed Busienss Information

www.lamarsh.com

World trends

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:56:00 +0000

100 Million Chinese Families will reach European income levels by 2020
12% of US newlyweds last year met online
Increase in the tax burden needed to maintain current benefit level for future generations? Germany 90%, Japan 175%
What if every newborn in America received $6,000 as seed money for college, a first house or a business? What would be the ramifications? Would the cost be significant?

There is a reason Harvard Business Review and McKinsey are thought leaders. These are from their Trends 2006/7 Articles. Step back from day to day and play with one of these 30 ideas. Both or either are worth subscribing to.

http://www.harvardbusinessonline.org/
http://www.mckinsey.com/

What is Possible - Possibleness

A Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:32:00 +0000

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.
African Proverb

www.thinkexist.com

Cracking Creativity

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 02:46:00 +0000

Creativity is not black magic, it is a basic developed skill.

Would you like the cheat sheet?

Cracking Creativity

by Micheal Michalko

http://eastbook.com/cracreate.html

What is possible - possibleness

The Pot What is possible

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 18:38:00 +0000

What is Possible (The Pot)
The Washing Machine

Our Client, a smaller Chocolatier, had a great success. The owners' creativity produced a new product that sold at 100 times anything they had made before. A wonderful problem - How to multiply volume dramatically, quickly and with no loss of their distinct quality.

What was possible and their creativity had been demonstrated, but in production the problems seemed stone age. We lost 3 of 45 days of production because the chocolate molds were not cleaned and dried for the next day.

One person said "Why not clean them in bunches instead of all at once?" A good idea.
The next person said "Why not buy a few extra and rotate them?" Another good idea.
Melvin said "I have been asking for a washing machine for a year!"

Can we afford this?
Dishwasher - $4,635 plus installation

vs. the sum of these costs

2 people washing molds at $9 per hour x 2 for 48 hours per week each $864 per week
PLUS profit on 10% added capacity $910 per day or $4,665 per week
PLUS an occasional Profit on one day's lost production $6,000 per day

We bought the washing machine and put a brass plaque on it dubbing it "Melvin"

http://chocolatepotpourri.com

Do Something Different - Change your Environment

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 18:22:00 +0000

Meeting a client for lunch today, at a great Chicago spot called Kiki's Bistro, I was one hour early. Although I have had dinner there 20 times, I never had lunch. The ambiance was different and wonderful. The new experience helped my brain unscramble and it was easy to do an hour of thought work. The Country French lunch was the same price as a commercial Pizza in this city. http://kikisbistro.com

what is possible -possibleness

Learning from Others

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 18:17:00 +0000

"I learned from the talents of John Belushi and Bill Murray, it was best to find the smartest people in the room and hang around them"
Harold Ramis writer, actor, director, producer of NPR in November
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000601/

What is possible

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 20:02:00 +0000

Potential (What is the pot?)

Working for a FORTUNE 25 company, we used the formal Cost of Quality calculations to determine how much we were spending on poor quality http://www.asq.org/learn-about-quality/cost-of-quality/overview/overview.html.

It was great. Using the basic categories we were able to determine how much we were spending on a routine problem. We knew the "pot"ential savings? We therefore knew how much we could spend to fix it. How basic and elegant! It led to action and positive results.

Within a few years it was just a measure in an operating review. It had become another measure to be beat up with. It was never again associated with "What is Possible." Puff slipped into his cave.

This is an example of how people get in or out of their possibleness mode.

Panic Muda (muda = waste)

noreply@blogger.com (Jacquard Associates) — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 20:20:00 +0000

Attended a wonderful webinar on the future of manufacturing. One of the discussion leaders described worrying about all manufacturing going to China and all services going to India as "Panic Muda (waste). "It cannot happen! The political and currency ramifications will not be allowed to happen! James Womack author of The Machine that Changed the World

The webinar then went on to outline the positive possibilities

Visit the particpants and sponsors
Industry Week www.industryweek.com
The MPI Group www.mpi-group.net/default.asp
James Womack www.lean.org
Grant Thornton www.grantthornton.com/cip