dan flies

In Search of…$1 Billion in Revenue – New York Times: “BOOKSTORE shelves are crowded with how-to books for business leaders striving toward excellence. David G. Thomson’s recently published book, ‘Blueprint to a Billion: Seven Essentials to Achieve Exponential Growth,’ takes a different approach. Mr. Thomson evaluates patterns shared by what he calls ‘blueprint companies’ — the 387 businesses that have gone public since 1980 and have reached $1 billion in revenue.

These star businesses represent just 5 percent of the companies that have gone public in that time frame, yet they accounted for more than half of their employment and two-thirds of their market value in 2005. Many of them are household names: Microsoft, Starbucks, Google, Nike, Genentech and Staples. Mr. Thomson notes that of the 4,000 publicly traded companies with $30 million to $1 billion in annual revenue, only 30 become billion-dollar businesses each year. ‘We must improve our hit rate,’ he said. ‘If we could make that 60, we’d be a different nation.'”

WSJ.com – Management à la Google: “Once again, Google’s on a tear. Last week its stock price rose 9%, buoyed by a 60% jump in first-quarter profits and a 79% gain in revenues. Yet Google is still down 7% off its all-time high. Presumably, many of the investors who drove its shares down by nearly 30% during the first quarter remain doubtful about its ability to keep on delivering eye-popping growth in revenue and earnings. A little skepticism is a healthy thing.”

I really enjoyed this, check it out. Now if only “Nino” would gives the brit a run for his literary money. That would be awesome!

Broken: The Code in the ‘Da Vinci Code’ Ruling – New York Times: “LONDON —� It took the lawyers-cum-cryptographers from the Olswang law firm here most of Wednesday and Thursday, and a good many hints from Justice Peter Smith, to crack the secret coded message the judge playfully concealed in his ruling in the recent “Da Vinci Code” copyright case.”

The Slate article gives pleanty of reasons why it beleives that the current Rupblican majority is going to feeling big losses this November. This is also acknowledged by the congressional leadership that has urged Bush to investigate the “gouging” of gas prices. I think the most intersting part of the whole discussion is the the Republican shift to classic voter “bribery” with pork barrel projects. I think the paragraph below gives just as much in site into the Republican outlook for November.

Why Republicans are screwed. By John Dickerson: “Congress has expanded federal spending by 45 percent since 2001 with expansive agriculture, education, energy, and highway bills. It has resisted Bush’s spending cuts in this election year and plan to lard as much as $20 billion onto Bush’s $92 billion request for Iraq funding. Included in that grab is funding for the ‘railroad to nowhere,’ the requisite transportation pork that, like the ‘bridge to nowhere,’ seems the perfect metaphor for the directionless GOP.”

Download a tour, then tour downtown | csmonitor.com: “Tourism is getting a digital redesign. Many young travelers are tired of the cheesy guided walks and the slow, sometimes pretentious audio tours that have become the staples of urban tourism.”

Apple Introduces Boot Camp: “Apple Introduces Boot Camp
Public Beta Software Enables Intel-based Macs to Run Windows XP

CUPERTINO, California—April 5, 2006—Apple� today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac�, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS� X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in “Leopard,” Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in August.”

I’ve finally took the plunge and purchased a vechile that will 1. not require me to have a “ditch” strategy in case the brakes fail, 2. allows me to actually buckle my seatbelt, and 3. gets more that 12 MPGs. LTD and I parted for a just $150, but given that it needs all new brake system, a carb rebuild, and a new seatbelt latch for the driver, I don’t think I could get much more for it.

I do miss being truely unique when I drive to work (’81 LTDs are rare) and the ability I drive to the movies with 7 friends.

Well I did it. It may not be the greatest car, but it should be nice to me.

Check it out: 1996 Nissan Maxima GXE.

Watch out Matt, the freezer door is open.

Too late.

After a few weeks of continuing my search for the “right” new car I am still driving the LTD. It’s not all bad, but I just don’t like worrying if I will stop at the next stop sign or not.

To add insult to injury when I was getting in my car after two weeks in Atlanta, I broke my turn signal lever. How in the world can somebody do that? Well if your coat gets caught on it and you continute to sit down, it’s either the coat or the lever.

The previously mention Volvo 940 Turbo has been sold. Fear not, there are plenty of vehicles waiting to take its place. Here are some I’m looking at:

1	1995 Nissan Maxima	135,900	$3,765
2	1996 Nissan Maxima GXE	156,000	$3,900
3	1996 Nissan Maxima	179,000	$3,900
4	1999 Pontiac Grand Prix SE	127,500	$4,195
5	1998 Nissan Maxima	192,000	$4,950
6	2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT	101,000	$4,950
7	1999 Pontiac Grand Prix SE	108,499	$4,550
8	1999 Ford Taurus SE	88,971	$4,495
9	1998 Pontiac Grand Prix SE	136,000	$4,200
10	1997 Pontiac Grand Prix	139,109	$4,400
11	1995 Nissan Maxima GXE	180,095	$3,995
12	1999 Chrysler 300M	95,000	$4,500
13	1999 Nissan Maxima GLE	109,000	$4,900
14	1987 Wagoneer Limited	155,580	$4,200
15	1979 Ford Pickup	143,805	$4,500
16	1974 Ford F100	40,000	$4,000

Some how I don’t think I’ll make it onto this list. I’ve only got three years left, so I better start thinking now.

Under 30, on the Cutting Edge

Check out some of the luckiest kids around.