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I have always found the following idea among the most interesting in business: numbers = true insight. Strong statement right?! Depending on where you stand, Positivist or Post, you might say that the above statement is true. Now, dont get me wrong, I enjoy numbers (a lot actually), but I feel that businesses nowadays are hanging thei hat on a percentage. Some examples of things I've heard - "Our brand tracking is showing that our awareness has declines 2%... are our TV not working?"  "The advertising strategy is not really moving product (sales)... I really haven't seen a percentage increase..." And I could honestly keep giving examples, but the above two are some I can recall pretty fast. Now, let me say that there is nothing wrong with the above statements, what bothers me is that with numbers we tend to look for one answer and one answer only. The thinking behind this is that there has to be some variable that is affecting the phenomena.But, if the...

While at the UT gym yesterday afternoon, and while thinking that that gym is always packed, a girl caugh my attention. No no, please no dirty thoughts, I am happily married. As I was saying, this girl was wearing a t-shirt that said "all the people who I love are vegetarian." Immediately after that, I had to see how she looked. Needless to say, and in your mind, please picture what an Austin vegetarian looks like... ok, now that you have, well let me tell you that if you pictured the following: 5'5", about 100lbs, White, very petite (not really toned), short hair (some Austin-like blue highlights), yellow teeth (from tea and coffee most likely) well then you did a great job! Anyhow, while moving to the next machine the thought of the statement on her shirt made me ponder on the following question: how on purpose did she wear that shirt? After all, and at the gym, its impossible not to stare at people while you are seating down at a certain machine. While thinking ...