Thoughts from the Road

The iPhone is an engineering marvel. Really, it is orders of magnitude more powerful and complex than the Apollo Guidance Computer. And yet it’s simple enough for even a toddler to use intuitively. The magic is in its simplicity.

I just spent a few days in Vegas. To my wife’s relief, I didn’t get into trouble—no tigers in the suite or Mike Tyson punching out me or anyone else. Instead, I spent my days meeting and listening to healthcare innovators in the MGM Grand Convention Center. The presentations were great, but I found that while listening to discussions about the future, I started thinking about high-efficiency boilers, AC compressors, new roofs, and asphalt.

We’re in an odd industry. With the notable exception of higher education (which really needs a shakeout), what other industry thinks that an annual inflation rate of 6.5% is low? After all, it’s only 3.5 times CPI growth(!).