Tony Novak CPA

Month: January 2012

  • New report of small business optimism

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    This is the brightest small business survey result that I’ve seen published so far in this recovery. SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard’s optimism survey shows some very positive signs for 2012. Along with optimism being up to 63 percent, the highest it has been since June, the survey also shows 50 percent of small business owners…

  • Less than half of us believe in the American dream

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in ,

    Americans increasingly see tension between rich and poor. A sharp change in American attitudes is summarized in this report: A new Pew Research Center survey of 2,048 adults finds that about two-thirds of the public (66%) believes there are “very strong” or “strong” conflicts between the rich and the poor—an increase of 19 percentage points since 2009.…

  • Review of “The Biology of Belief”

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    Is there scientific evidence for a spiritual afterlife? If so, it’s easy to conclude that it will not found in the way that many of us expect. If not, how do we explain the growing body of scientific findings that conclude that DNA and known environmental factors do not encode all of life’s development? Dr.…

  • Praise for Kaiser Family Foundation & HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    We applaud HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for a groundbreaking speech delivered yesterday at Kaiser Family Foundation. We hope that it marks an expansion of boundaries, literally and conceptually, for the federal government’s health reform movement. It no longer makes sense to view the American health care system independently of worldwide health care. We live in…

  • Motivation vs. Follow-through

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    This is a useful distinction; reminds me of the lessons learned in Dr. William Glasser’s famous book “Positive Addiction”. We might think of motivation as inspired thinking. Follow-through is most effective as a mindless compulsion. The neurological differences in these behaviors are fascinating. “Motivation is in the mind; follow-through is in the practice. Motivation is…

  • My biggest regrets of 2011

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    1. Missing the Delaware Estuary Summit in Cape May this past January. I’ll be sure to make the next one in 2013. 2. Underestimating consumer reaction in response to passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The change in consumer market behavior caused a net drop in my net income through Freedom Benefits of about 40%. 3. Relying on…

  • January 2; a decade-by-decade backward glimpse

    —

    by

    tonynova
    in

    The start of a new year presents the opportunity to look at where I stand today in comparison to where I’ve been in the past. This little mental exercise helped me today. January 2, 1962 Learning to explore our twin house on Mill Road of Elkins Park, PA as a 2 1/2 -year-old toddler. Younger brother…