Displaying measurement data can be dangerous. A recent experience in another area of life gave me some insight on how overwhelming uninterpreted data can be and how too much data can crush someone with an untrained eye.

Recently, I was asked to consider: “How am I adding to the body of knowledge related to my area of expertise?”

In Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Alice is perpetually confused by the topsy-turvy world she encounters. Rabbits wear waistcoats and carry pocket watches. Decks of cards come to life. A cat’s grin has no face. Nothing is at it seems and everything she knows to be true is questioned.

Despite all the media hype about iPad, Android, Kindle or the Net, more than likely you have a magazine in your hands. Despite all the media hype, print publishing is far from dead and the numbers bear that out.

The media abounded with stories and commentary regarding Toyota’s quality. For Toyota, a company built on a reputation of quality, this is a big setback.

February promises to be an inspiring month in the sports world. The 2010 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Vancouver, BC, will feature world-class athletes risking injury, and in some cases their lives, during competition.

Is bigger always better? It creates more revenue. It results in larger market share. It requires more people to be employed. On the surface, growing your company is a beneficial activity.

In measuring the dimensions of an object, your results can vary. Every metrologist knows the truth in this adage, as such outside forces as time of day, temperature and environment can influence accuracy.

As I write this column, the past week has included two bits of troubling news regarding employment. National unemployment statistics reached 9.7% for August-the highest in 26 years-according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the heels of the BLS report, Manpower Inc. released the results of its survey on hiring. Here it reports that Europe and Asia will see increased hiring rates vs. the United States, which will lag behind those regions until at least the first quarter of 2010.

Have you been spending more time on Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity or any of the other travel-related Web sites lately? While the lackluster economy of the past year has curtailed travel for many quality and manufacturing professionals, one can’t stay in their office forever if they are to improve their business.