Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

Opinion & Prospective

Hear Dan’s viewpoints about how things work and the intended and unintended consequences, delivered with humor to keep you entertained and engaged.

They are delivered with humor, breaking down the barriers of reality, truths versus illusions, and manufactured narratives.

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W. Edwards Deming: The Architect of Modern Quality Management

W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993) was a statistician, engineer, and management visionary whose ideas transformed global industry. Best known for his work in post-war Japan, Deming introduced principles that shifted quality from an inspection-based activity to a management-driven, systemic process.

Joseph Juran and the Pareto Principle: How 80/20 Thinking Transformed Quality Management

Joseph Juran, a pioneer in quality management, introduced the transformative power of the Pareto Principle—the idea that a small number of causes often account for the majority of effects.

From “Ta Biblia” to “Holy Bible”: The Evolution of a Sacred Name

The phrase “Holy Bible” is so familiar today that it feels timeless. Yet, the name we use for Christianity’s foundational text has a long and fascinating history, shaped by language, culture, and theology. Here’s how the term evolved from ancient Greek scrolls to the English title we know today.

The Dr. Zhivago Effect In California

Many of us are old enough to remember the classic novel Dr. Zhivago, completed in 1956 by Boris Pasternak, a Nobel prize-winning masterpiece…The 1966 film adaptation of the story went on to win six Academy Awards. It is a romantic drama set in historic Russia between the years before World War I and the Russian Civil War of 1917-1922…

The Role of Labor Unions and Factory Committees in the 1917 Russian Revolution

History has a propensity to repeat itself, while each generation of participants possesses no knowledge of the past. This is by design, and the system of government bodies that benefits from keeping its population ignorant. That was prevalent during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Look around today, and we will find that the average person is entirely ignorant of history and the way the economic engine of America works.

Mitigation Plan for Pesky Rabbits In the Yard Eating Your Plants and Lawn, While Leaving Evidence Through Constant Excrement Droppings

Here are some practical and humane ways to get rid of rabbits in your yard:

The Alarming Scope of Elder Abuse in the United States: A Hidden Epidemic

By any measure, elder abuse in the United States is a public health and public safety crisis hiding in plain sight. As America ages—older adults will comprise roughly 23% of the population by 2050—the frequency, severity, and cost of abuse are rising, while reporting remains stubbornly low. That combination makes elder abuse both widespread and chronically undercounted.

The Alarming Scope of Financial Elder Abuse- Part II

According to the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), only 1 in 44 cases of financial elder abuse is reported. Victims of financial exploitation are three times more likely to die and four times more likely to enter a nursing home without sufficient funds.

Practical, Evidence-based Ways to Mitigate Internal Body Inflammation:

Inflammation is telling us that it is involved in the process of recognizing and removing harmful and foreign stimuli, as well as potential disease-causing substances. The process is part of our body’s defense mechanism.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: The Origin, Evolution, and Real-World Lessons

The phrase “lies, damned lies, and statistics” is not just a cultural shorthand for skepticism toward data-driven arguments, but a powerful reminder of the potential for manipulation in numerical data. How would we feel if we realized that government statistics were one giant reservoir of lies and misstatements? So, what do you think?

How to Win Friends and Influence People

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a classic self-help book focused on improving interpersonal skills, building relationships, and becoming more persuasive and influential in both personal and professional settings.

The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to a Resilient Mindset You Can Start Using Today

In a world increasingly defined by uncertainty, stress, and rapid change, the ability to maintain a positive outlook is more than just a feel-good mantra—it’s a strategic advantage.

Systemic Ignorance: Why So Many Americans Know So Little History—and Whether It’s by Design

If people remain ignorant from one generation to the next, then change and exploitation can easily be introduced. Each subsequent generation remains unaware of the preceding generations and only holds a frame of reference of their current generation. Manipulation and exploitation are easy because people know no difference; Ignorant people think that is the way it has always been.

How to Spot Manufactured Illusions: A Practical Guide (with Real World Examples)

Manufactured illusions don’t usually look like lies. They feel true, familiar, emotionally satisfying, and endorsed by sources we trust, or that we foolishly trust. That’s by design.

The Illusions That Shape Our Daily Lives

We like to believe what we see in the world. Much of what we accept as “truth” is built on illusions—mental shortcuts and comforting beliefs that help us navigate complexity

Seven Illusions That Shape Our Business and Finance Decisions

In the world of business and finance, certainty is a rare commodity. Yet, to make decisions, leaders often rely on assumptions that feel like facts—but are, in truth, illusions. These illusions provide comfort and simplify complexity, but when reality intrudes, they can lead to catastrophic missteps.

The Comfort of Illusions: Why Americans Mistake Stories for Truth

In today’s America, politics is less about governing and more about storytelling. Facts still exist, but they compete with something far more seductive: illusion narratives crafted to feel true, even when they aren’t. This seductive nature of illusions is what draws so many Americans into accepting them as reality. The answer to this puzzle lies in psychology, identity, and the architecture of our media ecosystem.

History of Manufacturing Consent: Edward Bernays

Edward Bernays was absolutely a propaganda specialist, though he preferred the term “public relations” after World War I because “propaganda” had developed a negative connotation.

Has the censorship complex, big tech, big media, and big business subsided or accelerated under President Donald Trump

Under President Donald Trump’s second term, the influence of the “censorship complex,” involving Big Tech, Big Media, and Big Business, has decelerated.

Is Affirmative Action Marxist? Separating Myth from Reality

Few topics spark as much debate as affirmative action. Critics often claim it’s rooted in Marxist ideology. But is that true—or just a convenient talking point?