How to: Collect 6,000-year-old swamp mud
Photo:Eric Niiler I spent last weekend in the Harvard Forest, participating in hands-on science experiments as part of the Marine Biological Laboratory's science journalism fellowship. The goal was to...
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Maggie Koerth-Baker visits our neighborhood...
Maggie Koerth-Baker visits our neighborhood and gathers our mud, for science, of course.
How to: Collect 6,000-year-old swamp mud
Photo:Eric Niiler I spent last weekend in the Harvard Forest, participating in hands-on science experiments as part of the Marine Biological Laboratory's science journalism fellowship. The goal was to...
How to: Collect 6,000-year-old swamp mud
Photo:Eric Niiler I spent last weekend in the Harvard Forest, participating in hands-on science experiments as part of the Marine Biological Laboratory's science journalism fellowship. The goal was to...
One of the ways that businesses find out...
One of the ways that businesses find out what people want is to try something and see if it's popular enough. That rarely happens with governments, though, and even less so in the case of government-regulated businesses.
Governments are generally risk-averse, which is usually the riskiest path to take.
h/t +Nicole Apostola
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
From a memo from City Solicitor David Moore in item 13a on tonight’s City Council agenda (“Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Liveries”): I have researched this ...
Governments are generally risk-averse, which is usually the riskiest path to take.
h/t +Nicole Apostola
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
From a memo from City Solicitor David Moore in item 13a on tonight’s City Council agenda (“Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Liveries”): I have researched this ...
Monday, May 21, 2012
One Minnesota town's approach to street...
One Minnesota town's approach to street signs
Ojibwemowin Ozhibii’igaade Miinawaa Aabadad Miziwe Go Eni-bimaadiziwaad Bemijigamaag | MinnPost
Ba-mawadishiwejig Bemijigamaag ani-niibing odaa-nandagikendaanaawaa bangii yo’ow inwewin.Mii ezhiwebak noongom opime-ayi’ii ishkoniganing yo’ow nitam oodena imaa Misi-ziibiing ezhi-ginigawising ojibwe...
Ojibwemowin Ozhibii’igaade Miinawaa Aabadad Miziwe Go Eni-bimaadiziwaad Bemijigamaag | MinnPost
Ba-mawadishiwejig Bemijigamaag ani-niibing odaa-nandagikendaanaawaa bangii yo’ow inwewin.Mii ezhiwebak noongom opime-ayi’ii ishkoniganing yo’ow nitam oodena imaa Misi-ziibiing ezhi-ginigawising ojibwe...
h/t to +Maggie Koerth-Baker for reporting...
h/t to +Maggie Koerth-Baker for reporting from our neighborhood.
Inside the world's most-studied forest
I'm currently attending the Marine Biological Laboratory's 10-day science journalism fellowship. As part of that, I get to do some hands-on science experiments and get a better perspective on how the ...
Inside the world's most-studied forest
I'm currently attending the Marine Biological Laboratory's 10-day science journalism fellowship. As part of that, I get to do some hands-on science experiments and get a better perspective on how the ...
Scientific research in a forest
Scientific research in a forest
I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Harvard Forest—the most-studied forest in the world. It's an interesting place, with a complicated history. Originally forest, it was clear-cut in the decad...
I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Harvard Forest—the most-studied forest in the world. It's an interesting place, with a complicated history. Originally forest, it was clear-cut in the decad...
TSP and TOSP are diving into new and interesting...
TSP and TOSP are diving into new and interesting material with good commentary by people who know their stuff.
Announcing “The Secret Project” and “The Other Secret Project” | Mitch Wagner
For the past six weeks or so, I've been working on two secret projects, which I called “The Secret Project” and “The Other Secret Project.” Because I'm all clever coming up with codenames and ...
Announcing “The Secret Project” and “The Other Secret Project” | Mitch Wagner
For the past six weeks or so, I've been working on two secret projects, which I called “The Secret Project” and “The Other Secret Project.” Because I'm all clever coming up with codenames and ...
"... the problem with your home network...
"... the problem with your home network is that it’s cheap, the vendors that made the products you use are cheap, and you’re cheap." by +Mark Gibbs
4 Reasons Why Your Network Sucks - Forbes
Your network is a disaster in the making. It sucks. But why?
4 Reasons Why Your Network Sucks - Forbes
Your network is a disaster in the making. It sucks. But why?
A Super-Sharp New Drill Bit Could Vastly...
A Super-Sharp New Drill Bit Could Vastly Expand Our Geothermal Power
Drill bits manufactured from synthetic diamonds were originally developed to tap geothermal energy deep below the surface. Despite drilling wells that supply two-thirds of our oil, they never gained t...
Drill bits manufactured from synthetic diamonds were originally developed to tap geothermal energy deep below the surface. Despite drilling wells that supply two-thirds of our oil, they never gained t...
Sunday, May 20, 2012
New Normal: Majority Of Unemployed Attended...
New Normal: Majority Of Unemployed Attended College
For the first time, the number of jobless workers age 25 and up who have attended some college exceeds the ranks of those with a high school diploma or less.
For the first time, the number of jobless workers age 25 and up who have attended some college exceeds the ranks of those with a high school diploma or less.
So, supporting gay marriage must be part...
So, supporting gay marriage must be part of a cunning plan on the part of the Obama administration to alienate the Kenyan Muslims in an effort to prove that he really is one.
Kenyan muslim clerics fault Obama on gay marriage - News |
Kenyan Muslim leaders from the coast region have condemned President Barack Obama’s support of same sex marriages.
Kenyan muslim clerics fault Obama on gay marriage - News |
Kenyan Muslim leaders from the coast region have condemned President Barack Obama’s support of same sex marriages.
Hey, Writers: Stop Romanticizing the Country...
Hey, Writers: Stop Romanticizing the Country at the Expense of the City – Next American City
Earlier this week, Shalom Auslander wrote in the New York Observer about how he believes big city life turns people into narcissists. But he’s confusing a symptom for a cause.
Earlier this week, Shalom Auslander wrote in the New York Observer about how he believes big city life turns people into narcissists. But he’s confusing a symptom for a cause.
This year's view from the cove
Jupiter is still bright in the west in the evening sky, bright enough that I can see it without my glasses. I couldn't see the boat out on the lake. I could hear the voices of the boaters, but I couldn't see the boat. Jupiter, though, I could see.
The lake water has warmed enough that we can stay around for a few minutes between visits to the sauna. Two weeks ago, it was a jump off the dock, hit the water, and get out as quickly as possible. We'd get back into the sauna, but our legs felt like they were covered in cold cloth.
After sauna, the aches of body and soul were gone. There's a lot to do in cleanup, routine work, and new projects and most of the work calls on muscles that haven't been called on for a while. There's a pile of rocks to be moved, a stack of wood to be split. leaves to be raked, trees to be trimmed.
Most of the work can become meditative, only the work, only that rock that needs to move 40 feet to the south. A wheelbarrow would make the work easier, taking four or five rocks at a time instead of just one. This way, though, I get to think about each rock and where it should go. If I had a plan, I'd use a wheelbarrow.
When my father was my age, he put an oil tank in the cellar, sideways. That the heating system never worked reliably isn't the point, I think. He did stuff. If it worked, that was good. If it didn't work, he'd move on. The oil-fired heating system never worked reliably and was replaced by a barrel wood stove that worked fine for 30 years. The barrel stove connect to the chimney that was to be used by the oil burner.
The lake has warmed so that a thin bit of fog settles on the surface in these cool nights. Heating and cooling take away the aches of the day.
The lake water has warmed enough that we can stay around for a few minutes between visits to the sauna. Two weeks ago, it was a jump off the dock, hit the water, and get out as quickly as possible. We'd get back into the sauna, but our legs felt like they were covered in cold cloth.
After sauna, the aches of body and soul were gone. There's a lot to do in cleanup, routine work, and new projects and most of the work calls on muscles that haven't been called on for a while. There's a pile of rocks to be moved, a stack of wood to be split. leaves to be raked, trees to be trimmed.
Most of the work can become meditative, only the work, only that rock that needs to move 40 feet to the south. A wheelbarrow would make the work easier, taking four or five rocks at a time instead of just one. This way, though, I get to think about each rock and where it should go. If I had a plan, I'd use a wheelbarrow.
When my father was my age, he put an oil tank in the cellar, sideways. That the heating system never worked reliably isn't the point, I think. He did stuff. If it worked, that was good. If it didn't work, he'd move on. The oil-fired heating system never worked reliably and was replaced by a barrel wood stove that worked fine for 30 years. The barrel stove connect to the chimney that was to be used by the oil burner.
The lake has warmed so that a thin bit of fog settles on the surface in these cool nights. Heating and cooling take away the aches of the day.
"The existence of weak randomness automatically...
"The existence of weak randomness automatically implies that there must be an unlimited amount of strong randomness....""
Quantum physicists show a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit
Once again quantum physics gives us philosophical implications: physicists have shown how a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit.
Quantum physicists show a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit
Once again quantum physics gives us philosophical implications: physicists have shown how a small amount of randomness can be amplified without limit.
Friday, May 18, 2012
HP to axe 30k jobs
HP to axe 30k jobs
At the New York Times, Quentin Hardy writes that HP CEO Meg Whitman is to cut at least 30,000 jobs
Her goal, they said Thursday, is to spend the money she saves on increasing the efficiency of the company’s sales force and on creating new products. Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard’s chief executive since September, is said to be focused on efficiency and new products. The executives, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the company, said that ...
...
At the New York Times, Quentin Hardy writes that HP CEO Meg Whitman is to cut at least 30,000 jobs
Her goal, they said Thursday, is to spend the money she saves on increasing the efficiency of the company’s sales force and on creating new products. Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard’s chief executive since September, is said to be focused on efficiency and new products. The executives, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the company, said that ...
...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Dear Graduate
Dear Graduate
Leila said... You know, as often as people complain about the uselessness of a degree/diploma in today's market, the pressure to go to college anyway is even greater. I didn't want to go to co...
Leila said... You know, as often as people complain about the uselessness of a degree/diploma in today's market, the pressure to go to college anyway is even greater. I didn't want to go to co...
more resources for Nicole Apostola (Google...
more resources for Nicole Apostola (Google+) and her guerrilla libraries.
Little Free Library can help put a library on your corner
I happened upon this mini-library in my neighborhood and am so impressed with the movement that Little Free Library has started that I am getting one together for our street. The concept is simple: pu...
Little Free Library can help put a library on your corner
I happened upon this mini-library in my neighborhood and am so impressed with the movement that Little Free Library has started that I am getting one together for our street. The concept is simple: pu...
Intelligent WAN - Karl Hakkarainen - Get...
Intelligent WAN - Karl Hakkarainen - Get Ready for the Software-Defined Network Revolution
SDNs provide flexibility, vendor independence, and other benefits. But the technology is still new.
SDNs provide flexibility, vendor independence, and other benefits. But the technology is still new.
Google doesn't have to worry about Bing...
Google doesn't have to worry about Bing
Here's what Bing shows with a simple search for news about the upcoming release of Microsoft's flagship server product. I wonder what I can learn from Tonkia Watters about the ways that the new server product fixes problems with Active Directory.
Here's what Bing shows with a simple search for news about the upcoming release of Microsoft's flagship server product. I wonder what I can learn from Tonkia Watters about the ways that the new server product fixes problems with Active Directory.
One weekend in May
We had a fine celebration on Saturday, honoring Michael for his graduation from Assumption College, Tess for her 14th birthday, and mothers Marian, Sandra, Jennie, Lynn, and Karen.We went out to lunch, 20 of us. I tried to sit at the kids' table, but was asked to leave because Cassie wanted to sit with her cousin, Caroline.
There was plenty to discuss at the other end of the table. Jennie has completed her book and sent it to her publisher. Joe will graduate from St. Peter-Marian in a couple of weeks; he will go to Southern New Hampshire University in the fall.
After the lunch, we brought Marian back to the nursing home, noting that we'd be missing Mother's Day celebration with Elvis.
Mother's Day itself was a quiet day at the camp. In memory of Elvis, we had peanut butter and bananas for lunch.
We're still settling in after last year's wonderful renovations. Few things are where they were and lots of things aren't there at all. My father kept puzzling quantities of unexpected parts, such as a jar full of 1/4" brass screws, but we couldn't find a single wingnut. We have long lengths of antique rubber extension cords, the type that don't kink or get inflexible in the cold, and yet we found only one electrical wire cap, which is two fewer than what we needed.
Sunday we had sauna. The water is fresh but no longer cold, in spite of recent rain and no special warm spells. We have a good supply of leftover pine from the construction project. It's dry and burns hot. Mix in a little oak and maple and you get a great fire.
From a time with crowds full of laughter and hope to a time sitting on the bench overlooking the cove, hearing the planes heading down Route 2 toward Boston, it's how the days are now.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Lucky me. I've received an invite to use...
Lucky me. I've received an invite to use the new Bing.
When I clicked the link in the email from Microsoft, I was brought to a page where Bing searches for movies, including those that are allegedly close to me. The location is off by nearly 20 miles. (Bing uses the location of my ISP rather than something such as my actual location.) Google manages to know where I am.
When I clicked the link in the email from Microsoft, I was brought to a page where Bing searches for movies, including those that are allegedly close to me. The location is off by nearly 20 miles. (Bing uses the location of my ISP rather than something such as my actual location.) Google manages to know where I am.
Get Ready for the Software-Defined Network Revolution
Network virtualization is poised to do for WANs what server virtualization has done for computing infrastructure, providing better hardware utilization, security, resilience, and specialization. Also known as software-defined networks (SDNs), virtual WANs are still in the early stages of development and deployment, giving vendors plenty of room to offer new and sometimes competing solutions.
Read the rest at my new blog Get Ready for the Software-Defined Network Revolution on our new site, Intelligent WAN..
Read the rest at my new blog Get Ready for the Software-Defined Network Revolution on our new site, Intelligent WAN..
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hanging out with Jimi Hendrix, 1964-1970
Hanging out with Jimi Hendrix, 1964-1970
Arthur Lee
Bob Marley
Brian Jones
Buddy Miles
Carl Wayne, Steve Winwood, John Mayall and Eric Burdon
Charlie Watts
Eric Burdon and Noel Redding
Eric Clapton
Isley Brothers
Janis Joplin
Jeremy Thorpe
Joan Baez
Keith Richards
Little Richard
Lulu
Mama Cass and Michelle Phillips
Mick Jagger
Otis Redding
Percy Sledge, King Curtis and Cornell Dupree
Stephen Stills
The Monkees
The Who
Arthur LeeBob Marley
Brian Jones
Buddy Miles
Carl Wayne, Steve Winwood, John Mayall and Eric Burdon
Charlie Watts
Eric Burdon and Noel Redding
Eric Clapton
Isley Brothers
Janis Joplin
Jeremy Thorpe
Joan Baez
Keith Richards
Little Richard
Lulu
Mama Cass and Michelle Phillips
Mick Jagger
Otis Redding
Percy Sledge, King Curtis and Cornell Dupree
Stephen Stills
The Monkees
The Who
Saturday, May 12, 2012
You dance with who brung ya
You dance with who brung ya
The unholy alliance between Big Pharma and the medical profession
There is an increasing body of knowledge on the ways that seemingly rational decisions can be influenced by such things as receiving inexpensive gifts.
The unholy alliance between Big Pharma and the medical profession
There is an increasing body of knowledge on the ways that seemingly rational decisions can be influenced by such things as receiving inexpensive gifts.
Friday, May 11, 2012
It's not too late for an awkward and/or...
It's not too late for an awkward and/or inappropriate Mother's Day gift.
Why Not Treat The Special Mom In Your Life To Free Wings At Hooters This Sunday? - The Consumerist
Maybe you're a little bit strapped for cash this Mother's Day, or maybe your mom just really loves wings more than flowers -- and for those of you who like to say,
Why Not Treat The Special Mom In Your Life To Free Wings At Hooters This Sunday? - The Consumerist
Maybe you're a little bit strapped for cash this Mother's Day, or maybe your mom just really loves wings more than flowers -- and for those of you who like to say,
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Trick 0: how about not tricking customers...
Trick 0: how about not tricking customers about their safety?
12 Tricks To Make Your Customers Feel Safe - The Usabilla Blog
The customer is king. And we want the king to feel comfortable, right? Especially on the Web, where people can leave our site with only a mouse click, it i
12 Tricks To Make Your Customers Feel Safe - The Usabilla Blog
The customer is king. And we want the king to feel comfortable, right? Especially on the Web, where people can leave our site with only a mouse click, it i
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Nicole Apostola (Google+) might find this...
Nicole Apostola (Google+) might find this as a relief from the broken, inconsistent, and just plain wrong signs around our fair city.
Japanese addresses: No street names. Block numbers. | Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers Home, Blog, About, Projects
Japanese addresses: No street names. Block numbers. | Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers Home, Blog, About, Projects
Social Review Sites Fall Short of Promise
Restaurant review sites promised to be the cutting edge of local-social marketing. In spite of early excitement and results, Yelp, Foursquare, and Urbanspoon have stalled. This has implications beyond these sites and markets. Marketers are learning that social-local-mobile marketing isn't for everyone.
Read the rest on my blog on The CMO Site: Social Review Sites Fall Short of Promise
Read the rest on my blog on The CMO Site: Social Review Sites Fall Short of Promise
Monday, May 07, 2012
Newt might be good for us, as long as we...
Newt might be good for us, as long as we don't get sick or he doesn't find some other country attractive.
Thought process of an outstanding psychiatrist & life coach, Dr. K. Ablow, in assessing the patient, Gingrich
One of the world's outstanding psychiatrists—who is also a professional life coach—candidly reveals his thought process, in an essay for Fox News. Dr. Keith Ablow [pictured here, legs akimbo] applies ...
Thought process of an outstanding psychiatrist & life coach, Dr. K. Ablow, in assessing the patient, Gingrich
One of the world's outstanding psychiatrists—who is also a professional life coach—candidly reveals his thought process, in an essay for Fox News. Dr. Keith Ablow [pictured here, legs akimbo] applies ...
Not creepy at all. Nope.
Not creepy at all. Nope.
Locate The Nearest Girl Scout Cookies With Your Smartphone - The Consumerist
As you sit at your desk, are you wondering if it is possible for you to somehow acquire Girl Scout cookies right now? Maybe you can. The Girl Scouts' cookie-sales locator website or their Android or i...
Locate The Nearest Girl Scout Cookies With Your Smartphone - The Consumerist
As you sit at your desk, are you wondering if it is possible for you to somehow acquire Girl Scout cookies right now? Maybe you can. The Girl Scouts' cookie-sales locator website or their Android or i...
I wonder what they use for gift shop purchases...
I wonder what they use for gift shop purchases.
bookofjoe: Museum of Bags
Liverwurst Rattle | Home | A stapler to conjure with ». January 22, 2012. Museum of Bags. Screen Shot 2012-01-20 at 8.00.56 PM · It is what it says. "The first of its kind, the Museum of Bags is ...
bookofjoe: Museum of Bags
Liverwurst Rattle | Home | A stapler to conjure with ». January 22, 2012. Museum of Bags. Screen Shot 2012-01-20 at 8.00.56 PM · It is what it says. "The first of its kind, the Museum of Bags is ...
Some headlines don't need improvement.
Some headlines don't need improvement.
"My Favorite Museum Exhibit": The Bishop's Rectum - Boing Boing
A rectum showing the effects of both haemorrhoids and bowel cancer. The patient in this case was Thomas Thurlow (1737-1791), the Bishop of Durham. Thurlow had suffered from some time from a bowel comp...
"My Favorite Museum Exhibit": The Bishop's Rectum - Boing Boing
A rectum showing the effects of both haemorrhoids and bowel cancer. The patient in this case was Thomas Thurlow (1737-1791), the Bishop of Durham. Thurlow had suffered from some time from a bowel comp...
+David Weinberger has not only written a...
+David Weinberger has not only written a book, but he's also read some.
Hi, Everybody! Call Lionel Hutz for me,...
Hi, Everybody! Call Lionel Hutz for me, will ya?
Is There a Conflict? Md. Hospitals Offer Injured Patients a List of Reduced-Fee Med-Mal Lawyers - News - ABA Journal
The corporate parents of about two dozen hospitals in Maryland compile lists of medical malpractice lawyers willing to sue them and hand them out to injured patients. The doctors on the lists are will...
Is There a Conflict? Md. Hospitals Offer Injured Patients a List of Reduced-Fee Med-Mal Lawyers - News - ABA Journal
The corporate parents of about two dozen hospitals in Maryland compile lists of medical malpractice lawyers willing to sue them and hand them out to injured patients. The doctors on the lists are will...
We're #7 kinda. Worcester is lumped into...
We're #7 kinda. Worcester is lumped into the Boston SMSA for this review.)
Pull quote: "72 percent of the population in Boston is under the age of 44.I don’t hate it – the less creepy old men, the better."
Fewer, please,not less.
Boston is an Eternal Fountain of Youth, Ranks 7th Best City to Stay Young
If you’re not too keen on getting wrinkles, Boston is a good place to be. According to new data from RealAge.com, Boston ranks number 7 among the top 25 best
Pull quote: "72 percent of the population in Boston is under the age of 44.I don’t hate it – the less creepy old men, the better."
Fewer, please,not less.
Boston is an Eternal Fountain of Youth, Ranks 7th Best City to Stay Young
If you’re not too keen on getting wrinkles, Boston is a good place to be. According to new data from RealAge.com, Boston ranks number 7 among the top 25 best
We haven't seen a correlation between this...
We haven't seen a correlation between this news and the recent announcement of layoffs at UMMH, but, well, a half-million bucks is a serious bit of change.
UMass Memorial Hospital Fined $520K For Using Short-Skirted Models in Bone Marrow Ads
Whoever is behind UMass Memorial Health Care’s marketing clearly believes in the adage “sex sells.” The one problem? Those thoughts are now costing the
UMass Memorial Hospital Fined $520K For Using Short-Skirted Models in Bone Marrow Ads
Whoever is behind UMass Memorial Health Care’s marketing clearly believes in the adage “sex sells.” The one problem? Those thoughts are now costing the
The news from UMass Medical shows, among...
The news from UMass Medical shows, among other things, that the ways we pay for our medical research and our direct healthcare are generally in conflict, diminishing the best of both.
Not Running a Hospital: Layoffs in Central Massachusetts
Anonymous said... I think your point about distinguishing between strategy and tactics is a critical one. The two ventures cited, laboratory outreach and home health/hospice, are both examples of what...
Not Running a Hospital: Layoffs in Central Massachusetts
Anonymous said... I think your point about distinguishing between strategy and tactics is a critical one. The two ventures cited, laboratory outreach and home health/hospice, are both examples of what...
I came here for an argument. Now, give me...
I came here for an argument. Now, give me money.
Are Successful People Nice?
Since Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence, we've recognized the importance of tuning into social and emotional factors in the workplace. But many popular depictions of the workplace don't show any...
Are Successful People Nice?
Since Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence, we've recognized the importance of tuning into social and emotional factors in the workplace. But many popular depictions of the workplace don't show any...
+Nicole Apostola - in a shocking development...
+Nicole Apostola - in a shocking development, the signs in the nation's capital are in capitalization disarray.
Some D.C. street signs are kind of a mess
There’s been some hiccups in implementing the city’s street sign design standard.
Some D.C. street signs are kind of a mess
There’s been some hiccups in implementing the city’s street sign design standard.
As +Nicole Apostola has shown us, Boston...
As +Nicole Apostola has shown us, Boston wants to be Worcester when it grows up.
Citizen complaint of the day: Can't anybody here make a street sign right?
This post is a perfect example of what's wrong with the new street signs being installed across the city with the new font. "BOSTON ST" is correctly printed using all capital letters. &q...
Citizen complaint of the day: Can't anybody here make a street sign right?
This post is a perfect example of what's wrong with the new street signs being installed across the city with the new font. "BOSTON ST" is correctly printed using all capital letters. &q...
How Google Makes the Web Worldwide - Datamation
How Google Makes the Web Worldwide - Datamation
Google Translate is changing the nature of personal and business interactions on an international basis.
Google Translate is changing the nature of personal and business interactions on an international basis.
Teh stupid, it burns
Teh stupid, it burns
Kellogg's Created A Twitter-Inspired Cereal Called 'Totes Amazeballs'
It will be the 'Jazz odyssey of breakfasts.'
Kellogg's Created A Twitter-Inspired Cereal Called 'Totes Amazeballs'
It will be the 'Jazz odyssey of breakfasts.'
Innovation and the Bell Labs Miracle
Innovation and the Bell Labs Miracle
A study of Bell Labs offers a number of lessons about how our country’s technology companies — and our country’s longstanding innovative edge — actually came about.
A study of Bell Labs offers a number of lessons about how our country’s technology companies — and our country’s longstanding innovative edge — actually came about.
Wait, what? "The US-based search engine...
Wait, what?
"The US-based search engine Google Inc today told a Delhi court that it has already removed alleged objectionable content from its web posts as it was aware of its responsibility as a service provider."
Google to court: We have removed objectionable content - The Times of India
The US-based search engine Google Inc today told a Delhi court that it has already removed alleged objectionable content from its web posts as it was aware of its responsibility as a service provider....
"The US-based search engine Google Inc today told a Delhi court that it has already removed alleged objectionable content from its web posts as it was aware of its responsibility as a service provider."
Google to court: We have removed objectionable content - The Times of India
The US-based search engine Google Inc today told a Delhi court that it has already removed alleged objectionable content from its web posts as it was aware of its responsibility as a service provider....
So, Massachusetts politicians are getting...
So, Massachusetts politicians are getting torqued about military budget cuts that will lead to job loss. What do they think happens when budgets are reduced?
Oh, by the way, we're going to lose the band at Hanscom.
Leaders vow to fight plan to cut jobs at Hanscom, other Mass. bases - Sentinel & Enterprise
BOSTON -- Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said state officials will fight to save every military job in Massachusetts that would be lost under a downsizing plan announced by the Defense Department on Tuesday.
Oh, by the way, we're going to lose the band at Hanscom.
Leaders vow to fight plan to cut jobs at Hanscom, other Mass. bases - Sentinel & Enterprise
BOSTON -- Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said state officials will fight to save every military job in Massachusetts that would be lost under a downsizing plan announced by the Defense Department on Tuesday.
New Worcester Sam's Club In a word, underwhelmed...
New Worcester Sam's Club
In a word, underwhelmed. It's bigger and brighter with a pharmacy, optical center, and snack bar. The products seem to be about the same, meaning that you'll get good value. The produce is generally quite good. If you've shopped at Sam's before, you won't be surprised. If you haven't, but have shopped at B.J.'s or Costco, you probably won't change.
I had a hard time seeing the sign for the gas station. The in-store ad showed that they're about 5¢ cheaper that other stations in the area.
The cashier was earnest in her questions about the new store. Did I find everything? Did I like the store? Did I have to travel much further? For us, it's about twice as far and through the city.
The one surprise is that you can buy five gallons of Coke syrup, a bag-in--a-box. I can't imagine that I'd ever need to do such, but you never know.
In a word, underwhelmed. It's bigger and brighter with a pharmacy, optical center, and snack bar. The products seem to be about the same, meaning that you'll get good value. The produce is generally quite good. If you've shopped at Sam's before, you won't be surprised. If you haven't, but have shopped at B.J.'s or Costco, you probably won't change.
I had a hard time seeing the sign for the gas station. The in-store ad showed that they're about 5¢ cheaper that other stations in the area.
The cashier was earnest in her questions about the new store. Did I find everything? Did I like the store? Did I have to travel much further? For us, it's about twice as far and through the city.
The one surprise is that you can buy five gallons of Coke syrup, a bag-in--a-box. I can't imagine that I'd ever need to do such, but you never know.
Friday, May 04, 2012
There was a Super Moon last night, a great full moon close to the Earth. We couldn't see it. We had fog. We had peepers and a snoring dog by the fireplace. We did ok.
It takes a long time to get that great mass of stone warmed up. Even with a fancy new fireplace insert to keep the heat, stone warms in its own time. We have plenty of dry wood in the shed and lots more to be split and more again to be cut and split. We're ok.
As we've seen each season, we begin our time with
It takes a long time to get that great mass of stone warmed up. Even with a fancy new fireplace insert to keep the heat, stone warms in its own time. We have plenty of dry wood in the shed and lots more to be split and more again to be cut and split. We're ok.
As we've seen each season, we begin our time with
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Notes on the future of work
This morning, we learn from Kevin Kelly in Why can't a machine do this?
Of course, robots in the workplace aren't new. We're seeing a lot of robot news stories. Increasingly, those stories are written by robots. (The stories are written by computer programs, which are not literally robots. See the next paragraph.) A Chicago company is using algorithms to write news stories, starting with the sports. It pretty much works, right up to and including the expected cliches. Read more (written by an alleged human) at Can an Algorithm Write a Better News Story Than a Human Reporter?.
Robots are also reading and grading school papers. According to Michael Weinerip, in his NYT piece, Facing a Robo-Grader? Just Keep Obfuscating Mellifluously, these robotic reviews aren't very good at picking up grammatically correct, but factually flawed sentences. Then again, neither is the typical George Will reader.
And, then, well, er, um, here's this news: Researchers Claim Sex Robots Will Be Future Of Sex Tourism. The researchers are Australian, but the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas picked up the story. Dennis Hof, owner of the Bunny Ranch, doesn't think that robots will put his employees out of business. He told the TV station,, that a man mostly wants attention from a woman. "He wants to tell her stories, wants her to listen, wants her to act like she cares – a robot’s not going to do that.”
Meanwhile, over on Shiny Shiny, we learn that Panasonic wants to replace your hairdresser with a robot:
This seems like a good time to be nearer the end of a career than the beginning. It'll be good to get away from the increasingly robotic world and onto a retirement filled with hobbies and friends and memories and, oh, snap.
GeckoSystems CareBot™ helps to alleviate caregiver shortage for Japanese elderly.
If there is pressure to increase the productivity of human workers, the serious question to ask is, why can't a machine do this? The fact that a task is routine enough to be measured suggests that it is routine enough to go to the robots. In my opinion, many of the jobs that are being fought over by unions today are jobs that will be outlawed within several generations as inhumane. (His emphasis)
Of course, robots in the workplace aren't new. We're seeing a lot of robot news stories. Increasingly, those stories are written by robots. (The stories are written by computer programs, which are not literally robots. See the next paragraph.) A Chicago company is using algorithms to write news stories, starting with the sports. It pretty much works, right up to and including the expected cliches. Read more (written by an alleged human) at Can an Algorithm Write a Better News Story Than a Human Reporter?.
Robots are also reading and grading school papers. According to Michael Weinerip, in his NYT piece, Facing a Robo-Grader? Just Keep Obfuscating Mellifluously, these robotic reviews aren't very good at picking up grammatically correct, but factually flawed sentences. Then again, neither is the typical George Will reader.
And, then, well, er, um, here's this news: Researchers Claim Sex Robots Will Be Future Of Sex Tourism. The researchers are Australian, but the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas picked up the story. Dennis Hof, owner of the Bunny Ranch, doesn't think that robots will put his employees out of business. He told the TV station,, that a man mostly wants attention from a woman. "He wants to tell her stories, wants her to listen, wants her to act like she cares – a robot’s not going to do that.”
Meanwhile, over on Shiny Shiny, we learn that Panasonic wants to replace your hairdresser with a robot:
This seems like a good time to be nearer the end of a career than the beginning. It'll be good to get away from the increasingly robotic world and onto a retirement filled with hobbies and friends and memories and, oh, snap.
GeckoSystems CareBot™ helps to alleviate caregiver shortage for Japanese elderly.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Ditch the Click: Study Says Clicks Don't Correlate to Conversions
It’s time to rethink the click. Click-to-conversion rates are much lower than previously thought, according to a report from Pretarget and comScore. Further, many display ads are placed in locations where they aren’t seen by site visitors or where they can harm the brand image.
Read the rest on my CMO Site blog: Ditch the Click: Study Says Clicks Don't Correlate to Conversions
Read the rest on my CMO Site blog: Ditch the Click: Study Says Clicks Don't Correlate to Conversions
Global Study: Banks Are Trying Too Hard
Banks are trying to do it all, and it's hurting both the customer experience and their own ability to innovate, according to a major industry study.
Read the rest on my Better Bank Systems blog post, Global Study: Banks Are Trying Too Hard
Read the rest on my Better Bank Systems blog post, Global Study: Banks Are Trying Too Hard
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Predictions about the future of the news business
We just finished our WISE course on the future of the news business. For the last class, I made four predictions and told the class that we'd review them in April of next year.
Here they are:
- CNN is toast.
- One or more major magazines will cease print operations because of postal rate hikes. (Newsweek).
- One or more major daily newspapers in the Northeast will cease printing on one or more days per week.
- Worcester will have no local radio news and no one will notice.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
More on mobile apps
I got an email this morning that informed me of the new Rite Aid app. The email had a QR code that let me easily install the app on my phone. Well, almost easily.
I couldn't remember my registration or if I'd even registered. So, I had to navigate the Rite-Aid web site on my phone to check a few things. The Rite Aid web site does not scale to the size of a phone's display.
[caption id="attachment_3447" align="aligncenter" width="168" caption="Click to enbiggen"]
[/caption]
I've uninstalled the app.
I couldn't remember my registration or if I'd even registered. So, I had to navigate the Rite-Aid web site on my phone to check a few things. The Rite Aid web site does not scale to the size of a phone's display.
[caption id="attachment_3447" align="aligncenter" width="168" caption="Click to enbiggen"]
[/caption]I've uninstalled the app.
Don't eat lunch alone
Last night I attended a gathering of our local chamber of commerce. I like these folks. Most of the people there are trying to build small businesses that let's them do things they're good at. For some people, it's banking or real estate. For others, it can be a store or a services business or goodness knows what.
We talked very little about doing business in the sense of trying to work out a deal. We talked about how we helped other people solve problems. I talked as much about my grandkids as I did about WordPress, Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 cabling, or state and federal trademark law. I talked with a nursing home administrator about the discussions she'd been having with an about-to-be college graduate, with a bank branch manager about how electronic banking was giving him and his staff more time to spend on customer service, with a realtor about finding a volunteer opportunity for her teen-aged son. I had a good chat with a guy who called me Gary about the effect that the warm winter had on local businesses.
Toward the latter part of the gathering, I saw John DiPietro. John and I will be giving a LinkedIn workshop for the chamber in a couple of weeks. After talking about the workshop for a bit, John mentioned the interesting results he was getting from posting questions on LinkedIn. His most recent question, Going out for lunch vs eating at your desk, was bringing comments from around the world.
He then noted that, if you're eating lunch at your desk, three bad things may happen: 1) you might spill food on your computer, 2) you'll miss a chance for some exercise, and 3) you'll miss a chance to talk with some. "Go out. Have a cup of soup. See what happens."
In this world of virtual work, it's easy to overlook the opportunities for face-to-face contact. Even if the people around town aren't working on the same things that you are, they're working on something interesting and living lives that offer something important.
I stayed for a while longer, talking with a web designer about developing sites for multiple platforms, particularly for the smaller screens on mobile devices.
When it was time to leave, I waved to the guy I'd seen earlier.
"Bye, Gary," he said. "Thanks for coming."
We talked very little about doing business in the sense of trying to work out a deal. We talked about how we helped other people solve problems. I talked as much about my grandkids as I did about WordPress, Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 cabling, or state and federal trademark law. I talked with a nursing home administrator about the discussions she'd been having with an about-to-be college graduate, with a bank branch manager about how electronic banking was giving him and his staff more time to spend on customer service, with a realtor about finding a volunteer opportunity for her teen-aged son. I had a good chat with a guy who called me Gary about the effect that the warm winter had on local businesses.
Toward the latter part of the gathering, I saw John DiPietro. John and I will be giving a LinkedIn workshop for the chamber in a couple of weeks. After talking about the workshop for a bit, John mentioned the interesting results he was getting from posting questions on LinkedIn. His most recent question, Going out for lunch vs eating at your desk, was bringing comments from around the world.
He then noted that, if you're eating lunch at your desk, three bad things may happen: 1) you might spill food on your computer, 2) you'll miss a chance for some exercise, and 3) you'll miss a chance to talk with some. "Go out. Have a cup of soup. See what happens."
In this world of virtual work, it's easy to overlook the opportunities for face-to-face contact. Even if the people around town aren't working on the same things that you are, they're working on something interesting and living lives that offer something important.
I stayed for a while longer, talking with a web designer about developing sites for multiple platforms, particularly for the smaller screens on mobile devices.
When it was time to leave, I waved to the guy I'd seen earlier.
"Bye, Gary," he said. "Thanks for coming."
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Long-distance power
Ars Technica is reporting on a plan to run a very high-voltage cable from Iceland to the UK or mainland Europe. The plan would deliver 5B kilowatt-hours per year from Iceland's geothermal generating systems to a Europe that is seeking safer and more sustainable sources of energy. (Germany, in response to last year's nuclear catastrophe, is closing down its nuclear reactors.)
Other long-distance power connections have been in place in Europe for a while, but this would be the world's longest by far. Additional power transmission are envisioned, bringing solar power from North Africa to Europe.
The final construction schedule or costs haven't been published yet. The feasibility study, the article notes, found no major issues. One concern that may have been overlooked, however, one that could cause problems for the UK's bid to be the terminus of the Iceland cable.
This is the standard Iceland plug:
This is the standard UK socket:
Other long-distance power connections have been in place in Europe for a while, but this would be the world's longest by far. Additional power transmission are envisioned, bringing solar power from North Africa to Europe.
The final construction schedule or costs haven't been published yet. The feasibility study, the article notes, found no major issues. One concern that may have been overlooked, however, one that could cause problems for the UK's bid to be the terminus of the Iceland cable.
This is the standard Iceland plug:
This is the standard UK socket:
More on kid safety
Victor Infante's wrote poignantly in his Friday Pop Culture Notebook<[1] about Jeff Barnard. Jeff, as many of you remember, died a year-and-a-half ago, leaving not only silence where his voice had been, but also a drought of energy from the rest of us. Jeff worked hard and, in the process, got the rest of us to work hard.
It wasn't about competition, but about conversation. You know how it is: a gathering of friends brings out the best of everyone. One good idea sparks a half-dozen more. Further, if someone provides an insight, you cannot not see it afterwards. The world has a lot of great people who can fill our lives with magic and a lot of others who seek to fill our lives with fear.
Among marketing types, there's a hot trend with QR codes. These squared ink blots, Quick Response codes, provide your smartphone with detailed information about a website, contact information, or other something else of questionable utility. I have one on my business card, mostly as a conversation starter. It contains my contact information.
It was inevitable that someone would combine this marketing device with our fears. Toward that end, we now have SafetyTat. As we learn, if we turn our backs for even a moment, we can lose our kid, but a tattooed QR code can
n.b. Update: Victor send me a link to the article. Here's a clip of it from the Telegram's Friday e-Edition.
[caption id="attachment_3431" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Click to enbiggen"]
[/caption]
It wasn't about competition, but about conversation. You know how it is: a gathering of friends brings out the best of everyone. One good idea sparks a half-dozen more. Further, if someone provides an insight, you cannot not see it afterwards. The world has a lot of great people who can fill our lives with magic and a lot of others who seek to fill our lives with fear.
Among marketing types, there's a hot trend with QR codes. These squared ink blots, Quick Response codes, provide your smartphone with detailed information about a website, contact information, or other something else of questionable utility. I have one on my business card, mostly as a conversation starter. It contains my contact information.It was inevitable that someone would combine this marketing device with our fears. Toward that end, we now have SafetyTat. As we learn, if we turn our backs for even a moment, we can lose our kid, but a tattooed QR code can
These folks have not only registered their trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but they have a patent on it, too.
n.b. Update: Victor send me a link to the article. Here's a clip of it from the Telegram's Friday e-Edition.
[caption id="attachment_3431" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Click to enbiggen"]
[/caption]
More on the world around us
Victor Infante's wrote poignantly in his Friday Pop Culture Notebook about Jeff Barnard. Jeff, as many of you remember, died a year-and-a-half ago, leaving not only silence where his voice had been, but also a drought of energy from the rest of us. Jeff worked hard and, in the process, got the rest of us to work hard.
It wasn't about competition, but about conversation. You know how it is: a gathering of friends brings out the best of everyone. One good idea sparks a half-dozen more. Further, if someone provides an insight, you cannot not see it afterwards. The world has a lot of great people who can fill our lives with magic and a lot of others who seek to fill our lives with fear.
Among marketing types, there's a hot trend with QR codes. These squared ink blots provide your smartphone with detailed information about a website, contact information, or other something else of questionable utility. I have one on my business card, mostly as a conversation starter. It contains my contact information.
It wasn't about competition, but about conversation. You know how it is: a gathering of friends brings out the best of everyone. One good idea sparks a half-dozen more. Further, if someone provides an insight, you cannot not see it afterwards. The world has a lot of great people who can fill our lives with magic and a lot of others who seek to fill our lives with fear.
Among marketing types, there's a hot trend with QR codes. These squared ink blots provide your smartphone with detailed information about a website, contact information, or other something else of questionable utility. I have one on my business card, mostly as a conversation starter. It contains my contact information.It was inevitable that someone would combine this marketing device with our fears. Toward that end, we now have SafetyTat. As we learn, if we turn our backs for even a moment, we can lose our kid, but a tattooed QR code can
These folks have not only registered their trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but they have a patent on it, too.
Monday, April 16, 2012
B Corporations Build Brands by Doing Good
“Better companies make better products,” says the B Lab ad. B Lab is a nonprofit association leading an effort to create a new class of businesses called a B (Benefit) corporation. A B corporation modifies the company's legal framework to integrate verifiable social change with the usual goals of financial responsibility.
Read the rest on my blog on TheCMOSite.com: B Corporations Build Brands by Doing Good
Read the rest on my blog on TheCMOSite.com: B Corporations Build Brands by Doing Good
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