December 2010
29 posts
“The era of using marketing to trick consumers into seeing bad movies was drawing...”
– Hollywood Moves Away From Middlebrow Movies - NYTimes.com
WatchReforming math education in light of practical advances in technology.
WatchSmart thoughts on marketing in the networked age.
YouTube - Google TV Remote App →
Finally someone realizes that IR is not the best way to communicate with AV devices. Slowly, the future is arriving.
“Only the group that exercised before breakfast gained almost no weight and...”
– The Benefits of Exercising Before Breakfast - NYTimes.com
1 tag
Mini Review: The Moral Landscape
As a part of the continuing Monday Challenge, this weeks book was The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris.
The basic premise is that science has a role to play in determining values of right and wrong. This concept is in stark contrast to the notion (proposed by David Hume) that science can tell us what “is”, but not what “ought” to be. In other words, we can study and...
“You’re on the hunt for sneezers, for fans, for people willing to cross the...”
– Seth’s Blog: Lady Gaga and me
“A Quantum Narrative is present tense, which means that it does not get bogged...”
– Mike Bonifer of GameChangers
“If you want to matter, you’re going to have get serious about doing stuff...”
– I’m Bored - The Significance Manifesto | Management Innovation eXchange
“Once you put it on Netflix, you really can’t sell it anywhere else”
– Time Warner Takes a Shot at Netflix - NYTimes.com
David Mamet on Story
This essay was penned by David Mamet to the writers of the Unit. I am reposting here cause it is just that good. I am not worthy. (Thanks to Ken for passing it along)
———
“TO THE WRITERS OF THE UNIT
GREETINGS.
AS WE LEARN HOW TO WRITE THIS SHOW, A RECURRING PROBLEM BECOMES CLEAR.
THE PROBLEM IS THIS: TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN DRAMA AND...
“You went after Wikileaks’ domain name, their hosting provider, and even denied...”
– Clay Shirky on Wikileaks
Facebook Knows How To Release A Feature
I was in a client meeting the other day and was asked “who gets it right” today on the Web. The question was posed in regards to user privacy, but I think my response of “Facebook”, could be generalized to other areas.
Facebook, despite their early hiccups, actually does it right. They care tremendously about their users and work tirelessly to make their product more...
Are You A Linchpin?
I saw this article in the NYT today on our dismal US job growth via Stowe Boyd and his RT of Umair Haque:
From the article:
Analysts generally estimate that the economy needs to add at least 100,000 to 125,000 jobs a month simply to keep up with new entrants to the labor force. So if employers keep hiring at the current pace, it will not help reduce the unemployment rate for some time.
It...
41Latitude - Google Maps & Label Readability →
A nice article reminding me that the details are really what makes the difference. Craftsmanship at work.
“Mr. Ridley describes the economy of the future as “post-corporatist and...”
– Bill Gates has become my hero in many, many ways.
Bill Gates - What I’m Learning - Africa Needs Aid, Not Flawed Theories - The Gates Notes
“As for Web advertising – one can only hope brands and publishers alike realize...”
– This article, Survey Says: 63% Of You Ignore The Ads On This Very Page is typical in that it proclaims how ads don’t work (as record ad dollars are spent). Saying people don’t like ads and are watching them less is a bit obvious, and truthfully, untrue.
People don’t like bad ads,...
“When we’re designing for experiences, we research and design for the time...”
– Designing Great Experiences: The Gap Between Activities
“You can’t be offbeat in all ways, because then we won’t understand...”
– Seth’s Blog: Cliches
“It’s the entitlement of the incurious, and it does nothing good for...”
– Steve Martin Isn’t Predictable Enough!: This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things : Monkey See : NPR
Anchored
photo by drain
Anchored The Observer.Watching silently. Imperceptible.Forgotten in your diligent service of the routine.Everyone’s happy.Until you’re not.
A thought. A whisper.It takes your hand gently, you decide to follow.Then, the tug of the unknown. You begin to float.As light as smoke.Your imagination takes hold.The current sweeps you up like a leaf.You release your grip...
“Netflix is going to have more paid video subscribers in two years than Comcast.”
– Boxee CEO To Big Media: “Resistance Is Futile”