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| Image from rnolan1087 |
UMass meets the University of Vermont in a 4:00 PM matchup and Maine faces off with UNH at 7:30 PM.
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| Image from hockeyeastonline.com |
Start getting your longjohns warmed up now!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Friday Special: Frozen Fenway Returns on January 7
Frozen Fenway returns with a Hockey East college doubleheader on January 7, 2012.
Friday, December 23, 2011
The Friday Special: Beautifully Tacky?
Bill Geist of CBS' Sunday Morning program reported this week on Richmond, Virginia's Tacky Light Tour.
Merry Christmas!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Merry Christmas!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: The TouchPad, The Grinch and The Boston Pops
My TouchPad Today visited a Holiday Pops concert at Boston's Symphony Hall this past weekend.
Merry Christmas!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
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| HP Pre 2 Photo |
Merry Christmas!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, December 16, 2011
The Friday Special: Before Edison's Phonograph
This week there were a number of stories in the news about some 1880's vintage records made by Alexander Graham Bell which have been restored by modern technology.
Clicke here to see one of the stories (from Patriot Ledger.com)... and hear three of the recordings!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Clicke here to see one of the stories (from Patriot Ledger.com)... and hear three of the recordings!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: How to Winterize Your TouchPad
Go over the My TouchPad Today to see how I'm protecting my HP TouchPad from Old Man Winter and the Montreal Express.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Friday Special: TouchPad goes to Symphony Hall
Last weekend my TouchPad visited Symphony Hall in Boston for the Handel and Haydn Society performance of Handel's Messiah.
See the post on My TouchPad Today.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
See the post on My TouchPad Today.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: Pre-YouTube Video
Back in the Dark Ages of 1989 I was using a shoulder-mounted Panasonic VHS camcorder to shoot videotape.
A couple of my music and video tests from that period came back to life this week on YouTube...
The original tapes were transferred from the camera to some combination of VHS and 8mm VCR's, where the music was dubbed to it.
The resulting tape sat on various bookshelves until 2004, when the video was transferred to DVD and the original tape was trashed.
This week, I pulled the video/data from the DVD (.mkv files) and edited them in Windows Live Movie Maker to create the .wmv files that were uploaded to YouTube.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
A couple of my music and video tests from that period came back to life this week on YouTube...
The original tapes were transferred from the camera to some combination of VHS and 8mm VCR's, where the music was dubbed to it.
The resulting tape sat on various bookshelves until 2004, when the video was transferred to DVD and the original tape was trashed.
This week, I pulled the video/data from the DVD (.mkv files) and edited them in Windows Live Movie Maker to create the .wmv files that were uploaded to YouTube.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, December 2, 2011
The Friday Special: The Shell Sign Returns to the Night Sky
From MyTouchPad Today... The Shell Sign Returns to The Night Sky
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: Lotsa Links
Here are links to some interesting items I've seen in the past week or so...
New York Times - Cloud Computing as a Threat to Older Tech Companies
“Hewlett-Packard will be challenged. Microsoft, Intel, SAP, RIM, Oracle, Cisco, Dell – they are all facing the next transition, competing to be around in 2020. At least a third will fade away.”
Boston.Com/AP - Study Confirms Many of Us Go Online for No Reason
The report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that on any given day, 53 percent of 18 to 29 year-olds go online just to have fun or pass time.
That should explain all those kitten videos.
Twitter/Business Guru Tom Peters
From @tom_peters:
If you need a performance appraisal to tell you how well you're doing--then you're not doing very well!
NY Times - Distracted? It's Time to Hit The Reset Button
“Although there are always exceptions to the rule,” he says, “the research shows that for the average worker in the workplace, multitasking while trying to solve a complex problem is a very bad strategy.”
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
New York Times - Cloud Computing as a Threat to Older Tech Companies
“Hewlett-Packard will be challenged. Microsoft, Intel, SAP, RIM, Oracle, Cisco, Dell – they are all facing the next transition, competing to be around in 2020. At least a third will fade away.”
Boston.Com/AP - Study Confirms Many of Us Go Online for No Reason
The report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that on any given day, 53 percent of 18 to 29 year-olds go online just to have fun or pass time.
That should explain all those kitten videos.
Twitter/Business Guru Tom Peters
From @tom_peters:
If you need a performance appraisal to tell you how well you're doing--then you're not doing very well!
NY Times - Distracted? It's Time to Hit The Reset Button
“Although there are always exceptions to the rule,” he says, “the research shows that for the average worker in the workplace, multitasking while trying to solve a complex problem is a very bad strategy.”
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Friday Special: I Can't be Left to My Own Devices?
A Wall Street Journal article from a couple of days ago explored the issue of allowing workers to use their personal computing devices in the workplace.
On the surface, this is a great idea and I agree with it, but until recently I worked at a large company where, for security/regulatory and just common sense reasons, personal devices were prohibited and everything was locked down to a fare-thee-well. In that type of environment, restricting equipment and software options seems to be the best overall approach. The benefits of restriction outweigh the potentially business-crippling risks of openess.
Also, and maybe more importantly, from my years of being an electronic troubleshooter and repairman for friends, family and co-workers, its clear to me that the average user/worker isn't equipped -- pardon the pun -- to handle the job of selecting equipment and software for use in the workplace. (... and don't get me started about the average person's computer usage habits.)
Now, after having said all of the above, what about those of us who are tech-savvy enough and responsible enough to better handle many of these things?
In a perfect world and workplace, we should be allowed to use the equipment and software of our own choice. Unfortunately, perfection ain't around us and won't be walkin' through the door anytime soon.
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
On the surface, this is a great idea and I agree with it, but until recently I worked at a large company where, for security/regulatory and just common sense reasons, personal devices were prohibited and everything was locked down to a fare-thee-well. In that type of environment, restricting equipment and software options seems to be the best overall approach. The benefits of restriction outweigh the potentially business-crippling risks of openess.
Also, and maybe more importantly, from my years of being an electronic troubleshooter and repairman for friends, family and co-workers, its clear to me that the average user/worker isn't equipped -- pardon the pun -- to handle the job of selecting equipment and software for use in the workplace. (... and don't get me started about the average person's computer usage habits.)
Now, after having said all of the above, what about those of us who are tech-savvy enough and responsible enough to better handle many of these things?
In a perfect world and workplace, we should be allowed to use the equipment and software of our own choice. Unfortunately, perfection ain't around us and won't be walkin' through the door anytime soon.
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Friday Special: PICNIC - Problem in Chair Not in Computer
Better late than never...
As a frequent PC troubleshooter and repairman for family and friends, a September 2011 column in the NY Times Make Sure the Problem Is Not in Your Chair is just about the Holy Grail.
Tip: Jump ahead and read the last paragraph of this column first!
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
As a frequent PC troubleshooter and repairman for family and friends, a September 2011 column in the NY Times Make Sure the Problem Is Not in Your Chair is just about the Holy Grail.
Tip: Jump ahead and read the last paragraph of this column first!
This post was written on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, November 4, 2011
The Friday Special: Checking in on the World's Foremost Authority
"Remember, wherever you go... There you are!" -- Professor Irwin Corey
Now 97, Professor Irwin Corey, the World's Foremost Authority, still makes more sense than most people in this world.
Check out this recent New York Times story about the Professor.
See the Professor holding forth on YouTube.
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Now 97, Professor Irwin Corey, the World's Foremost Authority, still makes more sense than most people in this world.
Check out this recent New York Times story about the Professor.
See the Professor holding forth on YouTube.
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Friday Special: Windpower North of Boston
A month or so ago a really big -- at least for our area -- and new wind turbine sprouted up on the horizon in the nearby community of Charlestown (a section of Boston). Given its size and surroundings, it almost looks like something out of War of the Worlds.
This newbie prompted me to say "wait a minute!"... There are now three large wind turbines in a small cluster of communities just north of downtown Boston.
Check out my recent post about these turbines on My TouchPad Today.
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
This newbie prompted me to say "wait a minute!"... There are now three large wind turbines in a small cluster of communities just north of downtown Boston.
Check out my recent post about these turbines on My TouchPad Today.
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: First Snow of the Season
Overnight we had our first snow of the season as a cold front came in at the tail end of a rainstorm and left an icy dusting on lawns and cars in the immediate Boston area.
More -- real -- snow is due in the area tomorrow, courtesy of a Noreaster coming up the coast.
It may seem a bit early for snow and digging out the shovels and scrapers, but it really isn't. The flakes have been known to fly here at earlier dates.
The earliest snow I can recall was back on October 11, 1979. Over the prior night we had a combination ice and snow storm that left eastern and central parts of Massachusetts glazed and looking great in the morning sun, but traffic could barely crawl.
How do I know? Well, me and my '68 Ford Galaxie had to slowly make our way that morning from Melrose (just north of Boston) out north and west to Boxborough for work. Fortunately, the trip was to attend a one-day seminar/tradeshow rather than for real work... and everyone else was late, too.
It was also the day I learned that a motor vehicle can travel in two directions simultaneously... forward and sideways!
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
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| HP Pre2 Photo |
More -- real -- snow is due in the area tomorrow, courtesy of a Noreaster coming up the coast.
It may seem a bit early for snow and digging out the shovels and scrapers, but it really isn't. The flakes have been known to fly here at earlier dates.
The earliest snow I can recall was back on October 11, 1979. Over the prior night we had a combination ice and snow storm that left eastern and central parts of Massachusetts glazed and looking great in the morning sun, but traffic could barely crawl.
How do I know? Well, me and my '68 Ford Galaxie had to slowly make our way that morning from Melrose (just north of Boston) out north and west to Boxborough for work. Fortunately, the trip was to attend a one-day seminar/tradeshow rather than for real work... and everyone else was late, too.
It was also the day I learned that a motor vehicle can travel in two directions simultaneously... forward and sideways!
This post was drafted on my TouchPad
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, October 21, 2011
The Friday Special: Notes from the Boston Book Festival
Last Saturday (October 15) I managed to get in to Boston for a couple of hours and attended a couple of presentations/panel discussions at the 3rd annual Boston Book Festival.
Click here to see my notes and some pix from the event on my other blog... My TouchPad Today.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Click here to see my notes and some pix from the event on my other blog... My TouchPad Today.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Friday Special: Getting Around Boston...
During the past week or so I got around Boston a bit with my HP TouchPad and HP Pre2, resulting in a series of posts for my other blog... My TouchPad Today.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
- Haymarket Pizza and the Haymarket Sq. Produce Market
- Peter Pan at Boston City Hall Plaza
- Boston Public Garden
- Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Friday Special: The 2011 Boston Book Festival - October 15
The third annual Boston Book Festival is almost upon us.
Discover what's happening next Saturday, October 15!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Discover what's happening next Saturday, October 15!
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: Haymarket Pizza - A Hidden Gem
Earlier this week, with my car in the shop for the day, I ventured into Boston via subway and came up with a great post for My TouchPad Today blog.
Click here and discover why Haymarket Pizza also fits the bill for The Friday -- or any day -- Special.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Click here and discover why Haymarket Pizza also fits the bill for The Friday -- or any day -- Special.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Friday Special: Bezos & Hastings - The Dirty Duo of Internet Business
Yes, my friends, Jeff Bezos of Amazon and Reed Hastings of Netflix/Quickster/Whatever are the Dirty Duo of Internet business.
Hastings has been on my "bad" list for a long time. His recent pricing and company split shenanigans were only real-life confirmation of what my built-in BS detector told me when I first saw him on Charlie Rose's program several years ago. (I suspect that in real life he sets off BS detectors at a distance of five miles!)
On the other hand, I've been a Bezos admirer until recently... namely yesterday when Bezos/Amazon announced their new Kindles, and finally decided to make good on the HP firesale pricing of the TouchPad for all purchasers. Ya coulda knocked me over with a feather!
Its painfully obvious what both of these business gurus did will, in the long run, be beneficial to their customers, employees and shareholders, but its equally clear that its a lousy way to treat your customers and employees in the here and now.
Hastings and Netflix did the right thing by spinning off the DVD-by-mail business, but failed miserably at managing their customers through the changes... hence the uproar at Greed Hastings's arrogance. And I'm sure that its been much more painful for Netflix's employees than if a proper change management plan -- or any plan -- had been used with their customers.
Bezos/Amazon's TP price rebate decision was a great move business-wise because it put cash into tablet customer's hands on the same day that it announced the modestly priced Kindle Fire and the other new Kindle models. Briliant... but by holding out for a month, your customer-facing employees took an undeserved beating on your behalf. Your customers and their money were held hostage for pure, naked greed on your part.
Somehow, Jeff, your proclamation yesterday about the type of company you and Amazon have chosen to be set off BS detectors around the world.
Mr. Bezos, have you met your new roomie Mr. Hastings?
Which of you is taking the top bunk?
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Hastings has been on my "bad" list for a long time. His recent pricing and company split shenanigans were only real-life confirmation of what my built-in BS detector told me when I first saw him on Charlie Rose's program several years ago. (I suspect that in real life he sets off BS detectors at a distance of five miles!)
On the other hand, I've been a Bezos admirer until recently... namely yesterday when Bezos/Amazon announced their new Kindles, and finally decided to make good on the HP firesale pricing of the TouchPad for all purchasers. Ya coulda knocked me over with a feather!
Its painfully obvious what both of these business gurus did will, in the long run, be beneficial to their customers, employees and shareholders, but its equally clear that its a lousy way to treat your customers and employees in the here and now.
Hastings and Netflix did the right thing by spinning off the DVD-by-mail business, but failed miserably at managing their customers through the changes... hence the uproar at Greed Hastings's arrogance. And I'm sure that its been much more painful for Netflix's employees than if a proper change management plan -- or any plan -- had been used with their customers.
Bezos/Amazon's TP price rebate decision was a great move business-wise because it put cash into tablet customer's hands on the same day that it announced the modestly priced Kindle Fire and the other new Kindle models. Briliant... but by holding out for a month, your customer-facing employees took an undeserved beating on your behalf. Your customers and their money were held hostage for pure, naked greed on your part.
Somehow, Jeff, your proclamation yesterday about the type of company you and Amazon have chosen to be set off BS detectors around the world.
Mr. Bezos, have you met your new roomie Mr. Hastings?
Which of you is taking the top bunk?
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Friday Special: The HP CEO Shuffle - Good News/Bad News
Alas, the ouster of Leo Apotheker as HP CEO is one of those classic good news/bad news scenarios...
The Good News -- Meg Whitman is the new HP CEO, meaning that Leo Apotheker is out.
The Bad News -- Meg Whitman is the new HP CEO. Feels like an "any port in a storm" move on the part of the HP board.
Some other thoughts on the matter...
I'm not seeing Whitman as the fix to what ails HP.
Anyone have Pee Wee Herman's phone number handy?
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Good News -- Meg Whitman is the new HP CEO, meaning that Leo Apotheker is out.
The Bad News -- Meg Whitman is the new HP CEO. Feels like an "any port in a storm" move on the part of the HP board.
Some other thoughts on the matter...
- The Good News -- (Insert any name here) is the new HP CEO, meaning that Leo Apotheker is out.
- If Pee Wee Herman, like Meg Whitman, were sitting on the HP board since January, could he have been the new CEO today?
I'm not seeing Whitman as the fix to what ails HP.
Anyone have Pee Wee Herman's phone number handy?
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, September 16, 2011
The Friday Special: My Entry in the boston.com September RAW Photo Contest
The theme for this month's Boston.Com RAW photo contest is "Outdoor Sculptures".
My entry is a cropped version of a March 2002 photo I took near Ground Zero in New York City of a scuplture based on a 1932 photograph of ironworkers during the construction of Rockefeller Center.
The sculpture was adjacent to a public viewing stand of the Ground Zero site.
Learn more about the Sergio Furnari sculpture here,
Click here to see more about the 1932 ironworker photo.
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BTW, here is the original photo from which my contest entry was cropped (and fixed in Paint Shop Pro)...
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Friday Special: Movie Magic - 28.5 Acres Becomes Forty Acres
Now we all know that its impossible -- even with movie magic -- to turn 28.5 acres of land into forty acres, but a 28.5 acre plot in Southern California was the home of movie magic for nearly 50 years... and was known as "Forty Acres".
Forty Acres was a backlot used starting in 1927 for the original King of Kings and then went on to appear in a long list of pictures including King Kong, Gone With The Wind and Citizen Kane.
When television came on the scene, Forty Acres was used for series as varied as Superman, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, Star Trek, Batman, Hogan's Heroes and Mission Impossible.
Forty Acres in History?
Q: If it were possible to travel from Scarlett O'Hara's Civil War era home of Tara to the Stalag 13 prison camp from WWII and Hogan's Heroes, how miles would your journey cover?
A: 0 miles. The Tara mansion set, built for 1939's Gone With The Wind, was razed in 1959. The Stalag 13 prison camp for Hogan's Heroes (1965 - 1971) was built on the same land at Forty Acres.
Click here for the whole story about Forty Acres on Wikipedia.
Discover even more about Forty Acres at http://www.retroweb.com/40acres.html (Hundreds of photographs!)
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Forty Acres was a backlot used starting in 1927 for the original King of Kings and then went on to appear in a long list of pictures including King Kong, Gone With The Wind and Citizen Kane.
When television came on the scene, Forty Acres was used for series as varied as Superman, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, Star Trek, Batman, Hogan's Heroes and Mission Impossible.
Forty Acres in History?
Q: If it were possible to travel from Scarlett O'Hara's Civil War era home of Tara to the Stalag 13 prison camp from WWII and Hogan's Heroes, how miles would your journey cover?
A: 0 miles. The Tara mansion set, built for 1939's Gone With The Wind, was razed in 1959. The Stalag 13 prison camp for Hogan's Heroes (1965 - 1971) was built on the same land at Forty Acres.
Click here for the whole story about Forty Acres on Wikipedia.
Discover even more about Forty Acres at http://www.retroweb.com/40acres.html (Hundreds of photographs!)
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, September 2, 2011
The Friday Special: Steve Jobs - The Floppy and the Mouse
I've never been a big Steve Jobs fan, but a recent article in the aftermath of his decision to give up the Apple CEO post caught my attention.
Here are a couple of sentences that really grabbed me...
"He did things his own way and expected the rest of the world to fall into line. He both brought the mouse into our homes and more or less killed it off, eliminated the floppy disk with the first iMac, and did away with the DVD on the MacBook Air, decisions that foretold the obsolescence of physical media."
Check out the whole story...
Steve Jobs Reigned in a Kingdom of Altered Landscapes
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Here are a couple of sentences that really grabbed me...
"He did things his own way and expected the rest of the world to fall into line. He both brought the mouse into our homes and more or less killed it off, eliminated the floppy disk with the first iMac, and did away with the DVD on the MacBook Air, decisions that foretold the obsolescence of physical media."
Check out the whole story...
Steve Jobs Reigned in a Kingdom of Altered Landscapes
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Friday Special: Today is Fully Booked
Two book-related items for this week's The Friday Special...
Seth Godin, founder of The Domino Project, an e-book publishing venture powered by Amazon, looks back fondly at the hundreds of paperback books in his basement and why he loves them.
The big pile of books
NY Times tech writer Nick Bilton tackles reading a book in electronic and paperback form at the same time.
Deciding on a Book, and How to Read It
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Seth Godin, founder of The Domino Project, an e-book publishing venture powered by Amazon, looks back fondly at the hundreds of paperback books in his basement and why he loves them.
The big pile of books
NY Times tech writer Nick Bilton tackles reading a book in electronic and paperback form at the same time.
Deciding on a Book, and How to Read It
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: The Annual Futures at Fenway Doublheader and The HP TouchPad
Here's a recent post from my other blog...
My TouchPad Today: My TP at Fenway Park
I tested two camera apps on my HP TouchPad tablet computer on a visit to Fenway Park in Boston for the Futures at Fenway annual minor league doubleheader last Saturday.
(The Red Sox were on the road facing the Kansas City Royals.)
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
My TouchPad Today: My TP at Fenway Park
I tested two camera apps on my HP TouchPad tablet computer on a visit to Fenway Park in Boston for the Futures at Fenway annual minor league doubleheader last Saturday.
(The Red Sox were on the road facing the Kansas City Royals.)
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
The Friday Special: My Entry in the boston.com August RAW Photo Contest
Boston.com's RAW photo blog conducts a monthly digital photo contest.
Each month has a theme or a challenge. For August, the theme is The Rule of Thirds.
Here's my entry...
See all of this month's entries on boston.com.
Learn more here about the Rule of Thirds.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Each month has a theme or a challenge. For August, the theme is The Rule of Thirds.
Here's my entry...
See all of this month's entries on boston.com.
Learn more here about the Rule of Thirds.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Friday Special: Flawed CEO Vision - Optometrists Needed
Here's a link to a good blog post about the vision of IBM CEO (from 1952 - 1971) Tom Watson... A Leader's Perspective. He was a business visionary, but also had good vision when it came to people.
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Thinking a bit more about CEO's who are great visionaries...
The news of the past couple of days has given us stories about a couple of big-time CEO's who desperately need to get a vision check.
One is caught up in the US and world financial crisis. The other wiped out 25% of his firm's stock value in one day by discontinuing a product line.
Their stocks are tanking, They're flailing around making bad decisions about the future course and survival of their firms.
Flawed vision is killing their stockholders, customers and employees.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
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Thinking a bit more about CEO's who are great visionaries...
The news of the past couple of days has given us stories about a couple of big-time CEO's who desperately need to get a vision check.
One is caught up in the US and world financial crisis. The other wiped out 25% of his firm's stock value in one day by discontinuing a product line.
Their stocks are tanking, They're flailing around making bad decisions about the future course and survival of their firms.
Flawed vision is killing their stockholders, customers and employees.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Friday Special: What About All of Those Books?
Tech writer Nick Bilton shared his recent dilemma about how to handle 15 years of collected print books as he prepped to move from New York to San Francisco in Should They Stay or Should They Go?
My wife and I haven't moved in 15 years, but we've been slowly dealing with our printed books (and LP's, tapes, CD's, VHS tapes, and DVD's) in a fashion similar to Bilton's solution.
What's happening on this front in your household?
My wife and I haven't moved in 15 years, but we've been slowly dealing with our printed books (and LP's, tapes, CD's, VHS tapes, and DVD's) in a fashion similar to Bilton's solution.
What's happening on this front in your household?
The Friday Special: Video Mini-Review of Poke the Box
Here's a recent post from my other blog, My TouchPad Today...
Poke the Box (Video Mini-Review)
In Poke the Box, author Seth Godin promotes why we all, like a baby playing with a a box or toy, should poke the world around us... to see what happens when we poke.
Poke the Box (Video Mini-Review)
In Poke the Box, author Seth Godin promotes why we all, like a baby playing with a a box or toy, should poke the world around us... to see what happens when we poke.
The Friday Special: A Roundup of Recent Stories and Blog Posts
Here's a roundup of some recent stories and blog posts found out on the web...
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Friday Special: Paper or Electronic Calendars?
A recent news story (click here) touched on something I've been talking about with people for about the past ten years... What type of calendar do you use these days -- paper or electronic?
For me the answer is easy, though not really decisive-sounding... both.
For a long time (1970's - 1990's), I used an 8" x 10" book that showed each month spread out conveniently across two pages. It easily held the events/activities I had to keep in mind, and, more importantly, it was a great "canvas" that gave me a picture of a whole month in one quick glance.
During the 90's my world changed bit and I moved to a book that showed one week spread across two pages. I needed more space everyday, but it was still a good canvas that gave me a good picture of multiple days in one glance.
In the mid-90's electronic calendars starting coming into my world. First, on pocket-sized devices and then they appeared on the PC.
As the novelty phase of using electronic calendars wore off, It was becoming clear to me that the electronic format (despite some clear virtues) was a lousy canvas for getting a quick and deep picture of my week or month. It was kind of a situation of too many clicks and still not getting the same level of info provided by flipping open a nearby book to a spread of two pages.
My calendar book was almost always at hand (or really close by), whereas the electronic version might not be there, or could not be accessed as quickly.
It was -- and continues to be -- an interesting situation for someone who is known as an advocate and evangelist for most things electronic. The result has been something -- essentially keeping two sets of books -- that would land me in jail if we were talking about bookkeeping rather than calendars. My paper calendar has been the place for all of my business and personal items. The electronic calendar has been for business, with just a smattering of the personal stuff.
Messy and complicated, huh? The workplace doesn't allow you to just ignore the electronic calendar, but, for me, it continues to be a lousy canvas for getting a good sense of what's coming up.
Right now, I'm on a bit of a work hiatus, so I'm not making calendar entries in Outlook on a employer/work system, but I am using the calendar function on my smartphone -- to a small degree -- while I also use my traditional calendar book.
So, what's the bottom line to all of this?... I guess it comes down to the same thing I preach to both techie and non-techies types on other topics: Know and explore the available options and then make an honest choice/decision about what will work best for you.
For me the answer is easy, though not really decisive-sounding... both.
For a long time (1970's - 1990's), I used an 8" x 10" book that showed each month spread out conveniently across two pages. It easily held the events/activities I had to keep in mind, and, more importantly, it was a great "canvas" that gave me a picture of a whole month in one quick glance.
During the 90's my world changed bit and I moved to a book that showed one week spread across two pages. I needed more space everyday, but it was still a good canvas that gave me a good picture of multiple days in one glance.
In the mid-90's electronic calendars starting coming into my world. First, on pocket-sized devices and then they appeared on the PC.
As the novelty phase of using electronic calendars wore off, It was becoming clear to me that the electronic format (despite some clear virtues) was a lousy canvas for getting a quick and deep picture of my week or month. It was kind of a situation of too many clicks and still not getting the same level of info provided by flipping open a nearby book to a spread of two pages.
My calendar book was almost always at hand (or really close by), whereas the electronic version might not be there, or could not be accessed as quickly.
It was -- and continues to be -- an interesting situation for someone who is known as an advocate and evangelist for most things electronic. The result has been something -- essentially keeping two sets of books -- that would land me in jail if we were talking about bookkeeping rather than calendars. My paper calendar has been the place for all of my business and personal items. The electronic calendar has been for business, with just a smattering of the personal stuff.
Messy and complicated, huh? The workplace doesn't allow you to just ignore the electronic calendar, but, for me, it continues to be a lousy canvas for getting a good sense of what's coming up.
Right now, I'm on a bit of a work hiatus, so I'm not making calendar entries in Outlook on a employer/work system, but I am using the calendar function on my smartphone -- to a small degree -- while I also use my traditional calendar book.
So, what's the bottom line to all of this?... I guess it comes down to the same thing I preach to both techie and non-techies types on other topics: Know and explore the available options and then make an honest choice/decision about what will work best for you.
The Friday Special: A Video from "My TouchPad Today"
The following is an 8/3/11 post -- which includes a link to a YouTube clip -- from my other blog (My TouchPad Today) about the new HP TouchPad tablet computer.
In my post yesterday I mentioned that I had purchased a CE Compass case for my HP TouchPad and found -- somewhat understandably -- that the unit drifted around a bit in it.
It may not seem like a lot, but when reaching for a button, or when trying to make a quick adjustment, that drift is significant.
See my video mini-review about this drift on YouTube.
In my post yesterday I mentioned that I had purchased a CE Compass case for my HP TouchPad and found -- somewhat understandably -- that the unit drifted around a bit in it.
It may not seem like a lot, but when reaching for a button, or when trying to make a quick adjustment, that drift is significant.
See my video mini-review about this drift on YouTube.
The Friday Special: Ansel Adams and Kodachrome?
The following is an updated re-post of an item I placed another blog back in 2009.
Ansel Adams and Kodachrome color film seem like an odd combination given that he is known for classic black and white landscape photography, but Kodak's announcement that it will no longer manufacture the historic film led Fortune magazine to reveal another part of Adams' work.
Click below to see a "different" type of Adams photograph and a number of other Kodachromes from the Fortune archives...
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0906/gallery.kodak_kodachrome.fortune/8.html
Click below to see the familiar Adams works...
http://www.anseladams.org/ansel-adams-posters.html
Ansel Adams and Kodachrome color film seem like an odd combination given that he is known for classic black and white landscape photography, but Kodak's announcement that it will no longer manufacture the historic film led Fortune magazine to reveal another part of Adams' work.
Click below to see a "different" type of Adams photograph and a number of other Kodachromes from the Fortune archives...
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0906/gallery.kodak_kodachrome.fortune/8.html
Click below to see the familiar Adams works...
http://www.anseladams.org/ansel-adams-posters.html
Friday, July 29, 2011
Duende a la Frazier
A couple of weeks ago I did a post about the late, great Boston Globe columnist George Frazier that mentioned his affection for that mysterious quality of duende. The main example used in it was that Ted Williams had it, even while striking out, but Stan Musial didn't have it, even when hitting a homerun.
That's a pretty good example, but probably a bit dated for somebody stumbling across this blog.
Let's try here to give some hopefully more current examples of duende, a la George Frazier...
Red Sox DH David Ortiz has it. Sox outfielder J.D. Drew doesn't have it. (Big Papi misplaced it for a period time a couple of years ago, but managed to get it back... a rarity.)
Staying with baseball for another moment, pitcher John Lackey sorely lacks duende. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia has duende to spare.
The Amazon Kindle e-reader has duende. The Amazon Kindle apps for other devices does not.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino and New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg do not have duende. The 1960's/70's mayors of Boston and New York, Kevin White and John Lindsay, had it.
Katie Couric had duende for a few minutes at the start of her career on the Today Show. It had long deserted her by the end of her run there. It never made an appearance with her on the CBS Evening News. It won't rejoin her next year on her new talk show.
The Apple iPad -- much to my dismay -- has duende. Alas, the new HP TouchPad does not.
That's a pretty good example, but probably a bit dated for somebody stumbling across this blog.
Let's try here to give some hopefully more current examples of duende, a la George Frazier...
Red Sox DH David Ortiz has it. Sox outfielder J.D. Drew doesn't have it. (Big Papi misplaced it for a period time a couple of years ago, but managed to get it back... a rarity.)
Staying with baseball for another moment, pitcher John Lackey sorely lacks duende. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia has duende to spare.
The Amazon Kindle e-reader has duende. The Amazon Kindle apps for other devices does not.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino and New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg do not have duende. The 1960's/70's mayors of Boston and New York, Kevin White and John Lindsay, had it.
Katie Couric had duende for a few minutes at the start of her career on the Today Show. It had long deserted her by the end of her run there. It never made an appearance with her on the CBS Evening News. It won't rejoin her next year on her new talk show.
The Apple iPad -- much to my dismay -- has duende. Alas, the new HP TouchPad does not.
Video: The Dunes of Revere?
To anyone of a certain age, "The Dunes of Revere" sounds like the name of a honky tonk restaurant or bar that could have existed during the '60's and 70's amid the last few amusement rides along Revere Beach (just a few miles away from downtown Boston).
Actually, I don't know if there is a name for the strip of beach shown in the video has a name... but "The Dunes" seemed fitting.
Watch for a segment in the clip that shows a sign explaining that the strip of beach is fenced off and restricted to provide a nesting area for small beach birds.
BTW, Revere claims to be the first public beach in the U.S. and has rich history dating back to the late 1800's Learn more here.
Actually, I don't know if there is a name for the strip of beach shown in the video has a name... but "The Dunes" seemed fitting.
Watch for a segment in the clip that shows a sign explaining that the strip of beach is fenced off and restricted to provide a nesting area for small beach birds.
BTW, Revere claims to be the first public beach in the U.S. and has rich history dating back to the late 1800's Learn more here.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Prioritizing, Mentoring, and Empathy
One of Adam Bryant's recent Corner Office columns in the Sunday New York Times had some interesting words -- some things to ponder -- from Kathy Button Bell, vice president and chief marketing officer of Emerson, the manufacturing and technology company.
Prioritizing
"... you prioritize better as you get older, and you realize that time can also be your friend. Some things actually simply will go away, and you have to get smarter and smarter to know which ones are which. I think I do a much better job of saying: “You know what? Let that sit.”"
Mentoring
"I think it’s true of everyone when they’re younger, but I see it especially in this younger generation, who seem worried about, “I need the list of things I need to do to get promoted.” I would never have asked for that. Maybe I should have, but I would never have asked for it. They often come to you with their little list because they want to know how they’re going to be measured. I think mentoring people past their lists is where you want to go."
Empathy
"... Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They’re able to test their way through life and get A’s. No one tests you on empathy."
Learn more at... http://s.nyt.com/u/8Dqj
Prioritizing
"... you prioritize better as you get older, and you realize that time can also be your friend. Some things actually simply will go away, and you have to get smarter and smarter to know which ones are which. I think I do a much better job of saying: “You know what? Let that sit.”"
Mentoring
"I think it’s true of everyone when they’re younger, but I see it especially in this younger generation, who seem worried about, “I need the list of things I need to do to get promoted.” I would never have asked for that. Maybe I should have, but I would never have asked for it. They often come to you with their little list because they want to know how they’re going to be measured. I think mentoring people past their lists is where you want to go."
Empathy
"... Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They’re able to test their way through life and get A’s. No one tests you on empathy."
Learn more at... http://s.nyt.com/u/8Dqj
Video: Boston Public Library - Inside the McKim Building
The McKim building dates back to the late 1800's and is a little-realized gem hiding in Boston's Back Bay.
See a bit of what you're missing inside the McKim...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNI1das-ZsQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
See a bit of what you're missing inside the McKim...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNI1das-ZsQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Friday, July 15, 2011
Duende: Frazier at 100
Boston newspaper columnist George Frazier would have been 100 years old last month. To mark the occasion, The Boston Globe ran a great Op-Ed piece. Check out the entire story here.
Here are a few telling exceprts from the piece...
"Immortality in a business as ephemeral as daily journalism is nigh-on impossible, but every city has a newspaper guy who will be forever identified with that city. H.L. Mencken in Baltimore, Jimmy Breslin in New York, Mike Royko in Chicago, Herb Caen in San Francisco. Frazier, born in Southie 100 years ago last week, is that guy for Boston."
"Why Frazier? Like other writers before me, I’ll lean on Frazier to explain. His signature, and most popular, essays through the years were the ones about duende, that special force or characteristic that makes someone or something irresistibly attractive. “So difficult to define, “ he wrote, “but when it is there it is unmistakable, inspiring our awe, quickening our memory. To observe someone who has it is to feel icy fingers running up and down our spine.’’
Duende, he explained, was what Ted Williams had, even when he was striking out, yet Stan Musial lacked, even while hitting a home run."
"He would be unimaginably huge today. The blogosphere would send his every column around the globe a thousand times over, and cable television would scramble for his services, coveting his wit, his eloquence, and his comfort with controversy, not to mention his natty dress and his theatrical mien.
No one would be more at home in the Internet... And he would have only tweeted if he’d come up with the idea himself, before some editor told him he had to do it.
Yet it’s easy to imagine George Frazier on Twitter, isn’t it? He would have loved the challenge of framing a thought in 140 characters. No one would have done it better; think of all the one-liners in those “Another Man’s Poison’’ columns — “Whenever I take the train to New York, I consider the trip a success if I get there while my suit’s still in style’’ — 140 characters or less, all of them."
-------------------------------------------------
Check out some Frazier excerpts and quotes, including one about duende, here.
Here are a few telling exceprts from the piece...
"Immortality in a business as ephemeral as daily journalism is nigh-on impossible, but every city has a newspaper guy who will be forever identified with that city. H.L. Mencken in Baltimore, Jimmy Breslin in New York, Mike Royko in Chicago, Herb Caen in San Francisco. Frazier, born in Southie 100 years ago last week, is that guy for Boston."
"Why Frazier? Like other writers before me, I’ll lean on Frazier to explain. His signature, and most popular, essays through the years were the ones about duende, that special force or characteristic that makes someone or something irresistibly attractive. “So difficult to define, “ he wrote, “but when it is there it is unmistakable, inspiring our awe, quickening our memory. To observe someone who has it is to feel icy fingers running up and down our spine.’’
Duende, he explained, was what Ted Williams had, even when he was striking out, yet Stan Musial lacked, even while hitting a home run."
"He would be unimaginably huge today. The blogosphere would send his every column around the globe a thousand times over, and cable television would scramble for his services, coveting his wit, his eloquence, and his comfort with controversy, not to mention his natty dress and his theatrical mien.
No one would be more at home in the Internet... And he would have only tweeted if he’d come up with the idea himself, before some editor told him he had to do it.
Yet it’s easy to imagine George Frazier on Twitter, isn’t it? He would have loved the challenge of framing a thought in 140 characters. No one would have done it better; think of all the one-liners in those “Another Man’s Poison’’ columns — “Whenever I take the train to New York, I consider the trip a success if I get there while my suit’s still in style’’ — 140 characters or less, all of them."
-------------------------------------------------
Check out some Frazier excerpts and quotes, including one about duende, here.
Veeck's 4th Commandment: Never Hire a Coat-Holder
A post with a baseball connection for All-Star week...
Baseball Hall of Fame owner Bill Veeck was a real character, but that's for another post... or two... or twenty two. This post is to share Veeck's commandments for his professional life, which I first heard twenty years ago when he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame.
My favorites (in the form which I originally heard them) are...
http://ballplayers.mikehuntoon.com/owners/veecks-hof-speech/
Baseball Hall of Fame owner Bill Veeck was a real character, but that's for another post... or two... or twenty two. This post is to share Veeck's commandments for his professional life, which I first heard twenty years ago when he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame.
My favorites (in the form which I originally heard them) are...
- Take your work very seriously. Give your all. Go for broke.
- Surround yourself with similarly dedicated soul-mates of whom you can ask “why?” And “why not?” Naturally, they may ask the same of you! Never hire a coat-holder.
- In your hiring be color-blind, gender-blind, age-and-experience blind. You never worked for Bill Veeck; you worked with him.
- Cherish the moment, commit it to memory.
http://ballplayers.mikehuntoon.com/owners/veecks-hof-speech/
Guilty, as Charged...!!!
A recent NY Times story explored the cases for and against the liberal use of non-standard punctuation in electronic communications.
All I can say is, "Guilty, as charged, Your Honor", and throw myself on the mercy of the court.
Check it out at...
http://mobile.nytimes.com/article;jsessionid=6141E4B9C198A993FE24390CB206AA83.w6?a=811592&single=1&f=35
All I can say is, "Guilty, as charged, Your Honor", and throw myself on the mercy of the court.
Check it out at...
http://mobile.nytimes.com/article;jsessionid=6141E4B9C198A993FE24390CB206AA83.w6?a=811592&single=1&f=35
Friday, July 8, 2011
TED Ties One On?
Who (or what) is TED? More on that later, but for now...
For most my adult life I had an annoying little problem -- I could never keep my left shoe tied! No matter what kind of shoe/sneaker I wore, with whatever style/type of lace, it would untie itself every few minutes.
Lots of people gave me advice and tips... all to no avail.
About 5 years ago I Googled shoelace tieing and came up with a website that gave me a solution that has largely solved the problem.
As it turns out, it wasn't the type of shoe, lacing, or knot I was using, but rather how I started tying the knot itself! All I had to do was to reverse how (left/right-wise) I started my knot. The method I used -- and many of you probably use -- was actually creating a knot that would self-untie with the normal motion and pressure of walking.
The connection with TED (actually the TEDTalks video clips on the Web) is that they recently posted a brief clip from 2005 of a fun talk/presentation of how the badly-started knot fails... and how to tell at a glance if you're at risk of becoming untied.
Check it out at...
Terry Moore: How to tie your shoes | Video on TED.com
Learn out more about TED and TEDTalks at...
http://www.ted.com/pages/about
For most my adult life I had an annoying little problem -- I could never keep my left shoe tied! No matter what kind of shoe/sneaker I wore, with whatever style/type of lace, it would untie itself every few minutes.
Lots of people gave me advice and tips... all to no avail.
About 5 years ago I Googled shoelace tieing and came up with a website that gave me a solution that has largely solved the problem.
As it turns out, it wasn't the type of shoe, lacing, or knot I was using, but rather how I started tying the knot itself! All I had to do was to reverse how (left/right-wise) I started my knot. The method I used -- and many of you probably use -- was actually creating a knot that would self-untie with the normal motion and pressure of walking.
The connection with TED (actually the TEDTalks video clips on the Web) is that they recently posted a brief clip from 2005 of a fun talk/presentation of how the badly-started knot fails... and how to tell at a glance if you're at risk of becoming untied.
Check it out at...
Terry Moore: How to tie your shoes | Video on TED.com
Learn out more about TED and TEDTalks at...
http://www.ted.com/pages/about
It Keeps on Ticking!
Dan Pink video interview from MIX TV (management exchange.com) about what makes people tick at work...
http://www.managementexchange.com/video/dan-pink-what-makes-people-tick-work
Learn more about Dan Pink...
http://www.danpink.com/about
http://www.managementexchange.com/video/dan-pink-what-makes-people-tick-work
Learn more about Dan Pink...
http://www.danpink.com/about
Back in the Real World...
(Some context... From 1979 - 2004 my worklife involved significant amounts of travel via car or airplane. Since 2004, except for a few trips for meetings or training, I've worked from a cubicle, or sometimes in a public wifi hotspot.)
Transporting your personal laptop around (packing and unpacking it several times a day) ain't a whole lot of fun and the machine itself takes a hell of a beating. (Hello second laptop... or maybe even a tablet?)
What I did was to inexpensively get myself back to where I needed to be with with regard to some basic tech/work tools.
During my current work hiatus, and being released (perhaps temporarily) from the bonds of cubicle life, I've had to reconnect with some of the technology about which one can say "I really don't need to worry about that..." when spending your workday in a cube.
Cell Phone (No driving and using the phone... parked phone use only)
- Ear buds with a microphone... may cut it for a taking an occasional conference call from outside the cube/office, but not for much else.
- Built-in Speakerphone... seriously lacking for anything beyond a brief hit and run call with the wife.
- One Phone/Number (...we cut the cord on the land line years ago!)... doesn't work well when trying to keep some separation between your regular personal business and job search-related activities. Also, I need to have a plain old backup phone number and voicemail now that I don't have a company-provided phone.
Transporting your personal laptop around (packing and unpacking it several times a day) ain't a whole lot of fun and the machine itself takes a hell of a beating. (Hello second laptop... or maybe even a tablet?)
So, in the words of Karl Malden touting American Express, "What will you do?... What will you do?"
What I did was to inexpensively get myself back to where I needed to be with with regard to some basic tech/work tools.
Visor-mounted Bluetooth Speaker for cell phone... I scrounged online for a Jabra model (probably a closeout) which solved my ear bud/microphone/speakerphone woes very nicely. A vast improvement in comfort and sound quality.
Tablet PC... A "work in progress" with some encouraging signs. I found an already inexpensive, refurbished Android OS-based e-reader whose software had been upgraded to make the it a low-level tablet. Its kinda sluggish and quirky, but functional enough to hold me until I take delivery of a HP TouchPad. (Side benefit: I now have some experience with the Android OS to go along with my Microsoft Windows, HP/Palm WebOS and a smidgen of Linux experience.)
Cell Phone... Picked a nice little QWERTY TracFone (with automatic free "double minutes") to use as the backup to my existing Palm Pre2 and for use in separating my job search phone activity from my personal phone activity.
Now, where did I put my Cyberguys catalog? I think I need some gadgets/accessories to go along with all of these new tools.
Now, where did I put my Cyberguys catalog? I think I need some gadgets/accessories to go along with all of these new tools.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Who Was Your Best Boss?
Recently, a fella named David Witt posted a good item on the Blanchard LeaderChat forum about identifying what made your best boss memorable and special. Check out the link below...
Trust, Caring and Connectedness: Who Was Your Best Boss—a creative exercise and reminder
Trust, Caring and Connectedness: Who Was Your Best Boss—a creative exercise and reminder
Downhill All the Way!
Check out my slideshow video of the Soap Box Derby races held in Arlington, MA on June 4...
Stacks of Wax?
The following is an updated re-post of an item I placed another blog in 2009.
-----------------------------------------------------
During the past week of Jacko-mania, some of the talk in my office strayed from him and his music over to the whole Berry Gordy/Motown thing.
Motown was great, but what about the other large chunks of music in the past 50 years that came out of Ahmet Ertegun's Atlantic Records and from the Memphis folks at Stax Records?
... And there's also Tom Dowd who engineered or produced much of the well-known product from both Atlantic and Stax!
Find out more...
Atlantic Records
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/atlantic_stub.html
http://atlanticrecords.com/the-stacks/time-capsule/
Stax Records
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034410/plotsummary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stax_Records
Tom Dowd
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/producer-tom-dowd-dies-20021028
http://www.thelanguageofmusic.com/
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=tom+dowd+and+the+language+of+music&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=0PtNSsrAH5yqtgfCw62zBA&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4#
-----------------------------------------------------
During the past week of Jacko-mania, some of the talk in my office strayed from him and his music over to the whole Berry Gordy/Motown thing.
Motown was great, but what about the other large chunks of music in the past 50 years that came out of Ahmet Ertegun's Atlantic Records and from the Memphis folks at Stax Records?
... And there's also Tom Dowd who engineered or produced much of the well-known product from both Atlantic and Stax!
Find out more...
Atlantic Records
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/atlantic_stub.html
http://atlanticrecords.com/the-stacks/time-capsule/
Stax Records
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034410/plotsummary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stax_Records
Tom Dowd
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/producer-tom-dowd-dies-20021028
http://www.thelanguageofmusic.com/
http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=tom+dowd+and+the+language+of+music&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=0PtNSsrAH5yqtgfCw62zBA&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4#
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A Three-Fer Week
It was kinda hard to come up with just one item to post this week, so we have a rare three-fer for ya...
Panasonic says Toughbook Android tablet coming this year
"Panasonic’s Toughbook line is known for putting ruggedized notebook computers in the hands of field workers, first responders, emergency personnel, and other market segments were the ability to take more than casual bumps and knocks is of the utmost importance..."
I'm not sure about Android on a tablet -- I've been testing one for a few weeks and am not impressed -- but a ruggedized Toughbook tablet... Yes!
Power? Thanks, but I’d Rather Have Influence
"Early on, I learned that I’m better with influence than power. And, in fact, I’m not power-hungry... I like being with interesting people and helping them become better and being part of the flow of ideas. And that’s a little bit uncomfortable, as a boss. It doesn’t make sense to people that the boss, who is kind of a figurehead and maybe a confidence-giving parent figure, just wants to be an experienced helper. As a person of authority, I’m kind of teacher-consultant more than wielder of power..."
Another good interview from the Adam Bryant Corner Office column in the Sunday NY Times.
To Catch a Liar
"In business, there is no shortage of lies. People tell them at all levels — sometimes to seek a payoff and other times to avoid responsibility, some lying with guilt and others lying with a habitual delight..."
A thought-provoking blog post on the Harvard Business Review.
Panasonic says Toughbook Android tablet coming this year
"Panasonic’s Toughbook line is known for putting ruggedized notebook computers in the hands of field workers, first responders, emergency personnel, and other market segments were the ability to take more than casual bumps and knocks is of the utmost importance..."
I'm not sure about Android on a tablet -- I've been testing one for a few weeks and am not impressed -- but a ruggedized Toughbook tablet... Yes!
Power? Thanks, but I’d Rather Have Influence
"Early on, I learned that I’m better with influence than power. And, in fact, I’m not power-hungry... I like being with interesting people and helping them become better and being part of the flow of ideas. And that’s a little bit uncomfortable, as a boss. It doesn’t make sense to people that the boss, who is kind of a figurehead and maybe a confidence-giving parent figure, just wants to be an experienced helper. As a person of authority, I’m kind of teacher-consultant more than wielder of power..."
Another good interview from the Adam Bryant Corner Office column in the Sunday NY Times.
To Catch a Liar
"In business, there is no shortage of lies. People tell them at all levels — sometimes to seek a payoff and other times to avoid responsibility, some lying with guilt and others lying with a habitual delight..."
A thought-provoking blog post on the Harvard Business Review.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cavett and Slydini: Nothing Up Their Sleeves
The following is an updated re-post of a "fun" item I placed another blog in 2009.
-----------------------------------------------------
Back when I was just a young whipppersnapper, I managed to see all of the different incarnations of The Dick Cavett Show: The daytime show, the summer-replacement evening show and the late-night versions on ABC and PBS. The guests were always interesting and just a little bit different than what you would see on the other talk shows.
Some of the guests who immediately come to mind are... Groucho, Fred Astaire, Ogden Nash, Bob and Ray, Lester Maddox, Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, Robert Mitchum, Mel Brooks, Katherine Hepburn and James Galway.
A couple of years ago, Turner Classic Movies, or one of the other movie channels on cable, ran a multi-week series of some of the Cavett movie star/filmaker interviews in connection with the DVD release of a lot of his material. I'd forgotten how good the shows were and how different they are from what passes today as a "talk show".
This week I was reminded again of the Cavett "good stuff" when I read a couple of his New York Times blog posts from earlier this year:
Both are about a fella called Slydini, one of the all-time great magicians, who appeared twice on his PBS show in the late 1970's. Cavett and The Times have embedded the full-length video clips of each show in the postings.
I didn't remember the name Slydini, but when I saw the opening minutes of the first show I could safely say I had enjoyed this show a long, long time ago.
Card tricks, coin tricks, rope tricks, handkerchief tricks...They're all there!
![]()
-----------------------------------------------------
Back when I was just a young whipppersnapper, I managed to see all of the different incarnations of The Dick Cavett Show: The daytime show, the summer-replacement evening show and the late-night versions on ABC and PBS. The guests were always interesting and just a little bit different than what you would see on the other talk shows.
Some of the guests who immediately come to mind are... Groucho, Fred Astaire, Ogden Nash, Bob and Ray, Lester Maddox, Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, Robert Mitchum, Mel Brooks, Katherine Hepburn and James Galway.
A couple of years ago, Turner Classic Movies, or one of the other movie channels on cable, ran a multi-week series of some of the Cavett movie star/filmaker interviews in connection with the DVD release of a lot of his material. I'd forgotten how good the shows were and how different they are from what passes today as a "talk show".
This week I was reminded again of the Cavett "good stuff" when I read a couple of his New York Times blog posts from earlier this year:
Both are about a fella called Slydini, one of the all-time great magicians, who appeared twice on his PBS show in the late 1970's. Cavett and The Times have embedded the full-length video clips of each show in the postings.
I didn't remember the name Slydini, but when I saw the opening minutes of the first show I could safely say I had enjoyed this show a long, long time ago.
Card tricks, coin tricks, rope tricks, handkerchief tricks...They're all there!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Dull Chrome?
NY Times tech guru David Pogue weighs in on a new Google Chromebook from Samsung and finds the future for it a bit "cloudy" (in the wrong way)...
"... So what is the Chromebook concept? Assumption 1: These days, you can get online almost anywhere. Assumption 2: Google’s free online software can do almost everything regular software can do — e-mail (Gmail), Web browsing (Chrome), chat (Google Talk), photos (Picasa), word processing, spreadsheets, slide shows (Google Docs)..."
"... How well does Google’s newfangled concept hold up in the real world?
Unfortunately, not very well.
The first assumption is that you’re online everywhere you go. That’s rather critical, because when it’s not online, a Chromebook can’t do much of anything. You can’t peruse your e-mail, read documents or books or listen to music. With very few exceptions, when the Chromebook isn’t online, it’s a 3.3-pound paperweight. (Google says that an upgrade this summer will at least permit you to read your e-mail, calendar and Google Docs when you’re offline, and that over time, more apps will be written to be offline-usable.)..."
Check out Pogue's State of the Art column for the full story.
"... So what is the Chromebook concept? Assumption 1: These days, you can get online almost anywhere. Assumption 2: Google’s free online software can do almost everything regular software can do — e-mail (Gmail), Web browsing (Chrome), chat (Google Talk), photos (Picasa), word processing, spreadsheets, slide shows (Google Docs)..."
"... How well does Google’s newfangled concept hold up in the real world?
Unfortunately, not very well.
The first assumption is that you’re online everywhere you go. That’s rather critical, because when it’s not online, a Chromebook can’t do much of anything. You can’t peruse your e-mail, read documents or books or listen to music. With very few exceptions, when the Chromebook isn’t online, it’s a 3.3-pound paperweight. (Google says that an upgrade this summer will at least permit you to read your e-mail, calendar and Google Docs when you’re offline, and that over time, more apps will be written to be offline-usable.)..."
Check out Pogue's State of the Art column for the full story.
The Friday Special Arrives on The Web
To those of you who have received the old "Friday Special" via email over the past few years... Welcome to the new home (and updated title)!
To newcomers, welcome to a weekly snippet or two, usually something from the worlds of business, news, and technology, that has caught my eye/interest during the prior seven days...and will hopefully catch yours, too.
Sometimes The Friday Special will have "homegrown" material, like photos from a recent trip or local event.
Let's see where the world will take us!
To newcomers, welcome to a weekly snippet or two, usually something from the worlds of business, news, and technology, that has caught my eye/interest during the prior seven days...and will hopefully catch yours, too.
Sometimes The Friday Special will have "homegrown" material, like photos from a recent trip or local event.
Let's see where the world will take us!
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