Which is better: A. Telling a project stakeholder that his good idea is never going to happen? B. Letting him think it is going to happen when it isn’t? Read more →
December 2009
Dad Is Not Nuts
As part of a family discussion, my mom names the three members of our extended family whom she considers to be nuts. My sister adds two more people to the list, including my dad. “No, Dad is not nuts,” my mom says, “although he gets along well with the nuts.” My dad says to me, “That’s the best compliment I’ve ever had from this family.” “That you’re not nuts?” I ask. “That’s right.” Read more →
My Dad’s Getting Old
My dad asks me, “You know what’s a good thing about getting old?” “A lot of people you don’t like are dead?” I suggest. “No, you can hide your own Easter eggs.” “What?” Read more →
Twitter: 2009-12-14
HarvardBusiness.org: Take Back 10 Minutes http://web.hbr.org/e/?e=mt&d=121409 # Read more →
Regarding My Behavior at Last Night’s Holiday Party
I was somewhat drunk and somewhat belligerent — although in my defense, I’m somewhat belligerent even when sober — but I did not get so drunk that I wound up vomiting on the host’s front lawn like some people I could mention because really — aren’t we all getting a little too old for that kind of thing? Read more →
Twitter: 2009-12-13
The Content Strategist as Digital Curator: http://bit.ly/7haS0a # Read more →
Evolution of a Mission Statement
From TheCoreProtocols Yahoo group: This one is pretty good: IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THOSE WE SERVE. Compare that to the previous one: Our mission is to make a significant, positive impact on the healthcare system by changing behaviors and improving outcomes. And before that: APS is dedicated to providing user-friendly, accessible, comprehensive and innovative behavioral healthcare systems that promote teamwork, relationships, and provider partnerships; add value to our client’s services; and improve upon members’ quality of care and outcomes. APS believes that quality is achieved by providing access to the most appropriate care and in the least restrictive setting. And originally: The mission is to be a premier care management company that can flexibly, yet cost effectively, deliver the full continuum of care management services needed to improve total health outcomes; and, more specifically, to assure quality care is provided in the most appropriate and cost-effective setting based on individual… Read more →
Anne Frank
Five years ago, I wrote a post about Anne Frank. Today a young lady named Max added a comment: In my 8th grade language class we just finished watching the Anne Frank movie, and we have also been studying Anne Frank and the Holocaust for about 2 weeks now. The story made about 3 girls cry. Me, my friend Jade, and my friend Kierra. There may have been more but i didn’t see. There are now over 400 comments on this post, many of them very poignant, and I’ve enjoyed reading them. Thank you to everyone who’s contributed. It has continued to amaze me how many people around the world have been touched by the life of this one girl. R.I.P. Anne Frank Read more →
Mascots: Trojan vs. Bruin
USC’s mascot is a guy on horseback waving a sword. UCLA’s is a kid in a homemade bear suit. — Jim Murray, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 25, 1973 Read more →
Twitter: 2009-12-11
RT @smithsonian: A city built from $32k of discarded lottery tickets? Artist Jean Shin did it. Watch her work: http://ow.ly/L0oN # Read more →
I Don’t Think Anybody Knows
One of the hardest things to convey to students is how often the answer to a question is, “I don’t know, and I don’t think anybody does know.” — NeuroDojo: How can we turn teaching problems into teaching puzzles? Read more →
The Three Requirements for Happiness
To be stupid, and selfish, and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness; though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless. — Gustave Flaubert Read more →
Mad World
Christmas in Capetown
Twitter: 2009-12-10
RT @capricecrane: US Weekly: "Gosselin Kids Tell School There's No Santa." Really? Then who took your show off the air you little creeps? # Read more →
Why Is This Making Me Think About Monica Lewinsky?
Swedish group renames hymen ‘vaginal corona’ — The Local Read more →
I Was Personally Selected by God Himself
Please forgive me…but sometimes I get very emotional…when I talk about my son…. My heart…fills with so…much…joy…when I realize…that this young man…is going to be able…to help so many people…. He will transcend this game…and bring to the world…a humanitarianism…which has never been known before. The world will be a better place to live in…by virtue of his existence…and his presence…. I acknowledge only a small part in that…in that I know that I was personally selected by God himself…to nurture this young man…and bring him to the point where he can make his contribution to humanity…. This is my treasure…. Please accept it…and use it wisely…. Thank you. — Earl Woods, 1996 I’ve learned to trust the subconscious. My instincts have never lied to me. That’s why I know I can handle all this, no matter how big it gets. I grew up in the media’s eye, but… Read more →
Playing Politics
Steven Landsburg on a public healthcare option: The [General Motors] takeover started with this promise from the President: GM will be run by a private board of directors and management team…They — and not the government — will call the shots and make the decisions about how to turn this company around. Within one month, powerful lawmakers had successfully “encouraged” General Motors to retool factories in their home states, and Senator Jay Rockefeller had prevented the closing of a dealership owned by one of his wealthy constituents. Or recall what happened with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who succumbed to so many political pressure [sic] that–well, you already know the rest of that story. When you politicize an industry, be it cars, mortgage lending or health insurance, you invite interventions on behalf of the rich and powerful. The less rich and the less powerful foot the bill. Read more →
Twitter: 2009-12-09
RT @smithsonian: How about a slide show of artists’ homemade holiday cards? http://ow.ly/Ki2k # Read more →
Why Tiger Woods Gets All the Girls
I get home from the gym and say to my wife, “I’m in such great physical condition, it’s a shame I’m not having an affair with 10 women like Tiger Woods.” “Women care about money,” she says. “You don’t have 10 billion dollars so forget it.” “Oh. Okay.” Read more →