“How long would you microwave this for?” my son asks, holding a bowl of refried beans and chopped chicken. “I’d start out with a minute,” I say. “A minute?!” “Yeah. Is that too much?” “It’s too little.” “Well, I’d rather start out by undercooking the food a little bit because I can always cook it some more, whereas once I’ve fried it into a flaming gob, I don’t have any recourse.” “You’re weak,” he says. “Okay, do it your way, Volcano Joe.” Read more →
Twitter: 2010-03-03
RT @letwits: "Exotic animals, kept in captivity, trained to perform". CNN anchors talking about….CNN anchors? # RT @SarahKSilverman: Spotted a homeless man w/a coat ovr his shoulders & full-on James Brown hair. He's the hardest wrkn man in no-business. # Read more →
Tips for Test Takers
My son has a math test today. He was up till 3 a.m. studying for it. In my experience, a positive mindset is essential to successful test-taking, so on the drive to school, I give him a piece of advice. “Walk into the classroom,” I say, “look at the teacher and lay down a challenge, like ‘Let’s do it.’” “It’s not her test,” the boy says. “What does that mean?” “It means every class takes the same test — Schneider, D’Antonio . . .” “THAT DOESN’T MATTER,” I say. “The important thing is to lay down the challenge. ‘Stop bitin’ on my styles.’ Granted, that one doesn’t make any sense, but it gives you the positive mental framework that you need for mathematical success.” Read more →
It’s Not About You
It has to be about your readers, who will, it’s hoped, become your customers. It has to be about making them awesome. So, for example, if you’re selling a clever attachment to a camera that diffuses harsh flash light, don’t talk about the technical features or about your holiday sale (10 percent off!). Make a list of 10 tips for being a better photographer. If you’re opening a restaurant, don’t blog about your menu. Blog about great food. You’ll attract foodies who don’t care about your restaurant yet. If you make superior, single-source chocolate, don’t write about that great trip you took to the Dominican Republic to source cocoa beans. That’s all about you. Instead, write the definitive article about making chocolate-covered strawberries. For the next 10 years, whenever a gourmand or a baker searches Google for a recipe on how to make chocolate-covered strawberries, he or she will find… Read more →
If It’s Them or Me, It’s Me
Authorities say a motorist has driven off a cliff, plunging about 200 feet down a steep canyon near Calabasas, after swerving to avoid an animal on the road. — Driver Avoids Animal, Careens Off Calabasas Cliff – cbs2.com Ouch — was he a PETA member? I like animals. I ran over a squirrel once and I felt terrible about it but the little critter just dashed right out in front of my car. However — in the event of having to make a split-second decision between clobbering an animal and driving off a cliff, well, the animal is going to get it. On a side note, kudos to the headline writer for the alliteration: “Careens Off Calabasas Cliff.” Who says a liberal arts education isn’t good for anything? Read more →
Signs That Things Aren’t Going Well
You watch Saw 1-8 for 36 hours straight. You think you are in the Saw movies. You buy a saw. — Eddie Pepitone Read more →
Only Variety Can Absorb Variety
The well-known law of cybernetics — “Only variety can absorb variety” — states that a system cannot meet increasing variety in its environment unless it increases the range of its response repertoire (Ashby’s law of requisite variety, 1956). In lay terms it means one has to be just as messy as the surrounding situation. — Ninety-Nine Rules for Managing “Faster, Better, Cheaper” Projects Read more →
Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?
Experts say the belief that sexual activities can lead to a second heart attack consists of a little bit of truth, but research suggests that it is largely exaggerated. People can have sex after their heart attacks. In fact, the more you exercise — including having sex — the better your odds. As a safety precaution, “You sort of have to test yourself on the sidewalk before you test yourself in the bedroom,” says Dr. Gerald W. Neuberg, cardiologist and director of the intensive care unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. — “Is Sex Safe After Heart Attack?” Read more →
Visualize the Properties
Imagine and identify the few properties of your product or service that will gratify the customer’s need. Visualize the properties, desire them yourself, and everywhere ensure and intensify their presence. — Jim McCarthy Read more →
The Goal on a Project
The goal on a project is not to have the correct plan in advance but to make the right decisions every day as things that were unknown become known. — Jim McCarthy Read more →
I Can Count up to Two
I’ve heard that dogs can count up to 4 or 5. I’ve never tried to go that high but I know I can count up to 2 because every morning my owner gives me 2 vitamin tablets and when he gives me the first one I wait for the second one and when he gives me the second one I run off and do something else. Oh this is unexpected! He just dropped a vitamin tablet on the floor so I ate it! Now he’s giving me the first vitamin tablet . . . (Waiting . . . waiting . . .) I’m getting a bad feeling about this. DON’T TELL ME THE DROPPED ONE COUNTS AGAINST MY DAILY ALLOTMENT! — Lightning Read more →
Cat Kung Fu
In and Out of the Dark
of one hundred movies there’s one that’s fair, one that’s good and ninety-eight that are very bad. . . . . . . millions of dollars spent to create something more terrible than the actual lives of most living things; one should never have to pay an admission to hell. — Charles Bukowski, “in and out of the dark” Read more →
We Had Some Trouble Here Last Night
He is a bad dog . . . a pit bull mix. Last night he attacked Kumba the Shih Tzu, who is my neighbor across the street, and Kumba’s owner. My owner heard screaming and ran outside. The pit bull owner was holding his dog back and Kumba’s owner was down on the sidewalk bleeding and screaming. She was very scared. She held her hand up to my owner like a drowning person. Kumba was hiding in some bushes behind a tree so my owner went in and carried him out. Then the police came and the firemen came. Kumba had a bite on his back and one of his back legs was hurt but he’s going to be okay and his owner is going to be okay. I told Kumba he was very brave, even though he wasn’t. But it made him feel better and there was no harm… Read more →
A Life of Ease
Presenting Data and Information
Looking over my notes from an Edward Tufte course . . . Details lead to credibility. Every paragraph, chart, etc., should lend credibility to your argument and give your audience a reason to believe. Great design disappears; it gives itself up to the content. There’s no “right way” to display data. Try a few different approaches. Tables are often better than graphics. Don’t get it original, get it right. Don’t underestimate your audience. Don’t pander or patronize. Read more →
Fundamental Principles of Analytical Design
Looking over my notes from an Edward Tufte course . . . Show comparisons, contrasts, differences. Show causality, mechanism, explanation, systematic structure. Show multivariate data; that is, show more than 1 or 2 variables. Completely integrate words, numbers, images, diagrams. Thoroughly describe the evidence. Provide a detailed title, indicate the authors and sponsors, document the data sources, show complete measurement scales, point out relevant issues. Analytical presentations ultimately stand or fall depending on the quality, relevance, and integrity of their content. Read more →
Forget the Olympics, It’s the Westminster Dog Show!
[Photos via Deadspin.] Read more →
Twitter: 2010-02-18
RT @capricecrane: So is this the Tiger Woods press conference where he decides who gets the final rose? # Four Ways of Looking at Twitter – Harvard Business Review: http://bit.ly/9TTYFi # Read more →
What if the Amount of Fog Stays Exactly The Same?
The Bay Area just had its foggiest May in 50 years. And thanks to global warming, it’s about to get even foggier. — “Get ready for even foggier summers,” July 6, 2009 The sight of Golden Gate Bridge towering above the fog will become increasing rare as climate change warms San Francisco bay, scientists have found. — “Fog over San Francisco thins by a third due to climate change,” Feb. 15, 2010 Read more →