What happens when you're out of the office?
Employment attorney John Phillips points us to a video.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
There's Always Something
Dorothy Parker was known to exclaim, "What fresh hell is this?"
Life is a room that is rarely clean for long. Something soaked and dripping always arrives with mud on its boots. It may make more sense to regard those occasions as the norm and the small, uninterrupted moments of pleasure as the exceptions.
And that should encourage us to enjoy the nice times all the more.
Quote of the Day
In some cases, a system can be beaten by rigorously following its rules and regulations.
- Russell L. Ackoff
- Russell L. Ackoff
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Kindness Class
Via Daniel H. Pink, information on a class that could make a difference. From the Seattle Times article:
If you recently found a shiny gold dollar coin in downtown Bellevue, thank the kindness class. Ditto if you stumbled upon a piece of glass art in Pioneer Square, or a lottery ticket taped to a bus shelter with a note saying, "This may be your lucky day."
If you recently found a shiny gold dollar coin in downtown Bellevue, thank the kindness class. Ditto if you stumbled upon a piece of glass art in Pioneer Square, or a lottery ticket taped to a bus shelter with a note saying, "This may be your lucky day."
Thinking Outside the Intelligence Community
What Would Dad Say is putting together a dream team of creative thinkers to come up with unconventional solutions to terrorism. So far he has Steve Jobs, Fred Wilson, and Scott Adams on the list but he's soliciting additional names. Hmm. Herb Kelleher? Ross Perot? Christopher Hitchens?
Return to Conan
Since he's in the news quite a bit lately, it is time to revisit Conan O'Brien's marvelous speech to the Harvard class of 2000. An excerpt:
So, this was undeniably the it: the truly life-altering break I had always dreamed of. And, I went to work. I gathered all my funny friends and poured all my years of comedy experience into building that show over the summer, gathering the talent and figuring out the sensibility. We debuted on September 13, 1993 and I was happy with our effort. I felt like I had seized the moment and put my very best foot forward. And this is what the most respected and widely read television critic, Tom Shales, wrote in the Washington Post: "O'Brien is a living collage of annoying nervous habits. He giggles and titters, jiggles about and fiddles with his cuffs. He had dark, beady little eyes like a rabbit. He's one of the whitest white men ever. O'Brien is a switch on the guest who won't leave: he's the host who should never have come. Let the Late show with Conan O'Brien become the late, Late Show and may the host return to Conan O'Blivion whence he came." There's more but it gets kind of mean.
So, this was undeniably the it: the truly life-altering break I had always dreamed of. And, I went to work. I gathered all my funny friends and poured all my years of comedy experience into building that show over the summer, gathering the talent and figuring out the sensibility. We debuted on September 13, 1993 and I was happy with our effort. I felt like I had seized the moment and put my very best foot forward. And this is what the most respected and widely read television critic, Tom Shales, wrote in the Washington Post: "O'Brien is a living collage of annoying nervous habits. He giggles and titters, jiggles about and fiddles with his cuffs. He had dark, beady little eyes like a rabbit. He's one of the whitest white men ever. O'Brien is a switch on the guest who won't leave: he's the host who should never have come. Let the Late show with Conan O'Brien become the late, Late Show and may the host return to Conan O'Blivion whence he came." There's more but it gets kind of mean.
Old Lesson
A number of years ago I interviewed an old journalist who'd met every Arizona governor except the first one. (Arizona became a state in 1912 and the first governor was in office a long time so it wasn't impossible.) He'd covered a lot of political campaigns and had colorful and candid opinions about the local politicians.
One day over lunch, he remarked that he'd learned one thing in his career: "Today's S.O.B. is tomorrow's hero."
I often remember that observation and relate it to executives and managers who've had career setbacks. Most people are very forgiving and the avalanche of news rapidly transforms hot headlines into ancient history. Add to that the fact that come-back stories are popular and there is increased potential for a rebound.
Americans, often to their detriment, don't pay that much attention to the past. We tend to focus on the Now and the Future. "What have you done lately?" is the relevant question. Barring something horrendous, it can be relatively easy to become known for your better, and more recent, deeds.
The secret is to give people a reason to forgive and then let time do its work.
One day over lunch, he remarked that he'd learned one thing in his career: "Today's S.O.B. is tomorrow's hero."
I often remember that observation and relate it to executives and managers who've had career setbacks. Most people are very forgiving and the avalanche of news rapidly transforms hot headlines into ancient history. Add to that the fact that come-back stories are popular and there is increased potential for a rebound.
Americans, often to their detriment, don't pay that much attention to the past. We tend to focus on the Now and the Future. "What have you done lately?" is the relevant question. Barring something horrendous, it can be relatively easy to become known for your better, and more recent, deeds.
The secret is to give people a reason to forgive and then let time do its work.
Miscellaneous and Fast
- Criminal inside: Social engineering scams.
- The formula: How food companies determine "serving size."
- Salute: The very model of a modern major general.
- Memorable scenes: The Reagan funeral and the JFK funeral procession.
- Great film: The trailer for Raise the Red Lantern.
- And from the same director: Shanghai Triad.
- Twilight star: 12 hours to paint a skin suit?
- Muslim integration in Europe: Caldwell interviewed by Der Spiegel.
Ancient Tech
The discovery of the Antikythera Device; some ancient high tech that shouldn't exist:
The true genius of the mechanism goes beyond even the complex calculations and craftsmanship of a mechanical calendar. For example, the ancients didn't know that the moon has an elliptical orbit, so they didn't know why it sometimes slowed or sped up as it moved through the zodiac. The mechanism's creator used epicyclic gears, also known as planetary gears, with a "pin-and-slot" mechanism that mimicked this apparent shifting in the moon's movement.
The true genius of the mechanism goes beyond even the complex calculations and craftsmanship of a mechanical calendar. For example, the ancients didn't know that the moon has an elliptical orbit, so they didn't know why it sometimes slowed or sped up as it moved through the zodiac. The mechanism's creator used epicyclic gears, also known as planetary gears, with a "pin-and-slot" mechanism that mimicked this apparent shifting in the moon's movement.
Quote of the Day
We've never tried to be like other airlines. From the very beginning, we told our people, "Question it. Challenge it. Remember, decades of conventional wisdom has sometimes led the airline industry into huge losses."
- Herb Kelleher
- Herb Kelleher
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