Business Week reports on the H-P story that won't go away.
There's more, of course, and the heavy use of anonymous sources is disturbing. The only thing certain is that this action will be dissected in years to come by lawyers and consultants.
One lesson about sensitive cases that seems to be emerging: Slow down.
Monday, August 16, 2010
What's Changed? Sleep
Nicholas Bate with an astute observation on how today's lifestyle affects sleep, one of the most under-rated and important pleasures.
[I've been referring to Nicholas, a prolific author and world traveler, as The Man Who Never Sleeps. I might have to revise that.]
Two Versions of "I'm No Saint."
Version One of "I'm no saint" means the person does not claim to be perfect, but strives to do what is right. The expression is an admission, but not a surrender or an excuse.
Version Two means the person has given up trying to do what is right unless doing so is convenient. These people use the expression as an excuse to continue unethical behavior. In extreme cases, they may have no interest whatsoever in doing what is right and may even take pleasure in doing wrong.
The people who follow Version Two can bring down an organization. Given time, they may also bring down a society.
Miscellaneous and Fast
- Daniel H. Pink recommends two very different books.
- The Princess Bride: The film trailer.
- Larry Borsato: Why are textbooks still $200?
- Krauthammer on the mosque controversy.
- The Smoking Gun finds an odd link between model train enthusiasts and fat people.
- More debate on whether the Internet is changing our brains.
- Wings of Desire: The trailer.
- Blow-Up: The trailer.
- Amarcord: The trailer.
- Sensory Dispensary: Tom Waits and "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You."
- Espresso brownies: The recipe.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Nanny State: Saving Us from Movie Posters
Some stories are so dumb that it is difficult to believe that they are true. So it is with this report from San Francisco:
The forthcoming Will Ferrell-Mark Wahlberg flick The Other Guys may yet be riddled with pot shots from film critics. Poor Ferrell and Wahlberg -- on Muni, they can't shoot back. While the official poster for the film features a maniacal Ferrell and the menacing Wahlberg sailing through the air, guns drawn, the version in Muni stations features Ferrell brandishing a vial of pepper spray and Wahlberg relying upon his bare fists. This is not a coincidence.
[HT: Fark]
The forthcoming Will Ferrell-Mark Wahlberg flick The Other Guys may yet be riddled with pot shots from film critics. Poor Ferrell and Wahlberg -- on Muni, they can't shoot back. While the official poster for the film features a maniacal Ferrell and the menacing Wahlberg sailing through the air, guns drawn, the version in Muni stations features Ferrell brandishing a vial of pepper spray and Wahlberg relying upon his bare fists. This is not a coincidence.
[HT: Fark]
The Power Problem
Jonah Lehrer, writing in The Wall Street Journal, on how niceness mixes with power. An excerpt:
Psychologists refer to this as the paradox of power. The very traits that helped leaders accumulate control in the first place all but disappear once they rise to power. Instead of being polite, honest and outgoing, they become impulsive, reckless and rude. In some cases, these new habits can help a leader be more decisive and single-minded, or more likely to make choices that will be profitable regardless of their popularity. One recent study found that overconfident CEOs were more likely to pursue innovation and take their companies in new technological directions. Unchecked, however, these instincts can lead to a big fall.
Psychologists refer to this as the paradox of power. The very traits that helped leaders accumulate control in the first place all but disappear once they rise to power. Instead of being polite, honest and outgoing, they become impulsive, reckless and rude. In some cases, these new habits can help a leader be more decisive and single-minded, or more likely to make choices that will be profitable regardless of their popularity. One recent study found that overconfident CEOs were more likely to pursue innovation and take their companies in new technological directions. Unchecked, however, these instincts can lead to a big fall.
Sweet Attitudes
This was about a week after I was on a flight on another airline where a very starchy flight attendant spread snark across a whole continent down an entire row of terrified passengers. She was wearing a button that said, "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR NAME IS, EITHER."
So when I hear about a flight attendant throwing a hissy fit... well, I just don't know. My sympathies naturally gravitate to the guy who's telling management to "take this job and shove it." On the other hand, who wants to be imprisoned at 35,000 feet with a demented, resentful burn-out?
Read the rest of Stanley Bing on the flight attendant case.
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