Wii Mania Continues

I was out running errands yesterday and saw a line outside our local Gamestop. About 10 people in line waiting for the store to open in order to get a Wii. And in talking to a clerk at another store recently, it is clear that the Wii’s go as fast as they arrive. As the clerk told me, “They are literally gone in about 3 minutes. Someone sees one person buying a Wii and they rush into the store to see if there are more.”

Six months after launch and Nintendo still can’t make them fast enough. See what happens when you get the “job to be done” right?

Notes, Notes, Notes…

I often take notes on my laptop and I’m still trying to find the ideal software to help me do this. Initially I used MS Word, but I found it to be hard to organize notes. I was torn between a new file for every note taking session or one big file that I continually added to.

Next up was MS OneNote, a program specifically designed for note taking. In general I like it – good organizational tools, good searching tools and powerful. But when I’m taking notes as I surf, I find myself cutting and pasting a lot.

Thinking about note taking from a jobs to be done approach, my job to be done is to get information from a document, web page, etc., into my notes as quickly and as easily as possible. Copying, switching apps and pasting, although easy, is somewhat of a pain.

Recently, I stumbled upon Evernote, a simple, effective piece of note taking software. All your notes are in one long document, each note separated. Depending on the type of information you enter, the software categorizes it, be it pictures, email, notes, or web clips.

The software also has extensions that work in Outlook, Thunderbird, Firefox and Explorer – so all you have to do is highlight the text and click on a button on your toolbar. The data is automatically copied to Evernotes (along with a link at the bottom that takes you to the original source).

There is also a “Universal Clipper” – a floating textbox that allows you to take information from most applications and send it directly to Evernote.

There are many other tools that I haven’t had the chance to explore yet, but what I have seen I really like. Check it out.

Is "The Debate Over..?"

Sheryl Crow and Laurie David have been in the news lately after their confrontation with Karl Rove at the White House Correspondence Dinner over global warming. Who knows what actually happened, but Sheryl and Laurie have been making quite a stir lately. Al Gore couldn’t ask for better allies. The pair certainly distinguished themselves before in an interview with Joe Kernan. Take a look and see if you agree that Mr. Kernan was “confrontational” as Ms. Crow claims.

Now, if you believe that “the debate is over”, like Laurie David claims, then you can go ahead and follow Sheryl Crow’s brilliant suggestion to use only one square of toilet paper from now on. (By the way, how many squares of toilet paper do you need to forgo to make up for the carbon footprint of three tractor trailers, four buses and six cars – Ms. Crow’s touring entourage?). On the other hand, if you are looking for a more reasonable take on global warming, check out this Question and Answer Session with Richard Lindzen, the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at MIT that was published in the National Post this past weekend. Oh – and in case you were wondering – Professor Lindzen has not received any money from the energy industry.

Gilbert and Sullivan meet Sir Mix-a-lot

A great take on the rap song “Baby Got Back” as it might have been done by Gilbert and Sullivan.  The video is here. I think the actual video is Pirates of Penzance (with what looks like Kevin Klein as the Pirate King)!

It’s in the Air…

Sox/Yanks, spring soccer starting up, a day warm enough for shorts, and allergies.  Ah yes.. the joys of Spring!

A Cat’s Life…

I heard this being read on Tony Kornheiser’s show on Washington Post radio and it gave me quite the laugh.

EXCERPTS FROM A CAT’S DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow — but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now…
More or less.

I wish I knew the author so I could give credit.

Political Correctness as a Dangerous Idea

I picked up a fascinating book the other day What is your Dangerous Idea?. It is a compilation of very short (think a page or two) essays from some of the leading thinkers in the world about what they consider to be a dangerous ideas. Given the Imus kerfuffle, one essay struck me in particular and it is worth posting here. The essay is by Daniel Gilbert, the Harvard College Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, and the author of the book “Stumbling on Happiness”

“Dangerous” does not mean exciting or bold; it means likely to cause great harm. The most dangerous idea is the only dangerous idea: That idea that ideas can be dangerous.

We live in a world in which people are beheaded, imprisoned, demoted, and censured simply because they have opened their mouths, flapped their lips, and vibrated some air. Yes, those vibrations can make us feel sad or stupid or alienated. Too bad. That’s the price of admission to the marketplace of ideas. Hateful, blasphemous, prejudiced, vulgar, rude, or ignorant remarks are the music of a free society, and the relentless patter of idiots is how we know we’re in one. When all the words in our public conversation are fair, good, and true, it’s time to make a run for the fence.

I couldn’t agree more.

Musical DNA

Every time I log on to Amazon, I am greeted with a list of books “recommended” to me based on my earlier purchases. It’s not a complicated algorithm – Amazon just combs their database and looks for people who have bought the same books I have purchased and provides me with some books they have purchased. It’s a little more complicated than that, but that’s the general idea. The presumption is that if John Doe and I both buy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and John Doe also bought The House of Sand and Fog, then I will like The House of Sand and Fog. Unfortunately, more often than not, I don’t really care for the recommendations.

Pandora has come up with a much more sophisticated way to provide music recommendations. The Music Genome Project was set up to determine the musical “DNA” of particular songs. Over 400 “genes” were identified and not just ones that quickly come to mind such as tempo, genre, or time signature. Other summary elements include vamping, major/minor key tonality, instrumentation, types of solos, roots (East Coast Rap, West Coast Rap, etc.), feel, and type of harmony are considered in the analysis of a song. Overall, the Music Genome contains close to 500,000 songs with 15,000 analyzed tracks added a month.

So far, I really like the recommendations and Pandora has introduced to me to some artists I might never have come across. Check it out.

Powerpoint Tips

For everyone who uses Powerpoint on a regular basis (you know who you are!), this video is a must see. Trust me on this one.

Blood in the Water…..

So much has been said about the Imus situation that I’m not sure I can add much to the debate. But I did want to make a few additional points.

At first I thought this wasn’t a matter of free speech. Imus was free to say what he wanted, he did, and people were free to react as they did. But I’m not so sure anymore. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson made an example out of Imus by deciding that his comments did not meet their standards of acceptable. So what did they do? They got him fired.

Don’t tell me that it was the advertisers that got him fired – they were cowardly pawns in this. They pulled their advertising for fear that Sharpton and Jackson would urge people to boycott them. It seems that, for now, Reverend Sharpton and Jackson are in the position to decide what I can and can’t listen to. Thanks to them, I can’t listen to Imus anymore. And Al’s not done. As he says, “It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of the airwaves.” For Reverend Sharpton, “broad conversation” means “I talk, and you listen.” Sharpton smells blood in the water and is looking for new prey. Instead of trying to get people kicked off the air, I have a better idea – if you don’t like it.. CHANGE THE CHANNEL!

What happens to public discourse when everyone has to walk on eggshells for fear of offending someone? It’s not pretty.

Public opinion seems solidly on the side of Mr. Imus. Most people think CBS and MSNBC were in wrong in firing him. Perhaps there will be a backlash against Sharpton, and this time it will stick. One can always hope.