Breathtaking Art for Club Med

Breathtaking Art in this campaign for Club Med done by Publicis Conseil.
Courtesy: TWENTY FOUR

What's the Secret to Your Success?

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson answers: What's the Secret to Your Success?

You owe it to yourself to read, mull over and implement his timely word of wisdom... nothing irritates me more than one's lack of responsiveness.

Read on and embrace this nugget of a post - we should all aspire to a level of excellence, while empowering others to be successful as well. Responsiveness -- It's a honorable trait to have.

"As a CEO, I get asked this a lot. And, I'm always a little embarrassed by it. For the most part, I get the question from people who are in their twenties. They want to know "the secret path to the top."

This past weekend, I received an email from one of my readers. He started, "I have an MBA, but I must have missed the course on Fast-Tracking My Career. If you had to boil it down to one thing, Mr. Hyatt, what would you recommend to a young, aspiring person such as myself?"

I'm not sure I could boil it down to one thing. Life isn't usually that simple. But if I really, really had to boil it down to one thing, I would say this: responsiveness."

Hungry? Stick it to the man...

Hungry? Stick it to the man... and sock yourself in the stomach -

When I was was in Raleigh, NC, the software engineers' Friday lunch crusade was to pile in several cars and head to Bali Hai, a Mongolian Grill. The concept is to pay for how many bowls you want, head to a buffet bar where you select the veggies and sliced frozen meat and pile it on. The boys carefully explained that you place two bowls side by side, build a bridge and use the firm veggies to build a picket fence to precariously stack the goodies inside...

My solution was to just go to a Chinese buffet.

Or you could get yourself supersized with "The Sasquatch".



(He looks content!)

I think the software engineers would take great delight in sticking it to the man - and here's photographic documentation on how to do so.

One-Trip Pizza Hut Salad Bar Construction

Microsoft iPod Packaging Parody

Marketing gone beserk...

Day 98 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

Day 98 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days... takes me to a little publishing house on the corner. It could any corner located in a small town that is undergoing revitalization... This is where The Sacred Sandwich Publishing Company is located.

Published by Chris Carmichael, I find this publication refreshing! The use of art, seriousness, proclamation for Scripture, writing, craftsmanship, excellence... I'm telling you it's all here! And yes humor too - Christians have joy, and we need to just start showing reverence for God and in a way that pleasing and attractive to others. And yes for some old time Christians like myself, a little revitalization "to restore to vitality; put new life into" is good for the soul.

St. Francis of Assisi said 800 years ago, "Preach the Gospel everyday and if necessary, use words."

So here's Chris's disclaimer...

"As one might surmise, the League of Tyndale and The Sacred Sandwich do not officially exist, except in the peculiar mind of its creator, Chris Carmichael. This publication (and the organization behind it) is nothing more than lighthearted parody of current Christian issues, produced to invoke and honor the spirit of bygone days when Christian organizations such as this were committed to grounding themselves fully in the standard of God's word, and were not ashamed to stand firm for the sake of the true Gospel."

"Do not be misled, however, in thinking that the satirical framework of this project implies a lack of real biblical truth. The editorial content of our site is not a joke. All the articles, as well as many of the parodies, are dead serious in their purpose of proclaiming sola Scriptura to the postmodern church in a biblical and factual way. Despite the tongue-in-cheek style, The Sacred Sandwich's main objective is to herald the sufficiency of Scripture as one of the surest means in which the visible Church might humble herself to God's will and enjoy true spiritual revival."

"Indeed, our satire might have an edge, but it is that edge which often cuts more quickly to the marrow of the truth."

"We invite you, therefore, to join us in this creative experiment by taking our noble cause seriously in the midst of our whimsy. Return with us to the days of the small town church and their simple faith in Jesus Christ, where the world has not yet encroached upon their thinking and theology. Consider the possibility that the League of Tyndale truly exists, at least in our hearts, and that The Sacred Sandwich is their humble effort to bring forth His truth for the glory of God alone."

"Won't you please join us in this fight?"



"Scripture is the vital staple God has prepared for His people. Therefore the mission of The Sacred Sandwich is two-fold. First, we desire to use this publication to proclaim sola Scriptura: the "shorthand" declaration that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the only basis of truth for the Lord's people in the Church. Second, and more pointedly, we desire to present faithful, consistent exegesis of Scripture as a powerful and irrefutable response to much of the current error being taught in the church today."

Just to show that we can laugh at ourselves.. enjoy this advertisement:

Engadget wants to know - WWJD?

From Engadget:

"Can you believe it's been a year and a half since the last What Would (Steve) Jobs Do? (and closing in on two years since the first)? Well, we're all a little perplexed about what it is Steve could be announcing Tuesday (Feb 28) -- he's surely saving his biggest announcements this year for April when they'll be celebrating Apple's 30th birthday. So what's he got coming Tuesday at the "Fun new products" announcement? Is it a touchscreen video iPod or iTablet? The Intel media Mac mini? Some more Intel machines like a 12-inch MacBook Pro or Intel iBook? Or something even more interesting, still?"

We don't want you to tell us, we want you to show us. Whip up your best possible photoshop mockups of what you think Steve's got going on behind the scenes...

...the winner (as chosen by Engadget) will get a 1GB iPod nano...

And the results are in -



FIRST PLACE - Adam K's Apple Tablet

my favorites include:



Garret G's Touchscreen iBook



Nick C's iPhone



Tim R's iRobot

and the rest of the entries are here... beautiful renderings - Yes the Cult of Mac lives! and I'm part of it as well with my iMacG5, which I absolutely love!

Watch for the Tuesday buzz - it's Apple's day to shine.

Taking Your Wonderlics

ESPN: "If the NFL draft is a meat market, the NFL draft combine is where the beef is weighed and measured. Beginning today in Indianapolis, and for several days, our future Sunday heroes will take a full physical, sit for X-rays, face an interview, bench press 225 pounds for show and dough, jump broadly and vertically, and run the 40.

And, of course, they'll take the Wonderlic. (Click here, and you can take it, too.)

The Wonderlic is an IQ test with only 50 questions -- it's a short version of the longer test routinely given to kids. Players have just 12 minutes to take it, and most don't finish. But, in fact, the average NFL test-taker scores a little above average." rest of article

---



"Improve your 40 yard dash time, Increase your Vertical Jump, turn some heads with a fast 5-10-5 pro agility! With the PCT combine preparation program you can get the results that you are looking for. Turn scout's heads with your testing numbers, and improve your draft stock!"

NFL COMBINE PREPARATION PROGRAM

--



WOO HOO I passed the test! If I was in shape, I could be an (undrafted - walk on) NFL Mascot... what a job!

The Clock is Ticking...

...and registration for Passion 07 is getting closer by the second!

As you know, we are headed to Atlanta in just ten short months. Sure, there's a lot of life to be lived between now and then, but plans are fully underway for next year's gathering, January 1-4, 2007. We'll have a little more space this year as we move into Philips Arena and the Georgia World Congress Center, but after selling out for Passion06 we don't know exactly what to expect.

What we do know is this: registration opens at 12 noon (EST) Wednesday. That's this Wednesday, March 1. In an effort to make Passion as affordable as possible, a special discounted price will be available for the first 1000 people who register. The first 500 to make it through will get the super low price of $99, while the next 500 will be at $109. For person 1001 and those who follow, the cost will be $119 until July 15. Last year the special price sold out in 28 minutes, so type fast.

Hotel info and other details will be available in coming days on the new Passion07 website, but the preferred location is The Omni Hotel @ CNN Center. The hotel is attached to Philips, offers great fast food options in the CNN Center, is steps from the GWCC and offers free wireless.

Some of you, in fashionable collegiate style, will wait 'till the last possible nanosecond to try to get in. But for you guys who like to plan ahead, happy registering!

Making A Run for the Border!

I'm a bit surprised that this hasn't cropped up in the regular news, especially with all of the talk about illegal aliens... Capitalism is alive and well; forget the social implications!

This is courtesy of Gizmodo:

"Now here's something that's sure to create a little bit of controversy. They're called Brincos, and they're shoes designed to help illegal immigrants cross the U.S.-Mexican border. Designed by Argentinean artist Judi Werthein, these shoes feature an array of items designed to make the dangerous trip across the border a little less so. There's a built-in compass, a pouch inside the tongue used to store aspirin and a map of popular routes going from Tijuana to San Diego on the insole. An Aztec eagle adorns the heel, while the shoes' red, white, and green colors remind you that, yes, the shoes were designed with Mexican nationals in mind. The Brincos (the name derives from the Spanish verb brincar, "to jump," as in, to jump the border) were handed out for free to migrants, while so-called hip stores in San Diego were spotted selling them for $215. Please don't tell Pat Buchanan."

Full story here from the mfgrs

Wait till you find out how they are made - that will set some you off !

Cowboys History? (It can be yours)

Dave Moore from the Dallas Business Journal writes:

"Texas Stadium's corpse is far from cold -- in fact, the Dallas Cowboys will likely be playing there until the 2009 season. But fans like Bob Bragalone are already dreaming of the possibilities of owning a piece of the Irving landmark."

"Bragalone said what sets the Texas Stadium seats apart from other venues is that they're all originals; all were present for the Cowboys' five Super Bowl-winning seasons. All were in place when Emmitt Smith broke the all-time NFL rushing record in 2002. All were present when Billy Graham held his crusade in the stadium in 1971, before the stadium's field ever hosted a football game."

Here's the scoop



Anyone thought about Greer Stadium here in Nashville? Does Greer carry a lot of history for baseball fans?

I dunno... but a piece of the Cowboys's Texas Stadium sounds like a deal to me... or a sports collector dream come true.

A Newspaper Insert Made of Hard Plastic

In the age of new media, when many newspapers are focusing on Web sites, one paper is offering an insert on a CD-ROM disc.

In an announcement last Wednesday, The Dallas Morning News said it would distribute CD-ROM copies of Hollywood Previews magazine in certain Sunday issues. In the 1990's, CD-ROM's were seen as a viable new venue for media, but they never flourished.

Story

Questions I'm thinking about:
Would this give more value if a CD came in my Sunday Edition of the Tennessean?
Would this add to my already information overload? (YES!) - I recently purge many of my Bloglines feeds...
Does the proliferation of used and unused CDs add to the landfill aka the AOL cds?

Alan Moore comments When every trend is against you - the print media article "Readers prefer digital sources. Loyal readers average age is dramatically growing and with many titles is nearing retirement age. What was once suggested that TV would be the end of reading newspapers and magazines, today that reality is coming but it is more interactive video on the internet, video gaming and mobile phones that is taking the majority of younger readers' interests."

"Older generations may love print, but the younger generations are clearly showing they don't need printed newspapers, printed magazines, nor printed books."

Should newspapers adopt insertions of CDs, I think the timing is right to help fuel acceleration away from traditional newspapers as a source of content. The internet will always be around to supply content, but I'm pondering if I receive a Time Magazine or Wired Magazine subscription on CD Rom, is that a better value for me in terms of convenience, archival purposes and certainly use of paper, not to mention paper clutter around the house?

The user interface has to be done right -

A boy and his dog...

priceless!

Day 97 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

Yup, there no better way to to close out the work week than to shut the door and get ready for the weekend!

On Day 97 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days... Office Pirates is a collection of all things wrong with the office; sophomoric, dumb, teeth grinding, yet sad but true documentation of what happens in the real world. Yes, Dilbert is fleshed out in any building, anywhere within a short walking distance of your home.

Jokes, videos, photos, what's for lunch (fridge thievery)... it's all here.

As mention earlier in the Wisdom for Grads posting, if work is that horrible, then this blog/webzine will help you find some amusing self-destructive habits to help ease your internal anguish.

As a bonus here are so trust-me-it's-really-true-office-legends-for you (or better yet, your office buddy) to try out!

Did you know that:

The back of a sticky note tastes like 7-Up.

If you hold the F9 key while pressing the space bar, your computer will turn into a mirror.

It's impossible to burn a manila folder.

There is a distinct pattern created by the tiny dents, dots and nooks of all ceiling tiles. If you look up at just the right angle, you will see the number eight.

If you dial extension 55*66*77 on most office telephone systems, your voice will broadcast over the company Fire Safety system.

If your pen dries out, place it in the microwave for 30 seconds, on medium.

Wearing a rubber band around your wrist will perk you up faster than if you drank two cups of coffee.

It is impossible to flush a new, unsharpened pencil down the toilet.

If a fluorescent light bulb is flickering, spray it with water to bring it back to life.

The serrated edge of a tape dispenser can cut glass.

Dry erase boards are covered in a thin film of flammable oil. If you hold a lighter to it, a blue flame will jet across the board for a split second.

Frozen glass cannot be broken.

If you rub a paper clip over a telephone receiver 500 times, and hold up it up to your ear, you will hear the dial tone of the phone.

Wite-Out can also be used as hand soap.

It's impossible to recite the days of the week backward, starting with Thursday.

Friday Flashback "Running Up That Hill"

Thanks to YouTUBE, I'm going to post a music video every Friday... just for kicks.

Here's Kate Bush "Running Up That Hill"

"The song itself deals with the trials and tribulations of a floundering relationship, telling her lover in the song that if she "...only could I'd make a deal with God and get him to swap our places." She has described the song as being about the power of love, in that it can create such intense emotion that all rational thought is overpowered."

Source: Wikipedia: Kate Bush

iTunes sample (not the real deal)



(Note: since the video takes a while to load based on your bandwidth, just hit play, then pause... while the video buffer gets full.)

Vet Time

My Ally Woo is going to the vet this morning to treat an ear itch.

Greene Animal Hospital always does a great job and I appreciate the fact that I never have to wait any longer than 5 minutes...

Growing up in Richmond, VA I wanted to become a vet; the starving commercial artist route won out instead.

Here's a link for Mona Lisa and your dog

We have a iTunes Winner!

February 24, 2006 (NY TIMES)

A Milestone for iTunes; a Windfall for a Downloader

By CLAUDIA H. DEUTSCH
It may well have been the best 99 cents Alex Ostrovsky ever spent.

Early yesterday, he paid that amount to download "Speed of Sound," a song on the Coldplay album "X&Y," from the iTunes Music Store, the Internet music shop that Apple Computer started less than three years ago.

He did not know it, but it was the billionth song the site had sold, and Apple was not about to let that go unnoticed.

So at 12:45 a.m., Mr. Ostrovsky's phone rang. It was an Apple employee, telling him that in addition to the song, Apple was giving him a 20-inch iMac, 10 iPods and a $10,000 gift card for the iTunes store. It is even establishing a scholarship at the Juilliard School in his name.

Mr. Ostrovsky, 16, was still trying to absorb it all yesterday. His phone had been ringing all day, alternating between reporters wanting to know his reaction and friends wanting to congratulate him.

At one point Mr. Ostrovsky, who lives in West Bloomfield, Mich., went to an Apple store to look at iMacs. "Everyone there knew who I was, too," he said. "It's just surreal."

He has pretty concrete ideas about how he will use the prizes, though. The iMac stays with him — "I'd been asking my parents for a new computer for a while, so this was a dream come true," he said. He will keep an iPod, and family and friends will get the rest. But the $10,000 gift card has him a bit flummoxed.

"My sister has already called from New York to talk about divvying it up," he said, "and I'll probably buy some music for friends."

But he will also buy more for himself. Until now, Mr. Ostrovsky has not been a frequent user of the iTunes store. "I've downloaded maybe 50 songs, but I was always more likely to borrow CD's from my friends," he said. "I'm certainly going to download more songs now."

That would certainly be music to Apple's ears.

My brush with greatness!

Giving honor where honor is due...

While at Shoney's getting some onion rings to go, I bumped into former Tennessee (D) Senator Jim Sasser getting a cup of coffee to go.

So we're both hanging around the front counter. Being the friendly relational guy that I am, I shook his hand, tried to make small talk. He wasn't into it. Sasser went on to serve as ambassador to China, so I guess he just wasn't in the mood to talk to any Chinese guys at that particular moment.

Jokingly, I asked if it was true he was running for Mayor of Nashville.

End of conversation. (He was cordial).

Thus concludes my brush with greatness.

And a blog posting on politics.

Which I mandated that I would never do on this blog.

Like eating at Shoneys.

Wisdom for Grads (The Dilbert MBA)

I got a HUGE LAUGH today from Scott Adam's Dilbert Blog -

Wisdom for Grads

I've been asked to compile some Dilbert advice for new graduates who have no idea what's awaiting them in the business world. I'm talking about practical advice. Here are some of the ones that come to mind.

The person who sits nearest the boss's office gets the most assignments.

Your potential for senior management will be determined by the three H's: Hair, Height, and Harvard degree. You need at least two out of three. (Non-Harvard schools will be acceptable if it's clear that you "could have gone" to Harvard.)

Your hard work will be rewarded. Specifically, your boss's boss will reward your boss for making you work so hard.

The first month on any new job should be spent talking smack about the "idiot who had the job before you."


xxx

Scott adds: "Do you have any advice you'd like to add? (It might end up in a book.)"

The comments are priceless! - and the crazy thing is with 263 comments, Scott got everybody in essence write the book! If you're ambitious and have waaaaaay to much time on your hand, it is conceivable to copy all the comments and create your own personal book.

(Hint: it is 87 pages long...)

xxx

My Top Ten comments in no particular order (some are funny, some are very real and could trigger deep seeded bouts of depression and tears... just warning you!)

1) Never let anyone know you can add up a column of numbers, or that is all you will ever do.

2) Mission Statements are great for covering stains on walls.

3) The door to success is low. To go through it you have to bend down or bend over, depends where you want to go.

4) The more a company talks about their culture, the more screwed up they are.

5) If you find a job where you are surrounded by like-minded people, you are extremely lucky and should think twice, or thrice, before looking elsewhere.

6) The four most important purposes of any meeting:
1 - Create new work for someone else.
2 - Transfer as much of your work as possible to someone else.
3 - Prevent anyone from transferring any of their work to you.
4 - Prevent someone else from creating new work for you.

7) Be aware of office politics and how they pertain to you. Sometimes, you have to "play the game," even if you are absolutely loathed to it.

8) Bury your conscience. It will only get in the way in the coporate world. Instead, find some amusing self-destructive habits to help ease your internal anguish.

9) If you overdress, you'll garner immediate respect with the higher-up's. People might even mistake you for the boss. And dressing better than your boss is a lovely way to humiliate them, in a way they can do nothing about.

10) Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits. Always wear them one day after your boss does.

Dallas Cowboys - The Franchise in the NFL

Anytime at All, Anytime at All, All You Got to Do is Call, And I'll Be There...

Yup, HOW ABOUT THEM DALLAS COWBOYS!



I posted this entry last weekend when I was guest blogging on Nashville Is Talking and got some good ole' boys stirred up.

Since Arena Professional Touch Football - (Go long and I'll heave the ball!) - ain't doing it for me, I've gotta keep feeding my National Football League jones...

"Whenever the NFL needs a big draw at the gate or on TV, they turn to the Cowboys. Thanksgiving Day. Check. Lots of MNF appearances. Ditto. Pre-season games in Mexico. Got it. First American Bowl in London (1986). Sure. Help for the Saints after Katrina. We're on the way.

This is why we are The Franchise in the NFL, and this is why we inspire legions of haters." NFL turns to the Cowboys again

As a die hard Cowboys fan since the Ice Bowl of 1967 where Bart Starr scored an legitimate TD on a quarterback sneak, I even wore my Cowboys jacket to Kroger two weeks back and I could definitely feel the love. I got the old Pedro nod.

Are the Titans gear still in style? Even Kroger (and CVS Pharmacy) is trying to dump some inventory. The Titans need some fan base excitement - like drafting Vince Young as the QB for the future.

Roll Over Beethoven

photo

Life is good when I can sit in front of my iMacG5, work from home, blog and listen to music!

Right now, I am listening to Coverville - a podcast, that focuses on cover songs - a new rendition of a previously recorded song. The show is produced and hosted by Brian Ibbott, in his home in Arvada, Colorado.

The show features a combination of music and information about the music, delivered in a very relaxed, informal style. On average, each show runs about 35 minutes and features six selections. Information about the performing artist, and source album is provided, along with information about the artist being covered. (You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes).

Did you know that the Beatles are the most covered band? I'm listening to the 2nd Annual Beatles Thanksgiving podcast again.

I'm finding that cover songs are a good (and safe) way to be introduced to new musical artists; here's a subjective list of top cover songs!

I'm not Simon from American Idol nor would ever want those personality traits, but I would say that the following songs are in "A" rotation on my iTunes at this present moment because these artists are covering these songs with their own special imprint:

Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughn aka Jimi Hendrix
Sexual Healing - Kate Bush aka Marvin Gaye
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) - Shawn Colvin aka Talking heads
Walk on the Wild Side & Tom's Diner (Ben Liebrand remix) - Lou Reed and Suzanne Vega
Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy aka Sting

NFL guess - QB Steve McNair will be cut loose..

John Clayton from ESPN has a list of name players who may be casualties of the salary cap on March 3rd.

The following is a list of players who might be cut (or retire) this offseason, their 2006 salaries and and the salary cap savings their teams would realize for 2006.

As for the Tennessee Titans:


Interesting seeing 2nd string QB Billy Volek on the list; as for QB Steve McNair who is getting some age on him and coupled with a young team in rebuild mode, prospects may not good for keeping him around. Why?

From the Nashville Tennessean: "The Titans face a deadline in March of either paying $50 million to extend the quarterback's contract through 2009 or a $1 million fee that would take his deal through 2006. He is scheduled for $9 million in base salary for 2006.

That leaves the cheapest option paying the $1 million fee and continue talks on a reworked contract, which the $50 million option was designed to force.

"Anything short of paying the $50 million is a possibility," [GM Floyd Reese] said.

The Titans hold the No. 3 pick overall in the NFL draft, where they would have a chance to draft McNair's successor in either Matt Leinart, Vince Young or Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt."

My prediction? They'll cut McNair loose, look for a return on investment on QB Billy Volek to step up and draft pick Vince Young will hang around for a couple of years before he gets the starting nod. The team could use some excitement to put a little spark back in the fan base. It's all about the money and I don't think the Titans will be showing any to Steve McNair.

We'll see...

Other than that, I'm expecting the Cowboys to step up and finally get the players to make a run for the Super Bowl. Owner Jerry Jones and Coach Bill Parcells' egos places a demand on seeing a Super Bowl championship happen. Plus a new football stadium is waiting in the wings. It's all about the money, honey.

This is Love

What a neat story! from SistaSmiff
All about being a promise keeper -

This Is Love

I had to go to the dentist yesterday to get my teeth cleaned. I've gotten to where I dread the dentist because they tend to want to drill my teeth and then me pay them for that. I think it should be the other way around. I got way more than my teeth scraped and cleaned yesterday though.

Read the rest...

I see so many poor examples of love, that this story nails it.

It Ain't Me Babe

The lucky music fan who downloaded the billionth song from the iTunes Music Store - won a new 20-inch iMac, 10 60GB iPods, and a $10,000 iTunes Music Card to jumpstart their digital music collection.

First time for everything

O Crap!

Excuse my language, but for the first time in my life I spilled a cold cup of coffee on my desk! It ran under my iMac keyboard, made a beeline for my Treo and just tagged the bluetooth headset.

Grrr. I just posting this entry to record this event. I wish I could accomodate a bigger desk for my main work station here at the house. I'm use to working off of flat replacement doors that are 32" x 80".

My other desk where I I have my PC, LaserPrinter, Lego collection is on a 4 x 8 display table that was rescued from a clothing store that closed up at a local mall.

Such a idiot...

Picture source

9 Lives of Leadership

800ceoread "went out and talked to nine thought leaders and asked them about leadership and management. What is great about the ebook is the many facets that are covered. Here is the line-up..."

Sally Hogshead on Careers
Keith Ferrazzi on Relationships
Luda Kopiekina on Decision Making
Laurence Haughton on Team Building
Peter Han on Others' Career Paths
Gary Neilson on Organizational Style
Jason Jennings on Start-up Spirit
Eileen Shapiro on Placing Smarter Bets
Tim Sanders on The Power of Emotion

"What's in it for you?"

First, the recipient will have unlimited access to the following thought-provoking concepts. Lisa Haneberg interviewed one author for each concept:

Relationships as Catalysts
Author: Keith Ferrazzi
Book: Never Eat Alone

Organic Leadership
Author: Peter Han
Book: Nobodies to Somebodies

HOT Teams
Author: Laurence Haughton
Book: It's Not What You Say...It's What You Do

Making Your Career Radical
Author: Sally Hogshead
Book: Radical Careering

Infusing the Start-Up Spirit
Author: Jason Jennings
Book: Think Big, Act Small

Reaching the Clarity State
Author: Luda Kopeikina
Book: The Right Decision Every Time

Using Your Organization's DNA
Author: Gary Neilson
Book: Results

Building Emotional Acumen
Author: Tim Sanders
Book: The Likeability Factor

Betting at Work
Author: Eileen Shapiro
Book: Make Your Own Luck

And if the above aren't enough... Lisa will list over- and under-valued managerial skills.

Second, all these great concepts are contained in one slick e-book.

Download for free this great resource

I want my MTV - MobiTV that is...

I am absolutely loving my MobiTV - 25 channels of TV right on my Palm Treo650... all unblocked :-)

I'm using an unlimited dataplan via Cingular, so the cost of data is already taken care of after the monthly subscription of $9.99. Handmark offers the best deal - a discounted annual subscription rate.

"MobiTV is the first global multimedia network and technology company targeting the more than 1.6 billion mobile phone users worldwide. MobiTV turns the Palm Treo into a portable TV, allowing users to watch live television right in the palm of their hand. With a wide variety of top channels to choose from, covering news, sports, entertainment, comedy, cartoons, and more, MobiTV subscribers can always find something to watch - anytime, anywhere."

With MSNC, ABCNews I can get breaking news, stay out of the chill with the Weather Channel and indulge myself with FoxSports, TLC, Discovery Channel and nineteen other channels.

However, you're not limited to a Treo phone - MobiTV is support on a variety of phones

I'm also a big fan of Handmark Pocket Express on my Treo 650



"...delivers news, weather, sports, stocks, directories, movies, maps, and more to wireless handsets. The personalized Pocket Express experience is faster than mobile web surfing by orders of magnitude, and the intuitive PageOne interface serves up content with a fraction of the clicks required by mobile web browsing."

I can look up a business, get the address, dump the contact info in my contacts, get a map and dial the number. STRONGER THAN MUSTARD GAS.

I've been hesitant to purchase an iPod, since I'm planted in front of a my iMac or laptop - where I get the bulk of my music listening time. However with the Treo 650, it is quickly becoming the choice device - voice dialing, music, emails, web access, contacts, eBooks, calendar functions and now MobiTV.

Life is sweet!

Day 96 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

Hey!

On Day 96 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days... (only 4 to go!) takes me back to the glorious days of mid century illustration. Plan 59.com is a virtual online museum of illustrated cars, decor (which by the way looks very hip today and IKEA like), photos and other goodies.

Check it out! And if you see anything you like, it's available for purchase.

Plan 59's blog keeps you up on all the latest additions with a tidbit of history on each illustration and sources also.



"Love at First Sight" by Haddon Sundblom (1899-1976)
U.S. Brewers Foundation, 1955

Plan59.com is a family-friendly Web site dedicated to the commercial art of mid-century America. Although it's more like a museum than a store, [they] do provide illustrations to corporate as well as nonprofit clients for print, promotional, educational and Web use. Satisfied customers include General Motors (Saab magazine, Cadillac), Noble Advertising, the Dana Corporation, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the Wall Street Journal and PQ Publishers (dozens of images for the book and DVD Rose Colored, published under the Barnes & Noble imprint).

What's In The Box?

This cube desk looks compelling enough to build!

I'm going to have to sketch the dimensions to make this work...

Vocabulary Spin

Hat tip Palm 24/7

BTW, #33 - Answer is sometimes - Kerry

Read on!

For those who love the philosophy of hypocrisy and ambiguity....

1. Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

2. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor..

3. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

4. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

5. The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.

6. I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

7. What if there were no hypothetical questions?

8. If a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

9. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

10. Is there another word for synonym?

11. Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all?"

12. What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

13. If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

14. Would a fly without wings be called a walk? (LOVE this one!!)

15. Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?

16. If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

17. Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

18. If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to start speaking?

19. Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

20. How do they get deer to cross the road only at those yellow road signs?

21. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

22. One nice thing about egotists: they don't talk about other people.

23. Does the Little Mermaid wear an algebra?

24. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

25. How is it possible to have a civil war?

26. If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown, too?

27. If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?

28. If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

29. Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have "S" in it?

30. Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "assteroids"?

31. Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

32. Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?

33. If you spin an oriental man in a circle three times does he become disoriented?

Day 95 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

Day 95 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days... takes me to Scranton, PA via Las Vegas (where Brian lives). If you are a fan of the show like I am of NBC's "The Office", then you'll want to thank Brian Stucki who authors a Life In The Office blog. It's all here - Episode recaps, character profiles, tidbits, outbound links - very well done!

Thanks Brian -

Culinary creations

I find these culinary creations by Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle inspiring! What a great concept -

See the rest here with accompaning links - Courtesy of BLBD Blog

True Love - bloated nauseating feeling afterwards?

I mention about White Castle's Valentine's Day dinner for your sweetie - link

Well I didn't go - we went instead to the Cracker Barrel (Country Crock) around the corner - Hey we had guests in town and they love Cracker Barrel ! My wife said afterward, "We have to win the lottery. My taste buds deserve better..."

Well Jason and Rachel went and here's the full report

Why would anyone want to work at Dunder-Mifflin?

Bob Sassons over at the TV Squad asks a great question: Why would anyone want to work at Dunder-Mifflin?

I cringe every time I watch The Office. I want to intervene into the lives of these people. Go right into their office, or at least e-mail them (if Michael isn't monitoring the e-mails they get) and implore them to leave that awful company at once. It seems to me that none of these people could possibly get paid a lot of money, so what makes them stay there? The wonderful atmosphere (ugh)? The fun coworkers (not really)? The great boss (ahem)? It's almost the ultimate example of the lame, tedious, soul-sucking office you hear so much about. I've worked in a couple of offices like that, and it was the worst time of my life.

Michael is one thing. He gets paid well and seems to be on some blind corporate career track (though I think that even he would improve as a person if he left the company). But it's the other characters, like Jim and Pam, who I worry about. They should be working some place else before they wake up 5 years from now in the same crappy job.

Dwight, however...I don't know what could help him.

---

For me personally, I've learn over the years three tell tale signs that will sink your longevity at a job:

1) Never work for a company that has no health insurance. (They just don't care)
2) Never work for a company that has no employee manual. (The rules keep changing)
3) Never work for a boss that you go to church with. (Too messy spiritually when he is your boss and Poncious Pilate)

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Why would anyone want to work at Dunder-Mifflin? To be the office prankster would be my motivation. And it would be unemployment any day.

brrreeeport WonderDawg game

Scoble sez -

Here, let's play a game. Everyone in the world say "brrreeeport" on your blog and you'll be listed on this Technorati page automatically. Heh. There are also no pages on the Internet linked to for that term on Google, Yahoo, or MSN.

Yup, stick it to the man. Be cool if 100 million Chinese "brrreeeport" on Google.

You can too!

mylamesexlife

Granger Community Church is debuting a new series on Biblical and Godly views on sexuality called "PureSex".

"At Granger Community Church, we're going to talk about sex for five weeks. We're calling it "Pure Sex" - we'll ask questions and begin to unravel the myths and confusion about it. You'll experience dramatic presentations, dynamic multimedias and the music of Switchfoot, All-American Rejects, Pussy Cat Dolls and John Legend."

No hype.
No pulling any punches.
No condemnation.

Go there

We all must get stoned...

Such is life - I too have been kidnapped... and brainwashed into a crummy job...

EBennett writes: "Late December I went to a job interview in Atlanta. When I walked into the office, there were also 30 other people in the lobby filling out applications, and we all thought we were going to be interviewing at 10am. This struck me as a little odd, but what the heck. So I filled out my application, and when I got called in, my "interview" was a whole three minutes long. It was this fast talking guy cramming as many words about his company into the three minutes that he could and sending me on my way.

It was a blur. He knew nothing about me except what was on my resume. I had barely said a word. Thirty minutes later I got a call saying that I had been accepted into the second round of interviewing. They said I was great. So personable. Someone they couldn't turn away. Wow I thought."

Read the rest and you will know what I'm talking about. Yes, my bleak moment in life was being deposited in Atlanta where my job was selling signs (when there was an ordinance against the very product we were trying to sell.) I wished I was stoned instead; the pain and humiliation of having this crappy job would be easier to endure.

Photo source

Day 94 of visiting 100 blogs in 100 days...

While not exactly a blog, Instructables is what I would term a group blog with participation between creative types and an audience that is motivated to say "That's cool - I want to make one too!"

Instructables is a venue for showing what you make and how others can make it.

"Making things is part of being human. Whether you make bikes, kites, food, clothing, protocols for biology research, or hack consumer electronics, good instructions are critical."

Projects include:
Makeing an Operation boardgame into shocking Paris Hilton Operation..
How to make a paperback book into an iPod case...
How to defend yourself with a cell phone...
Making a projection screen very quickly and very cheaply with TYVEK...
Hardwood shelves - when milk crates will no longer do...
and 290 plus other projects - that encompasses a full range of creativity - some that require a soldering gun, simple cut and paste - arts and crafts type projects and even some prankster stuff thrown in for good fun. You can contribute your own project as well.

The perfect Valentine's Gift...

The perfect Valentine's Gift for married couples...
Looks like a toolbox, but it's a 5.0 Peak HP 4.5 gallon wet/dry vac.
Made by RIDGID