On a whimsical note: Friday is Pi Day, a holiday held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, 3.1415926535... (those dots are important). Pi Day is celebrated by math enthusiasts around the world on March 14th. The first Pi Day was celebrated at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 1988. Nerds (and they are proud of the term) celebrate by gathering together to eat pie and solve "interesting" math problems. March 14th is also Einstein’s birthday -- another great reason to celebrate. Want to learn more about Pi day? Check out the official website.
Many people, especially teenagers, don’t necessarily equate loading things on Facebook with publishing to the world, but that is exactly what it is. The whole world is watching -- or at the very least the police are watching, as chatty criminals brag online about their many nefarious deeds, including homicides, rapes, vandalism, underage drinking and other miscellaneous crimes. Pictures of high school and college students swilling beer or pounding down shots have landed many a student in front of a judge, according to the January 13th issue of the Burlington Free Press. This gives credence to the Carnegie Mellon University study, "Information Revelation and Privacy in Online Social Networks", in which authors Ralph Gross and Alessandro Acquisti point out that most users of social networking websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Friendstar underestimate the security and privacy of social networking sites. Author beware !
The November issue of Fortune magazine features an interesting article on a rollercoaster path of Dominic Orr, a former CEO of Alteon WebSystems. Orr’s story challenges the odds of balancing the personal life with fast-track, intense carrier. While reaching the top of the corporate ladder and relentlessly working on success of Alteon, first building and taking his start-up thru IPO and then thru acquisition, Dominic Orr sacrificed a lot in his private life. His marriage didn’t sustain and his relations with his two children were almost non-existent. Dominic Orr took time off to re-establish the bond with his children. It’s working out, slowly, and Dominic Orr is by now has returned into the corporate world as a CEO of Aruba Networks. Read the story in the journal in Jackson Library or online.
An interesting article in the New York Times about the young multimillionaires appearing in Silicon Valley and elsewhere around the country. These young people in their mid to late 20s have made enough money to never have to work again but in the case of Max Levchin, one of the founders of PayPal, are working on the next new company to make it big. You've got to love the entrepreneurial spirit!
Geekipedia is created by the editors of Wired and published as a supplement to the magazine. As opposed to Wikipedia, Geekipedia has only 149 entries which cover contemporary trends, people, places, ideas, and happenings which, in the opinion of its creators, is a “must” knowledge in today’s Wired world. Easy-to-read and fun-filled stories not just define the subjects but “tell you what they really mean”. To list just a few entries: read about BitTorrent, Copyleft, Long Tail, Social Networking, or in Venture Capital entry, find a “template” for a letter to Sand Hill Road. Enjoy the print copy of Geekipedia in Jackson library or browse it online.
I just ran across this NPR Marketplace report that talks about a study which states that higher gas prices could help reduce obesity levels by encouraging people to drive less and walk or ride bikes more. The study found that an additional $1 per gallon would reduce U.S. obesity 15 percent in three years. So it may come down to your wallet or your waistline getting smaller.
Today the Chinese Moon Festival begins. Also called the Mid-Autumn festival, this ancient celebration marks the end of the harvest -- a time for families to relax, eat delicious 'moon-cakes' and admire the full moon. Along with the Chinese New Year, it is an important cultural marker on the lunar cycle. So, like the Tang dynasty poets Li Bai and Du Fu, retire to your garden this evening, cut open a moon cake, sip some rice wine, read some poetry, and join a millenia-old tradition.
In the NY Times there is an article about Silicon Valley executives and why having about 5 million dollars in the bank is not enough to quit working. Some millionaire executives are still logging 60-70 hours a week at their jobs and they say they must because a million dollars doesn't go as far as it used to especially in the wealthy neighborhoods of Atherton, Palo Alto and Menlo Park. It begs the question what is enough?
Young businesspeople notoriously analyze Captains of Industry for their business strategems, personal insights, and political acumen. But what about their reading habits? Diego Rodriguez on his metacool blog cites a New York Times piece on CEO libraries. The wife of Michael Moritz, venture capitalist who built his fortune discovering Google, YouTube and others, calls Moritz the 'Imelda Marcos of books'. He admits that as soon as a book enters his home, it is guaranteed a permanent place. GSB Alum and Nike founder Phil Knight created an extraordinary recessed library at Nike headquarters that is still in use, with volumes on Asian art and poetry. Apple's Steve Jobs has had a long time fascination with the works of visionary English mystic William Blake. Intrigued? Read more at metacool.
Interested in how Phil Knight and his son Travis Knight became business partners five years ago? Read the story in July/Aug. issue of Fast Company magazine. Travis, who had never put his foot in his father’s Nike empire, worked as the ardent animator at Will Vinton Studios in Portland. The company was struggling and, actually, losing all its contracts up until the year of 2002, when Phil Knight invested the initial $5 million in the company and eventually took over the company renaming it Laika. He became Chairman of the Board and brought in the new management team. Convincing his son to join the Board, he hopes to turn Laika into the next great animation studio, with its first movie about to be released. Read the story online or in the magazine in Jackson Library.
Looking for just the right wine for your next dinner party? How about a bottle of ... Charles Shaw Chardonnay? Yes, you read right: the Shaw 2005 Chardonnay, sold at Trader Joe's markets for roughly $2, beat out 350 other Chardonnays in a blind tasting by 64 judges at the California State Fair. This means 'Two Buck Chuck' won over competitors costing $25 and up. The news is from GSB Professor Bob Sutton, who admits on his blog that he has an ongoing prejudice against what are euphemistically called "approachable" wines -- but who has nevertheless taken steps to stock up some bottles of this vintage. Sommeliers, take note.
The pressure is on to find the perfect name for that little bundle of joy. According to the June 22 Wall Street Journal, traditional family names continue to lose favor as anxious parents spend more and more time choosing a name. Corporate branding mavens have nothing over moms and dads who worry about every consonant that will "brand" their child for life. Thankfully, for every perceived problem an industry is born. Parents no longer need pore over books or watch a soap opera to find the perfect name; they can consult a numerologist for $475 or a consultant for $350. If this proves too pricey, they can take matters into their own hands and download software or surf the web. Still deadlocked over a name? BabyNames.com will help you find a solution for a $25.00 fee. So say goodbye to Linda, Carol and Mary -- and hello to Apple, Shiloh and Suri.
Money magazine conducted a survey among one thousand adults about money and ethics that is how people handle different situations which involve money issues. For example, should you loan money to a relative, or what would you do if a borrowed from a neighbor power mower died while you were using it, or what would you do for a promotion? The results of the survey and some insights into peoples’ attitudes towards the situations where money and morale are interlinked are described in the article of June issue of Money magazine. You can find a magazine in Jackson Periodicals display area or if you read it online, you can also take a poll yourself.
Feel yourself in a 'dip'? Guy Kawasaki targets a new book by Seth Godin, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick), writing "I think it will definitely get people to think about life." Kawasaki interviews Godin with ten questions about the topics of perserverance and quitting, asking how to know when it's time to throw in the towel, how one knows if it's worth toughing it out when one is in a 'dip', and how a company can quit a product without signaling it's quitting the whole market. Kawasaki goes on to ask specific questions about Microsoft, Apple ... and the Iraqi War. Quoth Godin: "The Dip is actually an ally. Because when the Dip shows up, you’re know you’re close to a breakthrough, to getting to the other side, to mastery, and to being the best in the world."
Seth Godin in his blog talks about a coming sea change. "Zero is the new black," he opines, contemplating a growing turn in attitudes toward contemporary excess. He talks about people now looking with pity and suspicion at clueless drivers of mammoth Chevy Suburbans. (Frankly, a healthy reaction long overdue, in this author's opinion.) Godin's blog is inspired by a newspaper article on 'No Impact Man' -- a person reducing his and his family's intake to local foods and his output to a fraction of the typical American. Is a new sense of proportion at hand?
Forbes magazine published its annual list of the wealthiest people in the world. Only the billionaires count. To give a scoop: the top twenty billionaires come from 11 countries; the US yields this year 44 more billionaires than last year, and the collective worth of 415 American billionaires is $1.36 trillion. And the richest man in the world … Bill Gates, of course. Google founders, Sergei Brin and Larry Page, are also doing very well by holding the ninth place. Check out the list and statistics, read the articles from the March 26th, 2007 issue located in the Reference Room (Who’s Who section) of Jackson Library.
According to a recent CNN Money report, a new series of low speed crash tests conducted by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spells bad news for your bumper -- and your bank account. Only 4 new midsize cars tested – Mitsubishi Galant, Toyota Camry, and Mazda 6 -- came away with damage of $1500 or less. All other midsize cars tested sustained damage in the 4,000 to 5,000 range. How fast were they driving, you may ask. 5 miles per hour. The car that sustained the least amount of damage was: the 1981 Ford Escort.
Can happiness be taught in school? According to a New York Times Magazine article (1/7/07), Happiness 101, many Ivy League schools are giving it the ol' college try. In a fast-paced, high-tech world where we are expected to do more in less time, finding an affirmative focus can be a challenge.
'Positive Psychology' is one of Harvard University's most popular courses, basically a class in how to be happy taught by instructor Tal Ben-Shahar. Ben-Shahar absolutely believes you can teach people to be happier by increasing their levels of optimism. He wants his goal-oriented students to learn that happiness is the ultimate currency, not money or success -- a difficult challenge in the new millennium. George Mason University was voted one of the 'unhappiest' campuses in America by the Princeton Review, but a class there taught by Todd Kashdan, called the 'Scientific Pursuit of Happiness', attempts to approach the subject scientifically, though the class discussion tend to be very unscientific. His ultimate goal is to show "there are ways of living that research shows lead to better outcomes."
Since today is Valentine's Day, the San Francicso Chronicle has a very timely piece on how to find love if you are a Silicon Valley executive. Face it, making money and developing the next Google takes time! When is there time to find the love of your life. Read more about it.
Knocking 'em dead in the aisles, or sending 'em to sleep in their seats? On his blog Ed Batista warns of pitfalls when speaking to a crowd about yourself. In "What We Talk About When We Talk About Ourselves", Batista offers words to the wise on how to avoid meltdown when called upon to present your own life and work to an audience. Among other things, avoid 'winging it' -- you're likely to ramble aimlessly. And skip tiring details; tell them who you are, not what you've done. Read more at his blog and become your own favorite toastmaster.
The U.S. looks like it's going to surpass France in wine consumption. Not far behind, and gaining on us, are China and Russia. So keep tipping those glasses. Cheers!
Looking for a chuckle after a tough day at the Exchange? BusinessWeek highlights the blog of Amit Chatwani -- the 'Borat of Wall Street'. Chatwani's Leveraged Sell-Out Blog captures the quirky ambiance of the twentysomething Wall Street set. A strategy consultant by day, Chatwani pokes fun at the young Manhattan financial crowd. Launched in 2005, the blog is a runaway hit. Chatwani says advertisers now pay up to $10 a click to be on his site. Sample entry: "The [club] line is long, but the bouncer spots our ties (each of which costs more than his Kia) and ushers us to the front." Enjoy.
Born to shop? The shopping ritual begins shortly after birth, when mothers bring their babies along while shopping. Whether out of necessity or boredom, mother and child travel the grocery store aisles and mall shops together. By the time they are three years old, toddlers can be heard chanting "I want that" -- and thus their lives as shoppers begin. Shopping is part of the American Way of Life, both necessity and entertainment. In "The Psychology of Shopping" in the Fall 2006 Valley Life Quarterly, the author looks into how, what and why we buy. She delves into the differences between men and women when it comes to shopping, the 'shopping gene' and the inconsistencies in how and what we buy, and more. Look for the complete article in Jackson Library's Periodical Room.
What are curious minds reading? From a few select blogs come reading recommendations. Ed Batista offers Power Up: Transforming Organizations Through Shared Leadership by Stanford's David L. Bradford, and Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? What it Takes to be an Authentic Leader by Robert Goffee.
Stanford Professor Robert Sutton commends a forthcoming book, Made to Stick, by fellow GSB Professor Chip Heath and his publisher-brother Dan, and Harvard Professor Rakesh Khurana's Searching for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Charismatic CEOs.
And from Diego Rodriguez comes The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) by John Maeda. Let your brain sink its teeth into any or all of these intriguing books.
You may find these at Jackson Library:
• Power Up: Transforming Organizations Through Shared Leadership - call number: HD57.7 .B697 1998
• Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? What it Takes to be an Authentic Leader - call number: HD57.7 .G663 2006
• Searching for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Charismatic CEOs - call number: HF5549.5.R44 K48 2002.
• Made to Stick - will be available in January '07.
• The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) - currently on order.
Are you one of those people who needs a caffeine jolt to reach your performance peak? Check this Google map to find a Starbucks near you. Select from the drop down the city you are in, and then drag the map around with your mouse.
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