Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science
"Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is misleading, exaggerated, or flat-out wrong. So why are doctors—to a striking extent—still drawing upon misinformation in their everyday practice? "
Why So Many People Can't Make Decisions
"Some people meet, fall in love and get married right away. Others can spend hours in the sock aisle at the department store, weighing the pros and cons of buying a pair of wool argyles instead of cotton striped."
TMI, Mr. President! TMI!
"But does our increasingly informal relationship with the man in the White House — not just President Obama, but any sitting president — diminish our respect for the man and reverence for the office? Should we leave the uncovering of private and behind-closed-doors habits to the historians?"
Enforce a Mandatory Holding Pattern to Curb Your Spending
"If you feel there's something you must have right away, there's a good chance you're experiencing a momentary lapse in judgment. A good way to determine whether or not you really something is to enforce a specific waiting period."
Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays
"In other words, from the standpoint of economic theory, gifts are often poorly matched with the recipient’s preferences, so holiday gift-giving results in what Waldfogel calls 'an orgy of value destruction'.”
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm at the point in my life when I get what I want (exactly what I want) when I need it. Gift giving is tough for me, because I have a hard time figuring out what someone would really like; recieving gifts is likewise as problematic for the reasons in the article.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm at the point in my life when I get what I want (exactly what I want) when I need it. Gift giving is tough for me, because I have a hard time figuring out what someone would really like; recieving gifts is likewise as problematic for the reasons in the article.
How The US Response Turns 'Failed' Terrrorist Attacks Into Successes
"Terrorism is a serious issue. No one's trying to downplay the fact that some very angry individuals are trying to kill an awful lot of Americans (and others as well). However, what's amazing is how incredibly bad the US appears to be at this particular game of chess."
Quote of the Day
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
- Winston Churchill
- Winston Churchill
TSA's Failure Based On The Myth Of Perfect Security
"As the complaints against the TSA ratchet up, various people are finally starting to point out why the whole concept of security theater is a farce. The entire setup is based on the idea that you can have 'perfect security.' But, if you wanted perfect security, the only way to do that is to not let anyone fly, ever."
Better Business Bureau: The Best Ratings Money Can Buy
"Consumer Watchdog Accused of Running 'Pay for Play' Scheme With Grading System"
Do we still need daylight saving time?
"Why everyone from the candy lobby to TV networks is weighing in on the daylight saving time debate."
Quote of The Day
"Marriage isn't a passion-fest; it's more like a partnership formed to run a very small, mundane, and often boring nonprofit business. And I mean this in a good way."
- Lori Gottlieb, in a 2008 Atlantic article "Marry Him! The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough". Gottlieb has written a book of the same name based on the article.
- Lori Gottlieb, in a 2008 Atlantic article "Marry Him! The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough". Gottlieb has written a book of the same name based on the article.
Joey Pantoliano on depression, mental illness
"Pantoliano seeks to “stomp the stigma” of mental illness through his nonprofit organization “No Kidding, Me Too!” and recently made a documentary about his own experience and that of others learning to cope with mental illness. "
English. It's dead to me.
"The language's demise took few by surprise. Signs of its failing health had been evident for some time on the pages of America's daily newspapers..."
What to do when body parts fall off - CNN.com
"Whether it's a missing tooth or an eye that's popped out of its socket, many people don't know what to do in such situations."
5 Reasons Not To Go To College
"But as costs for college skyrocket, as two-thirds of Americans find work without a degree and as most students aren't going to directly use their degree anyway, it's high time we do ourselves a favor and take an objective perspective of the "going to college" question."
Quote of the Day
Wired: Why is it so hard to convince people, even when the science is so clear?
Simon Singh: Science has nothing to do with common sense. I believe it was Einstein who said that common sense is a set of prejudices we form by the age of 18. Inject somebody with some viruses and that's going to keep you from getting sick? That's not common sense. We evolved from single-cell organisms? That's not common sense. By driving my car I'm going to cook Earth? None of this is common sense. The commonsense view is what we're fighting against. So somehow you've got to move people away from that with these quite complicated scientific arguments based on even more complicated research. That's why it's such an uphill battle. People start off with a belief and a prejudice--we all do. And the job of science is to set that aside to get to the truth.
- Simon Singh, writer, in an interview with Wired.
Simon Singh: Science has nothing to do with common sense. I believe it was Einstein who said that common sense is a set of prejudices we form by the age of 18. Inject somebody with some viruses and that's going to keep you from getting sick? That's not common sense. We evolved from single-cell organisms? That's not common sense. By driving my car I'm going to cook Earth? None of this is common sense. The commonsense view is what we're fighting against. So somehow you've got to move people away from that with these quite complicated scientific arguments based on even more complicated research. That's why it's such an uphill battle. People start off with a belief and a prejudice--we all do. And the job of science is to set that aside to get to the truth.
- Simon Singh, writer, in an interview with Wired.
You’re a failure - now get over it
"New research suggests our obsession with success is a handicap."
Greetings from Idiot America
"There's never been a better time to espouse, profit from, and believe in utter, unadulterated crap. And the crap is rising so high, it's getting dangerous."
Quote of the Day
"Google's Eric Schmidt recently stated that every two days we create as much information as we did from the beginning of civilization through 2003. Perhaps the sheer bulk of data makes it easier to suppress that information which we find overly unpleasant. Who's got time for a victim in Afghanistan or end-of-life issues with all these Tweets coming in?"
- Dave Pell, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2010/08/11/129127690/too-much-information-can-sometimes-mean-we-miss-the-big-picture
- Dave Pell, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2010/08/11/129127690/too-much-information-can-sometimes-mean-we-miss-the-big-picture
America: Land of Loners?
"Americans, plugged in and on the move, are confiding in their pets, their computers, and their spouses. What they need is to rediscover the value of friendship."
Debt Repayment Is a High-Interest No Risk Investment
"Paying off debt you hold turns the rate of interest on that debt into a guaranteed investment. As long as you're paying off the high-interest debt you're essentially earning money by avoiding future fees."
The BP Cover-Up
"BP and the government say the spill is fast disappearing—but dramatic new science reveals that its worst effects may be yet to come."
The Paradox of the False Positive
"That’s the paradox of the false positive. When you try to find something really rare, your test’s accuracy has to match the rarity of the thing you’re looking for."
Quote of The Day
"We've basically decided to keep pumping greenhouse gases into Mother Nature's operating system and take our chances that the results will be benign - even though a vast majority of scientists warn that this will not be so. Fasten your seat belts. As the environmentalist Rob Watson likes to say: "Mother Nature is just chemistry, biology and physics. That's all she is." You cannot sweet-talk her. You cannot spin her. You cannot tell her that the oil companies say climate change is a hoax. No, Mother Nature is going to do whatever chemistry, biology and physics dictate, and "Mother Nature always bats last, and she always bats 1.000," says Watson. Do not mess with Mother Nature. But that is just what we're doing."
- Thomas Friedman, quoting Rob Watson, discussing the U.S. Senate's recent failure to pass climate change legislation.
- Thomas Friedman, quoting Rob Watson, discussing the U.S. Senate's recent failure to pass climate change legislation.
The Real Damage - How much does that really cost?
"The Real Damage is a new tool to help you visualize how much your purchases REALLY cost. If you owe money, when you buy something instead of paying off your debt the real cost of that purchase isn't shown on the tag. This tool shows you how much that money would have saved you, if you had applied it to your debt. In other words, the real damage."
The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good
"Nothing is perfect and waiting for the perfect moment or killing yourself trying to ensure that every thing your hand touches is done perfectly is a sure way to not get anything done at all."
Attack of the Grape People (funny@work)
One of the benefits of working where I do is The Fruit Bowl, that costs only 25 cents per unit. It is maintained by Heidi SomeLastName, and it has made working a lot better, because I can finally have healthy snacks. I was the one that requested it offer grapes. I had this IM chat with Heidi today. And as you'll notice, I believe that in chat, speed trumps spelling.
11:52 AM Me
Grape Alert: they are a funny color, but still taste okay. Well, there might be a slight funny taste to them, but how do I know that's not because my perception is altered because of the color and my being suspicious?
If something happens to me, you must tell my story.
11:53 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
haha... would you like me to eat some grapes as well... so we know for sure
?
11:53 AM Me
I don't blame you, or the grapes, I blame our uncaring, as-long-as-it's-good-enough agriculture profit mongers.
don't eat the grapes until you see how I am in a few hours or weeks.
but IM me every 30 minutes and check on me, and ask me about state capitals, so you know it's me and not a grape-me.
11:55 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
will do
11:55 AM Me
wait, how do I know it's you, and not agrape-Heidi? You wre the ones that brought them in, after all.
11:56 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
Juneau
11:56 AM Me
Security question: what is the name of the irritating horn featured at World Cup games?
11:56 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
Kellie brought them in
I was on vaca
something about africa?
11:56 AM Me
I didn't even say Alaska! I think you're a grape-Heidi.
The answer is vuvuzela, grape-Heidi. Good try.
11:57 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
i heard them for about 2 mins and had to change the channel
11:57 AM Me
true that.
for a few days Youtube had a vuvuzela button on every video, so you could add it in.
Next seecurity question, pssoible grape-Heidi: a stitch in time saves nine what?
11:59 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
stiches
11:59 AM Me
ok, you got that one right.
you're okay, for now.
11:59 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
good
12:00 PM Me
but we're watching you. don't do anything grapey.
12:00 PM SomeLastName, Heidi
hehe
11:52 AM Me
Grape Alert: they are a funny color, but still taste okay. Well, there might be a slight funny taste to them, but how do I know that's not because my perception is altered because of the color and my being suspicious?
If something happens to me, you must tell my story.
11:53 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
haha... would you like me to eat some grapes as well... so we know for sure
?
11:53 AM Me
I don't blame you, or the grapes, I blame our uncaring, as-long-as-it's-good-enough agriculture profit mongers.
don't eat the grapes until you see how I am in a few hours or weeks.
but IM me every 30 minutes and check on me, and ask me about state capitals, so you know it's me and not a grape-me.
11:55 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
will do
11:55 AM Me
wait, how do I know it's you, and not agrape-Heidi? You wre the ones that brought them in, after all.
11:56 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
Juneau
11:56 AM Me
Security question: what is the name of the irritating horn featured at World Cup games?
11:56 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
Kellie brought them in
I was on vaca
something about africa?
11:56 AM Me
I didn't even say Alaska! I think you're a grape-Heidi.
The answer is vuvuzela, grape-Heidi. Good try.
11:57 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
i heard them for about 2 mins and had to change the channel
11:57 AM Me
true that.
for a few days Youtube had a vuvuzela button on every video, so you could add it in.
Next seecurity question, pssoible grape-Heidi: a stitch in time saves nine what?
11:59 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
stiches
11:59 AM Me
ok, you got that one right.
you're okay, for now.
11:59 AM SomeLastName, Heidi
good
12:00 PM Me
but we're watching you. don't do anything grapey.
12:00 PM SomeLastName, Heidi
hehe
When you don't tell us we have to guess (funny@work)
Recently one of my coworkers was out for an unspecified surgery. And that's okay: one doesn't have to have everyone all up in their business knowing what the surgery is, but I'm also free to imagine what the procedure is. Via email, concerning a collection being taken up for a gift:
Tell her I know how painful tattoo removal is, and that keeping butter on it will help. Not margarine, not I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, just regular butter. Reapply every two hours; wipe off old butter with untoasted english muffins: do *not* use steel wool or a paint scraper! Also, I took $75 out of the money envelope, because I need new aglets for my shoelaces, but I’ll get back to you next payday.
Tell her I know how painful tattoo removal is, and that keeping butter on it will help. Not margarine, not I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, just regular butter. Reapply every two hours; wipe off old butter with untoasted english muffins: do *not* use steel wool or a paint scraper! Also, I took $75 out of the money envelope, because I need new aglets for my shoelaces, but I’ll get back to you next payday.
Gotta love the 3-D copiers! (funny@work)
Someone recently posted a message to the wrong distribution list (a list having over 500 members). As follows, and make note that I am of the male gender:
Original message:
Ladies,
How do we go about ordering a new Xerox machine??
My reply:
First of all, who you calling a lady?
To address your issue: you don’t need to order a new Xerox. Just use a *bigger* Xerox to copy the one you have. Problem solved.
I recieved several emails and phone calls in support of that one.
Original message:
Ladies,
How do we go about ordering a new Xerox machine??
My reply:
First of all, who you calling a lady?
To address your issue: you don’t need to order a new Xerox. Just use a *bigger* Xerox to copy the one you have. Problem solved.
I recieved several emails and phone calls in support of that one.
Psychology of the Apocalypse (Part 2)
"There is an unintended consequence of this bombardment. It increases our perception of perceived threats, even when those threats are declining."
As Hollywood Sues Over Copyright Infringement, Hollywood Celebrates Copyright Infringement In Glee
"So here we are with a hit TV program, showing off how kids are doing all sorts of almost certainly infringing derivative works... at the same time we're told (by the same Hollywood folks) that such works are illegal."
If you shop online or use coupons
[sent by by my friend Wendy C.: thanks, Wendy!]
If you shop online or use coupons then you need to know about these websites:
http://www.promotionalcodes.com/
Thousands of codes for popular retailers, many of them originally uploaded by customers who received them by email or snail mail.
http://www.freeshipping.org/
Hefty shipping charges can scotch an otherwise excellent deal. Look for merchants who ship gratis or rustle up a code for the order already in your cart.
http://www.retailmenot.com/
More than 400,000 coupon codes for more than 100,000 retailers. Bonus: a tool to add to your Web browser that alerts you if you're shopping at a site for which there's a code.
http://www.redplum.com/
Not just online discount codes but also a database of printable coupons for local merchants. Just click on Shop Online and sign up by entering your name, email, and zip code, then hunt for exclusive offers.
http://www.ebates.com/
Beyond supplying discount codes, this site offers cash back at over 1,300 stores when you start your shopping trip there. For instance, if you splurge at Victoria's Secret, you'll get a check from Ebates for 2% of the total order. Checks go out every 3 months as long as you earn at least $5.01.
These websites are mentioned in an article from Family Circle, April 17, 2010.
If you shop online or use coupons then you need to know about these websites:
http://www.promotionalcodes.com/
Thousands of codes for popular retailers, many of them originally uploaded by customers who received them by email or snail mail.
http://www.freeshipping.org/
Hefty shipping charges can scotch an otherwise excellent deal. Look for merchants who ship gratis or rustle up a code for the order already in your cart.
http://www.retailmenot.com/
More than 400,000 coupon codes for more than 100,000 retailers. Bonus: a tool to add to your Web browser that alerts you if you're shopping at a site for which there's a code.
http://www.redplum.com/
Not just online discount codes but also a database of printable coupons for local merchants. Just click on Shop Online and sign up by entering your name, email, and zip code, then hunt for exclusive offers.
http://www.ebates.com/
Beyond supplying discount codes, this site offers cash back at over 1,300 stores when you start your shopping trip there. For instance, if you splurge at Victoria's Secret, you'll get a check from Ebates for 2% of the total order. Checks go out every 3 months as long as you earn at least $5.01.
These websites are mentioned in an article from Family Circle, April 17, 2010.
Resistentialism
"In other words, a war is being fought between humans and inanimate objects, and all the little annoyances objects give people throughout the day are battles between the two."
Confident dumb people
"Have you ever noticed how incompetent people are often incredibly confident? Meanwhile, highly-skilled folks underestimate their ability to perform. That's called the Dunning-Kruger Effect..."
Inogolo Demonstrates Pronunciation of Difficult Proper Names
"If you're puzzled on how to pronounce an unfamiliar proper name, Inogolo can help with visual and spoken pronunciation guides."
Quote of the Day
"That same circuitry is active in your brain today in the amygdala, hippocampus, and related structures. It's hard-wired to scan for the bad, and when it inevitably finds negative things, they're both stored immediately plus made available for rapid recall. In contrast, positive experiences (short of million dollar moments) are usually registered through standard memory systems, and thus need to be held in conscious awareness 10 to 20 seconds for them to really sink in.
"In sum, your brain is like velcro for negative experiences and teflon for positive ones."
- Rick Hanson, psychologist, and Rick Mendius, neurologist, writing in the journal Inquiring Mind. [http://www.rickhanson.net/wp-content/files/BuddhasBrainArticle.pdf]
Cognitive Bias song
"An AP Psychology teacher wrote a song enumerating several types of cognitive bias -- the blindspots in our thinking -- for his students. It's catchy, it's educational, and it might save you from getting conned, voting for a bastard, or having a stupid fight with your spouse!"
Response to "if you don't like it, move to another country."
[written in response to someone in the local paper's comments section who said that if someone didn't like Fox News, they just shouldn't watch it.]
Certainly *one* of the choices someone has is to not watch something they don't like. But if the something is, in one's opinion, giving false information to a huge swath of the citizens of the country, then one has the right, and some would say the responsibility, to speak up. As the quote goes: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Note that I'm not passing any value judgment on Fox News here, I'm just tired of hearing people say "if you don't like it, don't pay attention to it" or even better: "if you don't like it move to another country." That's not how it works. Individual citizens can shape reality with their opinions just as much as a news organization can, and it's part of the checks and balances of society. You change your country and your society by voting (or choosing not to vote), speaking out or keeping silent; by how you spend your money; and in many other ways.
Certainly *one* of the choices someone has is to not watch something they don't like. But if the something is, in one's opinion, giving false information to a huge swath of the citizens of the country, then one has the right, and some would say the responsibility, to speak up. As the quote goes: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Note that I'm not passing any value judgment on Fox News here, I'm just tired of hearing people say "if you don't like it, don't pay attention to it" or even better: "if you don't like it move to another country." That's not how it works. Individual citizens can shape reality with their opinions just as much as a news organization can, and it's part of the checks and balances of society. You change your country and your society by voting (or choosing not to vote), speaking out or keeping silent; by how you spend your money; and in many other ways.
Separate truths
"It is misleading — and dangerous — to think that religions are different paths to the same wisdom"
Quote of the Day
"Today our society places great emphasis on specialization and focus. Students used to go off to university with the idea of broadening themselves; now it has become a mostly vocational experience. Students use higher education as a means to develop a skill that will make them attractive to employers. We place so much emphasis on being good at what we do that we fail to realize that getting better at what we do might be best achieved by getting better at other--and wildly different--things."
- Garry Kasparov, chess player and politician, from his book How Life Imitates Chess.
Kitchen Hack: One-Minute Bread
"Oven-fresh bread is one of life’s simple joys. Ciabatta, a crisp-crusted Italian bread with hints of sourdough and loads of crannies longing for butter, is one of the easiest breads to make at home. "
How I Mastered the Power Nap
"Daniel Tenner has spent a lot of time thinking about (and taking) naps. What follows is his experience learning to master 20 minute power naps even though he normally takes 30 minutes to fall asleep."
What's the Best Way to (and Why Should I) Create a Home Inventory?
"Taking a home inventory isn't really hard, it's just time consuming. It's also extremely important; a good inventory will speed up the insurance claims process and ensure your insurance takes care of everything you lost. (You do, of course, need the insurance.)"
Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Making Your Stuff Last Longer
"We live in a disposable world, but just because things weren't made to last doesn't mean you can't make them. These 10 tips and tricks will help you squeeze more life from your batteries, appliances, flowers, razor blades, and more."
The Psychology of Spending Money: 25 Tricks You Need to Know
"Here are 25 tricks for understanding the psychology of spending money and maximizing your ability to be in control."
La Gaite Lyrique
Excellent video. And no, I don't know what it means either.
Full-screen it for best view.
Full-screen it for best view.
One of the ugliest noises
One of the worst ways to wake up is to the sound of your cat barfing, and you have to just lie there and wait for her to finish, because if you try to get her to linoleum she'll just run to her go-to spot under the bed, and that will massively complicate the clean up effort.
I watched our other cat throw up once, and it was such a massive load that he actually backed away from it as he was puking, like a dump truck moving as it tilted out a dozen cubic yards of whatever. I remember that incident well, because it was then that I learned an important lesson: never pick up brand new cat chunder, because it is the temperature of the inside of a cat, and that warmth increases the gross factor by a lot. Ya gotta let 'em cool down.
Our cats are very good at remembering to do the technicolor yawn right in the major carpeted walkways, but one accidentally threw up in the kitchen once, and it was so easy to clean up I barely remember it.
I wonder if there's a website where you can find out which breed of dog is most likely to find cat puke tasty? Or even better: which breed will be most likely to just eat your cats.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go accidentally leave the front door open.
I watched our other cat throw up once, and it was such a massive load that he actually backed away from it as he was puking, like a dump truck moving as it tilted out a dozen cubic yards of whatever. I remember that incident well, because it was then that I learned an important lesson: never pick up brand new cat chunder, because it is the temperature of the inside of a cat, and that warmth increases the gross factor by a lot. Ya gotta let 'em cool down.
Our cats are very good at remembering to do the technicolor yawn right in the major carpeted walkways, but one accidentally threw up in the kitchen once, and it was so easy to clean up I barely remember it.
I wonder if there's a website where you can find out which breed of dog is most likely to find cat puke tasty? Or even better: which breed will be most likely to just eat your cats.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go accidentally leave the front door open.
Quote of the Day
"The very notion that on any given story all you have to do is report what both sides say and you've done a fine job of objective journalism debilitates the press. There is no such thing as objectivity, and the truth, that slippery little bugger, has the oddest habit of being way to hell off on one side or the other: it seldom nestles neatly halfway between any two opposing points of view. The smug complacency of much of the press--I have heard many an editor say, 'Well, we're being attacked by both sides so we must be right'--stems from the curious notion that if you get a quote from both sides, preferably in an official position, you've done the job. In the first place, most stories aren't two-sided, they're 17-sided at least. In the second place, it's of no help to either the readers or the truth to quote one side saying, 'Cat,' and the other side saying 'Dog,' while the truth is there's an elephant crashing around out there in the bushes."
-- Molly Ivins, columnist.
-- Molly Ivins, columnist.
DIVOGA 8-Pocket Folder
Here's my review of this folder. I really have looked at a lot of these folders lately, and this is clearly the best one I've seen so far. The writing may be a bit over the top, but I believe in this folder, and it is never more than a few feet from me (except when I'm paragliding, of course).
This pocket organizer impresses me with the following qualities:
-- The metal wire binding is smaller and much more robust than the plastic slot-based ones I've found on other similar organizers (some of those didn't even make it to the checkout counter before the tabs had come apart).
-- This is not a cheapie corkscrew/spring binding, but a well-designed 2-coil per hole locked design that feels sturdy, yet accommodates easy movement of the covers and folders
-- The folder opens flat and stays flat, and you won't have to worry about plastic fatigue as you would with the other all-plastic bendy organizers, or the tearing that happens after even moderate use of the paper-based pocket folders.
-- The pockets are attached on three sides, keeping in what you put in them (nothing can slide out the into the middle as happens with the pockets that are only attached at the bottom and the outside edge)
-- The front and back pockets, being part of the cover, are black; but the inside pockets are translucent, so you can easily if a smaller note or sticky note is still in there
-- being metal (the wire binding) and plastic (everything else), this folder can take almost infinite use without scuffing; and will not suffer the indignity of doodles-- the smooth black lightly-textured surface remains clean and new-looking
-- an ebony monolith protecting your contents. This folder is the office supply equivalent of the little black dress: always in style, and useful for so many occasions of varying formality
This product meets all of my needs, and I'll be on the lookout for other Divoga products. (I had not heard of Divoga before yesterday: I am just an office drone who appreciates a stylish and well-designed product).
This pocket organizer impresses me with the following qualities:
-- The metal wire binding is smaller and much more robust than the plastic slot-based ones I've found on other similar organizers (some of those didn't even make it to the checkout counter before the tabs had come apart).
-- This is not a cheapie corkscrew/spring binding, but a well-designed 2-coil per hole locked design that feels sturdy, yet accommodates easy movement of the covers and folders
-- The folder opens flat and stays flat, and you won't have to worry about plastic fatigue as you would with the other all-plastic bendy organizers, or the tearing that happens after even moderate use of the paper-based pocket folders.
-- The pockets are attached on three sides, keeping in what you put in them (nothing can slide out the into the middle as happens with the pockets that are only attached at the bottom and the outside edge)
-- The front and back pockets, being part of the cover, are black; but the inside pockets are translucent, so you can easily if a smaller note or sticky note is still in there
-- being metal (the wire binding) and plastic (everything else), this folder can take almost infinite use without scuffing; and will not suffer the indignity of doodles-- the smooth black lightly-textured surface remains clean and new-looking
-- an ebony monolith protecting your contents. This folder is the office supply equivalent of the little black dress: always in style, and useful for so many occasions of varying formality
This product meets all of my needs, and I'll be on the lookout for other Divoga products. (I had not heard of Divoga before yesterday: I am just an office drone who appreciates a stylish and well-designed product).
The Wisdom of Wikipedia: Mean World Syndrome
"Mean World Syndrome is a phenomenon where the violence-related content of mass media convinces viewers that the world is more dangerous than it actually is, and prompts a desire for more protection than is warranted by any actual threat."
Survey pitfalls and suggestions
Surveys are everywhere these days, and a lot of them bug me. Here's some tips for those creating surveys:
- Keep your survey short: a long survey is less likely to be taken in full, or at all, and my guess is that the longer a survey is, the more skewed the resultant data will be, because only those with really strong opinions (positive or negative) will slog on through it all. The longer your survey is, the less reflective of reality will be the results. Don't believe that since you've "got" the user you can ask them every question you always wanted to ask them; your users realize that your survey is an expenditure of their time for a pretty small payoff (the slight chance that their data will effect some change in a product or service).
- It is certainly the case for me, and I suspect others as well, that the sheer number of feedback I'm asked for makes me engage in only the ones for which I feel very strongly (positively, or especially negatively), which skews the results.
- Don't say it should "only take about 5 minutes" if it has more questions than can even be *read* in that amount of time.
- Consider using binary choices ("I am [] satisfied [] unsatisfied") to gather data, rather than a 1-10 range or something similar. When you use a choice, you can report that "customer satisfaction is up 3% compared to last month", instead of saying "customer satisfaction rose from 72% to 78% from last month to this month, but the standard deviation is 18% and rose 7% from last month". Keep it simple.
- When I see a big grid of a dozen 1-10 range "how important is this to you" questions, it makes me mad… see point number 1
- Ranking lists of things in order of importance is also something I dislike, because it takes a long time, and I never seem to be happy with the choices I make overall
One-Minute Bread
"I wanted something very, very simple that delivered great results in 60 seconds of prep time or less. It may take you a few tries to get below the one-minute mark, but I think you’ll enjoy the results every time!"
What a daft way to stop your spaniel eating the milkman
"As we know, one man once got on one plane in a pair of exploding hiking boots and as a result everyone else in the entire world is now forced to strip naked at airports and hand over their toiletries to a man in a high-visibility jacket."
Quote of The Day
"...the purpose of bureaucracy is to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline - a problem that largely goes away if you have the right people in the first place. Most companies build their bureaucratic rules to manage the small percentage of wrong people on the bus, which in turn drives away the right people on the bus, which then increases the percentage of wrong people on the bus, which increases the need for more bureaucracy to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline, which then further drives the right people away, and so forth."
- Jim Collins, from Good to Great.
Pork's Dirty Secret: The nation's top hog producer is also one of America's worst polluters
"America's top pork producer churns out a sea of waste that has destroyed rivers, killed millions of fish and generated one of the largest fines in EPA history."
Pain 'should be viewed as a disease in its own right'
"Chronic pain needs to be recognised as a disease in its own right, experts say."
Quote of The Day
"Extroverts are energized by people, and wilt or fade when alone," writes Jonathan Rauch in The Atlantic. "In contrast, after an hour or two of being socially `on,' we introverts need to turn off and recharge. This isn't antisocial. It isn't a sign of depression. It does not call for medication. For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as nourishing as eating. Our motto: `I'm okay, you're okay - in small doses."'
- Wendy Dennis, in House and Home magazine, December 2009
Don't confuse them with facts
"You see, like me, she can remember a time when facts settled arguments. This is back before everything became a partisan shouting match, back before it was permissible to ignore or deride as "biased" anything that didn't support your worldview."
"If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep,..."
"If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world. If you have any money in the bank, your wallet and some spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation, you are luckier than 500 million people alive going through this suffering. If you can read this message you are more fortunate than the 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.”"
Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?
"The diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade."
Rules To Live By
1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.
4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.
7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.
13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
25. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.
26. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
27. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
29. You should not confuse your career with your life.
30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.
4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.
7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.
13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
25. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.
26. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
27. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
29. You should not confuse your career with your life.
30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
WIth friends like these…
"Ever wondered why your friends seem so much more popular than you are? There's a reason for that"
Beyond Comprehension: We know that genocide and famine are greater tragedies than a lost dog. At least, we think we do.
"We don't feel 20 times sadder when we hear that 20 people have died in a disaster than when we hear that one person has died, even though the magnitude of the tragedy is 20 times as large. "
YouTube - MOVE YOUR MONEY
"If you leave your money with the big banks, they will use it to pay lobbyists to keep Congress from fixing the problem."
Errors and lies thrive in cold weather
"... a bout of extreme weather does not prove anything about climate change. Climate is the average weather over decades."
Avatar and My Strabismus
I recently saw Avatar in 3-D. Or should I say everyone else in the theater did: because I have suffered from strabismus (wandering eye) my whole life, I can't see in 3-D. My eyes look fine, due to 3 eye operations as a kid and over a decade of wearing glasses, but I see primarily out of my right eye. I have excellent peripheral vision in both eyes, I just can't do the 3-D thing. I had to wear the glasses just to see the movie, but the colors appeared rather muted. Add to that the ho-hum story line, and it being way too long, and I'd give the movie a C.
Stop the panic on air security
"The Underwear Bomber failed. And our reaction to the failed plot is failing as well, by focusing on the specifics of this made-for-a-movie plot rather than the broad threat. While our reaction is predictable, it's not going to make us safer."
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