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F*** Off, Sherlock

Or not.  Nicholas Carr reflects on IBM’s attempts to teach Watson the Urban Dictionary. I’m with Carr.  The nobler, and more fascinating, route would have been to persevere in teaching Watson to distinguish what was appropriate rather than simply wiping its mind. And I rather like the idea of a foul-mouthed super-computer.  I suspect Douglas […]

For my select group of super-smart and discerning readers…

Neuromarketing’s Roger Dooley on how flattery increases recall. Reminds me of Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book Power: flattery works, even the most toe-curlingly, blatant sycophancy leaves a positive impression.  Strange, sad, but apparently true. Of course, you already knew this because you are particularly well-read and have unparalleled people-skills. Technorati Tags: neuromarketing,Roger Dooley,Jeffrey Pfeffer,Power,Influence,Flattery

For my select group of super-smart and discerning readers…

Neuromarketing’s Roger Dooley on how flattery increases recall. Reminds me of Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book Power: flattery works, even the most toe-curlingly, blatant sycophancy leaves a positive impression.  Strange, sad, but apparently true. Of course, you already knew this because you are particularly well-read and have unparalleled people-skills. Technorati Tags: neuromarketing,Roger Dooley,Jeffrey Pfeffer,Power,Influence,Flattery

Integrity – Execupundit

Execupundit’s Michael Wade: Do we really need to remind ourselves that: Getting up early is better than sleeping in? A day of achievement is more fulfilling than goofing off? Staying within budget is a sound practice? Finishing school is wiser than dropping out? Being ethical requires “being judgmental?” … More to ponder here. Technorati Tags: […]

Business Etiquette 101 – Cultural Offering

I love this guide to business etiquette from Kurt Harden at CulturalOffering.com. So simple, so true: Listen – Nothing is more polite or productive than listening to what customers and coworkers say. Think – Thinking will allow you politely solve many problems. Act – Emerson said “every natural action is graceful”. Be polite – To […]

Free, but Mindful

The author Steven Pressfield has a great post about the payback (or, lack of) in doing things for nothing but the “opportunity” or “exposure”: Opportunities Are Bullshit. I love the video of screenwriter Harlan Ellison railing against requests that he do things for free, but I think Pressfield’s text is more relevant.  Equally, while I’m […]

The End of the SNP?

The Scotsman.com has a piece in which the SMP’s former deputy leader, Jim Sillars, refutes an idea floated by the Independence campaign’s chief strategist, Stephen Noon, that a “Yes vote for independence could see the end of the SNP. It’s an interesting question and one that goes a bit deeper than Mr Sillars seems to […]

The Productivity Paradox

Daniel Gulati posts some interesting research regarding the impact of smartphones over on the HBR Blog. He finds that the more we rely on smartphones – and other “productivity” apps and devices – the greater a psychological toll we exact from ourselves.  In particular, we suffer in three ways: We don’t remember anything anymore We […]

Death of the Book. Greatly Exaggerated?

Nicholas Carr – always good for reasoned argument on all things technology – suggests that reports on the (imminent) death of the printed book may be greatly exaggerated. Elsewhere, though I can’t recall where, I read that sales of e-readers (single function devices) may be losing out to similarly convenient, but multi-function tablet devices.  This […]

Waterstones’ Slogans – Tom Albrighton

I’ve just recently discovered Tom Albrighton’s ABC Copywriting blog.  I particularly enjoyed this analysis of Waterstones’ recent campaign. Technorati Tags: Waterstones,Tom Albrighton,ABC Copywriting

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