If you’ve never heard this before you might recognize the beginning, which was used in ‘The Exorcist’ soundtrack.
May 012011
I’ve decided to include, from time-to-time, a broader-array of content to Plan B Economics. However, I’ll be sticking to stuff that is thought provoking in some shape or form (that includes music, humor, art, etc.).
The manifesto of Plan B Economics has always been to present an alternate universe of opinion and ideas around finance and economics. I’ll remain true to my original intent…but will expand this mandate to other subjects.
Let’s see how this works out.
Apr 012011
Mar 172011
Mar 052011
Unemployed Stormtrooper II
Unemployed Stormtrooper For Chicago Mayor
Jan 222011
Ronald Reagan, as Portrayed by Phil Hartman
The report based on the book Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses found that after two years of college, 45% of students learned little to nothing. After four years, 36% of students learned almost nothing.
“There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that motivated kids are going to make money whether or not they go to college,” says James Altucher, managing partner at Formula Capital. “So teach your kids how to be motivated. Teach your kids how to sell a product, build a network of connections. That’s going to be far more valuable.”
Rethinking College as Student-Loan Burdens Rise
Also read the real-life example of a somewhat absent-minded medical student: The $555,000 Student-Loan Burden
5 Presentation Lessons From The King's Speech
View more presentations from @JESSEDEE.
Jan 122011
Dec 302010
To keep food relatively cheap we’ve had to think about farming the same way Henry Ford thought about car manufacturing. What we’ve ended up with is a supply chain that is squeezed to the edge of safety and morality in the effort to make a buck. Would we change if we knew how the system worked?
“If you knew where your food was coming from, and you knew what those animals are going though…. and if you knew what the workers were going though, and if you knew about the farmers who had been destroyed to make that factory profitable then you wouldn’t buy the food.” Bobby Kennedy Junior.
Dec 212010
Chromaroma Visualisations from Mudlark on Vimeo.
Using your Oyster Card and Bike Key, Chromaroma lets you play the city as you travel. It tells you stories, gives you points, and visualizes your movements on an interactive map of London.
Dec 202010
Dec 202010
I find these interesting…old newspaper front pages give an idea of the mood at the time.
Here are a few particularly soul-sucking ‘recommendations’ (loosely translated). I can’t think of anything more stifling than to have my wardrobe micromanaged by corporate nit-wits:
“While blazers are equipped with pockets, they were not designed to contain a large number of personal effects or accessories. Leave these empty, so they do not deform.”
“Only when it is very hot, and after confirmation of your supervisor, can you wear the shirt without a jacket.”
“The jacket must completely cover your posterior.”
“Sunglasses cannot be worn on top of the head.”
“Piercings, besides earrings, and tattoos are prohibited. Tattoos, piercings or anklets are outdated and do not look professional.”
“If you wear a watch, it suggests reliability and that punctuality is of great concern to you.”
“After having worn a pair of shoes, allow your shoes at least one day, so let the leather dry out and rest.”
“The tip of your tie should under no circumstances enter your pants.”
“Do not wash, nor ever iron your shirts yourself.”
Here’s the full deal (in case you read French)
Dec 152010
Features such gems as:
- No cuff links
- No using tie knots that don’t match your face shape and/or body shape
- No eating garlic and onions
Sounds like a joy. Where do I send my resume?
Dec 152010
CHOICEFUL
OPEN THE KIMONO
TOUCH POINTS
360
THE NEW NORMAL
ALL THE WAY TO BRIGHT
SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY
MONETIZE
AT THE END OF THE DAY
Source: Ad Age
Dec 092010
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I’ve seen it and been through it. Employees quit jobs because their spirit has been destroyed. They feel like they’ve given 110% of their soul to a role only to to be left unfulfilled and unrewarded. What’s more, once their energy is zapped, every menial, redundant, ridiculous task feels like the thousandth paper cut.
Here are five ways to ensure your employees remain fresh and engaged:
- Don’t micromanage. Instead, give them a task with guidelines and let them decide how they’d like to proceed.
- Allow your employees to tap into and develop their core skills. Every job has its menial tasks, but if your employee is spending less and less time exploiting his core skills there’s a problem.
- Reward your employees for doing a good job. Simple recognition helps. Money seals the deal. But failing to recognize top performers – or worse, misappropriating that recognition to benefit another person or group – will leave them wondering why they bothered to exceed expectations in the first place.
- Address problems. For example, if your company has too many meetings then do something about it, especially if it is a widely recognized issue. Failure to address problems displays a lack of leadership and empathy. If you don’t care enough to fix problems then why should your employees?
- Steer the ship. While good ideas come from all over a company, the strategic direction of the business comes from the top. Don’t leave it up to your employees to figure out why they do what they do.
A prize-winning racehorse isn’t run at full speed 100% of the time, and isn’t pulling carts during its spare time. If managers want their employees to win races, they need to be focused on the actions needed to help them win.
Dec 052010
The video is absolutely stunning: a remote-controlled plane flies over and around the Brooklyn Bridge, buzzes the Statue of Liberty, and explores New York from a point of view even “real” airplanes rarely see.
