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mike gadd — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:59:51 -0400

I agree that it's a major factor..though I don't know if it's the ONE factor. I think you can see a lot of examples of this in the sneaker community. Nike and Vans have never made shoes of exceptional quality. Nike's got the technological thing going for them, I guess...But simple shoes like the Nike Dunk and the low top canvas Vans, which has been the same for 40 years, have been collaborated on and customized to no end. Even though it's exactly the same shoe being given different colorways, people fiend after buying freshly designed pairs.

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mike gadd — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:40:26 -0400

I think John and Douglas bring up important points. 'National security' can be broadly interpreted just like 'terrorist.' And the ultimate repercussions of the actions that are taken because of these words can be far reaching and long lasting.

It's especially important to consider the definition of a 'journalist,' especially in a time of blogs and CNN iReporters and social networks, when thinking this idea through.

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mike gadd — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:13:52 -0400

I agree with Rip, particularly on the point of handshakes and hugs, and think that "obliterate" is too strong a word. I'm sure that some aspects of emerging technology, coupled will high fuel prices, will create less of a need for business travel. But there's still no replacement for an in-person experience, especially if you're handling serious business like closing a deal.

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mike gadd — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:08:39 -0400

Exactly what Dorn Lynch said. This isn't news, it's an ad for a Toyota dealership.
"Toyota will honor Richardson for his 25 years as owner at 11 a.m. Tuesday in a small ceremony with local officials." <-- because that's clearly relevant.

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mike gadd — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:28:54 -0400

The Times article quotes an anonymous music exec who mentions that by adding so many titles to their stores' catalog, the music lost its "event" feeling. It'd be like if Oprah had 15 books of the week every week. It basically lost the initial element that made it cool and successful. I think that's an interesting idea. Like Brendan says, they're smart to go back to their coffee roots.

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mike gadd — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:03:45 -0400

As far as the Big Idea goes...it's really just more money, more problems. I certainly agree.
But this study?
Rich people = happy. Happy = doing pleasurable things. Pleasurable things = passive leisure. Rich people activities (do not) = passive leisure. Discrepancy = Question.
Seriously?

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mike gadd — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:06:34 -0400

There's also a big high-tech industry in southern California, especially San Diego, because of all the defense contractors in the area.

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mike gadd — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:43:01 -0400

Google hasn't made us stupid, Google has changed the value of information and changed what it means to be efficient and productive. Because we can access such a wealth of information with such immediacy, there's a ton more pressure nowadays not only to produce, but to produce really, really quickly.

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mike gadd — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:09:56 -0400

The intent is clearly to drive revenue, and if your reaction is to go see Dark Knight, that means the redesign works. (You probably wanted to see it anyway, but it's not like the Myspace ad hurts.) But I don't think they're looking to draw new users with the redesign...you're going to join Myspace because your friends are on it, not because the homepage looks cool. But if they can make an interface that hits users with a sick ad that effectively entices them into desiring (and better yet, purchasing) the product, then it's money in the bank for them.

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mike gadd — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:34:32 -0400

There are so many other factors other than body weight involved, though. A 200 lb. man on a 747 all by himself is going to have a much different effect on fuel consumption than 200 200 lb. men on a 747 with a ton of luggage would. It's not directly proportional. For an airline to determine an individual's effect on a plane's fuel consumption, they would need to have access to a ton of information that wouldn't be available until the flight is ready for takeoff, and that information would be susceptible to a variety of factors while in flight.