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Now THIS is friggin cool. This is a map of countries that have GDP's similar to individual US States. Interesting when you think of companies that evaluate international expansion, isn't it?
Why open up an office in Tunisia when you can just settle in Montana?
This is one of the more interesting things I've read in awhile, and totally makes you think. Penelope Trunk is the author of a book called "Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success."
I haven't read the book yet, but have read a couple of interviews she's done promoting some of her conclusions, such as: "The 9 Biggest Myths of the Workplace", and "Ten Questions With Penelope Trunk" - both of which she did over on Guy Kawasaki's blog.
The point she made in the latter interview that I found the most interesting was the answer to the question:
"How much money does it take to be happy?"
(A question more than a few of us have asked ourselves, I'm sure.)
Her answer:
"It takes about $40,000. It does not matter how many kids you have or what city you live in—that’s splitting hairs because peoples’ happiness levels are largely based on their level of optimism and the quality of their relationships. So as long as you have enough money for food and shelter, your optimism level kicks in to dictate how happy you are."
That's kind of a radical notion when you think about it, and pretty counterintuitive to a lot of what North Americans run themselves ragged for these days. (the house, the car, the clothes, the toys) But it is refreshing, and definitely makes you look inward to see not only what truly motivates you, but also how you're being in the absence of things beyond the basics.
In other words, are you the kind of person who convinces themselves they are not happy now, but they would be if they just had "X"? (more money, less weight, more time, less stress) And, more importantly, do you let the absence of "X" affect your relationship to yourself or others?
Some interesting discussions to be had from that single conclusion, but I like that it points the finger squarely at oneself.
So how are YOUR optimism levels?
File this one under "it was just a matter of time."
The "iGasm"?
The inaugural New Yorker Conference: "2012: Stories From the Near Future" took place on May 6th, and 7th, 2007. They have an archive of videos from the conference, and the list is ridiculous. Some of my favorite authors, speakers, and thinkers are all on the same stage, giving their most recent thoughts on some pretty cool subjects. Whether you're into academia, design, business, the environment, technology, politics, or just sounding smart - there's something here for you.
Check out this list:
Genius: 2012
Malcolm Gladwell on the importance
of stubbornness and collaboration in problem-solving.
watch
this video
Intellectual Property: 2012
Tim Wu talks with Jeffrey Toobin
about the tension between control and exposure in intellectual-property law
today.
watch this
video
The City: 2012
Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, NJ, talks with David Remnick about politics and change in a troubled city.
watch this
video
Morality: 2012
The social and cultural psychologist
Jonathan Haidt talks with Henry Finder about the five foundations of morality,
and why liberals often fail to get their message across.
watch this
video
Gaming: 2012
The video-game designer Will Wright
demonstrates his long-awaited game Spore and discusses the art of game design
with John Seabrook.
watch this
video
The Web: 2012
A panel on the future of the
Internet, featuring Barry Diller, Arianna Huffington, and Craig Newmark.
Moderated by Ken Auletta.
watch this
video
Solutions: 2012
A panel on environmental
entrepreneurship, featuring Dan Barber, Marianne Cusato, and Adam Lowry.
Moderated by Larissa MacFarquhar.
watch
this video
Music Intelligence: 2012
Mike McCready and Malcolm Gladwell
discuss how technology that analyzes the mathematical patterns in songs can
help the music business identify potential hits.
watch
this video
Design: 2012
The industrial designer Yves Béhar
talks with Judith Thurman about design and presents new commissions, as well as
the One Laptop Per Child project.
watch this
video
Mobile Technology: 2012
Younghee Jung of Nokia talks about
what to expect next from your mobile phone, the newest ideas in the pipeline,
and the questions that Nokia is asking women.
watch this
video
Power: 2012
James Surowiecki on the role of
power in a time when change comes fast and furious and bottom-up innovation
competes with our inherent desire to obey authority.
watch
this video
Surrendipity: 2012
Dr. Safi Bahcall of Synta
Pharmaceuticals talks with Malcolm Gladwell about how mistakes lead to great
scientific discoveries and how big drug companies hamper innovation.
watch this
video
Architecture: 2012
Zaha Hadid presents recent and
future projects and talks with Paul Goldberger about how technology,
globalization, and population growth affect architects.
watch this
video
Regenerative Medicine: 2012
Dr. Anthony Atala, the director of
the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, talks about his latest
achievements in growing new human cells, tissues, and organs.
watch this
video
Genetics: 2012
Dr. Kári Stefánsson, the founder of
the biopharmaceutical company deCODE Genetics, talks with Michael Specter about
his research into human genetics and its applications for drug development.
watch
this video
Art: 2012
A talk by Hans Ulrich Obrist, of
the Serpentine Gallery in London,
including predictions about the future from dozens of international artists.
watch this
video
Special Effects: 2012
Dennis Muren, the senior
visual-effects supervisor for Industrial Light & Magic, talks with David
Denby about his craft and his sources of inspiration.
watch this
video
Should I take it as a hint that Waterloo won the world's most intelligent community award AFTER I left town?
I wonder where the world's dumbest community is, and if they have a similar awards ceremony.
Hats off to a brilliant lawyer, and even better writer, Suzanne Dingwall Williams for her recent post on companies who market themselves as being "in stealth mode". You can read the post here.
I've been involved in the tech startup community for several years now, and she hits the nail right on the head with her assessment. So many people do the conference and networking circuit, pumping up their ideas, and trying to generate the all important "buzz". Then you can almost set your watch by some of these folks claiming to be part of "the next big thing", and when you ask them about it, they'll say "we're in a quiet period".
Like I've got a mic in my lapel, and would treat their "socks.com" idea like a nuclear secret being sold to China. It's comical, but it's part of the game. You just filter it out after awhile.
Anyway, go check out her blog - she's a hilariously witty writer, and doing some tremendous things for the startup community in Canada.
