Bill Bean

Every struggle with the anxiety of taking a technology break? I like this helpful post from Whitney Johnson on her Harvard Business Review blog.
http://blogs.hbr.org/johnson/2011/07/go-ahead-take-that-break.html http://amplify.com/u/a1a7ws

Great sound! Great story!
<iframe frameborder=”0” height=”410px” src=”http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jessicaketola/sea-of-tears-jessica-ketolas-debut-album/widget/video.html” width=”480px”><iframe> http://amplify.com/u/a19yds

In the recent New York Times magazine Marc Andreessen talked about a preferred future with self-driving cars, but it’s the cigarette smoking comment that got my attention.

“Ten to 20 years out, driving your car will be viewed as equivalently immoral as smoking cigarettes around other people is today.”

Huh? What!?!

Cigarette smoking immoral?

Look, I’m happy to concede that firing up in the middle of a bunch of non-smokers is rude and thoughtless, but immoral? No. What’s the criteria for immorality? (and be careful how you define it)

Let’s just hope Marc isn’t head of the secret police in 10-20 years. http://amplify.com/u/a17kw3

“Last year, 75 percent of the $2.6 trillion the U.S. spent on health care was for treating chronic diseases that, to a large degree, can be prevented or reversed through lifestyle change,” says Dean Ornish of UCSF. Who (besides patients) has an incentive to make changes that would remove that money from the system?

If we all started demanding a model of health care that would help us change our lifestyles, it would take some time before the economics of that demand resulted in a change to the system, but it would come. As long as money and elections drive this conversation, we’re going to keep getting the same thing. And in that case, we probably deserve it.

http://whatbillthinks.com/do-we-deserve-the-health-care-were-getting/ http://amplify.com/u/a162bk

Recently, Bloomberg Business week featured an article, “The End of Mail.” Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, took exception. Not a surprise. What else could he do?

I did find a couple of his quotes quite interesting, but not convincing.

“…advertising mail [aka junk mail] is what helps make the Postal Service core to a trillion-dollar mailing industry that employs more than 8 million people and drives our nation’s commerce.”

“With the right legislation, the Postal Service can return to profitability and continue to deliver value, convenience, and innovation to American businesses and residences for generations to come.” http://amplify.com/u/a1618s

Will we pocket the extra $$ from lower gas prices or simply drive more? http://amplify.com/u/a15ydj

American Express has partnered with 4Square, just in case social media isn’t a fad.

On one level it’s interesting, but is the AMEX crowd using 4Square? Apparently, there was enough data showing there was, but I’m skeptical.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1762726/with-amex-partnership-foursquare-may-prove-social-media-roi?partner=homepage_newsletter http://amplify.com/u/a15uks

Have had a Land’s End bag for years. Now that I’m starting a new wardrobe perhaps I should try a shirt. Hopefully, they’ve got big & tall.

“it’s lonely at the top, but it’s a bitch at the bottom”

What a line!

jesseluke:

Jamey Johnson - Lonely at the Top

I got this album after reading about it in Rolling Stone.  I’m not typically a huge country fan, but this album does it for me.  It gives off an old-country vibe…a kind of outlaw country/Johnny Cash feel with while not deserting the current country crowd.  This track opens the album and is probably one of my favorite cuts.  Enjoy. 

One of the Top 10 Phrases I Don’t Want To Hear Again: Expect the unexpected. http://amplify.com/u/apd9p

Thanks to the NLRB it is now alright* to criticize your employer via social media. (http://amplify.com/u/bpcn3) So, with that in mind, here’s to freedom of speech: My boss is a dork half the time and an idiot the other half, the rest of the time he’s merely a hindrance to getting things done.*btw-if you think it’s alright to blast your boss/employer/co-worker via Facebook, Twitter, et al….you’re the idiot. Good luck finding your next job. http://amplify.com/u/apcnr

for-profit colleges just another economic predator? People taking out student loans to attend these colleges believe the marketing hype that the degree will change the course of their life and fix their financial problems. These schools take advantage of the same people who got snowed by the subprime mortgage industry. Yes, every individual should know better. They aren’t exactly victims. Nevertheless, shame on schools like Kaplan, IvyTech, Phoenix, and others. It borders on unethical. Read the whole article: http://amplify.com/u/am7bp http://amplify.com/u/bmcpt

According to Business Week mag, some of the largest U.S cities still haven’t spent half or more of the fed stimulus funds meant for job creation almost 2 yrs ago. Some spending was intentionally deferred but much is because of business as usual with the govt. Good thing they rammed that thing through as fast as they did, otherwise we’d still be sitting around waiting for it to take effect. (Hey, wait a minute.) http://amplify.com/u/bm96z

I’m with my brother on this one. Wow!

Is Mr. Karr right? Douglas says Great Content always rises to the top, allowing almost anyone to compete for attention in a crowded/noisy space. I like what he says about regarding what it takes to blog successfully, but I don’t think he’s exactly right. Do you? http://amplify.com/u/jyun http://amplify.com/u/jyv0

Merry Christmas! http://amplify.com/u/jevb