May 2012
3 posts
Costco Memberships In Australia Are Booming →
The idea of a retail downturn is Australia is false. It is Australian brands that are on the way down because of their lousy value proposition. Meanwhile, foreign companies like Costco are making a killing with great pricing, great service, or sometimes both.
See also:
http://www.bandt.com.au/news/marketing/ritson-rings-out-stark-warning-for-aussie-retail
...
Teen critical after train surfing in St Kilda →
Last year, 330 fines of $293 each were issued to people train surfing in Victoria.
That’s just those who got caught. Proof positive that more people are stupid than you might think.
“In New Zealand, where a local version of Marmite is more popular than Aussie...”
– Aussie Delicacy Vegemite Loses Some of Its Savory Appeal - WSJ.com
April 2012
1 post
http://peachbm.com.au/2012/04/better-ways-to-hire-s... →
My first blog post for someone else! Enjoy.
March 2012
2 posts
Elephants Down Under - NYTimes.com →
Hospital emergency codes - Wikipedia, the free... →
Things I learned today in hospital: code grey and code black.
February 2012
1 post
Food resupply effort foiled; McGill University... →
McGill students, occupying the sixth floor of a building, try to lower a bucket, have it filled with food and then raise it.
But a subsequent tweet noted: “When the bucket was about 2/3 of the way down, a security guard reached out of a window to CUT OUR ROPE.”
So funny.
December 2011
2 posts
Do Nice Guys Finish Last? | Wired Science |... →
Spoiler alert: it seems so.
Retinol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia →
If eaten in one meal, 30 to 90 grams of polar bear liver is enough to kill a human being, or to make even sled dogs very ill.
Good to know.
November 2011
10 posts
Insight: Lessons for U.S. from Canada's basket... →
“There would have been a day when we would have been the Greece of today,” recalled then-prime minister Jean Chretien, a Liberal who ended up chopping cherished social programs in one of the most dramatic fiscal turnarounds ever.
“I knew we were in a bind and we had to do something,” Chretien, 77, told Reuters in a rare interview.
I’ll never forget Chretien and...
1 tag
Is Coldfusion next?
With Adobe axing Mobile Flash, one wonders what will happen to other Adobe products. People have been predicting the end of Coldfusion for years. A new version is due soon. But I’m betting against ColdFusion as a going concern for Adobe.
By the way, I’m not a Coldfusion hater by any means. I used to develop with Coldfusion religiously and miss a lot of what it offered. My headspace is...
Peter's of Kensington | Breville - 800 Series... →
The copy on this web page (for a toaster) is simultaneously terrible and hilarious. For example:
It features an intelligent motor that automatically lowers your raw toast (also known as bread) into the slots and then raises it again when it’s done.
“The architects wanted the windows to open. Jobs said no. He “had never liked the...”
– Steve Jobs’s Real Genius : The New Yorker
Sounds like a dick.
shotsnanigans ... share your shots →
Inspired by me! See also this dkmvs (aka dick moves) post.
Small Demons — Welcome to the Storyverse →
Awesome extension of the ebook. Reminds me of another project, for images. A cool, Melbourne startup as well.
Sandwich Video →
Cool product videos, in case you need inspiration.
Aussie tech gold rush: 'nothing off limits' →
Heilvetica – Poster | Hipster Hitler →
In the cafe yesterday, there were two tables in front of me. In the table immediately in front of me: two German tourists making travel plans on their computer and checking Facebook. On the table in front of them, a girl’s Mac desktop with this image: http://hipsterhitler.com/heilvetica-poster/.
October 2011
6 posts
Jews in IT
After a trip to Israel, where everyone and his falafel has a startup company, I became interested in the impact Jews are making in IT. Despite the success of Israel startups, it is still the American Jew who has most impacted the field. Here’s a list of important American Jews who are making a huge difference in the IT sector:
Larry Page, CEO of Google (mother’s side)
Sergey Brin,...
Microsoft unveils new anti-Android stratagem -... →
Estimates vary, but it’s said that Microsoft stands to make almost half a billion dollars next year from Android licensing fees. It now seems certain that this IP licensing strategy is already making more money from Android than Microsoft itself is making from its own Windows Phone 7 platform
If that’s true, my money would be against Windows Phone 7. When Microsoft has a cash cow,...
How 18th-Century Copiale Cipher Was Cracked -... →
In an oft-cited letter in 1947 to the mathematician Norbert Weiner, he wrote: “One naturally wonders if the problem of translation could conceivably be treated as a problem in cryptography. When I look at an article in Russian, I say: ‘This is really written in English, but it has been coded in some strange symbols. I will now proceed to decode.’ ”
Outside the box thinking. Like it.
‘I’m Coming to Paros’ →
Why some languages sound so fast →
Jimmy Carter: 'We never dropped a bomb. We never... →
(via Instapaper)
September 2011
1 post
Malcolm Gladwell on Bruce Ratner and the Barclays... →
(via Instapaper)
August 2011
7 posts
Jersey Shore: Abercrombie and Fitch Offers to Pay... →
But here’s a first. Teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is offering to pay Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino not to wear its merchandise.
Awesome.
Google+’s secret advantage over Facebook is Analytics.
Australia’s Economic Outlook, Growth Forecast Are... →
RBA lowers growth outlook, raises inflation view →
The RBA forecast growth in 2011 will average 2 per cent, down from its May 6 estimate of 3.25 per cent. In 2012, gross domestic product will accelerate 4.5 per cent, stronger than the prior estimate for a 4.25 per cent expansion.
Still seems like something to be thankful for, especially compared to:
Economists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimate there is a 35 percent chance of another...
July 2011
14 posts
QS World University Rankings - Topuniversities →
I have no idea what the methodology for these rankings are, but Melbourne Uni ranked #19 and McGill #23 for computer science programs. Waterloo, one of Canada’s most respected schools for Computer Science came in at #36.
My Damn Channel » Apple Store » Darth Malkoff vs... →
Best publicity ever. And super funny.
Godwin's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia →
As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1 (100%).
“Rather than making decisions under the gun, Canada in 1994 undertook a...”
– Sure Cure for Debt Problems Is Economic Growth - NYTimes.com
boil-the-ocean →
(via Instapaper)
The Geography of How We Get to Work - Richard... →
Finally, and perhaps most interesting, the way we get to work is associated with the kinds of work we do. The share of workers in the creative class—scientists, engineers, techies, innovators, and researchers, as well as artists, designers, writers, musicians and professionals in healthcare, business and finance, the legal sector, and education—is positively associated with the...
Bored people quit →
(via Instapaper)
Why files need to die →
(via Instapaper)
You Weren’t Meant to Have a Boss →
(via Instapaper)
Kevin Rudd slams anti-Israeli protests as... →
Apparently, there were anti-Israel protests in QV directed against Max Brenner. That would have been a great time to enjoy some hot chocolate.
The Honesty Experiement | uncluttered white spaces →
Do Australians do the right thing when given back too much change? A barista in Melbourne intentionally gave customers more than they were owed, and we tallied up how many people did the right thing and handed it back.
Such a clever campaign and—spoiler alert—a happy ending.
studiostudio, dyslexie lettertype, project... →
A font for people with dyslexia.
Jimmy Gleeson Design →
Some great illustrations. They are sitting around the office, just waiting to be hung and I’m seriously thinking about taking one home.
Also helps that Jimmy is just an awesome guy.
Edward Tufte’s “Slopegraphs” →
If you want to get technical, Fry’s chart is essentially a “forced-rank parallel coordinates plot” with just two metrics.
An interesting read on a specific data visualization technique. It’s interesting how formalized this has become, yet I remain pretty ignorant.
YouTube - How to Fold A Fitted Sheet →
One of the biggest challenges you’re going to face in your life is how to fold a fitted sheet.
God, I hope so! (But also an insightful video.)
Facebook in China, Good for Google(+) →
Forbes via O’Reilly Radar:
Beijing approached a fund that buys stock from former Facebook employees to see if it could assemble a stake large enough “to matter.” This has implications for Facebook entering China. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is reportedly “wary about the compromises Facebook would have to make to do business there.” If she loses her...
June 2011
11 posts
“British newspapers reported earlier this month that the the UK government hacked...”
– NBC News: Hacker attack cripples al-Qaida on Web - US news - Security - msnbc.com
post on the subject (Why You Can't Win That... →
(via Instapaper)
Lessons in Longevity, From I.B.M. |... →
(via Instapaper)