…and that’s a great thing! Whoever came up with this ad campaign for Intel has produced a winner. I think they are all very funny (but that could be because I am like the good folks from Intel).

Here’s one of the spots:

If you like that, then go to YouTube and check out the other ads. They’re all good.

…can be found listed at my brother Eddie’s blog, PANG.  If you go to Halifax and you love coffee or coffee shops generally, make sure you take this list of the Top Five Coffee Haunts in Halifax. I’ve been to the Smiling Goat and the coffee is superb. Really, really good.

The next time I am in Halifax, I am going to try and visit the rest. In the meantime, check out PANG.

Moby nicely freshens up this classic from OMD

YouTube – O M D ::: Souvenir (Moby Remix)

As James Fallows shows, The Washington Post in its lead editorial promoted the idea of a posthumous Nobel Prize award ito Neda of Iran nstead of it having it go to Obama. The problem is, there are no posthumous nominations for a Nobel Prize, and it says so in the FAQ on their web site.

I mean, how hard is that to fact check? It’s in the Frequently Asked Questions page of their web site! So either the writer of the editorial was too lazy to check this out or too indifferent to care one way or another.

Sad.

If you have a blog, you should consider Chris Brogan’s How to Blog Almost Every Day. Even if you never want to blog that much, the recommendations that Chris provides are useful to anyone starting or maintaining a blog.

As for me, I follow ideas 1, 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10. Number 9 is particularly good; the URL you want is this http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/by-2.0/.

If you do want to blog everyday and if you blog on wordpress.com like I do, one of the widgets you might want to add is the calendar widget.  For example, looking at my blog for September 2009, I see I blogged most days with the exception of a few.

Good luck! Let me know how your blogging is going.

No doubt with the Great Recession, travel has not been a priority with most people. But if you can afford to travel, now is still a good time. Even if you are concerned about the cost of things. For the NYtimes.com has a great rundown of 100 European hotels under $150/night in this article here: 100 Hotels Under $150 – NYTimes.com

You might object, “that’s not so cheap”, and yes, you can likely find cheaper hotels. But why stay in a dump when for a bit more you can stay in some really great hotels and still not spend a ton of money. Hey, smart people like you deserve to live well and not go broke in the process. You now can have the chic without the cher.

See you there!

(Great photo of the Matisse B&B in Rome by Chris Warde-Jones for The New York Times. Doesn’t it make you want to go?)

Yup. The folks at Star Wars: Uncut have come up with a crazy idea. Let me let them explain:

Hello! You and 472 other people have the chance to recreate Star Wars: A New Hope. Below is the entire movie split up into 15 second clips. Click on one of the scenes to claim it, film it, and upload it. You can have up to three scenes! When we’re all done, we’ll stitch it all together and watch the magic happen.

Is it going to be as good as the original? Not even remotely close. Is it going to be interesting? Very! Go look at some of the claimed scenes so far, like this one:

Ok, it might be a bit of a nerd fest. (A bit, Bernie?) Seriously, it’s alot of fun, and I like how Star Wars inspires people to think about film and create, regardless of their skill. This is a great example of that. May the crowdsource be with you!

Let’s say you want to eat at a fancy steak place, like Maloney & Porcelli in NYC, but you can’t expense that steak at your work. No problem! Their Expense Report Generator will generate a PDF file of smaller expenses you CAN submit. And it works well. Type in an amount, and it will generate numerous expenses that add up to that amount.

Now obviously I am not condoning you do this. Obviously. Right. 🙂

Seriously, I think this is funny and a great way to get some buzz around their restaurant. Check out their app. Better yet, go buy yourself a nice steak dinner from Maloney & Porcelli. How you expense it…well, I don’t want to know. 🙂

(Found via the always interesting blog, Cup of Jo).

…Herta Müller, a German writer who was born and lived in Romania before moving to Germany. Sadly,
the press release and other details on the Nobel Prize site are vary scant. You will want to go elsewhere for the details, like the NYtimes.com. (Though I recommend you avoid the commentary: it is the usual carping along the lines of “who is she?”, “why hasn’t DeLillo/Vonnegut/Pynchon/etc. won?”)

No doubt we will hear more about her and see more of her books at the bigger book sellers in near future.

While etsy.com has many wonderful creations on it available for purchase, not everything is all that desirable. (Exhibit A: fish in a squirrel suit…I mean, really, who thinks this is good?) Along comes Regretsy. Regretsy picks out the best of the worst for your viewing pleasure. I like how they titled their blog: Regretsy – Handmade? It looks like you made it with your feet.

Go see. And if you do purchase something they mock…well, I don’t want to know. 🙂

Thanks to giselaj for this

If you liked Nuit Blanche (or you are interested in modern art generally), you should note that the short list for the Turner Prize 2009 has been announced. The Guardian has a great rundown of the artists on the short list, as well as the Prize in general. The Turner Prize is always interesting and often controversial. Visit the site and wade into the discussion.

(Thanks to Lucia Orth for the pointer!)

The great Toronto blog, Torontoist, has a excellent run down of the Nuit Blanche festival that occurred yesterday, including lots of  photos of the event.

One photo that really struck me was this one.

I believe it’s by Jeff Koons. It’s appropriate to see him in the Eaton Center. The Center has a famous installation of these beloved geese

And Koons work echoes this to some degree, though the differences (in the material and the object itself) is what makes Koons…well, Koons. What I think both work share, besides size, animal association, and suspension, is that they are both appealing to audiences. Koons may be a major figure in the modern art world, but different than artists like Serra or Hirst in that his recent work is appealing to a wide audience. Which makes it great for Nuit Blanche, and perfect for the Eaton Center. Whoever chose to put it there is very smart indeed.

If you are interested in Koons and other things going on in the world of sculpture, check out this.

(Geese photo from Diego_3336’s photostream. Bunny photo from the Torontoist).

Great ad (not surprisingly) from Nike

Nice that it was shot in Toronto, too! 🙂

This is fascinating: the NYTimes.com has a great animated timeline showing the meltdown of the U.S. Financial institutions between end of 2007 until now. Watching the banks shrink (and in some cases, disappear) like this gives you a sense of just how dramatic the decline was. The banks went from a capitalization of $1.54 trillion ($1540 billion) all the way down to $290 billion in March of 2009, essentially losing 80% of their capital. Anyone who thinks the intervention of the governments didn’t matter is dreaming in technicolour.

Now their capitalization is growing back up to a trillion again. Check this out to see who disappeared and who dominates now: How the Giants of Finance Shrank, Then Grew, Under the Financial Crisis – Interactive – NYTimes.com

(Thanks to the Contrarian blog for this tip, too).

After all, they know windmills. Contrary to what I see in North America, the Dutch appear to wisely put them in places that already have alot of noise and aren’t necessarily attractive. This is smarter than putting them in some rural places where the noise bothers people, or in some picturesque place where the view bothers people. If anything, seeing a windmill here:

…would be a welcome sight.

Thanks to the Contrarian blog for this.

Is something to see. 400 km wide and 2000 km long, near Sydney. Sounds big, yes? Take a look:

From the blog, Molt:n Core. (Note: may be mildly NSFW if you have the sound on).

…can be seen in this video here:

Lots of fascinating statistics, linked with a theme, presented well. One of the reasons for the powerful changes that digital technology is bringing on like the juggernaut that it is.

Thanks to thetrendwatch.com for this.

Now that the weather is getting cooler and then colder, we’ll all be spending more time indoors. If you look around and think a) I need to freshen up my place b) I am strapped for funds to do that, then check out this article from Style At Home: 15 best budget buys.

Even with very limited funds, you will get some good ideas to make your indoors seem fresh.

Tomorrow is my 26th anniversary with IBM. When I first joined IBM, they gave me one of these:

…have I seen all of the best Zombie movies? Maybe I missed 1 or 2? Well, if you have been wondering that, EW’s got your back. See the comprehensive rundown (pun intended) of the 25 Best Zombie Movies of All Time.

I found this remarkable video of Anne Frank via The Globe and Mail. (You can see her leaning out of a window).

According to The Globe,

‘The Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam has begun airing the only known video of the teenage diarist on a channel dedicated to her on YouTube.

The channel also features clips of others, including her late father Otto and Nelson Mandela, talking about Anne, museum spokeswoman Annemarie Bekker said Friday. “It is really a great platform to show all the different kinds of films and documentaries about Anne Frank.” ‘

For more, click on the link to the Globe, the video itself, or you can go to The Anne Frank House web site.

Just when I think I can’t be surprised by what I come across on the Internet, I come across something that surprises me.

..is this. If you want to a) do useless marketing analysis b) waste money c) be ridiculed in the process, then do this:

 Domino’s Uses Astrology To Predict Favorites

It’s interesting that YouTube has been around long enough that we can think in terms of the top videos from it. But if you have been watching it with any regularity, you will likely recognize some of the clips featured here:

And if you haven’t been watching YouTube, watch this to see what you missed!

Actually, YouTube is a rich and varied media. These are the oddest of the lot (though “Chocolate Rain” is missing…truly an oversight).

YouTube – 100 GREATEST HITS OF YOUTUBE IN 4 MINUTES (now with list!)

I am impressed by the UK government’s Calling Open Data Developers for their help. If you are a data (or any kind of software) developer, check out this link. But honestly, what I really liked was this:

Truly good advice.

National Resources Canada  ( which is part of the Government of Canada)  is recruiting in 2009. Here’s part of their pitch to new recruits:

“At Natural Resources Canada, we don’t just think outside the box. We work outside the box.

As well as pens, paper and computers, the tools of the trade might include a pick, or a shovel, a GPS and camping gear. And on some days, the closest thing to a colleague might have feathers or fur.
….
We don’t block YouTube or Facebook. Our people decide what tools help them to work as a team and to get the job done. Our very own Wiki helps give wings to the most creative ideas, whether they come from a senior manager or someone at entry level.”

Any companies recruiting new (and not so new) hires should be aware that other organizations are competing for the same people  that you are by offering them access to social media tools as a benefit. Smart thinking on their part.

If you are going to buy a BlackBerry, consider this: BlackBerry Tour trackball woes cause rampant returns, analyst says.

I love my BlackBerry for alot of reasons, but I am not a fan of their trackball. I already had to take mine — a Curve — in for repairs in the first year. In talking to a Bell Canada service employee, he said they were going to be able to repair them in the future for $10. (When I took mine in they replaced the whole BlackBerry, not just the trackball). Why is this? Apparently the trackball is suseptible to dirt and dust getting in it and gumming it up.

I wish the BlackBerries still had the scroll wheel as well as the trackball. I would use the wheel for 90% of my work I am sure. The buttons they have there now I never use.

It’s a bit of a fool’s game to proclaim the 50 best foods in the world and where to eat them. But I think The Observer makes a good case. For one thing, they say the best places to get certain food like vegetarian curry or sushi are located in their countries of origin and in big cities. That’s not surprising to me. Also, the reviewers are people like Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux: they know their food. If Even if these are not the 50 best foods in the world and where to eat them, you could do alot worse than eat these foods in these places.

I was surprised that the best place for steak was El Carpicho, in Jimenez de Jamuz, Spain. But as they say:

Time magazine called it “the perfect steak”. American Vogue’s exacting food writer Jeffrey Steingarten said it was “probably the greatest steak I’ve ever eaten”. They were referring to an enormous chuletón taken from the central rib section of a 16-year-old Rubia Gallega ox, dry-aged for 90 days, and served in the cellar dining room of a rural bodega named El Capricho, near León in north-west Spain.

Certainly with all of that, it had better be fantastic!

I was not surprised but pleased to see that the best place to eat roast chicken is still L’Ami Louis in Paris.

This Paris fixture, open since 1924, is the ultimate French bistro. Heads of state (Clinton, Gorbachev) and cultural giants (Welles, Hemingway) have come here to feast on sumptuous roast chicken, served whole with matchstick pommes frites and a simple green salad. It’s touristy and expensive and the decor is a bit clichéd, but such details become trivial once the chicken (which inspired Simon Hopkinson to write his much-loved Roast Chicken and Other Stories) turns up at the table.

Sure it’s touristy, but I still aim to get there one day and after a day of fasting, do my utmost to devour one of those delicious chickens with lots of frites and mayo and a bottle of cold, crisp white wine.

(Found on Kottke).

Lens blog not only has superb Photojournalism but it also has excellent commentary to go with it. Go see.

As companies struggle with the existing economy still in the early stages of growth, job morale and employee productivity may not be foremost on their mind. But as this article from CNNMoney shows, there is a problem with job satisfaction due to recession that will adversely affect the organization as well. The article is worthwhile reading. Smart companies will try and nip this in the bud and come out stronger as the economy grows.

There’s been complaints that the Obama administration has not done enough to reel in the finance industry in the U.S. after last year’s debacle. The implication is that nothing has been done and therefore nothing will be done. While this is a small thing, the fact that the S.E.C. Seeks to Ban Computerized ‘Flash Trading’ (NYTimes.com) is at least baby steps in the right direction of smartening up the financial industry for their (and our) own good. I hope we see more regulation and governance soon.

Anyone wondering what to do about the situation in Afghanistan should consider what Sen. John Kerry, (D-Mass.) said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Afghanistan today. Specifically,

“First it will be the Afghans that will ultimately win or lose the struggle against the Taliban.” The United States is in a “race against time” in a region “suspicious of foreign troops.” Recognize “the decentralized nature” of Afghan politics and society. Be flexible. “What works in Mazar-e-Sharif … is very different from what works in Kandahar.” Be “humble about our ability to bring large-scale change.” Put Afghanistan in a regional context. “Permeable borders are straddled by clans, ethnic groups and militants and what happens in one country can have profound implications for what happens in others.”

People may not like ot disagree with Kerry, but I think what he states is accurate. for more on this, see The Washington Independent » Kerry: ‘Set Realistic Goals’ in Afghanistan

Yup. Not just for cats anymore. All you smart people could use some silliness and a laugh as much as anyone…

Anyone who has owned a dog knows this face. 🙂 For more goofiness, see Loldogs, Dogs ‘n’ Puppy Dog Pictures – I Has A Hotdog!