Sorry I didn't post today

I have pertussis. Or as it is more commonly known, this. Believe me, it is no fun at all.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. This next manager never gets sued for sexual harassment, but other than that is not very productive for the company.

MOTW: Hands-Off Manager

This manager actually read a management book once and it advised that he/she not suffocate his/her staff, but rather let them be proactive. Since that day Hands-Off Manager has never once intervened in anything and proudly states that his/her style is in fact, “hands-off.” The fact that the office is in disarray and that staff members are lost and need guidance is of little interest to Hands-Off Manager since this approach has given him/her the freedom and insouciance he/she always craved but had never quite previously attained.

Weekend Haiku

Not knowing
it's a tub they're in,
the fish cooling at the gate.

Issa (1763-1827)

Versace

A recording of Bettie Serveert's Versace from the album Attagirl. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all those celebrating thanksgiving this day, have a wonderful holiday.

Wolfram Alpha tutorial / demo

A few days ago I posted about the computational engine Wolfram Alpha and received a couple of comments saying that the engine was not so easy to use. The engine is very powerful and was voted the greatest computer innovation of 2009 by Popular Science, but the commenters were right. It is not as intuitive as other engines. Here then is a video produced by none other than Stephen Wolfram himself showing you how to use it and showcasing its power. Check it out. It really is a great resource.

The definition of "luck"

It just might be James Hyatt. On his first attempt at seeking buried treasure with a metal detector, the three year old found a reliquary from the era of Henry VIII believed to have belonged to a member of the royal family. Its value is estimated at around 2.5 million pounds. Yes, I would certainly call that lucky.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. The bane of any company, this next species of manager is found all too frequently at all levels of management. Their raison d'etre is simple; to reduce productivity and frustrate otherwise competent people by making them sit around for hours with no tangible output to show for the time invested/wasted.

MOTW: Conference Call / Meeting Manager

This manager thinks that every single issue should be worked out by calling a meeting or scheduling a conference call. Bonus points are awarded for having more people than work in the office attend these gatherings.

Weekend Haiku

I envy
that child being scolded:
end of the year.

Issa (1763-1827)

Hello

Anne "Annie" Decatur Danielewski, professionally known as Poe performs Hello. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Wolfram Alpha has the anwers

It is NOT a search engine. Check it out and take it for a test spin. Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine and is quite remarkable. Bookmark it for when you need another research source. It was announced in March 2009 by Stephen Wolfram and was released to the public on May 15, 2009.

Genius, born or made?

This is a very old argument and Terry Teachout resurrects it in a short WSJ opinion piece. They are made, according to K. Anders Ericsson and Malcolm Gladwell, but born according to Terry Teachout.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. We all have one, the friend who tries to be funny but really isn't. That friend is somebody's manager somewhere, hence this next specimen.

MOTW: Comedic Manager

Tries to see the humor in everything and say something funny about it. The jokes are usually bad and unless the remarks are kept light and fresh this style wears thin very quickly. Nevertheless the staff always laughs politely.

Weekend Haiku

Old well,
a fish leaps-
dark sound.

Buson (1716-1783)

This is not America

David Bowie performs This is not America in concert. The music is originally by the Pat Metheny Group and is from the 1985 film The Falcon and The Snowman starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn. Happy Friday.

For all you frequent fliers

You may know many of these, but I fly a lot and always find these types of tidbits interesting. Thirty-five secrets your pilot won't tell you.

What makes The Big Bang Theory so popular?

I'm talking about the show here. I watch it every chance I get. For me, it is the witty, geeky repartee that I enjoy so much. Few comedy shows on the air today have good writing and this happens to be one of them. Beyond that, I don't have a lot of answers, but Virgina Postrel examines the show's popularity in more depth and attempts to explain its appeal in this WSJ article.

Ordering wine

Here are a few tips from the WSJ on ordering wine. The article is short and well worth reading. The little tidbit about Bern's in Tampa at the end is funny. I have dined at Bern's and can honestly say it has the longest wine list I have ever encountered. At Bern's they will take you on a tour of the wine cellar and the kitchen if you ask and I did. Both were very impressive.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. This next manager talks a lot about change, too much perhaps. Sometimes it feels like it is change for change's sake.

MOTW: Innovative Manager

Believes that everything that has been done before is worthless. Needs to change everything based on what he/she considers to be cutting edge new ideas.

Weekend Haiku

Makes the eye happy-
the whiteness
of the lover's fan.

Buson (1716-1783)

Outro Lugar

Salome de Bahia does Brazil proud with Outro Lugar. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Astro-turf? Think again.

A concise op-ed about the effect the Tea Party had on the mid-term elections. When a movement has the kind of impact this one did, it can no longer be spun by any media to portray it as anything other than what it is, a force to be reckoned with.

Chardonnay

From the WSJ comes this succinct yet informative primer on Chardonnay.

Allen West's victory speech

Yesterday many Americans made their voices heard. Here is an example of what they said. Allen West is from my district and unseated Ron Klein. The crowd loves him and come 2011 there will be a new man in the House from Florida's 22nd congressional district.

Which are the five...?

Which are the five National Football League teams that have a bird in their name? Answer after the jump. The five NFL teams are the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Altanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens.

Vote

Today is the day. Just get on out there and do it.

What are the five...?

What are the five oceans on Earth? Answer after the jump. The five oceans are the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern.

The wild ride that Charlie Crist hath wrought

Tomorrow we go to the polls. I liked him as governor, but Crist's decision to run for the senate as an independent was a mistake that has had many repercussions for Florida, as this article accurately reports. On April 29th I posted this about Crist's decision. Now, on the eve of the election, unless something cataclysmic happens, he will rue the day he made that fateful choice. He should have just run for governor again.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. With the mid-term elections tomorrow we couldn't resist bringing this next manager to the fore. There is always at least one about and he/she is generally not liked or respected much.

MOTW: Political Manager

Political Manager has made friends and cultivated relationships with all the right people. He/she regularly survives purges and layoffs, usually reappearing stronger than before. Is the subject of rumors that he/she must have naked pictures of the company CEO’s significant other stashed somewhere.