they can't seem to quite get to this 10% mark because of the effect of a the ratings on a certain subset of indie movies, the flash point of which is "Napoleon Dynamite."
The other polarizing indie-minded gems the programmers have noticed this same glitch with are: "Fahrenheit 9/11," "I Heart Huckabees," "Lost in Translation," "Kill Bill: Volume 1" (note, not volume 2!), "Sideways," and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou."
here
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Surviving the exaflood
From The Economist: The internet: Predictions that an “exaflood” of traffic will overload the internet have been doing the rounds. But will it really happen?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Less is More
The Economist
Constant improvements mean that more features can be added to these products each year without increasing the price.
But now things are changing, partly because the industry is maturing, and partly because of the recession. Suddenly there is much more interest in products that apply the flip side of Moore’s law: instead of providing ever-increasing performance at a particular price, they provide a particular level of performance at an ever-lower price.
Constant improvements mean that more features can be added to these products each year without increasing the price.
But now things are changing, partly because the industry is maturing, and partly because of the recession. Suddenly there is much more interest in products that apply the flip side of Moore’s law: instead of providing ever-increasing performance at a particular price, they provide a particular level of performance at an ever-lower price.
People do good to look good. Plus, don't pay them!
The Economist
Question: what motivates people to give money to charities or donate blood, acts which are costly to the doer and primarily benefit others.
Answer: people do good in part because it makes them look good to those whose opinions they care about. Economists call this image motivation. Dan Ariely, Anat Bracha & Stephan Meier tested the importance of image motivation. if people do good to look good, introducing monetary or other rewards into the mix might be counterproductive (An observer who sees someone getting paid for donating blood, for example, would find it hard to differentiate between the donor’s intrinsic goodness and his greed).
Conclusion (for charities): Suppose, for example, that rewards were used to encourage people to support a certain cause with a minimum donation. If that cause then publicised those who were generous well beyond the minimum required of them, it would show that they were not just "in it for the money".
Weird (research)parallel: how to draw out more participation to human experiments by exploiting image motivation
Question: what motivates people to give money to charities or donate blood, acts which are costly to the doer and primarily benefit others.
Answer: people do good in part because it makes them look good to those whose opinions they care about. Economists call this image motivation. Dan Ariely, Anat Bracha & Stephan Meier tested the importance of image motivation. if people do good to look good, introducing monetary or other rewards into the mix might be counterproductive (An observer who sees someone getting paid for donating blood, for example, would find it hard to differentiate between the donor’s intrinsic goodness and his greed).
Conclusion (for charities): Suppose, for example, that rewards were used to encourage people to support a certain cause with a minimum donation. If that cause then publicised those who were generous well beyond the minimum required of them, it would show that they were not just "in it for the money".
Weird (research)parallel: how to draw out more participation to human experiments by exploiting image motivation
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
How Leaders Create and Use Networks
How Leaders Create and Use Networks (pdf)
> She resolved to make time for an extracurricular passion—the theater—in a way that would enhance her business development activities. Four times a year, her secretary booked a buffet dinner at a downtown hotel and reserved a block of theater tickets. Key clients were invited. Through these events, Linda not only developed her own business but also learned about her clients’ companies in a way that generated ideas for other parts of her firm, thus enabling her to engage with colleagues.
> They network in order to obtain information continually, not just at formal meetings.
> they wait until they need something badly. The best networkers do exactly the opposite: They take every opportunity to give to, and receive from, the network, whether they need help or not.
> She resolved to make time for an extracurricular passion—the theater—in a way that would enhance her business development activities. Four times a year, her secretary booked a buffet dinner at a downtown hotel and reserved a block of theater tickets. Key clients were invited. Through these events, Linda not only developed her own business but also learned about her clients’ companies in a way that generated ideas for other parts of her firm, thus enabling her to engage with colleagues.
> They network in order to obtain information continually, not just at formal meetings.
> they wait until they need something badly. The best networkers do exactly the opposite: They take every opportunity to give to, and receive from, the network, whether they need help or not.
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