Threadbared’s thanksgiving day post. Hilarious
MRI shows brains respond better to name brands (press release).
Brains and branding; an explanatory article of the above.
Related: Creating a sense of urgency
Fascinating article on why a study of watch-makers has linked ambidexterity to self-reflection. Via Mindhacks
Why understanding economics is hard. I think it is less about understanding economics and more about how people tend to view situations from various perspectives (there are four and they vary according to context). More interesting than I make it sound. Short and sweet, read it.
Five types of Conflict Management . Take the quiz to see your management style (not self scoring so I passed on it).
Quiz: What American accent do you have? (via Dynamist)
| What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Midland
“You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. |
I lived in Germany until I was 16. Of the places listed, I lived in Dallas and that was only a few years. I’ve heard “you should be on the radio” so many times I know when people are going to say it. My voice may be my best feature.
Speaking of quizzes, take the Libertarian Purity Test. I score a 20 -which could explain last night’s quarrel with Eric over judicial activism and strict constructionism. Initially it started with a difference of opinion with regards to the judge’s order that the Treasury Department has to make paper money that is distinguishable to blind and visually impaired people. In my opinion, we should have been doing this years ago.
Speaking of features (and not my best ones) it’s official, Retin-A works. I was at Walgreens the other day, looking at skin care products (in advance of that Austin gig I have coming up) because I don’t have any make up and this guy walks by me (definitely autistic) and says “lots of luck” and laughs. I burst out laughing too; I knew how he meant it. The range of choices are bewildering. The woman near me wasn’t as amused, she wasn’t in on the joke; it was a PLU thing. I ended up buying the most expensive shampoo I ever have in my life ($19), hedging my bets in the event I got it wrong. I guess I’ll go back for the Retin-A.
NY Times best books of 2006. Lamentably, I can’t say I’ve read any of them.
On glee; creating an”intense, joyfully affective state”.
Two items from Found on the Web
Revenge with Glitter
A geek wreath. Finally, a way to dispose of those computer cables.
My bike riding worries the boy and with this news, it should I suppose. A 19 year old woman downloading ringtones while driving hits and kills a cyclist. With 3 prior convictions for unsafe driving, she was charged with improper lane usage, got a fine and six months of probation. Parents of the cyclist are pushing for “Matt’s Law”; legislation that specifically addresses the careless and negligent use of interactive technology including, but not limited to, cell phones, e-mail and iPods.
Thanks for the link to the Conflict Management quiz on Elemental Truths. I hope you find more things you like there.
OMG, the accent quiz pegged me as Boston. I didn’t think I was that obvious. What a fun post, thanks!
I loved the “What American accent do you have?” quiz. I grew up in the Panama Canal Zone speaking English. I’ve spent half my life in Texas. My accent result was “The West”. Very interesting. My sisters’ results however were “The Inland North” and “Philadelphia”. We all grew up in the Canal Zone and moved to the States at different times in our lives and none of us moved to the areas our accents resulted to be from.
Re: the bike item
*sigh* It could have been worse. He could have been riding without a helmet and then the article would probably have been on Stark’s side.
My husband was hit with a full-sized station wagon while riding his motorcycle in San Jose, CA and the person who hit him was just charged with failure to obey traffic signals.
There should be a new category of driving offenses in the law. Causing injury, with intent or due to negligence.
I don’t know why, but it amazes me every. single. time. someone is directly responsible for the death of another human being, and the sentence is some GD wristslap. Someone is dead. He’s not going to get better. How the hell is that worth a wristslap?
Yes, I have friends who ride bicycles, and who ride motorcycles, but that’s actually irrelevant to my outrage. This sublime indifference to the effect of one’s behaviour on other people is frightening. It is very nearly psychotic. And it’s reinforced by the current state of our laws, which seem to indicate that yes, your getting your selection of this morning’s music just right is more important than somebody else’s staying alive.
It could be argued, of course, that there’s a certain subliminal elitist/class division sense of superiority underlying this – that, generally speaking, people who own and operate cars have more money and are therefore more valuable to society than pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.
re: Retin A
I was recently prescribed Retin A for a persistent problem with “adult acne.” Since I’m over age 29, my insurance company wouldn’t help at all with the over $100 cost. Must be because so many are using it as a wrinkle cream, instead of a pimple cream. Nice to know, though, that it’ll be helping me in two ways!
Darby, your doctor did the whole “remember to use buckets of really good sun block now that you’re using Retin-A,” yes? I’m sure s/he did, and I’m just being compulsive, but … anyone who uses Retin-A, or other retinol products, needs to remember that it will render the skin much more sensitive to sunburn and sun damage than it would be otherwise. And since one of the reasons for using the Retin-A is to combat sun damage, might as well avoid it as much as possible! (The reminder is for you, too, Kathleen.)
And I hear you. :( Bad enough to have the Adult Acne (or, in my case, Rosacea, the Curse of the Celts) – it sucks being gouged for the prescription for it. (They are certain it’s “Adult Acne” and not rosacea, right?)
RE: ‘curse of the celts’. Rosacea or any number of other skin irritations, too, I’m afraid. I don’t know about you; but, during a flare-up, my temper is easily ignited, as well. Though, in return, we also have strong teeth, sturdy constitutions, and thick hair.
My dentist was surprised when I went in for fillings, last week. He couldn’t believe I was 35 and just recently developed a couple minor cavities.
The accent thing was cool. It said I was from the the midwest and I say pop. I do say pop Im not from the midwest. I am not sure if I understand how the lines went at the end. The shortest line was the west. This is where Im from. I think Ore is the west.
I loved the American accent quiz also. It said I had a Southern accent which is funny — I grew up in Detroit and we tend to sound a bit “country” (hope I don’t offend anyone). I live in Georgia now but I know the “southern accent” came from Michigan, lol?!