Clipmarks | Oldude59's 'culture' clips

Just Think - It Listens to Your Rants without Tears

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:47:17 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

I, Robot, You, Human

A bunch of researchers over at Bielefeld University in Germany are currently working on a robot that will help understand and bring robot-human interaction to the next level. Known as Biron (Bielefield Robot Companion), this robot is capable of giving its full attention to the person it is interacting with currently in order to learn from them. Biron is equipped with face recognition technology, enabling it to track a human. Should you want to strike a conversation with Biron, you do it the old fashioned way - look at its face. Biron is smart enough to decipher speech and hand gestures as well. Other technical specifications installed on Biron includes a laser rangefinder, cameras, microphones and a video screen to put a face to a processor.

Tags: robot, culture

That's My Next Stop

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:24:24 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: www.whatsnextblog.com

State of the Blogosphere: Sheer Dedication Pays Off for Top Bloggers

Sheer dedication pays off over time, says Technorati's David Sifry in his State of the Blogosphere report, released today.

The Very High Authority Group (500 or more blogs linking to them in the last 6 months), he says, are "what might be considered the blogging elite." (We're happy to be part of it.) This group, which represents more than 4,000 blogs, typically blogging a year and a half on average, post nearly twice a day...
Some of these are full-fledge professional enterprises that post many, many times per day and behave increasingly like our friends in the mainstream media. As has been widely reported, the impact of these bloggers on our cultures and democracies is increasingly dramatic.

There are now 12 blogs in the top 100 combined list, and three are in the top 50:
boingboing, engadget, and 老徐 - 徐静蕾 - 新浪BLOG

Tags: blogging, business, culture

Are Mission Statements a Waste of Time?

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:09:56 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: techrepublic.com.com

Great Mission Statements

My favourite story about mission statements was told to me by British Motivational Speaker, "Business Hypnotist" and Coach Gary Outrageous.

As a "feel good" piece in his talks, he gets people singing "Bring Me Sunshine", the theme tune for Morecambe and Wise. *

One of his clients, a Company Director, called him weeks after one of his talks to staff. He spotted that in all the notice boards round the company, the expensively generated "Mission Statements" had been replaced with the lyrics of this song - and he hadn't noticed for weeks.

The song goes

"Bring me sunshine
in your smile
Bring me laughter
all the while
In this world where we live
There should be more happiness
So much joy you can give

To each brand new bright tomorrow

Make me happy
through the years
Never bring me
any tears
Let your arms be as warm
As the sun from up above
Bring me fun
Bring me sunshine

Bring me love"

That is probably not a bad mission statement in that singing it does make you feel good!

Cheers,

Neil

* For those who don't know Morcambe and Wise, check here

http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/tv/comedy/mandw.htm

For any Brits of course, this note is completely unneccesary - Who can forget the paper bag trick, or "Boom Oo Yatta Ta Ta"?

Tags: business, goverance, corporate culture, organization

Paying the Price for Hipness!

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:07:37 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59
clipper's remarks: The funny guy is staying - the hip guy is gone - too bad - for me the hip guy is the context for the funny guy that we all loved to laugh at.

Clip Source: blog.wired.com

Justin Long: A Mac No Longer

Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign has been incredibly successful, but it's losing one of its stars soon. RadarOnline reports Justin Long will no longer be the smug, unshaven face of the Macintosh when shooting resumes for a new set of the commercials. And it doesn't sound like Apple's decision. Though that's probably just his rep's spin:

Hodgman is a riot (just read "The Areas of My Expertise" if you don't believe me), but I'm not sure how the new series of ads goes on from here. Is there a new Mac? Does Hodgman become the Mac? I'm so confused, guys. Confused and...scared.

Tags: hipness, culture, advertising, business, clipmarks, consumer, men

Neither the Top nor the Bottom of the Pile Can deal with Stress

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:12:28 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59
clipper's remarks: In an earlier clip I posted a summary of a study that suggested that economic conditions had an adverse effect on life expendency - this study extends the inference.

Clip Source: www.futurepundit.com

Stress Increases Risk Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Stress can have repercussions later in life in the form of chronic fatigue, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet. People who considered their lives to be stressful at the start of the 1970s today suffer more often from chronic fatigue than others. The study was carried out with data from the Swedish Twin registry.

Chronic fatigue is a condition characterised by long-lasting and abnormal exhaustion, often accompanied by concentration impairment, mood swings, insomnia and pain in the muscles and joints. Despite extensive research, no root causes have been identified; all that scientists know so far is that it seems to appear across all ages and social classes in many different countries.

The scientists also noted a correlation between emotional instability and chronic fatigue. By limiting the analysis to identical twins, the researchers were able to dismiss any causal relationship. Instead, the correlation should be interpreted as there being genetic factors that are important for both emotional instability and chronic fatigue. Using the same method, the team has been able to show that stress does actually have a direct impact on the risk of developing chronic fatigue.

Chronic stress also accelerates aging as measured by chromosome telomere length. Telomeres get shorter with age and shorten more rapidly in people who suffer from chronic stress.

Tags: stress, health, economics, culture

Stop me before I eat someone

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:03:38 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: hotbisexualmodel.blogspot.com

Bags of Horror

When did they start making them this repulsive?!
from Radar

Tags: fashion, culture

Casusal Hipness

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:46:34 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: www.lifeclever.com

How to dress like a Mac

The basic outfit

Justin most often wears an unassuming outfit that consists of a solid colored hoodie, plain t-shirt, slightly-distressed jeans, and simple slip-on shoes:

Zip Front Navy Hoodie
BDG at Urban Outfitters
$39.99

Jersey Slate T-Shirt
American Apparel
$15.00

Distressed Blue Jeans
Levi’s at Urban Outfitters
$89.99

Classic Blue Slip-on Shoes
Vans at Hot Topic
$12.99

Tags: hipness, men, clothes clipmarks, consumer, culture

Mommy needs a drink - go play!

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:32:06 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Cosmopolitan Moms

COME 4 o’clock on most Fridays, a group of eight mothers in Chestnut Hill, an affluent neighborhood in Philadelphia, gathers for drinks.

“You just automatically relax,” said Kelley Ann Mansfield, a mother of two who founded the Friday group five years ago. “It’s before you take the first sip, as soon as your hand touches the bottle. It’s like, ‘Man, I’ve gone through the day, I need to treat myself.’ ”

Happy-hour play dates are here. Between runs to soccer and ballet classes, fund-raisers and homework projects, some stay-at-home mothers are sipping cocktails at afternoon spa parties, drinking bloody marys at play groups and toting wine and wine coolers to parks and friends’ decks while their children frolic nearby.

They know they will be criticized. They live, after all, in an age when many parents are so protective, they hire consultants to childproof their homes. Most acknowledge there can be a fine line between social and problem drinking and that the mix of children and alcohol is a dangerous one. And women who are pregnant keep away from the bar.

Some say the mother get-togethers are a throwback to the 1950s, when adults had more time to themselves and children were not always the center of attention. Martinis were in vogue; today’s obsessive, hard-driving, Harvard-or-bust parenting scene was not.

Christie Mellor, in her book “The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting” — one of a spate of books over the last few years that urge parents to ease up — advised mothers to mix a few martinis during an afternoon play date. If the parents of your child’s new preschool friend are shocked, she says, they probably are no fun, anyway.

Tags: clipmarks, consumer, culture, hipness, research, woman

World Wide Hipness

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:03:40 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: hiphoparchive.org

Conferences

Hip Hop in the African Diaspora See conference website

« Previous | All conferences

November 17-19, 2006
Purdue University
Contact: Dr. Carolyn E. Johnson cjohnson@cla.purdue.edu

Purdue University's African American Studies & Research Center will host its 21st Annual Symposium on African American Culture. This year's theme is Hip Hop in the African Diaspora. The keynote address, "Beyond Stereotypes:Culture, Politics, and the Hip Hop Generation" will be delivered by Dr. Jeffrey Ogbar, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Institute for African American Studies at the University of Connecticut. Please see attached flier for more information.

Tags: clipmarks, culture, hipness

Diddy Goes Old School on 'Em at Duke Ellington

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:00:16 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: hiphoparchive.org

“Let’s keep it orderly,” Sean Combs warned the raucous room, ” ‘cuz I will send that butt to detention at Diddy High!”

He could have used that line the night before, though, when a fracas — complete with flying bottles of Moet (not Cristal! ) — broke out near his table at a heavily promoted, super-crowded party at downtown nightclub Lima. Accounts from witnesses and organizers vary, though it seemed to involve a clash that began either with an overeager fan getting pushed by bodyguards or friction between celebrity entourages. (Organizers say Diddy brought at least 40 folks and that others in the third-floor VIP room included Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas and Awvee Storey and the Redskins’ Carlos Rogers .)

Tags: clipmarks, culture, hipness

Too Sexy ??

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 02:36:55 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: crunchgear.com

We’re not sure who this is for. We’re not sure who would buy this for themselves. Even more, we’re not sure who’d buy this as a gift. But we’re sure they’re out there. They must be, but we just hope we never, ever meet them.

Cellphone Garter for Sexy, Sexy Geeks, Lonely Girls, Your Realdoll

Tags: culture, gadgetlife, lifestyle, woman

"Asi Son Ellas" - "Thats How They Are"

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:38:12 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: www.artcamp.com.mx

Si me quieres, no me finjas

si me finges, no me quieres

por que así son las mujeres

no se pueden comprender.

If you love me

dont deceive me

if you deceive me, you dont love me

because thats the way

the women are

one can not comprehend

Si las quieres te desprecian

If you love them, they disdain you

si las desprecias te quieren por que

if you disdain them

they love you

así son las mujeres

thats the way women are

no se pueden comprender.

ione can not comprehend .

Si ocultas tu pasión

If you hide your passion

dudan de tu querer

they doubt your love

desconfían y te acusan

they distrust and accuse you

que tienes otro mujer

that you have another woman

te juegan una traición

they play you a betrayal

si les juras que las quieres

if you swear that you love them

por que así son las mujeres

because thats the way women are

no se pueden comprender

one can not comprehend.

Tags: love, women, trust, culture, mexician, hiplife

Where's My Bike

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:04:56 GMT

clipped by: Oldude59

Clip Source: blog.coolz0r.com

Copy:
“There is no guardian angel in Japanese culture. There’s no need.”
“Helmet Ken, Japanese for Sword”
“Centuries-old technology”

Tags: anime