Modernomics* – Daily Writings on Technology
a site by Erik T. Kaiser, Design Technologist
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been getting one particular question more and more… Inquisitive minds wonder: “what is it you do exactly?” and I feel that I have a really great (and vague) answer to share. I like to tell people that I work as a problem solver, helping large enterprises solve their most complex issues. Sometimes I [...]
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Due to the nature of my job, I find that I am constantly thinking about how to improve customer satisfaction, but as a consumer, it’s also something that I am acutely aware of when it’s done incredibly well (see my post about J.Crew). Add technology to the mix, and you can bring satisfaction levels to [...]
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This week, I was fortunate (and unfortunate) enough to have been by my 88 year old grandfather’s side as he passed away from what Hospice called “adult failure to thrive.” In essence, he was ready to let go, and did so peacefully and at home with his remaining two children, and two of his grandchildren. [...]
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I’m a bit surprised that this is just beginning to be a trend… but nevertheless… A recent survey of business leaders, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by Accenture, revealed what those IT and business leaders are discussing in their closed-door budget meetings. The results hint at one thing when it comes to [...]
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I’m a bit surprised that this is just beginning to be a trend… but nevertheless… A recent survey of business leaders, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by Accenture, revealed what those IT and business leaders are discussing in their closed-door budget meetings. The results hint at one thing when it comes to [...]
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Job Drought in U.S. May Be Near End as Temporary Help, Working Hours Surge — The worst U.S. employment slump in the post-World War II era may be about to end as companies hasten to hire temporary workers and boost hours, according to economists such as John Ryding and Zach Pandl. [Bloomberg] G.E. Makes It [...]
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Over the past weekend, I was having lunch with a dear friend at a cafe in Hollywood, and we were joined by her non-profit business partner and another member of their US based team trying to accomplish a very awesome and noble feat, opening a school for an under served and poor town in rural [...]
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I.B.M. Joins Pursuit of $1,000 Personal Genome: One of the oldest names in computing is joining the race to sequence the genome for $1,000. On Tuesday, I.B.M. plans to give technical details of its effort to reach and surpass that goal, ultimately bringing the cost to as low as $100, making a personal genome cheaper [...]
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GREEN BUSINESS – It’s no secret that America is going green. Green jobs are popping up everywhere, whether it’s the technician installing solar panels on a home, the scientist researching ways to build better batteries for electric cars, or the executive looking for ways to reduce waste, eliminate unnecessary packaging, and cut costs. Job growth [...]
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Being your authentic self means that you are telling the universe, “I am willing. I am ready. I am here to do what I need to live the fullest life I can live.” This is a big request of the universe. Feel into this state of being and your desire to be in alignment with Source energy. When we make this request, our lives begin to change dramatically. Things will show up, we… will begin to evaluate everything and often things will seem chaotic because we are asking for a new vibrational resonance. So, in this very moment, ask yourself what it is that you would like to accomplish right now. If emotions come up during this process, allow yourself to feel them and notice how your body responds. Remember: Emotions show up to teach us something about ourselves and give way to expansion. Simply observing creates the opportunity to shift. Nurture these emotions. Then envision love, joy, peace, serenity and focus. Each of these states is actually who you are at your very core.Email from my mom!
Psychologists consider it an inevitable life stage, a point where people achieve enough maturity and self-awareness to know who they are and what they want out of their remaining years, and have a degree of clarity about which friends deserve full attention and which are a drain. It is time, in other words, to shed people they collected in their youth, when they were still trying on friends for size.It’s Not Me, It’s You - How to End a Friendship - NYTimes.com
Not so in the real world. Even though research shows that it is natural, and perhaps inevitable, for people to prune the weeds from their social groups as they move through adulthood, those who actually attempt to defriend in real life find that it often plays out like a divorce in miniature — a tangle of awkward exchanges, made-up excuses, hurt feelings and lingering ill will. Even the most omnivorous collectors of friends acknowledge that sometimes it is necessary to cross out some names from their little black book.It’s Not Me, It’s You - How to End a Friendship - NYTimes.com
A light wind, for instance, softens the web, allowing it to lengthen but retain its overall structure. If a larger force is applied at a specific location, such as when a particular thread is poked, the silk becomes rigid and breaks.Spider Silk Is Strong Because It’s Smart | Wired Science | Wired.com
Love this!
hawktrainer: Archigram’s cut-and-fold paper Megastructure from Archigram VII, 1967
According to a Dow Jones report, Facebook may be filing for its IPO on Wednesday at a valuation of $75 to $100 billion, and both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs will make a social network full of money.
Recently, I broke the news that I am considering a move to Los Angeles to my work, to my loved ones, to my friends, to my Philly professional network.
For some, it certainly looks like I’m running away from a city that has caused me pain, and for others, the ones that truly get me, see that it’s a way to help me be my ultimate self, a place where I will be with my most supportive friends and family, and a place where I was meant to be for the last few years. For those friends and family, it’s a place where they’ve been awaiting my arrival. It’s a place that I had in my “three year plan” and one that suddenly became a real opportunity for me to make positive change in my life.
Philadelphia was never a city that I envisioned I would live in, nor is it one where I have been able to place roots, even after nearly 2 years of living here. It’s where I started and ended a relationship that was toxic, but thankfully, taught me a lot about myself and areas I can improve. If anything, Philadelphia was a necessary stepping stone to help me live up to my full potential. I ended three friendships that weren’t giving me the support I needed to succeed in work or life, and I took on the challenge to meet new people-and I’ve been surprised by the quality of friendships that have been born out of a few brief weekends in Philly a month.
I believe that everything happens to us because it’s meant to.
People are brought into our lives, for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. They all have a purpose, and I am guilty of losing sight of that.
What I’ve learned in the last 4 months, is that we are all meant to take each day as an opportunity to grow. We must resolve to act our best at any given time. Some days, our best might not be something we are proud of…and I struggle with that… letting my emotions get to me—but—healing and forgiveness are part of the road to personal growth, and I learn from each of those “opportunities” as I reflect on them.
Life is short. The cliche holds true. I’ve been lucky enough to have experienced what true love exists between best friends and soul mates, and I’ve been in the horrible position to see that friendship extinguished in death.
For that reason (and others), 2012 is about personal growth. It is about rebirth, and focusing on being my best every day. For making friends, and connecting with people on a deep level.
It’s about forgiving, myself, and forgiving those that I’ve perceived to harm me. And ultimately, it’s about being happy for other people’s happiness. Bitterness and jealousy have no place in my life.
I am focusing on my career. I am excited for developing my network in a new city, and for leveraging the platform I’ve created in Philly, as a starter block to greater fulfillment within my company.
I am taking time off to travel (Whistler for a ski weekend, and Tokyo for much needed R&R). I am living the life I was meant to live, without regret, and knowing that I’m learning daily.
And in some situations, a jump start is all that is needed to put the plan in place. For me, it was a break in a relationship. It was a long term client engagement that permitted me to travel. For me, the simplest fix was a change of space, place, and time.
I anticipate, that in the near future, I will finally be able to hear my loved ones say, “Welcome Home, we’ve been waiting.”
The single highest driver of engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson, is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing. Less than 40 percent of workers felt so engaged.Why Appreciation Matters So Much - Tony Schwartz - Harvard Business Review
This idea of perpetual happiness is crazy and overrated, because those dark moments fuel you for the next bright moments; each one helps you appreciate the other,” he said. “We are all searching for meaning in our lives, love and betterment for ourselves and those around us.TODAY Entertainment - Brad Pitt interview