Sunspots: The camel clutch edition - Signal vs. Noise (by 37signals)

Sunspots: The camel clutch edition 37signals 10 May 2006

12 comments Latest by Don Wilson

Noam Chomsky and code: "The same limitations when communicating in English stand when communicating in Ruby or some other programming language...Keep your statements concise and refrain from gratuitous nesting and run-on statements when possible."
Less options at Yahoo advertising: Microsoft lets advertisers enter bids based on the sex, age and other characteristics of the ad viewer. Yahoo doesn't. Why? Yahoo VP: "We don't want to go overboard" and confuse customers with too many choices.
Why Don't Ad Agencies Advertise?: "Considering that agencies recommend their clients spend 10% of their revenues on marketing, the big four are spending .01% of their combined $29.3 billion in global revenue." [via Seth Godin]
The Moriyama House: Interesting concept: Every room is a different building.
Professional wrestling holds: Summary of various pins, stretches and holds used in pro wrestling including the camel clutch, figure four, Boston crab, etc.
Physicist Briane Greene helping to plan The World Science Festival: He discussed it on Charlie Rose last week and it sounds very cool. "The first annual World Science Festival — a weeklong exploration of science, from cutting-edge research to works in theatre, film, and the arts inspired by science — will take place in New York City in 2008."

The marine biologist behind David Blaine's tank: The tank was going to have Caribbean fish but the hottest coral reefs survive at 84 degrees, too cold for the tired, fasting, nonmoving Blaine. But maybe it was rigged to deliver pure oxygen? The nine minute breath holding stunt, if successful, would not have been officially recognized as a record since judges from the International Association for the Development of Apnea were not present to verify that Blaine breathed no pure oxygen for at least two hours prior to beginning his attempt. The world record for holding one's breath after having breathed pure oxygen is closer to fifteen minutes. Anyway, he conked out at 7+ mins so it's a moot point.
Musician John Vanderslice on going after a niche market: He calls his analog studio "an audio museum" but says it's what sets him apart from the millions of Pro Tools studios. "If you're going to open a business, just try to fill one very particular niche and be loyal to it, or you'll perish if you try and compete with everybody."
Video: ImprovEverywhere pranks Best Buy: 80 Improv Everywhere agents infiltrate a Best Buy dressed like employees and wreak mild havoc.
Typography for Headlines gallery: "I've been thinking about how I might improve the typography in my headlines - be more creative, give them more 'pop', that sort of thing. So I took a look around some of the sites I frequent the most for some inspiration..."
Peter King tours New Orleans and calls the lack of progress there "an inexcusable, irresponsible, borderline criminal national disgrace": Unusually blunt blast from a sports reporter: "I know you don't read me to hear my worldviews. But I couldn't sleep at night if I didn't say something."
Want to Start Volunteering?: The largest online network of participating nonprofits. "With VolunteerMatch, it's never been easier to find a rewarding way to give back and make a difference."
Summary of JF and DHH talk at Depaul: David: "Increasing headcount (on a schedule) could be a symptom of a bad business." Is revenue per employee the best way to judge a business?
Buzzword Bingo: Fun for meetings: The first person to circle five words used in the meeting wins.
Funny Google parody: Google Mother (aka if Google gave life advice).

12 comments so far (Jump to latest)

Chris 10 May 06

Scott Adams used buzzword bingo in a comic strip awhile back. Everybody had a bingo sheet except the PHB. When the PHB asked Alice a question (and he used a buzzword) she said “bingo.”

Wish I could find it.

adam 10 May 06

Here it is

Bingo.

Lindsey 10 May 06

Hey, thanks for the Vanderslice interview link. Everything I’ve listened to that came out of JV’s analog studio sounds incredibly rich, warm, and detailed. I almost don’t like to put those tracks next to other songs on a mix because they make everything else sound inferior. I would love to record there.

Daniel 10 May 06

The Moriyama House is interesting as a design concept, and I guess you made the parallell with your many-small-apps approach.

Unfortunately I think the two concepts also share at least one usability flaw: Switching between (and locking/unlocking) the rooms/components will take some unnecessary additional steps.

(And in my cold part of the world the Moriyama House would be an ecological and economical disaster, but that’s not a problem with the 37Signals apps.)

Anonymous Coward 10 May 06

If I’m selling Barbies, or some other product with a specific audience, I’m glad that Microsoft gives me the ability to target who sees my ad.

Clark 10 May 06

The Moriyama House would be a far more interesting idea if it weren’t smack in the middle of a city. Most people use their houses as a chance to escape from the constant barrage of people - a lack of privacy gets tiring and aggravating.

Scott Brooks 10 May 06

Who knew there were tha tmany wrestleing holds …..actually who knew there were that many people willing to take the time to enter them on wikipedia. The web works in weird ways.

cheers

scott

Jough Dempsey 11 May 06

Fewer.

Don Wilson 11 May 06

Damnit, I knew people could hold their breath longer than 9 minutes. Interesting to see the little factoid regarding real air and it’s relative length of time.