Uncategorized Posts
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Blog / News & Opinion
The Shallows of a Cognitive Surplus
By Porchlight
I think most reviewers will find that Nicholas Carr's The Shallows and Clay Shirky's Cognitive Surplus hold very different, and possibly opposing, views of the Internet. But I found them to be perfect compliments to one other. Taken together, and read simultaneously, I think they provide a more nuanced and intriguing perspective of the potential effects of the Internet on our intelligence than when read alone (though they both undoubtedly stand tall in their regard).
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / News & Opinion
Tough Love on ChangeThis | A Business Book Masquerading as a Screenplay
By Porchlight
You have always known ChangeThis for our free manifestos. Today, we are happy to announce the release of Tough Love: Scripting the Drive, Drama and Decline of Galaxy Coffee by the incomparable John Moore—our first foray into offering full-length books for download. We feel fortunate to have been able to team up with John Moore on this project, as talented a writer and fresh a thinker as there is in business today, and the only author ever to send me clips of Melle Mel & the furious Five doing "Beat Street" live.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / News & Opinion
Being Wrong: a New inBubbleWrap offer!
By Sally Haldorson
Can a doggedly-researched book that relays the historical lineage of error, attempts to uncover the truth beneath truth, and even discusses something as impenetrable as "The Optimistic Meta-Induction from the History of Everything," be charming, accessible and eminently readable? Apparently so because Being Wrong by Kathryn Schulz is just that. Many of us remain uncomfortable with being wrong, in admitting that time and experience won't necessarily prevent us from buying that lemon of a car or hiring the wrong person or adding yet another self-help book to our shelves that will teach us how to stop making the same mistakes.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / News & Opinion
Being a Friend
By Porchlight
Last week, while hanging out at Translator, we talked about corporate use of social media, and how if used poorly, can actually hurt your business more than help it. The lesson being that just because the tools are available, doesn't mean you necessarily need to use them. For instance, I've never used a conche, and don't think I'll ever need to, while it's likely totally useful for others.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / News & Opinion
Help Support the Creative Commons' Catalyst Campaign
By Porchlight
If you follow what we do over on ChangeThis, you may have noticed that we publish each manifesto under a Creative Commons license. It is an innovative and easy way to spread ideas and information, letting readers know exactly how they can use and redistribute the work while protecting the author's copyright. And it is work we couldn't do as easily without the Creative Commons.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / Excerpts
Holy Water: An Excerpt
By Porchlight
Like great fiction, good advertising tells a story. It creates an alternate reality we want to enter. So when an ad man like James P.
Categories: excerpts
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Blog / Jack Covert Selects
Jack Covert Selects: Delivering Happiness
By Porchlight
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh, Business Plus, 270 Pages, $23. 99 Hardcover, June 2010, ISBN 9780446563048 I have always believed that great customer service is remembered long after the purchased product has been forgotten. My goal at 800-CEO-READ has been to create a company focused on the customer experience, not only connecting customers with the books and knowledge they need, but also offering top-of-the-line customer service as modeled by such outstanding service companies as Nordstrom and Lands’ End.
Categories: jack-covert-selects
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Blog / Jack Covert Selects
Jack Covert Selects: The Upside of Irrationality
By Porchlight
The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Home and at Work by Dan Ariely, Harper, 330 Pages, $27. 99 Hardcover, June 2010, ISBN 9780061995033 One of the hardest things to do is to follow up a great success with another one. The expectations are high; the pressure daunting.
Categories: jack-covert-selects
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Blog / Jack Covert Selects
Jack Covert Selects: Click
By Porchlight
Click: The Magic of Instant Connections by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman, Broadway Books, $23. 00 Hardcover, 200 Pages, June 2010, ISBN 9780385529051 Ori and Rom Brafman are the authors of one of favorite books, Sway, which discussed the psychological influences that affect decision-making. Their latest book, Click, looks at how we make “an immediate, deep, and meaningful connection with another person or with the world around us.
Categories: jack-covert-selects
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Blog / News & Opinion
Why do you work?
By Porchlight
I'm sad to admit that I've had jobs in the past that were difficult to get out of bed to go to. Once at the job, I would try my best to find something interesting about the things going on to occupy some mental space; imagination playing a big role. I would create stories, I would plan projects, and I would accomplish all sorts of things in my head while my body went around completing totally mundane (and sometimes downright unpleasant) tasks.
Categories: news-opinion