Dutch Evans

Moving to Tumblr...

2008-12-31T17:47:00.003-06:00

Image via WikipediaChange can be a good thing, right? I'm kicking off my 2009 by changing over to a Tumblr blog. First, I like to change things up every now and then, and Tumblr feels like a fun way to bring some different functionality to my blogging. Second, I've got too many pseudonyms.... I'm going back to my Kellogg base as Papi. I think you know him well.

http://papilicious.tumblr.com

Please join me at my new link, and spread the word.

Aural Fixation 2008 (Papi's Best Of)

2008-12-28T19:22:00.003-06:00

I've enjoyed putting together my list of favorite songs of 2008, as it's a nice reflection on a year of many changes. Some people like to put togher best albums of the year lists, but I find those a little tiring (both the lists and some of the albums). There are SO many great tunes out there, but there are much fewer albums that merit purchase. And if the entire album isn't worth purchasing, why diminish the due respect for an awesome song?

Anyway, my only rule for putting together this list is that the song must have been released in 2008. Also, let me issue a disclaimer... This list is completely of my own making, and not of any influence of a list from NPR, Rolling Stone, or any other great music publication. It just so happens that we share the same opinion on several of these groups.

And while this list may not have the cohesive playback as one of Orn's "Sunday Morning" compilations, here are the songs that got me through the year (in no particular order)...

Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened. Me gusta the outro.
Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat. Blend the Ramones and Interpol, and you have this song.
Drive By Truckers - That Man I Shot. A modern day, yet darker, "I shot the sheriff."
Bound Stems - Clear Water and Concrete. The song sounds like a waterfall and I'm not sure how they accomplished that.
Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood. Difficult choice here, because the whole album is phenomenal. If you don't own it yet, you know what to do.
She & Him - This Is Not A Test. Did you hear Zooey is engaged to Death Cab's Ben Gibbard (who amazingly looks like Dwight Schrute's contemplative older brother)? Maybe he'll start writing happy songs again.
Bon Iver - Skinny Love. Again, tough choice, as I love the entire album.
Thievery Corporation - Hare Krishna. A recent pickup, but a keeper. I haven't heard electronic music that I like as much as these guys.
Los Campesinos! - You, Me, Dancing! Exclamation points!
DeVotchKa - The Clockwise Witness. Kind of whiney, but a good tune.
My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 2. Like Beth, I opted for this one as one of my favorites. Long, yes, but well worth it.
David Holmes - I Heard Wonders. Cruisin music.
The Walkmen - Four Provinces. May I recommend these guys for an upcoming Friday Chill Music?
The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution. Jack White does it again.
Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof. Perfect summertime chilling music.
Death Cab For Cutie - Bixby Canyon Bridge. Moody and dark, but Death Cab at its best.
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook. Flism flasm.

PS: For those of you who made a request, your CDs are on their way.

My computer is broken and hates me.

2008-12-22T20:56:00.001-06:00

OK, so much for my promises of sending my 2008 best of to people. I can't even burn a single CD. I'm getting the "4450 error," which, to no avail, I haven't solved yet. Sorry peeps. I'll tell you my list when I get back from Xmas travels. All the best!

Aural Fixation 2008 (Papi's Best Of)

2008-12-20T12:09:00.002-06:00

It's on its way soon. Would anyone like a mailed copy? If so, please email me.

Fair Dogs

2008-12-10T08:59:00.003-06:00

Image via WikipediaNow we've proven that even dogs have a concept of fairness. Fascinating stuff.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/08/dogs.jealousy/index.html

Bear Grylls Injured!

2008-12-07T20:03:00.003-06:00

Image via WikipediaLet's see if you can guess how Bear was hurt. Was it:

(a) Tongue burnt after Earl Grey sipped too soon after steeping;

(b) Ankle twisted after slipping on luxury bathsoap;

(c) Shoulder broken after fall on 9,000 Antarctic peak;

(d) Neck strained after Les Stroud choke slam.

See the answer after the jump... http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2014278.ece

This guy is awesome...

2008-12-07T12:22:00.000-06:00

Great track from David Holmes

2008-12-06T12:15:00.002-06:00

David Holmes may not be a household name, but the movies he's scored - Out of Sight, Oceans 11-13 - were arguably made better by his very music. Please listen to this track... Again, it's another one of those songs that should have warnings about pending speeding tickets.

http://hypem.com/track/648800/David+Holmes-I+Heard+Wonders

The Plague of Happiness

2008-12-06T11:46:00.003-06:00

Image via WikipediaWe've all had experience with these types of people...

You know, the over enthusiastic, always happy, never ruffled, good-natured, cheery, chirpy, model citizens? Whether you've consciously realized it or not, these individuals may be spreading their happiness in an epidemiological fashion to others. And, this has now been scientifically proven, people.

What, you ask, is the effect of the converse, Debbie Downer? The study, detailed in New Scientist, also states that dour sentiments spread slower than happiness.

So take stock... Your mood has a larger ripple effect on those around you than you know.

Do us all a favor, and . . .

2008-12-05T23:26:00.001-06:00

. . . fire this brand manager NOW.

"Santa! I know him!"

2008-12-03T12:41:00.003-06:00

You will get a kick out of these.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-scared-santa-sm-081202-pg,0,52957.photogallery

The Fail Bubble

2008-11-24T13:00:00.001-06:00

The fail business is in full growth. First, FailDogs. Next, Lolcats, and the list goes on.

Our next new bubble perhaps? Or, the best time time waster since solitaire?

One of the more entertaining fail blogs out there is, appropriately URL'd, failblog.org.

More great new music

2008-11-23T16:20:00.003-06:00

Cover of The Family Afloat
Bound Stems - Happens To Us All Otherwise: These guys are serious cerebral musicians, sometimes to their detriment. Most of the tracks on their new album, The Family Afloat, stray from traditional song patterns, which produces the effect of wondering where the song is going. Regardless, they are an awesome band, reminiscent of Bright Eyes (though less whiney) and Arcade Fire (though much less epic from my standpoint).

Apse - From the North. These Cape Codders churn out some great modern instrumental psychedelia. They share some musical similarities to Deerhunter, another great new band I'm enjoying right now. I had a hard time finding this tune in particular, so check out Shade of the Moor.

Sigur Ros - Gobbeldegook. I had the pleasure of seeing Sigor Ros this past fall, and it was one of the most enjoyable concerts of the year for me. They closed with this song, full of energy and emotion. Great way to finish a concert. And, if you're like me, you won't care that you have no figgin' idea what they're talking about.

Wireless Electricity

2008-11-23T16:13:00.004-06:00

Image via WikipediaVery cool developing technology with so many applications...

http://multimedia.boston.com/pub/tn/100/innovation_economy.htm?bctid=2942411001

Good Jobs vs. Good Work

2008-11-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Book cover via AmazonAs always, I imbibed in my weekly Sunday New York Times reading at Starbucks. I read this article in the business section, and I liked it because it's a common struggle for many people I know. The author, prefacing some groundbreaking work by the renowned Harvard University psychologist, Howard Gardner, elucidates on the question of what makes a good work, not just a good job.

"There are, Mr. Gardner said, three questions people can ask about their jobs to evaluate their good-work level: Does it fit your values? Does it evoke excellence; are you highly competent and effective at what you do? Does it bring you that subjective barometer of engagement, joy?"

More great new music...

2008-11-16T16:51:00.002-06:00

Check out these tunes... More to come in a week...

Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat. This is a great song off their new album, Off With Their Heads. Watch out for cops - this song will make you want to drive fast.

Raphael Saadiq - 100 Yard Dash. Believe it or not, I found this song from a Starbucks free iTunes download. Raphael Saadiq is great - his sound is a throwback to days when R&B musicians used to play instruments.

Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened. I haven't heard much of these guys on the radio, but I think it's only a matter of time. Make sure you listen the whole way through, as it gets pretty interesting after 2:30 when the lyrics stop and the song morphs into a sweet instrumental jam.

Google helps you fill in the blank...

2008-11-10T21:38:00.002-06:00

http://upload.gaiatools.com/files/googlesuggest_1.png

Makes for hours of good fun.

More amazing photos...

2008-10-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

... that I didn't take.

http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/nature-scenic-photos-30-angry-soft-masterpieces.html

New Dutch Music

2008-10-29T19:31:00.003-05:00

You may be wondering about the radio silence from D.E. in regards to new music selections. Quite honestly, my StinkPad is on its death bed, and cannot handle, on most days, iTunes and the internet at the same time. Makes it kinda hard to sample new songs when the old laptop refuses to type sometimes.

Anyway, here are a few long overdue fun songs to get your mood over the sour economy.

Flobots - No Handlebars. 'Cause I can ride my bike with no handlebars. Enuff said.

Benji Hughes - Tee Shirt. From the man who brought you "Let's Duet" from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story comes some more serious tunes. Not that serious though.

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive. Just because.

DIY Seinfeld Moments

2008-10-29T19:00:00.001-05:00

Image by Zesmerelda via FlickrThe DIY ("do it yourself") movement has empowered many consumers to build their own additions. fix their own plumbing, and pimp their own rides. A little known subset of the DIY movement is what I call "DIY Seinfeld Moments." Read on for this free, exclusive tutorial.

Bill of Materials:
Kindly midwest girlfriend - Check
Active/aggressive east coast boyfriend - Check (that's me)
Pizza joint hopping with busy suburban uber-moms - Check
Uber toddlers, wearing Crocks (Crox?) - Check

Instructions:
Sit down to enjoy pizza on a nice Friday eveneing with your lovely girlfriend. Locate seat near busy aisle of traffic. Initiate consumption.

As the uber-mom (with uber-toddler on hip) walks past your table, notice how the uber-mom stops at your table to ensure her flock of other uber-toddlers are following. When uber-mom pivots, see how uber-toddler's Crock foot lands in the middle of your pizza. (read that again).

As uber-toddler Crock, now covered in mozzarella and tomato sauce leaves pizza, promptly inform uber-mom about said pizza crockprint.

Raise volume of voice to uber-mom to get her attention as she tries to leave scene. Casually ignore kindly midwest girlfriend giving you "stare of death."

Upon uber-mom's return, decribe said crockprint. Describe again, then again until understood.

Kindly refuse answer to uber-mom's question of , "What do you want me to do?" and wish her a pleasant evening.

Avoid sleeping on the couch by accepting kindly midwestern girlfriend's barbs of inappropriateness.

Rinse and repeat.

Thank You, Gmail

2008-10-28T19:51:00.002-05:00

Image via CrunchBaseI get the feeling that Google is really looking after me nowadays. First, they create a Gmail feature which attempts to thwart drunk emailing. (Nice.) Next, they add an intelligent calendar feature that allows you to simply describe the event, date, and time in order to get it on your calendar. I repeat - describe.

For a guy who is frequently in trouble for forgetting commitments to his girlfriend, thank you. You have significantly reduced the reason for stupid relationship fights in my life - with both innovations.

Irony

2008-10-26T17:10:00.003-05:00

Image via WikipediaDoes anyone consider the irony of the current financial crisis? Specifically, how free market, anti-regulation geniuses (i.e. Greenspan) could accidentally engineer a crisis that may push the US to become a much more socialist state.

My Favorite Campaign Ad

2008-10-26T08:49:00.000-05:00

The race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman for US Senate (MN) has been one of the most widely followed in the country. It's actually proved for some interesting political theater, and you can't change the channel without seeing a campaign ad. This one is my fave...

File Under Bad Idea

2008-10-26T08:35:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaSomeone had the bright idea to combine the convenience of a Roomba with the sharp spinning blades of a lawnmower. This sounds like a recipe for missing digits and/or pets.

Link source: Endgadget

Unexpected Rap Battle

2008-10-25T08:32:00.003-05:00

This commercial is great for many reasons, including the fact that it's hilarious.

Update: Yellow Pages / Getting Greener

2008-10-24T18:00:00.001-05:00

Image by GDStinx via FlickrUPDATE: I posted back in June about the abhorrent stacks of yellow pages distributed to my apartment building.

Turns out that I was not alone in my ire for this blatant misuse of trees. One non-profit is finally taking some steps to clean up the industry's act.

Thanks to Siegs for sending on this link -

http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/ - which allows you to opt out of receiving these relics of the paper age.

Like my post in June, I'm sure this will irk the PR guy who buzzed me about the continuing relevance of this relic of the paper age.

-----------------------------------

My foyer was littered this weekend with stacks upon stacks of phonebooks. In today's internet led world, few people need these relics of information. (E.g. My grandmother.) I don't see why people who do genuinely need these books can't simply opt in (or vice versa). I think many of us would prefer that to the paper and fuel wasted by this dying advertising model.

It only takes a few meatheads...

2008-10-24T14:59:00.002-05:00

Image via Wikipedia... to tarnish a reputation. Looks like Dean Jain will have some work to do about this. Can you imagine sitting in the OLC reviewing a party gone bad? Urgh. Makes me sick.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1239841,CST-NWS-field24.article

Billy Beane, Newt Gingrich, and John Kerry walk into a bar...

2008-10-24T12:40:00.002-05:00

No, really... Then they wrote an article about evidence based medicine.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/opinion/24beane.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Reblog: Innovating Through Recession

2008-10-23T21:35:00.003-05:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeSo, Orn beat me to the punch in highlighting a new article by one of my favorite Kellogg profs, Andrew Razeghi. He's a great professor, both the type of person who is both extremely intelligent in his many areas of expertise - growth, strategy, creativity and innovation - and an all around solid guy who is happy to hear new ideas.

Here's Andrew's latest article, specifically on how to innovate during a recessionary environment. If you're running a business, Andrew's piece should be a good guidepost for these tough times. I would also recommend John Quelch's piece on marketing during a recession.

Multiplication

2008-10-23T21:23:00.003-05:00

I've been ecstatic to hear that Beth Stevens, John Hamilton, and Todd Melby have joined the ranks of the blogging community. Glad to see some very smart and interesting people share their thoughts on a really wide variety of topics.

Congrats to former college roomy Chris Goldberg for his first appearances on Huffington Post. Chris and I only attended the same college for one year, but he had a knack for good movie taste, good music taste, and very strong political opinions. He's a really funny guy and it shows in his writing. Of course, I'm a sucker for a good Spinal Tap reference any time.

Communal Branding

2008-10-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaExcellent article I stumbled upon in Adweek about companies using online community-focused business practices (Zappos, Threadless, Yelp).

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3i5e732e045deaaba3f3762d92cf386637?pn=1

Amazing Nasa Photos

2008-10-08T10:54:00.002-05:00

Image via Wikipediahttp://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

The site is VERY low tech, but the photos of the day are amazing.

The Red Sox are NOT the new Yankees...

2008-10-06T21:08:00.002-05:00

The new Yankees are the old Yankees in terms of spending, though not in terms of winning.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/salaries

(That post is for you Siegs!)

Presidential Economics

2008-10-04T14:17:00.003-05:00

Unsurprising results, given that McCain has stated he doesn't understand economics as well as he should, and the economic brain trust and Chicago School familiarity among Obama and his camp.

If only I had some more free time...

2008-10-02T23:31:00.001-05:00

... I'd read each of these books.

Independent Rock The Vote

2008-09-23T18:21:00.004-05:00

Image by daniel arnold! via FlickrWilco w/ Fleet Foxes served up a tasty cover of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" today. Awesome.

Greetings all,

Such tumultuous times. And in the spirit of giveaways that seem to be sweeping the nation, we've got something free for you. No it's not a pile of cash (sorry) but rather an audio postcard of sorts from a summer's night in Oregon with our friends the Fleet Foxes & a lovely Bob Dylan tune. All we ask is you go to http://wilcoworld.net/vote/ and click the "I pledge to vote in the 2008 Election" button. If you can spare it, we also encourage you to consider a donation to Feeding America http://www.feedingamerica.org/ . Happy listening (and please feel free to pass this email along to friends, family members, etc.).

The Wilco HQ Distribution Dept.
http://wilcoworld.net/

Stat of the day (9/19/08)

2008-09-19T17:07:00.007-05:00

Image via Wikipedia"97% of teens ages 12-17 play computer, web, portable, or console games."

Source: Pew Internet Life, Teen Games and Civics Report

I Heart Neko

2008-09-19T17:07:00.004-05:00

Image by JasonBechtel via FlickrThe previous concert I attended (Rage) could not have a more different atmosphere than the one I attended last night. Neko Case, the scarlet-haired crooner formerly of the New Pornographers, is touring in advance of her March 2009 album release. She's building support for the forthcoming album, titled (I think I head this right) Middle Cycle, and she's testing out new material. Her voice is amazing in person, and the band sounded great . . . especially their lap guitarist, who is responsible for the eerie slide guitar sounds you hear in her songs. The major difference between a Neko album and a Neko show? Way more goosebumps.

If you're a Neko neophyte, check out these tunes for a taste:

Neko Case - Deep Red Bells

Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On

A Retail Model To Rival WalMart

2008-09-07T09:30:00.002-05:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife German low cost/low price grocers Aldi are getting a lot of buzz within the business sections these days...

NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/business/07feed.html?ref=business

Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_17/b3880010.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories

WSJ (Consumerist.com): http://consumerist.com/tag/recession-watch/?i=5023316&t=broke-consumers-turn-to-deep-discount-stores-like-aldi

Best Homemade Coffee Ever.

2008-09-06T15:59:00.003-05:00

Image via Wikipedia I was recently on a search for a coffee/espresso maker, and I came upon the Aerobee AeroPress on one of my favorite sites, Wize.com. The user reviews were 100% correct - the coffee/espresso made on this simple contraption is remarkable. The best part? It's only $26! If you don't already own an espresso machine, be sure to grab one of these.

Stat of the day (9/6/08)

2008-09-06T13:46:00.002-05:00

Image via Wikipedia According to the Economist, 1/3 of all leveraged buy-outs EVER (in inflation equated enterprise value) occured between 2006 and 2007.

Update: Rage

2008-09-04T12:31:00.002-05:00

Image via Wikipedia It was great to see Rage Against the Machine back together and pumping out their angry jams. The show started out in an jarring manner. The lights went down, followed by an air raid siren, and all 4 members of RATM were walked out in prison uniforms with bags over their heads, a la Abu Gahrib. After all 4 were lined up, they were escorted to their locations, where they promptly played Bombtrack while still in full prison garb. It was probably the most memorable concert opening I've ever seen.

They rocked out all of their best songs, including a new one about Katrina victims which I had never heard. The show did get a bit political - as expected, but I was surprised to hear Zach De La Rocha take a jab at Palin's pregnant daughter. Even if it was a joke, it was a bit too base.

MGMT's Kids Covered By The Kooks

2008-09-04T12:28:00.000-05:00

Worth a listen...

“Kids (MGMT Cover)” by The Kooks at Music Ramen

The Lobster Tan is Back!

2008-09-02T21:57:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia Yup, I forgot how white I am again this weekend. Now my sunburn won't let me forget it. Good times.

Rage

2008-09-02T21:54:00.002-05:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife September is going to be my busiest concert month to date. It all starts tomorrow evening as Rage Against The Machine reunites at the Target Center. I'm looking forward to angry liberals rocking out (I mean angry) as the GOP parties a town away.

T. I. A. 3

2008-08-26T06:53:00.000-05:00

(Mount McKinley is behind the clouds. )

T.I.A. 2

2008-08-26T06:48:00.000-05:00

T. I. A.

2008-08-25T21:52:00.002-05:00

T.I.A

This Is Alaska.

It's a common phrase said by those who visit Alaska. It's a slang way of expressing the intense beauty of this state, whether you're a seasoned sourdough or a newbie cheechacko.

Last summer, I had a TIA moment myself while flying over the majestic state on the way to Bangkok, Thailand. As my good friend and travel mate Jamil and I agreed, Alaska would be next on the list. We were not dissapointed.

Our trip was organized by Alaska Outdoors, a top rate outfitting service recommended by one of my other Kellogg buddies. While the website is somewhat satisfactory, the quality of the guides is excellent. Eric D, the skinny homie from CT, was our tour guide. He was the type of guy you knew was prepared for anything just by the calm manner he conveys.

Jamil and I, with the addition of good pals Denny and Chris, selected the Classic Alaska tour, which offered us a taste of the Kenai Penninsula's mountain, glacier, and ocean environs, as well as the vast wilderness of Denali National Park.

Enjoy my pics below, as well as on my Facebook profile.

T.I.A.

A to the K, Homeboy

2008-08-14T20:42:00.002-05:00

I'm heading off to Alaska with a few good buddies tomorrow morning, and I can't wait. This would be my first vacation since graduating from Kellogg, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

In honor of this trip, I wanted to post this awesome video of some wildlife. Enjoy.

6.6 Degrees

2008-08-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Image via WikipediaMicrosoft researchers lent some credence to Stanley Milgrim's original "6 Degrees of Separation" finding. Interesting stuff.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080103718.html

Going to see She and Him tonight...

2008-08-07T18:50:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaThanks for the heads up on this Beth. Looking forward to see M. Ward live.

New Automobile Business Model?

2008-08-07T18:42:00.003-05:00

Image via WikipediaYou can't dispute that Detroit's future looks pretty bleak. Given an industry with such heavy capex requirements and long lead times, you'd be correct to assume that there is little the industry can do in the short term to turn around sagging profits. However, here's one idea that is pretty interesting...

Chrysler, which is owned by private equity giant, Cerberus Capital, just announced a closer relationship with Nissan. It appears that Nissan's great technology and manufacturing base may be combined with Chrysler's mixed bag of Jeep (+), Dodge, (~) and Chrysler (-) brands. Could this type of contract manufacturing relationship be the future for the struggling auto industry?

Tetris Inspired Vandalism

2008-08-01T17:31:00.003-05:00

Image via WikipediaI love this photo...

http://www.dailysnap.com/2006/0731.shtml

Linksource: StumbleUpon

My ThinkPad can think again. Yay.

2008-08-01T16:58:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaSince graduating from Kellogg last year, my laptop has been dying a slow and painful death. This is a recap of our basic ongoing battle...

Me: Hey, I'd really like to reminisce and check out some pictures of my friends over the last few years.
ThinkPad: You're not the boss of me. I'm going to do what I want. FU.
Me: I'm getting an iMac

I was exasperated today, and searched to find another solution than the one I had been performing already. Delete cookies? Check. Run spybot? Check. Despite these actions, still no luck.

Until I read this and followed the directions about disabling programs that run at startup.

Thank you "Tedster."

Admit it...

2008-07-30T21:25:00.000-05:00

... You're also excited about this.

Can you tell me how to get to...

2008-07-28T21:24:00.002-05:00

This is really hilarious...

Smack n' Cheese

2008-07-28T21:12:00.004-05:00

Image via WikipediaIt's not often that I post on a company's quarterly earnings, but Kraft's Q2 announcement shows continued evidence that marketing is an investment, not an expense. For those of us who have experienced the Kellogg marketing education, this statement is far from controversial. However, I've learned that this is not a common maxim across American corporations.
As Kraft's recent performance suggests, without strong brand building, people would more likely choose private label foodstuffs to feed their families.

Stat of the day (7.21.08): 49%

2008-07-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

49% = The % of the Washington Post Company's revenues attributed to its Kaplan education business, up from 40% two years prior. (See table below)

It's clear that we're seeing a significant disruption of significant industry (a rather interesting disruption I might add). The issue is that print media companies are struggling for growth as their core sources of revenue (advertising and classifieds) shift online. The Washington Post company is an example of a company going outside its core competence of news reporting and into another avenue of publishing. Despite WPO's ability to grow the top line, they continue to see an operating income erosion, which I suspect is a direct result of the aforementioned declines in advertising and classifieds revenues. However, WPO is clearly straddling two disparate competencies (test prep/education and news media). Is this divirsification sustainable, or even in the best interests of shareholders?

The decline of print is a HUGE topic, which I hope to have some more posts on in the very near future. There are some very significant strategic questions that many very smart people are trying to answer as they attempt to lead (or consult) their companies to success during this turmiol.

- What is the future of the mid-market and small town paper?
- Will publications like the WSJ finally provide their articles for free online?
- Will the general public adopt RSS readers on a large scale?

	December 30,		December 31,		January 1,
(in thousands, except per share amounts)	2007		2006		2006


Operating Revenues
Education	$	2,030,889	$	1,684,141	$	1,412,394
Advertising		1,234,643		1,358,739		1,317,484
Circulation and subscriber		817,807		772,250		740,004
Other		97,067		89,797		84,005


		4,180,406		3,904,927		3,553,887

Source: http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/displayfilinginfo.aspx?filingid=5764444&tabindex=2&type=html

Stat of the day (7.20.08): 20

2008-07-20T16:35:00.003-05:00

20 = The # of people who work at Craigslist, the well known "classifieds" community and one of the highest traffic web sites.

Source: Founders at Work by Jessica Livingston

July Shows

2008-07-13T21:47:00.003-05:00

July 2 - Drive By Truckers
These guys played like their name suggests, playing straight through for over two hours with barely a pause. It was a pretty amazing show, if not for the musical endurance, than for the amount of Jack Daniels passed around by band members. They sounded great, playing a few favorites from their latest, "Brighter Than Creation's Dark," and switching between singers throughout. One singer (Patterson Hood) sounds like Don Henley with a drawl, the other more (Mike Cooley) like your traditional southern crooner.

Did I mention they never switched or re-tuned guitars? I've never seen that happen, let alone for a 2 hour show.

Great show, but I want my eardrums back.

July 12 - Mark Knopfler

I've had this conversation before... "Who is Mark Knopfler?" Quite frankly, he's one of the best living guitarists, and better known as the former front man for Dire Straits. Legend.

It was great to finally see Mark in concert, as he dazzles with his effortless playing and crafted guitar tone. They played many favorites, as well as some new songs from his most recent album.

Here's what I remember of the playlist (in order). As I said, there were a bunch of new songs which I do not know...

What It Is
Romeo and Juliet
Sultans of Swing
Sailing to Philadelphia
Telegraph Road
Brothers in Arms
So Far Away (Encore)

He also played 4 guitars: one steel, Telecaster, Les Paul, Stratocaster, and one I didn't recognize, which is a custom Pensa.

Desperately Seeking Alpha

2008-07-13T17:04:00.003-05:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeMark Hlbert of the New York Times provides an interesting, if not depressing report on the performance of mutual fund managers.

"There was once a small number of fund managers with genuine market-beating abilities, as judged by having past performance so good that their records could not be attributed to luck alone. But virtually none remain today. Index funds are the only rational alternative for almost all mutual fund investors, according to the study’s findings."

This information is taken from a year old study, “False Discoveries in Mutual Fund Performance: Measuring Luck in Estimating Alphas, " available here.

Tonight's Fortune

2008-07-08T22:41:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaFrom the great fortune cookie authors at Chino Latino...

"Polish your resume. It's going to have to be pretty damn impressive to compensate for your Facebook page."

Thank You Readers

2008-07-08T18:29:00.002-05:00

I've seen a surge in activity lately on the site, and I certainly appreciate all of the new and returning readers. I've also received some great comments among the notable Kenny K, as well as a gentleman from Farecast on some recent posts, so thanks for your constructive criticism on the web metrics I've shown.

On the subject of web metrics, what sites do people recommend, other than Compete.com, to get an accurate read on a site's popularity?

Again, thanks.

Test Post

2008-07-08T18:28:00.001-05:00

Getting Disqus back online... It seems I deleted the code when deleting AdWords...

That's stat-tastic

2008-07-07T21:06:00.002-05:00

More stats...

McCain vs. Obama. I think we know who's winning the web battle, by a factor of over 3x might I note.

Looks like McCain could use some, uh, HOPE.

Image source: http://beiderbecke.typepad.com/tba/images/2008/02/28/obama_hope.jpg

Forecast for Farecast: Buy Now - UPDATE

2008-07-07T20:56:00.006-05:00

UPDATE: According to Roger from Microsoft, Farecast now has a new URL, which is http://farecast.live.com, and they've been forwarding visitors since May 21. Roger also had a great point about Compete's data, which does not show sub-level statistics and can thus show some skewed numbers. Thanks for the comment Roger. I'll keep an eye on your progress. -

---------------------------------------------------------------

This past April, Microsoft purchased one of my favorite travel sites, Farecast.com. Farecast no longer looks like itself, and has MSFT logos tattooed all over its homepage. I wondered to myself, does the Farecast user care about this management change, or do they prefer to obtain travel information from an independent and trusted source.

Though this data is not scientific, it looks like Farecast users have started to drop. There are certainly other reasons why this could have happened (e.g travel seasonality), so stay tuned to this integration.

Stat of the Day (7.7.08)

2008-07-07T19:40:00.004-05:00

Image via WikipediaI've been doing some research on teens and college students on their study habits, and found this nugget:

64% of teens admit to using text messaging shorthand in writing scholastic papers.

This is nothing to LOL about.

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Growth Mind Set

2008-07-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

This NYT article illustrates the importance of open-mindedness about learning when it comes to career success. Though not discussed in the article, I would say that open-mindedness is an indicator of a positive attitude, and that a positive attitude is another differentiating factor in success. How many Debbie/Donnie Downers do you know in the c-suite?

Image Source: Flickr Creative Commons

Survey says???

2008-07-06T23:31:00.003-05:00

The results are in... Thanks to all 42 of you who participated in my poll. While I don't claim this to be a scientific poll, if it was answered honestly, provides for interesting information.

Answer		%
(BEST) I love my job and have found my true calling.:		24%
It's going pretty well and I'm enjoying my job. :		36%
(AVERAGE) You know, it pays the bills and keeps Sallie Mae off my back. :		21%
It's not going that well and I do not think it's going to last.:		10%
(WORST) I hate my job. Get me out of here!:		10%

I am happy to report that 60% of us Kellogg 07 grads are quite happy with our jobs. On the other hand, a full 20% are quite unhappy with their current work situation.

What's the significance of this? Well, other than my own curiosity for knowledge, the key takeaway is that many of us have been able to connect with companies and jobs which suit us quite well. For the rest of the sample, they should at least know more about what they want in a position or company, and will work towards those goals.

(Side Note: does anyone know any good chart tools for blogging?)

Derivatives Downside

2008-07-06T14:08:00.004-05:00

Image via WikipediaGreat point by an Economist reader on an otherwise excellent piece explaining the current credit crisis and derivatives:

"SIR - ... It is true that one person's loss is another's gain, but there is no mechanism to ensure that the gainers will invest to match the disinvestments by those who lose. The gainers my bide their time or, in other words, hoard their winnings."
- Jonathan Michie, President of Kellogg College at Oxford

Source: Economist June 28, 2008, p. 19.

Insult + Injury = Hilarity

2008-07-03T22:06:00.003-05:00

As the enduring lifespan of America's Funniest Home Videos will attest, people hurting themselves is, well, funny. Why is it so much funnier when they hurt themselves via Segway?

Insult + Injury = Hilarity

http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2008/07/segway_disaster.html

Link source: www.buzzfeed.com

Image source: www.aipfl.com

Can't Explain

2008-07-03T21:58:00.003-05:00

Image via Wikipedia
How on earth does this happen? Wilco, one of my favorite bands, announces it's going to have openers of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, two of my new favorite bands, for their summer tour. Weird.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/51268-fleet-foxes-to-open-for-wilco

ScreenGrab

2008-07-01T19:28:00.003-05:00

This is a great Firefox add on. Just activate ScreenGrab in your right click menu, then select the portion of the page you want to copy.

And don't forget to name your sources, as they don't like that too much.

MY Precious

2008-07-01T18:39:00.003-05:00

Image via WikipediaRecently, scientists uncovered more evidence to what they're calling "the endowment effect," which is a human tendency to place more value on things they own. As noted in the Economist, this effect may be the result of primordial human behavior due to scarcity of goods in tribal villages, but this irrationality is still seen in modern life.

While this study focuses on physical goods already owned, it also raises questions about things or ideas people collectively own. Let's take brands, for example. In reality, a brand can be viewed as the collective perceptions of a good or service (or person for that matter). And while a company can claim this intangible asset as intellectual property, the consumer interaction with the brand can be considered ownership one another level. I think we can spot a few excellent examples of the endowment effect in marketing's storied past. New Coke, anyone?

Pap-E

2008-06-29T20:55:00.001-05:00

This takes guts, but Katie and I went to see Wall-E this weekend - and it was phenomenal. Go see it.

The more I listen, the more I like...

2008-06-27T08:06:00.002-05:00

I think Fleet Foxes may be my favorite new band of the year so far. If you haven't already downloaded White Winter Hymnal, do it now. Then check out Mykonos, which is a song that sounds vaguely like it was sung by Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

Daily Dose of TED

2008-06-25T20:53:00.003-05:00

Chris Jordan does some amazing work. His niche is taking various statistics, particularly consumer behavior statistics, and communicating them in a stunning visual fashion. Great thought provoking video.

Link courtesy of psfk.com.

CPG Fear Factor

2008-06-25T20:25:00.002-05:00

Inflation Dow-ner. Maybe you missed this story today, but Dow Chemical revised their cost increases from 20% to 45%!! And don't forget about the freight surcharges. I have an inkling that most of this will be passed on to consumers, driving inflation of many fine chemical-based inputs. Dow is the largest US chemical company, and others are expected to follow suit. Wah wah.

Dockworker Strike. Surprisingly, this has received very little press. There's obviously a lot of big stories going on right now, but consider that all of the products we get from China could be held up in harbors off the Pacific coast should the longshoremen contract negotiations go sour.

Private Label. If you're not establishing a meaningful and authentic connection to your consumers, your brand risks becoming a casualty in this down economy. Some product categories, however, are more challenging than others. For instance, I'd be hard pressed to switch my Lucky Charms to Wal*Mart's sad version, "Fortunate Trinkets." (ok, I made that name up). However, I'll take Target brand soap, paper towels, glass cleaner, etc, over branded anyday.

The Atlas List

2008-06-23T21:39:00.002-05:00

I FINALLY completed Atlas Shrugged the other day, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Here's some of my top quotes and thought provoking observations...

Living with a purpose:

"...what's the most depraved type of human being?"
"The man without a purpose."

The kind of people to aspire to be:

"The kind who never asked you for faith, hope and charity, but offered you facs, proof, and profit."

Words to live by(?):

"I swear by my life and love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."

Related to this doctrine of rational self-interest, I also watched "The Bucket List" this weekend. For those who don't know the premise, a termally ill cancer stricken odd couple decide to live out their dreams in their remaining months. It was a pretty good movie with some genuinely sad moments, but it made me wonder - why wait until a terminal diagnosis? Ayn Rand would, that much is clear.

Why not live out your dreams right now? I do think that the younger generations are probably more in tune with this philosophy. Perhaps they sometimes confuse material goods for spiritual ones, as credit card debts among Gen Y would indicate, but I think by in large, Gen Y values friends and family much more than punching the clock.

What's on your Atlas List?

Poll for 2007 Kellogg MBAs

2008-06-22T13:54:00.002-05:00

So, you're a 2007 Kellogg MBA. How's the job?
( surveys)

Here's the RSS feed if you want to subsrcibe to results:

http://polldaddy.com/pollRSS.aspx?id=FFE8E64703C0C74E

One year ago...

2008-06-22T13:13:00.003-05:00

Ankor Wat
Left to right: Me, Jamil, Brett, Dave

Rock The Garden Highlights

2008-06-22T09:10:00.004-05:00

We couldn't have had more perfect weather for the show. At 4:30, it was still close to 80 degrees with strong summer solstice sunshine. Overall, I really enjoyed the show itself. Being the first "Rock The Garden" concert in 4 years, I do think the event planning team is a little rusty on their logististics, however. Poor planning for people movement, concessions, and bathrooms. They also negated to use a large field to the left of the stage, which would have been the perfect spot to sit or stand to hear the music.

Bon Iver: I love their music, and I think they have a bright future. I had a hard time getting amped up during their performance because their music is so mellow. I would have preferred sitting in a coffee shop hearing them than standing up with the masses. While part of their musical attraction is that the instrumentation is simple and raw, I think they need a few more instruments. They played most of the tracks from their album, and they all sounded great.

Cloud Cult: I had heard one of their songs on the radio and was just so-so about them. Plus, it was still pretty hot when they went on, so we decided to take a breather and sit on the hill by the side of the stage. We were hoping that we could still hear the music clearly, but it was distorted and difficult to decipher. Perhaps we missed out, because I've been reading people's posts saying they were the best performance of the day.

The New Pornographers: Disclaimer - No NEKO!! I was a little disappointed that she wasn't performing with the band, but she's probably outgrown them with her obviously blooming solo career. That said, they were my favorite performance of the show. They closed with Spanish Techno (my favorite one), Bleeding Heart Show, and a cover of Don't Bring Me Down (by Electric Light Orchestra).

Andrew Bird: I've had never heard him perform before, and I was impressed. His sound is totally unique, with the violin looping and whistling, and I liked the way all his songs sounded. Halfway into the set, the clouds became very ominous ( a la Raiders of the Lost Ark when everyone melted) and they pulled the band from the stage for a 10 minute hiatus. We took that as our cue to leave, as we were pretty hungry and tired.
-------------------------------------------------------------
My next concert is Drive By Truckers on July 2. Can't wait.

United States of Awesome

2008-06-21T11:30:00.002-05:00

Link courtesy of Buzzfeed.com

41 Hilarious Science Fair Experiments

2008-06-21T11:13:00.002-05:00

This is link is priceless, especially the third one down.

"Animal Magnetism. He has it."

Link courtesy of LaughingSquid.com

89.3 The Current's Rock The Garden

2008-06-20T17:24:00.004-05:00

Katie and I are heading to this concert tomorrow... Can't wait.

Here's the lineup:

Bon Iver - 4:30 p.m.
Cloud Cult - 5:45 p.m.
The New
Pornographers - 7 p.m.
Andrew Bird - 8:30 p.m.

Give it up to 89.3 (The Current) for being the most amazing radio station ever.

Dutch Shuffle

2008-06-20T17:13:00.002-05:00

Yet another music post...

May/June has been overshadowed with the launch of the new My Morning Jacket album (Evil Urges), but there are a few more bands you may want to give a listen too...

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal.

True to the song title, it starts out sounding like a spiritual, but once the rest of the instruments kick in, it's got a breezy Friday Chill Music quality to it. Great tune.

http://hypem.com/track/575552/Fleet+Foxes-White+Winter+Hymnal%7E

Shearwater - Rooks.

http://hypem.com/track/572253/Shearwater-Rooks

I'm Amazed (too)

2008-06-20T17:11:00.001-05:00

Great recommendation from Orn and Beth. The new My Morning Jacket album is amazing.

My internet is finally fixed...

2008-06-19T23:42:00.001-05:00

More blogging on the way...

Dutch Country

2008-06-11T18:01:00.004-05:00

Though it may seem like some sort of contradiction, I was actually raised on classic country music. You heard me right, me, a New Englander by birth, raised on country music.

I've got a pretty eclectic taste in music, but these are some great classic country tunes that everyone needs in their iPod. It's kind of a starter kit... if you like these, there's lots more for you.

Merle Haggard - Working Man Blues
I imagine Merle, who's pushing seventy, has had his gruff, no BS, country music voice since he was a teenager (much in the way 2007 NBA draft pick Greg Oden was born with a beard). Working Man Blues is a great song to play after a long day at the office/coal mine.

Willie Nelson - Whiskey River
Drinking to forget something painful. I know - it's a novel premise for a country song, but this is probably the best real drinking song there is.

Waylon Jennings - Good Hearted Woman
A song in praise of Waylon's wife, who put up with all the trouble he made and still remained resolute in their marriage.

Political Brew

2008-06-10T10:02:00.002-05:00

John McCain wants to veto beer. He's definitely lost my vote. At least he could have said he wanted to veto Zima, or today's equivalent, Mike's Hard Lemonade.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/10/mccain-i-will-veto-every-single-beer/

Jack Handey

2008-06-08T20:40:00.002-05:00

Deep Thoughts was one of my favorite segments of Saturday Night Live, and thankfully, they've been (officially) published online. Some of them are too odd to be funny, but some strike the perfect balance of absurdest humor that makes me laugh.

One of my favorites...

"If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell
him is, "God is crying."  And if he asks why God is crying, another cute
thing to tell him is, "Probably because of something you did."

Evidence of Commitment Bias?

2008-06-08T20:34:00.002-05:00

Someone paid $55 + for a $50 Target gift card.

Like a wise man once said, this is "mind bottling."

ServiceLive

2008-06-08T20:09:00.002-05:00

Congrats to my good friend Jamil Hossain and company for getting ServiceLive online. ServiceLive is a web service whereby people can find qualified contractors to help them complete "any project, anywhere." Homeowners can reap the benefits of finding proven professionals to complete contracting work, which can be quite a headache. It's services like these (also yelp and angie's list) that are helping to decrease the information asymmetry in the search and purchase of services.

(And again, another sign that the yellow pages advertising model is outdated.)

Namethis

2008-06-08T12:38:00.003-05:00

Here comes another innovation in crowd-sourcing brought to you by the minds at Kluster. Namethis is a platform where entrepreneurs (or anyone those seeking a new brand name) can link up with the masses for naming ideas for their product/service. Namethis guarantees entrepreneurs a list of three "world validated names for your thingamajig in 48 hours" for $99. On the supply side, there is monetary incentive for those who create names ultimately chosen by the crowd. I actually think this will not only be beneficial for the businesses participating, but fun for the producers as well.

Sign up here... http://namethis.com/signup/referral/4879

Techno Clutter

2008-06-08T12:09:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed reading this article about Google Labs in yesterday's NYT. More specifically, the article addresses what I think is a negative side effect to the advent of a barrier-less, open-source software development environment... too much clutter. The most prominent example of techno-clutter I see is the ever expanding Facebook application list.

The author summarizes his main query here:

But the question Google, Facebook, and Mozilla have not finished answering is how the power of open can be balanced with the simplicity of closed.

Going Back to Cow

2008-06-07T14:15:00.002-05:00

According to the latest issue of Men's Journal (June 2008, Jack Johnson cover), all men should avoiding consuming soy based products. Essentially, the article points out that soy is the nutritional equivalent of a prolonged vasectomy. No Thanks!

Mealy Apples

2008-06-04T19:36:00.004-05:00

Is there anything more disappointing than biting into an apple that has no crispness and flavor? It's so annoying because it's frustrating and unexpected. The apple looked good, right? Now all you can do is throw the apple out and dish a few bucks out for another snack.

I liken getting a mealy apple to that of any product or customer service issue that unexpectedly frustrates you. Today, I bit into a mealy apple of my own. My bestbuy credit card started charging me a "debt cancellation" fee. I recently bought a nice expensive system on credit because of the no interest financing. Well, I must have unwittingly accepted a term that included a "charge me $30 a month in case I go bankrupt" provision. I was able to have the provision dropped, but it made me angry nonetheless. Although I don't have an affinity for Best Buy (as I suspect most people do not), I now have a very negative experience to draw from.

If you're the manager of a service or product, do your best not to give your consumers mealy apples.

Photo courtesy flickr creative commons license.

Death Cab

2008-06-02T22:30:00.004-05:00

These guys were awesome in concert tonight. My favorite concert of the year so far. If you go, bring your earplugs. Them kids like their music loud!

The Bloody Macho

2008-06-02T22:23:00.003-05:00

This is my new invention. Actually, it's not my invention, but I named it.

Take your everyday Bloody Mary and substitute (snap into?) a Slim Jim for the celery. Beef jerky is an acceptable substitute.

Imbibe and enjoy.

Bee Highlight

2008-06-01T17:28:00.002-05:00

The national spelling bee is full of hilarity, and this year's contest is no exception.

Spelling Bee Blooper - Watch more free videos

Congrats to all those smart kids.