Notes on Life

Spotify is finally available in Australia! I can’t think...

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:48:56 +1000

Spotify is finally available in Australia! I can’t think of a better first song to begin my Spotify experience.

What other songs should I keep an eye out for?

What a memorable piece of billboard advertising. You will never...

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:03:39 +1000

What a memorable piece of billboard advertising. You will never get that image out of your head.

#pizzatrivia

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:58:51 +1000

#pizzatrivia

Mr Mao all wrapped up (Taken with instagram)

Sat, 19 May 2012 17:16:33 +1000

Mr Mao all wrapped up (Taken with instagram)

Marketing does memes right! I have not heard of the candy...

Sat, 19 May 2012 16:53:07 +1000

Marketing does memes right!

I have not heard of the candy Maynards (the photo was taken in Toronto), but here is a great example of using existing internet culture in advertising.

Thank you Reddit, for letting me feel less guilty about spending so much time with you.

What’s the best way to make something cool or...

Sat, 19 May 2012 09:17:20 +1000

What’s the best way to make something cool or desirable?
Tell them that they can’t, or really shouldn’t do it.

Which is why this sign is brilliant. It uses negative feedback as a challenge to acquire new customers.

But beware, this will only work if:

1. Your product is amazing, and you will stand by your product.
The sandwich shop was very confident that their sandwiches were the best, so confident that they issued a challenge to all new customers to prove them wrong.

2. You continue to listen to your customers.
Your customers will try to communicate with you, and social media is usually the last resort. Negative feedback will occur. Oftentimes a humble approach will win back the customer, but remember that you do have the option to turn away crazies.

If you have examples of using negative feedback to win customers, please send it in. I’d really love to see it.

Improving my memory with Einstein [Review]

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:28:54 +1000

Moonwalking with Einstein, by Joshua Foer
Classification: Non-fiction, memoir.
Writing style: 5/5 - a very easy read.
Why you must read it:

It was a very entertaining, inspiration and information book.
You will have a better grasp of how memory works.
You will come away with a few tips and tricks to improve your memory.

—-

My memory is fickle, with what it chooses to remember. It will be abysmal at remembering new names and faces, but it would remember than Michael Stipe was the frontman for REM, and “touche” is a fencing terminology in French.

I don’t even remember how I first read about Joshua Foer’s book, “Moonwalking with Einstein”, but I’ve finally gotten around to reading it.

It details Foer’s remarkable journey as an ordinary man, with ordinary memories, to becoming the 2006 USA Memory Champion, and Foer achieved all this within a year.

Though my memory goals are much less ambitions than Foer’s , I would recommend this book to anyone… especially you.

Does your boss want to kill you?

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:08:00 +1000

Does your boss want to kill you?

Bringing music to the masses. Flash mob in the Copenhagen Metro....

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:37:00 +1000

Bringing music to the masses.

Flash mob in the Copenhagen Metro. Copenhagen Phil playing Peer Gynt. (by CPHPHIL)

Picking a college major is very daunting, as well illustrated by...

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:20:08 +1000

Picking a college major is very daunting, as well illustrated by XKCD, and set to the music of “Modern Major General”.

How to Muddy Your Tracks on the Internet - NYTimes.com

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:46:00 +1000

How to Muddy Your Tracks on the Internet - NYTimes.com:

Be aware of how much you share on the internet; specifically to free services you use often (e.g. Google, Hotmail, Facebook, and generally speaking, any kind of social media services).

Find my friends: creepy, cool or comforting?

Sat, 05 May 2012 19:19:21 +1000

I have on my iPhone, the app ‘Find my friends’ which I have used countless times.

Often it is useful when coordinating with friends on get-togethers. It has helped us keep tab on the surprisee of a surprise party. It has alleviated resentment for latecomers.

It has allowed my family to track each other, so we would only call if the other is home. It means that after a late night, my friends and family can find out without calling, that I got home safe.

I voluntarily share my life on social media. For me, privacy is restricted to my bank account. Like Will, from the Princess Bride, privacy is mostly dead. But that’s a philosophical debate for another day.

Do you use a location sharing app? And what are your thoughts?

A lesson in exclusivity

Fri, 04 May 2012 22:26:18 +1000

It’s a Friday night and I find myself standing in a line, in a back alleyway, for the chance to enter a very trendy bar, or so they say.

There are no signs or arrows indicating the bar exists. Yet at night, a queue inexplicably appears, and is the only indication something great must be here.

I can’t help but think, either the bar owners are on to something. The bar is made cool by non-advertising. The counter-intuitive move when luring customers. Yet it works.

Or we are just sheep.

Domino’s scooters were fitted with sounds that shout...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:46:24 +1000

Domino’s scooters were fitted with sounds that shout “Domino’s!” and “Pizza!” as it scoots around town, delivering pizza. I has a giggle.

Pottermore is open! I am so excited!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:30:33 +1000

Pottermore is open! I am so excited!

Today I learned: That Lionel Ritchie looks like a stalker in his...

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:59:27 +1000

Today I learned: That Lionel Ritchie looks like a stalker in his music video “Hello”.

Mom. Dad. I’m asian.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:18:04 +1100

Mom. Dad. I’m asian.

Siri will help you find a bar.

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:13:48 +1100

Siri will help you find a bar.

McGill Dances for Cancer Research Lipdub (by...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:01:35 +1100

McGill Dances for Cancer Research Lipdub (by mcgilluniversity)

It’s really kind of cute, all these scientists letting loose.

Photo

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:49:07 +1100