After my last post, I had some interesting conversations dealing with my strong dislike for email as a preferred communication channel.

I never really addressed the various issues that bug me most about email; mainly, because I figured they were somewhat self-evident. Alas, it turns out, they weren’t. (more…)

Drastic times call for drastic measures. Luckily, this is not one of those times. Yet.

But, it’s time to act and face facts.

Fact. Email communication is losing its usefulness at an alarming rate. For some, including myself, email is almost past the dead cat bounce. (more…)

If you’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point, you’re already familiar with the key concepts of the influentials theory and its place in modern marketing.

Many have tried to debunk its validity, but as far as I know no one has yet succeeded. Although, it appears some are steadily gaining ground: (more…)

Is gambling as addictive as nicotine, and if it is, are casinos the new tobacco of the 20th century legal system?

Let’s wait and see.

“This is the most powerful addiction you can have without putting something into your body. You remember your first big win, and you think `Hey, I can do this again; I can get it all back.’” [...]

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A different take on the well-documented placebo effect. Very interesting read:

Expectations have long been a topic of psychological research, and it’s well known that they affect how we react to events, or how we respond to medication. But in recent years, scientists have been intensively studying how expectations shape our direct experience of the world, what we taste, feel, and hear. The findings have been surprising - did you know that generic drugs can be less effective merely because they cost less? - and it’s now becoming clear just how pervasive the effects of expectation are.

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This certainly gives “going long” and “shorting” a whole new spin:

Women tend to wear their hair long when Japan’s economy is doing well and short when there is a slump, the Nikkei business daily reported, citing a survey conducted by Japanese cosmetics company Kao Corp.

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I’m amazed at this new, eye-opening level of productivity thanks to a couple small workflow tweaks (AKA “productivity pr0n”). (more…)