Tom Wolfe:
An intellectual ia a person who is knowledgeable in one field but speaks out only in others.
Cameron’s conception of technology a hundred years from now was incredibly unimaginative, even by Hollywood standards. For example, the munitions that were supposed to blow up the tree of life looked like they were used in World War II (maybe even World War I). Most of the technology looked primitive, even by today’s standards. The wearable exoskeleton robotic devices were supposed to be futuristic, but these already exist, and are beginning to be deployed. The one advanced technology was the avatar technology itself. But in that sense, Avatar is like the world of the movie A.I., where they had human-level cyborgs, but nothing else had changed: A.I. featured 1980’s cars and coffee makers. As for Avatar, are people still going to use computer screens in a hundred years? Are they going to drive vehicles?

Volcker is wonderful

The former US Federal Reserve chairman told an audience that included some of the world’s most senior financiers that their industry’s “single most important” contribution in the last 25 years has been automatic telling machines, which he said had at least proved “useful”.

-

Ex-Fed chief Paul Volcker’s ‘telling’ words on derivatives industry
3 months ago
0 notes

Watch the ass

If you work for a non-profit and you don’t give money to charity, what exactly are you doing in this job? I’ve met some incredibly generous people in the charitable world, but I can also report that a huge number of people—even on the fundraising side—would happily cross the street and risk a beating in order to avoid giving $100 to a cause that’s not their own. And the shame of it is that this inaction on their part keeps them from experiencing the very emotion that they try so hard to sell.

- Watch the Money by Seth Godin

Seth, what an ass you are. Everyone I’ve ever met at a nonprofit takes a very large and definable cut in salary relative to comparable work in the for-profit sector. That’s a choice and it’s a bigger donation as a percentage of net worth than the givings of many of the largest donors I could name (and since I write about the hedge fund industry, this is no small statement).

Secondly, really, what an ass you are. How do you know that the people who don’t donate money don’t donate a greater percentage of their time? Non profit work is often rigorous and redefines the concept of “I gave at the office.”

Third, the fundraising people are often the best paid people at any nonprofit and their job is typically farthest from the on-the-ground work that most financiers and other seemingly generous souls wouldn’t touch.

Don’t confuse your knowledge of one industry with a license to talk knowingly about whatever you like.

3 months ago
0 notes
According to a widely accepted model, intimacy begins when one person expresses revealing feelings, builds when the listener responds with support and empathy and is achieved when the discloser hears these things and feels understood, validated and cared for. This is not news. It’s not even advice.
thedirtythirties:

Condom ad. For those who wanted to get safely dirty in the thirties.

thedirtythirties:

Condom ad. For those who wanted to get safely dirty in the thirties.

3 months ago
73 notes
But if Mortimer’s show is fake, so is most of what now passes for society. With the party pages operating as little more than a promotional vehicle for fashion brands, is it really so extraordinary that the best-known member of the group would parlay her way out of being a walking coat-hanger and into something bigger and better?
azspot:

“Donation” and “Welfare” States

When the liberal states go broke, this will change.

azspot:

“Donation” and “Welfare” States

When the liberal states go broke, this will change.

3 months ago
11 notes
They had no script, man. They had an outline. We would show up for big scenes every day and we wouldn’t know what we were going to say. We would have to go into our trailer and work on this scene and call up writers on the phone, ‘You got any ideas?’ Meanwhile the crew is tapping their foot on the stage waiting for us to come on.

Jeff Bridges Admits Iron Man Movie Had No Script - iron man - io9

Ahh the joys of a 200 million dollar improvised movie.

(via theoriginaljoefisher)

4 writers got credit and it made $572M (Worldwide), so I guess they’ll try to replicate this method, hoping for a similar result.

(via tanya77) (via mikehudack)

Probably why this turned out to be one of the best comic adaptations of all time.

3 months ago
15 notes
mikehudack:

creativead:

Fedex Guerrilla marketing

mikehudack:

creativead:

Fedex Guerrilla marketing

3 months ago
124 notes
travors:

(Via Designboom)
In designing this building, Belgian architectural firm Ihaos & Ihaos have used the stark juxtaposition of clean sharp modern white lines, against the earthy warm feel of the original timber frame, to create the perfect environment for pulling chicks.

Travors’ commentary = pure editorial alpha.

travors:

(Via Designboom)

In designing this building, Belgian architectural firm Ihaos & Ihaos have used the stark juxtaposition of clean sharp modern white lines, against the earthy warm feel of the original timber frame, to create the perfect environment for pulling chicks.

Travors’ commentary = pure editorial alpha.

3 months ago
10 notes