~Paul Tsongas
It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work
Game (or creativity hack): Write a magazine in five minutes or less!
Publish or Perish
Photos from 1943, when factories in “neutral” Switzerland were producing weapons for the armies of Europe.↩︎ Flashbak
A forthcoming book from Media Dragon aka @jasonfried & @dhh: It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work, a strategy guide for building "calm companies"
Long hours, an excessive workload, and a lack of sleep have become a badge of honor for modern professionals. But it should be a mark of stupidity, the authors argue. Sadly, this isn’t just a problem for large organizations—individuals, contractors, and solopreneurs are burning themselves out the same way. The answer to better productivity isn’t more hours—it’s less waste and fewer things that induce distraction and persistent stress. It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work
Photos from 1943, when factories in “neutral” Switzerland were producing weapons for the armies of Europe.↩︎ Flashbak
A forthcoming book from Media Dragon aka @jasonfried & @dhh: It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work, a strategy guide for building "calm companies"
Long hours, an excessive workload, and a lack of sleep have become a badge of honor for modern professionals. But it should be a mark of stupidity, the authors argue. Sadly, this isn’t just a problem for large organizations—individuals, contractors, and solopreneurs are burning themselves out the same way. The answer to better productivity isn’t more hours—it’s less waste and fewer things that induce distraction and persistent stress. It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work
Jen Hardwood of Coaching Fame Greatness Principle.com
Woman jailed for fraud claims conviction is 'unsafe'
SMH letters:
As the world continues to digitize and products and services become more software-driven, it is important to look at the outcomes of a project as opposed to just its outputs. The problem is that the completion of a digital project may not always achieve the outcomes that organizations originally intended.
A solution to this is setting objectives based on intent. When managers direct their teams by specifying outcomes they seek, it allows teams to pursue the outcome with some discretion, and adjust their plans as they advance instead of being attached a defined output requirement.
To enhance the management of projects, a premortem can be conducted at the beginning of a project, rather than at the end.
A typical premortem begins after the team has been briefed on the plan. The leader starts the exercise by informing everyone that the project has failed spectacularly. Over the next few minutes those in the room independently write down every reason they can think of for the failure—especially the kinds of things they ordinarily wouldn’t mention as potential problems, for fear of being inappropriate. After the session is over, the project manager reviews the list, looking for ways to strengthen the plan. Source: HBR , You Need to Manage Digital Projects for Outcomes
People are driven to overwork for different reasons, but they all lead to the same bad outcomes.
These Are The Four Drivers Of Workaholism
NATO faces a crisis of ideals as more of its Eastern European members slide into authoritarianism.
Are parts of Manhattan becoming a shopping ghost town?
Can proof of stake work?
Could artificial intelligence get depressed and have hallucinations? Science. Only if it goes on social media…
Woman jailed for fraud claims conviction is 'unsafe'
Gambling identity's fraud charge over $56000 winning bet
Racegoers at Warwick Farm were astonished when Alma's Fury, usually a complete flop when it came to racing on a wet track, scored an upset win in the rain in February 2013. But the shock win proved to be a bonanza for one punter, Edward Ridgway from Sydney's Northbridge, who won $56,000 after an ...
SMH letters:
NSW government avoids scrutiny
Your assessment of the NSW government is far too generous ("NSW government: good at big ideas, not the execution", April 14-15). What we have is a government that has a minimalist understanding of democracy, is hell-bent on selling off as many state assets as possible and embarking on highly dubious projects that are mainly orientated towards the big end of town. Of course, all of this is done with minimal or no public consultation or scrutiny. - Alan Morris, Eastlakes
I cannot agree with your editorial suggesting that the current government has good ideas, but is poor in execution. I do not see much sign of good ideas, much less planning. The ideology of privatisation and outsourcing has become a nightmare for our state. - Jock Webb, Narromine
The coyness about releasing a business plan for the Powerhouse, the stadiums, the light rail and more makes one suspect that for many governments and their business buddies, the most precious freedom of all is freedom from democracy. - Lloyd Swanton, Wentworth Falls
Once we had a public service, We had engineers, legal eagles, and those with years of experience with government contracts. We then introduced the bonus schemes, and the easiest way to maximise was to get rid of people. We now have to depend upon so-called consultants, all care and very little experience in the complexities of government works. The outcome: contractors making a fortune and we the taxpayers pay. The current eastern suburbs fiasco, win or lose the court case, will cost us billions. We should place the blame with those who don't understand that it takes real people with experience and skills to deliver major government contracts, and the buck rests with our politicians. - DĆrcy Hardy, North Turramurra
Filing taxes could be free simple HR Block, Intuit lobbying against it
You need to manage digital projects for outcomes, not outputsFiling taxes could be free simple HR Block, Intuit lobbying against it
As the world continues to digitize and products and services become more software-driven, it is important to look at the outcomes of a project as opposed to just its outputs. The problem is that the completion of a digital project may not always achieve the outcomes that organizations originally intended.
A solution to this is setting objectives based on intent. When managers direct their teams by specifying outcomes they seek, it allows teams to pursue the outcome with some discretion, and adjust their plans as they advance instead of being attached a defined output requirement.
To enhance the management of projects, a premortem can be conducted at the beginning of a project, rather than at the end.
A typical premortem begins after the team has been briefed on the plan. The leader starts the exercise by informing everyone that the project has failed spectacularly. Over the next few minutes those in the room independently write down every reason they can think of for the failure—especially the kinds of things they ordinarily wouldn’t mention as potential problems, for fear of being inappropriate. After the session is over, the project manager reviews the list, looking for ways to strengthen the plan. Source: HBR , You Need to Manage Digital Projects for Outcomes
People are driven to overwork for different reasons, but they all lead to the same bad outcomes.
These Are The Four Drivers Of Workaholism
Treasury outsources legislation drafting to law firms | afr.com
Are parts of Manhattan becoming a shopping ghost town?
Top five regrets of the dying | Life and style | The Guardian
NBA cooperation markets in everything: “And so to avoid this descent into the mud, many players strike unofficial pacts with their opponents.”
Can proof of stake work?
Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And ‘Media Influencers’ Forbes. True.Urban Bungle: Atlanta Cyber Attack Puts Other Cities on Notice Scientific American
Editorial: As vultures circle, The Denver Post must be saved Denver PostUMaine to name new president Tuesday, gets $5 million to keep them around Bangor Daily News. So now we’re keeping the bloated and parasitical adminsitrative layer on life support with private subsidies. Swell.
List of Oklahoma schools that have canceled classes as teacher walkout heads into second week KFOR. Interestingly, including some charter schools.
Could artificial intelligence get depressed and have hallucinations? Science. Only if it goes on social media…
JAILED
FOR DOING THEIR JOB: A story about a
government massacre and an effort to drive hundreds of thousands of people from
their homes could be a prize-winner. These two Reuters journalists got the
story, but they have been jailed for months in Myanmar. Their imprisonment has
been condemned by journalists, human rights advocates and governments
worldwide. The NYT’s Richard Paddock reports
on their case.
PROPHETIC?: Her dissertation was on authoritarian dictatorship. These
days, Sarah Kendzior is making her way into mainstream media, as many of her
warnings about President Trump have come to pass, writes
Tony Rehagen for CJR.
WATCHING YOU: Two reasons why Homeland Security’s new
media monitoring center may be troubling: It’s being driven by the main
civilian cybersecurity authority and done in partnership with the new Vetting
Center (as in “extreme vetting”). By Gabe Rottman of the Reporters Committee
for Freedom of the Press.
