I posted a blog entry a couple of months back about Books and e-Readers.
I ended-up buying an iPad (for my wife), though it is not quite fulfilling eReader duties yet -- that is content for another blog entry however.
This story about Seth Godin giving-up on traditional book publishing brings things into a sharper focus however.
Here is a very well known author who has decided traditional (paper) book publishing is too cumbersome, convoluted, slow and exasperating. He feels it is difficult to get his audience to buy (paper) books, so he is adapting his distribution model.
To quote Stan Schroeder, the article's author, "Paper books aren’t a particularly elegant way to spread an idea in the age of blogs, e-readers and social media."
This news would seem to rock the foundation of the publishing world.
I recently saw these words related to coping with change and feel they fit here:
"We feel uncomfortable about change, however we would be terrified if things stayed as they are."
I'll be curious to see what comes next.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Friend Request
I was talking to the incoming class of Sustainability MBA students at Duquesne University yesterday about the approaches Bayer MaterialScience is taking towards Sustainability and after fielding their questions, I mentioned that they could reach out to me via social media for any questions that might arise in the future.
I got a few strange looks - like, "aren't you a bit old to be using social media?"
Well, the truth is that I now use social media more than ever - and statistics indicate that this domain, which used to belong to the young, is now being embraced more and more by their parents (people my age).
As I have begun to understand and use the privacy controls on Facebook for example, I have been expanding my friends and contacts lists (each groups only sees the content I want them to see).
I always get a kick when I see: "you have X new friend requests" and I check-out the profiles of the people who have sent me these requests.
It really brought a smile to my face therefore, when I recently saw this picture:
Why shouldn't the church also adopt humor and modern communication pathways for getting its message out?
By the way, here is a link to my profile on Facebook (feel free to send me a friend request):
Gianni's profile
I got a few strange looks - like, "aren't you a bit old to be using social media?"
Well, the truth is that I now use social media more than ever - and statistics indicate that this domain, which used to belong to the young, is now being embraced more and more by their parents (people my age).
As I have begun to understand and use the privacy controls on Facebook for example, I have been expanding my friends and contacts lists (each groups only sees the content I want them to see).
I always get a kick when I see: "you have X new friend requests" and I check-out the profiles of the people who have sent me these requests.
It really brought a smile to my face therefore, when I recently saw this picture:
By the way, here is a link to my profile on Facebook (feel free to send me a friend request):
Gianni's profile
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Right to Protest
I have returned from a brief visit to Greece and Cyprus.
Being in Athens the past week was not very "fun"...
The truck drivers were on strike when we arrived and as a result, fresh fruit and produce was getting scarce in the markets.
Worse, the gas stations were running out of gas since the tank truck drivers were also on strike and the lines of cars waiting to fill-up their gas tanks at those stations which still had gas were sometimes obscenely long. Tempers were rising along with the summer temperatures.
"Vacation time" for Greeks arrives with the beginning of August and the truck driver's strike seemed aimed at creating the maximum degree of discomfort to the public who were attempting to leave on their summer vacations - not to mention any foreign tourists who decided to visit Greece.
I heard hotel bookings were being cancelled en-masse and the vacancy rates at many prime destinations were running around 50%.
I forgot to mention the air traffic controller's strike during the last two weeks, which delayed many flights departing from Greece and Cyprus (the main way people depart Cyprus in through Greece).
Since flights were being delayed, planes were late arriving and the next flights (which required those same planes) were delayed as well.
I really enjoy using the Athens Metro when I visit - it is a marked improvement over the bus routes I remember using when I was young.
I heard that workers at the Metro will also be continuing a strike however -- once everybody returns from their summer vacations.
Why the public tolerates the strikes by those groups mentioned above, as well as by others is beyond me. Greece depends on a well-run tourism machine to bring in some sorely needed cash during the summer months and the situation seems to be deteriorating compared to my visits in years past.
Truly a sad sight to behold.
I am not contesting worker's right to protest, however I cannot support those workers who cause discomfort to their fellow citizens through acts such as the strikes mentioned above.
I guess I can pray for a miracle...
Being in Athens the past week was not very "fun"...
The truck drivers were on strike when we arrived and as a result, fresh fruit and produce was getting scarce in the markets.
Worse, the gas stations were running out of gas since the tank truck drivers were also on strike and the lines of cars waiting to fill-up their gas tanks at those stations which still had gas were sometimes obscenely long. Tempers were rising along with the summer temperatures.
"Vacation time" for Greeks arrives with the beginning of August and the truck driver's strike seemed aimed at creating the maximum degree of discomfort to the public who were attempting to leave on their summer vacations - not to mention any foreign tourists who decided to visit Greece.
I heard hotel bookings were being cancelled en-masse and the vacancy rates at many prime destinations were running around 50%.
I forgot to mention the air traffic controller's strike during the last two weeks, which delayed many flights departing from Greece and Cyprus (the main way people depart Cyprus in through Greece).
Since flights were being delayed, planes were late arriving and the next flights (which required those same planes) were delayed as well.
I really enjoy using the Athens Metro when I visit - it is a marked improvement over the bus routes I remember using when I was young.
I heard that workers at the Metro will also be continuing a strike however -- once everybody returns from their summer vacations.
Why the public tolerates the strikes by those groups mentioned above, as well as by others is beyond me. Greece depends on a well-run tourism machine to bring in some sorely needed cash during the summer months and the situation seems to be deteriorating compared to my visits in years past.
Truly a sad sight to behold.
I am not contesting worker's right to protest, however I cannot support those workers who cause discomfort to their fellow citizens through acts such as the strikes mentioned above.
I guess I can pray for a miracle...
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