Here is a great example of Scott Adams’ writing style. [ http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/cause_of_death_wtf/ ] It’s humorous, obviously, but what hits me the most is its simplicity, clarity, and rhythm.
Predictions and Inevitabilities
This will be in a highly unedited format. Please pardon the writing. Paid to Be Good Citizens The jobs are going, and they’re not coming back. Right now they’re going overseas, but the reality is that they’re going away permanently. Machines are taking them. Computers are taking them. Technology is taking them. Essentially, technology makes it so fewer…
An Answer to “Why Help People?” from Bertrand Russell
Russell: “You should help people.” Student: “I don’t want to! Why should I?” Russell: “Because more people will be happier if you do than if you don’t.” Student: “So what? I don’t care about other people.” Russell: “You should.” Student: “But why?” Russell: “Because more people will be happier if you do than if you don’t.”
A Brilliant Commercial Sadly Misunderstood
Few terms are so misused as “racist”. People use it to describe everything from Jim Crow to fashion magazines with too many white women in them. We’re suffering from a lack of language precision. Something that means everything means nothing. The commercial above, for example, is evidently considered racist because…well, I don’t know why. It’s ridiculous, in my…
Hyperbolic Humility
Me: “Dude, you’re like the master of hyperbole.” Him: “I’m actually the absolute worst at everything.” Me: “What about false humility?” Him: “I’m ok at that.”
Convincing Someone That the iPhone is Better is Like Convincing Someone That Good Art, Wine, or Cheese is Better
Basically, you can’t. Well, unless the other person happens to like–and have knowledge of–art, wine, or cheese. Imagine saying to someone who doesn’t care for art that a painting in a museum is “better” than a painting at Target. What exactly does better painting mean to a person who doesn’t like art? Precisely nothing. Or imagine going to…
Be Like Han
So Han’s walking down the halls of Bespin with his old friend Lando. Leia’s there, and lookin’ good. Han thinks he’s off to dinner – maybe some wine, a little flirting, and then back to the ol’ guest quarters with Her Hotness. But the door opens, and there’s Darth Vader. Han doesn’t look incredulously at Lando; he doesn’t…
Quote Drift
Quote Drift is the phenomenon where you have a quote you enjoy from a movie or T.V. show and you go around repeating it constantly for an extended period of time. But when you finally get around to watching the original piece again (an event you’re looking forward to) you discover that the original is quite different from…
What School Never Taught You About The Waterfall Method
If you studied computer science in any form in college you’ve no doubt heard about the Waterfall Method. It’s the classic, multi-phased and elaborate process for designing software. It’s taught as a standard method for development in thousands of schools all over the world, and yet its history has an interesting secret that virtually nobody knows about —…
The Consultant Joke
A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in an Armani suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie (Corb), leans out the window and asks the shepherd, “If I tell you exactly how many sheep you…
When Will Windows Be Ready For The Desktop?
You’d think certain things would come second nature to a major OS — things like network connection handling or returning to full functionality when coming out of standby. Well, with Windows XP these things haven’t quite happened yet. I connect to a lot of network shares and FTP sites in my line of work, and while doing so…
Why Consultants Have A Bad Name
I’ve always heard two things about IT consultants — 1. they make tons of money, and 2. they don’t know much. In short, I’ve always heard that as often as not, they’re largely unqualified to be advising anyone on anything. Well, now that I am one, I’ve been paying close attention to my surroundings. I won’t go into…
Wikiphilia
Wikiphilia n. Medical A mental illness characterized by the irrational conviction that any problem faced by a group can be rendered solvable through installation and use of a Wiki. This delusional ailment has been occurring in increasing numbers ever since it was first identified in 1995. Wikiphilia usually manifests in two distinct phases – the rapturous anticipation of…