How creativity is being strangled by the law. A TED presentation by Larry Lessig of the Creative Commons.

(Thanks Justin)… more

In an interview in Mirror, outspoken TV chef and author Anthony Bourdain (his new book is No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach) had this interesting bit to say about vegetarianism being at odds with curiosity:

Okay. Here’s the thing. I don’t believe in fundamentalism of any kind. I believe that curiosity is my greatest and maybe my only virtue. I think a willingness to try other things in travelling is compulsory. So on that basis vegetarianism really offends me. If you’re Hindu, fine. I get it. If you’re in India and you grew up with a vegetarian regime, this is your life.… more

Many years ago, back while I was in high school and college, I worked the Bulk Foods department at the Real Canadian Superstores (a sprawling green grocery box store). Not the world’s most exciting job – “Clean-up on isle 3!” – but it did offer a goldmine of insight into consumer behaviour – how people shopped, who bought what, what caught their eye, and the knowledge that people would actually wrestle other people for bargain bin items.

Bulk foods, in particular, offered shoppers an abundance choice – almost too many different nuts, powders, candies, spices, cookies, and mixes to choose from.… more

A recipe for creating new products: According to this WSJ article, “take two completely separate categories. Combine.”… more

A fun vid looking back on the last several years of web virals: We Didn’t Start the Viral.

(Thanks Randy)… more

The important thing is not to stop questioning. — Albert Einstein… more

It is at once a story of humanity’s brutality and resiliency. A difficult read though in clear well-written casual language, A Long Way Gone is the startling account of a likable 12-year-old Sierra Leone boy’s terrible turn as a soldier in that country’s violent civil war in the 1990s. In the book, author Ishmael Beah, now 27 and living in New York, recounts the day rebels attacked his village, breaking his family apart, and forcing him and his friends to flee. What follows is an unbelievably frightening series of events.

He tells of the subsequent confusion and struggle to survive while on the run in the jungle and the distrust that young males like him faced among the adults they encountered.… more

Learn something new today. Here‘s a fascinating YouTube video by Nate Harrison about a 6-second drum loop — the “Amen Break,” a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969 — that’s played an extraordinary role in the evolution of music.

Interesting video in itself but even more so because of a key argument within it about intellectual property, stifling copyright practices, and how creativity grows from building on past creativity. Thousands of new songs and even entire new genres and sub-genres happened because something as seemingly insignificant as a 6-second drum sample was allowed, unofficially at least, to live in the public domain.… more

I’ve really enjoyed reading Gareth Kay‘s three part series about how to achieve better brand and ad strategic planning. It’s based on a presentation he delivered this summer at the VCU Adcenter in Richmond. Pretty versatile pointers, actually. They are:

#1 Do strategy and execution together
#2 Make lots of stuff that is a collection of strategic and executional ideas around a theme
#3 Great solutions require great problems
#4 Give your brand a point of view
#5 Use media and technology as a strategic weapon
#6 Stop focusing on ‘what the advertising should say’
#7 Do lots of stuff, learn, do lots more stuff

Be sure to follow the links above and read his whole posts.… more

While in NYC a couple weeks ago I stopped in again at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on West 26th Street. Always good experimental comedy and improv happening there. The act for the show I saw this time was the monthly performance by Variety Shac, a four-woman troupe featuring Shonali Bhowmik, Heather Lawless, Andrea Rosen, and Chelsea Peretti. Heather wasn’t there but Shonali regaled us with a couple guitar songs, Andrea and Chelsea both did a couple hilarious stand-up sets, and a few other guests rounded out the show. These ladies are very funny – expect to see more of them.… more