Some Advice For China

Posted on March 31, 2008 - Filed Under ideaDRUNK's ideas | 2 Comments

I was walking around the Eatons Centre in Toronto on Saturday when I came across a “demonstration”. I asked one of the participants what was going on, and was told that it was a “United China” rally. Wait … what? Since when do people protest FOR China? It’s like holding a pro-American rally in France. […]

These Graphs Show Universal Truths

Posted on March 27, 2008 - Filed Under Thought Starters | 4 Comments

I have written previously on information design and how by representing information in a graphical way, it is easier to understand. I believe that I have come across a couple of universal truths over the past couple of weeks. Instead of sharing them with you in a long-winded article, I thought that it would serve […]

The Wisdom of Crowds (Part 2)

Posted on March 24, 2008 - Filed Under On Ideation | Leave a Comment

Last week , we debunked the myth of the wisdom of crowds. Simple organisms, like ants, can benefit from flocking - individuals follow simple rules, but a complex behavior emerges. Kind of like how you get your McChicken meal at McDonald’s. Or the assembly line that Henry Ford put together.
Unfortunately, when we apply the theory […]

Schools Kill Creativity

Posted on March 20, 2008 - Filed Under Cool Ideas | Leave a Comment

Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating […]

The Wisdom of Crowds (Part 1)

Posted on March 17, 2008 - Filed Under On Ideation | 4 Comments

I was reading an excerpt from James Surowiecki’s book “The Wisdom of Crowds” and came across some interesting facts. Ants, as a species, are quite simple and stupid. Individually, they are unable to accomplish complex tasks. However, their intelligence grows as they interact with each other. The individual ants of limited intelligence follow a simple […]

A White Background

Posted on March 12, 2008 - Filed Under Random | 2 Comments

I was out with some people on Monday night when one of my friends told us a story about a visit he had to Newfoundland. He said that some people there had never seen a brown person before. It made me think. When I think of my friends, I don’t really think about race. Here […]

How to Create Great Ideas: Listen & Ignore

Posted on March 10, 2008 - Filed Under Brainstorming Techniques | 2 Comments

I believe that everyone aspires to have a great idea. One that adds tremendous value to your life. One that could even change the world. But a great idea requires a different mindset and approach than a good idea. Because a good idea is something that’s … just good. It doesn’t change a culture. It […]

Ode to Crayola

Posted on March 6, 2008 - Filed Under On Ideation | 4 Comments

I was reading a post on Nish’s site that lauded pencil crayons. Well, I am putting my stake in the ground. Pencil crayons are no match for regular crayons. You know the ones. Some good old fashioned Crayolas. You never really knew what they were made of, you might have eaten one, and one […]

Canada + iPhone = March 14th

Posted on March 4, 2008 - Filed Under Random | 3 Comments

I was reading Chris Thompson’s site and came across this article that makes a bold prediction:
March 14 2008 = iDay Canada.
That’s right. For a full list of reasons, check out the original article here. But in the interim, here’s brief summary:

A couple of web hacks on the Apple Canada site reveal a new iPhone page […]

What Is Advertising?

Posted on March 3, 2008 - Filed Under ideaDRUNK's ideas | Leave a Comment

I’m jealous. Of Mitch Joel (yes, he has two first names). He was rockin’ out at the TED conference this past weekend, absorbing knowledge from some of the smartest people on the planet. In reading this article on Twist Image, I came across an interesting quote:
“Advertising is the price companies pay for being unoriginal”
I think […]