chrispycrunch's Xanga

Barry Schwartz: The real crisis? We Stopped Being Wise

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:44:55 GMT

1)

2) Buffett Quote of the day: "You can't produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant."

Wall Street Stocks and Fatherhood

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

I came across Michael Lewis as I immersed myself in the KaChing.com world. It is unique to hear a block buster writer about wall street talk about fatherhood:

http://fora.tv/2009/06/01/Michael_Lewis_The_End_of_Wall_Street#fullprogram

About KaChing, the virtual stock trading game, things just got real! I won the $1,500 stock research writing challenge.

Now I have $1,500 more. I'm tempted to go all-out buying technology toys, like a netbook, so I can do more writing (and probably more surfing on a 10 inch screen). I asked this in my last post...but what would you do with $1,500?

I am thinking:

Vacation
netbook from Asus or MSI
Sony alpha camera 'prime' lenses (my camera, and this xanga blog, is suffering due to lack of photography!)
Save it for now instead of spending it all (notice clothing stores are empty now?)

Also, I'm on Twitter.
Here is my twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chrispycrunch

Are you a twitter junkie?

Surprise from Microsoft

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:51:00 GMT

I have been chugging away and writing fun research reports about companies. One of them is Microsoft. After writing about things that everyone already knows, I then found out the Microsoft is improving its search engine.

I did not give it much thought.

Today I read an article about bing. The title of the article was about how Microsoft "sucks less."

That convinced me to give bing a try. You know what? it's quite good! It's clean and uncluttered:

http://www.bing.com/

What do you think of Bing?

Start a Change - Social Networking Style

Wed, 27 May 2009 22:45:37 GMT

This TED site has speakers who are very inspiring. The one here is about we social beings. It's about being a leader of change. What better way to gain charisma than to be a leader, right?

I've been quiet on my blog. One reason is that I'm entering another contest. It's for research writing for stocks. Grand prize, $1,500.

What would you do with $1,500 if you won?

Many users on kaChing.com already think I am going to win. Thinking that is distracting, but here's the URL if you want to see how I am doing:
http://www.kaching.com/kaching#portfolio/5916/analytics

An ancient smile may predict a modern divorce

Wed, 13 May 2009 01:33:00 GMT

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13570080

What do you think of this article? I agree there is a correlation, but I do not agree with the explanation.
Quite simply, people want to be with happier people. People stick together to be more happy, not less. People who are easy going are more likely to smile.

What's interesting is that cameras capture this, or seem to, as implied by the article.

The article doesn't really offer a solution. For example, if people are less likely to smile for whatever reason, is there no reason to then put a greater effort to stick together?

I Won (2nd and 3rd)

Mon, 04 May 2009 23:57:44 GMT

Below are the results from blogidol.ca. This is a blogging contest that played on the same theme as American Idol. One thing I do want to say is that blogging on Xanga over the years worked out as practice for contests and opportunities like the one below. It is for this reason that I really believe in the benefits of blogging (as opposed to "twittering" or facebooking).

I hope that below's results encourage Xangans to keep on blogging. I'm not Dan or TheTheologiansCafe but elsewhere my efforts did result in accomplishing something.

Take that, Twitter! Blogging Idol winner prove the value of in-depth writing

For immediate release

TAKE THAT, TWITTER! BLOGGING IDOL WINNERS PROVE THE VALUE OF IN-DEPTH WRITING

TORONTO – ComputerWorld Canada, the national voice for IT professionals, is pleased to announce its readers’ choice of Pedro Cardoso as the grand prize winner in its 2009 Blogging Idol contest.

Cardoso, IT director for a medical technology firm, generated the most overall traffic in a contest that asked ComputerWorld Canada readers to post contributions to a special “Blogging Idol” Web site. Contestants were each given a weekly theme by the editors of ComputerWorld Canada. Cardoso not only generated the most traffic but was also among the most prolific of the 15 competitors over a six-week period.

In his last post of the contest, Cardoso reflected on what the experience of blogging had taught him and the merits of Blogging Idol specifically.

“It has truly been an experience that has not just met, but exceeded my expectations,” he wrote. “I hope there will be a third installment of Blogging Idol, and that the great work that IT World Canada is doing, sponsoring great programs and initiatives such as this, will continue to nurture and foster the Canadian blogging scene.”

Chris Lau, who returned to Blogging Idol after winning third place last year, won the second prize of a Nikon CoolPix digital camera, for generating the most traffic for a single post, on Windows 7. Lau also won the third prize of a $100 Best Buy gift certificate for generating the second-highest overall traffic.

“In the context of the contest, views were the main driver so we all needed to learn about social networks, Twitter, and learning to use keyword searching to our advantage,” he wrote in a comment on Cardoso’s blog. “I was certainly pushed to go beyond what I thought I could accomplish. It’s motivating to race against the No. 1 who set the bar so high.”

“We were extremely impressed not only by the quantity of posts but the creative use of images, deep linking and particularly the Canadian insights from each of our contestants,” said Dave Webb, Editor of ComputerWorld Canada. “In an age of 140-word messages, it’s gratifying to see so many technology professionals willing to write – and read – more comprehensive, thought-out analysis of how IT is changing business.”

IT World Canada editors are going over all the posts and will be announcing a fourth winner later this week for pure writing ability based on a single post or a series of posts. This winner will be given a complementary pass to Search Engine Strategies Toronto, taking place in early June.

“The Blogging Idol contestants make me feel lazy,” said Shane Schick, Editor-in-Chief of IT World Canada. “They work full-time jobs and managed to post during the day, at night and over the weekends. We sincerely appreciate the investment of their time and talent, which is raising the IT conversation in Canada to a new level.”

Contestants from Blogging Idol will be invited to continue showcasing their work and adding their voices to IT World’s network of blogs at http://blogs.itworldcanada.com.

About IT World Canada Inc.

IT World Canada is the information resource of choice for Canadian IT professionals. For more than 25 years, the Toronto-based company has been building relationships with Canada’s IT professionals through leading publications including: CIO Canada, Network World Canada, ComputerWorld Canada, DI Informatique and CDN, as well as the Web sites ITWorldCanada.com, ITBusiness.ca and PCworld.ca.

IT World Canada is the Canadian affiliate of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s largest IT information provider. IDG publishes more than 300 publications worldwide. IDG also provides IT market analysis through 49 offices in 41 countries worldwide. One hundred million people read one or more IDG publications each month.

For further information: Shane Schick, Editor-in-Chief IT World Canada, (416)290-0240 ext. 349, sschick at itworldcanada.com; Fawn Annan, Vice President and Chief Strategist, (416) 290-0240 ext. 171,
fannan at itworldcanada.com

Friday Funny

Fri, 01 May 2009 23:26:54 GMT

Yes, swine flu H1N1 is a serious thing...but this is a classic.
Happy Friday.

Photography.

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:51:38 GMT

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" - Seneca

I like this line. This can apply for anything. For relationships, for jobs, life...anything. But...guess where I got this from? A photography magazine - Popular Photography.

Photography can therefore teach you about life...but blah blah blah...back to photography.

Taking good pictures has to do with taking many bad ones from before, learning from it (well, archiving or deleting those photos)...and...when the time is right..when you're given that opportunity...that's when all the past preparations matter.

Your Xanga Subscription Favorite

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:01:11 GMT

Are you sometimes in a rush and want the low-down on updates from someone?

I'm feeling that moment right now on Xanga. Admittedly, I've not been on Xanga much. When I was on, I would look for bloggers to subscribe to.

So who's your favorite subscription or subscriptions and why?

My favorite subscriptions are from writers who talk about (1) relationships (2) something unique and (3) write with great candor. #3 is my favorite type of writer. For some reason the ones who cut past the fluff and give it to you how it is appeals to me most.

PS
I have been spending my time on a writing competition:
Check out my entries. http://blogs.itworldcanada.com/idol/author/clau/

I have also been spending a lot of time on KaChing. It's a site that allows you to manage $10,000,000 in pretend money. Later this year they want to link people's trading account to your portfolio to mimic your trade.

This is me. http://www.kaching.com/kaching#portfolio/5916/holdings
I have over 280 followers. My Beginner's guide has 130 members and my group called "Intelligent Investing" has over 300. My principles remain the same for investing: have patience, act when you need to act, and build a network of connections to share ideas.

Adapt to Change

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:05:41 GMT

This video hit the spot.

I've read many books that spoke of change. Now is especially the time that we need to adapt to change and to not be stuck on the old ways things are done.

Do you get the chills when you see something that totally hit the spot...something that you feel relates to you spot on? This Bruce Lee video did.

I still have a trilogy of Bruce Lee videos sitting and waiting to be watched.