I just posted this over at the Barbarian Blog and I realized it might actually be useful to post here as well.
So, here’s a roundup of some highlights from the last month. Of course you’re welcome to click around yourself, but I thought this might be helpful.
Anyway, I thought I’d do a quick roundup of some highlights from the site over the last month:
- We explained why shells don’t break when they’re dropped
- We wrote about the value of computers learning to forget some things rather than just remembering everything.
- We explained how having a baby is one of the only pleasant and planned hospital experiences (and made some sweet animated GIFs).
- We wrote a little about behavioral economics and health
- We posted a video where the folks from Jiminy Peak explain how wind turbines actually work
- We spent some time thinking about the aesthetics of wind
- We had an idea that maybe you could use GE asset management technology to prove that food was local
- We posted a video showing how they got the giant wind turbine to the top of Jiminy Peak
- We explained why it’s so important to keep babies warm (and also showed off the “Baby Susan” in GE’s OmniBed).
- We talked about the age of majority and why hospitals keep medical records for so long
I find it interesting that GE would hire a marketing company called the “Barbarian” Group and when you click on the link to your home page you describe your culture in the following way:
“Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as FEAR, surprise, art direction, design, technology, content creation, strategy, gaming, viral marketing, an almost radical devotion to Internet culture…”. You have 9 descriptions listed and FEAR was your first one…why is that?
As a champion of LOVE in Business, ( btw LOVE is the opposite of fear), I find it rather telling that you would list fear first. I’m curious, how do you use fear in your work? When compared to all the other weaponry in your arsenal, how well does fear work?
Just a thought… think Monster’s Inc.
Hi Susan!
I’m Rick, one of the partners over here, and the “author” of that quote. I use the word “author” loosely, since it’s actually an hommage – it’s a parody of a famous quote from Monty Python’s Flying Circus:
“NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…. Our *four*…no… *Amongst* our weapons…. Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise…. I’ll come in again.”
http://thinkexist.com/quotation/nobody_expects_the_spanish_inquisition-our_chief/345660.html
It’s a fairly well-known quote amongst internet geeks, and I was using it to mock my own inability to write a concise sentence. I suppose our clientele has evolved in the intervening years, however, and not everyone’s aware of Monty Python’s unique brand of 70’s British humor.
Rick,
You’re right, I’m not familiar with that quote, even though I have watched some Monty Python in my lifetime. I do still question why you chose to use it in your business description?
I don’t mean to be dramatic, but there’s nothing funny about fear in any form. You should know better than anyone (being in the business you’re in), there’s power in words…so we should all choose them wisely.
Thank you for the clarity…keep up the great dialogue
.
Susan
Definitely agree with you on that front. We thought the reference to Swedish Fish at the end would indicate that our tongues were firmly planted in cheek. Poke around on the site and I think you’ll see we’re definitely a harmless bunch of nice folk.