I was examining a new book (Precious Objects by Alicia Oltuski) this past weekend. Not because I am interested in the diamond business per sé, but because I know a few who are so engaged and also know it’s a bastion of activity for Orthodox Jewry. What most may not know is that this entire business is built on trust. Not a lot is written down.
Monthly Archives: July 2011
Exercise Early. Exercise Late. For Brain, Health, & Weight!
A research examination of some 111 studies was effected by Drs. Kramer, Voss, Nagarnatsu, and Liu-Ambrose (first two from the University of Illinois-Urbana, the latter two from University of British Columbia) and published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Obviously, literature searches do not provide new information. Rather, they serve to coalesce existing information into patterns and conclusions, as was provided by this compilation.
Continue reading Exercise Early. Exercise Late. For Brain, Health, & Weight!
Metabolomics? Are you kidding me?
A “new” study of chemical processes in living things is being evaluated; it’s called metabolomics. Basically, one studies the end products of cellular processes. It was first proposed after World War II, when paper chromatography was in vogue- and which did not afford enough data for the study to truly advance. Then, gas chromatography/mass spectrometers were developed (1970’s), which let us really begin to study the metabolites, along with the development of NMR spectroscopy.
“Who are you?… Who? Who? Who? Who?”
OK. I am serial entrepreneur. But, each venture has been different. No sequels. As opposed to Hollywood, where risk taking is no longer practiced. Transformers 3. Hangover 2 (one wasn’t enough?) Harry Potter 7+ (I guess they knew what Google had planned)…etc. Even our presidential campaigns. Newt 2+ (or is that minus?) Mitt 2. Palin 2 maybe…Oh, wait- did I just violate her trademark? (and what would that connote, anyway?) But, that is not the subject of this article. I was going to talk about branding. Brands don’t allow for inconsistent images. When we develop OUR brand, it has to be clear- but able to grow with time. There was a time when Coca Cola would never have used the term “Coke” for anything but Coca Cola. Now, there’s Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Coke, Classic Coke, Vanilla Coke, Coke Cherry, et. al… Obviously, Coca Cola’s concept of a brand has changed. Brand management is a technique that was pioneered by Procter and Gamble. P&G defined the concept that the brand connotes a promise made to the consumer; the company needed to maintain that promise, position the concept in the marketplace, and then insuring the customer gets that promise delivered each and every time. Brand management gets the customer committed to the brand, just as the company is committed to the customer. And, the brand connotes quality. That concept was extended to personal brand management in a book by Al Ries and Jack Trout (Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind). At the time, we used that book as the bible for our clients’ brands- and our services to our clients. It makes it clear to our chosen niche what can be expected from us.
Let’s invent a new word, so it sounds better…
Did you know that your yoghurt has an infection? And, it’s still allowed to be sold? Of course, you did? (Didn’t you?)
Continue reading Let’s invent a new word, so it sounds better…
Big Brother is Coming to Town- YOUR town!
Come on- you know you watch TV. The dozens of programs all showing spy cameras that prevail on our streets. Within seconds, someone claims they are going to do “facial recognition” of these fuzzy images to identify and compare them to the driver’s license photos. Well, unless these are NSA grade materials, that is not happening- yet!
Hope for TBI patients
I wish we did not have to do these kinds of studies. But, this one will help our troops, our athletes, car crash victims, and a whole bunch more. The US Department of Defense commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM, associated the the National Academies, where our best and our brightest serve voluntarily) to study traumatic brain injury(TBI). One of the problems is that we have not yet characterized the biomechanics of TBI, so this study was devoted to the treatment (nutritional aspect) of patients who suffer TBI.
Another one bites the dust
By now, I am sure you’ve all heard that Google Health will cease accepting new data at the end of this year. And, by 2013, you will had to migrate it to another site (Microsoft HealthVault is building links to let you do that seamlessly.)
Ready? Set? (Hopefully, you won’t go…)
I know, I know. We don’t talk about these in polite company. Well, I will be the 900 pound gorilla. And, I will be direct. Those of you who know me well will not be surprised.
The end of an era? What it really means!
The end of an era. The news claims it started 30 years ago. The era of shuttle flights. But, really, the first shuttle’s genesis started when I entered college in 1968, or when President Nixon signed the bill approving its development and construction in 1971. And, the water system development happened in mid-70s. But, this discussion really isn’t about the space shuttle.