Video: Reward Systems For Cognitive Workers

Interesting video from Dan Pink, via Robert Scoble.

Here's my take away.

• Algorithmic (if...then) tasks respond well with a "carrot and stick" reward system.


• Once any, even rudimentary, cognitive thought process is required, these reward systems are no longer effective.
  
  
  • Initially, cognitive workers must be paid a wage which takes money away from the equation.
  • Cognitive workers respond better to Autonomy (not compliance)
  • Cognitive workers aspire to mastery. They want to work somewhere that inspire transcendent motives, not just profit motives. Making the world a better place.

Quotes: Love and Failure

First, I welcome a frequent contributor and my personal lover, Denise. I finally figured out how to give her a log-in, so she can share her positive messages with the blog.

Next, a bizarre love quote. At least I think its a love quote.

I'm going to memorize your name and throw my head away. Oscar Levant

and another, don't forget, mistakes are synonymous with learning.

"No one talks of failure as anything but shameful; this is wrongheaded and foolish ... Mistakes are synonymous with learning. Failing is unavoidable. Making is a process, not an end. It is true that deep experience helps avoid problems, but mainly it gives you mental tools with which to solve inevitable problems when they come up."

-Tom Jennings, as quoted in Mark Frauenfelder's excellent new book, Made by Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World

Live in the Moment

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. - Buddha

I recently ran across a blog Tiny Buddha- Simple wisdom for Complex Lives. It contains such interesting life topics.

One thought to ponder:

"Telling someone you love them, not because you want to hear it back, but because you feel it too deeply not to express it. Because expressing it makes you happy."

Today I tell you my Lover, my soul mate, my best friend, and life partner that I adore you and love you to my inner core. I see your beautiful smiling face and it fills me with a strong Spirit that I can only equate to my Higher Being. I see the magic in life when you are by my side.

Te Amo Corazon.

Sustainable Living: Agarita Creek Farms

Thought this might be interesting research for the family compound. Looks like they also encourage visitors and learning in Fredericksburg.

Agarita Creek Farms is a working experiment in self-sufficient and sustainable family farming located in Fredericksburg, Texas. It is operated by Beverly and Tom Carnes, who have no previous farming or ranching experience, but who have an enduring commitment to farming and ranching in a responsible, sustainable, and humane manner, as shepherds to their flock and as stewards to their land.

Development: .Net Micro Framework

Just found these projects using the .Net Micro Framework. This enables development for smaller embedded devices, through a developed and often used IDE.

This example uses a FEZ Board to control a Rock Band stage kit through a USB controller.

The implications for science fair projects are enormous!

Love: Love and Purpose

Combination of two favorite business type bloggers and artists, Gaping Void and Seth Godin.



Seth Godin's simple steps for everything.

1. Go, make something happen.
2. Do work you're proud of.
3. Treat people with respect.
4. Make big promises and keep them.
5. Ship it out the door.

When in doubt, see #1.

Picture: Isaac and Dad Jam

Denise, Isaac, and I were having a family jam, learning the chords to "House of the Rising Sun," when Isaac requested playing the bass to the song. Denise took the picture of the results.

It was awesome! He began learning to hear the chord changes, and we were playing the song very quickly together.

Google: PacMan Home Page Site

Google gave the Pac Man page a permanent residence. Now you can make it your homepage.

Ukulele: Tri-Tabs

Must check out these tabs using the top three strings of the ukulele.

Love: Love Forever

Amazing, Wouldn't it be fantastic to hand out these business cards. via gapingvoid.

DIY: PVC Didgeridoo

Fantastic project working with PVC. Even works as a good science fair project due to the calculation of pipe lengths using the speed of sound.







via Maker

Organization: The Last 10 Percent

This article from Seth Godin, describes the cost of doing anything professionally. The difference is the last 10%. He concludes that the additional costs are not only worth it, they are essential. "The secret is to seek out the work that most people believe isn't worth the effort. That's what you get paid for."

Perhaps this effort level crosses over to all things. From doing your work, to mowing your yard. However, I can also see the pitfalls, of not blending this philosophy with the "ship fast, and ship often" mantra. Can't get so caught up in perfection that the product never moves out the door.

Games: Gluey

Try this one out.

GeoCaching: Texas State Parks

Need to check this out for the Houston area for starters.

Music: Beatles To The Rescue

It seems the Beatles were a bit hazy when they came up with these zen-like lyrics. Hazy or not, perhaps they describe a certain personality type accurately.

Quotes: Good Manners

We frequently remind Isaac of the same idea. Glad to see it in the daily quotes.

Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot. Clarence Thomas

Quotes: Daily Affirmation

I find myself watching this over and over again, telling myself to keep living in the moment. "Everything is Great!"

Quote: Definition of Insanity

I've used this quote frequently when developing applications. When debugging, it's tempting (and easier) to suspect some magical solution to a difficult problem. I even used it on Isaac just last week.

I had often attributed it to a clever, old boss of mine. But the the credit appropriately belongs to Albert Einstein.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Environment: Japanese Snow Monkeys

How can you not love these Japanese macaques?

It turns out they have many characteristics previously only thought to be human. Such as: intricate oral traditions, capacity to pass information across generations, their accent (or pitch) varies by postcode, and each individual is capable of numerous different facial expressions.