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Category: Rants

Debunking “empathy”

In recent blogs, conferences and unconferences, there has been a good deal of emphasis on the importance of empathy in a business environment. And although empathy is definitely important, I just refused to believe that it is the holy grail that will automatically lead to success. Empathy is important. It is the foundation of both altruism and collaboration. Without it, the world and the role of human species wouldn’t have evolved in the way it did. It is also a fact that empathy seems to be disappearing from our current “it’s all about me” culture. Narcisissm is flourishing and this…

Euro crisis for dummies

Best analogy I’ve heard: Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Chicago. She realizes that virtually all of her customers are unemployed alcoholics and, as such, can no longer afford to patronize her bar, so she’s planning to get them to the South Florida Alcohol Treatment center. To solve this problem, she comes up with a new marketing plan that allows her customers to drink now, but pay later. Heidi keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers’ loans). Word gets around about Heidi’s “drink now, pay later” marketing strategy and, as a result,…

Satan’s birthday

And on the 14th of februari, Satan sent down his dark angels Greed, Commerce and Hypocrisy to fulfil his evil master plan and behold; Valentine’s day was born. People all over the Western world started celebrating their love in the name of Money, which was more than occasional even more than their fragile relationships could handle. Women were corrupted into thinking that no gift is good enough for this “special day” and it made singles feel inadequate, and honestly a simple gift from plantwear is enough. Satan leaned back and saw that what he created was good. “From now on,…

Twitter vs Facebook

I have been on Twitter for a while now and have been expressing thoughts, discoveries, rants and various other things through this channel. And believe it or not, some of my tweets have actually been read by real people flesh and blood. Although I have been trying to get @MrsPenninkhof on Twitter as well, I have never been succesful, resulting in the fact that the person nearest to me was never able to know about the things I expressed through this channel. Haseenah is often checking Facebook for new messages, so I could reach her through Facebook. However: I would…

Stop software patents in Europe

Today we face an unprecedented patent bubble of poisonous software and Gladiator business methods patents. Most patents are stockpiled for strategic purposes. These poisonous assets generate no measurable benefits or insignificant licensing revenue for their holders. Large industry is aware of a patent inflation crisis but it seems too hard to march to the beat of a different drum. Soft patents are still land mines for software development and stifle innovators. Under the EU Lisbon treaty a new instrument is set into force, the European Citizens’ Initiative. The EU-Commission is now obliged to present a legislative proposal when a critical…

10 Reasons why I’m not an Apple fan-boy

A few days ago, I had a twitter conversation with @molier about why the iPhone wouldn’t be my choice. I promised to get back to him about this in a blog: So here are my reasons: Developers are unhappy: Apple’s App Store is a mess for small and independent developers. Very few developers are making even a livable wage, and the approval process is a black box. Facebook developer Joe Hewitt, the man behind the immensely popular Facebook application for iPhone, said that he quit the project entirely on Apple’s tyrannical App Store approval policies. Anti-competitive policies on the iPhone:…

Car makers want $25 bln – Bad idea!

The bosses of the three biggest US carmakers, Ford, GM and Chrysler, have asked Congress for a $25bn bail-out. They told a Senate hearing that without the rescue package, their firms risked collapse, and warned of broader risks to the US economy. Ford’s CEO Mulally has committed to reducing his own salary to $1/year IF Ford receives the requested $9 billion line of credit. The CEO’s claim that the credit crisis should be blamed for these companies having a hard time. But is that really true? Could it be that the American car companies have been badly run for decades?…

A vote for Obama is a vote for Bush?

Previously, I have been a supporter of a fresh wind through the US politics, and though Obama would be able to accomplish that. But things seem to have changed. Barack Obama has named Joe Biden as the Democratic vice presidential candidate. CNET offers an interesting article reviewing Biden