Books you don't need in a place you can't find

Today's lesson: Play to your strengths. 

From Seth Godin's blog:

David points us to the Montague Bookmill. This is the bookstore of the future, because it's not a business trying to maximize growth and ROI. No, it's a place, an attitude, an approach to an afternoon. They don't sell every book, they don't even pretend to.

Just as vinyl records persist, an object of joy for some listeners and a profitable cottage business for some sellers, bookstores are going to become like gift stores. The goal isn't a commodity transaction with maximum selection at minimum price, the goal is an experience worth seeking out and paying for.

We're going to see more and more of these newly archaic industries turn into lifestyle businesses, which is what they used to be before Wall Street showed up.

Best of 2009

'Tis the season for lists and I'll not disappoint. The next few posts will likely all be lists. Many will focus on "Best of the Decade" but we need to close out 2009 first. Without further ado here are some of my faves from 2009:

MUSIC

1. Gimme Sympathy - Metric
2. Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z
3. Kids - MGMT (released in Oct. '08 but everywhere in '09)
4. Sometime Around Midnight - The Airborne Toxic Event
5. Love is a First - The Tragically Hip
6. One Track Mind - Classified
7. One Day - Matisyahu
8. Follow Me - Cuff the Duke (love the whole album but in the year of Twitter I had to go with this one)
9. Cornerstone - Arctic Monkeys
10. I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris - Morrissey

HONOURABLE MENTION:
Being Here - The Stills
Sweet Child 'O Mine - Taken By Trees
I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman - K-OS
Laces Out - USS
Sweet Tides - Thievery Corporation

MOVIES
Sadly, my movie going took a major hit this year so I can't really put together a 'Best Of' list for 2009. That said, I did just see Up and Star Trek and highly recommend them both. Also, you should take in the documentary Trouble the Water; it was nominated for a 2008 Academy Award, losing out to the also amazing Man on Wire.

BOOKS
It is not a 2009 book, but I read it this year and can't recommend it enough. Do yourself a favour a read What is the What by Dave Eggers. It is immensely sad while also being hopeful and inspiring. An incredible book. 

Seth Godin's free ebook of big ideas

Seth Godin has compiled a new, FREE(!) ebook called What Matters Now. Here's some information about it and a link to where you can download it. A worthy read for some 2010 inspiration while you roast chestnuts by the open fire this holiday season.

Now, more than ever, we need to shake things up.

Now, more than ever, we need a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around. I hope a new ebook I've organized will get you started on that path. It took months, but I think you'll find it worth it the effort. (Download here).

Here are more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O'Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here. The ebook includes Tom Peters, Jackie Huba and Jason Fried, along with Gina Trapani, Bill Taylor and Alan Webber.

Today's something or other #47

Are you ready for some Jihad?! Well, we had Fantasy Football: The Musical, so I guess, why not?

From Football Outsiders:

Mike Tanier reviews Monday Night Jihad, Jason Elam's novel about a linebacker turned government operative tracking a tight end turned international terrorist. Yes, that's actually the plot.

The book review is priceless, here are a couple choice quotes:

“...the novel plays out like an elaborate game of learning-disabled cat and narcoleptic mouse...”

“They create intentionally silly dialogue that seems to insult the reader's intelligence while rewarding deeper analysts who appreciate the sardonic irony.”

Angry Store Owner Assaults Yelp Reviewer Who Called Her Store "a Total Mess"

From Fast Company:

Man pans bookstore on Yelp. Bookstore owner tracks him down, writes harassing emails, and tries to break into his house. Man responds by calling police--and Yelping about the entire experience.

In what can only be described as a paradigm of Internet justice, a California Yelp user named 'Sean C.' was able to follow up his initial negative review of a San Fransisco bookstore with this gem:



The user created a Flickr set of screenshots containing threatening message that the bookstore owner had sent. Only once he produced the screenshots did a Yelp administrator offer to help Sean C. stop the harassment, according to Gawker.



As Gawker notes, the store owner's swings between plaintive hurt ('I have no money to pay for help') and outright fury ('Do you not have a girlfriend... I can see why') are perhaps unique to that unique brand of Internet passive aggression that allows for brutal, anonymous honesty.

The bookstore owner was arrested and placed in psychiatric holding, and has been served with a restraining order, according to Sean C.

The power of righteous indignation

Dude Drops His Kindle 2, Convinces Amazon to Replace it and Pay Him $200 For His Troubles [Balls] - from Gizmodo by Adam Frucci



Behold, the power of a scary-sounding letter from a lawyer! Paul dropped his Kindle 2 and it broke. Amazon wanted $200 to replace it. Instead, they replaced it and gave him an additional $200. Damn, son!

Seriously, how badass is this letter he sent to Amazon?

Paul Gowder
[Address omitted]

August 12, 2009

Amazon.com Inc.
Legal Department
1200 12th Avenue South
Suite 1200
Seattle, WA 98144-2734

Dear Sir or Madam:

On June 21, 2009, I purchased an Kindle 2 e-book reader from the Amazon.com website. I purchased this device based, in substantial part, on the expectation that it would be reasonably durable. In particular, I expected that it would be approximately as durable as is ordinary in the consumer electronics market.

Amazon.com advertises the Kindle 2 on the basis of its durability. Notably, Amazon.com displays a 'drop test' video on the web page for this product. That video displays the device being dropped twice from thirty inches onto what appears to be tile. That video displays a fall with sufficient force that the device visibly bounces, and deliberately creates the impression that the device will function after impacts similar to that sequence of drops.

Despite those representations, the Kindle 2 is far less durable. On July 26, 2009, I dropped a messenger bag containing the device onto the sidewalk, from approximately two feet above the ground. It was dropped only once, and the messenger bag absorbed enough of the shock that nothing else in the bag, including a Macbook laptop, suffered any damage whatsoever. (Unlike the drop displayed in Amazon.com's video, for example, nothing actually bounced.) Moreover, there was no visible damage on the exterior of the Kindle 2. Nonetheless, the Kindle 2 became completely unusable, with over 50% of its screen no longer able to display any text.

I called Amazon.com support and was told that, because of the accidental drop, you would not be willing to supply a replacement device under warranty. You did, however, offer to sell a new device at a discount, for $200.00. I took advantage of that offer under protest, and explicitly reserved my rights to bring a claim against you based on the unreasonable fragility of the device and the misrepresentations in your advertising. It is that claim that forms the subject of this letter.

I am prepared to offer an immediate settlement of my claims against Amazon.com for a payment of $400.00. That sum represents the $200.00 replacement fee I paid plus $200.00 to compensate me for the diminution of utility and value of the device as well as of the e-books I have purchased for that device, in light of the fact that the replacement device, too, can be expected to be far more fragile than advertised and prone to destruction under the slightest stress. This offer expires thirty days from your receipt of this letter. If you do not accept this offer, I intend to bring suit either individually, or, if I decide it is warranted, as representative for a class of similarly situated plaintiffs. At that time, I will seek the amount noted above, plus punitive damages under the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Cal. Civil Code §1750 et. seq., costs, fees, and such other monetary damages as provided for by law, including without limitation Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §17200 et. seq., the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and other relevant law.

Also, you have demanded the return of the broken device as a condition to the unreasonable discounted replacement offer which I accepted under protest. Your agent has informed me that you will charge my credit card for the full price if the broken device is not returned to you. I am considering seeking a protective order placing that device in the custody of the Court pending litigation. However, should I instead return the device, you are hereby notified that it is evidence in the anticipated litigation to which this letter refers. Should you modify, destroy, or resell the broken device, I will ask the Court to treat that as deliberate spoliation of evidence and make adverse inferences as appropriate.

Very truly yours,

Paul Gowder
And here's Amazon's response:



Pretty awesome. Just goes to show that if you put your somewhat-unreasonable request in an official-looking form and also threaten to sue, big companies will be happy to toss a token amount of money your way to make you go away. [Consumerist]

Today's Something or Other

"I don't want tea. Tea is the past."

- Kathleen to Monroe Stahr in Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon

Read anything good lately? Wanna share?

Ever wanted to join a book club but not had the time? Nah, me neither but I do like to hear what other people are reading and if they have any good recommendations for me. I'm also asked from time to time by friends for book recommendations so I thought this website was pretty cool when I stumbled across it.

Have you ever wanted a better way to:

• See what your friends are reading?
• Keep track of what you've read and what you'd like to read?
• Get great book recommendations from people you know

Well, now there is an easy way to do that with Good Reads.

If you want to see my Good Reads page click here. (Make fun of my book selections at your peril you heartless b*stards!! Thanks for reading!)

And remember, if you can't be a book, read one. Huh??

2007: The Year in Music & Movies

MUSIC

Songs of the Year

Umbrella – Rihanna
Grace Kelly – Mika
1234 – Feist
Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John
Rehab – Amy Winehouse
Stronger – Kanye West

My Personal Faves
1. Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John; the ubiquitous indie rock song of the summer; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48hcp-zDpg4

2. Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control) – Groove Armada; in a perfect world this would have been the song of the year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lMJW4V49Yc

3. Stronger – Kanye West; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSh_MLNcY

4. Grace Kelly – Mika (the most fun song of the year); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzA0nG_PurQ; see also: Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)

5. The Great Escape – Patrick Watson; also see: Luscious Life, Drifters; PW was the surprise winner of the 2007 Polaris Prize; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA2h9PrIUxs

6. Phantom Limb – the Shins; this one grows on you more and more with each listen; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkITsv3Nk6M

7. Flathead – The Fratellis; big time exuberance and fun (“saw you one time at the back of the club chewing on glass and a ticket stub”); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQK8rYZNHY; also see: Chelsea Dagger, Whistle for the Choir

8. You Know I’m No Good – Amy Winehouse; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFVM5pVTwkM; also see Rehab. You’ve now heard them each a million times but they were so fresh when they came out. They’ve also proven sadly prophetic.

9. Dashboard – Modest Mouse; the energy build on this song is fantastic; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erc40wCxRZo

10. ‘Antichrist Television Blues’ – Arcade Fire; also see Intervention, Windowsill

Other Notables:
- Fluorescent Adolescent – Arctic Monkeys; also see: Teddy Picker, Yellow Sun
-I’m Slowly Turning Into You – The White Stripes; also see: Icky Thump, You Don’t Know What Love Is, A Martyr For My Love For You
- Smile – Lily Allen; also see: L.D.N.
- My Moon My Man – Feist (“1234” got the iPod commercial and the Grammy nod, but I prefer the jazzy sound of MMMM); also see: 1234
- Civil Twilight – The Weakerthans; also see: Tournament of Hearts (a song that uses curling as a metaphor… awesome!)
- Into Action – Tim Armstrong; great vibe and energy
- Thou Shalt Always Kill – Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip; an instant obsession
- Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex – CSS; gotta love this English is not our first language offering;
- Umbrella – Rihanna; the “ella… ella… ella” thing gets annoying but the rest of the song is excellent and just try getting it out of your head
- D.A.N.C.E. – Justice; This might be the coolest music video of the year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8bwZf3vXjg

MOVIES

My Faves – in theatres:
Hot Fuzz
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country For Old Men
Ratatouille
Knocked Up

Honourable Mention:
The Lookout – it is hard to believe that one of the kids from 3rd Rock From the Sun (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is on the verge of developing into one of the top actors of his generation but here you go
2 Days In Paris
Paris Je T’aime
The Simpsons Movie (a must see if you are a fan; if you are not, it is still pretty funny)

Biggest Disappointments:
Spiderman 3
Superbad

My Faves – on DVD (movies watched in 2007, not necessarily released in 2007)
Bon Cop, Bad Cop
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Last King Of Scotland
Little Miss Sunshine
The Break Up
Zodiac

Movie Line of the Year: "Madness...? THIS... IS... SPARTA!" – King Leonidas, 300

Runner-up: [Singing tune to Spider-Man theme song] "Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig / Does whatever a Spider-Pig does / Can he swing / from a web? / No he can't / He's a pig / Look out! / He is the Spider-Pig!" – Homer Simpson, The Simpsons Movie

BOOKS

Best read of the year: De Niro’s Game – Rawi Hage

Other Notables:
Man Walks into a Pub – Pete Brown
Galveston – Paul Quarrington
The Egyptologist – Arthur Phillips