Mark’s posterous

Have an argument. Once you start an argument, not a discussion, you've already lost. Think about it: have you ever changed your mind because someone online started yelling at you? They might get you to shut up, but it's unlikely they've actually changed your opinion.

Eight good points I needed to read ... and that could help everyone from politicians to fundamentalist apologists. The "What Works?" section applies as much to life as it does to conversations online, of course.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I find it interesting that most of the resistance to self-publishing is coming from agents. Why? The primary thing an agent sells is “access.” I fully realize this isn’t the only thing, but I would argue it is the primary thing, especially for new authors. The agent offers access to acquisition editors who otherwise wouldn’t give a would-be author the time of day.

Michael Hyatt hits it on the nose: literary agents don't like self-publishing for the same reason real estate agents don't like web sites that empower home buyers to search home listings.

Access is an agent's primary product. Self-publishing (vanity publishing or print on demand) allows authors to go from manuscript to market with the click of a mouse. With that kind of technology in place, who needs the middleman?

What Mr. Hyatt fails to note, however, is this: the entire publishing industry is a middleman. As technology empowers writers to print, distribute, and gain attention for pennies per book ... why would anyone pay exorbitant fees to publishers for those services?

The agents, Michael, are just the canaries in the coal mine.

Police say a gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics, although medical experts say they doubt a major market for fat exists.

I *wondered* why that Peruvian travel agent was offering special low fares for "Passengers of Size."

Says the Senator Buttars: "I don't mind gays ... but I don't want 'em stuffing it down my throat all the time. Certainly not in my kid's face."

You can't make stuff like this up.

Nothing outstanding here -- though I do love the shot from the inside of Serious Pie that leads off this set.

Note to self: when shooting tourist attractions like the Public Market, take more than one shot of everything, just in case the lady in the Mountain Dew t-shirt goes strolling by again.

I'm all about The Box this weekend ... and for those of us mulling over the ramifications of a lifetime of choices, here's some much-needed relief from the guys over at FunnyOrDie.com.

6. Do not lead the witness with, “Bottled water or just tap?” Both are fine. Remain neutral.

7. Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.

8. Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.

9. Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically. It is not a soliloquy. This is not an audition.

10. Do not inject your personal favorites when explaining the specials.

If wait staff would honor just these five of the One Hundred Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do, the vast majority of my dining experiences would be improved 100%.

Another personal pet peeve, not on the list: when removing a dirty plate, don't ask me, "Still working?" Dining out is not my job, the dish is not an assignment, and eating it should not be labor.

In preparing this post, Erick asked me, “Is Apple is a media company?” I thought about that and the answer is really that Apple is what media companies are missing. The missing part of the puzzle is what made media conglomerates such juggernauts in the past. Namely, distribution.

On the nose! And while Apple, to this point, has had its greatest impact on music, movies, and television programming, its next target, with the release of the "Apple slate" will be books, newspapers, and magazines.

Instead of asking, "How can we force readers to continue to shop in bookstores?" or "How can we preserve the idea of the $25.00 hardback?" publishers should be asking, "How can we take advantage of the opportunities created when distribution of our product becomes effortless?" and "How can we make it more convenient than ever for readers to buy, recommend, and get the word out about our books?"

No matter how skillfully you announce bad news, it's likely to cause anxiety, result in at least a temporary drop in productivity, and prompt some of your valued employees to look for work elsewhere.

How can you deliver bad news in a way that minimizes the damage? Here's a four-part plan for announcing any kind of news that causes disappointment, whether it's not making the numbers, relocating facilities, or eliminating a valued perk.

In a nutshell: don't wait, be frank, offer context, and anticipate questions. Good advice that more companies should pay attention to when communicating unpleasant information.

I would love a capable, intelligently-designed alternative to the iPhone. Even if Droid doesn't inspire me to become a "switcher," the presence of a really great alternative to the iPhone can only make the iPhone better over the long term.