:Michael Anuzis

Sorry for the delay in posting - work has been quite busy. To make it up to you I’m giving out four $25 Kiva gift certificates to the first four people to claim them in a comment on this post. It’s basically $25 you can do what you want with, but I hope you will lend them out at least once before you choose to withdraw the money for yourself.

For those of you unfamiliar with Kiva, it’s a way to invest in an entrepreneur in a developing country. There’s a 97% likelihood they’ll pay you back, which is really great. When the entrepreneur pays you back, you can withdraw your money or re-lend it to another entrepreneur - whatever you want! Here’s a quick clip on Kiva for those interested:

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I try not to write about boring personal stuff in this blog, but a colleague and I made front page of the Detroit News Business section yesterday for our work on Google Apps for Education.

[Read the Full Article Here]

To make this post more worth your time, I should tell you that if you know any small/mid business owners, they’ll love you if tell them about the Google Apps Standard Edition. In short, it’ll give them a custom-branded e-mail solution with free anti-spam and anti-virus while saving them thousands per year. No joke.

In closing, I’m not allowed to speak on behalf of Google so this post is purely informative and of my own opinion.

Update: Just came across a great 1min57sec Google Apps ‘Quick Tour’ for those interested:

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If you hear me say ‘uh’ or ‘um’ I will give you five dollars. This offer stands until the day I die.

This goes for in person and in my podcasts as well (I’ll PayPal you the money if you’re outside Michigan).

Fine print:
1) I’ll only pay $5 once per ‘uh’ or ‘um’ said. (Replaying a recording of me saying ‘uh’ or ‘um’ ten times will only get you $5 once.)
2) If the ‘uh’ or ‘um’ is in a podcast, the first person to point it out in a comment will be the only person eligible to receive the cash.
3) This commitment is effective from here forward. Past podcasts are not eligible!

Fun fact: This commitment was inspired by the following YouTube video.

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– and unless you’re already a raging egomaniac, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In this brief podcast I share some recent findings from cognitive psychology and explain why your current and potential intelligence is greater than you think.

 You're Smarter Than You Think [15:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Death is often associated with fear and suffering. In this short podcast I debase the common reasons and make the argument for a jolly old time. Let’s start on your deathbed and ask some casual questions from there.

 Thoughts on Death [12:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This vidcast is a true story of negotiating a pay raise from $12/hr to $300/hr using basic Game Theory. I keep the explanation nice and simple for an intro Game Theory lesson. If you finds this useful let me know and I’ll continue the series.

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Just a brief podcast on appreciating life in 2007.

 My Kingdom for a Podcast [8:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I could watch these talks on my last day to live & consider it time well spent - two more brilliant TED presentations:

1) UK astronomer, Sir Martin Rees - takes us from the big bang through 600 million years in the future of evolutionary life on Earth with creatures that are as different from us as we are from bacteria.

2) Robert Wright - on the acceleration of technological evolution as launched on the same trajectory as human evolution - discussed in the context of world peace & moral introspection.

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The new TED talks are out - get ‘em while they’re hot!

Neil Gershenfeld - an MIT professor introduces revolutionary low-cost invention in far corners of the Earth.

Saul Griffith - teaches that the universe is a computer. Covers self-replicating products down to the nano level, & a ’smart’ rope that can sense when it’s in danger of breaking.

Charles Leadbeater - leverages ideas from The Innovator’s Dilemma, and discusses ways of multiplying humanity’s creative ability by empowering consumers to be innovators.

Thank you, TED.

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Entrepreneurial idea that hit me like a rock during this morning’s meditation. Recorded in under 5 minutes, seems like a solid way to motivate advancements in science, medicine, and technology. Feedback & critique appreciated!

 Advancing Science and Technology [3:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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