i have been here for a week with my 10 year old daughter. it has been fantastic to see this fabulous city and its life, thru her eyes. her favourite has been the shower toilets. it is 'normal' for toilets here to have a function which will spray warm water onto your bottom to wash it. many also have dryers.....this has given her many moments of mirth!

i always knew that Tokyo would be beautiful during the Cherry Blossom time. i had no idea how beautiful. i did not know that the blossoms erupt along the branches prior to the leaves so that all one sees is fields of white pixels from afar. and then to walk under and thru the trees is really other-worldly. the timing of this trip could not have been plannned any better. monday there were pregnant buds all over the city and by the petals were out.

the city has a spiritual relationship with this time. the blossoms are only on the trees for about two weeks and then they slowly fall like large snow flakes. it would be amazxing to experience the entire cycle. everyone is happier during this time. and now, having been here to experience it, i can understand why.

what a hidden gem. in the heart of the rippongi district. no bar. no pool. no frills. just a very simple room. a wonderfully serene garden. incredibly helpful staff who speak good english [me with no japanese]. five minute walk to the metro. i would certinaly return here!

it is more of a club than a hotel. it was founded many years ago to foster international relations and understanding. i like that too. the venue rooms are elegant and in perfect condition.

the best job add i have seen in ages!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPz1Mou-Xxk

a "killer statistic" from Duncan Green (Head of Research, Oxfam):
For every 1 person killed by terrorism, 20 women die in child birth, 60 die in traffic accidents and 170 children die through malnoutrician.

sent to me by Simon Roberts.

a functional hotel. functional room. nothing special, but that was fine. it is west of the city and next to the NREL. about 45 minutes with 'normal' traffic' to the airport. no public transit as it is located at an interstate exit.

I really like this place. good location. simple and yet good attitude.

room 1614 is great. my favourite affordable option in SF so far.

Room 504.

great room. perfect location for access to Stanford. Check-In guy was rude and unpleasant. Credit Card first before he would even talk to me. Manager upgraded as she overheard. i would defiantly go back.

a GREAT movie that is a MUST watch!!!!!

http://storyofstuff.com/

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/MSandE/people/faculty/sweeney/

Director, Precourt Institute for Energy Efficiency
Professor, Management Science and Engineering
Stanford

someday, powerpoints with bullet points will be banned...but it clearly has not hit yet. he started off with a graph ilustrating the use of various types of energy. he then slapped up a four square based on energy use and economic efficiency. he then plotted items in each quadrant. some were noted ranging from do-able today and others needing legislation.

ie introduce smart buildings, congestion pricing, optimized building construction; LED lighting; plug-in hybrids; behavioural change.

it proved that once again, the corporate world is already far ahead of the academic world. when will this parallel world stop!

his research institute is found at http://piee.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/htm/index.php?ref=home

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Malone

His new book will be ....... The Protean Corporation

disturbing trends in the corporation. he now realizes that the Virtual Corporation has happened faster than they ever imagined. he noted four trends
1. the second and third billions of mobile phone owners - they are a different breed.
2. the global wireless broadband web
3. the entrepreneurial society - the US might be the first society in which this is te basic tenant of the entire society. he feels that the loyalty structure will be to a newly defined group, rather than their local tribe. this will impact in fashion as well as stability.
4. a new generation

the gerat forces at work on the modern corporation
Centrifugal - technology, culture and demographics
Centripetal - human beings need socialization, commitment to a larger purpose, continuity and a sense of legacy. this last is the most important. people NEED to be part pf something bigger than themselves.

he was looking at his resume and he realized aht all of the companies that he worked for no longer exist. he felt remosrseful

Proto-corpoprations: craft guilds, market shops, trading companies
First corporations [17th C] the dutch east india company
the industrial revolution/English [early 19th]
Interchangable parts /American early [19th C]
Big Iron / Factory [mid 19thC]
Scientific Managment/Taylorism/Progressivism - [late 19th]
Corporate Era/divisionalization/Sloan [early 20thC]
Technology Corporation/HP [mid 20th C]
The Virtual/Adaptive/Wired Corporation [Late 20th C]

Opposing rends - greater autonomy of employees and heavier use of technology for decisions
other one is reduced management control and diminishing organizational structure

the central paradox today is: how do you remain fixed and enduring, while at the same time utterly flexible and adaptive? how do you become a shape shifter without loosing your identity and soul?????

in nature, every entity, even if it seems chaotic has a core.

tehre are three pats to a

the Core - permanent, slowly evolving, manages the culture and the health of the firm, lifetime employment, reports to the board, prevented from running corporation operations, the Immortals... the last one to turn off the lights who must be there after the 'maverick' CEO comes in and pushes out all of the corporate knowledge. their job is NOT to run the company, but to nurture the soul of the company. Most would find it excruciatingly boring.

The Inner Ring - the full-time employees, the guts of the traditional company, the managing and operating environment, they recruit and manage the cloud.

The Cloud - 90% of workers i the the contemporary company, composed of 'alternative employees' like part-timers and contractors, employment can range from minutes to hours, require quick acculturation to the company. the biggest challenge will be how to get these folks 'into' the company.... to help them understand how things work at the company.

THE COMPETENCE AGGREGATOR will be the next star. this will be a new profession that has the final realization of the capability to bring folks together to chase after new markets. Think of Silicon Valley as a company. they will be vital 'intrapreneur' of the corporation which search

The Protean Corporation will be a shape shifter. it will be fixed and yet in perpetual motion. it will have to be both public and private. it will have to be able to put assets in both sides. there will be new rules from the justice department that recognizes the real value of intellectual property that is the TRUE value, not just capital value. This will include the realm as well as both profit and non-profit.

just consider if the foundations from companies would be able to link to the core competence of the company.