Succession Planning

There is a time when every blog reaches its peak.

Alas, mine was only 6 posts in. (the last substantial post wasn't bad either) Since then we have all endured the ceaseless grind of the grains of knowledge into a meal of obviousness; the kernels of new posts blossoming prior to a desolate winter; the wankery. (plus the anti carb rhetoric)

And with thus the blog is wound up. Thanks to everyone who has visited and especially to those that commented regularly, you know who you are and I am extremely grateful. 

I have a desire to split the blog into 2 forms; a personal journal for friends and something more professional and no doubt boring for the linkedin profile. Stay tuned for what develops around Christmas as I expect some free time then.

New Venture Product Development, telling you what you're reading.

This is from a case study in the book New Venture Product Development and Management by Trott. With gems like this I don't really recommend anyone buys it for the case studies.

It quotes the founder of W.L Gore:

Our founder, Bill Gore created a flat lattice organization. There are no chains of command nor pre-determined channels of communication. Instead, we communicate directly with each other and are accountable to fellow members of our multi-disciplined teams.(Gore, 2003)

And then one paragraph later says this:

Bill created a flat lattice organisational structure in which there are no chains of command and no pre-determined channels of communication. Instead, employees communicate directly with each other and are accountable to fellow members of multi-disciplinary teams.

You don't say? I would never have been able to comprehend that from the original quote.

Daedelus

 

Daedelus has amazing sideburns, a penchant for wearing waistcoats and some mad skillz.

SverigeDemokraterna - The Sweden Democrats

In Sunday's Swedish elections the governing liberal-centre-right coalition won a narrow majority over the environment-left coalition. However, the talking point is the entry to parliament of the anti-immigration party Sweden Democrats. SD's only real policies that I can determine are to stop non-EU immigration, stop supporting immigrants through social welfare and thus doing so, return Sweden's national identity. These policies convinced 5.7% of voters (around 80% of the population chose to vote) that they were the way forward for the country and thus they get 20 seats of the 349 in the parliament.

A map in yesterday's commuter paper showed that the (as expected) the percentage of voters supporting SD varied greatly throughout the country. In the sparsely inhabited north their supported was between 2% and 4%. In the immigrant dense suburbs near me their support was between 8% and 10%. However, across the water in a slightly posher part of town only 1% of voters supported them.

Acknowledging that support for SD isn't coming from backwater towns but rather the places in which immigrants are living indicates that integration has, in some respects, failed. If one considers successful integration to be immigrants feeling valued in society and society valuing the immigrants then, clearly, 6% of the population don't value their contact with different cultures. One can get angry about this statistic, much of the population are, but I don't think anger and shame will change the mind of these 6%. If you're happy voting for the party whose campaign ads were banned for being overtly racist then I cannot see how pleading editorials or protests with 10,000 people will change your mind.

So, I've been wondering about what caused their recent gains. Has there been a shift in government policies, has an influx in certain suburban areas changed attitudes, is there simply a growing acceptance of racism? Whilst I don't have the answers to these questions the following points may be contributing factors:

• Sweden, on the whole, is remarkably homogeneous. There is an often cited statistic that almost 20% of Swedes are either immigrants or the children of two immigrants. However, if one removes the other Nordic countries then this number is reduced to 9%. In contrast, the number of Australians born overseas (I was unable to find a statistic including children of immigrants which would be much much higher) is currently 24%. Subtract those born in the UK and NZ and this figure is still 16.1%. Melbourne's population is 4 million, 1.25 million were born overseas. Thus, where I come from 31% of the population were born overseas. This is how I can travel through Sweden and marvel at just how similar everyone is. Swedes may not realise it when they're hearing statistics like the 20% above but, generally, they haven't really had to come to terms with large scale migration. When they're used to living in such a culturally and visually similar society I can imagine that many people are threatened by an influx of immigrants.

This is a regular day on a Swedish street, everyone dresses alike. (from here)

 
• Sweden have a conservative-right leaning alliance. I did wonder if the simple fact that the government in charge for the last 4 years doesn't place the same value on social welfare could lead to immigrants not getting the support they require for successful integration. However, today I met with some people who worked in the field and have for the time being changed my mind. They stated that the governments drive to force people off welfare has actually had a positive impact on the groups they work with. I say 'for the time being' because I don't discount the fact that the governments good period coincided with economic growth from 2006 to 2008 and their bad period was from 2008 until now. Perhaps their policies did little but as they came in during a time of prosperity they appeared to have a positive impact. Correlation/Causation.

Source: SCB. Arbete = work; Familjeband = family ties.

• The bulk of immigration to Sweden is to join family. Of Swedish arrivals 47% are moving for family reasons. The figure for Australia is closer to 25%. Only 12.5% of Swedish immigrants are classed as moving for work, the number in Australia is around 50%. I question the accuracy of comparing the two sets of statistics as I get the feeling that to be classed as coming to Australia for work one just needs to prove the possession of skills, not a job offer, I don't know about Sweden's rules. Regardless of the validity of the comparison it's definitely easier to make the simplified argument that immigrants to Sweden are coming to use the system, as it takes longer to justify their benefit to society. Maybe too long for some people. If I was an Australian moderate politician all I would need to do is point to that 50% and then say "They make us all richer". Just to reiterate, I don't agree with this statement, and I don't think that either comment is using the statistics honestly, but I do see how it is an effective argument for the Sweden Democrats.

In summary, I don't know what has prompted the strengthening of the anti-immigration SverigeDemokraterna party, but it isn't baffling.

On a brighter note, I'm not hear just to critique Swedish society: you may read in the very near future that my peers and I will be undertaking a social entrepreneurial project to assist with the integration of a particular community within Gothenburg. Stay tuned.

Stats come from here:
ABS - Migration (2007)
SCB - Familjeband vanlig orsak till invandring (Family Ties common cause of immigration)
SCB - Population Summary
Metro 21/09/2010

Culture and language links

This is a very interesting article on how language may shape the way we think. (that was apparently plagiarised in the NYT)

And

this an equally interesting video on the origin of human kindness.

The Intro:

What I want to do today is talk about some ideas I've been exploring concerning the origin of human kindness. And I'll begin with a story that Sarah Hrdy tells at the beginning of her excellent new book, "Mothers And Others."  She describes herself flying on an airplane. It’s a crowded airplane, and she's flying coach. She's waits in line to get to her seat; later in the flight, food is going around, but she's not the first person to be served; other people are getting their meals ahead of her. And there's a crying baby. The mother's soothing the baby, the person next to them is trying to hide his annoyance, other people are coo-cooing the baby, and so on.
               
As Hrdy points out, this is entirely unexceptional. Billions of people fly each year, and this is how most flights are. But she then imagines what would happen if every individual on the plane was transformed into a chimp. Chaos would reign. By the time the plane landed, there'd be body parts all over the aisles, and the baby would be lucky to make it out alive.
               
The point here is that people are nicer than chimps.

Both are from Edge.org.

Because six years wasn't enough.

I have gone back to school. For the next two years I will studying Business Creation and Entrepreneurship in Bioscience at the Göteborgs International Bioscience Business School. The school aims to provide a practical education on starting bioscience based venture by... making students start a bioscience based venture. Can't argue with that.

Today was an introductory day that one couldn't help but feel positive about. The BCEB student group is small (~15) and made up swedes and non-swedes with a mixture of medical, science and engineering backgrounds.

I can't really say what the next two years will bring. But looking through the Encubator portfolio of GIBBS ventures, talking to an alumni today and meeting my fellow students makes me more confident in my decision to move here to study.


An aside on Australian Masters courses: For people who, like me, have a very poor opinion of Australian Masters, Swedish courses appear to be quite different. The difficulty in getting a visa and then job in Sweden post study combined with the low cost (free) means Swedish universities can't use Masters courses as simply a form of reliable income. In fact one student was basically horrified when he heard how things worked in Aus. He studied in Eastern Europe and said that the universities there would do anything to fail you, because then you'd have to pay for that subject again. He also made the pertinent point:

"Doesn't that ruin their reputation"


Yes.

Complicated mechanisms explained via gifs

World Of Technology has a great post displaying the operation of some complex mechanisms. The sewing machine had always intrigued me and the animation combined with the explanations in the comments have finally cleared it up for me.

I could imagine giving a high school or later class the task of designing a circular to indexed-circular mechanism as displayed in the Maltese Cross. For one, it's not a ridiculously complex solution but most importantly I imagine it is also possible via other methods. (that I'm trying to not think of, I want to save that for moments of boredom)

I wonder if mechanical engineering courses have a "machines" subject that attempts to introduce students to all sorts of complex mechanisms. I remember studying Machine Design in robotics but that was a terrible subject that just involved specifying engine powers and appropriate chain pitches, it definitely didn't introduce me to any complex mechanisms.

How valuable would it be? My first guess was very. The knowledge of how complex mechanical problems can be solved must help, right? But then I wondered how many engineers are actually out there designing mechanisms to do things these days. Also, most of these designs would have evolved. Surely there couldn't have been a rotary engine eureka moment but a series of steps from some initial, simple design, maybe the only people who need to know how a mechanism works are people designing evolutions to the current ones. For instance, watch makers need to know how the second hand currently works just in case they need to change it slightly but, for the rest of us, we just need to know that it's possible to generate indexed circular movement... somehow.

I am undecided.

2010 Reith Lecture Series: Scientific Horizons

I caught the last 15 minutes of this on my way home and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the questions from the audience

 

2010 Reith Lecture Series: Scientific Horizons - Part One

2010 Reith Lecture Series: Scientific Horizons - Part Two

Swedish language band of the week: Masshysteri

In preparation for my emigration I am pretending I understand Swedish. Thus, I present:

Masshysteri - Låt Dom Hata Oss

Or if you prefer your punk performed acoustically in a park then:


They're a punk band that are able to tour internationally despite singing in Swedish. It appears that punk can now be added to the list of musical genres not limited in their appeal by language.

Image: Riverfront Times

ACL Reconstruction: LARS v Traditional... Neither?

With success stories such as Nick Malceski and David Rodan the LARS synthetic ligament replacement surgery has received a great deal of positive press in 2010. The surgery has apparently led to their return much sooner than the 12 months AFL fans have come to expect after the traditional replacement technique.


This study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that, for many, immediate reconstruction may not be necessary. Apparently after two years patients who had undertaken rehab first and given the option of surgery at a later date had similar outcomes to those that underwent immediate surgery (with about 40% taking up the option of the surgery).

I don't have access to the entire article but I've read elsewhere that the study had some obvious flaws in that it is difficult to control for actual activity (and hence knee stress) levels throughout and post rehab, also, translating the specific rehab program used in this study to all rehab programs is a bit of a stretch. (Pun embarrassingly intended)

Whilst the success of LARS in elite athletes is convincing it is interesting that for many adults reconstruction may not be necessary at all.

A thorough rebuttal of The China Study

The China Study is a pro vegan book that uses masses of data comparing the dietary intakes of different Chinese regions. Its primary conclusion is that any animal protein intake correlates positively with western diseases.

And it is thoroughly and elegantly rebutted here:

Raw Food SOS: The China Study: Fact or Fallacy

Careful now! It's a lengthy article which dispassionately investigates the statistics; with hardly a mention of foods we evolved to eat. However, in much the same way as Good Calories, Bad Calories it shows that epidemiological studies are so prone to confirmation bias they are practically useless.

Adventures of Elaine, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.: Elaine on vacation

Now this is definitely what God intended when he invented the internet.

Adventures of Elaine, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.: Elaine on vacation: "I've got a new friend called Elaine. Elaine is a quite small Tyrannosaurus Rex that likes to do lots of fun stuff. So Elaine went on vacatio..."

In keeping with tradition...

I am not posting any original content. I don't have enough mental capacity remaining during this mad rush to finish jobs at work before I leave.

I did, however, read this on Edge and loved the eloquence:

'HOW IS THE INTERNET CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK?'

In the North Pacific Ocean, there were two approaches to boatbuilding. The Aleuts (and their kayak-building relatives) lived on barren, treeless islands and built their vessels by piecing together skeletal frameworks from fragments of beach-combed wood. The Tlingit (and their dugout canoe-building relatives) built their vessels by selecting entire trees out of the rainforest and removing wood until there was nothing left but a canoe.

The Aleut and the Tlingit achieved similar results—maximum boat/minimum material—by opposite means. The flood of information unleashed by the Internet has produced a similar cultural split. We used to be kayak builders, collecting all available fragments of information to assemble the framework that kept us afloat. Now, we have to learn to become dugout-canoe builders, discarding unnecessary information to reveal the shape of knowledge hidden within.

I was a hardened kayak builder, trained to collect every available stick. I resent having to learn the new skills. But those who don't will be left paddling logs, not canoes.

-George Dyson

Useful Notes

Ars on Jelly Lab-on-a-chip

This is a great idea. I'm not sure how thrilling it would be for kids, I would enjoy showing them though.

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/06/home-brew-science-jello-based-lab-on-a-chip.ars

Flying Lotus Essential Mix via The Percussion Lab

I found out about Flying Lotus last week. So far I have been amazed. Head to the percussion lab (also a recent and terrific find) to stream/download it.

....Linky Linky....

FIFA VP Jack Warner - a truly ethical and honorable man.

As Australia continues its bidding for either the 2018 or 2022 world cup this is an interesting lecture on FIFA vice president Jack Warner. Whilst I would be rapt to see Australia hosting a world cup I just couldn't stomach the FFA giving this horrible character more money.

(Skip to the 8min mark to miss the introduction)



Closing speeches and presentation by Andrew Jennings from Play the Game on Vimeo.

On an interesting note, Michael Lynch, Age journalist, said in an interview on SEN this evening that Melbourne had absolutely no chance of hosting the cup final if Australia were to host the competition. Apparently Melbourne's lack of international icon status and the success of the 2000 Olympics mean Sydney is a shoe-in.

He also went on to say that the AFL's reluctance to give up stadia and change schedules for the competition meant that the FFA wouldn't give Victoria any more than it had to. As it would be the FFA and not FIFA who decide which city host which events, he probably has a point. As a fan of both codes this is tough to hear. Why on earth would the AFL chose to battle the FFA when it could continue grinding the NRL into insignificance?

The website that video comes from (Play The Game.org) is wonderful if you appreciate intelligent commentary on ethics in sport.

Cancellara's Electric Bicycle

It's fun being a neophyte fan of a sport where this kind of rumour can spring up.
The Inner Ring - Electric bikes are in the peleton

Sunday afternoon legs

The Wombat State Forest MTB track is my new favourite place.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

If you read this blog chances are you have spoken to me in the last two months, and if you've spoken to me in the last two months chances are I've mentioned Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. The book's main contention can be glibly summarised as thus:

• saturated fat isn't bad for you;  
• sugars and refined carbohydrates are bad for you;
  
• inactivity and overeating are no more the causes of obesity than overeating and inactivity are the cause of weight gain during pregnancy. They're the symptoms; and
  
• diet + exercise does not necessarily equal weight loss.

There is a terrific summary of the current knowledge in the epilogue of the book, but to recite it all here would be an injustice to an enormous book, filled with intelligent and insightful commentary on 100 years of nutritional research. The first half of the book is almost dedicated to debunking the myth that dietary fat has been proven to be the cause of heart disease. If you're interested in reading summaries of study after study failing to show a causal link, or even a strong correlation between the two then you'll be riveted by it (like I was!).

The last point listed there is, however, probably the most profound in the book. Taubes argues that 50 years of nutritional and obesity prevention information have suggested that decreasing one's calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure will lead to long term weight loss. In short, most evidence suggests otherwise, rather it suggests that decreasing your calorie intake and increasing forced calorie expenditure leads to a decreased metabolic rate and hunger. Hunger is a very significant aspect of the book too, Taubes makes it very clear that hunger is a natural signal to your body to eat. Persistent hunger is not a psychological problem, it's a physiological signal that your body is not getting the energy it requires. I summarised it to someone as thus:

• Humans get hungry when their cells need energy.
• Humans are most healthy and thus, probably evolutionarily designed to be lean.
• Therefore, if you're overweight and hungry you're doing something wrong. You don't need to harden up or learn to be hungry (there are horrible psychological affects of continued hunger), you need your body to stop storing energy and start processing it.

I believe that is a fair, if succinct, summary of the specific dietary findings of the book. If you're interested in changing the way you eat or avoiding one of the diseases of civilisation then I highly recommend you find a copy.

However, the book is so much more than a summary of nutritional and obesity research. As it details 100 years of research it is also a commentary on the progress of health science, controlled and observational medical research and public health policy. It appears that many researchers in the field disregarded good scientific practice by never questioning the findings of their predecessors; officials who believed they needed to give some kind of advice preached 'proofs' that were anything but; and finally researchers in different fields failed to communicate their findings between one another.

Don't fear though, it's not at all a diatribe and nor is it a book requiring faith in Taube's findings. He makes it quite clear when the science has failed to conclusively prove anything; and if you so desire there are 114 pages of notes and references to review. Finally though, don't take my word for it, take the word of someone who makes a living out of being sceptical.

Gary Taubes uses an impressive combination of rigorous logic and no-nonsense empiricism to thwart medical dogmas, particularly the one about the 'calorie-in, calorie-out' notion that no evidence can dislodge from the mind of medical doctors. This is a true document about scientific method, even a monument in the history of medicine - and something that will change your life.
-Nassim Nicholas Taleb (author of The Black Swan)