So apparently Russia’s national pastime is drinking vodka. Each year the average Russian consumes almost 14 liters worth.
На здоровье!
The Economist: High Spirits
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Culture
The Importance of Historical Perspective
Today is June 6, 2013 – sixty nine years ago today the Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in what was perhaps the boldest military invasion in history. 160,000 American, British, and Canadian soldiers landed on the beaches of France to begin the long, bloody battle to liberate France and the rest of Nazi occupied Europe.
On this day I find myself reflecting on the daunting task they faced. Reflecting on their courage, their strength, and their ultimate accomplishment. Reflecting on the uncertainty they faced and what must have been going through their minds as they waded through that water. Reflecting on the perspective their situation, their efforts, and their triumph provides.
I find their strength inspires strength in me; for I know my problems are trivial compared to not only theirs, but anyone living through that period. It makes today’s problems seem small and conquerable. And it reminds me that we have some very big shoes to fill.
[Hopefully] The Most Cliche Quarterly Letter You’ll Ever Read
Every Business Cliche Ever, in One Excellent Toast From Super Angel Chris Sacca
Source: All Things D
Found via The Big Picture
The Golden Circle
Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
I’ve been periodically watching this video for a few years and I’ve been meaning to blog about it for quite a while. This 20 minute talk is well worth your time – the concept is simple but resonates incredibly well.
The punchline: why you do something is more important than what you do or how you do it. That’s not to say the “how” or “what” aren’t important but it’s the “why” that ranks supreme. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
There are leaders and there are those who lead. Leaders are people with power and authority, we follow them because we have to. Those who lead inspire us, we follow them because we want to.
The Golden Circle
Man of Steel
Little Joy
Check out the band Little Joy – they have a self titled album that came out in 2008. Not sure how I missed them but it seems like everybody else did too. The band is sometimes referred to as a “super group” which might be a stretch because you’ve maybe heard of one of the members: Fabrizio Moretti (aka Fab, the drummer for The Strokes). Apparently one of the other members is really big in Brazil? Anyway, if you want to read more about them here’s their Wikipedia page.
Below are some of their YouTube videos and at the bottom is a link to Grooveshark, where you can listen to their whole album online for free. It’s one of those rare albums where you’re just as happy listening through the whole thing as you are hopping around to your favorite tracks. Enjoy.
(side note: if you’re a devout hipster, this is where you go when you die)
(Yes, that’s Nick Valensi on drums)
What A Difference 8 Years Makes
Courtesy of NBC News / AP. This is the crowd assembled at St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the new pope in 2005 and again in 2013. You can spot at least one tech savvy Catholic in the 2005 picture using his flip phone. Somewhere, Steve Jobs is smiling.
Radical
Modern Seinfeld
Modern Seinfeld
@SeinfeldToday
The second coming is here, sort of. This is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time. If you like Seinfeld check out Modern Seinfeld on Twitter (@SeinfeldToday). The show could come back on the air today and have plenty of material ready to go… not that they’d need any help.
A few highlights:
- Elaine swears off Starbucks. Jerry refuses to enable gchat. “Everyone I’ve ever emailed can talk to me whenever? No thank you.”
- George reveals his system for texting when he’s late: “If I say 10 minutes, I’ll be a half hour. If I say a half hour, you may never see me”
- Jerry’s gf constantly says “hashtag.” George gets a job as a “social media expert.” “It’s great, Jerry. You don’t need to know anything!”
- Jerry’s gf (Rachel Nichols) sells locally sourced produce that George refuses to buy. “Why does it cost so much? You grow it RIGHT THERE!”
- After autocorrect ends a relationship that George couldn’t on his own, he embraces it. “I don’t know what’s best for me, Jerry. It does!”
Wasting Away Again
Just got back from a week long vacation to Key West, FL. If you’ve never been there, this poster for Capt. Tony’s sums it up nicely (the oldest bar in Florida and one of Hemingway’s favorite hangouts, back when it was Sloppy Joe’s). Oh yeah, this guy also became mayor of Key West from 1989 – 1991. He was a true swashbuckler, one of the last. You can read his full bio here.
Photogenic Thoughts 
