Idaho Airships, Inc.

Thanks to my friend Gale Pooley for turning me on to Kevin Kelly’s “Eight Generatives Better Than Free.” Gale and I have incredible if irregular lunches in which we sit across the table from each other and simply spill what’s on our minds: Politically, socially and commercially.

I freely admit that I walk away with the greater benefit. He pays most of the time, too.

Eight Generatives Better Than Free needs no explanation here-it’s concise and easily digested. I find it a very fitting adjunct for many of The ClueTrain Manifesto‘s offerings. While the relationship may not be obvious at first, they both are a piece of the puzzle-by my way of thinking-to building sustainable, defensible…and enjoyable commerce.

Our latest lunch produced a bonus for me in that Gale also turned me on to the book “The Wisdom of the Crowds.” It doesn’t contradict what a year of grad school stats did to me-I’d certainly have to say that it fleshes out my understanding of sampling. The anecdotes used to illustrate various matters are unusually well chosen-it’s an incredible “read,” and the conclusions one may draw aren’t limited to formal commerce: This is also a political operative’s manual.

L