Our Partners: Ellen Cherry & Invisible Children

Posted by Chip on 06.08.2009 at 9:48 am

One of my favorite things about working for Better World Books is the amazing people I get to meet from across the country who share Better World Books’ vision to keep books out of landfills and support global literacy.

Last month, I had the privilege of meeting Kristin Putchinski of the Baltimore based band ellen cherry.  I met Kristin while she was traveling through Atlanta following a performance at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

The singer-songwriter is one of many musicians using their talent to support and spread awareness of the noble efforts of Invisible Children to end the war in Northern Uganda.  I was happy to discover Kristin was already a fan of Better World Books and was eager to spread the word of  how students can support Invisible Children through the Book Drives for Better Lives program at her upcoming benefit concert.  Better World Books’ partnership with Invisible Children has brought in over 1.7 million books to generate unrestricted funding for Invisible Children in what is being called the largest book drive in history.

Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Our Partners, Baltimore Bands, better world books, Book Drives for Better Lives, chip boyes, Eddie's Attic, ellen cherry, indie bands baltimore, Kristin Putchinski

Blink (my quick decision)

Posted by Chip on 02.11.2009 at 7:58 am

I am currently reading books.  I need to read a book.  I need to work on my fidelity with books.

One book, I currently see from time to time, is entitled Blink.  Blink examines the value of a quick decision.   One of the studies Blink discusses involves showing a group of people short clips of teachers giving a lecture (with no audio).  Another group is shown still photos of the same teachers from the clips.  Both groups are asked to rank the teaching ability of the teachers based on either the photo or the silent 30 second clip.

The results showed the ratings each teacher received based on photos and clips were remarkably similar to the ratings the same professors received from their full time students after a semester of teaching.   From what I have read so far, Blink supports the notion that a quick decision is often an educated decision.  Although I feel this study simply illustrates our species loyalty to superficial conclusions.

Some people have a natural fear of snakes and others have a natural fear of spiders.  These fears make sense considering the problems our
species has experienced over the centuries do to both species.  Perhaps these fears are based on the same instinctual knowledge that
allows us to make smart quick decisions.

The human brain is the product of years of learning things the only way us humans truly learn anything…the hard way.

I discovered my fear of electricity by touching an electric fence.  Twenty minutes later I discovered that it is impossible to touch a electric fence
twice.  My curiosity made me want to “make sure it was an electric fence” but my brain would not allow my hand to make contact.

Just as I learned not to touch the fence again perhaps the human race has learned from collective experience and perhaps there is something to that gut feeling that helps us make life’s quick decisions.  Although I have only read the fist 50 pages of Blink, I feel I am able to review the book with confidence using the “blink of an eye” decision making the book examines.

1 Comment » | Tagged Book Reviews, Flabbergasted, Blink, chip boyes, Malcom Gladwell

Flabbergasted: Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

Posted by Chip on 11.23.2008 at 1:16 pm

A popular pizza chain recently introduced pasta to their menu options. In order to illustrate the quality of the product they advertised that a fine dining restaurant served their pasta and the customers loved it. One of their popular new pasta options is: macaroni and cheese with bacon.

In the commercial the people could not believe they were eating pasta they could have delivered to their front door for a mere 12 bucks. They had no idea that their meal had been a ruse. I think that they should Read more…

Have your say » | Tagged Flabbergasted, Uncategorized, chip boyes, hilarious posts, mac and cheese

Flabbergasted: Coffee Shop Strangers

Posted by Chip on 11.20.2008 at 2:10 pm

Hello my name is Chip.  I am an account representative for Better World
Books.  I moved to  Alpharetta, GA to begin my journey with Better
World Books.   Yesterday, I went to a coffee shop for two reasons:

1) They had free wi-fi

2) I wanted to make some new friends.

My plan went sour when I was informed by the coffee house wi-fi server
that I was not allowed to go to my intended website.   Apparently, the
company is against online dating.  I like online dating.

Online dating saves money.  (That is if you use a free dating site)

I am a bit of a value fan.  Some people say I am cheap but I
am not cheap. I am efficient.  I’m not going to say what coffee shop I
was in but I’ll give you a hint.  It is everywhere.
Plan A to meet people didn’t work.

Plan B
I was forced to attempt Read more…

2 Comments » | Tagged Flabbergasted, Atlanta, carbon neutral, chip boyes, georgia, hilarious posts, online dating

Flabbergasted: Flu Season

Posted by Chip on 11.16.2008 at 7:24 pm

Welcome to the flu season Better World Bookers.  I know what some of you are thinking:  “I will not get the flu.  I am going to get a flu shot.”

Then on the way to get your flu shot you start to feel a tickle in the back of your throat and not a good tickle.  A tickle that makes you think, “Why should I spend 30 bucks for a painful shot when I may be sick already.”  Then you think of all the times you heard “flu shots make you sick.”

Is this true?  Was this ever true?  Or… are flu shots the best placebo ever created?  Perhaps a flu shot is just a shot of chicken noodle soup.  Why does chicken noodle soup make you feel better? Because Mama told you it would. Why would Mama lie?
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1 Comment » | Tagged Flabbergasted, audio book, chip boyes, choose your own adventure, flu season, placebo, the great gatsby

Flabbergasted: Better World Books

Posted by Chip on 10.13.2008 at 12:44 pm

I have come to the right place. I understand the value of a book. I don’t keep my books on a book shelf.  I give them to the next person I feel truly deserves the book.  The only thing better then a good book is finding the next person who truly deserves the book.

Who will fully appreciate the brilliance of this book?  It’s not until someone says that right thing at that right time that it strikes me. You would appreciate this book. You have proven yourself worthy.  You deserve my book.

When I hear a guy go on about a girl, song, and movie in one breath, I know he deserves to read High Fidelity.  When some Dude says “I feel like the only manly thing I do is open jars and replace the water cooler jug in the office,” I say you deserve to read Fight Club.

Some people appreciate geysers. Some people are fascinated by geysers. I spent a summer working in Yellowstone National Park and I saw Old Faithful.  Watching Old Faithful erupt is like watching water shoot out of the ground.  It just didn’t appreciate the science and the reliability of the matter.
Read more…

2 Comments » | Tagged Flabbergasted, Uncategorized, books, chip boyes, chip's corner, deserving, hilarious posts