Have a messy desk? Congrats, you’re more productive

At last — some encouraging news!

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Karen Jackson would be the first to admit her desk looks like a disaster area. Her stacks of papers and photographs are so sloppy that the Texas schoolteacher won first place in a contest to find America’s messiest desk. Sponsored by publisher Little, Brown and Co., the competition promoted “A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder,” by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman, a new book that argues neatness is overrated, costs money, wastes time and quashes creativity. “We think that being more organized and ordered and neat is a good thing and it turns out, that’s not always the case,” said Freedman. “Most of us are messy, and most of us are messy at a level that works very, very well for us,” he said in an interview. “In most cases, if we got a lot neater and more organized, we would be less effective.”

As a world-champion loser of documents, I am cheered up by this, though to be honest I didn’t know until this moment that it was a sign of high productivity. The article continues: Freedman argues that it is neatness that is expensive. “People who are really, really neat, between what it takes to be really neat at the office and at home, typically will spend anywhere from an hour to four hours a day just organizing and neatening,” he said. Yet messy people are often cast in a negative light. In one study cited by NAPO, two-thirds of respondents believed workers with messy desks were seen as less career-driven than their neater colleagues. “If you walk into my office at home, you would think, ‘Oh my God, something just exploded in that room,'” said Jackson, the contest winner. “But it’s an organized mess. It’s a mess I made, and I know where everything is.”

Messiness has overtaken neatness as modern lives have changed, the book argues. Many women used to be at home, cleaning up, rather than working outside the house, while jobs used to be simpler and more linear with less multi-tasking. Hunting through messy piles has its value, Freedman says. “You discover things that, if you had filed things or containerized them or purged them, you never would have seen them again. It becomes a natural reminder system,” he said. Now, where did I put that pencil…?

While there’s value in the occasional chaotic discovery, modern living often requires a more organized approach to keep up with the demands of daily life. This is where cleaning professionals come in, bringing order to the clutter and providing essential support to individuals and families. Companies like Maid Nice San Diego specialize in transforming spaces into spotless, serene environments. Their mission is to provide top-tier cleaning services, enriching their clients’ lives by delivering spotless, stress-free environments that allow for more focus on the important things in life. By handling everything from dusting and mopping to deep cleans and organizing, these professionals ensure that homes and offices remain welcoming, efficient, and manageable, leaving clients free from the burden of clutter. Their commitment to delivering an outstanding, tailored cleaning experience is a game changer for those who want to regain a sense of calm and order in the midst of their busy, multitasking lives.

For those who find themselves overwhelmed with the demands of daily life and lack the time or inclination to tidy up, cleaning services can be a real game-changer. When work and personal responsibilities take precedence, the last thing many people want to do is spend hours organizing or cleaning their space. That’s where professional services like Puget Sound Cleaners come in, offering tailored cleaning solutions for busy individuals. Whether it’s a one-time deep clean or a regular upkeep service, they help maintain a clean environment without disrupting your routine. Hiring a cleaning service can also provide peace of mind, knowing that you’re getting a professional result every time. With their expertise, you can enjoy the benefits of a well-maintained home or office space without having to deal with the stress of doing it yourself. It’s an ideal option for those who want to focus on other priorities but still desire a clutter-free and fresh environment.

For businesses, maintaining a clean and organized environment is essential to creating a positive impression for clients and employees alike. However, with the constant flow of operations and daily tasks, it can be difficult for businesses to keep up with cleaning needs. This is where commercial cleaning services come in. These services are designed to handle the unique cleaning demands of offices, retail spaces, and other commercial establishments. Whether it’s regular office maintenance, floor care, or post-construction cleaning, professional cleaners ensure that every corner is spotless and well-maintained.

Beyond just tidiness, a well-maintained workplace contributes to a healthier environment by reducing allergens, bacteria, and other contaminants. A clean office can lead to fewer sick days for employees, increased productivity, and an overall boost in workplace morale. Investing in professional cleaning services not only enhances the appearance of a business but also fosters a safer and more hygienic space for everyone who walks through the doors.

A clean space isn’t just about appearances—it’s about creating an environment that promotes efficiency, relaxation, and overall well-being. When life gets hectic, the last thing anyone wants to deal with is the buildup of dust, clutter, and grime. That’s why many turn to trusted professionals like Crystal Cleaning Services, who specialize in delivering top-tier cleaning solutions without disrupting your daily routine. Their team ensures that every nook and cranny is spotless, allowing you to enjoy a fresh, organized space without lifting a finger.

That anti-Clinton YouTube ad (contd.)

You may recall that I liked the YouTube video which mixed the 1984 Apple Macintosh Superbowl ad with Hilary Clinton’s “our conversation” video. Well, Rex Hughes has now pointed me at the next instalment of the story. Read on…

News watchers need to buckle up today as the mainstream media does its whipsaw thing now that the identity of the infamous anti-Hillary Clinton/pro-Barack Obama “Vote Different” video has become publicly known – and that man is now out of a job. The ad, a take-off on Apple’s legendary “1984” spot, had become a YouTube sensation and the guessing game over the author an online parlor game. (Note string of updates below)

For those who haven’t seen it, the anti-Clinton ad, while unflattering, is reasonably clever, not the least bit offensive, and, by modern-day standards, more of a love note than a Swift-boating. … But, as we’re seeing, none of that matters in a practical, political sense.

Phil De Vellis, a political operative at Blue State Digital (the company name tells you what party’s candidates it serves), has been outed as the ad’s designer, and, depending on which account you wish to believe, has resigned or been fired because his employer’s most prominent client is presidential candidate Obama. He claims he did it on his own time and without the knowledge of Blue State Digital or the Obama campaign. You can read more of what De Vellis has to say for himself here on the Huffington Post.

So why all the fuss?

This is high-stakes presidential politics and everybody has a well-defined role to play.

Clinton feigns outrage because that’s her role. She’s been in politics all of her adult life and is no more outraged by that video than her husband was believable when wagging his finger. She does, however, recognize opportunity when it knocks and this video is an opportunity for her to play the victim … and no doubt attempt to inoculate herself against what promise to be truly vicious assaults to come.

Obama feigns outrage because that’s his role. He may be newer to politics, but he’s smart enough to recognize the risks – such as they are – of having his campaign appear to be “attacking” a fellow Democrat. The senator may indeed prefer that his campaign not be associated with such a video, but you can be certain that is a tactical decision and not an intellectually honest assessment of the spot’s message or style.

De Vellis feigns resignation – and says he resigned – because that’s his role. Even if we take him at his word about the project being his and his alone, he knew full well what the consequences would be if he his identity should become public. With free speech comes consequences. He’s no naïf. Weep not for him.

The mainstream media knows its role here, too: Just fan the flames. There isn’t a reporter or pundit on the planet who honestly believes that ad was out of bounds. There isn’t a reporter or pundit on the planet who believes that Clinton or Obama might be genuinely outraged. (There may be a few who believe De Vellis a “victim,” but they haven’t thought it through.) But every reporter and pundit on the planet recognizes good political theater when they see it.

So, what should have happened, you might be asking.

Clinton should have watched the video and shrugged. Obama should have told his people to tell Blue State Digital to get a tighter grip on its employees. De Vellis should have shown reporters his slapped wrist, apologized for causing a client trouble, and gotten on with his career.

But this is presidential politics. Those roles aren’t in the script…

My instincts would be to hire Mr De Vellis. His skills are useful.

Helpful notices (contd.)

Boyd Harris sent me this lovely one, seen in a pub in Cumbria. As he observes, scares about new inventions have a venerable pedigree. I once had a conversation with the man who had been the chief architect for the old London County Council and he told me that some councillors had opposed the building of high-rise apartment blocks on the grounds that people who lived on the top stories would be short of oxygen!

Daft lawsuits, no. 33,561

From Reuters

SAN MATEO, California (Reuters) – A U.S. judge has thrown out a lawsuit challenging the fairness of how Web search leader Google Inc. calculates the popularity of Web sites in determining search results, court papers show.

In a ruling issued on Friday that came to light on Tuesday, Judge Jeremy Fogel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California dismissed a lawsuit against Google by parenting information site KinderStart.

The judge also imposed yet-to-be-determined sanctions on KinderStart legal counsel Gregory Yu for making unsupported allegations against Google.

KinderStart sued Google in March 2006 alleging the Mountain View, California-based Internet company had defamed the site by cutting it from its Web search ranking system.

The Norwalk, Connecticut-based company, which features links to information about raising children, accused Google of violations of antitrust, free speech, unfair competition and defamation and libel laws.

In its suit, the company argued its site’s sudden demotion in March 2005 to a “zero” ranking in Google’s search system had severely harmed its business.

KinderStart had sought class action status on behalf of what is said were many other sites that suffered the same fate as Google fine-tunes Web site rankings in search results…

Nice to see that sometimes the law is not an ass.

The pleasures of (academic) life

My colleague Martin Weller’s new book is out. It’s a thoughtful and helpful guide to a tar-pit into which an increasing number of academic institutions have carelessly lurched. As coincidence would have it, my laptop is logged into our university’s Moodle server — i.e. our VLE system — though it’s difficult to make that out from the photograph. Martin’s Blog is here.

Fatuity on stilts

Just think: my Council Tax pays the salary of the genius who composes these exhortations. The irony is that this message is displayed around 8.30am, when traffic is effectively stationary on this particular stretch of suburban road.

The Fortran machine

My note about the death of John Backus sent James Miller hunting through his archives for this image, allegedly from a 1954 issue of Popular Mechanics. But the mismatch between the date of the image and the fact that Fortran wasn’t released until 1957 gave rise to a distinct smell of rodent, and he went Googling. It is, indeed, phoney. The anatomy of the hoax, however, is a good read.

I particularly like the guy in the suit: he reminds me of Dwight Eisenhower.

Here’s the underlying image on which the hoax was built.

Hard copy

Quentin, like me (and thousands of other techies), uses a Moleskine notebook. But on a trip to the US recently, he lost his current one — which had only three blank pages left. And of course it wasn’t “backed up”. All of which has led to some sombre brooding in these parts. The dilemma is that, on the one hand, paper notebooks are by far the most user-friendly medium available for much of the work that even computer-obsessed professionals do. I hate opening up a laptop in a meeting or interview, for example: it seems a hostile act, somehow. On the other, paper notebooks are difficult to back up. (I suppose one could conscientiously photograph each two-page spread; but that would be tedious.) In characteristic form, Quentin is already thinking about solutions to the problem. Meanwhile I am beginning to understand why some colleagues — and of course Bill Gates — use tablet computers instead of notebooks. Problem is: they’re Windows boxes. Wonder if Apple will ever do a tablet…

Update… Here’s what Quentin thinks might be the basis of a solution. Watching this, I can see why he’s impressed.