100th SIPAlert Daily Means We’re ‘Doing’ OK
SIPAlert Daily turns 100 today—100 days, that is. Not quite a milestone in the Cal Ripken consecutive games played mode (2,632) or Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (turning 150 in 2013), but one to celebrate nonetheless. It started back on Monday, May 3, with a member profile of Robin Crumby, managing director of Melcrum Publishing in London.
Interestingly, Crumby had this to say for the two concepts that have helped him succeed: “First, keep it simple: Information businesses get complicated very quickly, so stick to the formats that work best. Second, squeeze the lemon: It is always tempting to diversify into other topic areas, but focusing on your core market yields the best returns.”
I’ve attempted to do both here, finding the formats that seem to work best (a continuing process) and trying to focus on core markets—which start with our members and their concerns.
This appears to be a good year to be celebrating a 100th anniversary. Frank Loesser, who wrote the classic musical “Guys and Dolls”—words and music—was born in 1910. Is there a better song than “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” which won Loesser an Academy Award in 1949? It appeared in the movie, “Neptune’s Daughter” and was sung by Ricardo Montalban (pre “Fantasy Island”) and Esther Williams.
Leo Tolstoy, the Russian novelist who wrote “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina,” died on Nov. 20, 1910. I like this quote of his: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Guilty. The Boy Scouts of America turned 100 this year. (They’ve had good success developing strong chapters.) And John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, would have turned 100 last month. He died back in June. Here are two quotes of his I like: “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” And “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”
Interestingly, many countries have specific rites for citizens who turn 100. In the United States, people traditionally receive a letter from the President when they turn 100 (and, of course, a mention on “The Today Show”). In the UK, the Queen sends a greeting. In Japan, centenarians receive a silver cup and a certificate from the Prime Minister. Also, September 15 is National Respect for the Aged Day in Japan—a nice idea. Even nicer, in Ireland, residents who turn 100 are sent a check for a 2,540 Euro Centenarians Bounty.
I don’t know if SIPAlert Daily has had any memorable quotes yet or if someday we might receive a bounty, but I do know that we’re trying our best every day to inform, entertain and involve SIPA members—and other interested parties—across the world. (We do have members as far away as India and Romania.) The idea is that we have a good product here—I’ve never seen a group so informed and willing to share their expertise—and the more people we can bring into the fold, the better it will be for everyone.
But let’s go out on a light note on this 100th posting. Here are 11 books (it’s almost 2011) recommended by our Member Profiles; try one when you need to relax one day. And we will resume our “heavy lifting” tomorrow. As always, thanks for reading.
1. “Child 44,” by Tom Rob Smith;
2. “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin;
3. “Mastering the Rockefeller Habits” by Verne Harnish;
4. “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins;
5. “The Woman Behind the New Deal” by Kirstin Downey;
6. “Unconditional Surrender” by Evelyn Waugh;
7. “A Reliable Wife” by Robert Goolrick;
8. “Villette” by Charlotte Brontë;
9. “Einstein’s God” by Krista Tippet;
10. “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath; and
11. “Foucault’s Pendulum” by Umberto Eco.
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