Tag Archives: presentation

A Good Match

Professional Development, technology, Useful Tips, ,

LinkedIn’s acquisition of Lynda.com is social media’s fourth biggest deal ever (behind Facebook’s purchase of Oculus and WhatsApp and Google’s buying YouTube). They paid $1.5 billion for the eLearning company. The deal tops the one billion dollar acquisition of Instagram by Facebook four year ago.

What does this mean to us? Lynda will become a household name and many of us will have access to the over 6300 courses and more than 265,000 video tutorials they provide. LinkedIn, already a household name, has over 300 million users. The partnership makes sense since they’re both focused on professional development.

LInda

Now, don’t expect to see videos on how to trim bonsai trees or improve your golf game. Lynda.com is primarily good for multimedia skills. The videos focus heavily on business, technology and creative skills. Want to learn more about Photo Shop, Create Space or Final Cut Pro? Lynda can help. Or how about Adobe, Articulate, Google or Microsoft? Ditto.

One way LinkedIn is promoting Lynda.com is by offering a 21-day free trial of it (better hurry, it expires soon, if it hasn’t already). I sent the 21 day free-trial information to my sister, who is a photographer. She responded that she’s  been using Lynda.com for a few years now and that they have great courses.

Lynda Weinman, cofounder of Lynda.com, wrote in a LinkedIn Pulse post some time back that she and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner “both believe the skills gap is one of the leading social issues of our time – technology changes fast and people need to keep their skills up to date.” No argument here. Lynda.com has been a tremendous resource with tools for designers, coders, video editors, photographers and entrepreneurs.
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Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel, et. al, offered early juice to LinkedIn. Lynda.com has been the sweetheart of eLearners for years. Having been in the Training & Development space for a number of years, I had certainly heard or it (her?). But I’d never sampled the courses. Now I have and I’m hooked!

They even have German, French and Spanish content under the Video2Brain brand name. So, if you want to learn those languages, you could listen to videos in them. The visual element will certainly help you with the comprehension, especially if you already have some understanding of the content.

I remember when I went to Germany on vacation, although I had listened to audio of the language prior to arriving, I still had trouble carrying on a conversation of any length with another individual. Yet, when I watched German language television, it really helped. TV wasn’t nearly as intimidating, probably because I didn’t feel put on the spot. No response was needed from me.

With Lynda.com, you can also create playlists based on your interests or skills you want to acquire immediately. Additional resources such as worksheets and templates are often included.

The self-paced, subscription-based service costs as little as $25 per month or $250/year. Online learning is hitting its stride. Neglect it at your peril. Learning is literally right at our fingertips now. All we have to do is take action.

Clean Comedy

humor, laughter, Professional Development, ,

I’m reading Jim Gaffigan’s book Dad is Fat. Gaffigan, for those of you who don’t know him, is a stand-up comedian. He’s known as being a clean comedian – one who doesn’t use profanity as a crutch.

I call it a crutch because I honestly believe that’s what it is. I think many comedians think “We’ll at least if it’s not funny, the shock and awe will make them laugh.” I could be wrong (it wouldn’t be the first time).

I bought Dad is Fat at the airport on the way to my nephew’s college graduation last year but never got around to reading it until now. What prompted me to start reading was I gave a talk last month and someone said that I reminded them of him. She said I had “a droll sense of humor – kind of like Jim Gaffigan.” Right before I bought Dad is Fat at the airport a friend had recommended Gaffigan to me.  Hence the purchase.

In reading it I realized he’s the guy who talks about Hot Pockets. Then it dawned on me that I have seen him on comedy channels. I watch very little comedy. Just hearing politicians talk is funny enough. Actually it’s sad, but you have to laugh because if you don’t, you’ll cry.

What surprised me about Gaffigan’s book is how well written it is. I’m not sure if he wrote it or had someone write in for him. He did mention working for his high school newspaper so maybe he does write. And, obviously, someone has to prepare his stage material. Yet, another part of the book talks about his writer. So perhaps it’s ghostwritten.

Gaffigan’s book thus far has been about being a husband and the father of five kids. An excerpt: How do you answer, “Daddy why are you a stand-up chameleon?” or “Why don’t dogs get chicken pops?” He has some other interesting observations that I find amusing, despite my not having any children, let alone five.

I realize in writing this that I want to check out the local comedy scene. Now Philadelphia is not exactly L.A., Chicago or New York. But there are millions of people here, so there must be a few places that have open mikes or decent acts.

According to my friend Theresa Hummel-Krallinger, a Philly-area comedienne, there is a pretty vibrant comedy scene in the city of Brotherly Love. “The local A-club is Helium, on Sansom Street.  Other local clubs with a long history are the Comedy Cabarets (with multiple locations) as well as Comedy Works in Bristol.  I’m delighted that there are also some fun monthly venues with great local talent, like the Broad Axe Tavern in Ambler or Cardinal Hollow Winery in West Point (near Lansdale.)  There’s also an abundance of open mics in the City and suburbs.”

For those in the Philly area, here are a few venues for comedy:
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http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/top-lists/top-comedy-clubs-in-philadelphia/

http://www.uwishunu.com/2012/07/roundup-our-guide-to-the-best-live-comedy-in-philadelphia/

http://phillyhotlist.cityvoter.com/best/comedy-club/arts-and-entertainment/philadelphia

Gene Perret, who has written for some of the all-time great comedians, says to keep it clean. He said in an article for The Toastmaster magazine, “the profane is easier, surely; the romantic, lyrical, philosophical language is more effective – and more appreciated by the listeners.” I agree.

Attached is a link to a video of someone I consider clean, Scott Wood (you may need Flash to run the clip, which, I understand, Apple products do not have).

http://www.cleancomedyclinic.com/scottwood.php

To sum up my philosophy about comedy, I love what writer William Zinsser said. “What I want to do is make people laugh so they see things seriously.”

Scott Wood