This book is part of the NelsonFree program where you can get the physical book, the ebook (pdf, kindle or mobi), and audiobook all included in the price of buying the physical book. I will review the NelsonFree program in another post.

In my opinion, the best way to consume this book is the audio version. It’s much more enjoyable to hear this than it is to read it and I’m usually the person who will prefer to read the book. In the written text, I do like that each chapter is summarized at the end.

The book itself is summarized quite nicely in the first chapter so I quote:

- The importance of cutting to the chase.
- The value of having a good crew and consiglier
- What you can learn from reading wiseguys like Machiavelli or Solomon
- Why loose lips sink ships (and threaten business)
- How to handle yourself in a “sit-down”
- How gambling can trip up your business (and your employees if you’ve got them)
- What to learn from your failures
- The danger to yourself and your business of bending the rules.
- How to think of real success.

The more unique points of this book:
- Discussion of choosing to run your business from the point of view of Machiavelli where the end justifies the means vs. Solomon where honesty, integrity and hard work are the cornerstones of a successful business model.
- Implement the “sit-down” instead of the average American meeting. Come prepared, listen, learn, don’t let your ego rule and make the meeting about being productive, resolving matters and getting things accomplished.
- How gambling can affect your business and it could be your employees gambling problem and not your own that’s the problem. Gambling can distract people from their work (online poker for example) to entice someone to embezzle money.
- The danger to yourself and your business of bending the rules – don’t think you won’t get caught if you’re doing something illegal.

Much of the information can be found in other business books said different ways. This may actually be a perk for some people though since sometimes something said a different way will sink in or make a connection and make sense. All in all, there is some good information in this book but it’s not one of my top picks.

Three out of five stars.

Buy		Read

The Downtown Lexington Corporation, in partnership with Mecca Dance Studio, will host a tribute to the late Michael Jackson following the Thursday, July 2, 2009performance of Central Bank Thursday Night Live. This tribute, modeled after Mecca Dance Studio’s annual Halloween Thriller Parade, will begin at 8:00 p.m. in Cheapside Park in Downtown Lexington. All people interested in participating are encouraged to attend, dressed as the undead. Following the Thriller performance, an hour of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits will be played for everyone to dance.

On Thursday, Central Bank Thursday Night Live will play host to reggae artist Rob Dread. The live music will be performed from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.   Food and beverage concessions will be available to purchase from 4:30p.m. – 9:00p.m.

Funny in the video but not so much in real life. Be kind to your designer!

Random Episode Numero 2 from Glenn McElhose on Vimeo.

Links from beginning to end – Might not be everything but pretty darn close:
http://playfoursquare.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory
http://www.thesixtyone.com/
http://www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy
http://blip.fm/
http://www.last.fm/
http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/wireless_music_systems/devices/3817&cl=US,EN
http://www.samoacookhouse.net/
http://www.guayaki.com/
http://pandora.com/
http://sonos.com/
http://www.uvonair.com/
http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html
http://ocarina.smule.com/
http://www.shazam.com/music/web/home.html
http://www.jamlegend.com/
http://www.guitarhero.com
http://www.rockband.com/
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20081001/just-play_pagen_5.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=fmri
http://cosmos.asu.edu/
http://curetogether.com/
http://www.fitbit.com/
http://www.techcrunch50.com/2008/conference/presenter.php?presenter=73#video
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_oximeter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo_armor
http://www.kershawknives.com/
http://www.benchmade.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tant%C5%8D
http://www.michelthomas.com/
http://twitter.com/kevinrose
http://twitter.com/tferriss
http://twitter.com/glennmc

http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/?ShowMe=ThisMemo&MemoID=1769

“When a person dies, everyone who loved them will cancel their other obligations, send a big bouquet of flowers, jump on an airplane and fly across the country to look at their dead friend in a box.” Mom waited a moment for this to soak in. “If I’m going to cancel my plans, buy roses and travel because of friendship, I’m going to do it while my friend is alive to smell the flowers and enjoy the adventure with me. And if my friend passes before I do, I’ll sit quietly at home and remember the trip we took together.” — Sue Williams

Stephen Levine poses a very interesting question: “If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?”