Repost: Star Wars travel posters

Here's something wonderful from John Struan's blog, Super Punch. It's a series of travel posters for Star Wars, done by Steve Thomas (who actually has his own blog called Rocket Tours).

I think my fave is this one:

Go look at all of them, though. They're fun!

Repost: Star Wars travel posters

Lessons in leadership from the Death Star

This morning, several people were tweeting about Lessons in leadership from Design Star at the Leadership With Style site. (For those of you who don't know, Design Star is kind of a cross between Trading Spaces and The Apprentice, but there's no Donald Trump. Teams of interior designers go at it to compete for the best design.)

What prompted this post was that when I read the tweet about "Lessons in leadership from Design Star," I misread it as ""Lessons in leadership from the Death Star." This is arguably a much better show idea, so I wanted to put some ideas down in case there's the potential for a Hollywood contract.

1. There are no mistakes. Ever. If your employees know that they'd better not screw up about anything makes them that much sharper. "Apology accepted, Captain Needa!"
2. There is no room for anything but complete and total loyalty. Expressing the slightest doubt about something you've said or done is completely unacceptable. "I find this lack of faith disturbing."
3. Once you've honed a fine edge of fear on your team, strop it to a high gloss by threatening them with even greater retribution from higher up the chain. "I hope so, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."
4. If people haven't completely dropped the ball, it may be worth your effort just to kick butt and take names. They'll get the message and will serve as a further example of the value of meeting your expectations to the other employees. "You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I am here to put you back on schedule."
5. Package yourself as a personality, not a person. Go for the mystique. "You don't know the power of the dark side!"
6. Don't delegate. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. "No. Leave them to me. I will deal with them myself."
7. Only negotiate from strength: it's your way or the highway. "He will join us or die, my master."
8. Keep your word only to the extent that it suits you. "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."
9. Always be ready to submit to the greater power of superiors you cannot directly buck. "What is thy bidding, my master?"
10. On the other hand, never miss an opportunity to subvert and overthrow them to advance your own career. "Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
11. Cultivate powerful minions who will be useful to you as you plot to move up the ladder. "Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
12. Mark your territory. "You should not have come back!"
13. Gloating when you have the upper hand is acceptable (and very satisfying). "I have you now!"
14. Remember that, at the end of the day, it's all about you and you alone. "The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master."

(Thanks to Larry Kunz for management tip #5.)

Lessons in leadership from the Death Star

Star Wars Tech Support

Someone has to do tech support no matter where you are. Including the Death Star.

Star Wars Tech Support

Slumber in the belly of the beast

D'ye remember how, in The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo saved Luke Skywalker's life by cutting open the tauntaun that had died and shoving Luke into it?



Well, ThinkGeek is testing the waters for a tauntaun sleeping bag. This comes with a saddle, a glowing lightsaber zipper pull, and, as you can see from the picture, a lining that looks like (ugh) tauntaun intestines.

It's all so real, the only thing missing is the bad smell that Han Solo mentioned in the movie. Oy.

Slumber in the belly of the beast

Jedi Mind Trick, Do You Can!

This article describes a nifty little toy that lets you control the motions of a ball purely with brain waves.

Jedi Mind Trick, Do You Can!

Latest viral video: Star Wars vocal tribute

I am just dazzled by this.

Star Wars: an a capella tribute to John Williams

The video is actually lip-synching done by Corey Vidal to a tune by a strange Canadian group (I find myself saying those two words together an awful lot, you know) called Moosebutter. Corey's lyp-synching adds a great deal to this. Once you've listened, you may want to take a look at the lyrics.

Latest viral video: Star Wars vocal tribute