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Guest Bloggers: those Freakonomics Guys

Posted by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner We didn't know quite what to expect at Google during our visit last week. A few months ago we'd been asked to give some kind of presentation to an undetermined number of Google employees. Were we interested? Sure, we said. This was still many weeks ago. When something is that far away, you'll generally agree to it without much thought. Because we arrived at Google late -- we were coming from a meeting with some people who may want to turn Freakonomics into a board game (!) — our tour was cut a little short. Still, we did manage to see: <ul><li>Your Google-logo-colored pylons at the extremely low-key "security" post.</li><li>Your very user-friendly name-tag-generating/sign-in computer</li> <li>Your very, very fancy toilets.</li> <li>Your rack of primordial servers with the thin layers of cork that used to make the fire department so nervous.</li> <li>Your roaming dogs, one friendlier than the next.</li> <li>Your scrolling query screens: Hillary Duff … pits puppies … Yenifer Lopez … Spanish Dictionary (we were a bit disappointed not to see a Freakonomics, but maybe it got caught in your filter; people sometimes give it some pretty deviant spellings.)</li> <li>Your quartz rug, robust cacti, fancy yurts, and ecologically sound staircase in the Africa building.</li> </ul> Then it was time for our "presentation." We left Africa and our host, Google product manager Hunter Walk, walked us over to the room where we were speaking... Whomp! It wasn’t some little room, with a conference table and a couple dozen people, as we'd imagined. It was a big, big room, rows and rows of chairs, all of them filled with Googlers, and many, many more Googlers sitting on the floor and standing in the back and – well, not exactly hanging from the rafters but it felt like it. The walls were black, the stage lights white-hot, the room alive with chatter. This wasn’t a presentation; this was a presentation. It was a Sally Field moment: They like us! They really like us! (We realize, of course, that the average Googler is far too young to catch <a href="http://www.littlereview.com/goddesslouise/articles/oscrpost.htm">this reference</a>. Don't worry; it's not very funny anyway.) As we picked our way through the floor-sitting Googlers, it felt like we should have been carrying a couple of Telecasters; it was likely the closest that either of us will ever get to having a rock-star moment (in truth, Dubner was a minor-league rock star, but that was in the late 80s, so it doesn't really count). Google had passed around a few hundred copies of <a href="http://www.freakonomics.com/">Freakonomics</a> (we immediately wondered if the order would be counted as a bulk sale, and therefore underweighted on the N.Y. Times best-seller list), so now, looking across the long rows of chairs, you could see one Googler after the next with the open book in his/her lap, as if preparing to hear a speech from Chairman Mao. It was, well, freaky. A bit like happening upon your own funeral. There was one podium and one microphone, so we decided to do a tag-team talk, discussing the book (e.g., why crack dealers still live with their moms) and telling a few stories based on research that’s happened since the book (e.g., monkey prostitution at Yale). We seemed to do okay, based on the fact that everyone laughed a lot. The biggest laugh came when Levitt mentioned that we spoke at Yahoo! a day earlier and got a much smaller crowd. That was true; Google’s turnout was about double Yahoo!'s. On the other hand, that means Google may have lost twice the productivity (unless you think that our talk may have somehow increased productivity). The best question of the day was, "What would you do with our data if we could give it to you?" We've thought about that quite a bit ever since; we'll keep you posted. After our talk, we spent a few minutes hanging around with miscellaneous Googlers. This was the most impressive slice of the day; not only were they all smart and inquisitive and friendly, but they were so damn happy. For instance, there's surely no company in the world where so many employees wear t-shirts with their company logo, which we took to be a sign of deep pride (or perhaps simply a deep discount). One person we talked with after our presentation was actually an old friend of Dubner's, a writer named Anya Kamenetz who is the fiancee of a Google employee. Dubner hadn't seen her in a couple of years and had no idea she was even in California. Even stranger, Levitt had seen her on PBS not long ago, just as the two of us were starting to do TV appearances, and called up Dubner to say, I just saw this young woman named Anya on TV, and she was so good and natural at it that it made me realize that that’s how we should try to be on TV. The reason Levitt remembered her name is that Dubner's daughter is also named Anya, a name he (Dubner) chose in some part because Anya Kamenetz was such a good name model. So here, a few thousand miles and a few months away, all these strange random elements got tied up in a neat bow, on the Google campus. Somehow it doesn’t seem as if it could have happened anywhere else.

Guest Bloggers: those Freakonomics Guys

Posted by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner We didn't know quite what to expect at Google during our visit last week. A few months ...

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Keyword: chefs

Posted by Susan Wojcicki, VP, Product Management (and long-time seeker of Google chefs) One of the most fantastic perks at Google is <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/reasons.html">free meals for employees</a>. I've always loved having fresh food available, and today that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. As our Mountain View HQ grows, so does the need for people who know how to make good food, and plenty of it. The <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/facilities.html#lead_chef">search is now on</a> for not one, but two, executive chefs to fuel Googlers. We already serve umpteen meals a day (not including snacks). We go through 55 gallons of olive oil a week. At our breakfast bar, the chefs turn out two fresh smoothies, or one custom omelet, each minute. This is why we're looking for industrial-strength chefs who know how to cook with fresh and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food">organic ingredients</a>. People who will thrive on the accolades - and demands - of repeat customers who come to eat day in and day out. There's a cook-off for the finalists - a team of Googlers will taste their dishes and vote for their favorites. And then we'll announce the winners with great fanfare. Till we do, check back here for updates, menus and a recipe or two. Just to give you an idea of what our chefs turn out, here's the daily menu for one (admittedly the largest) of our 5 cafes. SALADS Ahi Tuna & Avocado Poke Fresh line caught Ahi tuna diced with organic avocados and minced ginger, habanero chilies, cilantro, green onions and sesame seeds, tossed with a fresh dressing of orange juice, rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, tangerine oil, sambal oeleck and garnished with black and white sesame seeds. Calypso Rice Salad Perfectly steamed wild rice with Valencia orange segments, currants, diced red bell peppers, cilantro, green and red onions, mint, coriander and cayenne, tossed with orange juice and extra virgin olive oil. Tuna Melt Salad Al dente elbow macaroni tossed with mayonnaise, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and lemon juice, then topped with tuna salad, cheddar cheese and green onions. VEGHEADS Eggplant, Tomato & Onion Skewers Organic eggplant, tomatoes and onions, skewered, baked, and topped with cilantro chutney and yogurt sauce. Stir-fried Cauliflower Organic cauliflower stir-fried with mustard seeds, turmeric, diced tomatoes and red onions. Greek Spinach Salad Organic baby spinach, Greek feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives and toasted pistachio nuts, tossed to order with a dressing of fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, oregano and minced garlic. CHARLIE’S GRILL Pork Loin Steak Berkshire Farms pork loin brined in marjoram, paprika, red wine vinegar and brown sugar, then seared to perfection. Served with a roasted red pepper sauce. Eggplant Ratatouille Organic eggplant roasted with Roma tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, white onions, bell peppers, garlic, basil, parsley, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of red wine. Creamy Mashed Potatoes Organic russet potatoes mashed with buttermilk, cream and butter. BACK TO ALBUQUERQUE Agua Fresca… Mora Blackberry infused water. Pollo en Huerto Free range chicken with garden vegetables: organic zucchini, onions, fresh corn off the cob, tomatoes, green, red and yellow bell peppers, carrots, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic and oregano. Vegetarian Tamale Casserole A casserole of organic zucchini, carrots, onions, green and yellow bell peppers, corn off the cob, green peas and diced tomatoes, with chili powder, oregano, cumin and garlic. Snap Peas Organic snap peas sautéed with garlic and extra virgin olive oil. EAST MEETS WEST Seared Day Boat Scallops in Green Coconut Curry Sauce Day Boat scallops seared to perfection and tossed in green curry coconut. Topped with a red bell pepper coulis and daikon sprouts. Pad Thai Noodles Pad Thai noodles stir-fried with yellow and red bell peppers, garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, cilantro and Thai basil. Broccoli, Cauliflower & Haricot Verts Stir-fry of organic broccoli, cauliflower and haricot verts with garlic, ginger and Dave’s special brown sauce. Jasmine Rice Jasmine-scented rice steamed to perfection. AL FORNO ROMANO Roasted Pork Loin Berkshire Farms pork loin with mozzarella and bell pepper sauce. Roma & Green Onion Organic Roma tomatoes, green onions, Gruyère and fontina cream. I PIADINI Arugula with Dried Apricots Organic arugula with dried apricots, shaved Parmesan cheese, tossed with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. IL SECONDO PIATTO Herb Roasted Chicken Free range chicken legs and thighs roasted to perfection with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and herb salt. Creamy Tomato Polenta A lush blend of polenta, slow roasted tomatoes, cream and butter. Sautéed Wild Mushrooms Organic shiitake, cremini, button and oyster mushrooms sautéed in garlic and herb salt. Capelin Pesto Toasted pine nuts, basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic and herb salt. SOUPS Spinach Lentil Dahl Tropical Shrimp Bisque Wild Rice & Pork Sweet Onion with Peas (chilled) DESSERTS Red Velvet Cake with Bright White Frosting Hazelnut Shortcakes with Plum Compote Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake Creamy Lemon Macadamia Nut Cookies Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Keyword: chefs

Posted by Susan Wojcicki, VP, Product Management (and long-time seeker of Google chefs) One of the most fantastic perks at Google is free me...

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Lights, camera, action

Lights, camera, action

Posted by Robert Snedegar, Technical Solutions Engineer Today marks the launch of Current TV , which will let television viewers (like you, ...

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Photo sharing, unplugged

Posted by Beth Campbell, Picasa team <a href="http://picasa.google.com/">Picasa</a> is great for managing photos, but I also use it for ordering prints and photo gifts. A lot of my friends and family prefer to get photos the non-digital way, and Picasa lets me quickly edit photos and albums and then send them to some of the most popular online photo finishers. I just select the pictures I want (hold down the CTRL key to select more than one). Then I click the "Order" button at the bottom of the screen. I choose the photo finisher I want to use, sign in to that site, and the selected photos are quickly uploaded. From there, shop as usual. Here's a gift a mother could love: <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/photomug_cropped-706392.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/photomug_cropped-704572.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Whether you pick prints or mugs or photo books, it's all about <a href="http://picasa.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=19599&query=prints&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;topic=0&type=f">helping you share photos</a> faster and more easily.

Photo sharing, unplugged

Posted by Beth Campbell, Picasa team Picasa is great for managing photos, but I also use it for ordering prints and photo gifts. A lot of m...

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More of what I want

More of what I want

Posted by Sean Knapp, Software Engineer A lot of you have personalized your Google homepage since we introduced it on Labs in May. Since t...

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Test drive this hybrid vehicle

Test drive this hybrid vehicle

Posted by Lars Rasmussen, Maps Engineer Can't decide between looking at a map of your house or a photo of your house? See both at once w...

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Moon Children

Posted by Larry Schwimmer, Software Engineer This adventure started with my birthday wish on a Post-It note. <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/moon_note-721805.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/moon_note-720793.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a> So how do you launch a project in one week? It helps to have a working demo. After our <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?&t=k">satellite maps integration</a> was completed, Chikai, a <a href="http://earth.google.com/">Google Earth</a> engineer, had time to make his lunar dream a reality -- sort of. Everyone loved the demo but it gathered moon dust for a few months while Google Earth was being readied. Until <a href="http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/keyhole.html"> Google acquired Keyhole</a>, Chikai and I both lacked co-workers with the same birthday. Fortunately, someone raised the moon idea again on our birthday. And thus the wish was made. Interestingly enough, several product people are also moon children, which probably helped. A week later, we've achieved lift-off for <a href="http://moon.google.com/">Google Moon</a>. It's great to stand on the shoulders of giants, especially the brave and brilliant people at NASA we commemorate and whose data made this possible. And it's energizing to work at a company that can translate a birthday wish into a product in a week. Even so, we haven't included the Moon's 22 <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fplanetarynames.wr.usgs.gov%2Fmoon%2Fmoonmare.html">seas</a>, 8 Soviet <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fnssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fplanetary%2Flunar%2Flunarussr.html">Luna</a> landings, 3 NASA <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fnssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fplanetary%2Flunar%2Franger.html">Ranger</a> impacts, and 7 NASA <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fnssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fplanetary%2Flunar%2Fsurveyor.html">Surveyor</a> landings. Ah, well. There's always next year.<o:p></o:p>

Moon Children

Posted by Larry Schwimmer, Software Engineer This adventure started with my birthday wish on a Post-It note. So how do you launch a project...

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