Lisa Richard
Edited by Brian Dunning
digg
this interview | del.icio.us
this interview
 Every
high-tech executive longs to be a singer when she grows up.
Toshiba's Vice President of Strategic Planning had it all,
even making the cover of InformationWeek in June of
2000. But Lisa Richard wanted more. So she dumped the desk
and set forth as a solo singer, beginning with clubs in LA
and moving on to the musical theater, where she has appeared
to critical success in Inside Out (Robby Award), The
1940's Radio Hour (Robby nomination), Little Shop
of Horrors, Grease, Anything Goes, Evita, and Damn
Yankees, to name a few; and is currently on national
tour with the Broadway production of Mamma Mia.
If you have good taste, you can check out her solo albums Born
to Entertain and Virgin
Tracks. And, if you buy any Toshiba stuff, she probably
doesn't care anymore.
In a technical yet musical way, Lisa now answers our 1000
Questions:
0001. In all of history, what is your favorite invention?
Toilet paper. Simple, but essential. Imagine what life
was like before someone thought of this stuff.
0010. What do you hope will be invented next?
Cars that drive themselves. Put magnetic computerized
strips in the roads so that you could punch in the address
where you want to go on your car's navigation system, and
then lay back and nap or whatever. Think of all the time
we would be adding to our lives that we currently waste
behind the wheel! Plus, it would do something about those
people who always seem to drift mindlessly into my lane.
0011. What do you hope will never be invented?
Nano-chips that are implanted in your head, so you can
have a computer/phone with you all the time. I just don't
need that kind of pressure.
0100. What popular invention do you consider the most
ridiculous?
Robotic vacuum cleaners.
0101. When have you suffered at the hands of technology?
You know, you realize how ridiculously dependent you are
on your computer when you get a virus that totally wipes
it out. Ouch.
0110. When has some technology suffered at your hands?
For all my technical skill with computers, I still can't
record one channel on a VCR while watching another. I have
beaten the hell out of every VCR I've ever owned, and I've
never achieved this Nirvana. I truly believe the feature
is a complete myth, but we're all too embarassed at being
unable to do it that no one has ever challenged the manufacturers
on its existence. Now there's Tivo, so the myth will fade
forever.
0111. If your personal computer suddenly came to life,
what would it say to you?
Pay me big bucks or I'll tell everyone what you've been
doing.
1000. If you found yourself sitting at a Unix terminal
as Earth's last hope while, outside, aliens were wiping
out humanity, what would you type?
We've had a good run.
|
