7 stories to read this weekend

It is going to be a beautiful weekend in San Francisco and I plan to spend most of it outdoors. And during that time, I don’t plan to bother with working. And you shouldn’t either. However, you should read these seven pieces whenever you get the urge to read something.

• How Hewlett-Packard lost its way, by Fortune writers James Bandler and Doris Burke, is a deep look into what is clearly a dysfunctional giant, one that epitomized Silicon Valley values. Today, it does anything but.
• America’s most unlikely business guru and founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, is profiled by the Wall Street Journal. I loved this story and the lessons are just tremendous.
• I am looking outside of the technology industry to find the meaning of business. Quality and longevity are what we should strive for. That is what I was reminded when I read the profile of zip maker, YKK in Slate magazine.
• Do happy cows make more milk? Who knows. But more data sure can get you more milk, as The Atlantic finds out in this wonderful story: The perfect milk machine.
• Big data or too much information? We talk a lot about big data but never really think about the context around it. The Smithsonian Innovations blog takes a look at the data explosion. Educational is how I would like to describe this piece.
• You need to be mobile first. If you need some convincing, then check out this post.
• Being a workaholic, I have to say I found Leslie Perlow’s piece on how to overcome your work addiction illuminating to say the least.