16 Jun

Posted at 08:59h in Observations

At whatever we look, we see ourselves; especially that with which we most closely identify. In that light, are you a knife, fork, or spoon? People who identify as knives tend to view the world as bigger than themselves; a world which needs to be cut to a smaller size to make it digestible.  They see only one way of doing things as knives can be safely held from only one side. Forks are people who look to identify simple opportunities to enrich themselves. Most businesspeople identify as forks. Spoons look like the human form. They are gentle, cupping their food. Moreover, they are relatively friendly as they can safely be held from either side. Alternatively, there are chopsticks. Chopsticks can be invariably held by one side or the other; that is, we treat others as we do ourselves. People who identify as chopsticks view life as not viable when lived independently (one chopstick), but easy when we work in tandem with others....

15 Jun

Posted at 00:34h in Observations

"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge." When we think we know, our curiosity evaporates and we cease exploring to become truly knowledgeable....

14 Jun

Posted at 05:02h in Observations

"If you think about where you are, you’re probably somewhere else." There is only the here and now. Thinking about where we are, or comparing ourselves to others separates us from this here and now. Lost, yet not knowing it, our thoughts take us somewhere else, a somewhere that soon turns to nowhere....

11 Jun

Posted at 10:15h in Observations

Today, June 12th, is my birthday. It's not a significant day unless I'm stopped for a traffic violation and given a pass by a sympathetic police officer. Birthday parties celebrate the calendar date upon which we arrived on Earth for our short time here. Deathday ceremonies celebrate those who have transitioned to be one with everything forever. Birthday celebrations are ubiquitous while the deathday is rarely acknowledged in the Western world outside of Chinese, Japanese, Jewish, Korean and Vietnamese communities. Birthday parties are an incapsulated mix of food, chitchat, perhaps a couple of speeches and gifting. Deathday ceremonies can be more fun and impactful. On the deathday we can gather and each attendee can view their life and the lives of others from the perspective of the one who is one with everything. Then, those who have gathered can be born again as they perceive themselves in a new light and the presence of the one who transitioned is felt by all for a time long passed their deathday....

09 Jun

Posted at 20:05h in Observations

In recent years there's been a loud call for diversity at large companies. The practical ideology supporting diversity is that without discrimination an organization can access wisdom (see the wisdom of the crowd) which is essential to realizing its potential. However, diversity, as articulated by government, is superficial and not as effective as true diversification. As the government sees it, individuals are not unique but belong to one or several groups; religious, racial, sexual, ethnic, etc. The goal of diversity is to have employees in every large organization as members in different groups such that all groups are represented in an organization in some proportion that reflects society at-large.  This mechanical approach often misses its intended goal as the viewpoints of members from different groups are not necessarily meaningfully diverse. Organizations naturally discriminate in their hiring practices. For example, it "makes sense" for a company to require all hires to be hardworking people. However, a company that aims for a diverse workforce would hire a few lazy workers as well. While the lazy workers might put a drag on existing operations, they would likely find easier processes to get the job done which would lead to greater efficiencies. That's the benefit of having a diverse workforce. The government also has an idealistic ideology that promotes diversity. It is the absurd notion that relative equality among members in society makes for a happy society. As the human species benefits by having diverse talents and personalities, there will always be lazy and industrious people. However, few industrious people work industriously for similar financial outcomes as those who are lazy. Hence, the idealistic ideology promoting diversity leads to a lower standard of living on average for all. That's unlikely to make many societal members happy....

08 Jun

Posted at 10:15h in Observations

When stock market prices rise dramatically and unjustifiably based on the earnings prospects of companies, it's called a bull market; when they precipitously fall it's called a bear market. According to Investopedia: "The terms 'bear' and 'bull' are thought to derive from the way in which each animal attacks its opponents. That is, a bull will thrust its horns up into the air, while a bear will swipe down. These actions were then related metaphorically to the movement of a market. If the trend was up, it was considered a bull market. If the trend was down, it was a bear market." Alternatively, perhaps a bull market is like a bull charging at a matador's red cape. The bull is charging ahead at something it sees as real and alive (the moving red cape, rising prices), but which ultimately is a mirage, a delusion. as there is nothing behind the cape or to justify rising prices. Likewise, a bear market is like a hibernating bear which cannot be enticed to eat food it's offered (like buying stocks that are easy to be had, cheap) because it is sleeping....

06 Jun

Posted at 10:15h in Observations

CAT is an acronym for a sheriff's Criminal Apprehension Team which tracks and arrests offenders wanted for serious felony crimes.  Cats don't scratch when they purr. Cats don't like any sort of water. Some years back, I lived in Westport, CT. One day, as I was driving to play squash, I was on a business phone call and startled by red lights in the rearview mirror. Soon enough, I was parked on the side of the road with a police car behind me. An overweight officer came out of his vehicle. He was livid, screaming: "You were on our cell phone." I said: "Officer, I know I was on the phone, I shouldn't have been, poor judgement on my part. But I'm a bit late for a squash game. How about I give you my license and registration and meet you back at the station house after the game and we'll sort it all out?" He then got even angier and screamed: "You can't do that." As our temperatures were rising, I said: "Officer, I see you are upset. I think you are upset with me. I feel terrible. We are here to take care of each other and I'm not doing a good job of it. Please, tell me, what can I do to make you feel better?" At that point, our minds calmed and he said: "Let's forget about it." A cat doesn't scratch when it's purring. I told this story to a lawyer friend from Spain. He said that he often gets stopped for traffic infractions but never gets ticketed. Simply, when stopped, as the police officer comes asking for his driver's license, my friend puts his right hand finger, which is out of the officer's view, to his nose. From his left side, it appears his finger is sloshing around in his nose. He then takes out his driver's license with his right hand and offers it to the officer who invariably refuses it and tells him to be considerate (perhaps prophylactically) of others. Cats don't like all sorts of water....

02 Jun

Posted at 10:15h in Wow

Life is an entertaining journey as long as we don't forget it's a temporary holiday from where we permanently reside which is heaven. Even those with the most wonderful lives find themselves in hell when they forget they're on holiday....