Thanks to Robert Fulghum for the link!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The Intention Economy - Doc Searls
Get yourself a copy of this book - as one of the reviews says, "Ten years from now, you'll be bragging about having read this book".
Thoughtful & insightful. Very.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Premature Elucidation
via the Cluetrain Manifesto
"Premature elucidation": the plight of men who come to answers way too soon.
"Premature elucidation": the plight of men who come to answers way too soon.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Do as I say, not as I do.
How convenient!
Not very surprising, though.
Christine Lagarde, scourge of tax evaders, pays no tax | Business | guardian.co.uk:
Not very surprising, though.
Christine Lagarde, scourge of tax evaders, pays no tax | Business | guardian.co.uk:
Robert Mugabe asked to be UN 'leader for tourism' | World news | The Guardian
Whatever last shreds of respect I may have had for the UN are gone with this choice of "ambassadors"
Robert Mugabe asked to be UN 'leader for tourism' | World news | The Guardian:
Robert Mugabe asked to be UN 'leader for tourism' | World news | The Guardian:
Monday, May 14, 2012
Coincidence?
via the Guardian
This is far too much of a coincidence - the same company that owns(ed?) the Costa Concordia (remember that ship?? ) is now at the receiving end of a lawsuit for failing to rescue fishermen lost at sea, despite having been seen by passengers of the cruise liner they were travelling on, & having reported the sighting to the crew.
This is far too much of a coincidence - the same company that owns(ed?) the Costa Concordia (remember that ship?? ) is now at the receiving end of a lawsuit for failing to rescue fishermen lost at sea, despite having been seen by passengers of the cruise liner they were travelling on, & having reported the sighting to the crew.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Great Books
About 3 years ago, I read / heard about the "Great Books" - a 54-volume set of books chosen by, besides others, Mortimer Adler. Published originally in 1952, presumably at a time of intense fascination in the "intellectual circles" about the East, the idea was to have an education of the ideas that the Western Civilization has been built upon, an education that seemed to be fast disappearing.
At the same time, I also read the various criticisms leveled against the set, about it not representing the East, no authors in the collection being women, & dozens others.
I"ve been looking for these books since then. Of course, skinflint that I am, I wasn't willing to spend $1500+ for a brand new set, knowing very well, from my own experience that books are sometimes an on-the-spur-of-the-moment investment, never to be looked at again, unless it's time to move houses. I did find a few copies available on e-bay, but never managed to bid on time, so it was another item on my "I must do this someday" list.
Perchance, two weeks ago, a google search brought up a listing on gumtree about a set of books available, for a knockout price of $100. I wasted no time, made a call, promised to pick it up at their earliest convenience, got help from my most helpful colleagues (colleges, as they like to call themselves!), & they're home now, occupying prime real estate in the limited shelving space we've got at home.
I started with Volume 1, simply because I had no idea where else to begin. & as promised, it turned out to be a voice of reason: as pertinent for today as it was when written half a century ago. Two questions that stand out for me (phrased in my, not the articulate authors, words):
1. What is the point of an education, sending a child to "school" for 16 years?
2. What's the point of vocational specialization, without any consideration to the hundreds of closely intertwined issues that are required to get a full appreciation of the problems that surround us?
The authors recommend several reading plans. I've chosen is the plan which selects works from various volumes, in increasing levels of difficulty, taking about 10 years to read & comprehend the whole set. Pages 200-219 of Plato is the first of this journey. I've just finished reading those 20 pages, & am still recovering from the brilliance & simplicity of the ideas put forth.
I think I might get the best out of my investment of time if in addition to reading it, I can write a synopsis for my own sake. I'll give it a shot during this weekend.
At the same time, I also read the various criticisms leveled against the set, about it not representing the East, no authors in the collection being women, & dozens others.
I"ve been looking for these books since then. Of course, skinflint that I am, I wasn't willing to spend $1500+ for a brand new set, knowing very well, from my own experience that books are sometimes an on-the-spur-of-the-moment investment, never to be looked at again, unless it's time to move houses. I did find a few copies available on e-bay, but never managed to bid on time, so it was another item on my "I must do this someday" list.
Perchance, two weeks ago, a google search brought up a listing on gumtree about a set of books available, for a knockout price of $100. I wasted no time, made a call, promised to pick it up at their earliest convenience, got help from my most helpful colleagues (colleges, as they like to call themselves!), & they're home now, occupying prime real estate in the limited shelving space we've got at home. I started with Volume 1, simply because I had no idea where else to begin. & as promised, it turned out to be a voice of reason: as pertinent for today as it was when written half a century ago. Two questions that stand out for me (phrased in my, not the articulate authors, words):
1. What is the point of an education, sending a child to "school" for 16 years?
2. What's the point of vocational specialization, without any consideration to the hundreds of closely intertwined issues that are required to get a full appreciation of the problems that surround us?
The authors recommend several reading plans. I've chosen is the plan which selects works from various volumes, in increasing levels of difficulty, taking about 10 years to read & comprehend the whole set. Pages 200-219 of Plato is the first of this journey. I've just finished reading those 20 pages, & am still recovering from the brilliance & simplicity of the ideas put forth.
I think I might get the best out of my investment of time if in addition to reading it, I can write a synopsis for my own sake. I'll give it a shot during this weekend.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Syrian President Assad could be tried for war crimes, says ex-peace envoy | World news | guardian.co.uk
An "ex-peace envoy" who goes around now advocating hatred?
What about the "war-crimes" that his masters perpetrate around the world in the excuse of making it a safer place? 10-year wars anyone?
Syrian President Assad could be tried for war crimes, says ex-peace envoy | World news | guardian.co.uk: "ex-peace envoy"
What about the "war-crimes" that his masters perpetrate around the world in the excuse of making it a safer place? 10-year wars anyone?
Syrian President Assad could be tried for war crimes, says ex-peace envoy | World news | guardian.co.uk: "ex-peace envoy"
Saturday, April 28, 2012
on Art - Pablo Picasso
Art is the elimination of the unnecessary. -Pablo Picasso, painter, and sculptor (1881-1973)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Moral Certainty - H L Mencken
Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on "I am not too sure." -H.L. Mencken, writer, editor, and critic (1880-1956)
Sunday, April 22, 2012
A huge victory for Yes Toastmasters!!!
Yes Toastmasters club toastmaster wins Hawkesbury Division International Speech Contest tonight 22 Apr 2012 -- Yes Toastmasters (@YesToastmasters). Congrats Mathew Tonkiss
Man is the centre of the universe -NOT!
The world, we are told, was made especially for man -- a presumption not supported by all the facts... Why should man value himself as more than a small part of the one great unit of creation? -John Muir, naturalist and explorer (1838-1914)
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