Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Find Something Beautiful Today
Photo of the surface of Jupiter via NASA. Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.
21 Funny Books
Michael Wade has a list of 21 funny books. I've read 6 of the books and that doesn't count Catcher in the Rye which I've started twice but have never been able to get into (the main character was too unlikeable).
Was also not a fan of Dog of the South but humor is subjective. Going to add A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby and The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton to my ever increasing book wish list.
EDIT: Crap! Robert Crichton - not Michael Crichton
Congrats to Enes Kanter Freedom
Welcome to the newest US citizen - Enes Kanter FREEDOM.
Good for him! Having spoken out about dictatorships in Turkey and China there was a target on his back. May his new status as a US citizen give him the protection to continue to speak out. Changing his last name to "Freedom" gives you an idea on how highly he holds the concept.
20 Best Film Noirs
From The Big Heat to Double Indemnity. Seeing how I have not seen the first or last film (and a few in-between) on the list - not sure if I agree with the rankings. What no The Thin Man or Key Largo?
That said - I do plan on watching some of these movies in the next few weeks.
(HT Daddypundit)
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible." - Voltaire
"The price of trying to make everyone else happy is making yourself miserable." - Naval Ravikant
"We wanted flying cars; instead we got 140 characters." - Peter Thiel
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking." - Marcus Aurelius
Monday, November 29, 2021
Judge Stands Up to Hospital Regarding Ivermectin Ban
"A Chicago-area judge saved a grandfather's life with the single question that exposes hospitals blocking doctors from using a safe, FDA-approved drug: Why?" "Every day after ivermectin, there was accelerated and stable improvement," said Dr. Bain.
Good for the judge! A victory for common sense. This is clearly a situation of politics not medicine. Something that is all too common today. Sadly perhaps only massive malpractice lawsuits will force a return of medicine over politics or profits.
Jordan Peterson at Cambridge
A victory of free speech on campus. And of common sense.
"Look for me at the turning of the tide." - Gandalf
Monday Flotsam and Jetsam
I have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
As always - if what I wrote made you smile or think please hit the Like button, subscriber or share with others. Thanks in advance.
Matt Ridley on COVID
"Covid has mocked public health experts.
They told us to wash our hands, then realized it was airborne.
They told us masks were useless, then made them mandatory.
They sent Covid cases to ordinary hospitals where they infected patients.
Here we go again." - Matt Ridley 11/28/21
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate it with you.
"In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it it the rule." - Friedrich Nietzsche
"Free people make free choices. Free choices mean you get unequal outcomes. You can have freedom, or you can have equal outcomes. You can't have both." - Naval Ravikant
"Laziness is a kind of sadness." - Thomas Aquinas
"Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it." - Publilius Syrus
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"If it were possible to enforce a ban on lying, a ghastly silence would fall over the city of Washington." - Thomas Sowell
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
"Intoxication is an antidote to cognitive control, a way to temporarily hamstring that opponent to creativity, cultural openness, and communal bonding." - Edward Slingerland
"I guess the only time most people think about injustice is when it happens to them." - Charles Bukowski
Hard to Argue Against the Point
I've heard this same point made before but in terms of Corvettes not the minimum wage. The cost of a new Corvette in 1953 was $3,490 when the price of gold was $39.50 an ounce. So you could buy a new Corvette in 1953 for 88.35 ounces of gold. That same amount of gold today would be worth $165,000 which is more than enough to pay for a new 2022 top of the line Corvette.
Saturday, November 27, 2021
How to Avoid Investing in China
Speaking of communism being evil - how to avoid investing in China.
Don't trust China with your money - China is asshole!
Arctic Ocean Began Warming Decades Earlier than Previously Thought
New research shows the Arctic Ocean began warming decades earlier than previously thought. This new information means climate models currently used are incorrect. An inconvenient truth if you will.
The new information throws into question how much of a role, if any, human-caused climate change played in this earlier than thought Arctic warming. Put another way - nobody knows nothing.
Farnam Street Knowledge
The Code of Hammurabi: The Best Rule to Manage Risk.
The ideas of reciprocity, accountability, and incentives mattered as much 4,000 years ago as they do today. The benefit of "skin in the game" is not a new concept.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"You don't have eight creative, problem solving hours in the day - you have two. Spend your time wisely." - Naval Ravikant
"I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am." - Dr. Samuel Johnson
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it." - George Orwell
"That which can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence."- Christopher Hitchens
Friday, November 26, 2021
NFL Settles Suit Filed by St Louis
Disappointed the amount was amount wasn't ten figures and that there wasn't any public owner-on-owner mud wrestling.
GDP per Capita
Interesting graph. I did not put n the country labels. Two items of interest to me; first notice how low China actually is on the graph and secondly I wonder how COVID and the lockdowns will effect the status of China and Australia (data was from 2019 I believe).
Black Friday Reminder - Boycott China
You'll be doing yourself a favor by not buying shit products from an asshole government.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The wide world is all about you, you can fence yourself in, but you cannot forever fence it out." - JRR Tolkien
"If the able and good withdraw themselves from Society [Government], the venal and ignorant will succeed." - John Tyler 1783
"Do away with all fancies. Cease to be passions puppet. Limit time to the present. Learn to recognize every experience for what it is, whether it be your own or another's." - Marcus Aurelius
"Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."- Albert Einstein
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
Thanksgiving Flotsam and Jetsam
I have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Since the Democrats did not issue Thanksgiving talking points this year - perhaps you and your family can all talk about this post instead. Again - happy Turkey Day.
Radio Garden
Cool! An interactive map of radio stations around the globe. Click on the dot of choice from around the world and listen live to your radio station of choice.
HT Instapundit.
Martin Scorsese's Essential Movies
Martin Scorsese's 125 essential movies. I've only seen 10 on the list.
It is the time of year when most people have the free time to watch movies - maybe I'll increase my total to 12 or 13.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"What happens after you die? Lots of things happen after you die - they just don't involve you." - Louis C.K.
"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." - Flannery O'Connor
"Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life." - Jerzy Gregorek
"I know of only two very real evils in life: remorse and illness." - Leo Tolstory
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
GE - The Original "Go Woke - Go Broke"?
There's no denying that under the leadership of Jack Welch GE became the nation's most valuable company. Also no denying that now they are simply a "former industrial behemoth." Also no denying that under Welch the company famously was performance based with firings of the bottom 10% of producers a regular thing. After Welch the company became kinder and gentler, trying to go "Green" and foster a diverse socially aware workforce. (Those are my observations - not necessarily reflected in the article.)
How did that work out?
(HT Wally Bock)
Is China's Economy in Trouble?
Noah Smith looks at China's economy and how its "catch-up growth" may be over.
...Covid is distorting the numbers and because China's government will probably smooth out a few bad years of data as it has in the past. But there are signs that a perfect storm is brewing that could lead to permanent deceleration. And depending on the size of that slowdown, it could mean that China's economic miracle has basically run its course.
Smith details four "simultaneous economic problems" but I would suggest he add a fifth - decoupling. Many of the developed nations pre-pandemic and pre Xi crackdown who were doing business with China are moving their businesses elsewhere. The political climate, the PR hit at home, and the fact that labor is cheaper in places like Vietnam, Mexico, and South America make China no longer worth the hassle. The people of the world don't trust China because China has been an "asshole."
Also economic growth requires innovation and innovation requires freedom. Xi Jinping has very publicly crushed freedom of all sorts in China and has probably strangled the economy in the process.
Another Trial to Keep an Eye On
The relocation lawsuit against Stan Kroenke and the Rams by the City of St. Louis looks to be a big loser for the NFL. Seems like Kroenke was in the wrong in picking up his team and moving it to Los Angeles. Also seems like he knew it when he promised the other NFL owners that he'd pay for any damages resulting from this lawsuit. But now it seems that Kroenke wants the other NFL owners to help pay for the damages - which could be a massive bill.
This will not go over well with the other team owners. Get your popcorn ready. This could be a doozy.
How Silicon Valley Has Changed
My how Silicon Valley has changed.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"There can be no such thing, in law or in morality, as actions forbidden to an individual, but permitted to a mob." - Ayn Rand
"Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it." - Henry Ford
"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another." - William James
"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." - Daniel Webster
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Constitution DAO Aftermath
Interesting look at what happened when the crypto-crowd-sourced bid to but a copy of the US Constitution failed. Obviously Web3 and DAO's still have a lot of wrinkles that need to be worked out.
In other unrelated news Gamestop stock was at $247.55 at last night's market close.
Why Does the Biden Administration Deny the Existence of Tesla?
Why do Joe Biden and Kamala Harris refuse to acknowledge Tesla exists?
A: Because they really are that clueless
B: Because Tesla is a non-union shop and the Biden Administration only recognizes Union car makers
C. Because of Elon Musk's mean Tweets
Musk is treating this as a joke, which of course, is the proper response. To do otherwise would be to be "punching down." Elon has 64.5 million followers on Twitter while Joe Biden only has 15.5.
EDIT: Maye Musk (Elon's mom) joins in on the mocking of Joe Biden
Interesting
According to this little toy tool - on Twitter the news I interact with is 29% Left, 37% Centrist and 34% Right. That seems pretty balanced.
My three biggest news influencers are Matt Ridley, Naval Ravikant and Mike Lombardi (which is amusing because I don't think any of the three would consider themselves to be news influencers).
Farnam Street Knowledge
Steve Jobs on the Most Important Thing in Life.
Good advice. Everyone throughout history has been making it up as they go along. There are no adults.
Slightly disappointed the answer wasn't "Stick it to Bill Gates" though.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - Lord Acton
"Do not take life too seriously - you will never get out of it alive." - Elbert Hubbard
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know; it's what we know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain
Monday, November 22, 2021
FDA Wants 55-years to Release Vaccine Related Data
In fairness shouldn't all vaccine mandates also have to wait for 55-years? Remember transparency? Informed consent?
Monday Flotsam and Jetsam
A new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post is up on Substack.
As always if anything makes you smile or think - please hit the Like button, subscribe or share with others. Thanks in advance.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Quality is not an act, it is a habit." - Aristotle
"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." - Thomas Jefferson
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland
"Our span of life is brief, but is long enough for us to live well and honestly." - Cicero
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Vaccine Caused Mortality?
Vaccinated English adults under 60 are dying at twice the rate of unvaccinated peers of the same age.
It should be noted that the best and most reliable COVID data has been coming out from England and Israel.
Climbing the Wrong Hill
Chris Dixon with some classic career advice.
My only quibble would be sometimes the highest hill is not always the right hill. Sometime more meaning or a better quality of life can be found on a smaller hill.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"The welfare of the people has always been the alibi of tyrants." - Albert Camus
"If you see fraud and don't say fraud, you are a fraud." - Nassim Taleb
"Collecting airline miles is coupon-clipping for the middle class." - Naval Ravikant
"Those that say that individuals are not capable of changing anything are only looking for excuses." - Vaclav Havel
Great Prank or Truth in Advertising
On this day in 2004 Yale pulled a great prank on Harvard by having Crimson fans hold up signs that said "We Suck."
For my money this remains the best prank in college football history.
Saturday, November 20, 2021
Written While Drunk
Once drunk, my delight knows no limits -
Even better than before I'm drunk.
My movements, my expressions, all turn to dance,
And every word out of my mouth turns into a poem!
- Zhang Yue (667 to 730)
Enjoy your Saturday - I know I will! Poker, college football and live music are my agenda for the day. Later tonight every word out of my mouth will be poetry!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"If you aren't curious about it, you'll never be good at it." - Naval Ravikant
"A gentleman is never rude except on purpose." - Christopher Hitchens
"Perspective changes everything. Billions of people would instantly trade their problems for your problems." - Shane Parrish
"People who have time on their hands will inevitably waste the time of people who have work to do." - Thomas Sowell
Friday, November 19, 2021
On This Day in History
"On November 19, 1969 - Apollo program Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean land at Oceanus Procellarum (the "Ocean of Storms") and become the third and forth humans to walk on the Moon." - World of Engineering
Amazing how famous Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became in history yet how obscure the third and forth people to walk on the Moon became to the common person. Like how nobody remembers the second person to break the 4-minute mile. Or the second person to break the sound barrier.
Don't Be a Dinosaur
The Web3 technological renaissance is here. Ignore it at your peril.
Some good advice and information. I'm making the effort to not be a dinosaur.
What Really Happened to Jack Ma?
Forbes does a good job trying to piece together the clues to the mystery of what happened to Jack Ma. Kudos to them for tackling a subject that China probably feels is taboo (which explains why much of the Western press has avoided the story). The whole situation should be a giant red flag to any international company doing business in China.
I've said this many times but the Chinese Communist Party only recognizes supplicants and enemies. Jack Ma wasn't enough of a supplicant and so he found himself on the other list.
For all we know Jack Ma may be doing forced labor making Nike sneakers at this point. Don't trust China - China is asshole!
Cryptocurrency Wallet Built Right Into the Browser
Browser maker Brave announces it has built a cryptocurrency wallet right into their browser.
This is a big next step in the evolution of the Internet.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became the truth." - George Orwell
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius
"Grandpa pissed his pants again - he don't give a damn." - Warren Zevon
"Twitter isn't real life." - Dave Chappelle
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Find Something Beautiful Today
Photo of the "Nubian Monuments" complex via Museum Archive. Headline
Web3 DAO to Buy the Constitution Tonight?
Of the 13 original copies of the US Constitution there are only 2 that are privately held and this group has raised over $40 million for the task of buying the one up for auction tonight. And I really think they're going to do it! This will be a huge public relations win for cryptocurrency in general and for Web3 as well.
The symbolism is off the charts.
EDIT: The DAO just lost out as the winning bid was $43.2 from a private collector.
A Victory for Common Sense
OSHA has suspended enforcement of Biden's vaccine mandate due to the ruling of the Fifth Circuit Court (and massive pushback from States and employers).
"OSHA remains confident in its authority to protect workers in emergencies" and I remain confident that OSHA is a bunch of bureaucratic Karens with a stick up their ass and their hand in Big Pharma's pocketbook.
Can Notre Dame Make the College Football Playoff?
'Space Armageddon' and Putin's Threats to Ukraine
Putin senses weakness in the US military's reliance on satellites.
Russia's massive military buildup on the Ukraine border (more than 100,000 troops, tanks and heavy weapons) and Monday's antisatellite missile launch are very much related events according to the article.
Vladimir Putin senses weakness. Both in the American leadership in Washington and the military's dependence on satellites. And he's not wrong. However, he may be making a big miscalculation. The US has a not-so-secret weapon in SpaceX who could rapidly launch replacement GPS satellites and whose Starlink service could be used by troops in the field.
Also, if Putin wanted to rally the US public to support action against Russia there could be no better way than messing with their GPS. If Putin were to knock out GPS for even a day there would be a political road-rage tsunami against Russian aggression.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees." - Benjamin Franklin
"Give me chastity and self-restraint, but do not give it yet." - Saint Augustine
"What is a rebel? A man who says no." - Albert Camus
"You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless banana's after death in monkey heaven." - Yuval Noah Harari
The Day We Met Calvin and Hobbes
On this day in 1985 the world was introduced to a boy and his tiger.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Notes on Web3
This post had some interesting and valid criticisms of Web3. But this one really got me thinking:
Web3 promises rewards - maybe even a kind of justice - for "users," but Ethereum doesn't know anything about users, only wallets. One user can control many wallets; one bot can control many wallets; Ethereum can't tell the difference, doesn't particularly care.
While the above rings true - what would a Web3 bot look like? And if it was something that was able to make "money" via generating "likes" - wouldn't that be kind of cool? An AI that makes you laugh or think new thoughts? Are you as curious what that would look like as I am? And if successful wouldn't that bot be creating not scamming? Or am I way off base here.
Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam
A new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post is up on Substack.
As always - if the post makes you smile or think please hit the Like button, subscribe, or share with others. Thanks in advance.
Big Bird - Just Saying
He is well known for communicating directly with children. And on social media he has been seen trying to speak directly to young children.
Just saying but that's basically the profile of a pedophile trying to "groom" young kids.
Yale Bloated with Administrators
The growth of administrators at Yale is out of control. Increase in tuition charges leads to the hiring of more, and more administrators. Which leads to an increase in tuition charges. "Yale's administrators today exceeds the number of faculty - 5,066 compared to 4,937." That's mind blowing to me.
All these administrators have created competing fiefdoms and none of these fiefdoms are interested in giving up personnel or power. The expansion of the medical facilities is a valid explanation for some of the growth but this is ridiculous. And there is ZERO evidence that this has led to a better educational experience. Actually the opposite as these power hungry fiefdoms have led to a series of controversies at the university.
Yale may be past the point of no return. Perhaps at this point they should just change the school mascot from the bulldog to the Vogon (too obscure?).
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope hope may resonate with you.
"The main thing - treat people with respect and you can avoid most of the problems this world has to offer." - Joshua Brown
"The obedient always think of themselves as virtuous rather than cowardly." - Robert Anton Wilson
"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong." - Thomas Sowell
"Self-awareness is the most attractive trait." - Naval Ravikant
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Why the Supply Chain Crisis Isn't Going to Get Better
Interesting inside look at the supply chain issues faced by ports and truckers.
Don't know what the answer is to this problem. Based upon seeing "Now Hiring" signs on almost every 18-wheeler on the road there obviously doesn't seem to be nearly enough drivers. And the article didn't even touch on the regulatory issues that are causing most independent truckers to avoid California where many of the clogged ports are.
It's a mess. Thank goodness we have Mayor Pete to sort it out (once he's back from maternity leave).
Russians Threaten Safety of Everyone and Everything in Space
This is a very big deal. Russia needs to pay for its recklessness.
Why You Cannot Trust US COVID Data
Well sourced look at how the CDC is actively trying to make the vaccines appear more effective than they are. Why would they do that? What's their incentives for doing that? If you answer those questions honestly to yourself - your trust in government evaporates.
The comparison to "body counts" in Vietnam is very apt. Juking the stats are always done by the incompetent.
Farnam Street Knowledge
The Surprising Power of the Long Game.
To me the "long game" is simply spending less than you earn, cultivating good habits, and leveraging compound interest in any form. You are never too old to start playing the "long game."
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"You never know what the American public is going to do, but you know that they will do it all at once." - Bill Seidman
"Southern California doesn't know whether to bustle or just strangle itself on the spot." - Neal Stevenson Snow Crash
"So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation's future is at stake." - John F. Kennedy
"Quantum mechanics reveals to us that the more we look at the detail of the world, the less constant it is." - Carlo Rovelli
Monday, November 15, 2021
Long Live the (Public) Library
Libraries are some of my favorite places in the world but, unfortunately, I haven't been spending much time in them lately. COVID closed many public libraries and only recently have local libraries opened back up to what might be considered normal hours. University libraries, for the most part, remain closed off except to students and faculty.
I fear for our public libraries because it is an easy budget to cut when money gets tight. The neighborhood library of my youth was closed about a decade ago because of centralization and budget cuts. Not sure where I would be today without that Main South Branch. But now it's gone with nothing to replace it for the kids in that neighborhood.
COVID, Sweden, and North Carolina
As a reminder Sweden has suspended all COVID related restrictions and doesn't seem any worse for wear.
By population Sweden is about the same size as North Carolina. Also as a reminder, North Carolina has had 1,503,936 confirmed cases of COVID but only 18,431 deaths from COVID. That's a fatality rate of just 1.2% of people battling COVID. What's the justification for North Carolina having any COVID restrictions including vaccine mandates?
(Graph via) EDIT: Fixed some math
Monday Flotsam and Jetsam
A new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post in now up at Substack.
As always - if the post makes you smile or think please hit the Like button, subscribe or share with others. Thanks in advance.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"Social media is to socializing what masturbation is to sex." - Oliver Markus Malloy
"Creativity starts with an empty calendar and ends with a full one." - Naval Ravikant
"Be a good animal, true to your instincts." - D.H. Lawrence
"Imagine what you could accomplish if you weren't focused on being busy all the time." - Shane Parrish
Neil Gaiman - Make Good Art
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Rules for Writers
From the archives: Execupundit with rules for writers from some of the best.
To his list I'd add Neil Gaiman and his 8 rules for writers.
Web 3: The Rise of the Aligned Web
Web 3 is coming to replace the adversarial web. Let's hope it also comes to the US.
An excellent primer on our current Internet (Web 2.0 aka the adversarial web in the post) versus what's coming in Web 3 (aka the aligned web in the post). The incentives and how the money flows in Web 3 are the keys.
A Reading List from Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson with 51 books he recommends.
I've read 16. That means I have more work to do.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"A multitude of words is no proof of a prudent mind." - Thales of Miletus
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." - Stephen King
"Those who aren't committed find faults. Those who are committed find a way." - Dan Rockwell
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matter compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Alcohol
There continues to be historical evidence that fermenting and drinking alcohol pre-dates man settling into a life of planting and harvesting crops. In fact the world's oldest known recipe was not for food but for beer (part of an ancient Sumerian myth).
According to Edward Slingerland's book Drunk; "The human mastery of fermentation into alcohol is so ancient that certain yeast strains associated with wine and sake show evidence of having been domesticated 12,000 years ago or more."
So today I plan to get in touch with and pay homage to mankind's great heritage by drinking beer and watching football. It's what man is meant to do!
History Will Grind Out the Truth
VDH makes a good point on how the truth did come out about the "Russian Collusion." But it took time.
The good professor argues the same will be true about both the origin of the Wuhan virus and the January 6th arrests.
No One Cares!
Our fears abut what others think of us are overblown and rarely worth fretting over.
Excellent advice, "If I wouldn't invite someone into my house, I shouldn't let them into my head." On social media we are often inviting strangers into our heads - the first step is recognizing the problem.
Farnam Street Knowledge
Ben Franklin: The Thirteen Necessary Virtues
From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Time for me to re-read that book.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception." - Aldous Huxley
"The problem is not you being uneducated. The problem is that you are educated just enough to believe what you have been taught, and not educated enough to question anything from what you have been taught." - Richard Feynman
"Today, we have the gift of life. No matter our longevity, life is finite. Never miss the opportunity to show those you love, admire, and appreciate that you care." - George Raveling
"I am among those who think that science has great beauty." - Marie Curie
Friday, November 12, 2021
Farnam Street Knowledge
Accelerated Learning: Learn Faster and Remember More.
"We start learning in the womb and we never stop;" at least we're not supposed to stop. Have you stopped actively learning?
Mac Jones Says Hello
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This is the proverbial tempest in a teacup but I'd be amused if offensive linemen for any Panthers opponents started saying, "Mac Jones says hello" after any pancake block of Brian Burns. This would have a strategic advantage for the Panthers opponents because you know such a comment would throw Burns off his game.
And it would make me laugh.
Friday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up at Substack.
As always - if it makes you smile or think please hit the Like button, subscribe or share with others. Thanks in advance.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The overreducated are worse off than the undereducated, having traded common sense for the illusion of knowledge." - Naval Ravikant
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it." - Teddy Roosevelt
"Are you moving with direction or jut moving?" - Shane Parrish
"Loki Never Forgets an Insult" - Trump 2024 campaign slogan
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Experts from a World That No Longer Exists
Morgan Housel on change and expertise.
And how they relate to each other.
On This Day
My thought for the day, for this day, is that America is a nation worth serving, worth fighting for, and, if need be, worth dying for. America isn't just the land and the waters of the nation, it's primarily her people. Of many different backgrounds, of many different cultures, of many different beliefs, yet we are one people.
The 11th Hour, of the 11th Day, of the 11th Month
Have a new post up at Substack on the origin and history of Veteran's Day.
Thank you to all who have worn the uniform - past and present.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Opened to Public
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was opened to the public for the first time in almost a century.
The public was allowed to walk on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza and place flowers near the memorial. I applaud this move. Families of loved ones MIA from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam are themselves passing away. Sure this gesture meant so very much to those able to participate.
Kudos to whoever authorized this.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"If you know, you don't need to show. If you show, you don't know." - Shane Parrish
"The closer you are to the truth, the more silent you become inside." - Naval Ravikant
"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Teddy Roosevelt
"Convince yourself that everything is the gift from the gods, that things are good and always will be." - Marcus Aurelius
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Crisis Worsens at Poland-Belarus Border
That same thing is happening at our southern border backed by other autocratic nations. The immigrants are mostly pawns but continued weakness at the borders just breeds more chaos. Both around the world and on our doorstep.
