Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I Am What I Am Revised
I am a great list of many things. I am a survivor. I am a titan, a God of my existence. I am not alpha, the first, but I am omega, I am the last of my kind. I am alone, so very alone in a bitter cold world of darkness. But I'm not scared. I do not tremble or quake. I don't cower in black corners or dark alleyways with fear. I am firm in my stance. I will forever hold my ground. I am immovable and unshakable. I am a rock.
I know nothing about everything, it is impossible for me to know everything about nothing. I am power. Not powerful, but the essence of power, through me everything can be achieved. Though, I am lost and worthless. They didn't want the others, and if they find me, I would be truly lost like the others. In reality, I am useless. I am naught but a thing that collects dust. No one wants me. No one needs me. I stand alone against the world, for it is my only option to survive. Else I meet death, and that is not an option. I am a soldier. I am the last living book, and my title, Yung-Lo Ta-Tien encyclopedia.
I am a book comprising of more than 11,000 volumes, written in by more than 2000 authors. I was developed in 1408, commissioned by Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty in China. As I am an encyclopedia, I am very much a generalist, or something that knows nothing about everything. I contain a wide variety of information, I am a wealth of knowledge. However, of my 11,000 original volumes, only 400 survive today. I have survived fires and wars, though I'm scattered abroad. For more information click here.
When you picture the last of a race, rather, when I picture the last of a race, I picture one with the strongest spirit, one with the will to survive against all odds, one who is cunning as all get out. The last one would have to be, else another would be the last one. Among the cunning would be a vast wealth of knowledge that would be necessary to out wit the one's adversaries, and with the ability to adapt to the times and the strategies of those who stand against the one.
The last is the strongest mentally, physically, and emotionally. The last knows enough about everything to survive through anything. The last is a trooper, a soldier, a brute, a force never to be reckoned with. And that is what I am. I am the last.
I know nothing about everything, it is impossible for me to know everything about nothing. I am power. Not powerful, but the essence of power, through me everything can be achieved. Though, I am lost and worthless. They didn't want the others, and if they find me, I would be truly lost like the others. In reality, I am useless. I am naught but a thing that collects dust. No one wants me. No one needs me. I stand alone against the world, for it is my only option to survive. Else I meet death, and that is not an option. I am a soldier. I am the last living book, and my title, Yung-Lo Ta-Tien encyclopedia.
I am a book comprising of more than 11,000 volumes, written in by more than 2000 authors. I was developed in 1408, commissioned by Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty in China. As I am an encyclopedia, I am very much a generalist, or something that knows nothing about everything. I contain a wide variety of information, I am a wealth of knowledge. However, of my 11,000 original volumes, only 400 survive today. I have survived fires and wars, though I'm scattered abroad. For more information click here.
When you picture the last of a race, rather, when I picture the last of a race, I picture one with the strongest spirit, one with the will to survive against all odds, one who is cunning as all get out. The last one would have to be, else another would be the last one. Among the cunning would be a vast wealth of knowledge that would be necessary to out wit the one's adversaries, and with the ability to adapt to the times and the strategies of those who stand against the one.
The last is the strongest mentally, physically, and emotionally. The last knows enough about everything to survive through anything. The last is a trooper, a soldier, a brute, a force never to be reckoned with. And that is what I am. I am the last.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
I Am What I Am
I am a great list of many things. I am a survivor. I am a titan, a God of my existence. I am not the first, but I am the last of my kind. I am alone, so very alone in a world of darkness. But I'm not scared. I do not tremble or quake. I don't cower in corners with fear. I am firm in my stance. I will forever hold my ground. I know nothing about everything, it is impossible for me to know everything about nothing. I am power. Not powerful, but the essence of power, through me everything can be achieved. Though, I am lost and worthless. They didn't want the others, and if they find me, I would be truly lost like the others. In reality, I am useless. I am naught but a thing that collects dust. No one wants me. No one needs me. I stand alone against the world, for it is my only option to survive. Else I meet death, and that is not an option. I am a soldier. I am the last living book.
When you picture the last of a race, rather, when I picture the last of a race, I picture one with the strongest spirit, one with the will to survive against all odds, one who is cunning as all get out as well as physically fit. The last one would have to be, else another would be the last one. Among the cunning would be a vast wealth of knowledge that would be necessary to out wit the one's adversaries, and with the ability to adapt to the times and the strategies of those who stand against the one.
The last is the strongest mentally, physically, and emotionally. The last knows enough about everything to survive through anything. The last is a trooper, a soldier, a brute, a force not to be reckoned with. And that is what I am. I am the last.
When you picture the last of a race, rather, when I picture the last of a race, I picture one with the strongest spirit, one with the will to survive against all odds, one who is cunning as all get out as well as physically fit. The last one would have to be, else another would be the last one. Among the cunning would be a vast wealth of knowledge that would be necessary to out wit the one's adversaries, and with the ability to adapt to the times and the strategies of those who stand against the one.
The last is the strongest mentally, physically, and emotionally. The last knows enough about everything to survive through anything. The last is a trooper, a soldier, a brute, a force not to be reckoned with. And that is what I am. I am the last.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
You work for me bub.
"Those who know how to work for those who know why."
I once heard a joke that illustrates this topic quite nicely. Fred and George worked for a man named Frank. Fred and George dug a well all day, at the beginning of the work day, they would climb into the hole and proceed to dig until the end of the day. Frank, being the boss, would sit in his lawn chair under an umbrella out of the heat of the sun and drink lemonade all day. One day Fred and George were talking. Fred says, "Why does Frank get to sit up there and drink lemonade all day while were stuck down here digging this hole?".
George was dumbfounded and said, "I dunno. Why don't you go ask him?"
So the next morning before Fred climbed in the hole, he asked Frank why he got to drink lemonade all day while he and George had to dig the hole. Frank answered, "It's because I'm smarter than you." Fred nodded and climbed into the hole. George had Fred relate what happened. After Fred had finished George asked, "Well.. how is he smarter than us?".
Fred said, "I dunno... why don't you go ask him?" So the next morning George did. Frank walked him over to a tree and said, "Now see, I'll show you I'm smarter than you." He put his hand on the tree, "I want you to hit my hand as hard as you can." So George wound up and just before Franks hand was going to get hit, he pulled it away, and George hit the tree. "See, I'm smarter than you," Frank said. And George accepted it and climbed back down the hole. Fred asked George about what the boss had said. George said, "Well, he said he was smarter than us."
"How so?" Asked Fred.
George said, "He did this demonstration," George put his hand over his face, "Hit my hand as hard as you can".
While the joke is a crude example of my point here, it works. Education is everything in today's society. There are only so many jobs you can do while you're still in high school. All of these jobs are entry level (to be the bottom man on the totem poll) and most of them are in fast food or retail industries. There aren't many jobs that open up after graduating high school, but there are many jobs that you must be 18 years of age to do or 21 years of age. It depends on the kind of equipment you will be using to do the job. Most of those jobs that are age restricted don't require a college education. Those who work those kinds of jobs are usually doing heavy labor for little pay.
After completing college, a wide range of fields opens up where you're no longer the bottom man on the totem poll, things like management becomes possible upon starting a job. Assuming we don't restrict jobs based on the kind of degree, or in other words that all degrees are universal, higher paying jobs open up where you become "in charge". For example, upon joining the military out of high school, you start off as an enlisted man. After you get a degree in college and join the military, you start as an officer. The pay difference, and the amount of pull they have with in the organization is so much greater than what an enlisted man has. Being educated benefits more than you, it also benefits the economy. http://icpd2015.org/assets/pdf/Education.pdf
On the other hand, there are some very successful people in the world who never finished college. My soccer coach in high school is a multimillionaire. He is twenty two, he failed out of college, but he owns four businesses he built from the ground up. While education will get you farther than you may otherwise get, there are instances where people are super successful despite all odds. Eminem would be another example. He never finished high school, but he is considered to be one of the best rappers, and he's WHITE! Check out his story. This is an interview with him and CBS news. http://www.eminem.com/blog/default.aspx?nid=30604
For those of you who have never heard Eminem, this is one of my favorites by him.
The statement "those who know how to work for those who know why", revolves around the necessity for education. If no one knew why, or in other words, if no one was educated, there would be no need for those who spend their lives as people who know how to work, or those who are laborers and do the menial tasks.
I once heard a joke that illustrates this topic quite nicely. Fred and George worked for a man named Frank. Fred and George dug a well all day, at the beginning of the work day, they would climb into the hole and proceed to dig until the end of the day. Frank, being the boss, would sit in his lawn chair under an umbrella out of the heat of the sun and drink lemonade all day. One day Fred and George were talking. Fred says, "Why does Frank get to sit up there and drink lemonade all day while were stuck down here digging this hole?".
George was dumbfounded and said, "I dunno. Why don't you go ask him?"
So the next morning before Fred climbed in the hole, he asked Frank why he got to drink lemonade all day while he and George had to dig the hole. Frank answered, "It's because I'm smarter than you." Fred nodded and climbed into the hole. George had Fred relate what happened. After Fred had finished George asked, "Well.. how is he smarter than us?".
Fred said, "I dunno... why don't you go ask him?" So the next morning George did. Frank walked him over to a tree and said, "Now see, I'll show you I'm smarter than you." He put his hand on the tree, "I want you to hit my hand as hard as you can." So George wound up and just before Franks hand was going to get hit, he pulled it away, and George hit the tree. "See, I'm smarter than you," Frank said. And George accepted it and climbed back down the hole. Fred asked George about what the boss had said. George said, "Well, he said he was smarter than us."
"How so?" Asked Fred.
George said, "He did this demonstration," George put his hand over his face, "Hit my hand as hard as you can".
While the joke is a crude example of my point here, it works. Education is everything in today's society. There are only so many jobs you can do while you're still in high school. All of these jobs are entry level (to be the bottom man on the totem poll) and most of them are in fast food or retail industries. There aren't many jobs that open up after graduating high school, but there are many jobs that you must be 18 years of age to do or 21 years of age. It depends on the kind of equipment you will be using to do the job. Most of those jobs that are age restricted don't require a college education. Those who work those kinds of jobs are usually doing heavy labor for little pay.
After completing college, a wide range of fields opens up where you're no longer the bottom man on the totem poll, things like management becomes possible upon starting a job. Assuming we don't restrict jobs based on the kind of degree, or in other words that all degrees are universal, higher paying jobs open up where you become "in charge". For example, upon joining the military out of high school, you start off as an enlisted man. After you get a degree in college and join the military, you start as an officer. The pay difference, and the amount of pull they have with in the organization is so much greater than what an enlisted man has. Being educated benefits more than you, it also benefits the economy. http://icpd2015.org/assets/pdf/Education.pdf
On the other hand, there are some very successful people in the world who never finished college. My soccer coach in high school is a multimillionaire. He is twenty two, he failed out of college, but he owns four businesses he built from the ground up. While education will get you farther than you may otherwise get, there are instances where people are super successful despite all odds. Eminem would be another example. He never finished high school, but he is considered to be one of the best rappers, and he's WHITE! Check out his story. This is an interview with him and CBS news. http://www.eminem.com/blog/default.aspx?nid=30604
For those of you who have never heard Eminem, this is one of my favorites by him.
The statement "those who know how to work for those who know why", revolves around the necessity for education. If no one knew why, or in other words, if no one was educated, there would be no need for those who spend their lives as people who know how to work, or those who are laborers and do the menial tasks.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
To shop or not to shop, that is the question
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, a few world leaders encouraged their populace to keep spending. George Bush, the president of the United States at the time urged Americans to “get on the airlines, get about the business of America”. The prime minister of Canada told his country “Don't cancel your plans ... we have to keep the travel and tourism industry alive. It is the way to fight back." And many other officials declared a trip to the mall as being patriotic. Many people believed that that was the way to rebound from the terrorist attacks and to keep the economy alive. Please see the following link for an article written by Jill Vardy on September 28, 2001 http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0929-04.htm.
While I agree with our nations leaders to some extent, I believe that this topic also revolves around a personal financial stand point. I used to rationalize spending money I didn’t have because I was putting what I made back into other peoples jobs, so they could put what they made into my job. It made perfect sense to me. However, as of late I have come to change my opinion on the subject.
The average house hold in America has 8 thousand dollars just in credit card debt. That doesn’t include back taxes, back rent, student loans, personal loans or any other kind of debt there is. The national average for personal debt is estimated somewhere around 2 trillion dollars, and its growing. Roughly 43% of American family’s spend more than they make every year. http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/savinganddebt/p70581.asp
I believe for those families who can afford to spend money without increasing the amount of debt they have, should spend money. I still stand by the idea that it is patriotic to spend money, but only if you can afford it. For those families who are in debt, and who are living outside their means, I believe they are killing the economy. If we could eliminate debt on an individual level, I believe we would see less businesses sink, more jobs open up, and even a reduction in the national deficit, which is now upwards of 9 trillion dollars. Just to give you an idea of how big that is that would be 9,000,000,000,000$, I don’t think it’s possible for any of us to fully comprehend that much money. And by 2019, the debt is estimated to reach 18.4 trillion dollars (that’s 18,400,000,000,000$) However, to bring that debt back down to the 250 million (that’s 250,000,000, roughly 36,000 times less than what the deficit is now) like it was in 1940 would be more patriotic than continuing to spend and increase the national debt. Click the following link for charts showing the increase of the deficit over the last 50 years. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/faq.html
Having said all that, I say it is patriotic to shop. We need to keep our economy flowing. Any money that sits still is like sitting water. It attracts mosquitoes and gets moldy. It’s bad for the country. But I say it’s even more patriotic to adjust our spending habits and to eliminate personal debt, which will enable us to put even more into our ever growing economy.
While I agree with our nations leaders to some extent, I believe that this topic also revolves around a personal financial stand point. I used to rationalize spending money I didn’t have because I was putting what I made back into other peoples jobs, so they could put what they made into my job. It made perfect sense to me. However, as of late I have come to change my opinion on the subject.
The average house hold in America has 8 thousand dollars just in credit card debt. That doesn’t include back taxes, back rent, student loans, personal loans or any other kind of debt there is. The national average for personal debt is estimated somewhere around 2 trillion dollars, and its growing. Roughly 43% of American family’s spend more than they make every year. http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/savinganddebt/p70581.asp
I believe for those families who can afford to spend money without increasing the amount of debt they have, should spend money. I still stand by the idea that it is patriotic to spend money, but only if you can afford it. For those families who are in debt, and who are living outside their means, I believe they are killing the economy. If we could eliminate debt on an individual level, I believe we would see less businesses sink, more jobs open up, and even a reduction in the national deficit, which is now upwards of 9 trillion dollars. Just to give you an idea of how big that is that would be 9,000,000,000,000$, I don’t think it’s possible for any of us to fully comprehend that much money. And by 2019, the debt is estimated to reach 18.4 trillion dollars (that’s 18,400,000,000,000$) However, to bring that debt back down to the 250 million (that’s 250,000,000, roughly 36,000 times less than what the deficit is now) like it was in 1940 would be more patriotic than continuing to spend and increase the national debt. Click the following link for charts showing the increase of the deficit over the last 50 years. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/faq.html
Having said all that, I say it is patriotic to shop. We need to keep our economy flowing. Any money that sits still is like sitting water. It attracts mosquitoes and gets moldy. It’s bad for the country. But I say it’s even more patriotic to adjust our spending habits and to eliminate personal debt, which will enable us to put even more into our ever growing economy.
Monday, August 30, 2010
My Kitten!
She's a few weeks old, and the vet put her at 188 grams which equates to roughly .4 lbs! Shes tiny!
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