From what is becoming my favorite blog:
* Praise for effort:
- imbues kids with a greater sense of control over their lives
- leads to improved study habits and grades
“When we praise children for their intelligence," explains Dweck, "we tell them that this is the name of the game: Look smart, don’t risk making mistakes . . . Emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control. They come to see themselves as in control of their success. Emphasizing natural intelligence takes it out of the child’s control, and it provides no good recipe for responding to a failure."
Something my wife needs to read. Here in its entirety: http://geniusblog.davidshenk.com/2007/02/interesting_pie.html
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Formula For Genius
According to this thought provoking post, genius is "a massive aggregation of distinct qualities, each critical". This is the formula:
GENIUS = curiosity + persistence + flexibility + resilience + risk-taking + passion
I swear those qualities seem very familiar...
GENIUS = curiosity + persistence + flexibility + resilience + risk-taking + passion
I swear those qualities seem very familiar...
Monday, January 22, 2007
Top Ten Reasons Why We Hate Oprah
From this highly educational site.
(1) Power Abuse and Influence - Spiderman's guardian said it best, "with great power, comes great responsibility". Oprah abuses her power and influence over her audience to sell materialistic items, unhealthy foods, hollow weight loss diets, etc.. all for her own personal gain. These items in no way help people. What's even worse is during the same week, Oprah usually has a show which completely contradicts her advice and promotion. She claims America is falling further in debt because of the expensive things we should not buy, ie. designer clothing, etc... that America is getting fatter (if you go to Oprah's web site, you will see ads for Oreo cookies, and other fattening foods), bottom line, Oprah is a hypocrite, who wears expensive clothing, promotes it, then tells you not to wear it, all the while keeping her ratings and profits up. Stupid house wife stormtroopers rush out and buy whatever Oprah says. Poor husbands all over the globe have no choice but to succum to the dark side and give in to their the brainwashed wife.
(2) Personal Attacks and Shallow Tactics - When Oprah is put in her own place, she uses her show and influence to attack way below the belt. Take the fashion clothing company Hermes. Oprah wanted in after hours to shop. The store was closed. So she called the store and company racist. She devoted a whole show on the subject and attacked the company. Of course because of her influence, sales suffered, so the CEO of the company had to come on and publicly apologize for something they never did wrong. THE STORE WAS CLOSED. Oprah is not better or special then anyone else. Using the race card to reduce a companies profits because of bitterness is PATHETIC and IMMORAL.
(3) Arrogance - Just because Oprah's show is popular, she thinks she is always right. Oprah does not have any degree(s) of education in psychology. She imposes her poor advice always on people, and what's unfortunate is most people that watch her show believe it because, well it's Oprah, and she is rich and famous, so she must be right. How pathetic.
(4) Deception for Personal Gain - Do you remember that show were Oprah "gave" away all those cars?! People thought she was the best! So generous! After all, 276 cars is a lot of cash to give away! 8 million to be exact. Guess what. Oprah never paid for them, she just wanted it to appear that way. General Motors wanted to launch the new Pontiac G6 in a big way, so they stuck a deal with Oprah, yet another clever product placement deal, GM gets themselves a massive market, and in turn, Oprah's image is better than even. Clever deception indeed. Watch her show closely, and you will see all the product placements and clever lines and tactics she used on her viewers to buy her promoters products.
(5) Cultural Bullying - Oprah pushes her promoters culture and her guest's products onto everyone else. She always displays someone's new clothing line, or book, or some product, that rarely provides any relevant use or help to someone's life. Oprah preaches how everyone wants in and that you need it this product, thus of course many brainwashed viewers rush out and buy whatever Oprah recommends, helping you once again thrust deeper into debt. But don't worry, Oprah will soon have another show on American poverty, and debt diet plans!
(6) Celebrity Worship - Actors and Singers are at the top of the American social ladder, despite the fact that they don't actually do anything. Oprah's show used to actually have relevant topics, now its just celebs appear to boost Oprah's ratings, and interject commercial products.
(7) Child Exploits - Usually once a week a child is brought on the show and tells their tales of physical or mental abuse, sexual abuse, etc... What never happens is no real professional help is given to this child. They come on the show, Oprah imposes her poor advice, her ratings are up at the expense of the child, because of such a shocking story, and in the end, Oprah wins in the ratings, and they child never receives any real help. Oprah has even brought on children that have received death threats, i.e. Web cam teen porn kid, where the child's life was threatened if he went on the show, but that didn't seem to stop Oprah from having him come on.
(8) Oprah Morphing Ability - Oprah is so fake. When an African American women or man is on the show, Oprah talks like "Yo, what's up girl", or "Aight ya'll" but when theirs a white guest, she morphs into Jackie Kennedy and is composed and talks so conservative. Just be yourself, and stop changing into different people to fit your demographic audience.
(9) Oprah is a Proven Liar - Oprah said on her show she never did drugs. Then a media company finds out and is about to expose her. So Oprah does a 180 and confesses her drug (crack) use. Then blames it on her boyfriend. Talk about shallow.
(10) Hypocrisy - Oprah is a total hypocrite. One show is about poverty, and how everyone is going into debt, or we're all getting fatter, then the next show its the latest fashion, what to wear to make you look skinny and popular, and of course the $50 dollar brownies to buy, and all your favorite goodies that can be flown, yes by airplane, to your doorstep. Unbelievable.
(1) Power Abuse and Influence - Spiderman's guardian said it best, "with great power, comes great responsibility". Oprah abuses her power and influence over her audience to sell materialistic items, unhealthy foods, hollow weight loss diets, etc.. all for her own personal gain. These items in no way help people. What's even worse is during the same week, Oprah usually has a show which completely contradicts her advice and promotion. She claims America is falling further in debt because of the expensive things we should not buy, ie. designer clothing, etc... that America is getting fatter (if you go to Oprah's web site, you will see ads for Oreo cookies, and other fattening foods), bottom line, Oprah is a hypocrite, who wears expensive clothing, promotes it, then tells you not to wear it, all the while keeping her ratings and profits up. Stupid house wife stormtroopers rush out and buy whatever Oprah says. Poor husbands all over the globe have no choice but to succum to the dark side and give in to their the brainwashed wife.
(2) Personal Attacks and Shallow Tactics - When Oprah is put in her own place, she uses her show and influence to attack way below the belt. Take the fashion clothing company Hermes. Oprah wanted in after hours to shop. The store was closed. So she called the store and company racist. She devoted a whole show on the subject and attacked the company. Of course because of her influence, sales suffered, so the CEO of the company had to come on and publicly apologize for something they never did wrong. THE STORE WAS CLOSED. Oprah is not better or special then anyone else. Using the race card to reduce a companies profits because of bitterness is PATHETIC and IMMORAL.
(3) Arrogance - Just because Oprah's show is popular, she thinks she is always right. Oprah does not have any degree(s) of education in psychology. She imposes her poor advice always on people, and what's unfortunate is most people that watch her show believe it because, well it's Oprah, and she is rich and famous, so she must be right. How pathetic.
(4) Deception for Personal Gain - Do you remember that show were Oprah "gave" away all those cars?! People thought she was the best! So generous! After all, 276 cars is a lot of cash to give away! 8 million to be exact. Guess what. Oprah never paid for them, she just wanted it to appear that way. General Motors wanted to launch the new Pontiac G6 in a big way, so they stuck a deal with Oprah, yet another clever product placement deal, GM gets themselves a massive market, and in turn, Oprah's image is better than even. Clever deception indeed. Watch her show closely, and you will see all the product placements and clever lines and tactics she used on her viewers to buy her promoters products.
(5) Cultural Bullying - Oprah pushes her promoters culture and her guest's products onto everyone else. She always displays someone's new clothing line, or book, or some product, that rarely provides any relevant use or help to someone's life. Oprah preaches how everyone wants in and that you need it this product, thus of course many brainwashed viewers rush out and buy whatever Oprah recommends, helping you once again thrust deeper into debt. But don't worry, Oprah will soon have another show on American poverty, and debt diet plans!
(6) Celebrity Worship - Actors and Singers are at the top of the American social ladder, despite the fact that they don't actually do anything. Oprah's show used to actually have relevant topics, now its just celebs appear to boost Oprah's ratings, and interject commercial products.
(7) Child Exploits - Usually once a week a child is brought on the show and tells their tales of physical or mental abuse, sexual abuse, etc... What never happens is no real professional help is given to this child. They come on the show, Oprah imposes her poor advice, her ratings are up at the expense of the child, because of such a shocking story, and in the end, Oprah wins in the ratings, and they child never receives any real help. Oprah has even brought on children that have received death threats, i.e. Web cam teen porn kid, where the child's life was threatened if he went on the show, but that didn't seem to stop Oprah from having him come on.
(8) Oprah Morphing Ability - Oprah is so fake. When an African American women or man is on the show, Oprah talks like "Yo, what's up girl", or "Aight ya'll" but when theirs a white guest, she morphs into Jackie Kennedy and is composed and talks so conservative. Just be yourself, and stop changing into different people to fit your demographic audience.
(9) Oprah is a Proven Liar - Oprah said on her show she never did drugs. Then a media company finds out and is about to expose her. So Oprah does a 180 and confesses her drug (crack) use. Then blames it on her boyfriend. Talk about shallow.
(10) Hypocrisy - Oprah is a total hypocrite. One show is about poverty, and how everyone is going into debt, or we're all getting fatter, then the next show its the latest fashion, what to wear to make you look skinny and popular, and of course the $50 dollar brownies to buy, and all your favorite goodies that can be flown, yes by airplane, to your doorstep. Unbelievable.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Fighting the Cold or Flu
Nice post from Crash on TMMB on how to fight a cold/flu:
I choke down as many vitamin C (or, even better, Emergen-C drinks), beta carotene, and echinacea/golden seal pills as I can. This usually kills it within 12 hours; then I take Mucinex to get the mucus out.
I think they only make Mucinex for kids (to be honest, I've never looked for it in the regular cold&flu aisle), but it's a decongenstant that loosens mucus in the chest and actually induces coughing, to help you get the nasties out faster. Otherwise, you can feel great, but still be coughing up strands and strands of mucus for days. Loogies; yum.
Oh, and also - for those of you who are big on taking the spicy food route to rid yourself of excess mucus and congestion - STOP. That is a terrible idea. I know it provides temporary relief, but in the long run, it makes your problem much worse. Capsaicin,* which is the compound in peppers and some other foods that makes them spicy, opens your blood vessels, which is why you seem to feel better - it eases headaches, makes your nose run, gets the mucus out, and can relieve (temporarily!) sinus pressure. However, once the effect wears off, and the capillaries in your now-dry sinuses constrict, your body senses the need to moisturize that very sensitive tissue, and then sends mucus production into overdrive. You'll end up with twice as much boogery mess than you had before you downed all the Texas Pete-laced chili.
*Capsaicin is not found in wasabi, however (the spicy green asian horseradish paste served with sushi), so it's ok to use that to try to turn yourself into a drippy human faucet; you won't get the nasty side effects.
I choke down as many vitamin C (or, even better, Emergen-C drinks), beta carotene, and echinacea/golden seal pills as I can. This usually kills it within 12 hours; then I take Mucinex to get the mucus out.
I think they only make Mucinex for kids (to be honest, I've never looked for it in the regular cold&flu aisle), but it's a decongenstant that loosens mucus in the chest and actually induces coughing, to help you get the nasties out faster. Otherwise, you can feel great, but still be coughing up strands and strands of mucus for days. Loogies; yum.
Oh, and also - for those of you who are big on taking the spicy food route to rid yourself of excess mucus and congestion - STOP. That is a terrible idea. I know it provides temporary relief, but in the long run, it makes your problem much worse. Capsaicin,* which is the compound in peppers and some other foods that makes them spicy, opens your blood vessels, which is why you seem to feel better - it eases headaches, makes your nose run, gets the mucus out, and can relieve (temporarily!) sinus pressure. However, once the effect wears off, and the capillaries in your now-dry sinuses constrict, your body senses the need to moisturize that very sensitive tissue, and then sends mucus production into overdrive. You'll end up with twice as much boogery mess than you had before you downed all the Texas Pete-laced chili.
*Capsaicin is not found in wasabi, however (the spicy green asian horseradish paste served with sushi), so it's ok to use that to try to turn yourself into a drippy human faucet; you won't get the nasty side effects.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Raising High Acheivers
I came across this this book at B&N yesterday. I found the title interesting yet stereotypical and automatically assumed what was contained in it was probably dangerous. Despite my instinct to call bullshit I made a mental note to read about it anyways. I mean, who doesn't want to give their kids a scholastic edge? Besides, I promise to read it with slight skepticism and tweak it to incorporate some of my own beliefs.
Asian parents secrets in raising high achievers:
1) Instill a love and need to learning and education
2) Instill a sense of family pride and loyalty
3) Instill a respect and desire for delayed gratification and sacrifice
4) Clearly define your child's role as a student
5) Cultivate a respect for elders and persons in positions of authority
6) Play an active role in your child's education
7) Determine and develop your child's individual talents
8) Set clearly defined short-term and long-term goals
9) Teach your child the art of valuing academic success over social status or popularity
10) Reward positive school performances and devise a plan of attack for poor school performances
11) Forget the "Do whatever makes you happy" mentality and strive for professions with financial security and intellectual fulfillment
12) Keep your money in perspective
13) Limit extracurricular activities that interfere with schoolwork
14) Promote an environment of healthy competition
15) Surround your children with similarly minded friends and role models
16) Accept responsibility for your children for their failures at school
Asian parents secrets in raising high achievers:
1) Instill a love and need to learning and education
2) Instill a sense of family pride and loyalty
3) Instill a respect and desire for delayed gratification and sacrifice
4) Clearly define your child's role as a student
5) Cultivate a respect for elders and persons in positions of authority
6) Play an active role in your child's education
7) Determine and develop your child's individual talents
8) Set clearly defined short-term and long-term goals
9) Teach your child the art of valuing academic success over social status or popularity
10) Reward positive school performances and devise a plan of attack for poor school performances
11) Forget the "Do whatever makes you happy" mentality and strive for professions with financial security and intellectual fulfillment
12) Keep your money in perspective
13) Limit extracurricular activities that interfere with schoolwork
14) Promote an environment of healthy competition
15) Surround your children with similarly minded friends and role models
16) Accept responsibility for your children for their failures at school
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
This year it was spent in our new pad in San Brew. Drankin Tito's Vodka and Budweiser. Quietly bumpin Jawbreaker's Condition Oakland. Wife and kid(s)are sleeping soundly.
Resolution: Stay hungry and maintain focus. You haven't done shit. Do not relax as stakes are high.
From Robert Greene's post on Machiavelli:
Necessity governs the world. This is a thought that finds great expression in The Prince and is scattered throughout his work. At first glance it might seem rather obvious, but for Machiavelli it goes to the heart of everything. When you feel necessity biting at your heels, you are moved to respond in some way that is creative. It is either that or die. When you do not feel necessity, your actions lack purpose, your spirit wanders, you grow fat and dependent.
Resolution: Stay hungry and maintain focus. You haven't done shit. Do not relax as stakes are high.
From Robert Greene's post on Machiavelli:
Necessity governs the world. This is a thought that finds great expression in The Prince and is scattered throughout his work. At first glance it might seem rather obvious, but for Machiavelli it goes to the heart of everything. When you feel necessity biting at your heels, you are moved to respond in some way that is creative. It is either that or die. When you do not feel necessity, your actions lack purpose, your spirit wanders, you grow fat and dependent.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Favorite Quotes
Inspirational Quotes
I used to have a long ass ascii text file containing a bunch of quotes. Most were inspirational and motivational, others were just witty and hilarious. I have since lost that file so I figured I'd start compiling quotes again... this time in the blog. I bring you the first installment of suntzu's favorite quotes:
Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, architecture, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work and theft will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."
-- Jim Jarmusch
The only person who can truly persuade you is yourself. You must turn the issues over in your mind at leisure, consider the many arguments, let them simmer, and after a long time turn your preferences into convictions
--Milton Friedman (from Capitalism and Freedom)
Generating a rapidly changing environment--that is, engaging in actively that is so quick it is disorienting and appears uncertain or ambiguous to the enemy--inhibits the adversary's ability to adapt and causes confusion and disorder that, in turn, causes an adversary to overreact or underreact. Boyd closed the briefing by saying the message is that whoever can handle the quickest rate of change is the one who survives.
--Robert Coram (from Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War)
I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.
-- Winston Churchill
Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision.
-- Ayn Rand
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
-- Epictetus
When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this... you haven't.
--Robert Schuller
Many people suffer with their thoughts, not knowing that revealing them on paper, continuously over a two hour period, removes the stinging bitterness which they are tightly wrapped within.
-- Asmos
On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
He who hunts monsters should see to, that in the process, he does not become a monster himself.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.
-- Rumi
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
-Niccolo Machiavelli
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes.
-- Marcel Proust
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
-- James Oppenheim
One should count each day a separate life.
-- Seneca
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
-- Albert Einstein
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
-- Albert Einstein
Courage is being scared to death--and saddling up anyway.
-- John Wayne
You are going to let the fear of poverty govern you life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live.
-- George Bernard Shaw
The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible -- and achieve it, generation after generation.
-- Pearl S. Buck
It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
-- Walt Disney
You'll miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
-- Wayne Gretzky
Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.
-- Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people--Eleanor Roosevelt
Intellectuals solve problems. Geniuses prevent them.--Albert Einstein
For you to insult me, I must first value your opinion.--unknown
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.--Thomas Alva Edison
The sign of an intelligent people is their ability to control their emotions by the application of reason.--Marya Mannes
Intelligence is the ability to avoid doing work, yet getting the work done.
--Linus Torvalds
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Saturday, December 02, 2006
French-Canadian Beer
Yeah, that subject line boggles my mind too...
Contingencies have been removed. Praise the lawd. Knock on wood because we're not home free yet.
Anyways, upon receiving some good news I pick up my wife from work and ax her to grab sixer for me since I wanted to celebrate a bit. She comes out with a 4 pack of La Fin Du Monde. Naturally, I was pissed. First of all I asked for a sixer not quad-pack. Sheeeeit. Secondly, the beer sounded hella French. For godsakes the French don't make beer... Is this some sort of pseudo-Brandy-type of drank??
Let's just say my anger has since subsided midway through the 3rd beer. I'm officially tow-the-fuck-up. Good clean buzz.
Contingencies have been removed. Praise the lawd. Knock on wood because we're not home free yet.
Anyways, upon receiving some good news I pick up my wife from work and ax her to grab sixer for me since I wanted to celebrate a bit. She comes out with a 4 pack of La Fin Du Monde. Naturally, I was pissed. First of all I asked for a sixer not quad-pack. Sheeeeit. Secondly, the beer sounded hella French. For godsakes the French don't make beer... Is this some sort of pseudo-Brandy-type of drank??
Let's just say my anger has since subsided midway through the 3rd beer. I'm officially tow-the-fuck-up. Good clean buzz.
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