Archive for the ‘Encouragement’ Category
Full of sound and fury
Some who fancy themselves as ‘political players’ put me in mind of this from Macbeth: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a […]
NOT taking their own ‘advice’ … for better outcomes
Last year I read an article called How Doctors Die which I highly recommend you also read. In a nutshell, and as a generalization, Ken Murray MD finds that doctors faced with their own terminal disease seek none of the high level medical interventions they might carry out or recommend to their patients, but rather […]
Study: Right-wingers are dumber. Preposterous!
From the RadioLIVE website: A paper, published in Psychological Science, claims that people with ring-wing views tend to be less intelligent than those on the left. It claims that people of lower-intelligence tend towards right-wing views as they make them feel ‘safe’. …. Children on the study were assessed for innate intelligence aged 10 or […]
Nelson Mandela on reconciliation
One of my very generous sisters-in-law gave me a volume of Nelson Mandela quotations for Christmas. It’s astonishing how much wisdom about the big issues of life he expressed over the years — and with such eloquence and elegance of thought. Thinking about the decades of protest at Waitangi, and the enormous progress towards reconciliation […]
Leonard Cohen’s new album
Yup, I’m a fan (and a fashion victim?) and, of course, immediately bought Leonard Cohen’s new album Old Ideas. I’d been waiting, as noted. It’s good. I notice today it is #1 on iTunes. That’s remarkable, given his longevity and the time in the wilderness and the shallow ‘music to slash your wrists by’ blurb. […]
This is just how I see it too
It’s hard to say I told you so without sounding like a dork. But this is how I see it too. Especially about design really mattering. Following on the heels of Apple’s enormous success … Watching Apple Win the World — John Gruber at Daring Fireball 26/01/12 David Heinemeier Hansson, on the satisfaction of being a […]
Louise Mensch right wing vixen part 2
I mentioned UK Tory MP Louise Mensch in July applauding her handling of a blackmail attempt. Here’s a profile from The Guardian‘s Decca Aitkenhead Louise Mensch: ‘We’re not all ogres’ which is very interesting for similar reasons, and more… We were still swooning at her brio when rioting broke out across Britain and she made […]
Mealy-mouthed
Heard on Radio NZ National’s World Watch this afternoon: “There’s strong evidence to suggest the worst of the eurozone crisis could be over…” Crikey. Ya reckon? How to say something without really saying anything or committing yourself. Shoot me (joke) if I write something so equivocal. Please. It’s almost as bad as hyperbolic self-promotion. – […]
A new song from Leonard Cohen
The Darkness — by Leonard Cohen from his upcoming new album Old Ideas For me, Leonard Cohen is an example of someone who produces life-affirming inspiration from behind the cloud of a life blighted by bouts of depression. Good on him. I’ve been listening to his music all summer in my car. More here: Leonard […]
So emotionally real
I’m really impressed with the emotional honesty and fairness of this song by Gotye featuring Kiwi songstress on the rise Kimbra. Terrific. And what a beautifully directed and shot video!
Hitchens on Clinton
He’ll say anything. He’ll try anything. He’s a complete solipsist and completely without scruple. Christopher Hitchens RIP
Think like a man?
I spotted this on a friend’s tumblr. Does it make sense? Blogger Cactus Kate wrote a little while back that she thinks like a man, as part of a serious and worthwhile exploration of the single female’s social scene but somehow I don’t think she meant this: Look like a girl Act like a […]
Oh Patrick Gower!
Well worth watching … 50 seconds of … well, of … Patrick Gower. You know, the [allegedly] ‘deceitful bastard’ ACT leader-on-the-skids Don Brash wouldn’t talk to — three times. Good on him. From TV3’s Firstline (full clip). Look how he cracks up Rachel Smalley … who sometimes indulges in a wee bit of humour […]
