Posts Tagged ‘psycho-babble’
Keeping the ‘network’ in its place
Jason Kottke put me on to this wry and wise observation from Scott Simpson… … And I thoroughly agree. ‘Love the one you’re with’ seems like a good goal. ‘Split attention’ is rampant. Nothing says ‘you are not interesting enough’ than setting the phone on the table at coffee/lunch/dinner … and waiting for someone more […]
The Spruikers’ Lament
Q: Why is that guy Peter picking on us? A: There can be only one reason: He must be in ‘direct competition’ with us! Yeah! Oh yes. Actually, maybe there’s another reason: He’s a hypocrite. That’s it. A nasty hypocrite. Because (how does it go again? Oh yes, I remember…) He’s in the exactly the […]
Nicely put — Australian Values Statement
I stumbled across this Australian Values Statement and quite like what it’s saying. It seems fair enough to make this an ‘initial communication’ for people considering emigrating to Australia. It seems to me in part a fleshed-out version of the cry of the French Revolution (Liberty, equality, fraternity). I wonder what the background is, how […]
Pix from space
This is one of a series of amazing photos from the International Space Station. Awesome! A while ago I blogged about living with a mountain in your backyard and the effect on one’s psyche to live in proximity of a peak. This amazing picture shows a different influence. – P
Ooh, err…
Bleurgh! I can just hear someone saying, ‘Gosh Darnnit. Kids have to grow up so fast these days, don’t they?’
OMG is the ‘inter-generational wealth transfer’ meme gaining currency?
The cover of the current North & South magazine features a young bloke wearing Jed Clampett-inspired depression couture with the headline: Ripped off by baby boomers? / The Broke Generation / or a bunch of wingers? I haven’t read the article yet, but it probably has some roots in the same ideas Bernard Hickey promulgated […]
Sailing or just being blown?
Overhead at the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club… … At that point you’re not sailing, you’re just being blown. Interested to know more, I stopped and asked the slighty battered-looking yachtie what he meant … He recounted how he’d recently been sailing in heavy weather and found himself with too many sails rigged. (He gave me […]
Why to believe in others
Here’s a wonderful short clip of Viktor Frankl, author of the seminal book, Man’s Search for Meaning, on the topic of our need to have meaning in our lives … to aim high … and to see the best in people whom we’re trying to help or encourage … “…If we take man as he really […]
You’re never too old, bro.
A great little New Zealand short film with a message … This is the extended and enhanced version of FROSTY MAN AND THE BMX KID which was written and directed by Tim McLachlan – one of the five finalists in the international YOUR BIG BREAK film-making competition run by Tourism New Zealand in conjunction with […]
Starting them young
By coincidence I came across this badge given to my 9 year old son for attending the Anzac Day service earlier this year with his Cub pack. Given our recent thoughts about the intertwining of religion, war, the military, it’s interesting that this should come to the surface now. I’ve got to say: It puts […]
By their fruit
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. — John Wooden legendary US basketball coach Even a scoundrel can take comfort in the wisdom of John Wooden’s words, and I’m sure some do. But the question […]
Living with a mountain in your backyard
I’ve just spent a weekend in the shadow of Mt Taranaki, with family on matters to do with our season of grief, and throughout that time I found myself ‘checking in’ with the mountain from various angles. There’s a kind of ownership — does the mountain belong to the people? … Or, more likely, are the […]
The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule Hinduism ‘Never do to others what would pain you’ Panchatantra 3.104 Buddhism ‘Hurt not others with that which hurts yourself.’ Udana 5.18 Zoroastrianism ‘Do not to others what is not well for oneself.’ Shayast-na-shayast 13.29 Jainism ‘One who neglects existence disregards their own existence’ Mahavira Confucianism ‘Do not impose on others what […]
Powerpoint makes us stoopid
I’m not a big fan of overcomplicated, dense Powerpoint ‘presentations’. I’ve seen them used as a crutch and overladen with bullet points and too much type. Looks like other people have reached the same conclusion… Like an insurgency, PowerPoint has crept into the daily lives of military commanders and reached the level of near obsession. […]
‘If you tell a lie often enough you’ll start to believe it…’
More from Michael Lewis on the success of Dr Michael Burry… Includes this: [Big finance firms selling sub-prime instruments] create lots of risk. The only way you get that risk out there and get people to take it is to disguise it. So they got really good at disguising the risk and they got so […]
