File under Procrastinate
Procrastination has such a negative connotation. it's the label of the slackers, the lazy, the 'you'll never amount to much'. But Procrastination could also be considered the 8th habit of highly effective people and in Frank Partnoy's book Wait he terms it Optimizing Delay. In a review of the book in Psychology Today, columnist Matt Huston notes that Partnoy's strategy is predicated on the fact that "skilled decision makers take as much time as they reasonably can to prepare for their decision before they make it." This strategy allows for the collection of as much information regarding the decision or task as possible, as well as allows clarity on whether the task is truly important or not. Partnoy lends weight to the belief that being quick is not as important as being correct.
Maybe knowing when the decision or task has to be completed is just as important as knowing the details.
Song of the Day
Recent events have actually led this to being a perfect song of the day. First of all, because of an ill-timed cold i was unable to go to the Virgin Free Music Festival today here in Maryland. I was invited by an old college buddy of mine and unfortunately i am sitting here while he is having fun listening to Jack White. But the band featured here is also in the lineup of the music festival. Secondly, the song is actually a cover of one of my favorite Pixies songs, and coincidentally i heard it a week ago at a French wedding. There are few things more surreal than being in the French countryside at a wedding reception where you can communicate with only 5% of the guests and then you hear a Pixies' song as a part of the wedding playlist. In honor of trans-national musical taste, the Song of the Day is the Pixies' "Where is My Mind" covered by Trampled by Turtles.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Friday, August 31, 2012
The 8 Hour Rule
File under Get a Smaller Plate
Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!
As we lament the end of summer and the beginning of the long slog through fall and winter we probably don't even spend a moment to think about the purpose of Labor day and what it signifies. And while i'm not actually writing about that, I am reminded of an article I read about the 8-hour work day and how the concept relates to our failure to associate activities with our goals.
Work researcher and columnist Sara Robinson wrote in Salon.com that the labor movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries helped establish the 40 hour a week concept as commonplace. And during that time there were countless research studies into the benefits of the idea. Based on that research she notes, Henry Ford reduced his plant workers’ daily hours from 9 to 8, resulting in an increase in productivity. Competitors quickly followed suit. Even into the 1960’s research indicated the benefits of limiting work to 40 hours a week. Robinson writes that:
“What these studies showed, over and over, was that industrial workers have eight good, reliable hours a day in them. On average you get no more widgets out of a 10 hour day than you do out of an eight hour day. Likewise, the overall output for the work week will be exactly the same at the end of six days as it would be after five days.”
What shouldn’t get lost in that analysis is how the same productivity occurs in two separate time periods. It’s not like a ten-hour a day worker produces widgets for 8 hours then sits back and does nothing even though they are on the clock for two more hours. They are still producing, albeit at a much slower rate, understandably because of fatigue, apathy, and lack of sustained concentration. So in those last two hours if they are still producing widgets, and they average the same total amount over the entire time period as if they had only worked 8 hours, then logically in the first eight hours of a ten hour work day they produced less than they did in a standard eight hour day. Think about that, because the worker knew he had more time to produce he actually became less productive.
But there are two productivity models at play here. This model is based on a manufacturing and productivity metric - produce as many items as you can in a certain amount of time. There is no set goal, other than maybe a minimum quota. The only thing set is the amount of time in which to work. Your productivity is output based. Unfortunately in non-manufacturing, non-quota based employment models we apply the same metric. Work for more time and do as many things possible in that time period. There is no correlation of our productivity to the ultimate goal. In non-manufacturing settings our goal maybe to close a sale, ace the final exam, etc. But we confuse the models and replace making widgets with sending emails, creating presentations, going to meetings, creating spreadsheets. Although this work may be extremely valuable, what is the connection to our outcome? We too often assume that by working more, we are more effective and productive and may be surprised when our efforts do not result in achievement of the goal.
Song of the Day
Well this is certainly not in support of any goals you may have and in fact may set you back temporally and intellectually, but who cares. In honor of viral song parodies the song of the day is Korean star PSY's "Gangnam Style", subsequently parodied by the University of Oregon Duck mascot et al.
There are few words to describe this video. Funny, random, disturbing, addictive...none do it justice.
Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!
As we lament the end of summer and the beginning of the long slog through fall and winter we probably don't even spend a moment to think about the purpose of Labor day and what it signifies. And while i'm not actually writing about that, I am reminded of an article I read about the 8-hour work day and how the concept relates to our failure to associate activities with our goals.
Work researcher and columnist Sara Robinson wrote in Salon.com that the labor movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries helped establish the 40 hour a week concept as commonplace. And during that time there were countless research studies into the benefits of the idea. Based on that research she notes, Henry Ford reduced his plant workers’ daily hours from 9 to 8, resulting in an increase in productivity. Competitors quickly followed suit. Even into the 1960’s research indicated the benefits of limiting work to 40 hours a week. Robinson writes that:
“What these studies showed, over and over, was that industrial workers have eight good, reliable hours a day in them. On average you get no more widgets out of a 10 hour day than you do out of an eight hour day. Likewise, the overall output for the work week will be exactly the same at the end of six days as it would be after five days.”
What shouldn’t get lost in that analysis is how the same productivity occurs in two separate time periods. It’s not like a ten-hour a day worker produces widgets for 8 hours then sits back and does nothing even though they are on the clock for two more hours. They are still producing, albeit at a much slower rate, understandably because of fatigue, apathy, and lack of sustained concentration. So in those last two hours if they are still producing widgets, and they average the same total amount over the entire time period as if they had only worked 8 hours, then logically in the first eight hours of a ten hour work day they produced less than they did in a standard eight hour day. Think about that, because the worker knew he had more time to produce he actually became less productive.
But there are two productivity models at play here. This model is based on a manufacturing and productivity metric - produce as many items as you can in a certain amount of time. There is no set goal, other than maybe a minimum quota. The only thing set is the amount of time in which to work. Your productivity is output based. Unfortunately in non-manufacturing, non-quota based employment models we apply the same metric. Work for more time and do as many things possible in that time period. There is no correlation of our productivity to the ultimate goal. In non-manufacturing settings our goal maybe to close a sale, ace the final exam, etc. But we confuse the models and replace making widgets with sending emails, creating presentations, going to meetings, creating spreadsheets. Although this work may be extremely valuable, what is the connection to our outcome? We too often assume that by working more, we are more effective and productive and may be surprised when our efforts do not result in achievement of the goal.
Song of the Day
Well this is certainly not in support of any goals you may have and in fact may set you back temporally and intellectually, but who cares. In honor of viral song parodies the song of the day is Korean star PSY's "Gangnam Style", subsequently parodied by the University of Oregon Duck mascot et al.
There are few words to describe this video. Funny, random, disturbing, addictive...none do it justice.
Friday, July 6, 2012
The Weekly Theory 7.6.12
File under Useless Information
Happy belated 4th of July everyone!
Somewhere in the not too distant past i went from loving fireworks to having the refined opinion of 'Eh." [insert shoulder shrug] I think it has something to do with the expectation of what is to come. After the first 5 minutes i get it. I've seen 'em all. Let's just get to a bunch at one time. And make it really loud. I would rather the entire show was a 5 minute grand finale, instead of 29 1/2 minutes of the same thing prior to all hell breaking loose.
My wife, however, is a different story. She could watch fireworks for an hour and not get bored. But she did come up with this week's theory.
I Have a Theory...
...that if you have to ask if this is the grand finale, it probably isn't.
You'll know...you'll know.
Song of the Day
In honor of Grand Finales, here is a patriotic song (albeit not originally for the U.S.) that has a pretty good one. Might as well listen to the first 30 seconds then skip to 4:55. The Song of the Day is Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
Happy belated 4th of July everyone!
Somewhere in the not too distant past i went from loving fireworks to having the refined opinion of 'Eh." [insert shoulder shrug] I think it has something to do with the expectation of what is to come. After the first 5 minutes i get it. I've seen 'em all. Let's just get to a bunch at one time. And make it really loud. I would rather the entire show was a 5 minute grand finale, instead of 29 1/2 minutes of the same thing prior to all hell breaking loose.
My wife, however, is a different story. She could watch fireworks for an hour and not get bored. But she did come up with this week's theory.
I Have a Theory...
...that if you have to ask if this is the grand finale, it probably isn't.
You'll know...you'll know.
Song of the Day
In honor of Grand Finales, here is a patriotic song (albeit not originally for the U.S.) that has a pretty good one. Might as well listen to the first 30 seconds then skip to 4:55. The Song of the Day is Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Reunion
File under Set the Bar Low
This past Friday night was my 20th High School reunion.
20 years. That’s a long time.
But it’s not the years that have had more of an effect on me, rather it’s the realization that there is a part of my history, of who I am, that I am missing. It was roughly 20 years ago that I left Houston, Texas after graduating to head to college and make my way. I wanted to get out of Texas and I did. Way out of Texas. In fact I went out of my way to move on from High School, drifting away from friends and even farther from acquaintances. Maybe it’s natural, maybe not. In any case, I had little contact with those I walked the school halls with, until the past few weeks. Unfortunately because of work, and 1,300 miles, I wasn’t able to make it to the reunion. But, thanks to the gloriousness that is Facebook I’ve been able to keep up with the pre-, during, and post-reunion chatter, and I have had two realizations:
First is the feeling that there is a whole group of other people who I share a common history with. They may have had different experiences and recollections, but in some way they are my past. They are a part of me. No matter how distant. And I miss that.
Second, and more in line with the Perfect Antidote theme, is that people make the most of their lives. We all had hopes and dreams, we all had life plans. But whether we followed them exactly, or whether our dreams came true, we all etched out a niche of happiness that fits who we are, not someone else who tells us what success is.
Happiness is being in the presence of those who you love and who love you. Happiness is in sharing both good and bad times with people. And happiness is remembering where you came from.
I’m looking forward to 25.
Song of the Day
In honor, of going back to high school, even if it was virtually, the song of the day is by a great new band Half Moon Run called “Full Circle”.
This past Friday night was my 20th High School reunion.
20 years. That’s a long time.
But it’s not the years that have had more of an effect on me, rather it’s the realization that there is a part of my history, of who I am, that I am missing. It was roughly 20 years ago that I left Houston, Texas after graduating to head to college and make my way. I wanted to get out of Texas and I did. Way out of Texas. In fact I went out of my way to move on from High School, drifting away from friends and even farther from acquaintances. Maybe it’s natural, maybe not. In any case, I had little contact with those I walked the school halls with, until the past few weeks. Unfortunately because of work, and 1,300 miles, I wasn’t able to make it to the reunion. But, thanks to the gloriousness that is Facebook I’ve been able to keep up with the pre-, during, and post-reunion chatter, and I have had two realizations:
First is the feeling that there is a whole group of other people who I share a common history with. They may have had different experiences and recollections, but in some way they are my past. They are a part of me. No matter how distant. And I miss that.
Second, and more in line with the Perfect Antidote theme, is that people make the most of their lives. We all had hopes and dreams, we all had life plans. But whether we followed them exactly, or whether our dreams came true, we all etched out a niche of happiness that fits who we are, not someone else who tells us what success is.
Happiness is being in the presence of those who you love and who love you. Happiness is in sharing both good and bad times with people. And happiness is remembering where you came from.
I’m looking forward to 25.
Song of the Day
In honor, of going back to high school, even if it was virtually, the song of the day is by a great new band Half Moon Run called “Full Circle”.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The Titanic
File under Understanding the Problem
James Cameron is having a big year. First he will soon be descending 36,000 feet down in a submersible vehicle to the most remote place on earth, Mariana's Trench. And second, and clearly more important, is the release this year of Titanic 3-D. Spoiler alert: The iceberg did it.
It's with that backdrop that there is a timely report, originally from Sky and Telescope magazine and later editorialized in National Geographic. The report describes a unique celestial alignment that may have ultimately led to the Titanic disaster, and i'm not talking about the impending 3-D release of the movie.
Almost 4 months prior to the ship colliding with an iceberg and sinking off the coast of Newfoundland, the earth, moon, and sun were perfectly aligned in a typical Full moon phase which normally causes more extreme high and low tides. However compounding this "Spring Tide" was the fact that the moon made one of the closest passes to earth since A.D. 762. The report researchers indicated that this may have exacerbated the tides and resulted in Greenland ice chunks breaking off and setting out on the Labrador Currents, or that existing icebergs that had becomed lodged, were now freed in the high tides. They postulated that there was an increase in ice flow into the Atlantic that may have played a part in the disaster.
The National Geographic article was careful to include debate from other scientists that the tides may not have been that uniquely extreme during that time of that year, however even the possibility of compounding factors shows that the sinking may have been more of a Black Swan event than previously thought. The study is a good reminder that there is rarely one cause or reason for an outcome, but rather many complex interactoins. And that laying blame at the foot of one reason, or putting hope in one obvious cause may be just as foolish.
The Daily Physics Problem
Describe the physics behind the fact that in the movie Titanic, Jack and Rose can have sex in the very small backseat of a model T, yet can't seem to make room for each other on, what seems like, a sizeable floating piece of wood at the end of the movie.
The Cliff Claven Fact of the Day
It's a little known fact that in April it will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking, and even more amazing, this year is the 15th anniversary of the movie.
The Song of the Day
In honor of the Titanic, the song of the day is Celine Dion's "My Heart..." Sorry, i can't do that with a straight face. The song of the day is Wyclef Jean's "Anything Can Happen."
James Cameron is having a big year. First he will soon be descending 36,000 feet down in a submersible vehicle to the most remote place on earth, Mariana's Trench. And second, and clearly more important, is the release this year of Titanic 3-D. Spoiler alert: The iceberg did it.
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| Source |
Almost 4 months prior to the ship colliding with an iceberg and sinking off the coast of Newfoundland, the earth, moon, and sun were perfectly aligned in a typical Full moon phase which normally causes more extreme high and low tides. However compounding this "Spring Tide" was the fact that the moon made one of the closest passes to earth since A.D. 762. The report researchers indicated that this may have exacerbated the tides and resulted in Greenland ice chunks breaking off and setting out on the Labrador Currents, or that existing icebergs that had becomed lodged, were now freed in the high tides. They postulated that there was an increase in ice flow into the Atlantic that may have played a part in the disaster.
The National Geographic article was careful to include debate from other scientists that the tides may not have been that uniquely extreme during that time of that year, however even the possibility of compounding factors shows that the sinking may have been more of a Black Swan event than previously thought. The study is a good reminder that there is rarely one cause or reason for an outcome, but rather many complex interactoins. And that laying blame at the foot of one reason, or putting hope in one obvious cause may be just as foolish.
The Daily Physics Problem
Describe the physics behind the fact that in the movie Titanic, Jack and Rose can have sex in the very small backseat of a model T, yet can't seem to make room for each other on, what seems like, a sizeable floating piece of wood at the end of the movie.
The Cliff Claven Fact of the Day
It's a little known fact that in April it will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking, and even more amazing, this year is the 15th anniversary of the movie.
The Song of the Day
In honor of the Titanic, the song of the day is Celine Dion's "My Heart..." Sorry, i can't do that with a straight face. The song of the day is Wyclef Jean's "Anything Can Happen."
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The St. Valentimes Day
File under Useless Information
Happy Valentine's everyone!
Song of the Day
In honor of the coolest woman on the face of the earth, the song of the day is 311's "My Stoney Baby", a song i heard 19 years ago and had no idea it was about my future wife.
Happy Valentine's everyone!
Song of the Day
In honor of the coolest woman on the face of the earth, the song of the day is 311's "My Stoney Baby", a song i heard 19 years ago and had no idea it was about my future wife.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The Nuclear Meltdown and Willie Nelson
File under Meet Yourself
Several months ago, in fact very near the beginning of this blog, i wrote about the 'entropy of endeavor' and the distribution of effort across the professional landscape.
But this concept relates to more than professions. And is more prevalent in our everyday lives than we think. There are a finite number of cheerleader positions, lead roles in the school play, state delegates, or vice presidents in your company. Despite the demonstration of excellence, the individual may be in a pool of other excellent individuals, thus not achieving success despite doing everything in his or her power. The small fish in a big pond paradigm reigns supreme. And this brings us to the concept of Incidence versus Prevalence.
On March 28th 1979, at a power plant in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, a series of operator misunderstandings, mechanical failures, and procedural neglect resulted in a valve remaining open and releasing large amounts of cooling water. Now for most power generation facilities the loss of cooling water can have significant impact through operational delays and damaged equipment. But the loss of cooling water for this plant in particular resulted in a catastrophic and devastating partial nuclear meltdown. This was Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant. And although it was a location many had never previously heard of, it was now a place most of the world could not stop talking about.
The accident resulted in a release of small but significant amounts of radioactive krypton and iodine. This accident was almost an incomprehensible ‘system accident’, or ‘black swan’ event, but across the US and even the world, the underlying fears of harnessing this awesome power for ‘good’ bubbled to the surface in an overwhelming wave of anti-nuclear, “I told you so” admonishment. Radioactive iodine is a known carcinogen and its main etiology is Thyroid cancer. Immediately following the incident, the Environmental Protection Agency and public health officials began to conduct environmental sampling and study the populations surrounding the plant for evidence of radiation poisoning. Even testing local deer population.
But despite claims of increased cases of cancer and other deleterious health effects, to this day there is majority scientific consensus that there was no statistical increase in cancer rates following the meltdown. Many anti-nuclear advocates point to the higher Incidence of cancer in the Three Mile Island region than in other locations in the US, however epidemiologists and researchers have shown that because of higher background radon levels there is a corresponding higher level of cancer Prevalence, or existing cases of cancer, in that area. The new cases of cancer are compared to an already high existing rate, or prevalence, of thyroid cancer in that region. They are no longer unique and their existence cannot be statistically linked in a causative manner to the accident itself. The new cases are statistically washed out, their importance diminished.
Now whether the accident resulted in an increased rate of cancer most likely will always be contested, especially by families who may have personally suffered following the release. But what is clear is that the meaning and importance of an incident is directly related to the prevalence of the same condition. This goes for the successes we often strive for. There may be a high incidence of excellence, but in a background environment of high excellence prevalence, those new incidences of success are not noteworthy, or rather above the norm.
We see this in classroom grade curves. A student scoring 90 percent on an exam (often considered excellent), may be subpar if the average is 95. But almost as important as understanding that, is understanding and exploiting the converse. A student scoring 70 may be considered excellent when the average is 60. Identifying when you are, or can, supercede the pool, no matter how mediocre, and thus creating an incident above the prevalence, is key to achieving success.
Song of the Day
So apparently this commercial has caused quite a stir on the web following its appearance on the Grammy's tonight. Not having anything to do with the message of the commercial, i want to feature it because i love covers of newer songs by legends. The song of the day is Coldplays' "The Scientist" performed by Willie Nelson.
Several months ago, in fact very near the beginning of this blog, i wrote about the 'entropy of endeavor' and the distribution of effort across the professional landscape.
But this concept relates to more than professions. And is more prevalent in our everyday lives than we think. There are a finite number of cheerleader positions, lead roles in the school play, state delegates, or vice presidents in your company. Despite the demonstration of excellence, the individual may be in a pool of other excellent individuals, thus not achieving success despite doing everything in his or her power. The small fish in a big pond paradigm reigns supreme. And this brings us to the concept of Incidence versus Prevalence.
On March 28th 1979, at a power plant in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, a series of operator misunderstandings, mechanical failures, and procedural neglect resulted in a valve remaining open and releasing large amounts of cooling water. Now for most power generation facilities the loss of cooling water can have significant impact through operational delays and damaged equipment. But the loss of cooling water for this plant in particular resulted in a catastrophic and devastating partial nuclear meltdown. This was Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant. And although it was a location many had never previously heard of, it was now a place most of the world could not stop talking about.
The accident resulted in a release of small but significant amounts of radioactive krypton and iodine. This accident was almost an incomprehensible ‘system accident’, or ‘black swan’ event, but across the US and even the world, the underlying fears of harnessing this awesome power for ‘good’ bubbled to the surface in an overwhelming wave of anti-nuclear, “I told you so” admonishment. Radioactive iodine is a known carcinogen and its main etiology is Thyroid cancer. Immediately following the incident, the Environmental Protection Agency and public health officials began to conduct environmental sampling and study the populations surrounding the plant for evidence of radiation poisoning. Even testing local deer population.
But despite claims of increased cases of cancer and other deleterious health effects, to this day there is majority scientific consensus that there was no statistical increase in cancer rates following the meltdown. Many anti-nuclear advocates point to the higher Incidence of cancer in the Three Mile Island region than in other locations in the US, however epidemiologists and researchers have shown that because of higher background radon levels there is a corresponding higher level of cancer Prevalence, or existing cases of cancer, in that area. The new cases of cancer are compared to an already high existing rate, or prevalence, of thyroid cancer in that region. They are no longer unique and their existence cannot be statistically linked in a causative manner to the accident itself. The new cases are statistically washed out, their importance diminished.
Now whether the accident resulted in an increased rate of cancer most likely will always be contested, especially by families who may have personally suffered following the release. But what is clear is that the meaning and importance of an incident is directly related to the prevalence of the same condition. This goes for the successes we often strive for. There may be a high incidence of excellence, but in a background environment of high excellence prevalence, those new incidences of success are not noteworthy, or rather above the norm.
We see this in classroom grade curves. A student scoring 90 percent on an exam (often considered excellent), may be subpar if the average is 95. But almost as important as understanding that, is understanding and exploiting the converse. A student scoring 70 may be considered excellent when the average is 60. Identifying when you are, or can, supercede the pool, no matter how mediocre, and thus creating an incident above the prevalence, is key to achieving success.
Song of the Day
So apparently this commercial has caused quite a stir on the web following its appearance on the Grammy's tonight. Not having anything to do with the message of the commercial, i want to feature it because i love covers of newer songs by legends. The song of the day is Coldplays' "The Scientist" performed by Willie Nelson.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Quotable Antidote
File under Useless Information
"They didn't invent whispering for compliments." - Comedian Brian Reagan
Song of the Day
Hands down, my favorite band in high school. In honor of listening to cassette tapes on the way to school in the morning, the song of the day is The Mighty Lemon Drops' 'Inside Out'.
"They didn't invent whispering for compliments." - Comedian Brian Reagan
Song of the Day
Hands down, my favorite band in high school. In honor of listening to cassette tapes on the way to school in the morning, the song of the day is The Mighty Lemon Drops' 'Inside Out'.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Lie
File under Meet Yourself
Song of the Day
I heard a Weezer song the other day and for some reason wanted to feature the band of their former bassist Matt Sharpe. In honor of "leaving the party before things got good", the song of the day is The Rentals' "She Says it's Alright". My favorite Rentals song. That's right...I'm not a friend of P.
Song of the Day
I heard a Weezer song the other day and for some reason wanted to feature the band of their former bassist Matt Sharpe. In honor of "leaving the party before things got good", the song of the day is The Rentals' "She Says it's Alright". My favorite Rentals song. That's right...I'm not a friend of P.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Circular Reference
File under Understanding the Problem
In November of 2010, the American Psychological Association published their annual report titled Stress in America that paints a grim picture of stress in our lives. Their key overarching finding was:
‘As the U.S. economy continues to struggle for the third year, findings from the 2010 Stress in America survey paint a picture of an overstressed nation. Feeling the effects of prolonged financial and other recession-related difficulties, Americans are struggling to balance work and home life and make time to engage in healthy behaviors, with stress not only taking a toll on their personal physical health, but also affecting the emotional and physical well-being of their families.”
So what are we so stressed about anyway? Not surprisingly the report quantifies these 10 significant stressors in our lives: Money, Work, the Economy, Family responsibilities, Relationships, Personal Health Concerns, Housing costs, Job Stability, Family health problems, and Personal Safety.
We even tend to not understand how our stress affects others. 69% of parents said their stress had little to no impact on their children, yet 91% of kids responded being fully aware of their parents stress levels.
But where does this stress come from? Everywhere - television, marketing, guidance counselors, your Boss, the gym, little league, college admissions, talent shows, and on and on.
One of the major findings of the report was that “…lacking willpower was cited as a barrier to adopting healthy behaviors when lifestyle changes were recommended by a health care provider. Yet the majority believes willpower can be learned as well as improved, if they only had more energy and confidence.”
Talk about a circular reference! Basically that’s saying that you could achieve change if you could only increase your willpower. And you can increase your willpower if you only had more energy and confidence. And you can increase your energy and confidence if you could only change a particular aspect of your life. Ridiculous! It’s that logic that keeps us spinning our wheels in a constant battle against stress.
Song of the Day
So i think i'm late to the Gotye party, but this song is stuck in my head. In honor of alternative-pop crossovers, the song of the day is Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" featuring Kimbra.
In November of 2010, the American Psychological Association published their annual report titled Stress in America that paints a grim picture of stress in our lives. Their key overarching finding was:
‘As the U.S. economy continues to struggle for the third year, findings from the 2010 Stress in America survey paint a picture of an overstressed nation. Feeling the effects of prolonged financial and other recession-related difficulties, Americans are struggling to balance work and home life and make time to engage in healthy behaviors, with stress not only taking a toll on their personal physical health, but also affecting the emotional and physical well-being of their families.”
So what are we so stressed about anyway? Not surprisingly the report quantifies these 10 significant stressors in our lives: Money, Work, the Economy, Family responsibilities, Relationships, Personal Health Concerns, Housing costs, Job Stability, Family health problems, and Personal Safety.
We even tend to not understand how our stress affects others. 69% of parents said their stress had little to no impact on their children, yet 91% of kids responded being fully aware of their parents stress levels.
But where does this stress come from? Everywhere - television, marketing, guidance counselors, your Boss, the gym, little league, college admissions, talent shows, and on and on.
One of the major findings of the report was that “…lacking willpower was cited as a barrier to adopting healthy behaviors when lifestyle changes were recommended by a health care provider. Yet the majority believes willpower can be learned as well as improved, if they only had more energy and confidence.”
Talk about a circular reference! Basically that’s saying that you could achieve change if you could only increase your willpower. And you can increase your willpower if you only had more energy and confidence. And you can increase your energy and confidence if you could only change a particular aspect of your life. Ridiculous! It’s that logic that keeps us spinning our wheels in a constant battle against stress.
Song of the Day
So i think i'm late to the Gotye party, but this song is stuck in my head. In honor of alternative-pop crossovers, the song of the day is Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" featuring Kimbra.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Weekly Theory 1.24.2012
File under Useless Information
I Have a Theory...
...that the number of motivational posters or sayings you have displayed is inversely proportional to how inherently motivated you actually are.
Song of the Day
So i've liked this song by the group Starf****r for a while called "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second". Great tune, but the other day i heard a mix of that song and the Ludacris song "Pimpin All Over the World" and had to post it. I posted both original songs below as well. In honor of the definition of Awesomeness, the song of the day is a mix of the two songs i just told you about.
Starf****r's "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second":
Ludacris' "Pimpin All Over the World":
I Have a Theory...
...that the number of motivational posters or sayings you have displayed is inversely proportional to how inherently motivated you actually are.
Song of the Day
So i've liked this song by the group Starf****r for a while called "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second". Great tune, but the other day i heard a mix of that song and the Ludacris song "Pimpin All Over the World" and had to post it. I posted both original songs below as well. In honor of the definition of Awesomeness, the song of the day is a mix of the two songs i just told you about.
Starf****r's "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second":
Ludacris' "Pimpin All Over the World":
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Social Network
File under Meet Yourself and Cage the Rage
I recently read a book called Connected: The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives by Nicholas Christakis and James Folwer. The book is intriguing in showing that our self-determination is often undermined by our social networks and our place in them. The book even argues through study evidence that our friends' friends' friends' can make us fat. Even if we don't know them.
But one of the really interesting findings through the authors' research was the fact that our happiness was less dictated by our current, transitory state, and more so by a set point for personal happiness that is not easy to change. The authors used the evidence that for both lottery winners and paralysis patients there was little to no change in their happiness after two years compared to prior to the life-changing event, arguing that lottery winners still have annoying relatives, and paraplegics can still fall in love.
The authors went on to argue that a transitory change in our state has less impact on our happiness than our social network does. Surrounding ourselves with happy people has more effect than us actively trying to be happy. And it can be inferred that surrounding ourselves with successful people has more impact than just really wanting to be successful.
This book reminded me a lot of one of my favorite movies, Rushmore. The movie is essentially about an over-ambitious, under-achiever at a prep school who needs the social network of the school much more than the school needs him.
My favorite scene of the whole movie:
Oh so many lessons from this movie! and quotes. Highly recommend it.
Song of the Day
The main charachter, Max Fischer, was played by Jason Schwartzman, son of Talia Shire, nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, and cousin of both Sofia Coppola, and Nicholas Cage, and today remains one of my favorite characters of all time, despite being Schwartzman's first acting role. There's something in the famliy, because amazingly he is maybe an even more accomplished musician than actor. In honor of Rushmore and Max Fischer, the song of the day is Schwartzman's solo project Coconut Records' "West Coast".
I recently read a book called Connected: The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives by Nicholas Christakis and James Folwer. The book is intriguing in showing that our self-determination is often undermined by our social networks and our place in them. The book even argues through study evidence that our friends' friends' friends' can make us fat. Even if we don't know them.
But one of the really interesting findings through the authors' research was the fact that our happiness was less dictated by our current, transitory state, and more so by a set point for personal happiness that is not easy to change. The authors used the evidence that for both lottery winners and paralysis patients there was little to no change in their happiness after two years compared to prior to the life-changing event, arguing that lottery winners still have annoying relatives, and paraplegics can still fall in love.
The authors went on to argue that a transitory change in our state has less impact on our happiness than our social network does. Surrounding ourselves with happy people has more effect than us actively trying to be happy. And it can be inferred that surrounding ourselves with successful people has more impact than just really wanting to be successful.
This book reminded me a lot of one of my favorite movies, Rushmore. The movie is essentially about an over-ambitious, under-achiever at a prep school who needs the social network of the school much more than the school needs him.
My favorite scene of the whole movie:
Oh so many lessons from this movie! and quotes. Highly recommend it.
Song of the Day
The main charachter, Max Fischer, was played by Jason Schwartzman, son of Talia Shire, nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, and cousin of both Sofia Coppola, and Nicholas Cage, and today remains one of my favorite characters of all time, despite being Schwartzman's first acting role. There's something in the famliy, because amazingly he is maybe an even more accomplished musician than actor. In honor of Rushmore and Max Fischer, the song of the day is Schwartzman's solo project Coconut Records' "West Coast".
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The Weekly Theory 1.18.2012
File under Useless Information
This week's theory comes from JC, a loyal reader from Arlington, VA.
I Have a Theory...
...that if you're a dog owner, when you reach into the pocket of any jacket in your closet there's a 50% chance it contains a poop bag.
Just checked. It's true.
Song of the Day
As a product shaped by mid-90s music i have always been a big skate punk/ska fan. Good or bad, it is what it is. I heard this song on Pandora the other day and it reminded me how much I like the Dancehall Crashers. Feel good music for the soul. Something about the dual female harmonies. In honor of smiling, the song of the day is Dancehall Crashers' "Shelly".
This week's theory comes from JC, a loyal reader from Arlington, VA.
I Have a Theory...
...that if you're a dog owner, when you reach into the pocket of any jacket in your closet there's a 50% chance it contains a poop bag.
Just checked. It's true.
Song of the Day
As a product shaped by mid-90s music i have always been a big skate punk/ska fan. Good or bad, it is what it is. I heard this song on Pandora the other day and it reminded me how much I like the Dancehall Crashers. Feel good music for the soul. Something about the dual female harmonies. In honor of smiling, the song of the day is Dancehall Crashers' "Shelly".
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Bobby Fuller Four
File under Useless Information
I think i'm just going to feature a song of the day today.
Song of the Day
I heard this song today performed by The Clash and it had been a while. The hopeless, lawless, desperateness of the lyrics resonate regardless of the era. This song was written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets in 1959. And that's the Buddy Holly Crickets sans Holly. However it was made popular by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1964 which today remains the most recognizable version. In 1978 The Clash recorded their version of the song, making it a punk staple.
Cliff Claven Alert!!
It's a little known fact that the Clash's version of this song was played on loud speakers outside the stronghold of Panamanian president Manuel Noriega to force him to surrender.
Cliff Claven, Part Deux
Noriega was extradited back to Panama in December of 2011. Who knew!!
In honor of Manuel Noriega, the song of the day is "I Fought the Law" by the Bobby Fuller Four. And in case you weren't sure, the law won. See below for The Clash version too.
I think i'm just going to feature a song of the day today.
Song of the Day
I heard this song today performed by The Clash and it had been a while. The hopeless, lawless, desperateness of the lyrics resonate regardless of the era. This song was written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets in 1959. And that's the Buddy Holly Crickets sans Holly. However it was made popular by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1964 which today remains the most recognizable version. In 1978 The Clash recorded their version of the song, making it a punk staple.
Cliff Claven Alert!!
It's a little known fact that the Clash's version of this song was played on loud speakers outside the stronghold of Panamanian president Manuel Noriega to force him to surrender.
Cliff Claven, Part Deux
Noriega was extradited back to Panama in December of 2011. Who knew!!
In honor of Manuel Noriega, the song of the day is "I Fought the Law" by the Bobby Fuller Four. And in case you weren't sure, the law won. See below for The Clash version too.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
The Quotable Antidote 1.8.2012
File under Set the Bar Low and Get a Smaller Plate
“Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” – Alexander Pope
Song of the Day
Can't believe i haven't featured these guys yet. In honor of not being what you own, the song of the day is Fugazi's "Merchandise". Great running song by the way.
Song of the Day
Can't believe i haven't featured these guys yet. In honor of not being what you own, the song of the day is Fugazi's "Merchandise". Great running song by the way.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Presidential Playoffs
File under Useless Information
Quick caveats to this post: First, this has nothing to do with the perfect antidote theory, but i had this idea and thought i'd share it. Secondly, i'm rather apolitical, so i have no agenda here.
I happened to be switching back and forth between Iowa caucus coverage and NFL playoff coverage the other day and had a realization that there were just too many similarities.
IF THE AFC PLAYOFF CONTENDERS WERE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:
1. The New England Patriots: Mitt Romney
Very popular in the northeast, but no one gets excited about them elsewhere. Considerd elitist and boring despite potentially having the best chance.
2. Baltimore Ravens: Rick Santorum
A strong and rabid, but limited fan base. Known for being conservative (on offense). A complete team, but no one really believes they have a chance.
3. Houston Texans: Rick Perry
Strong Texas support, and on the big stage for the first time, but too many injuries/gaffs to really make any waves.
4. Denver Broncos: Michele Bachmann
Attractive, but ultimately kind of a mess. Good at mobilizing the conservative right, but most likely not going to be around after the first big event.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Newt Gingrich
Song of the Day
Quick caveats to this post: First, this has nothing to do with the perfect antidote theory, but i had this idea and thought i'd share it. Secondly, i'm rather apolitical, so i have no agenda here.
I happened to be switching back and forth between Iowa caucus coverage and NFL playoff coverage the other day and had a realization that there were just too many similarities.
IF THE AFC PLAYOFF CONTENDERS WERE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:
1. The New England Patriots: Mitt Romney
Very popular in the northeast, but no one gets excited about them elsewhere. Considerd elitist and boring despite potentially having the best chance.
2. Baltimore Ravens: Rick Santorum
A strong and rabid, but limited fan base. Known for being conservative (on offense). A complete team, but no one really believes they have a chance.
3. Houston Texans: Rick Perry
Strong Texas support, and on the big stage for the first time, but too many injuries/gaffs to really make any waves.
4. Denver Broncos: Michele Bachmann
Attractive, but ultimately kind of a mess. Good at mobilizing the conservative right, but most likely not going to be around after the first big event.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Newt Gingrich
Been around a while, and at one time were a major player. VERY polarizing - you either hate them or love them. Still influential but maybe ultimately past their prime.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: John Hunstman
Just happy to be here.
We'll see who ultimately goes up against the New Orleans or Green Bay Obamas.
I'm sitting here and in the background there is a show on National Geographic TV about what happens to the Earth after humans die off. For some reason it reminds me of this song. In honor of nature not skipping a beat without us, the song of the day is I Mother Earth's "So Gently We Go". (The song actually has nothing to do with that topic, it just reminded me of it.)
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