Cash is king

January 13, 2014 6:20 AM , Leave a Comment ,

I have to shake my head when I read stories about all the great credit card heists that occurred during the holidays.  We’ve grown so blase and so inured to the outrageous nature of it all that we rarely even get miffed anymore when we hear about it.

Similarly the retailers, the credit card companies, and even law enforcement seem to collectively shrug their shoulders.  They offer up free credit monitoring, promise that any fraudulent charges won’t damage the victims credit, issue new cards, and form new task forces to combat the online thieves.

Plastic cards are cheap to issue and the credit that these thieves made off with is not even real.  It’s numbers in a databank.  Numbers that can be easily readjusted after the fact.

In essence the crime won’t have happened.  Maybe down the road a few careless fools will get caught and be given small prison sentences but life goes on.

It has to.

The entire house of cards that credit is built upon rests on the fact that the general populace has confidence in the banking system to “make things right”.  Whatever that means.  In this case some “cheap and easy” solutions.

Fundamental and long-term solutions are much harder and take longer.  Solutions like redeveloping credit cards to be harder to steal, imposing sanctions on countries that seem to harbor these dens of thieves, coordinating police agencies to work with each, and changing the general public’s attitudes about how they use credit are slow hard and most of all expensive solutions.

In the meantime the problem goes merrily along.

I can’t feel too smug.  I may be more careful that the average consumer.  I avoid using even debit cards as much as possible, I don’t store banking information on my devices, I use prepaid cards when purchasing online and limit my personal information out there, but I could just as easily get hit by credit thieves opening credit lines in my name or hacking in and emptying my accounts.

My only safety lies in numbers.  That’s the only safety anyone of us really has.  I swim along with a giant school of tuna hoping that a barracuda doesn’t focus in on me and instead picks on my neighbor who’s a little slower and a little more careless.

Posted in: money, security

Story shard – wrinkled time

January 11, 2014 6:40 AM , Leave a Comment ,

It seemed like such a good idea.

The concept had been sound.  Grab various important figures from all parts of history, ask them questions, and clarify so many questions and quandaries that had bedeviled historians for so long.

Carl looked round at the roomful of squabbling historical figures and wondered how it all went wrong.  Washington was yelling at Kennedy, Lincoln was being badgered by Jackson and Grant, A possible knock down, drag out, fight seemed to be more and more probable between Franklin and Roosevelt (teddy).

Apart from the start of the project, it had all gone wrong.

From a young age Carl had a keen interest in history.  To him the facts, figures, personalities, and events were more than just mere words on a page.  They weren’t just dull, lifeless, two-dimensional characters.  They lived and breathed and spoke to him and he so wanted to know more about them.  He devoured everything he could find about his favorite historical figures but the sources he could find were limiting and he yearned for more.

As he matured he found he had a talent for theoretical physics and pursued twin improbable degrees in history and physics.  As he did his post-graduate work alongside some of the leading physicists in time and space research a ludicrous idea popped into his head.

His mentor, Dr. Hideyoshi, had proposed that everything in the universe was at its core just energy.  All matter, energy, space, and time were just expressions of energy.  That energy all had a particular address in a complicated matrix of time and space coordinates.  If someone wanted to travel time or to bring an object through time to the present all they would need do is to figure out the particular address and then manipulate the energy to move it to another time and space coordinate.

Dr. Hideyoshi had spent decades doing the theoretical work and now with a team of assistants he was putting together what he called his dimensional manipulator.  A high energy machine that could bend and twist time and space to move objects from the past to the present.  Carl had definite ideas as to what it should be used for.

Posted in: Story Shard

Time thieves and time sinks

January 9, 2014 7:21 AM , Leave a Comment ,

I’ve written before about how important time is to me.

One of my relatives asked me this Christmas what I wanted and without a second thought I said “time”.  Don’t give me sweaters or boxes of chocolate, or whatever just give me more time to do what I need to do.

Of course no one can give us more time.  All we can do is organize what we have and use it as best as we can, exploiting it for all it’s worth.

My tablet computer updated some applications the other day and I noticed one of the updates was for a big time thief.  Oddly enough it’s a game about time management.  The game “plants vs zombies” is nothing more than a time management and decision-making game.  You have to organize your time as best as possible and use your resources wisely or else suffer the consequences.  Ironic as the game itself prevents people from organizing and using their time to the best of their abilities.

The thing is that even though it’s a simple-minded game and doesn’t take much effort it takes up time and you really can’t do anything else while playing it.  You can’t do work, you can’t think, you can’t read.  You’re stuck in a single activity and it’s not a particularly productive activity.

Some time sinks you can’t avoid.  Work, sleeping, exercise.  These are fixed in my life and I can’t avoid them.  These activities require some concentration and I can’t really multitask while doing them but I don’t really mind as they are beneficial to me in some other way.

But other time thieves I can avoid or sort in such a way that they don’t harm my everyday activities and long-term goals.

  • Social media.  I keep this minimized and off to the side as possible and I am also trying to reduce my time on it and use it sparingly in my off time.
  • Movies, play, sports events.  I don’t plan to cut these out but I am being much more selective as to which of these events I go to.
  • Books, art work, this blog.  Only on my off time and on scheduled times.
  • Games and television.  For the most part I am past these, especially television.  Games I still enjoy but I have less and less time for them.

Apart from this I am also evaluating all my daily activities to see which I can take advantage of and turn into multitasking opportunities.  Every second is going to count from now on.

Which reminds me I need to delete that little time thief off my tablet.

Posted in: habits, schedules, time

On top of your game

January 7, 2014 6:25 AM , Leave a Comment ,

People say that failure is a great teacher.  No doubt about that as long as you survive that failure and then learn from it so you won’t repeat it again.

I can honestly say that I’ve had many lessons taught to me in this way and for most of my life I seem to have achieved many goals in this manner.  I never really have those moments where everything goes perfect or according to plan.  Some little thing goes wrong and suddenly it’s not a great but only a good victory or some medium-sized thing goes wrong and I’m left scrambling trying to keep things from going to hell at the last second.  In its own way it’s satisfying to strive mightily and win out.  You truly earn that victory when that happens.

But then every once in a while…

Whether it’s by repetition and practice or circumstance and timing everything seems to align for you.

The client comes in with a big order, the project is something that you can handle, the process goes smoothly, the outcome is predictable and done on or before the deadline.  No hang ups, no delays, no difficulties.

Everyone is working at peak efficiency and there seems to be a glow or air of infallibility to the whole office.  You go from strength to strength without a single misstep.

How?  How do you get that to happen each time and every time?  Why does it seem as if some organizations seem to have a magical glow about them as if they can do no wrong?  Are they really that good or are they just better at hiding the bad days and promoting the good days?

I’m all for working hard and earning what I get but some days, some days I still yearn for that easy win.

Posted in: business, goals

Now what?

January 5, 2014 7:00 AM , Leave a Comment ,
“You know, a town with money’s a little like the mule with a spinning wheel. No one knows how he got it, and danged if he knows how to use it!”
―Lyle Lanley from “The Simpsons”

A few weeks back everyone was getting excited about one of the big lotteries.  The sum total had climbed over $600 million and people were in a state of hysteria buying up more and more tickets.

Inevitably on the news channels came the man on the street interviews asking people what they would do with all that money and the answers ranged from “not working ever again” or buying some expensive item or paying off bills.

Good enough for a thirty-second news piece but really have these folks pondered what they would really do with all of that money?  Let’s imagine a winner that gets a modest jackpot of 50 million.

Pay debts – An investing website in September reported that the average American was about a quarter of a million dollars in debt.  A good chunk of this is of course mortgage debt.  That’s all gone with a few strokes of the pen.  bye-bye debts and bye-bye $250,000

Buy things – So of course the average person is going to go on a spending spree and of course hold some parties for his family and friends.  He will no doubt purchase cars, televisions, furniture, clothes, and most certainly one or more properties.  So there goes another 3 to 4 million.

Travel – Jet set around the world and see those places and things you’ve heard about all of your life.  Another million or so.

Invest – So now that you’ve slaked all the urges you can think of, someone (usually a friend or family member) suggests that you invest in something and they usually have a good idea of where to invest and oddly enough it involves them.  So here goes another 5 to 10 million or more.

(A side note, in researching this I found that 44% of all lottery winners spend all their winnings in 5 years or less.  Where does it all go?!?!)

But now what?  You’ve done it all and seen it all but that’s about as far as most people get.  If even that far.  We look at the short-term prize and say to ourselves “wouldn’t that be great if we had that?”  But most people never stop to think and then what?

I think it’s a telling difference between people who earn their money and those that win or inherit their money that the people who earn their money through hard work and planning are able to answer this question.

They’ve obsessed, planned, and strived for their dreams for so long that they know exactly what they need to do next.  Those that suddenly have good fortune dropped on their laps don’t.

But it’s not just money.  Some people dream about being celebrities, some dream about being athletes, some about marrying some attractive person or some other seemingly impossible dream.  But these people never stop and consider or plan on how they get from here to there.

I’m not saying that it’s impossible.  What I am saying though is rather than just dream or lust after some unattainable goal, why not plan and work for it?  And then consider what you will do after you get it.

Posted in: culture, goals, plans, thought

brand loyalty

January 3, 2014 7:24 AM , Leave a Comment ,

 

Style rarely comes into play when I consider making everyday purchases and is rarely a factor when making major purchases.  I tend to favor the durability and utility of an item before style or branding.  But I have to admit that it does come into play over the long haul.

This is probably not the best example, but back in the day when I used to be a Coca Cola addict I would appreciate every aspect of Coca Cola.  From the slightly citrusy taste, to the sugar levels, to the logo design and even the particular shade of red that they use.  All other soft drinks were poor copies at best.

Now to be clear I don’t think you should drink any sort of sugary soft drinks.  Considering the amount of Coca Cola that I used to drink, I am extremely surprised that I did not become a diabetic.  But I have to admit that every aspect of the Coca Cola experience was extremely well done and all the packaging that went into it made it distinct and encouraged customers to seek it out in the stores.

They have a great product and great marketing to make sure that it stays at the top of the soft drink market.  A good brand will come to symbolize satisfaction in the consumer’s mind but a great brand will get associated in that person’s mind with “feeling right”

In computers, I’ve been with the Windows operating system for so long that I get an odd feeling when I have to use a computer that uses the Apple or LINUX operating system or even when they revamped the look of the operating system like they did with Windows 8.  I wanted to reset the look of the system to the “classic” Windows style just because I like the way it worked.

It’s not just that things are done in a different way in these operating systems it’s that I don’t feel that they are doing things in a proper way.  Other options may be perfectly fine but when the consumer gets “hooked” into a particular brand then no amount of persuasion will change his mind.

When you not only deliver a good solid product but also give it a particular style all its own and you associate that style in the consumer’s mind you can own that person’s loyalty.  Even though your quality may slip from time to time, that brand loyalty will keep that customer coming back again until you fix your quality issues.

Posted in: consumerism, motivation

The barren landscape

January 1, 2014 12:01 AM , 1 Comment ,

I stand on a desolate windswept shore.  Life hasn’t had a chance to change or alter this place.  As I look from horizon to horizon I see nothing but a dull grey panorama.  Not even the sky looks that much different as it matches the land in color and somber attitude.  Behind me the sea is dark and unwelcoming.  I cannot go back.

I take a step and I alter this land permanently, my feet scratching the ground and sending up a small cloud of dust.  The alteration having a ripple effect as I move across this alien expanse.

Little mounds of dust piling up, then dunes and hills.  Seeds borne on the wind settling into the new shelters for life and setting up shop.  Green sprouting as my heavy thread continues changing the topography.

A panoply of colors as flowers bloom.  The din of noise as bees and other insects are drawn to the new life.  Birds chirp in the branches of the leafy tall trees that have recently taken root.  Foxes, rabbits, and other animals shyly watching me from the dark undergrowth.

I continue down what appears to be a country lane and top a hill to see a shining city in the horizon.

Life has come to this alien world and it is due to my efforts and my imagination.  My personality, my ideas, my spirit will populate this place.

We have to remember this when we think of the future.  This new year that is coming up, it is our barren landscape.  Or perhaps it’s a blank canvas calling for us to fill it.  However you choose to think of it, please remember that you are the architect of your future and yours will be the decision and the responsibility as to how it turns out.

Make it the future that you want it to be.

Posted in: life in general, motivation, prose

finding the good

December 30, 2013 8:13 AM , 1 Comment ,

Is trying to find the good in anything just some lame justification for bad movies, books, and pop culture or is there something to this?

I hate the “Harry Potter” series of books.  I’ve made no secret about it as I find them poorly executed and extremely warmed over fiction that I’ve previously read.  All that being said, most people would agree that as far as encouraging young people to read or to expand their minds to greater concepts that they serve a useful purpose.

Similarly on television we have the “edutainment” phenomena.  Basically trying to mix the qualities of education and learning with the appeal of entertainment to try to engage a wider audience, spread knowledge, and hopefully spark some curiosity about the wider world.

The problem with these efforts is that they have largely become focused on providing the lowest common denominator of entertainment and really have little to nothing to do with engaging curiosity of the public or the more analytical part of the mind.  They are really nothing more than distractions for the population as a whole than anything worthwhile.

Now, I have faced similar arguments in my life with regards to some things that I like such as “Star wars”, “Star trek”, all the writings of Tolkien and Heinlein.  I’ve heard all these same arguments applied to these.  But the thing is that these people may have been derivative in some of their work but they derived straight from the source material.

Tolkien and Lucas drew from most of the world;s mythologies to create their works.  They retell old stories in new ways and spread the original messages told in those stories in ways that the modern mind can comprehend.

Heinlein and Roddenberry’s works are more modern social commentaries disguised as science fiction stories than they are works of entertainment.  They draw heavily from the progressive and modernism movements of the early to mid 20th century.

These works are much closer to the idea of edutainment than anything we have that’s being produced today.  They provide something for the mind to chew over and don’t just distract.

So is there something redeeming in these new works?  They can at least be said to be keeping literature and film going for another generation.  Hopefully time enough for the next crop of great writers and directors to come along and create something worthwhile.

Posted in: books, movies, pop culture

the new paradigm

December 28, 2013 8:42 AM , 2 Comments ,

What would the 20something me have thought?  Sitting in a quiet cafe, hanging out with a friend, drinking tea, and just talking on an afternoon counts as a good time?  Impossible!

But it’s true.  The days of hitting the bars and clubs are long since gone.  Noise for noise sake really.  I don’t totally disdain the experience.  I was a different person back then and my priorities were different.  Young people generally want excitement.  I wanted to live all of life as much and as quickly as possible.  This meant going clubbing, finding new restaurants, doing whatever I was told was the most desirable experiences out there.  I doubt that the younger me would find my current life appealing.

But one day I found myself in that similar situation and had this feeling that I had lived this exact same moment over and over again.  I’ve written in a previous post that “when it’s time to go, it’s time to go”.  By this I mean that we may indeed try to keep a situation going by reapplying ourselves with more vigor and for a time we may succeed but sometimes it’s best to save our energy and move on.  That’s where I was in the mid 2000’s.

Over time I have come to appreciate the simpler pleasures that life affords us and what I am doing now gives me a feeling of satisfaction and joy that I never felt before.  Some would call this maturing or growing up.  I just accept it as part of who I am now.

These moments of simple pleasure are all too rare an experience given work schedules, family pressures, and whatnot but I aim to take advantage of this rare experience as much as I can.

Posted in: entertainment, food and drink, friends

good vs. bad tired

December 26, 2013 7:25 AM , 1 Comment ,

You know that feeling.

You’ve spent the last few hours working to make something, organize it, shape it and you see the results of your efforts bearing tangible fruit.  Doesn’t really matter if you’ve been out in the hot sun working with the land, building something from raw materials, or you’ve been hunched over a desk tapping away at a keyboard all day to write something up.

It’s the end of the day and you’re exhausted.  But you go to bed with a feeling of satisfaction, a feeling that no matter what else happens that you’ve created something with your brawn and your brain and that thing now has a definable shape and it’s real.

On the other hand, you’re out with your friends for a fun night out on the town.  You’re staying way past your normal time, almost certainly imbibing some sort of alcohol, possibly inhaling second-hand smoke.  You dance, walk round, sit on uncomfortable stools, get a ringing in your ear from too loud music, and come back home anywhere between 1 and 5 AM.

You hit the sack and you’re just as tired but do you feel that good tired feeling from having accomplished something?  Is there something physical out there to show that you did something actual or is it just the detritus of a long unproductive night?

That’s something I’ve noticed over the years.  Way back when, in my mid twenties, when I would go out on a weekend and the next morning look in my wallet and think to myself “where did all that money go to?”  I would mentally total up all the money I had spent over the course of the night and come to the conclusion “Oh yea, I guess that’s right.”  Then I would get this disappointed feeling like I’d just wasted not just money but my time.  When the night is over what’s left?

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy an occasional night out but I’ve long since given up that whole “working for the weekend” attitude of my younger days.  I’ve found that my time is better enjoyed and spent doing productive things.  Something that I can point to and say “I made this” or “I learned this or experienced this”.  I’m only sorry that I didn’t come to this conclusion much earlier in life.

 

 

Posted in: rest