Humanity

Humanity / News — 1 Comment
12
Dec 12

12/12/12 12:12:12

It is fun to think about numerology particularly when it occurs “organically” like today’s date. Today’s date will get a lot of attention – unabashed disregard and frantic fascination alike – simply because it is a commonality to so many. In other words, it’s going to get talked about ad nauseum.

I just think it’s cool, always had a soft spot for special-looking numeric sequences. And it’s the last of the sort (like 11/11/11 11:11:11 last year) for my lifetime. That is, unless I live to be 120. (Here’s hoping?)

So do something really special today to mark and celebrate our date’s uniqueness. Chances are it’s your last opportunity, too.

Humanity — 3 Comments
11
Nov 11

11/11/11 11:11:11

Human kind’s fascination with time is fascinating in itself. Anticipation and anxiety go hand in hand with the passage of time. For many, the repeating of this specific digit indicates a special moment to make a wish. While largely arbitrary, it is a sweet sentiment which I share.

Discovery, on the other hand, has a much more cynical analysis of the occurrence.

“Much of the interest is rooted in superstition and numerology, the idea that numbers are inherently lucky (such as 7) or unlucky (such as 13). Numbers are of course artificial and man-made, and they have no more or less significance than humans give them. Still, numerology has been around for millennia and is embraced today by millions of New Agers and others.

We tend to give special significance to certain numbers (or sequences of numbers) because we see them as meaningful when in fact they are not. There is a well-known psychological bias in the way humans perceive and remember our experiences called confirmation bias. Often described as “remembering the hits and forgetting the misses,” it refers to the ways in which our brains selectively recall information. Our minds are good at remembering coincidences and making connections between unrelated events in the world.”

The math surrounding the number is also rather interesting.

“The number eleven has a special characteristic in mathematics where it is a prime number. It contains some interesting peculiarities where the number eleven times itself equals a palindrome:
(2 digits) 11 x 11 = 121
(6 digits) 111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
(9 digits) 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321″

HAPPY 11/11/11 11:11:11!
Now make a wish!

Anecdotes / Humanity — No Comments
28
Jan 10

Fallen Frank

When I first laid eyes on Frank, he was head down, on his hands and knees in the muddy grass. An adorable hound dog puppy bounded around him. He appeared to be looking for something. Thinking nothing of it, I prepared to jog past but as I approached, he called out to me.

Frank had slipped on the mud when the pup pulled him in an unforeseen direction. He’d fallen and was unable to get up.

Frank and his wife Julie have lived just on the outskirts of Casa Grande High (CGH) for over 40 years. He, his son and his grandson graduated from CGH and his grand daughter is on her way. When he finds out where I went to high school, he asks pointedly, “then what are you doing here?”

I don’t take offense because I understand well the historical rivalry between Petaluma High and Casa Grande. I grew up on the West side, and now I live on the East. One town, two high schools, no doubt a Classic American story. How could I betray my district?! Rather easily in fact, I never gave a shit.

I simply state that I like it here, as I grab hold of Frank’s arms to help him get up.  I maintain a somewhat reserved distance as he is a stranger. I lift, hard, only to find he really can’t help and to no avail as he goes back down. He says he weighs 220, oh, no, 210 now, and he’s too heavy for me to lift up. We negotiate that maybe, if he could make it to the fence, he could use it as a hand hold while I lift him. Frank then says, that he has leukemia, “…it’s a blood disease.  My fuckin’ arms are dead, there’s no strength left.”

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Humanity — No Comments
11
Jan 10

Commonalities google knows about relationships

boyfriend togirlfriend to

shocker - boys and girls care about different things

Fun idea implemented by predictably irrational, to probe google for common questions from boyfriends and girlfriends. The auto-complete dialog box below the search box shows the most commonly asked questions that fit the criteria typed in so far.

So, I took it a little more generally:

also gives some idea of age of askers

also gives some idea of age of askers

Somewhat surprisingly, swapping guys for boys and women for girls yielded essentially the same suggested query set.

Sexuality type questions top the list; are the days of asking Mom or Dad this stuff gone? Going even further, what if this means we are we raising generic kids? Ones who’s primary environment for learning about themselves is the global interweb? Not real sure this is a fun train of thought anymore.

Humanity — 1 Comment
06
Jan 10

An unlikely balance, egotism and genius

How important is ego to realizing success?  How successful can one be without an inflated sense of self?  Furthermore, is an overbearing personality a typical by-product of notable talent?

Talent and ego are certainly related.  Having one without the other is rare.   When someone is said to have a huge ego, it is never complimentary.  But no ego is far worse; it can mean no personality.  It means to be passed over, ignored by those either with more talent or bigger egos.

What a schmuck

What a schmuck

Ego is an important tool to achieving success.  It is the simple act of selling one’s self-perspective to others.  Some amount of ego is necessary to prove to others your ideas are valid or interesting.  It’s a fine line though, and crossing it means to become arrogant in the minds of one’s peers.  To name a few who not only step over the line, but spit on it: Simon Cowell, Steve Jobs, Kanye West, Terrel Owens (and most professional athletes for that matter).  [Semi-related, iPhone owners revealed to be materialistic, fickle, egomaniacs]
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Humanity — No Comments
31
Dec 09

Words Of Wisdom

Who hasn’t heard the term/advice “Let it out” by the time the teen years have hit?

In case you’re an adult in need of letting go a little, here is some reasoning to back up the advice; an article from Dec. 2009 issue of Prevention magazine.

“$%#! Now That Feels Better

Next time you take a spill, don’t hold your tongue. Swearing can increase your tolerance for discomfort, found British researchers. People could keep their hands submergered 35% longer in a tub of icecold water when they repeated an epithet in lieu of a more acceptable word. Swearing may trigger a natural fight-or-flight response, say researchers, prompting a series of physical and hormonal reactions that ease tha sting of an injury. -LG”

Now don’t you feel better?

But seriously, take ALL “research” w/ a grain of salt, but if you feel you have a foul mouth from time to time go ahead & use this “scientific fact” as a reason or defense.

Give health a chance. ;)

Humanity — 1 Comment
31
Dec 09

Self proclaimed voice of his generation…Kanye West, everybody

Let’s face the facts, Kanye was well deserving of the title Douche before he ever pulled his stunt at the 2009 VMA Awards & has been deserving of ridicule before & since.

Today I came across this gem that just tickled me pink.

Humanity — No Comments
16
Dec 09

We are but simple creatures with like minds

First I read this: Abstraction

Then I immediately think, “Yeah, I want to see that too.”  And go over to YouTube for this:

And then see this:

Screenshot-YouTube-cat-in-box-comments

Just how many other people did exactly what I did?
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