Monday, June 30, 2014

The Economy - Socialism

Socialism doesn't work in the long run. Why, because the private economy does not produce enough to fund it. You can take all the money the "rich" make, and it will not be enough to fund the cost. This is a fact in every country. In the U.S. the total income for the top 10% of taxpayers is about $3.8 trillion. Federal government spending is $3.6 trillion. So you could just take all the money the rich make and pay the bills (and have a bit left over for a rainy day fund). The problem is that you can only do that once because you have just bankrupted the to 10% of income earners and killed the U.S. economy! Plus, who is going to want to make any money if the government takes it all. Socialism will always collapse because it never has enough money to pay for it. What is the solution? A free market, law abiding, and a small and limited government economy!

What do you think?

Chromebooks - Great For Schools

I ran across an article that discusses why Chromebooks are better for schools than iPads. Here are the points the author makes:

* iPad as great for consuming media. Chromebooks are great for writing and doing school work.
* iPads are app based and thus tied to them, which is a closed system. Chromebooks are web based and thus tied to the internet, which is an open system.
* iPads are Apple based. Chromebooks are Google based. (Duh!). Once students enter the workforce, Apple is not such a big player, but Google is (clearly Microsoft is the big fish in the pond, but it is losing market share - not to Apple, but to Google).

I own both devices. I use my iPad for games and media consumption. I use my Chromebook for school, work, and creating text based products. In the end, I think Chromebooks are great for schools.

What do you think?

For more:
https://www.edsurge.com/n/2014-06-30-3-reasons-why-chromebook-beats-ipad-in-1-1-programs

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Writing - Blocked

I have never really been at a loss of what to write about except for the last few days. I keep looking for things to write about and I can't seem to find things I want to comment on or think about. Maybe there are too many things to write about and I just can't seem to pick something? Or maybe I have written too much on everything already and I feel like I am starting to repeat myself. I am also on my summer break from teaching. Maybe the change in schedule has an affect on why I am not able to find things to write about? In the mean time I will keep looking, but I might not be posting very much.

What do you think?

Saturday, June 28, 2014

World News - Venezuela

Socialism does not work. Case in point: Venezuela. Most of the country of venezuela went dark recently because of a power blackout. An outage at a power station in the center of the country led to electricity service going out in most of the country. This left commuters stranded and traffic snarled across Venezuela. So what caused the outage? No one is sure. The last outage was conveniently blamed on saboteurs by the government. The truth is that the power grid has not been maintained and grown sufficiently. In other words, it has been mismanaged. Since the power grid is owned and operated by the government, there is no one to blame but the government. When government gets involved things die. Enterprises die, utilities die, energy production dies, even people die. Socialism does not work.

What do you think?

For more:
http://news.yahoo.com/blackout-hits-venezuela-interrupts-presidential-broadcast-204030360.html

Creativity - Using Constraints

There is a way to boost creativity that is counter intuitive. Here it is: you can increase creativity by increasing constraints. A famous example of this is Dr. Seuss and "Green Eggs and Ham". Dr. Seuss wrote "Green Eggs" on a bet that he could not write an entertaining children's book using 50 words or less. Not only did Dr. Seuss win the bet, but he went on to sell millions and millions of books based on using constraints. So how do you create constraints? Here are some suggestions:

* Limit the size in some way
* Limit the time in some way
* Limit the budget in some way
* Limit those involved in some way
* Limit the materials you can use
* Limit… well, you get the idea

I am using this very technique to see what I can come up with in blogging. I limited myself to only using a Chromebook and free applications. So far I have done well. Are you involved in some creative endeavor? Maybe you can impose some limits in order to help you come up with some very creative solutions or ideas? It worked for Dr. Seuss!

What do you think?

Chromebook - Android Apps

News is out that Chromebooks are going to be able to run Android Apps. This is great news because the biggest drawback in using a Chromebook is offline capability. Having Android Apps available will greatly reduce this drawback (if not eliminate it completely). I have a few concerns though. Will you need a touch screen to make the apps work? Will the apps work within the Chrome browser or on their own? What does this mean for security? Will the apps be free or will you need to purchase them? I guess I have a lot of questions and I wonder how well the apps will work. Hopefully soon I will find out.

What do you think?

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Observations - Disneyland

My family and I spent the day at Disneyland yesterday. Both parks (Disneyland and California Adventure) were quite busy, and boy was it expensive. A one day pass that allows you access to both parks was $150! So for a family of four it costs $600 just to get in the door. Then you need to factor in parking, food, snacks, and trinkets. I would say that a one day visit for a family of four costs about $800-1000. Fortunately for me, my son now works in the park and we were able to get in at a discount. So is it worth going? The Disneyland experience is amazing and the parks are as good as I have ever experienced (and we have been to Disneyland many times over the last 30 years), but for $800-1000 I would not go. I would especially not go if the Parks are busy like they were yesterday for us. We spent most of the day in lines. Do you want to spend that kind of money to stand in line? If you have never been to Disneyland, then it might be worth the expense and experience. Try to see if you can go on a day when most of the annual passes are blocked so that there are fewer people in the parks. Also, spend one day in Disneyland and another in California Adventure if you can afford to do that. There is just too much to do.

What do you think?

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Observations - Interviews

Are interviews an effective way to find a good employee? I think that one of the biggest problems with "interviews" is that you can't get a good idea if someone can do the work or not. For example, take teaching. There is no way you can know how well a person will teach from an interview. all you can get is how well the person answers questions. I think it would be better to take prospective employees and make them do the job for a while and see how they do. Maybe a short internship or something like it? That would be a much better way to see if someone can do the job or not.

What do you think?

Self Improvement - Procrastination

One issue most people deal with is procrastinating. What is procrastinating? It is putting things off till the last minute, or putting things off until as long as possible. I am a procrastinator. I like to wait till the last minute or wait as long as possible on many things. Sometimes this works out for me in that I might end up not having to do something. Many times though, I end up having to work long hours or give up some personal time to get something done. So why do we procrastinate? Some reasons include:

* Avoiding a difficult task - if we perceive that a task is difficult is so way, we will put it off as long as possible to avoid the difficulty.
* Low self-esteem/confidence - if we feel we aren't able to do something, we will put it off or avoid doing it.
* Perfectionism - if we think we have to do something perfectly, then we might avoid doing it because we feel we will never make it perfect.
* Poor habits - maybe we have developed habits that keep us from doing what we need to do.
* Fear - most of everything that keeps us from acting is a form of fear.
* Not knowing where or how to start - this is especially true if the task is big.

How do you deal with these issues? You first identify why you procrastinate, and then you deal with each issue by getting started on the task you are procrastinating in. Stop avoiding and get started. Stop feeling that you can't do it, and get started. It's never going to be perfect, so get started. Turn off the TV or get off that social media site and get started. Feel the fear and get started. Finally, it does not matter where or how you start, pick a spot and get started. The key to beating procrastination is to get started.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.motivationalmemo.com/the-6-reasons-why-you-procrastinate/

Monday, June 23, 2014

Observations - The Middle East

There is a good article in Politico discussing the success of the Obama administration in the Middle East. What was the Middle East like when President Obama took office? In 2009 the Middle East "was largely at peace, for the surge in Iraq had beaten down the al Qaeda-linked groups. U.S. relations with traditional allies in the Gulf, Jordan, Israel and Egypt were very good. Iran was contained, its Revolutionary Guard forces at home." I would also add that relations with Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states were good, the price of oil had fallen to about $40 a barrel (it hasn't been below $70 since), and there was little unrest across the Middle East and North Africa. Now the U.S. economy was in disarray and domestically things were not well, but in regards to foreign relations, things were as well as they probably would ever be.

What are things like today? Today "terrorism has metastasized in Syria and Iraq, Jordan is at risk, the humanitarian toll is staggering, terrorist groups are growing fast and relations with U.S. allies are strained." I would add that relations with our allies are strained at best. Iraq ia in a fight for it's life. North Africa is in ruins and chaos reigns. The Middle East is a mess. Ukraine is in a full civil war. And Russia and China are flexing their military muscles. In a short 5 years the world went from peace to mayhem.

Does foreign policy matter? Does having a strong military matter? Does the price of oil matter? Yes, yes, and yes. How many people have lost their lives? Hundreds of thousands. How many lives have been disrupted? Millions. How many jobs have been lost worldwide as a result? To many to count. If things do not improve soon, the presidency of Obama will be marked by one of the largest foreign relations debacle ever. I was not a fan of President Bush, but at least we had some semblance of peace in the world.

What do you think?

For more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-man-who-broke-the-middle-east-108140.html#ixzz35X9YhKGv

Observations - Grades And Intelligence

Do the grades you earned in school reflect your intelligence? I don't think grades necessarily reflect intelligence. I think that grades generally reflect character and work ethic. After nearly 20 years of teaching I can say that the students who worked the hardest and behaved the best in class usually got the best grades. One trend I have noticed that is growing in our schools is that of intelligent students not wanting to work and getting poor grades. More and more I hear teachers talking about a bright and gifted student who is flunking a class because they have not done any of the assignments. My oldest Son is an example of this. He is quite intelligent, but refused to do the work required. As a result he got poor grades and was not able to move on to college. His poor grades were the direct result of his lack of character and poor work ethic. Unfortunately he will pay for it for the rest of his life in missed opportunities.

What do you think?

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Observations - College Not For Everyone

There has been a trend in education in the U.S. over the last couple of decades to push everyone to go to college. Not only is this impractical (how do you pay for it and there is not enough room for everyone), it is a disservice to those who could have better success and earn a higher income by going into a trade or taking another avenue. College is not for everyone. Believing that it is actually can ruin more lives than help. How many people have wasted time and money trying to make it in college when it would have been easier for them to learn a trade, save a ton of money, and be eventually earning a great income? The push to make everyone college bound is a travesty that needs to end.

What do you think?

World News - Iraq

More victories for the militants in Iraq. 4 western towns fall to ISIS today as government troops seem unable to stop the advance. Syria though is taking some action from it's side. Syrian aircraft attacked ISIS positions in eastern Syria inflicting some casualties. At least someone is doing something. I think that if ISIS succeeds in disrupting the flow of oil in some fashion we will see western governments use direct military aid to the government in Iraq. If ISIS is wise, it will do all it can to make sure the flow of oil is not disrupted so that is can consolidate the positions and gains they have achieved. If the current Iraqi government is going to survive it needs to find a way to at least stop ISIS. Since it has not been able to do that yet, I rather doubt that they will. In the end it is all about the oil.

What do you think?

Saturday, June 21, 2014

World News - Iraq

The newest twist in the tale of Iraq is that the U.S. is now pushing for the current Iraqi Prime Minister (who was installed with a blessing from the U.S.) to resign. Now I don't understand how this will help things in the embattled country. I thought the current government were out friends and allies? To make this tale even stranger, Russia has come out and said they fully support the current government of Iraq. So how does this play out? Russia backs the current governments of Syria and Iran. The U.S. backs anyone who is against them. Iran (and possibly Syria) also back the current Iraqi government (and so does Russia). So are we eventually going to side with the militants who are threatening the current government? I am so confused. What have we done? This is such a mess. This is what happens when you do not have a clear foreign policy and you show weakness and indecision to those who are your enemies. The big question is what will happen with the oil? If production is disrupted in any way, the price of oil will rise substantially. If that happens the world economy will contract and what little recovery (if any) we are enjoying will cease and a recession will start once again. This time we have no reserves of any kind and we have borrowed to the hilt. The world and the U.S. is in no position to endure another recession (and one that will be worse than the last one). This could get ugly and it sure is quite interesting.

What do you think?

Friday, June 20, 2014

Personal Improvement - Finish What You Start

I find it very easy to start things and then not finish them. Unfortunately success is not measured in what you start, but in what you finish. So how do you get things finished? First, finishing is a habit, so begin by finishing the small stuff in your life. These are the thing you can get done in less than a day. Start small and work up to bigger things. Then, work on things that take longer. Finally, don't start something new until you finish something else. Also, with the big projects in your life. Break them down into things you can get done in a day. For example, if you are creating a book, focus on writing a page or two a day instead of the whole thing. If you are earning a college degree, focus on showing up to class and getting the work done for the day before you move on to something else.

Finishing is a habit. Start small and work up to bigger things. Finish something before you start something else.

What do you think?

Chromebook - Shift To The Cloud

I think there is a shift happening in computing. In the past computing was all about what you can do with an individual device. Now we are moving to what you can do on the "cloud" (which is another way to say "internet"). The device is becoming less and less important. Which operating system you use is becoming less and less important. Which browser you use is becoming less and less important. Which application you use is becoming less and less important. So I find that comparing devices is becoming less and less relevant. Who cares what you use to get on the internet, just get on. That's why I like using Chromebooks. They get you on the internet for the least expensive price. They get the job done.

What do you think?

The Economy - Inflation

According to the government, inflation in the U.S. is under 2%, but have you been to the market lately? Have you you filled your car with gas lately? Have you paid your utility bill lately? Have you paid for your health insurance lately? Have you paid taxes lately? All of that is up dramatically over the last year or two. If all of that is much higher, than what has not been going up (or has been going down to keep inflation under 2%)? The reality in the normal world is that prices have been going up considerably and wages have either been stagnant or gone down. The "normal people" on main street are paying the price for bailing out Wall Street, the big banks, and the U.S. treasury. Add to this all the debt that has piled up over the last few years (both private and public) and we are being set up for a huge economic catastrophe. Interest rates will go up, and when they do, prepare yourself for a sell off that will make the last recession look like a party. There is an economic storm coming. You can't keep printing money and piling up debt at the rate we are and not have consequences. You can't "print" your way to prosperity. You can't borrow your way to wealth. You can't keep sowing the seeds of calamity expecting to reap the rewards of abundance. The party will end and it will end badly. The inflation we are experiencing now is just a little taste of what is to come.

What do you think?

Just a note: The News - Daily Summary will be discontinued. Instead there will be commentary on specific news stories and events.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Blogging - Be Yourself

There is no way to be original on purpose. There is no magic formula or incantation or method So don't bother. Just be yourself on the page. Find things you want to write about and write about them with passion. People will find you and you will build an audience if you write with passion and be yourself. Write everyday. Write short posts, long posts, funny posts, interesting posts - any post! Just write and the audience will find you.

What do you think?

News - Daily Summary

World: Not much in the way of new major developments today. Ukraine is a mess. Iraq is a mess. Syria is a mess. Egypt is a mess. Libya is a mess. Venezuela is a mess. Argentina is a mess. Tensions are still high across the South China sea. So besides the usual crimes and tragedies, it was a calm day across the globe.

U.S.: Stocks rallied on news from the FED that interest rates will not be increased any time soon. Gold was higher and oil was steady. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was clearly another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Writing - Just Because

I remember the first time my mom said "because I said so". I did not understand, but now that I have been a parent and a teacher I can see why she said it. Sometimes we do things just because we want to. Sometimes we tell others what to do because we want them to do it. Sometimes we are told what to do because someone else just wants us to do it. Yes I know, that does not make much sense. But hey, that's life right? So why not write just because? Go ahead, write because you want to. You don't need someones permission or approval. Just pull out a pen and a piece of paper (or open a document on you prefered digital device - boy have things changed) and start writing. Throw some words on the page "just because". Fill that notebook "just because". Sit down and start writing "just because".

What do you think?

World News - Iraq

There is news today that militants have captured a major refinery in Iraq. If this is accurate, then the militants continue to make gains in Iraq and the government in Baghdad is incapable of protecting key infrastructure. This means that some of the oil fields are eventually going to fall into militant hands and the price of oil will rise. Fortunately for the U.S. new oil field developments have increased domestic production keeping the price of oil from going up even higher than it has already. There are also reports that some of the militants were trained by U.S. military forces as a way to combat government forces in Syria. So it could be that the current mess in Iraq ia all the doing of U.S. foreign policy. The mess is just the unintended consequences of all the meddling and wars partaken by the U.S. over the last 10-15 years. In an attempt to control the world, the U.S. has created a bigger mess than if it just had done nothing. Will the U.S. learn from what is happening? Of course not! In fact, the U.S. keeps meddling even more. The eventual result will be catastrophic. The U.S. is headed for a day of reckoning. You can't keep meddling in this manner and not have any consequences. There is an economic storm coming to the U.S. that will devastate many. It is not a question of if, it is just a question of when.

What do you think?

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Militants made more gains today in Iraq as the U.S. deploys a contingent of Marines to help guard the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. In central Ukraine a natural gas pipeline was attacked and damaged one day after Russia cuts delivery. also, 2 Russian journalists were killed by mortar fire in Eastern Ukraine. Argentina is now negotiating with some of it's debt holders hoping not to default after an unfavorable ruling by the Supreme Court in the U.S. Besides the usual litany of crimes and tragedies, there were no other major developments across the world today

U.S.: Stocks were higher today. Gold was lower and oil was flat. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, it was relatively calm in the U.S. today.

It was another day in t the calm before the coming economic storm,

What do you think?

Creativity - Journaling

I have kept a journal for many years. In it I write about the things that are on my mind and the things that are going on in my life. I credit keeping a journal with helping me be more creative and also helping me make wiser decisions. I have also found that keeping a journal is a great way to keep your mind in good working order. There is nothing like writing that gives your mind a "workout". Is there a best way to keep a journal? Having tried about every method imaginable, I would say that the best way to keep a journal is the one that keeps you writing. So there is no best way, there is just the way you like to write.

What do you think?

World News - Iraq

Militants keep making advances in Iraq. News came that militants not only have a hoard of cash from the central bank in Mosul, but they have also captured Stinger anti aircraft missiles, and lots of other weapons. Everyday the militants grow stronger and take more territory. How long will it be before Iran gets involved directly? How long before the U.S. begins air assaults? How long before the oil supply is affected? I think this is the beginning of a mess that will eventually disrupt world oil supply and impact gasoline prices in the U.S. Our economy is not in a position to endure a gasoline shock. We are in no position to fight another war in the middle east.

What do you think?

Monday, June 16, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Militants in Iraq consolidate some of their gains while the government claims to have halted their advance. It looks as if U.S. has assets in position if the President decides to act. Iran is also interested in assisting. In Ukraine, Russia has cut off the natural gas supply. Ukraine has enough in reserve to last till September though. Egypt has a new government and Israel widens it's search for three teens that were believed to have been abducted by Hamas. Argentina lost a ruling in U.S. courts and has been ordered to make a payment to bondholders. Argentina is refusing to comply and may default on other loans as well. Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other new major developments across the world.

U.S.: Stocks were a bit higher today. Oil was a bit lower and Gold was higher. Tornadoes touched down in Nebraska today killing one and injuring many. There is another wildfire in California (this time in central California) threatening homes. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

The Economy - Taxes

When taxes are too high, it has an effect what people and corporations do. For individuals this means limiting the amount of income they make, using every possible way to reduce tax liability, and when necessary, moving to a lower tax burdened state. For corporations it means using every legal way to avoid paying taxes, spending money to lower tax exposure rather than for growth, and even relocating to a new state or country. For example, Medtronics, the medical device make, just announced that it will be moving it's incorporation out of the United States to lower tax burdened Ireland. It turns out that this is not a new trend. Since 2012, 44 major U.S. corporations have moved out of the U.S. to lower their tax burden. This all has a direct effect on U.S. jobs and tax revenue. We can also see this among U.S. states. Toyota recently announced the move of its headquarters out of California to Texas. This was great news for Texas and devastating news for California. The reality is that you can't tax your way to prosperity just like you can't borrow your way to prosperity. You can only grow your way to prosperity through increasing the private sector in a health and organic way. The big picture is that there will be fewer jobs and lower tax revenue which will just make the economy worse.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-16/medtronic-is-biggest-firm-yet-to-renounce-u-s-tax-status.html

Sunday, June 15, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: As strife continues in Iraq, the U.S begins evacuation of some embassy personnel. U.S. assets are still being positioned in case they are needed and Iran is pledging support as well. Meanwhile, in Ukraine negotiations over natural gas supplies from Russia to Ukraine have fallen apart. Russia claims it will officially shut off supplies on Monday morning. There are rumors that Russia is re-positioning military units on the border with eastern Ukraine. Maybe now that one of the U.S. carriers that was in the Mediterranean has moved to the Persian Gulf, the Russians feel a bit more secure in making a military move in Eastern Ukraine? Wow, how convenient that Iraq has become hot again. Putin is either very lucky, or a genius. Either way, the U.S. is getting played like a fiddle. I would not be surprised if there are other incidents to occupy the U.S. Navy so that it would not be in position to act if Russia takes action in Eastern Ukraine. The U.S. has been paying a global game of chess. Unfortunately our commander in chief has no idea how to play the game (the other player is a master). Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other major develops across the world today.

U.S.: It was a calm Fathers Day across the U.S. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and pointless trivialities, there were no major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Creativity - Index Cards

If you took a look around my writing and composing area at home you would see stacks of index cards (and blank business cards, and 4x6 cards, and 8x10 cards). I seem to have an affinity for index cards. I thought I was a bit strange, but then I found out that one of my favorite writers liked to use index cards as well. Michael Crichton. Crichton would use index cards to plot his novels. He would carry around a stack of them in his pocket and write down plot ideas for the novel he was working on. At the end of the day he would put the index cards with ideas on them in a shoe box and grab some more blank ones for the next day.When the shoe box was full he knew he had enough ideas for a book so he would pull all the cards out and sort them on a table. He continued to sort the cards until he felt they were in a good order and then he would get started on writing his book. I guess it worked well for him because he went on to write some great novels.

Maybe it would be a good idea to take some index cards with you as you go about your day. Start writing down some of your ideas. Write down what you hear people say, write down descriptions of the places you go, or write down whatever crosses your mind. Use the index cards in any way you think they could help you be creative. You never know, maybe you come up with the next Jurassic Park?

What do you think?

The Economy - Wages

Wages have finally started to rise, but not evenly. The largest increase in wages have gone to workers in the areas of energy, technology, and health care. The areas in which wages have gone up the slowest are retail and government. This is consistent with the trends we have seen over the past few years. Areas in which there is a demand for skilled workers keep seeing gains. Areas in which there are fewer skills in demand have seen stagnation and even job losses. The key take away is that if you want to see your pay increase, do what you can to get work in the areas that are growing. For that you need to have training and experience in the S.H.T.E.M. positions. S.H.T.E.M. stands for science, health care, technology, engineering, and math. These are the areas that will grow and provide the best wages today and in the future.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.stardem.com/ap/business/article_b69df4b7-3f47-5c13-835a-3dfd3a426442.html

News - Daily Summary

World: In Iraq militants keep making gains against government troops and are advancing slowly on Baghdad. The U.S. is positioning assets (ships, planes, and troops) just in case they are needed. Iran is still considering sending help (which means they could be on the same side as the U.S.). In Israel, 80 Palestinians were arrested as the search for the three kidnapped girls continues. Israel also conducted more airstrikes in Gaza in reaction to more rockets being fired into Israel from Gaza. In Ukraine the government declared a day of mourning over the 49 soldiers killed when their plane was shot down by separatists. In Asia tensions are still high across the east China sea. Besides the usual crimes and tragedies. there were no other new major developments across the world today.

U.S.: It was a calm Saturday across the U.S. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no new major developments.

It was another day in the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Personal Improvement

What is the difference between our passion and purpose in life?

Here is how I like to look at these two subjects:

Passion: What you love to do.
Purpose: Your mission in life.

Your purpose in life should include your passion or else it will probably not be your purpose. I can't see how you could be motivated to do your purpose if it's not also your passion.

So, figure out what you love to do (passion), then figure out how to build your life around it (purpose), and then go and do it!

What do you think?

Internet Business - Blogging

Here are the two steps to creating a business from a blog:

First, build an audience. You have to have customers and in the digital age, you do that by building an audience.

Then, find ways to monetize your blog. Can you host advertising? Can you recommend products and make a percentage if there is a sale? Can you find products to sell directly? Can you write an ebook and sell it through your blog? Is there a service you can sell through your blog?

Once you have an audience all you need to do is find a way to make some money. There are only three ways to make money on a blog. Sell a product, sell a service, or host some advertising.

What do you think?

World News - World Cup

In the U.S. we have the Super Bowl, the World Series, and then the championships for Basketball, Hockey, and all the big college sports. There is also the Olympics, but nothing compares to the World Cup. Though the U.S. might not pay a whole lot of attention, the rest of the world does and is focused on what is the greatest spectacle for them. No matter what the U.S. thinks, soccer is the world's sport and the world is watching. So why is soccer not as big in the U.S as in the rest of the world? We do have a professional league and we do take part in the World Cup, but we don't seem to be all that crazy about the world cup? Slowly and surely soccer is growing in popularity, and you would think that a nation of immigrants (which is what we truly are) would be crazy about the same sport as the rest of the world. Also, there are way more kids playing soccer than baseball and football and basketball. Maybe we just have to be different?

What do you think?

News - Daily Summary

World: Violence continued across Iraq as Sunni militants extended their control. Iran is considering supporting the Shiite government. The U.S. has yet to commit air assets as requested by Iraq. This could easily devolve into a civil war between Sunni militants in eastern Syria and western Iraq, the Shiite government that still controls eastern Iraq, and the Kurds who control northern Iraq and recently took over Kirkuk. This could get ugly quickly, and the reality is that we are witnessing the partition of Iraq. In Israel three Jewish teens were kidnaped. Palestinians are suspected and one of the teens might be an american citizen. There were no other new major developments across the mideast today. In Ukraine the separatists seem to be taking advantage of the border they control by taking arms shipments from Russia that include armored vehicles. Separatists also shot down a military plane killing 49 Ukrainian military personnel. So much for tensions cooling off. In Asia Japanese and Chinese jets cross paths prompting complaints from both countries. How long till the shooting starts? Tensions are still high across the rest of the East China Sea. In Venezuela they are starting to run out of coffins. Inflation is so rampant that manufacturing and importing is grinding to a halt. Isn't socialism great? Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other new major developments across the world today

U.S.: Despite the situation in Iraq, stocks closed higher today. Gold was higher as was oil. The Euro strengthened a bit in relation to the dollar. Transit workers went on strike in Philadelphia. The IRS made public that they lost all the emails related to a key figure in the targeting of conservative groups. How convenient! And the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup. Who would have thought that hockey from California could do that? Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Friday, June 13, 2014

Creativity - Use It Or Lose It

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou

I totally agree. Creativity is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets. The less you use it the more it atrophies and becomes useless. So how do you "exercise" your creativity? Start making things. Start finding different ways to do things. Look for new solutions to old problems. Draw, paint, write, sing, dance, play an instrument. Learn something new. Find a way to be creative everyday. The more you use it, the more you have!

What do you think?

Observations - Quora

I started posting this blog on Quora as well just to see how many views I would get (as compared to Blogger). In one week I am getting more views on Quora than I am on Blogger after several months of posting. Quora has a built in audience you can tap. I have not been able to find the same thing on Blogger. Also, Quora has a built in social dimension. If you start answering and asking questions on Quora you will get more views on your blog there as well as a few more on Blogger. As a result, I am going to keep posting my blog to both sites and see what I can build from it. Is it a wise thing to post the same content on multiple sites?

What do you think?

Chromebook - Firefox

Here is my answer to someone who wanted to know if the could use Firefox on a Chromebook.

I use a Chromebook and think it works just fine for all I do. They are very inexpensive machines that are surprisingly useful. I use an Acer C720 which I got for $200 and I like a lot. You will not be able to use Firefox on a Chromebook since you can't download software to it. Chromebooks are designed for basic web based computing like surfing the internet, email, and cloud based applications (like answering questions on Quora). If that is all you are going to do, save yourself hundreds of dollars and hassle and pick up a Chromebook. If there is some specific piece of software you need to use, then pick up a windows based laptop.

What do you think?

The World Economy - Brazil

A few years back the buzz in the business world was all about Brazil. That is not the case today. As the world focuses on Brazil for the World Cup, I wonder what happened to this high performer over the last few years? GDP growth has stalled and inflation is up over 10%. Why is it that so many South American countries have such inflation problems? Is it because they can't help but start printing money every chance they get? I also wonder if socialism is the problem? The more that government gets involved in the private sector, the worse things get. The only countries who have made socialism work are Germany and the Scandinavian countries. Why is that? Every other country has eventually run out of money and either borrowed to much or started printing too much money to pay for all the promises that were made. I think Margaret Thatcher was right when she said that the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples money.

What do you think?

Thursday, June 12, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Iraq was front and center today as militants make more inroads on government forces. The government of Iraq has requested air support from the U.S., who is still debating what will be done. It looks like militants waited till U.S. forces were too small to support government forces and have taken the opportunity to overrun several cities. Unfortunately the current fighting is near oil fields and thus the price of oil was way up today. Just what the world needs, higher gasoline prices! Iraq is starting to look like Vietnam. We won all the battles but in the end lost the war. What a waste of blood and treasure. In Ukraine a convoy of armored vehicles entered Eastern Ukraine from Russia. It looks like Russia is directly helping the separatist. This new development will probably lead to some kind of escalation of violence. With all eyes focused on Iraq, I would not be surprised to see Russia give more and more direct support to separatists. Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other new major developments across the world. It looks like the world is ready to watch some soccer as the World Cup kicks off in Brazil.

U.S.: Stocks sold off today on the news from Iraq. Gold was higher and as mentioned, oil shot up. Besides further political upheaval from Eric Cantor's loss on Tuesday, and the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Blogging - Best way?

Is there a best way to write a blog? I don't think there is a best way to write a blog. I would suggest that if you want to write a blog figure out what you want to write about and start writing. When I started my blog I made a list of things I wanted to write about and then started to write and publish what I wrote. I have now been blogging for about 6 months and love it. Also, pick something you enjoy to write about, then you will not have to work at it. If you enjoy the subject, there are plenty of other people who will read what you write about. Just look at all the topics there are on Quora. There are people who are into just about anything you choose to write about.

What do you think?

The Future - The Digital Age

Coursera is another company that is using the "build an audience before profits" business model. It looks like Coursera is like many internet based companies in that it has not really made a profit yet. It has secured $85 million in venture funding and that is how it has been able to function. The same model is what has made Quora possible. Quora has yet to make a profit it and it is through venture funding that it exists. I would guess that other online education sites have been funded the same way. I think they are all trying to build a big customer base and then either figure out a way to make money from them or make it big in a public offering or get bought by a company that is making money. This looks to be the model for the digital age. I don't quite get it, but it seems to work.

What do you think?

Self Improvement - 1%

Did you know that if you focus on improving just 1%, you will eventually achieve some outstanding results? This was the case with the Great Britain’s professional cycling team. Dave Brailsford was brought on in 2010 to help improve the cycling teams performance. He believed that the best way to do that was to focus on improving everything related to cycling by 1%. So that is what the team did. Over time the improvements collected and eventually this propelled the team to 3 tour de France wins and a dominating performance at the last Olympics.

Can you find a way to improve the aspects of your life by 1%? Improve your eating habits, your spending habits, your learning habits, your work habits, your… well I think you get the picture. Maybe success is not achieved in one big bold move. Maybe success is achieved by improving just a bit in as many aspects of your life as possible. Hey, if Great Britain’s professional cycling team, why can't the rest of us?

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234478

Chromebook - 7 Months

I have now had my Chromebook for about 7 months. I originally purchased my Acer C720 on a whim just to see what I could do with it. It soon became my main computing device replacing my iPad and Mac Mini (though I still use them on occasion when I need to do something that is not yet possible on my Chromebook). My Chromebook is working as well as it did the first day I fired it up. The speed has not diminished, the boot up time has not increased, and the battery life is still amazing. I have had no security issues or crashes. All he system updates have been seamless and without incident. I did do a "powerwash" (resets everything to factory specs) a few months back just to see what that would do, but have had no need to do one again. My Chromebook has worked flawlessly since day 1.

What do I do on my Chromebook? I mainly write on it. I also check my email, surf the internet, keep up on Google+ and Quora, listen to music, and watch videos. All the basic stuff you would do with any device. So far this has been the best $200 I have ever spent. I have also have not spent another penny on any apps or software. This has been the least expensive system I have ever owned. So here is to another 7 months of great computing and saving a ton of money.

What do you think?

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Violence in Iraq has re-emerged. Militants have take Mosul and are threatening new cities and towns. They have also stolen over $400 million from a central bank in Mosul. The Iraqi Government has requested U.S. air support and assistance because their armed forces seem to be ineffective. Here we go again! Things seem to have cooled down a bit in Ukraine as the government and Russia negotiate for natural gas. Lets see if things continue to cool off. Israel conducted an Air strike against Palestinians they claim were shooting rockets into Israel from Gaza. One Palestinian was killed in the air strike. There were no other new major developments in the middle east. Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other major developments across the world.

U.S.: Stocks were down today. Some say it was in reaction to Eric Cantor's primary defeat. Gold was flat but oil was higher due to concern over Iraq. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Observations - Listening To Music While Studying Or Learning

I think there are a lot of variables that affect weather music has an effect of studying and learning. First, can the person focus while listening to music. There are those who need silence in order to focus and learn. Next, does the music being listened to distract from what is being learned. If you keep listening to the music rather than focus on what you are learning then that type of music will not help you learn. Also, You can't listen to music while trying to listen to something else. Your brain can't multi-task like that. Finally, I have found that listening to classical music and film scores helps me focus when I want to write or when I am reading. It helps me focus and remember better.

What do you think?

Business - Turning A Hobby Into A Business

To turn your hobby into a business you have to find a way to monetize it. If your hobby creates some kind of product, start selling it in some fashion. If you can teach others how to do your hobby, start selling your service in some way. If you can post your hobby online in some way, create a website, blog, or some other web based site and make money from advertising, selling directly to people, or in some other web based way. You can also start a business supplying all that is needed to do your hobby to others. Just find a way to get paid is some fashion and boom, your hobby is a business.

What do you think?

U.S. News - Cantor Loss

In what looks to be a major shake up of the Republican party, Eric Cantor, the house majority, leader has lost in a primary to Tea Party candidate, Dave Brat. This is the first time in U.S. history that the the house majority, leader has lost in a primary in spite of outspending his opponent 42-1. So what led to Brat's victory? Pundits are stating that Cantor's support for immigration reform was a key catalyst to motivate voters to oust him. I think it was also an anti incumbent mood in the electorate combined with a good campaign by Brat. Maybe this is the beginning of a national move against incumbents? No doubt we need a changing of the guard in Washington. I also think that people are fed up with the status quo. So congratulations to Dave Brat. May your message grow and spread so that more incumbents are ousted and we can finally have something meaningful accomplished in Washington.

What do you think?

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Minor clashes continue in Ukraine as talks take place between Ukraine's new government and Russia. Nothing seems to have been solved yet. In Iraq, militants have taken over Mosul and freed 1200 prisoners. In Afghanistan 5 U.S. soldiers were killed by friendly fire. Now why did we invade these countries? The rest of the world is basically unchanged and besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no new major developments.

U.S.: Stocks were basically flat today. Gold and oil were higher as was the dollar. High ranking incumbent republican congressman Eric Cantor lost in his primary to tea party challenger Dave Brat in what is being called an epic upset. Lets see if the anti-incumbent mood grows, which would be good for us all. In California a judge has struck down teacher tenure in what might be a landmark decision. I doubt that a higher court will let this stand since most of the judges have all been appointed by democrats who will side with the teachers unions (who are for teacher tenure). If the ruling stands it might be the beginning of true education reform across the U.S. Other than the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Creativity - Finding Ideas

Here is what I do to find ideas:

* Pay attention - ideas are everywhere
* Read like crazy
* Surf the internet
* Listen as people talk
* Ask questions
* Watch TV and Movies
* Go to live performances
* Visit museums and art exhibits
* Do something artistic -draw, sketch, paint, write, act

The truth is ideas are all around us, you just have to look for them and be open to them when they come your way. Make sure you have a way to write them down and catalog them so you can access them later.

What do you think?

Observations - Reading

As a teacher for the past 20 years I can say from personal experience that more and more students dislike reading every year. This translates into more and more adults disliking reading. Why has this happened? I think the reason is that school has made reading a chore and not the great pleasure it is. Schools should be places where reading is shown to be a great thing to do. The reality is that reading in schools has become something to be dreaded and avoided. How can we fix this? Maybe let students have more choices in what they get to read? Maybe reward students for reading in some fashion? Maybe make reading cool in some way?

What do you think?

Chromebook - Great For Education

Last year Sioux Falls School District bought and distributed 18,000 Chromebooks to students in grades 3-12. Just recently district officials announced that the roll out and use of Chromebooks was a success and met or surpassed expectations. The district reports that teachers had higher efficiency and students enjoyed greater self direction and engagement. The district also reported that repairs and damages were far less than expected.

Chromebooks get the job done and save a ton of cash. Thus they are great for education.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/business-journal/2014/06/09/district-calls-chromebook-use-sf-schools-success/10262769/

Monday, June 9, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Though skirmishes continue in Eastern Ukraine, there seems to be movement in a positive relations between the new government of Ukraine and Russia. Lets see if anything truly positive comes of all this. Pakistan is still dealing with the aftermath of the airport attack. It is also actively attacking supporters of those involved in the attack. In Syria newly re-elected Assad announced a prisoner amnesty. Lets see if that helps ease any tensions in the ongoing civil war. Libya is a mess and the the Libyan Supreme Court (it still exists?) ruled the last election unconstitutional. So the mess will continue as a power vacuum grows. You know things are bad in Venezuela when prostitutes make more money dealing in black market currencies than from sex. So things are still a mess in Venezuela and will continue as long as the current government exists. Tensions are still high across the east China sea. Besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other major developments across the world today.

U.S.: Stocks closed higher as the rally into record territory continues. Gold and oil were higher as well. Today was the day in which Apple stock split 7 to 1. So now Apple is back down to $93, which is deceptive since it was over $640 on Friday. I'm not sure why Apple did this, but then, it's Apple. They don't have to make sense. Besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Observations - Education

Here in the California there is a huge push to have all students take the college bound rout. Unfortunately it just creates a lot of students who are apathetic, unmotivated, and academically unsuccessful. College is not for everyone, so what should be done for those students who do not want to go to college? There should be classes that prepare them for a career right after high school. Unfortunately there are fewer and fewer classes at the high school level that prepare students for a career right after high school.

What do we need? Here is what I think we need:

* Technology classes
* Specific career classes
* Shop classes
* Entrepreneur/business classes

What do you think?

Chromebook - Microsoft Misstep

In creating the Surface, Microsoft has chosen to become a hardware company. In doing so it has made all their manufacturing partners competitors. What I was not aware of was that Microsoft chose to use ARM processors in the original Surface. So not only did Microsoft turn all their manufacturing partners into competitors, they also turned their chief partner Intel into a competitor. What was the result? All their partners are now producing Chromebooks! Microsoft made a poor choice in going into the hardware business. It created competitors out of all their partners and basically pushed them into partnership with Google. Throw in the fiasco that Windows 8 was, and it makes you wonder what Microsoft is going on. Do they have any clue how to run a company?

What do you think?

Sunday, June 8, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: No new developments in Ukraine today. Things are heating up in Pakistan as militants attacked an airport. There were also militant attacks in Iraq. Nothing new in Syria. Egypt and Libya are still in turmoil. No new developments in Latin America. Tensions are still high across the East China Sea.

U.S.: Two police officers were gunned down in Las Vegas. Tornadoes touchdown in Colorado. Other than the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Observation - Minor League Baseball

I am at a minor league baseball game. It's great to see the up an coming players. They are not jaded yet nor full of themselves. Each of them is playing full out, which makes the game so enjoyable. The tickets are affordable and though the concessions are pricy, it's still cheaper than going to a movie. So my family and I are enjoying a nice warm Southern California day watching baseball. How awesome is that?

What do you think?

Observation - Venezuela

Venezuela is a perfect example of how not to run a country. If you want to know if a centrally controlled socialist country can work, just look at Venezuela and you have your answer. Socialism does not work. Only a free market economy can produce prosperity for most of the citizens of a country. Is it perfect? No, but it is the best option.

What do you think?

News - Daily Summary

World: Ukraine has sworn in a new president. Petro Poroshenko was sworn in today and in his inaugural speech promises to get Crimea back and forge closer ties to Europe and the West. In Eastern Ukraine tensions are still high as minor skirmishes continue. There were no new major developments (besides the usual crimes and tragedies) in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. In Asia tensions are still high across the East China Sea, but there were no new major development (besides the usual crimes and tragedies).

U.S.: It was a calm day today without any new major developments (besides the usual crimes and tragedies).

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Observation - Why Are Most Universities Better Than most K-12 Schools?

I think that the difference is that Post Secondary education is directly paid for by the student. If the education is sub par, then students will not attend since there are lots of choices. In k-12 education the "state" pays for the education and the students have very little choices if the education is sub par. I think that the best way to change k-12 education is have the student pay for it directly (for those who can't afford it provide a voucher). Guess what would happen to those schools which are sub par? They would be empty (or they would change very quickly)!

What do you think?

Observation - Time And Age

I am 48 and I am noticing that the older I get, the less I am aware of time. I remember when I was much younger that Summer was a long time. Now it feels like it goes by much quicker, or a really don't notice that it comes to an end. My birthday is no big deal anymore. Holidays are not so exciting. Maybe it has to do with having experienced it before, so it's not new or novel? It's just interesting how time is not as a big deal anymore. I think it is interesting that so many things affect our perception. Clearly age is one, I wonder what other things affect our perception?

What do you think?

The Future - The Digital Age

Why hasn't online learning taken over education? I think it hasn't because of the nature of change. People don't like change and avoid it all cost. Look at the music industry and how it reacted to the internet and digital music. They fought it tooth and nail (and are probably still fighting it). I see the current post-secondary system doing the same thing. Eventually the internet will win (as it always does). Also, online learning takes a different mind set. You have to have some discipline and motivation. There is no set schedule and no place to show up to. You have to make sure you do the work on your own. Some people will not adapt to it, so traditional education will be with us for a long time (and probably will never go away).

What do you think?

Blogging - Getting Started

Here is some advice I gave to a question I was asked:

To start a blog you want to figure out what to write about. I like to write about the news, the economy, Chromebooks, and a few other topics. I just surf the internet till I find something I want to write about, and then I do. The key to blogging is to be consistent. you want to publish a post on a regular basis. After you start publishing you want to work on building your audience. there are several ways to do this but I have found the the best way is to start commenting on other blogs and use social media (I like Google+, Quora). Then just keep writing and your blog will grow.

What do you think?

Chromebook - Great For Education

I think that Chromebooks are great for education and it turns out that one of the largest districts in the nation also agrees. Chesterfield County Schools in Virginia just announced that they are buying over 32,000 Chromebooks. They plan on letting each of their middle school and high school students use them. Here was the best quote from the story I read:

"What's especially remarkable is that they were able to move to Chromebooks with existing funds -- without requesting additional budget, since Chromebooks are nearly half the cost of PC desktops and laptop alternatives."

The best part of using Chromebooks is that the get the job done, they are safe, and they will save a ton of cash.

What do you think?

For more:
http://betanews.com/2014/06/06/chesterfield-county-schools-buys-32000-dell-chromebooks-for-students/?utm_source=plus.url.google.com&awesm=betane.ws_a0hR&utm_medium=betane.ws-twitter&utm_content=twitter-publisher-main&utm_campaign=

News - Daily Summary

World: In Ukraine the newly elected president prepares to be sworn in, some hope that the conflicts in Eastern Ukraine will be resolved. The new President, Poroshenko had an informal meeting with Russian President Putin and German Chancellor Merkel at the D-Day commemorations. It was reported that they discussed the upcoming negotiations which will begin on Sunday after the inauguration in Ukraine. Lets see if anything meaningful comes as a result. Meanwhile in Eastern Ukraine a government aircraft was shot down by separatists, so the civil war still continues. Things across the rest of the world were calm today and besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no new major developments.

U.S.: Stocks continued their rally on the ECB rate cut today. Gold was flat but oil was a bit higher. The week ended calmly and besides the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the coming economic storm.

What do you think?

Friday, June 6, 2014

The Future - No Income Corporations

I just started using a site called Quora and I like it. Using it made me wonder, how do they make any money? So I went looking. Quora has not made a dime since it started in 2010. In fact, there is nothing to indicate that they will make any money till 2015 when they plan to introduce advertising. So far the whole things has been paid for by venture capital. This is what blows my mind in the digital age. You can create a "service" (which is what Quora technically is) and make no income for years, but still be valued in the millions? It doesn't make sense to me, but that is all part of the transformation to the digital age. I think people are betting that Quora will either eventually make some money or be gobbled up by one of the digital corporations that has a ton of cash. In any event, I am going to continue to use Quora because I like answering questions.

What do you think?

The Economy - Jobs

The employment report for May was released today and it paints a more positive picture for the U.S. economy. We have finally recovered all the jobs that were lost in the great recession and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.3%. It took nearly 5 years to recover! Now the report was positive, but clearly things are not "healthy". The labor force participation rate is still very high (though some claim that's the result of demographics). There are also way too many people who are working part time, but would like to be working full time. The numbers also don't do a good job at telling us what kinds of jobs were created. How many of the jobs created were good paying jobs? How many were minimum wage jobs? I am glad that we have finally recovered for the greatest recession since WWII, but I am concerned that things are not healthy. We need more and more good paying jobs in the U.S. Unfortunately I think that what we have is a recovery in numbers of jobs, but not a recovery in the quality of jobs.

What do you think?

Observations - D-Day

On this day 70 years ago thousands of men engaged in a battle that would change the course of history. I spent some time looking over all the photographs that have survived from that epic day and I am in awe at what was accomplished. How did men in tiny little boats overcome such a well entrenched enemy? How did they even get out of the boats? I think the thing that most impresses me is that most of them men who went ashore that day did not volunteer for the task. They were drafted and by chance ended up in the units that accomplished what was seemingly impossible. We owe these men a debt that can never be repaid. As a result, freedom and liberty survived. May we never forget what came at such a high cost.

What do you think?

Thursday, June 5, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Things were calmer in Ukraine today. Tensions are high but there were no new developments. Latin America was calm as was the Middle East. Tensions are still high across the East China Sea as China seems to be positioning naval assets across the region. If this keeps up there will be further confrontations over disputed waters and territories. Finally, in Europe, the central bank dropped interest rates to negative for the first time and the 70th anniversary of D-Day is celebrated. Though WWII was 70 years ago, we are still dealing with the aftermath today. May we never forget what was fought for and won - freedom!

U.S.: Stocks rallied on the negative interest rate cut by the ECB. Gold was higher but oil was flat. Besides crashing jets in southern California, shootings at a Seattle college, and the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other major developments in the U.S. today. Things have been remarkably calm for some time. Makes me wonder if something big is coming our way?

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Observations - Should You Go To College?

Don't waste a dime on college till you know what you want to do. Figure out what you love to do. Then figure out what it will take to get paid to do that. Only then go to college it it will help you to get paid to do what you love. I have a BA in Music Education, a MS in Instruction and Curriculum, everything but a dissertation in a PhD in education and I am currently working on an AA in Computer Science. Why? Because it will help me to get paid doing something I love to do!

What do you think?

Creativity - "Can't Be Done"

Do people lose the ability to be creative as they grow older? I think they do because they start to learn what works and what doesn't. You never hear young children ever say "that won't work". I can tell you that the older people get, the more often you hear it. If you think something will not work, you will never try it. I think it was Henry Ford who said: "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right".

So to keep being creative (or regain some of it back) be aware of how often you say (or hear) it can't be done, then tell yourself that maybe that's not true. Everybody thought that flying could not be done, till the Wright Brothers did it. No one thought you could run a mile in less than 4 minutes till Roger Bannister did it. I wonder how many things we think can't be done, could be done if someone would just try?

What do you think?

Observations - Ronald Reagan

Today is the 10th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's death. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

* "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."
* "Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
* "The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away."
* "The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
* "Government does not solve problems. It subsidizes them."
* "My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose. Somehow we win out."

What do you think?

Creativity - Composing Music

When I start to compose a piece of music, I find that I just need to put something on the page or on tape. I might start with a rhythm, or a chord progression, or a few notes of a melody and mess around with it. I also sometimes start with a concept in mind. For example, if I have a scene for a film I need to score and I have an emotion I want to express, I start with the emotion and work out what might express that. Or if I have a piece for marching band I am arranging, I start with the instrumentation I need and work out from there. The point is to start with just about anything and play with it until you have something you like (or works). This can be applied in just about any other genre or medium. If you are painting, put some color on the canvas and see what you can do with it. If you are creating a video, shoot some scenes and see what it looks like and work from there. If you are writing, put some words on the page and see what comes of it.

What do you think?

Chromebook - USB To Ethernet

One thing that is lacking on Chromebooks are Ethernet connectors. So, if you want to hook up your Chromebook to a wired network you will need to buy a USB to Ethernet connector. I decided to give this a try since I have a wired network at work. I stopped by my local Best buy and picked up a USB to Ethernet connector (they only had one brand in stock) and plugged it in. At first it did not work right, but I was able to get it working once I turned my WIFI off. Fortunately I did not need a driver. So can you hook a Chromebook up to a wired network? You sure can and I am doing so as I write and publish this posts.

At first it bothered me that Chromebooks do not come with Ethernet connectors, or CD/DVD drives, or a VGA port, or a hard drive. Then it dawned on me. Most of the time I do not use any of those things, so why pay for them if I really don't use them? If I need them I can get connectors or external drives. In fact, I had those already from picking them up over the years. So far I have used an external CD/DVD drive, and external hard drive, an external monitor using a HDMI to DVI cable, a USB to Ethernet connector, a keyboard, a mouse, and a track mouse. Everything worked without a problem, which pleasantly surprised me.

What do you think?

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: The civil war continues in Eastern Ukraine and the casualties are mounting. It is going to be interesting to see how far the government of Ukraine is willing to go to subdue the eastern provinces. In Syria, Assad claims victory in the election that took place yesterday. Was there any doubt? Things were calm across the rest of the middle east. Interestingly things have been fairly calm with Iran. There were no new developments in Egypt or Libya. In Asia tensions are still high across the East China Sea and there were no new developments with North or South Korea.

U.S.: Stocks were a bit higher today. Gold and oil were down today and the dollar was basically flat (compared to the Euro). A Marine Corp Harrier crashed in California. No injuries were reported. Last time a jet went down in California (San Diego) several people were killed on the ground. So it was good news that it seems that no one was injured. Other than the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Observations - Advice To A Student

I was asked by a student if they should go to school or try becoming a model. Here is what I told them:

I have always believed that you should give the "dream" a shot when you are young because you can always return to school. Go for the modeling and if it does not work out, go back to school. The only thing you would loose is a year or two if things don't work out. On the other hand you could have a nice career as a model. From personal experience I can tell you that it is easier to follow your dreams when you are young than when you are older and have bills and a family to take care of.

What do you think?

Chromebook - Advice To A College Student

I bought an Acer C720 Chromebook as a whim just to see what I can do on it. I can tell you after 6 months I truly enjoy using the machine. For college you can use Google drive for all your work. I find that it does all I need and is better than using an iPad or Android tablet. The only problem you might run into is if there is a specific program you need to use for school. That will probably not work out on a Chromebook. I have also found that I can do all I need to offline, but I am always near WIFI and I have a 3G hotspot on my iPhone so I am always online. If you are looking to save a ton of money, Chromebook is the way to go.

What do you think?

Writing - No Shortcuts

I am sitting here wondering what to write about and it came to me that there are no shortcuts when it comes to writing. There is no magic formula. There is no bag of tricks. There are no sure fire means of success. There is only one way to write. You sit your butt down and put words on the page. There are no shortcuts!

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

An embattled border post has fallen to separatists striking a blow to government forces. There were casualties on both sides, but eventually the border guards surrendered and the separatists occupied the post. Things keep getting hotter in Eastern Ukraine as Separatists and government forces skirmish. If this is not a civil war then what is?

What do you think?

Chromebooks - Great For Schools

I was of the opinion that iPads were better for creating content than Chromebooks, but according to one student, they are not when it comes to using them in school. It turns out that using Google drive and a Chromebook is easier to write papers and create presentations than trying to do so on an iPad. The apps on the iPad are not as robust as Google drive and not having a physical keyboard makes writing more difficult (I would agree). Another issue that many schools have not considered is that students are going to download games and social apps to the iPad, which are not available on Chromebook. Students will opt to play games or use a social app any chance they get, so using a Chromebook will limit this tendency. Chromebooks are great for schools and they will also save a bunch of money.

What do you think?

For more:
http://newmindgroup.com/2014/04/14/ipads-vs-chromebooks-in-a-11-environment/?kme=Social+Click&km_Source=Google+%2B&km_Link+Type=Rich+Link&km_CTA=Article

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: In the Ukraine fighting intensified between separatists and government troops. There were also air attacks on cities in Eastern Ukraine. Some civilian targets were hit and casualties on both sides are being reported. Things seem to be slowly simmering in the region. There were no new developments in Venezuela or the rest of Latin America. As the 25th anniversary of Tiananmen Square approaches, tensions are still high across the East China Sea, but there were no new major developments across Asia. As Syria begins to vote, Assad is expected to win. Israel is upset with the U.S. over support for the new Palestinian government. The rest of the region was as calm as can be expected with no new major developments.

U.S.: Stocks were down a bit today. Gold, oil, and the dollar were up. There were quite a number of elections across the U.S. today. Since most of them were primaries, there were no major developments as a result. besides the usual crimes, tragedies, and trivialities, there were no other major new developments across the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Personal Improvement

Marc Allen wrote:

"The only real failure is quitting."

When we stop trying, that is true failure. That's what quiting is. When we change jobs or change relationships, that's not quitting (though we sometimes call it that). When we stop trying at all, that is true quitting and that is true failure. This is awesome news because everything else we label as "failure" is not true failure. Did you not accomplish something? That's not true failure if you keep trying. Did you not advance as far as you would have like in a particular field? That is not true failure unless you stop trying. Did you go in a different direction? That is not true failure if you kept on trying. The only true and real failure is if we quit trying.

What do you think?

Creativity - Why Create?

One of thoughts that sometimes keeps me from creating is "It's been done before, why do it again?" Is this true? In many respects it is true. There really is nothing truly original. For example, are movies original? No they are just a combination of "moving" photographs and plays. What about the computer? No, it's just a combination of many tools that were once done by hand (writing, calculating, storing memory, etc…). So if that is true, why create at all? Here are my reasons for creating:

* When you create, you produce something that is uniquely yours. You add your take on it.
* When you create, you update something for the times you life in.
* When you create, you express what makes you human. We are the only "animals" who create.
* When you create, you make your life and the lives you touch richer.
* When you create…

I think that's enough. You can fill in the rest. so go and create already.

What do you think?

The Future - Some More Trends To Watch

Here are some more trends to watch that might have a huge impact on the future:

* Gene Therapy - So many diseases are related to heredity. How awesome it would be if there was a way to minimize them? Well, gene therapy is attempting to do just that and might make great some amazing breakthroughs in the future. 100 years from now many of our worst inherited diseases could be eradicated.
* Anti-aging - In the future there will be more and more progress made in extending the life expectancy of everyone on the planet. 100 years from now people could easily be living past 100 (in fact, there is a possibility that many of the people being born today could live long enough to see this happen).
* Nanobots - Progress in this area will lead to a revolution in how healthcare is delivered, how people communicate, and how we use our minds. Nanobots will be injected into our bodies to cure illnesses, provide wireless communication, and enhance cognitive abilities. 100 years from now nanobots might be as common as cell phones transforming all our daily lives.
* mechanical bodily enhancements - Progress is being made in robotic assisted body parts. 100 years from now powerful exoskeletons will help us all be more agile and stronger. They might even be implantable and thus part of everyday life.

These are just some of the possibilities. Clearly there will be others that we have not even imagined yet. Just think back 100 years and all the changes that have occurred since then. If that rate of change continues through the next century, the future will be nothing like it is today.

What do you think?

For more:
http://futuristicoutlook.com/humans-in-the-future/

Chromebook - 4G

I was in Costco last night and they had an HP Chromebook 14, which was surprising. You could say that Chromebook is officially in the mainstream if it is being sold at Costco. What was even more surprising was that it had built in 4G internet access. And even more surprising was that it came with free 4G from T-Mobile. Now after reading the fine print the free 4G usage was quite low, but still it is free. The price was $379, which is a bit high for a Chromebook, but it did have 4G built in and that might make the whole package appealing. I would be interested in a 11" 4G model for less than $300. That would be awesome.

What do you think?

Monday, June 2, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: Border forces and separatists are still fighting along the border in Eastern Ukraine. Several casualties were reported. Russia and Ukraine are still talking about natural gas shipments and past due bills. Syrians go to the polls to vote for president. Is there any doubt of the outcome? There were no new major developments across the rest of the Middle East. Violence and tensions still continue in Libya as there is a power struggle over who will rule the country. In Venezuela they are not only running out of basic necessities, they are also starting to run out of drinking water. The government has started to ration tap water and electricity because of shortages. There is also a lack of bottled water due to price freezes causing manufacturers and retailers to stop producing and selling them. This is what happens when you attempt to centrally control prices and demand. it can't be done and chaos ensues. Tension has seemed to ease some across the East China Sea. China, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines seem to have back off some. There were no other new major developments (other than the usual crimes and tragedies) across the world today.

U.S.: Stocks were mixed today, which was the first trading day in June. The DOW and S&P were up a bit and the NASDAQ was down. Gold continued to slide and oil finally was down. In an interesting move, the city of Seattle has raise the minimum wage to $15. So will this help the poor, or will it lead to greater unemployment and increased poverty as a result? I think it will lead to greater unemployment because outside manipulation of any market leads to negative results, not positive (just look at Venezuela). Raising the minimum wage will lead to greater layoffs and possible more business closures as business adjust to the new increased costs. When you can't raise your prices because of competition, then you lay people off or close down your business. No one runs a business at loss because they want to make a political statement (unless you are the government). Other than the usual crimes and tragedies, there were no other new major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the storm (and it will continue to be calm until it's not).

What do you think?

The Future - Screen Time

In the U.S. people spend an average of 444 minutes looking at some form of a screen. this includes watching TV, using a laptop or computer, looking at a smart phone, or using a tablet. Is this a good stat? I don't think so even though the amount of time I spend in front of a screen is probably just as high. No wonder our students are bored in class. No wonder drivers are distracted. No wonder people eating out for dinner spend more time looking at their phones than talking to each other. Unfortunately the reality is that "screen time" will not be reduced and will in fact increase in the future. Just wait till we all have "smart-glasses" or "smart-wearables". We will always have a screen inches away that we can look at. Till someone figures out how to download things straight to our brains, we are going to all spend way to much time infront of a screen.

What do you think?

For more:
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/horrifying-chart-reveals-daily-screen-time-by-country-87217428174.html

Writing - Finding Things To Write About

I use the internet to get ideas on things to write about. Here is what I do:

* Have a list of topics and Google them on a regular basis.
* Join related communities on Google+ and check them regularly.
* Check topics on Alltop regularly.
* Check in with websites I enjoy reading.
* Check in on Quora to see if there is anything interesting to write about.
* Spend time thinking
* Put some words on the page and see what comes of it.

So far this method is working for me. I am getting 3-5 ideas to write about everyday. Is there anything you would add?

What do you think?

Chromebook - Education Tech Trends

I read an article that discusses 6 education technical trends. They are:

1. The move to mobile
2. The move to the cloud
3. Allowing students and staff to bring their own devices
4. 3D printing
5. Digital textbooks
6. Increased use of tablets (especially iPads).

I think the article misses one of the biggest trends and that is the 1 to 1 movement of providing a computing device for every student. It is true that if a school chooses to use a tablet, it usually chooses to use iPads. But I also think that Chromebooks are making huge inroads when it comes to the 1 to 1 trend. Every day I read about another district or school buying Chromebooks for their students to use.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.securedgenetworks.com/secure-edge-networks-blog/bid/101577/6-Biggest-Classroom-Technology-Trends-in-2014

Creativity - Priming The Pump

To increase your creativity, there are somethings you can do just before you go to bed at night that will "prime" your creative pump.

First, fill your mind with some good material. Read some good stuff just before you turn in at night. This will help you remember the material better and build a library for your imagination to draw from. Second, as you start to drift off, go over the creative things you are working on and ask yourself the questions you are working. This will set your subconscious mind working on finding a solution while you sleep. Finally, do what you can to encourage dreaming. Also do what you can to remember your dreams.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.fastcompany.com/3031227/work-smart/do-these-3-things-before-bed-to-hack-your-creativity-while-you-sleep?partner=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

Chromebook - 10 Reasons To Buy

Here is another list of 10 reasons to buy a Chromebook:

1. Price - cheapest system on the market.
2. Easy set up - you just need a Google account.
3. Easy to use - if you use Chrome then you have Chromebook down.
4. Safe and secure - no viruses or security software.
5. Cloud based - your files are safe and accessible from any device.
6. No ongoing costs - the OS is free and continually updates for free.
7. Optimized for Google apps
8. HD resolution - Video looks great
9. Google play - music, media, and books
10. Part of a growing community

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.dadmadeinbritain.co.uk/reviews/10-reasons-why-you-should-buy-a-chromebook-and-2-reasons-why-you-shouldnt

Sunday, June 1, 2014

News - Daily Summary

World: In Ukraine separatists attacked a border security unit in eastern Ukraine. The government is claiming that two border guards were injured in the attack. This looks like an attempt by separatists to secure a way for Russia to send supplies and volunteers into Eastern Ukraine. There is still unrest in Libya. There were no new developments in Syria or Venezuela. Tensions are still high in the East China sea. There were no other new developments today (other than the usual murders, mayhem, corruption, and tragedies).

U.S.: It was a calm Sunday in the U.S. Currently stock futures are positive which looks to start Monday in a positive direction. there were no new major developments today (except for the usual murders, mayhem, corruption, tragedies, and trivialities).

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Observations - Quora

I stumbled upon the web site "Quora" that is all about asking and answering questions. At first I was reluctant to see any value in the site, but then I started to answer some of the questions. Now I seem to find myself going back to the site on a regular basis. I think that has to do with the nature of questions. Our brains are question asking and answering systems. Go ahead and ask yourself a question and your brain will automatically start looking for the answer. I think it is designed to do that. I have also found that my activity on "Quora" has increased my views on my blog. Since I did not intend to use "Quora" to increase my views, it is nice to see that it has. Go give it a try and see what you think?

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.quora.com

Chromebook - Android Laptop

It looks like HP is going to sell an Android OS based laptop. Is this a good idea? It could be. The one thing I find lacking in a tablet is a physical keyboard and that is what an Android laptop would provide. The question I have is what will this do to Chromebooks? I think Chromebooks are in between a full featured laptop and a tablet. Chromebooks give you most of the functions of a laptop and most of the functions of a tablet. In other words, it's not quite a laptop and not quite a tablet, but a mix of both. So will an Android based laptop take away from Chromebook sales? It might, but the starting price is $399, which is $200 more than a low priced Chromebook. If the price is correct, why not buy a cheap tablet and a cheap Chromebook for the same price? Lets see how an Android laptop will sell, then we might be able to tell how Chromebooks will do.

What do you think?

For more:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/1/5767856/hp-new-chromebook-android-slatebook-announcement-price

Personal Improvement - Gratitude And Appreciation

I have found that there are two key elements that have made a drastic influence on the quality of my life. They are gratitude and appreciation.

Gratitude is being grateful and thankful for all that is in your life. This includes being thankful for all the good and all the bad as well. Being thankful for the good comes easy and makes sense, but the bad? Yes, be thankful for the bad because it is what shaped you into who you are and will continue to shape you into who you will be. The reason is because the good stuff rarely changes or motivates us. It is the bad and trying things that motivate and change us, which is what will define us. So be thankful for it all.

Appreciation means to value all that is in our lives. We are not accidents. We have been place on this planet on purpose. It is our jobs in life to figure out what that is (by pursuing our passions and developing our talents), to act on it, and then to appreciate all we have, all we do, and everyone that crosses our path. Appreciate all you have, no matter how little. Appreciate all you get to do, no matter how mundane or restricted it might be. Appreciate everyone in your life because they help you become who you are and who you will be. Value all that you have and are, that's what appreciating is all about.

These two qualities will have the largest impact on the quality of your life. What are you grateful for? What do you appreciate?

What do you think?

The Economy - Disney Corporation

Now that I have a son who works at Disneyland in Southern California, I am paying a bit more attention to how well the Disney Corporation is doing. Disney is on track to earn $48 billion this year. Disney parks and resorts are the largest chunk of the business and with ticket price increases, that part will probably grow in the future. Attendance at Disneyland is strong inspite of the rise in ticket prices, so I expect revenue (and profits) to grow. I was surprised to learn that ESPN is such a large portion of the revenue stream for Disney. It is the second largest portion of income after the parks and resorts. I did not realize that sports made so much money. The rest of Disney's income comes from it's movie studio, it's cable tv channel, it's products and interactive media division, and from ABC television. I was expecting Disney to make much more income from ABC and it's movie studio, but it does not. The parks and ESPN make much more. Go figure? So from my perspective, Disney looks healthy and it has a well rounded business that should do well into the future. That's good news for my son!

What do you think?

For more:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/2247553-disney-will-have-a-strong-summer-despite-missing-one-of-its-top-performers

News - Daily Summary

World: It was a calm Saturday across the world with no new major developments (besides the normal murders, mayhem, corruption, and tragedies).

U.S.: A U.S. soldier was released today by the Taliban in Afghanistan after 5 years in captivity. Bowe Bergdahl was captured in June of 2009. He was delivered to U.S. special forces today in Afghanistan. Other than that, it was a calm Saturday in the U.S. with no new major developments (besides the normal murders, mayhem, corruption, and tragedies).

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?