Thursday, March 31, 2016

Inside outside

As I look at people that I come across I realize that you become on the outside when you are on the inside. In other words, if you are ugly on the inside it will eventually show on the outside. If you are beautiful on the inside you will be beautiful on the outside. Also, the older you get the more this is true. So if you do not like what you see in the mirror, then maybe you need to change what's happening inside of you first. Unfortunately, I think most people start the other way around. They start with the outside thinking they will change inside but I believe it is the other way around. Start with the inside and the outside will follow.

What do you think?

Wandering around

I just spent some time at wandering around my local home-improvement store. I was looking for some items in order to finish a project for my wife. She needs me to build a stand for a piece of artwork. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I wandered around Home Depot looking for things that would work for me. I actually found some good ideas and I am on my way now to go put it together and see if it will work. I enjoy wandering around home-improvement stores. I also like wandering around craft and art stores. There's so many things to look at and to get ideas from. I just find it fun to do. It is a great way to help you be creative. So if you have some time, go and wander around your favorite home-improvement or craft store. Maybe you'll come up with some great ideas?

What do you think?

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Nightcap 3-30-16

Stocks were higher once again, but oil drifted down under $38 a barrel. No correlation once again. There was nothing of great importance today (other than the usual crimes, mayhem, and disasters). It was a quiet day.

What do you think?

My Chromebook

I discovered something. I can stream music from Google Play and write using the dictation function on Google Docs at the same time. I did not think my Chromebook could multi task like that. My iPhone can't. In fact, I really can't listen to music and do much of anything else on my iPhone. I am continually surprised at what I can do on my Chromebook. You would think that a system with so little memory and power would have many more limitations. It also made me realize that much of the limitations on other systems is the size of the operation system. Chrome OS is light and fast and thus it lets the machine do many more things than would not be possible on another operating system (using the same hardware).

What do you think?

Boeing to cut jobs

Boeing, the plane maker, has announced that it will lay off over 4000 workers and managers this next year. If the economy is doing well, why is Boeing laying people off? I think it is another sign that we are either in a recession or just starting one. If things were going well in the economy Boeing would not be laying people off. It would be hiring. If I am right about the economy then why have stocks not fallen further? Maybe they will once investors come to realize that things are not as rosy as the government paints it to be.

What do you think?

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Nightcap 3-29-16

Stocks were higher on comments from the FED chair. Oil was lower though. It can't seem to break past $40. Someone cracked the terrorist iPhone for the FBI. I bet the Israelis got it done. I am beginning to believe that there is no such thing as privacy if you use the Internet or a smartphone. There was not much else in the news today. Maybe there will be something more interesting and important tomorrow.

What do you think?

Using Google Docs

I switched from using Pages to using Docs not too long ago. At first I was not sure if I liked using Google docs, but that is not the case any longer. I think Google docs is very good. The best part about it is that it saves quickly. While using Pages it would take some time for my document to be uploaded and saved. It would also take some time for it to download to my iPhone or any other device. Google docs is much quicker. In fact, it is almost instantaneous as I write. So, I don't waste a bunch of time waiting for my document to upload or download depending on where I am in my writing process. That also means that I can switch to another device in a matter of minutes rather than waiting for everything to sync. So while at first I was not sure what I thought about Google docs, I am now a big fan.

What do you think?

Reading

I don't read very many books anymore. I used to read one or two books a week, but now I am lucky if I read one a month. That does not mean I am no longer reading though. I still read substantially, but it is mostly on the Internet. I read several articles and blog posts every day. I also read through several emails every day. But, what I am not doing lately is reading books. I think the Internet has changed how I read. I am not sure if it is a positive development, but it is a change. I am saving money though. I remember spending quite a bit of money at the bookstore. That I have not done in a very long time. Today if I am going to read a book it is one I download as an ebook from Amazon.

What do you think?

Little changes can make a big difference

In my writing I made one little change. I started the headings I use differently. Before I would always include the word in "my" in the heading. So for example I was right about "my" day. Today I decided to drop the "my" from the heading. I did not think it would make any difference at all, but it has. For some reason, I am coming up with way more ideas that I did in the past. Could one little change make a big difference? I used to think that no, little changes don't make much of a difference. But I am rethinking what I believe. Maybe small changes can add up to big differences? Especially when you put several of them together. For now though, I am enjoying getting so many new ideas.

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-28-16

Stocks and oil were basically flat today. Lots of stories about Bernie Sanders winning all three primaries this week end. Not that it will matter much in the end. I think Hillary Clinton has the nomination locked up (unless she gets indicted). It looks as if California is eventually going to raise the minimum wage to $15. That might be good to those who keep their jobs, but to the millions who will never be hired it is a disaster. Raising the minimum wage to that level will only guarantee that more and more business will hire fewer workers and purchase more technology and automation (which is now cheaper, never calls in sick, and never goes on strike). Batman v. Superman did well at the box office this weekend. It might break even. I saw the movie and it was alright. Slow at times, but overall, not bad. Other than that, there was nothing else of great importance in the news today (other than the usual disasters, mayhem, and crime).

What do you think?

Monday, March 28, 2016

The future of work

I came across a couple of interesting articles that give some insight into the future of work. The first article was about the "gig" economy. It was talking about how more and more employers are hiring people as independent contractors. In other words, more businesses are hiring outside workers rather than inside workers. It turns out that the government is also doing the same thing. The second article was about the further use of robots in the workplace. The port of Los Angeles is using a massive robot to move shipping containers. This used to be done by crane operators, who are paid very well. Well, it looks like those jobs will be disappearing soon. So the feature of work will either be automated, or independent. So if you have a job you will either be replaced by a machine, or you will be made an independent contractor which means you will be self-employed. These are a couple of interesting trends I am going to keep an eye on. I think they will have a huge impact on our economy and the future of work.

Just a note. There was a strike not to long ago at the Port in Los Angeles. Maybe this is one of the consequences of going on strike? Robots don't go on strike.

What do you think?

Socialism

Bernie Sanders is a socialist and belies the U.S. should be more socialist. So what is socialism? Socialism is all about government control. It is about the government not only having direct control of something, but also literally owning it. In a socialist country the government owns education, healthcare, energy, utilities, and even some major industries. For example, in socialist Europe there are very few sectors of the economy that are not owned by the government. I don't think that is a good thing. Plus, how does the government then create revenue? Does it tax the industries that owns? Maybe it does. In the long run the Socialism doesn't work. You run out of money. Just like a Venezuela and Greece.

What do you think?

Sanders cleans up

Bernie Sanders won three primaries over the weekend. Just when I was thinking the nomination on the democrat side was all locked up, a wrench gets thrown in. Sanders won in Alaska, Hawaii, and the state of Washington. Hillary Clinton is still ahead in the delegate count, but losing in all three states is a blow to her campaign. It is increasingly looking like the democrat candidates are regional candidates with Sanders winning in the west and Northeast, and Clinton winning in the south. What if both conventions ended up being open and contested? Now that would be interesting.

What do you think?

1000 posts

According to blogger this is my 1000th post. I have written 1000 posts over two years. I started this blog back in January 2014 and I can't believe I have written 1000 posts. I wish I could say that I have been very consistent, but that is not the case. If you look back through my blog you will notice that there are gaps in my posts. There are some months where I only wrote two or three. What you find is that I have had spurts of productivity. I think though, that now I am going to be much more consistent because I have discovered the dictation function on my iPhone. It turns out that speaking to my iPhone lends itself well to creating blog posts. Now I tried the dictation function to write fiction, but that seems to have stalled. With dictation writing blog post is a snap. For example, this is my seventh that I have written today. Lord willing I will write many more posts.

What do you think?

The Simpsons

I was not aware that the Simpsons has been on for 27 years. Can you imagine working on that show for all those years? Part of it must be amazing, but part of it must have gotten old. I am sure if I had to draw Bart Simpson for 27 years I would be bored stiff. On the other hand, hey it is a cool job. You get to do creative stuff for nearly 30 years and over 590 episodes. How do they keep coming up with show ideas? Now that would be interesting to find out.

What do you think?

Sunday, March 27, 2016

The Google business model

The Google business model is very interesting. Here is how it works. You give everything away for free. You pay for it through charging for advertising. It is actually not a new model. Radio and TV stations have been using the same model for decades. What is interesting is that instead of providing content to be viewed or listened to, Google provides Internet based applications and search services. The model seems to be working quite well for Google since they continue to grow and they also continue to acquire new and different companies and new and different applications. I wonder if this model can be applied in other Industries? That might be something to think about.

What do you think?

More sleep, less stress

What has helped my writing is that I got some sleep, and my stress level is way down. When I do not get enough sleep my brain is foggy and does not work at peak performance. When I am stressed, my brain is preoccupied with whatever is stressing me. Both conditions contribute to not being able to write very much. The past couple of days I was not able to write much. Today has been the complete opposite. Maybe that will be something to keep in mind. I will try to get more sleep, and I will try to reduce the amount of stress in my life somehow.

What do you think?

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Small business

Have you ever stopped and noticed how many small businesses there are? It is amazing how many there are. Next time you are out and about in your town just noticed all the small businesses. Then realize all the risk that people take when they open a small business. Also realize that it is the small businesses that employ that's vast majority of people in your town. It is a large businesses that get most of the tension, but it is the small businesses that form the backbone of our economy.

You can also tell how healthy a town is by how well the small businesses are doing. If there are plenty of small businesses and they seem to all be making money, things in town are good. If there are not too many small businesses, or there are plenty of empty stores, things are not so good in town.

What do you think?

Motif

In music the concept of a motif is that of a short little chunk of music that you use to create a whole piece. It could be a short Melody, I read them, the chord progression, are just about anything else and music. You can hear this in the music of Beethoven and especially in his fifth Symphony. The first four notes are the motif that the rest of the piece is built from.

You can use the concept of motif in writing as well. Just start with the little chunk of writing and build from it. Example you can start from a word. you can start from a sentence. You can start for main topic. Just take a small chunk of riding and expanded, add to it, play with it, do whatever you think you can with it.

Using a motif is also a great way to come up with ideas. Find a chunk and play with it. Find a word and play with that. Pick a topic and see where it leads you. Hey, if it worked for Beethoven it'll work for you.

What do you think?

The day after

Have you ever noticed that most the time people write about the "day of" whatever is going on but they hardly ever write about the "day after"? For example, we just had a terror attack in Belgium and all the stories have been about the "day of" the attack. There have been very few about the "day after". I find though that the "day after" is just as important as the "day of". The day after is what determines the rest of your actions. It is the day you make decisions. It is a vital and important day. Of course it is not as important or interesting, but you should not ignore it or minimize it. You should use it to propel you into action. You should use it to find direction. You should use it clean up, make up, and to do whatever else needs to be done to move on.

What do you think?

Sometimes you need to take some time off

Yesterday was my birthday so I took some time off from writing. I did try to write though, but I did not get very far. My mind was just preoccupied with all the things that I had to do. It was also the last day before spring break at work, and it was pretty hectic. The good thing though is that today, my mind is ready to write. So sometimes we just need to take a day off to recharge our batteries and to renew our minds.

What do you think?

Friday, March 25, 2016

Birthday break

Today is my birthday, so I will not be able to do much writing. I will be back tomorrow. Thanks for checking in.

What do you think?

Thursday, March 24, 2016

California weather

California is a mess in so many ways, but one thing it gets right. It gets the weather right. Today it is clear and 85° here in Southern California it is just beautiful. Yes there are 1 million things wrong with California, but on a day like this you tend to forget. The best thing about the weather is at the social liberal crazy people can't mess it up.

What do you think?

Quality wins again

I read a story last night about the new vehicle the Army is purchasing to replace the humvee. It is Oshkosh JLTV. What made this story interesting to me is how the Army decided on which vehicle to purchase. One of the criteria the army required was that the new vehicle go 2400 miles between major repairs. The humvee is rated at 2900 miles between major repairs. It turns out that the JLTV went 7000 miles between major repairs. The closest competitor in the bid process all he went 1200 miles between major repairs. So not only did this new vehicle exceed the minimum requirements for the army, decimated the competition. In the end it was quality that one the contract. Once again it is quality that wins the day.

What do you think?

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Original content

The story of how successful Netflix has been with original content is old news. What is new is how many companies are looking to develop and produce their own original content. I just read that Apple is going to stream some original content on iTunes. That is very interesting because if Apple is doing it, then the future has arrived. Apple was not the first company to venture into digital music, but it has probably been the most successful. It was also not the first company to sell ebooks, but it also is one of the most successful. Now with original content it promises to become a powerhouse in that field. A thought just struck me. It is a good time to be in the content creation (movies and TV shows) business. I just wish I was!

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-23-16

Stocks sold off today and closed lower. Oil was hammered and is down below $40 a barrel. More details have been disclosed about the terror attack in Brussels. The Belgium Government might have known about the plot and done nothing. If that is true, is it sheer incompetence, or was it allowed on purpose? In the end it does not matter much to the people who were killed or injured. There is also a story that an Israeli company is going to help the FBI hack the iPhone from the San Bernardino Terrorists. So we have to have help from the Israelis to hack a phone? Seriously? Besides the usual debauchery and mayhem, there was nothing else of great importance in the news. Oh, one more thing. Our President is in Argentina doing the Tango.

What do you think?

Writing fiction

I started writing a detective novel. I wanted to see if I could do it. So far I have written 7 chapters and I am making progress. I tried to use the dictation function on my iPhone, but it did not work so well when I wrote fiction. It kept mixing up the words I was saying. I am not sure why it did that, but it doesn't when I write non-fiction. I also found that I could not write fiction as I drove. I think it just takes too much focus to write fiction well. So what I am doing is writing non-fiction stuff (like my blog posts) as I drive. I write fiction on my breaks and during my lunch. That seems to be working. I am still writing about 4000 words a day, which is amazing. When it comes to fiction though, I am back to typing.

What do you think?

My Chromebook

Usually at this time of year I buy a new Chromebook. I do so for my birthday which is coming up. This year though, I think I will keep the one I have and not buy a new one. Why? Because the one I have is working perfectly, so there is no need to replace it. Then I looked at all the new offerings and there is nothing better that is available. The new Acer model has basically the same chip as the machine I have now. So buying a new one would not be different at all. I could buy a cheaper model from another brand, but they have slower performing chips, so why do that? I could buy a model with more memory, but the one I have has memory enough for all I do. So, I will keep the one I have and save my birthday money for something else. Maybe next year there will be something better to upgrade to for the same price or less?

What do you think?

Why study history?

The terror attack in Belgium reminds me how important it is to know history. As a teacher I am asked all the time why should we study history? We need to study history in order to learn what works and what doesn't work. The terror attack in Belgium is nothing new. Terror attacks have not only occurred over the last couple of decades, but have also occurred over the last century or two. History teaches us that the best way to defend against terror attacks is to first deter them, and then route out the evil and destroy it. Any other course of action leads to failure. At least, that is what I believe history teaches us. Just look at Israel and how it has dealt with terror. First they deter, then the route out evil and destroy it.

What do you think?

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Nightcap 3-22-16

Brussels was the scene of the latest large scale terror attack. Scores are dead and many more are wounded. Radical Islam has struck again. When will the world get it? We are at war with an ideology and religion that wants us dead. So who is next? Which European city is on the list to be attacked? Maybe it is a good idea to avoid Europe for the next few decades! Meanwhile, stocks closed mixed today and oil was down. It also looks like Donald Trump is going to win in Arizona and Ted Cruz in Utah. Trump expanded his lead in delegates, but Cruz is not out of it yet. As I look at the delegate counts, Trump looks like he might win unless Cruz gets enough delegates to keep him from winning outright. We might have an open convention afterall. Besides the normal crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else of great importance in the news.

What do you think?

Another good reason to own a Chromebook

I was sitting in Starbucks today and the gentleman sitting in front of me spilled his drink on his laptop. Unfortunately for him, the laptop stopped working immediately. Also unfortunately for him it was a MacBook Pro! Having witnessed that, I started thinking to myself. "If that had happened to me and my Chromebook, it would not be that big of a deal. I could easily go and afford to buy a new one." That is another good reason to own and use the Chromebook. If you crash it, or destroy it, or ruin it, you can just go out and buy another one. In fact, I could almost buy one every month or so if I needed to. That is how inexpensive Chromebooks are. I would also not lose very much of my data since most of it (especially the important stuff) is stored on Google Drive. I'm glad I own a Chromebook!

What do you think?

Seeking justice

All the news today is about the terror attack in Belgium. This is understandable. What happened in Belgium is horrific. But why is it that the Liberals are concerned with offending the Muslim community rather than doing the right thing? Is not the right thing to do is to seek justice? It is not to keep from offending someone. No wonder things is so messed up in this world. Maybe if we focused on protecting ourselves rather than not offending somebody we would all be safer. What we should be doing is seeking justice.

What do you think?

Apple slashes prices

Apple cut the price of it's watch. You can pick up the low end watch for $299. Apple also introduced a cheaper iPhone. It sells for $399. Since when does Apple go "bottom feeding"? I guess there is a market there Apple does not want to miss out on. So why did it wait so long? Why now? It might be interesting to keep an eye on Apple and see if something is amiss.

What do you think?

Terror attack

Today we had another horrific terrorist attack in Europe. By now there should be no doubt that radical Islam is at war with the west. The question is, how do we fight back? How do we protect ourselves? How did we win? Unfortunately there are no easy answers. It also looks like we will be at war with radical Islam for decades. Welcome to the modern age. One more observation. Europe has the strictest gun control laws on the planet. How effective were they today?

What do you think?

Monday, March 21, 2016

Nightcap 3-21-16

Stocks were basically flat, but oil was higher today. It is over $41 a barrel, which I am sure is making oil producer and the industry happier. It is not high enough to make much of a profit, but at least it is going higher. To bad the rest of us will pay higher prices at the pump. Here in California we already are, so it is not a big deal if the price of oil goes higher. Obama spent his first full day in Cuba today. Is he really going the "Nixon" play to create a legacy? Maybe something good will come from it all. Besides the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, it was a quiet Monday. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

What do you think?

Getting ideas

I was able to come up with several ideas this morning. As a result, I am ahead of schedule on creating blog posts for the day. I think I am experiencing the benefits of practicing. You see that just like any skill, when you practice, you get better at it. Thus the more ideas you get, the better you get at getting ideas. It is a positive feedback loop. The more ideas you come up with, the more will loop back to you. So if you want to start getting more and more ideas, just keep working at coming up with more and more ideas. Keep practicing and you will keep getting better.

What do you think?

Chromebooks are boring

I think I have just discovered what is wrong with Chromebooks. They are boring. They don't do all the fancy things all the other machines do. They can't use all of the cutting edge software the other systems can use. Chromebooks are just plain vanilla. But, sometimes plain vanilla is exactly what you want. Chromebooks maybe boring, but they are perfect if all you need to do is boring thing. Do you need to write? Chromebooks are perfect. Do you need to surf the Internet? Chromebook are perfect. Do you need to publish a blog post? Chromebooks are perfect. Maybe boring is not a bad thing?

What do you think?

Change

Human beings do not like change. We like it when things stay the same and are predictable. Even if things are not so great. Unfortunately we live in a time where change is the norm. Thanks to technology, and the Internet, change has become the way things are. Now, just because things change doesn't mean we have to change for change's sake. In other words, we don't have to initiate change just because we want to. Here is what I find works for me. If something is working, leave it alone. If it stops working, then change It. That seems pretty straightforward. I have also discovered that gradual change is better then sudden change. For example, if you need to make changes at work, it is much better to change gradually over time than it is to change all at once. For me it is best to handle things this way because it doesn't make as much of a mess.

What do you think?

Sunday, March 20, 2016

The Internet

Can you remember (if you are old enough) when we did not have the Internet? I can, but it is becoming something that resembles living another life. I remember when we only had three or four TV stations. I remember when libraries were the repositories of knowledge. I remember when you did not know what was going on in the world till it made it on TV, the radio, or the newspaper. If you stop and think for a while it is just amazing how much the world has changed. For example, I spent time listening to music this morning by streaming music, reading news articles from across the globe, publishing a blog post, and visiting my favorite web sites. All of which was impossible a three decades ago. The internet has changed just about every facet of our lives. The amazing thing is that things will continue to change. I think we are still in the beginning stages of how much things will change as the result of the Internet.

What do you think?

The president goes to Cuba

Is it a good thing for our president to be going to Cuba? I have some mixed feelings about this. First, should we be normalizing relations with the country which has basically defied the world for decades? Second, should we be recognizing the country which routinely murders it's people? Finally, should we be rewarding communism? On the other hand, we have relations with China which is not much different. Also, maybe some of our corporations can actually help Cuba into the modern age? Maybe if the citizens of Cuba get a taste of what the modern age is like, they might make some changes in how they are governed.

What do you think?

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Writing e-books

I would very much like to start writing ebooks. I am not sure what kind I will write. I could take some of the ideas I have written about here in my blog and expand them into some kind of non-fiction book. Another idea was to start writing fiction and see if I can come up with some novellas (short books of 20-40,000 words). Now my biggest problem is finding things to write about. When it comes to nonfiction there are tons of ideas, but not very many that could be developed into an ebook. I also imagine that I would run out of ideas eventually. That then leads me to fiction because there are unlimited possibilities. Since you just make stuff up in fiction, you literally never run out of ideas. Sure you might get tired of writing about one character or in one particular genre, but then you just come up with a new character or switch to a new genre. Eventually I will decide on something and create an ebook.

What do you think?

Gasoline prices update - California

The price of gasoline keeps going higher here in California. I just paid over $2.50 a gallon at my local discount gasoline station. this is now getting to be ridiculous. Do we really need to be paying an extra $.40-$.50 a gallon more just because they are changing the formula? I think this is just a way for the gasoline refineries to pad their profit. I doubt that it cost them this much more to tweak the formula of the gasoline the produce. On the other hand, I don't blame them. If I was being told how to run my business I would try to squeeze out as much profit as I could in anyway that I could. Indiana, it is our own fault anyway. We could vote for Seigner people to be in office so this would not happen. Oh well, it is just crazy California. Unfortunately I have to pay for it.

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-18-16

Stocks and oil were higher once again today. The markets had a very good week. Nothing new in the primary campaigns. The week is ending with a whimper. Besides the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else of great importance in the news today.

What do you think?

Friday, March 18, 2016

Few Chromebook blogs and web sites

If you search for any blogs or sites that are dedicated to Chromebooks, you will not find very many. The reason being is that there is not a whole lot to write about. Chromebooks are about as plain vanilla as you can get when it comes to computers. I know that for some that is not a good thing, but for me it is. It means that Chromebooks work and there is no need to continually tweak them. Since the OS is free, there is no need to keep inventing a new version. Google is not making any money directly from them, so there is no need to play with the revenue stream to generate some profits. There are plenty of blogs and sites for Windows and Mac's. Maybe that is not such a good thing?

What do you think?

Using Google Docs

A few days ago I gave up on my iPhone only experiment. I missed my Chromebook to much. Since then I decided to also switch from using Pages to Google Docs to do my writing. At first I was not all that impressed with Google Docs. I thought about switching back, but now that I have used it for a while, it is growing on me. Here as some of the reasons I am liking using Google Docs. First, it saves my work better than Pages did, and much faster. In fact, on pages I lost some of my writing because the document did not save quickly enough when I switched between devices. Second, Google Docs loads much faster than Pages. I like this because I can get to writing faster. Third, I like the spellcheck function on Google Docs better. Pages would give me weird suggestions when I made a mistake. Google Docs is much more accurate at figuring out what I meant to write. Finally, I like the way Google Docs works on my Chromebook, and since that is now my main device, I am going to stick with using it. Now, I am not pleased with how Google Docs works on my iPhone. Pages is better, but since I am not using my iPhone as my main device, I am going to use Google Docs.

What do you think?

Automated fast food

I read an article today which stated that one national fast food chain is looking to automate much of its restaurants. The reason they are doing this is because it is cheaper to automate then it is to hire an employee. The CEO is quoted as saying about automation: "They're always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case". I think this is going to be a trend for more and more businesses. It is cheaper to buy a machine then it is to hire a person. what is going to happen when there are fewer and fewer jobs for people? I think we're going to have a huge problem on our hands once this happens on a greater scale. now, I do not blame these businesses for automating comma because they will not stay in business if they don't. But what about the massive amount of people who will not have a job?

What do you think?

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Nightcap 3-17-16

Stocks and oil rallied again today. Things have been going up ever since the FED decided to not raise rates. North Korea test fired a ballistic missile into the ocean. Talk about saber rattling. How long till North Korea actually provokes a response from either South Korea, Japan, or the U.S.? Lot's of stories about the campaign. It might look like no one on the Republican side will get enough delegates to win. Are we going to have a "brokered" convention? Maybe California will matter this time around? Interesting. Besides the usual, there was nothing else of major importance in the news.

What do you think?

Writing in chunks

A while back I started a practice that has actually help me be a more prolific writer. I started writing in chunks. Here is what I mean by that. First I write a short headline that summarizes what I am going to write. Then I write a paragraph that fits the headline. I started doing this because that is how I write and create my blog posts. It made sense to me to do all my writing like that. In doing so, it's as helped me write many more words than I was doing otherwise. It does also helped me organize my writing. If your rider and you want to try something that will help you be more prolific, give writing in chunks and try. Maybe it will do for you what it did for me.

What do you think?

Driving around the world

The circumference of the earth is about 25,000 miles. I was just looking at the odometer on my Toyota Yaris, which I bought about a year ago, and it just went over 25,000 miles. Then it hit me. In about a year, I have driven around the world! I knew that I drive a lot, but I did not realize that it was that much. That is the reality of living in Southern California. Most of us can't afford to live where we work (or don't want to live there for other reasons - crime, smog, quality of life), so we commute every day. My daily commute adds up to over 25,000 miles a year. Considering that I am a teacher and I have the summer off, that is a massive amount of driving. Maybe it is time to make some kind of change?

What do you think?

Hacking a Chromebook for $$

Google is offering $100,000 to anyone who can hack a Chromebook. At first I did not pay attention to this story. I thought it was just a gimmick (and it is). But then I thought "I have never seen Microsoft or Apple make this type of an offer". I take it for granted that my Chromebook never gets a virus. I have used a Chromebook for two years now and I have never had an issue with a virus or malware or any other "ware". I wish I could say the same for my Windows laptop. To be fair, Windows 10 has been much better, and I have not had any major issues with my Mac Mini, but I spend all my time using my Chromebook. It is my Chromebook that is exposed on the net for hours a day. But, it has never had an issue. For me, that is one of the best things about using a Chromebook. I never have to worry about a virus and I never have to pay for security software. How awesome is that?

What do you think?

Not a morning person

I am not a morning person. I am not very productive first thing in the morning. I know that many people are, but I am not. I am definitely a night person. I am much more productive later in the day. That is why I seek to do my more creative things later in the day rather than in the morning. In the morning I try to do those things that do not take a lot of dedicated focus. I find when I stick to this I am much more productive. I am also much more creative. So, I would recommend that you figure out if you are a night person or morning person or any other kind of person. Then, do your most creative work when it best suits you. That way you create your best stuff when you are at your best.

What do you think?

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Nightcap 3-16-16

Stocks and oil closed higher today. You could say there was a correlation between oil and stock prices, but I'm not sure that counted today. Stocks and oil were higher because the FEE decided to keep Interest rates where they currently are today. The FED was scheduled to increase rates today, but chose not to because it felt that it was not warranted. That is why stocks and oil were higher. I'm actually surprised they were not much higher. Maybe it dawned on investors that things are not all that well. Maybe there will be a selloff soon? The rest of the news was all about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Both of them did well yesterday and are likely to be the nominees for president. Other than the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else of great importance in the news. Maybe things will be more interesting tomorrow?

What do you think?

El NiƱo is a bust

We have had above average rain here in Southern California for the last few months. So, we have had a little bit of relief from the drought. Unfortunately we have not had the amount of rain that was forecast. The El NiƱo pattern that was forecast has not materialized. That's actually put Southern California in a bad position for the summer. Since we are having a very warm winter, we will probably have a very warm summer. So, the drought will return it full force this summer making things worse. Maybe instead of playing around with carbon taxes, messing around with the formula for gasoline, or wasting billions of dollars on the light rail project that no one will ever use, California should have been working on a way to help provide water for all its residents. Maybe California will eventually come do it senses and do what needs to be done. Well, I can at least dream about it?

What do you think?

Gasoline update - California

I was just reading that the average price for gasoline across the nation has fallen to about $1.70 a gallon. That must be great for all of you who get to pay that much (or less) at the pump. We blockheads here in California (and I am being nice) are paying over $2.40 a gallon. That's because we have elected morons to the legislature and governor's mansion. Sure, I want cleaner air, but there has to be a way to make it happen where we do not pay nearly 70% more for gas. Only in California can we mess things up so bad. Well, we are not alone though. Venezuela, Greece, Italy, and a host of other socialist liberal countries are going down the same path. I guess it is good to have friends!

What do you think?

My writing scheme

I am doing things a bit differently when it comes to writing. I use my iPhone to write with while I am commuting and while I am at work. I use the dictation function as much as possible and I also use a bluetooth keyboard when I can't use the dictation function. On my break, lunch, and any chance I get, I use my Chromebook to write with. When I am at home I use my Chromebook as well because I have great WIFI, which is perfect for using my Chromebook. I also switched to using Google Docs instead of Pages. It just works better with my Chromebook. Google Docs is not as good on my iPhone, but it works well enough. Since I am shifting to making my Chromebook the center of my writing, I will make that sacrifice on my iPhone. Maybe I should think of getting an Android phone? Would that be better with Google Docs? It might be worth the experiment to give it a try.

What do you think?

Chromebook - the perfect writing machine

I think the chromebook is the perfect writing machine. When it comes to writing you do not need all the bells and whistles. You just need something that gets the job done. My chromebook is perfect for that. First, you have three choices of word processing programs you can use. You can use Google docs, you can use Word, or you can use Pages. All three work great, and I have used them all extensively. Second you have a full keyboard to type with, and in Google Docs, you have dictation as well. Third, you have fast access to the Internet and you also get to use the desktop versions of all websites. Finally, you save yourself a fortune because once you purchase your chromebook, which is inexpensive, everything else is free. I use my chromebook extensively to write. Yes I still use my iPhone, but only when I cannot use my chromebook. For me, the chromebook is a perfect writing machine.

What do you think?

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Nightcap 3-15-16

And then there were three. Donald Trump is the projected winner in Florida, North Carolina, and Illinois. John Kasich won his home state of Ohio. Missouri is to close to call with Ted Cruz tied with Trump. The big loser tonight wa Marco Rubio. He was trounced in Florida by Trump. As a result he has announced that he is suspending his campaign, which leaves only three in the race. Though Trump was the big winner today, he still does not have enough delegates to win the nomination. But, it is looking more and more like he will win in the long run. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton won all four primaries today which probably means she will be the Democrat nominee for president. So hold onto your seats folks, it is going to be a bumpy ride. Either Trump or Clinton are going to be the next president of the United States.

Stocks were flat today and oil was down. Another day without a correlation between oil and stocks. Maybe the correlation is no longer true? Besides the usual disasters, crime, and mayhem, there was nothing else of major importance in the news today.

What do you think?

iPhone only update

My experiment using just my iPhone has failed. it failed because I got tired of playing with such a little screen. I realized I like having a bigger screen. I also realized I missed my Chromebook. So, instead of waiting till the end of the week to go back and use my Chromebook I decided to just start using it right away. It was interesting to note that I could basically do everything I needed to with my iPhone comma it just wasn't a pleasant experience. I like having access to the full desktop sites I visit on the internet. I like having a bigger screen when I edit and especially when I cut and paste text into my blog. Finally color I just missed my Chromebook. I just like it that much. So, from here on out I'm going to use my iPhone when I drive, and probably when I'm at work. And I'm going to use my Chromebook when I am at home and whenever else I can use it.

What do you think?

Self driving cars

I can't wait till we have self driving cars. I would love to be able to take a nap on the way home. I would love to do some work and do some writing as I commuted to my job. I would just love to be doing something else than driving. I was just reading recently that Honda is working on a self driving vehicles that would cost about $20,000. That actually is quite affordable. Now the article did not specify how much of a self driving car that would be, but even if it did most of the driving by itself, it would be worth it. In other words, what if the car only drove itself on the highway? That would be fine with me since I spend most my time driving on the highway. Maybe that will be the first step in having full self driving car? Anyway, I think it will be soon that we will have access to self driving cars of some kind. And I for one cannot wait.

What do you think?

Missing my Chromebook

For the last few days I have been using only my iPhone. So far all has gone well, but truth be told. I miss my Chromebook. I miss having a full screen and keyboard to work with. I miss having access to desk top versions of web sites. I miss being able to edit and cut and paste easier. Now I will continue to use only my iPhone because that is what I said I would do. But, When the week is up I will return great fully to using my Chromebook with my iPhone.

What do you think?

Have to - want to

I have noticed that whenever I tell myself I have to do something, it usually doesn't get done very well, if at all. Or, if I tell myself I have to do something I usually do not enjoy doing it. Now, if I tell myself I want to do something then it is something I usually get done fairly quickly, with a good attitude, and the quality is much better. So who decides whether something is a have to or a want to? The one who decides is me! I am the one who decides if anything I do is a have to or a want to. So, if I want to change the experience I'm having with whatever it is I am doing, all I have to do is change my attitude. I just need to change whatever it is I'm doing for a have to, to a want to. The way I do that is by changing the words I use to describe what it is I'm going to do.

For example, I can just change from "I have to go to work" to "I want to go to work". I can change from "I have to write a blog post", to "I want to write a blog post". The truth is that there are no "have too". Ultimately everything in life is a choice. Sure, if you do not do something important you might get fired, or end up in jail, or... you get the idea. But everything is still a choice. So why not change your "have to" into a "want to"? All you need to do is change one word. I am going to give this a try for a while. I am going to change my "have to" into a "want to". Let's see what happens.

What do you think?

Monday, March 14, 2016

Nightcap 3-14-16

Stocks closed flat today and oil was down, so no correlation today. Besides the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else in the news today. Tomorrow will be interesting because we will find out who won the primaries. It might be the ones that clearly show who the nominee will be, or we might have a brokered convention. Tomorrow might be very interesting.

What do you think?

iPhone only update

Today was my first workday with only using my iPhone. Things went well. I was able to do all the writing I wanted to do. I wrote all the blog posts I wanted to write. And, I posted the blog post I wanted to post. I did miss having access to that desk top websites I frequent, but I was able to make do with the mobile sites. So far I have not had any problems and just using my iPhone all day long. Let's see how the rest of the day works out, and let's see how tomorrow goes.

What do you think?

California drought update

We have been experiencing the worst drought in many years here in California. There is news today that one of the largest reservoirs in Northern California is 80% full. It has not been this full in over three years. So that is good news, but we still have a way to go here in Southern California we have received above normal rainfall, but not as much as they have received up north. So, we will still be in drought mode if we do not get more rain. For me personally, even if we do get more rain I am still going to keep doing what I'm doing. I have cut way back on my water usage, and I have done things to lower the amount of need for water around my house. The reality here in Southern California is that we live in a desert, so being wise with our water is a must. Instead of trying to build a light rail from Southern California to Northern California, maybe the legislature should focus on bringing in more water. We sure could use several desalinization plants.

What do you think?

Laugh and smile more often

I realize that I do not laugh all that much anymore. That's a shame because laughing is what makes the day bearable. Maybe I am taking things way to seriously? Maybe I need to change what I listen to, watch, and read? I also need to smile more often. So I will make an effort to smile and laugh more during my day. I have also noticed that most of the people I come across during the day do not laugh all that much or even smile. That is a shame as well. Maybe all our lives would drastically improve if we just smiled and laughed more often?

What do you think?

Spring forward

I am tempted at this point to rant about the time change. Of course I do not enjoy losing an hour sleep, but what would ranting about it help? Not like things are going to change anytime soon. Losing an hour of sleep is temporary. It is only annoying for about a week. So I am going to avoid the temptation to rant about something that I can't change. Maybe it would be a good idea to focus on those things in my life that I can control, and that I can change for the better?

What do you think?

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Nightcap 3-13-16

The candidates for president traded barbs and lies. With only one day to go for the round of primaries, things are heating up. Stocks opened higher in Asia, so maybe stocks will be higher here in the US tomorrow. There was a mass shooting in Africa, a bomb blast in Turkey, mass flooding in the south US, and a police office shot and killed in Maryland. The mayhem, crime and disasters never ceases. There was nothing else of great importance in the news today. Let's see what tomorrow has in store for us all.

What do you think?

High school graduates

I was just reading that U.S. High school graduates do not rank well with the rest of the world. In fact, they came in dead last out of 30 industrialized countries. Furthermore, many are saying that our graduates are on par as many other countries drop outs! What a sad indictment of our education system. Being a part of that system for over 20 years I am ashamed of how poorly we are doing. So what is the problem? Well, we need better teachers that's for sure. We need better curriculum because what we have is not working. We need less testing and more authentic assessments where there are consequences for failing (all other countries have "exit" exams that actually count for something). Finally, the students need to change their attitudes towards education. I can't tell you how many students we have that do not want to do any work at all no matter what the class is. It is staggering the amount of students we have who do not want to learn (which takes effort and discipline). So, how do we fix all that? I have no idea. If I did I would be on my way to making a whole lot of money.

What do you think?

iPhone only update

I used only my iPhone yesterday and it was a bit of an adjustment. I did not realize how much I used my Chromebook. Editing my writing was harder just because the screen on my iPhone is small. Also publishing my posts to my blog was troublesome. I ended up having to download the Chrome browser app for my iPhone because I kept having issues with Safari. In the end I had a good day with just using my iPhone. I was able to write and publish 4 posts. I also wrote over 3400 words. So, the experiment is working well. Let's see how today goes. I will be interested how thing go on Monday when I do not have my Chromebook at work.

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-12-16

Sorry, but I was not able to write a nightcap yesterday. Stocks and oil rallied higher yesterday. Maybe the ECB announcement was not all bad? Today there were primaries in Wyoming and Washington D.C. Ted Cruz won in Wyoming picking up 9 delegates with Marco Rubio and Donald Trump each getting 1. In D.C. Rubio won and picked up 10 delegates with John Kasich picking up. 9. So Trump had his worst day of the campaign. I wonder how this might influence things next Tuesday? Will Rubio and Kasich survive to campaign for a while longer? Or will this be the end of their campaigns? If I look at the delegate counts, if Rubio and Kasich drop out, their supporters might move to Cruz and maybe he gains on Trump? Now that would be interesting as well. I did not find any thing else of major importance to have happened today. Let's see what tomorrow might bring.

What do you think?

Saturday, March 12, 2016

iPhone experiment

I am going to attempt to go a full week without using any other device but my iPhone. I want to see how if I really need all the other devices I have. I will need my Mac Mini for work though, but that will be the only exception I am going to make. I am going to surf the Internet just with my iPhone. I am going to do all my writing with just my iPhone. I am going to check my E-mail and do everything else with just my iPhone. I am truly curious if I really need any other device.

What do you think?

Location or Quality?

What is more important? Is it location, location, location? Or, is it quality, quality, quality,? I'm starting to believe it is quality that makes the biggest difference of all. We have a sandwich shop that just opened down the street from us which proves that quality is more important than location. It is located on the backside of an office building and you can't see it from anywhere except if you're standing in front of it. In spite of this poor location, the place is always full. Why? Because they make a great sandwich at a good price. They also have a unique system in that you fill out your order on the back of a paper bag, and then they make your sandwich for you. But though the novelty of ordering is interesting, the reason I keep going back is because the sandwiches are great. Quality at a good price will always make you money.

What do you think?

Is diversity a good thing?

I think diversity is a good thing because it creates more possibilities for ideas. When everything is the same, then you just get the same ideas. But when there is diversity, it creates diverse ideas. Obviously this applies to people, but it also applies to books, music, art, media, and a host of many other things. So seek to diversify in as many parts of your life as possible. Meet and get to know as many different people as possible. Read from a diversity of sources. Change the music you listen to on occasion. watch something different on TV. Visit a new web site instead of the ones you always go to. Change things up and diversify as much as possible and you will be amazed at all the new ideas you will get.

What do you think?

Friday, March 11, 2016

Finding what you look for

I have noticed in my life that I usually find what I look for. For example, if I look for what is wrong, I usually find it. If I look for the negative, I find it. If I look for what is right, I also find that. If I look for what is positive, that I also find. So I have come to this conclusion. Since I find what I'm looking for, why not look for something intentionally. In other words, look for something on purpose. Why not look for what is right, look for what is good, look for what works, look for what is positive? That way when you do find what you're looking for, it is a good thing.

What do you think?

My Chromebook

I am at an event and I am using my Chromebook to write and keep me entertained. I love using my Chromebook. It does everything I need it to do. I know I have written this before, but I want to restate what I feel. With my Chromebook I do all my internet work. I visit my favorite sites, I check on the news, and I do all my blogging on it. I also use it to do some of my writing and all of my editing. For me, my Chromebook is perfect. Now I wish I could do everything on it (like programming and writing music), but it does just about everything I need to do. I also wish it had more offline functionality, but since I am rarely away from WIFI, it is not much of an issue for me. I love the fact that it is so inexpensive to use. I also like that I can do all I need to do for free. For that I am thankful for all the sites and companies that provide free applications and content.

What do you think?

Taking a break

No, I am not taking a break from writing in my blog. What I would like to write about today is taking a break so that you can get more ideas. Our brains have a curious function. Sometimes when we work very hard at trying to find an idea, our brains can't do it. But, if we take a break and go do something else, magically our brains come up with an idea. So, if you find yourself stuck without being able to move forward, take a break. Go do something else. Go do a little bit of cleaning, go wash the dishes, take a short walk, call a friend and have a nice discussion about something else. Take a break and go do something else and you will see that your brain will come up with an idea. That always works well for me. In fact that is how I came up with this blog post.

What do you think?

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Nightcap 3-10-16

Stocks were basically flat today and oil was down at the close (but has recovered since then). The big news today was the announcement by the European Central Bank that it would increase its monthly quantitative easing (basically money printing) by over 30%. It also announced the it would start charging banks to deposit funds with them (thereby indirectly creating negative interest rates). At first markets reacted positively and rallied, but then sold off once the news was digested. It turns out that the ECB telegraphed that it would not be making anymore increases in easing measures or "negative" rates. The markets do not like it when there is the possibility of cheap money finally going away. This might be the last salvo of easing that will come from Europe. In other words, they are done propping up the markets with low rates and money printing. Now that is big news. Maybe the central banks have realized that the time has come to let markets run their course without any more intervention? If that is the case, markets will inevitably sell off considerably since the only thing keeping them this high was low rates and money printing.
The only other major story was that there was another Republican debate tonight. I missed it of course. Do we really need this many debates? Besides the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, that was all there was in the way of important stories today. Maybe there will be something interesting tomorrow?

What do you think?

Life depends on trucks

As I was driving home a thought crossed my mind. "There are lots of trucks on the road". Then it struck me that without trucks we would all be dead. Think about that for just a moment. Without a truck delivering stuff to the market, we would have no food. Without a truck delivering gasoline to the gas station we would have no gasoline. Trucks make our life possible. So, the next time I am on the road and I noticed that there are quite a few trucks with me, I will not complain. I will just be thankful that they are delivering the things I need to survive. Now, it will be interesting when more and more trucks are driven by computers and not people. Yes that will be very interesting.

What do you think?

Does school testing work?

I understand the need to make some kind of general assessment to see how schools are doing. We do need to measure how students are learning and progressing, but how much testing do we need to do though? I think we spend way too much time testing and not enough time teaching. We make to much of the test, and not enough about learning. It used to take a week to give the standardized test. Now it takes over a month and the time is increasing every year. In the long run, testing does nothing to help students learn. Maybe we should do less and less of it and spend more time teaching kids to read, write, and think?

What do you think?

What news is important

What is important in the news for me? What is important to me are stories that will impact my life in some fashion. For example, I like to keep track of how the stock markets are doing and how oil is doing because those are good barometers of how our economy is doing. They are not the most accurate of barometers and they are lagging indicators, but they are a good way to know how things are going economically in our nation as a whole. I also find any other economic data to be important, though I believe the data from the government is often manipulated. Other areas I find to be important are politics, international relations, any economic news, and then finally, whatever else might impact me directly.

What do you think?

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Nightcap 3-9-16

Stocks were a bit higher as oil rebounded. The two democrat contenders had a debate tonight. Since I have not watched a single debate so far, I was not about to get started with this one. At some point I will start to pay attention, I just have not decided when that will be. It was another quiet day. Besides the usual mess, there was nothing of great importance today. It has been a rather quiet news cycle lately. Maybe something will break tomorrow?

What do you think?

Third party products

The toner cartridge in my laser printer needs to be replaced. So, I went to the local office supply store to see how much a new one would cost. A new toner cartridge from the manufacturer is about $100. Not wanting to spend that kind of money, I went online and bought a third-party cartridge. Now doing so can be risky. Sometimes the cartridges don't function as expected. Fortunately, the cartridge I ordered is one that I have used in the past. I know it works. The best part is that I only paid $25 for it. I saved $75 by buying a third-party product. I know that it is better to buy the products from the manufacture because the quality is better and it is the best way to go. But, doesn't have to be four times as much? Sometimes I wonder if they just are playing us for fools. In the meantime I'm going to take the money I have saved and use it for something more valuable.

What do you think?

The movie business

I don't think the economy is doing well, though the official numbers claim something different. I think unemployment is higher and revenue is lower. I also believe that we are either in a recession or entering one. One spot in the economy that does seem to be doing well is the movie business. So far this year, ticket sales and income are higher than at any point in the past several years. If this trend continues, the movie business might have it's best year ever. It helped that Start Wars VII was a monster hit, but there have been some notable hits in the new year as well. If the economy is not doing well, should that not be reflected at the box office? Maybe, but it is also true that when things are not going well people like to go to the movies to help forget their problems. I think that is why the movie business is doing well. It also helps that there have been some descent movies lately.

What do you think?

Choosing

We make thousands of choices every day. So you would think that making a choice would come easy to us. I have found that it is not the case. Making choices is actually very difficult. This is especially true when it comes to things that are important to us. I find that it is also true when we are creating. For some reason our minds invest a lot of emotional energy into those things we make. That makes choosing more difficult for us. How do you overcome this tendency? You force yourself to make a choice. Quickly pick A or pick B. Without thinking too much about it follow one path or the other. The only way to get better at choosing, is by making choices. So get started right now. Start making a choice now. What if you make the wrong choice? Actually, I don't think there are wrong choices. There are only choices that did not work as well as you expected, so you go back and do the other one. Also, just make the best choice you can as soon as possible. You will find that as you make more and more choices that it will become easier to make choices.

What do you think?

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Nightcap 3-8-16

Stocks followed the oil down today. So maybe the correlation is back on. Or, was this just some profit taking my investors? We will have to wait and see how the rest of the week plays out. The other big news today was that there were four primaries for the Republicans and two for the Democrats. As I write, Donald Trump has won the primary in Michigan and the primary in Mississippi. Ted Cruz is the projected winner in Idaho. In the democratic race Hillary Clinton has won in Mississippi, and Bernie Sanders has won in Michigan. I would think that Hillary Clinton would have run away with the race by now, but she has not. I also thought that Donald Trump was going to run away with the race but, he isn't either, though the wins tonight surely help him in that direction. The real question is what will Marco Rubio do? As I write he has not picked up any delegates today. There are also rumors that he will drop out of the race before the Florida primary next week in order to keep him from losing his home state. Nothing has been resolved or decided at this point. Besides the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else of great importance in the news today.

What do you think?

Finding ideas

Finding ideas is not difficult. Why? Because they are all around you. All you have to do is open your eyes and look for them. In fact there are millions of them. The hard part is not finding them, it is picking one of them. That's right, the hardest thing is actually choosing which idea you want to use. That is where most people end up getting blocked. The solution is just choose already. Just pick something and go with it. The worst that can happen is that you don't use it. Choose something, and start to play with it in some fashion. Then, if it feels right, and looks good, finish it and publish. That's how you find ideas, and it works, because that's how I find ideas.

What do you think?

Sometimes you do not get what you want

I just had a friend not get a job that she wanted. She was clearly disappointed. Sometimes we just do not get what we want. It is at these times that we start to ask questions about who we are and what we are doing. I think these are healthy questions to ask and pursue, but we also need to be careful. Just because we did not get something does not mean something is wrong with us. It might mean that there was someone better for the job (or whatever it was we wanted), which is not saying something is wrong with us. Maybe there will be something better coming down the road? Maybe what we want is actually not good for us and it is a blessing we did not get it? The reality is that not getting what we want is painful, but it does not mean our lives are over or that there is something wrong with us. Take the disappointment in stride and keep moving forward. Maybe it will all be for the best?

What do you think?

California – gas prices

I have finally had to pay the increase in gasoline price here in Southern California. While the rest of the country is enjoying fantastically low gasoline prices, here in California we get the pay more. Of course, only in the land of liberal loonies does that happen. Now, the increase in gasoline prices has not been extreme. We are paying between $2.19 and $2.29 a gallon. The increase also seems to be holding steady in that the price has not continued to climb. But, it is more than just about any place in the continental United States. Only in California can we mess things up like we do. Hopefully prices begin to fall back down soon as the new formula is fully introduced.

What do you think?

Monday, March 7, 2016

Just keep going

I was just reminded of the story about the gold mine that kept digging for gold but eventually quit because they couldn't find any. So, the mine sold off of to whoever would buy it. The new owner bought them mine expecting to use the land for some other use. But, just to make sure there was no gold in the mine, the new owner brought in an expert to take a look. The expert made a thorough inspection and then came to a surprising conclusion. If the new owner would dig for a little longer in one of the most recent tunnels that had been dug, they would strike gold. Now the new owner thought the expert was wrong, but just in case, he brought some miners in and kept digging just to see what would happen. The result was the discovery of a huge mother load of gold. The moral of the story is that sometimes you just got to keep going before you strike it rich.

What do you think?

Greener grass

When things are not going so well in my life I always start thinking of making some kind of change. Maybe move to a new job, move to a new home, move to another country! Sometimes making a major change (looking for greener grass) is exactly what needs to happen. Other times, maybe just a small change is needed. Change the way you commute to work. Change the way you do your work. Change your routines. Maybe just change the way you think and talk? It is our first instinct to run away by making a major change in our lives, but sometimes a small change can make all the difference. My suggestion is that before you do something drastic in your life, make some small changes first and see if that makes a difference. If it does not, then go full steam ahead and make a big change.

What do you think?

The economy

The numbers for the economy make it seem as if things are fine. Unemployment is low, the economy is adding jobs, and even Wall Street seems to have rallied. I personally do not believe our economy is doing well. I see more and more stores closing. I see fewer cars on the road. I also hear more and more stories of people I know getting laid off. So, either the economy in my area is suffering but the rest of the country is doing well. Or, the numbers are just fantasy and the reality is our economy is a mess. Did we ever really have a recovery?

What do you think?

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Nightcap 3-6-16

It was a quiet Sunday. The democrats had a debate tonight, which I did not watch. I have not watched any of the debates so far this year. Why? Do they really make a difference in the end? I live in California where the primary rarely makes a difference. This year it might. I will pay attention if that's the case, but not till then. I have better things to do with my time. Peyton Manning looks to be announcing his retirement tomorrow. Good for him, he is going out on top. Hopefully one day I will be able to retire and go out on top. Besides the crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing els of great importance in the news today. Oh, we did finally get some wind and something that looks like winter weather here in Southern California. Hopefully we will get some more.

What do you think?

My Chromebook

Yesterday I wrote about my iPhone and how it has transformed my writing life. I want to write about my Chromebook today because it is the other device I use extensively. Currently I do most of my writing using the dictation function on my iPhone using Pages. That's only part of my writing process. After I do some writing I pull up what I have written on my Chromebook. I edit what I have written and I also add some more writing. Then I use my Chromebook to publish what I have written to my blog. I could use my iPhone to do that, but it is not a user friendly experience. Plus the size of the screen makes it difficult to work with. Using my Chromebook is perfect though. It is fast to get online. I have access to full desktop web sites (not the mobile ones). I also have a nice sized keyboard to type with and a track pad. So my Chromebook has become my "finishing" device (I also do a bit of writing on it). The combination of using my iPhone and my Chromebook has worked perfectly for me.

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-5-16

It looks like Donald Trump is not going to run away with the Republican nomination. Ted Cruz won two states tonight (and Trump won the other two) keeping Trump from building his lead (though he still have about 100 more delegates). Rubio came in third and Kasich in fourth. My guess is that Kasich and Rubio will wait to see how they do on the 15th in their home states before making any decisions about dropping out of the race. If either of them lose in their home states they will be out. Bernie Sanders won two states today as well and Hillary Clinton won only one. Clinton still has a commanding lead in delegates thanks to securing many of the "super" delegates, but she is not quite running away with it either. Maybe both parties will have a brokered convention? Now that would be interesting. There was nothing else of major importance today. Lets see what tomorrow rings?

What do you think?

Saturday, March 5, 2016

My iPhone

My iPhone has transformed my writing productivity. I use Pages to do all my writing so that I can access it with my iPhone and all my other devices through iCloud. I use the dictation function as often as possible so that I write substantially more now than when I just typed. In fact I am averaging over 4000 words a day and 3-4 blog posts. I also use several apps and access to the Internet regularly. Finally, I use the cell phone function as well, though it is the least used function on my iPhone. As a result, I have been able to expand how many posts I write for my blog every day which has substantially increased the amount of daily views and visits I get. My iPhone has been a great tool and has quickly become indispensable.

What do you think?

Nightcap 3-4-16

Stocks and oil were up today on a stronger than expected employment report. The rest of the news was about the debate last night and the upcoming primaries tomorrow. All of which was not very important. Other than the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, the week ended quietly. Maybe there will be something interesting this weekend?

What do you think?

Friday, March 4, 2016

A culture of cheaters

My wife had an interview not long ago. Afterwards she had another interviewee, who had yet to interview, ask her what the questions were at the interview. My wife told her that it was cheating if she told her. The interviewee aid what's the big deal, everyone does it. Is that true? Does everyone cheat? I am starting to believe that the vast majority of people in the U.S. cheat at something. Weather it is in regards to taxes, or age, or weight, or experience, or education or on a host of many other things, Americans have mostly become cheaters. Do we not realize that cheating is the best way to fail? Do we not see that when we cheat we are lying? I guess that is not a big deal because we have also become a culture of liars. What will our society become if this epidemic of cheating (and lying) does not end?

What do you think?

The creative process

The process of creating seems like a mystery to some. It is not though. It is actually quite mundane. Just like a bricklayer lays one brick on top of another to build the wall, so it is with creating something. You just keep putting things together till you have something you want. For example, in writing you just keep putting words up on the page. In composing music you just keep putting notes together. In painting you just keep adding paint. It is all the same process. Granted writing words, composing music, or painting on canvas takes more skill than laying bricks, the process is the same. If you want to create, start building and it will all come together.

What do you think?

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Paying more

I am just like everybody else in that I do not like to pay more for something than I need to. In some instances though, I do like paying more. I will pay more for great service. I will pay more for faster service or for something that saves me time. I will also pay more for a quality product. I think that is true for most of us. You would think that most businesses would notice and follow suit. That is not the case. Most businesses try to provide the cheapest service, at the cheapest price, for the cheapest product. Unfortunately I think that formula is the best way to go out of business. If you want to make good money, provide a great service, a faster service, or a better product.

What do you think?

Republican civil war?

Mitt Romney just came out swinging at Donald Trump. He basically has said that Trump is a disaster and we need to vote for any of the other candidates. I think this was a big mistake. This just fans the flames of the Republican party going to war against itself. This could be the beginning of the end for the viability of the Republican party. I am not a supporter of Trump, but this is not the right thing to do. Let the voters decide who the nominee should be. If you don't like him, actively campaign and endorse another candidate. Coming out the way Romney has is just going to cause a greater rift in the party. I actually think this is going to strengthen Trump. One thing Republicans do not like is when someone is treated unfairly. Many will now rally around Trump and he will gain votes as a result. I actually like Romney, but this is a boneheaded move. What a shame. On the other hand, things a getting very interesting in this election cycle. We have never seen a party implode before.

What do you think?

A culture of liars

I have known ever since I became a teacher over 20 years ago that being lied to was just part of my daily experience. I think that was the biggest shock I had when I became a teacher. So, I have come to expect to be lied to at work. What I have noticed lately is that I am being lied to more and more outside of work. In fact I would say that we are becoming a culture of liars. Not only are more more people lying, more and more people are expecting to be lied to and accepting it. I think this will have a devastating impact on our society. How can our society survive when everyone is a liar? What does that say about us a a society when we think that lying is OK?

What do you think?

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Nightcap 3-2-16

Stocks were basically flat today. Oil was all over the map, but closed higher. That makes a few days in a row where my correlation theory did not work out. Ben Carson dropped out of the race. He should have dropped out long ago. I guess he had enough money left to keep going till now. The next debate should be interesting. It is going to be a dog pile on Trump. what ever happens it will not make much of a difference. The people who support Trump do not seem to care about the truth or his views. They just want him to be elected no matter what. Now that is scary. Other than the usual crime, mayhem, and disasters, there was nothing else of great importance in the news.

What do you think?

And then there were four

Ben Carson has suspended his campaign. That now leaves only four candidates for the nomination in the Republican race. Unfortunately I do not think that Carson dropping out will make much of a difference since he did not garner very many votes. On the other hand, there will be one fewer debater at the next debate. That will give everybody else more time to beat up on each other. I was just hearing that Donald Trump has the vast majority of of delegates already. But, if you add up all the delegates that are going to the other candidates, they are greater than what Trump has amassed. In other words, there are more delegates against Trump than there are for Trump. If that continues, Donald Trump might not get the nomination. We might end up with a brokered convention. Now that would be interesting

What do you think?

Gas prices - California

I had to buy some gas this morning and I thought I was going to pay much more for gas than I did last week. That was not the case. It was a little bit higher, but not substantially. So either the switch to the new formulation and has not affect the price of gas in California yet, or the change in formula is not going to have much of an effect on price at all. It is possible that the demand for gasoline here in California has diminished enough so that changing over to the new formula won't make a difference. That's great news for me at the gas pump, but not very good news for our economy. I am not sure which one I should root for. Do I want to lower prices? Or do I want a better economy? It really does not matter because what is going to happen is going to happen.

What do you think?

First create, then edit

When you are writing something that is going to be published in some form, it is very tempting to edit as you write. Many times as I write things that will be published I am tempted to do this. I am tempted because it feels like a shortcut and a timesaver, but it is just a way to make sure that what you write is bland and boring. It is also a great way to make sure you do not write very much because if you edit as you write, it'll stop you from putting words on the page. It'll stop the flow. Writing should always be a two-step process. First throw the words on the page as fast as possible. Then, come back later and fix it. That's how you create good stuff for your readers. It's also the best way to make sure that you keep putting words up on the page without impediment.

What do you think?

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Nightcap 3-1-16

The results are starting to come in and both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had a big night winning the majority of state delegates today. Sanders won a few, Cruze two, and Rubio won one as well. Though it was not a knock out punch, Trump and Clinton are way ahead and will more than likely be the nominees. As I look at the last two presidential campaigns, the person who won the most states on Super Tuesday went on to become the nominee. I think it might be over, but then again, I also said there was a correlation between oil and stocks. Clearly that has not been the case today with stocks closing much higher and oil not moving a whole lot. Besides the usual mess of stories, nothing else was of any great importance today. Lets see if anyone drops out of the race tomorrow?

What do you think?

Change - how we communicate

One of the biggest impact the digital age has had on our lives is in the area of communication. Because of the Internet and smartphones we no longer really talk to each other face-to-face. We text, we message, we email, we even use videoconferencing but, we don't really talk to each other face-to-face anymore. I know that is a shame because frankly we miss out on so much when we don't talk to each other face-to-face. On the other hand, it is what it is. The genie has been let out of the bottle and it's not going back in. I for one am not going to give up my iPhone any day soon. I doubt very many others would give up their smartphones either. The way we now communicate is here to stay.

I have noticed one thing though. I actually communicate with my family members more than I did in the past. In the past if I wanted to contact my wife, I had to wait till I got home. Now I just just send her a text or an email and she responds rather quickly. Granted, how we communicate is not very deep, but I do talk to her more during the day than I ever did before. I could say the same thing for the rest of my family members. I guess you can conclude that the quality of our communication probably is not as it was, but the quantity is greater. Maybe that might not be a bad thing overall.

What do you think?

Becoming a teacher today

Would I recommend that anyone become a teacher today? I am actually mixed on the answer to that question. It is true that teaching today is not a great career to go into. Talk to most teachers and they will tell you that it is a thankless job, with unending demands, horrible behaving students, and crazy parents. The pay in some states is fine, but in others it is still horrible. The benefits used to be great, but since Obamacare, they are expensive and mediocre. So why even think about teaching? The only reason is that you still get to make a positive impact on a few students. I have come across two ex students of mine over the last two days who still remember me fondly and were thankful for all I did for them. That's the only reason I still teach. If you want to become a teacher, the only reason is because you want to make a difference. You will, but it might not be as huge as you think. If you want to teach for any other reason, it's not worth the hard work, stress, working conditions, and a host of other negative aspects.

What do you think?

Creatively lazy

I am basically a lazy person, but I have found ways to be very productive. I have done so by being a little bit creative. For example, I have done all I can to create a job for myself in which I do as much of the things I enjoy during the day. Now, there are plenty of things I do not enjoy doing during the day but I have minimized them as much as I possibly can. I did so on purpose. It is interesting how you can do this in just about any field. I did it by creating a program from scratch in music in public education. If I can do that in public education you could probably do it in just about any place. Just add some creativity, decide what you would like to do, and then slowly but surely work your way to make it happen.

What do you think?