Reading

I firmly believe that reading is the foundation of learning. If you truly want to learn something, you first need to read about it and gather as much information as you can. Unfortunately, I do not think our school system does a very good job of teaching kids how to read. And even when they teach them how to read, they sure do a good job of making sure they never want to read again after they get out of school. I think that's a shame because reading is the way to make sure you are always learning. In an age when change is the norm, being able to learn, and continually learning is the key that will make sure you always have a job. So reading is essential. Maybe things will change in the future and reading becomes the foundation it should be. How well are you reading?

What do you think?

Just get started

How do you go about creating more things? How do you write a book? How do you write a piece of music? How do you write a blog post? The first thing you need to do is just get started. In fact, I have found that to be the hardest part of creating anything. Once you get started, the rest is much easier. It's like getting a large ship moving. You have to use a lot of energy at the beginning, but once it's moving, all you have to do is steer it in the right direction (stopping is also difficult - just look at the Titanic). Creating is very similar. You have to use a lot of energy and focus to get started, but once you do, it's much easier to keep going. Do you have something you need to get done or something you want to create? Just get started and the rest will begin to fall into place.

What do you think?

Leap year

Today is a unique day. Today is February 29 which we don't get to see but every four years. Sure it is going to be just like any other day, but at least it is something unique. The best aspect of having something unique like this is that it moves you out of your comfort zone, if at least for just a little bit. When something unique happens it is also a great way to get new ideas. Why? Because it at least makes you think differently. It is when we think differently that new ideas appear. So for this leap year day may you at least have a few more new ideas.

What do you think?

Clinton wins big

So Trump won big in Nevada and now Clinton won big in South Carolina. These are the front runners going into Super Tuesday next week and they look good to pick up the majority of delegates. After the dust settles on Tuesday they will more than likely be the nominees for the next presidential election. I think both will make horrible presidents and it is going to be a long four years no matter which one wins the presidency. How did it come to this? Maybe we are just getting what we deserve? I truly believe you reap what you sow and this all could just be the result of all the stupid things we have done over the last 50-75 years. God have mercy on us all because it is going to be a horrible four years ahead of us and we are going to have the worst president in history (no matter who gets elected).

What do you think?

Being recognized

I went to my local pizza place the other night and had a refreshing experience. As I walked up to the register the manager was placing a pizza in a box. He looked up at me and said "Hi Walter your pizzas already". I was a little shocked. He recognized me. More than that, I am not really a regular customer. Sure I come in every two or three weeks for a pizza, but not often enough to be a regular? I was a little shocked. He recognized me. Sure I come in every two or three weeks for a pizza, but not often enough to be a regular? Is that often enough to be recognized as you walk into the store? It was actually very nice to be recognized and to be addressed by my name as I walk in the store. I wish more businesses were like that. As a result, I left a nice big tip and of course I will be back for more pizza. Maybe we should all work a little harder to recognize those people who frequent our businesses? Maybe it would go a long way into increasing our sales and profits?

What do you think?

Nightcap 2-26-15

Stocks were basically flat as was oil. The week ended with a whimper. Donald Trump seems to continue gaining momentum. He might even take Florida next week. If Trump wins the majority of states next week he could very well wrap up the nomination. There was nothing else of great importance in the news. The only thing the press seems to be talking about other than Trump are the upcoming Oscars on Sunday. I am only interested in one category, best film score. I hope John Williams wins another Oscar for his music for Star Wars VII. At 84 this might be his last oscar nomination.

What do you think?

Chromebooks in the classroom

My wife is going to be working at a new school here in Southern California. One of the things that she was told they would be doing is using Chromebooks. I think that is awesome. I believe Chromebooks are perfect for the classroom. No, they are not the best at doing everything, but they are perfect for students. Why? First they get the job done. Second they will be seen as a tool for learning and for schoolwork and not a cool device for playing games. Third, they are affordable to buy and continue using. I think the new school my wife will be working at is making an awesome choice. I also believe that there are many other schools and school districts making the same choice. That's why I believe Chromebooks will have a future for a long time.

What do you think?

Gasoline - California style

I got lucky today in that I was able to buy gas at $2.05 a gallon. Unfortunately it will be the last time I will be able to do so for a while. It turns out that here in California we are so brilliant that we mess everything up. The price of gasoline is going to shoot up as high as $.30 more over the next few days. Why? Because the state of California is requiring refiners to change their formula of gas for the summer. Now they have done this every year at this time for quite a few years, but right now it feels so wrong. Just when we are about to pay less than two dollars a gallon, we are going to have to now pay more. Do you want to know how to mess things up in your state? Just do exactly what California is doing and you will get the same results. It is frustrating to live someplace where people think they are brilliant, but they are actually dumb rocks. Oh well, I will just enjoy the low price for now till I fill up once again next week.

What do you think?

Ideas - write them down

Ideas are all around us. All you have to do is keep looking for them and you will find them. Ideas are also fleeting. They come in an instant and then there are gone. So, if you want to make sure you have them at your disposal, you have to write them down some how. I have used several methods over the past few years to help me do that. One thing I try to do is to make sure I have something to write on and to write with at all times. Currently I like carrying index cards and a pen with me and I use them to jot down the ideas I get. I also use my iPhone. I have a document in my notes application which is dedicated just to ideas. So when I get an idea, I just open up the document and write down what is crossing my mind. Actually, since I discovered the dictation function on my iPhone, I just talk to my iPhone. That is actually working well for me at the moment. In fact, that is where the idea for this blog post came from. I had the idea a couple of days ago, so I wrote it down. Then today I just looked through my list of ideas, and this one popped out as one I wanted to use. Then I wrote this post. Ideas are always there if you go looking for them, but you also have to write them down or they disappear.

What do you think?

Algorithms and the price of oil

I have noticed of the past few months that whenever oil was higher stocks are higher. I've also noticed that when oil was lower stocks were lower. My suspicion that there was a correlation has actually been confirmed a little bit. I was reading today that since much of the trading on Wall Street is done by algorithms, most of it is automatic. In other words, it is a computer driven market. It also turns out that one of the components in the algorithms that are used is the price of oil. So when the price of oil goes up the algorithms kick in and they buy stock. When the price of oil goes down the algorithms kick in and they sell stocks. That clearly explains the correlation I've been seeing in the stock market. That might be an interesting trade. I wish I had some money to actually do the same thing the algorithms are doing. To bad I don't. Plus, I know that as soon as I made the trade the algorithms would be changed and I would lose my shirt. By the way, stocks closed higher today. I wonder what oil did?

What do you think?