Lots of activities have adopted the adjective "speed", and for various reasons other than expediency. Speed golf is one, whereby the game pace is upped to a run and hit, thereby evening the playing field for those who don't normally stand a chance hitting the ball correctly. Then there is speed walking, not that normal walking is that bad, but you can increase your cardio workout, or make that actually exercise your cardio, without having to don skin tight Under Armor. Then there is speed dating, which is basically like fishing, since there are tons in the sea, but using a lure over and over again instead of the normal bait and wait.
Then there are some people that are speed readers. Beats me how they do it, I still read at the same lousy 25 words per minute that I used to when I was still part of the Book It club. Except now it takes me a year to get through a real book and after 5 years I still don't get a personal pan pizza out of it. But as I get out of the shower today and have a great oyster beer on my mind waiting for me, I wonder if anybody openly speed writes?
Writing certainly takes more time than reading. So I would imagine if any of those two communication vices could be better served by increased frequency I would put my money on writing. But it is interesting, in this world of metrics and GDP and cost reduction that I've never really heard of anything like time required to write something. Except when it comes to standardized tests. When one is forced to write a B+ commentative report in 30 minutes or less on how a character from Moby Dick could evolve into a mystical siren representing a global chain of coffee.
Other than efficiency, getting more words on paper in a short amount of time, I can't imagine that speed writing carries any additional benefits like more competitive gaming or increased cardio. It does force the mind to establish then follow a set path, even though it may not be the best path for getting to the end destination. But ultimately, sometimes, you just need to get the destination and it doesn't matter if it was the attractive scenic route or the 6-lane highway. Because in most cases, nobody takes the scenic route these days anyway, it's all about speed and staring at endless pavement and fake stone walls that separate us from the semi-real world of neighborhoods that have no desire to stare at or listen to us.
Writing is a means to an end, as well as an art. But the value is not so much for the writer, who can, and should, expend whatever time is necessary to craft the message. The value is the fact that once created, time will have a hell of time letting the rest of the world forget it.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
5 Ways to Save the Penny
A few days ago President Obama requested permission from congress to change the mix of metals that go into producing pennies and nickels. Both are made from zinc and copper, but the cost to produce a single coin exceeds the value that they're worth. A penny costs 2.4 cents to produce where a nickel costs 11.2 cents, in 2011.
While the debate has been raised before, the administration claims that is has no desire to eliminate the penny. But if it did, based on cost considerations alone, it would be hard to argue the nickel doesn't deserve to get the axe as well. Plus, despite congressional attempts a few years ago to eliminate the penny, alone, and start rounding tabs to the nearest 5 cents, well, that just isn't a practical solution. This country will never round to the nearest 5 cents because that is confusing as hell. You either take out the penny with the nickel, or leave them both alone. This is a decimal system, not a bi-decimal system (or whatever confusing name you want to call it).
Personally, I prefer to see the penny stick around, or at least if it has to go that is fades away based on consumer and retailer preferences. Some stores and retailers already disregard it, generally rounding in favor of the consumer when making change. Then you have carnies that simply don't even put up with change, making all ring toss and fishing games cost whole dollars (or at least something divisible by a quarter). My fascination is not so much with the face value (obviously), but with the other perceived values. I will admit that I am one of those that, when I see a penny on the ground face up, I take it as a sign of good luck. Call it superstition, but who's to say it isn't? If it results in a positive feeling then perhaps there are some actual physical benefits worth more than 1 cent of any drug or taking 1 second to step into a place of worship.
There's also the nostalgic distraction of looking at a given penny's mint date. Remembering where you were when the coin was produced and how your paths have now randomly crossed. Sure, this feeling can reproduced with any American currency, but the penny is unique in that is the smallest, seemingly most inconsequential part of our value system. But in fact the opposite is true. Since it is the smallest, it is actually the foundation of our currency system. A symbol of indivisibility. Hence the reason it will be so difficult to eliminate it. If congress wants to take measures to eliminate any coin then they would likely have better results going after the nickel, alone. Then when consumers and retailers get tired of administrative hassle of dealing with the extra pennies, the system will start adopting the dime as the preferred denomination to round to.
In the meantime, I applaud the approach of mixing up the metallic components of the penny and nickel. However, I would like to put forth a few other honest alternatives aimed at keeping the existing change values unchanged:
1. Mint the coins in China. Seriously. The quoted cost of the raw metal that goes into the penny is actually only 0.6 cent. The rest of the cost comes from suppliers rolling the metal and then manufacturers stamping them out. If these manufacturing steps were opened to competition outside the U.S. then surely a better deal will be obtained.
2. Pay people 2 cents to turn in the pennies that they already have. Why not? This is surely cheaper than producing new pennies that cost 2.4 cents apiece. Plus, if people can get a 100% rate of return on their change then why wouldn't they adjust their coin saving habits, or lack thereof? Some people admit to just throwing coins away. This system would serve the purpose of preserving existing pennies but also reduce the need for manufacturing new ones.
3. Instead of copper-coated zinc, why not consider copper-coated plastic? Or some other material (other than metal) to use as a substrate? As long as the exterior is metal, the interior could possibly be something cheaper than zinc, and my guess would be that plastic fits that bill. Plus it could be cheaper to produce plastic coins. People already pay most of their bills with plastic anyway, so there is some precedent.
4. Partner with Canada to produce a single penny design accepted in both nations. Face it, if you live anywhere near the border you already get mixed pennies, and sometimes other coins, in your change anyway. But it isn't really a big deal since they are approximately the same size and value anyway, especially with the exchange rate hovering around 1. If more nations adopted the same penny then, in theory, a smaller unit cost to manufacture could be obtained at higher volumes. Not much discount when billions are already produced, but every fraction of a cent counts.
5. Hollow out the penny. For example, make it more like a washer. While Lincoln's face is great, his likeness and other sayings can still be scribed on a ring rather than a full circular face. Just look at how much can be squeezed onto a dime. The end result would be mostly a material savings, but again, every cent counts.
Only after we abandon some of our pre-conceived notions about currency will we be able to take the right steps to ensure that nothing actually changes.
While the debate has been raised before, the administration claims that is has no desire to eliminate the penny. But if it did, based on cost considerations alone, it would be hard to argue the nickel doesn't deserve to get the axe as well. Plus, despite congressional attempts a few years ago to eliminate the penny, alone, and start rounding tabs to the nearest 5 cents, well, that just isn't a practical solution. This country will never round to the nearest 5 cents because that is confusing as hell. You either take out the penny with the nickel, or leave them both alone. This is a decimal system, not a bi-decimal system (or whatever confusing name you want to call it).
Personally, I prefer to see the penny stick around, or at least if it has to go that is fades away based on consumer and retailer preferences. Some stores and retailers already disregard it, generally rounding in favor of the consumer when making change. Then you have carnies that simply don't even put up with change, making all ring toss and fishing games cost whole dollars (or at least something divisible by a quarter). My fascination is not so much with the face value (obviously), but with the other perceived values. I will admit that I am one of those that, when I see a penny on the ground face up, I take it as a sign of good luck. Call it superstition, but who's to say it isn't? If it results in a positive feeling then perhaps there are some actual physical benefits worth more than 1 cent of any drug or taking 1 second to step into a place of worship.
There's also the nostalgic distraction of looking at a given penny's mint date. Remembering where you were when the coin was produced and how your paths have now randomly crossed. Sure, this feeling can reproduced with any American currency, but the penny is unique in that is the smallest, seemingly most inconsequential part of our value system. But in fact the opposite is true. Since it is the smallest, it is actually the foundation of our currency system. A symbol of indivisibility. Hence the reason it will be so difficult to eliminate it. If congress wants to take measures to eliminate any coin then they would likely have better results going after the nickel, alone. Then when consumers and retailers get tired of administrative hassle of dealing with the extra pennies, the system will start adopting the dime as the preferred denomination to round to.
In the meantime, I applaud the approach of mixing up the metallic components of the penny and nickel. However, I would like to put forth a few other honest alternatives aimed at keeping the existing change values unchanged:
1. Mint the coins in China. Seriously. The quoted cost of the raw metal that goes into the penny is actually only 0.6 cent. The rest of the cost comes from suppliers rolling the metal and then manufacturers stamping them out. If these manufacturing steps were opened to competition outside the U.S. then surely a better deal will be obtained.
2. Pay people 2 cents to turn in the pennies that they already have. Why not? This is surely cheaper than producing new pennies that cost 2.4 cents apiece. Plus, if people can get a 100% rate of return on their change then why wouldn't they adjust their coin saving habits, or lack thereof? Some people admit to just throwing coins away. This system would serve the purpose of preserving existing pennies but also reduce the need for manufacturing new ones.
3. Instead of copper-coated zinc, why not consider copper-coated plastic? Or some other material (other than metal) to use as a substrate? As long as the exterior is metal, the interior could possibly be something cheaper than zinc, and my guess would be that plastic fits that bill. Plus it could be cheaper to produce plastic coins. People already pay most of their bills with plastic anyway, so there is some precedent.
4. Partner with Canada to produce a single penny design accepted in both nations. Face it, if you live anywhere near the border you already get mixed pennies, and sometimes other coins, in your change anyway. But it isn't really a big deal since they are approximately the same size and value anyway, especially with the exchange rate hovering around 1. If more nations adopted the same penny then, in theory, a smaller unit cost to manufacture could be obtained at higher volumes. Not much discount when billions are already produced, but every fraction of a cent counts.
5. Hollow out the penny. For example, make it more like a washer. While Lincoln's face is great, his likeness and other sayings can still be scribed on a ring rather than a full circular face. Just look at how much can be squeezed onto a dime. The end result would be mostly a material savings, but again, every cent counts.
Only after we abandon some of our pre-conceived notions about currency will we be able to take the right steps to ensure that nothing actually changes.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Personal Stylus
I think my goal in life is to simply become important enough where I can just wear what I want as a trademark outfit. Something like Steve Jobs in his blue jean, sneakers, and black turtleneck. Or Larry King, in his suspenders. Or Charles Osgood, in his bowties (only really trademarked because nobody else wears them anymore).
Lots of people wear the same outfits every day. Like suits or uniforms. Or robes and red swim trunks. But those are part of an expected dress code, and sometimes necessary to perform a job. Military dress in camouflage and doctors in scrubs, but I'm talking about being distinguished, honorably, by one's individual taste in dress. Then consistently sticking with it.
Cartoons and superheros pull off the same outfit in every appearance. Fred Flintstone in his polka dot tunic and every flying superhero with a cape, although oddly no goggles, except for the Red Baron Snoopy. It's as if artists already understand that a consistent wardrobe helps define a character, either for good or for evil. Or as a minimum it cuts down on the amount of time needed to think up a new outfit for every character and for every occasion.
Accessories could also be used. Look at Drew Carey or Harry Caray with their infamous bug-eyed glasses. Makes you wonder if Mariah Carey is hiding something. Then there was George Burns who was probably born with a lit cigar in one hand. You also have Terry Bollea (better known as Hulk Hogan) with his receding hairline gimmick of a banana-color bandana. Perhaps that's a better call then the excessively vibrant dos Andy Warhol and Burt Reynolds.
For me I think the look would simply be a pen or pencil behind one ear. Either a Bic "round stic (med/moy)", blue since it stands out against black print, or a Bic #2 mechanical pencil, for the same reason as the pen but it is handier for sketching and marking things other than paper (i.e. wood, walls, and bathroom stalls). Part of the reason is that my ears are designed well enough to support both instruments over a wide range of head movements. Also, both are abundant and cheap enough that I can usually stash a few in every place I might want to write something down. Like my car, my desk, and a Billy Brag concert (he is quite politically vocal). Thankfully, too, my gut tells me the Bic company will probably maintain their high level of consistent quality well into the future, and if not, some knock-off will release decent comparables of about 5/16" diameter and 5" length.
Aside from the pen, I am confident the rest of my attire will naturally blend in with my surroundings, or the pen will distract everybody from the rest of my lack of style. Suspenders, cape, and all.
Lots of people wear the same outfits every day. Like suits or uniforms. Or robes and red swim trunks. But those are part of an expected dress code, and sometimes necessary to perform a job. Military dress in camouflage and doctors in scrubs, but I'm talking about being distinguished, honorably, by one's individual taste in dress. Then consistently sticking with it.
Cartoons and superheros pull off the same outfit in every appearance. Fred Flintstone in his polka dot tunic and every flying superhero with a cape, although oddly no goggles, except for the Red Baron Snoopy. It's as if artists already understand that a consistent wardrobe helps define a character, either for good or for evil. Or as a minimum it cuts down on the amount of time needed to think up a new outfit for every character and for every occasion.
Accessories could also be used. Look at Drew Carey or Harry Caray with their infamous bug-eyed glasses. Makes you wonder if Mariah Carey is hiding something. Then there was George Burns who was probably born with a lit cigar in one hand. You also have Terry Bollea (better known as Hulk Hogan) with his receding hairline gimmick of a banana-color bandana. Perhaps that's a better call then the excessively vibrant dos Andy Warhol and Burt Reynolds.
For me I think the look would simply be a pen or pencil behind one ear. Either a Bic "round stic (med/moy)", blue since it stands out against black print, or a Bic #2 mechanical pencil, for the same reason as the pen but it is handier for sketching and marking things other than paper (i.e. wood, walls, and bathroom stalls). Part of the reason is that my ears are designed well enough to support both instruments over a wide range of head movements. Also, both are abundant and cheap enough that I can usually stash a few in every place I might want to write something down. Like my car, my desk, and a Billy Brag concert (he is quite politically vocal). Thankfully, too, my gut tells me the Bic company will probably maintain their high level of consistent quality well into the future, and if not, some knock-off will release decent comparables of about 5/16" diameter and 5" length.
Aside from the pen, I am confident the rest of my attire will naturally blend in with my surroundings, or the pen will distract everybody from the rest of my lack of style. Suspenders, cape, and all.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Comparing Notes
Ever notice how coupons look a lot like Post-Its? It's not really surprising since both serve the same basic function of reminding you to do something at a later point in time. Where coupons are generally bulk printed and Post-Its are personal and handwritten, there are some features inherent in both that I wouldn't mind seeing some crossover.
First off, let me say that my coupon philosophy is basically to not use them. But I make exceptions primarily for pizza and free Chick-Fil-A grub. With pizza, that is essentially how you decide what to order, and it is well-understood that you shouldn't pay full price for a pie anyway because they all offer discounts. And with Chick-Fil-A, they just offer fantastic deals. Usually a free sandwich or 8-piece nuggets. But overall, I find the business of searching and clipping coupons to not be worth the time and effort and a bit like sitting through midnight infomercials.
Aside from personal habits, I admire a couple things about coupons. One, they generally contain a high resolution picture. This makes it 100 times quicker to tell what the coupon is telling you to purchase than if it were spelled out in the same size Times New Roman or scribbled cursive. Second, the coupon generally tells you exactly the value of what you are either purchasing or about to save. Post-Its don't generally contain a baseline monetary value for following up on one what you need to accomplish. And third, coupons expire. Perhaps the best feature. More things in life should have expiration dates, not just antiquated notes. But one better, they should just self-destruct so I don't have to bother reading them and pitching them myself.
With Post-Its, you have a couple favorable points. One, they come in pre-cut, standard sizes. How many times do you get coupons that match the same length and width as it's predecessor? Plus you have to cut them out so even if you do get 2 of the same size the dotted cut line is generally an inch wide so more of a border than a linear entity. Second, and perhaps the best, they are sticky. One problem I have with coupons is where to put them when I'm heading out so that I know to use them. With Post-Its, I can stick one right on the outside of my wallet and I'll see it when I go to purchase something. Unfortunately, all Post-Its are yellow, so all my notes carry the same level of urgency and eye-catchiness. But at least I know they are trusted memos from me-of-the-past and not some advertisement to pick up 3 boxes of Little Debbies when I already have 4 in the cupboard.
I guess there are pros and cons to each, but if one product was to capitalize fully on the pros of each that would have to be Cheez-Its. And all they would really have to do would be punch a few holes in the standard Post-Its and add a little orange to the canary yellow. Then it wouldn't need any text whatsoever, the value would be understood to be infinite, and you could simply bite into it to figure if it was expired.
Either that or start scribbling your to-do list on stale Cheez-Its, licking then sticking them to your fridge. Either adaptation works pretty well.
First off, let me say that my coupon philosophy is basically to not use them. But I make exceptions primarily for pizza and free Chick-Fil-A grub. With pizza, that is essentially how you decide what to order, and it is well-understood that you shouldn't pay full price for a pie anyway because they all offer discounts. And with Chick-Fil-A, they just offer fantastic deals. Usually a free sandwich or 8-piece nuggets. But overall, I find the business of searching and clipping coupons to not be worth the time and effort and a bit like sitting through midnight infomercials.
Aside from personal habits, I admire a couple things about coupons. One, they generally contain a high resolution picture. This makes it 100 times quicker to tell what the coupon is telling you to purchase than if it were spelled out in the same size Times New Roman or scribbled cursive. Second, the coupon generally tells you exactly the value of what you are either purchasing or about to save. Post-Its don't generally contain a baseline monetary value for following up on one what you need to accomplish. And third, coupons expire. Perhaps the best feature. More things in life should have expiration dates, not just antiquated notes. But one better, they should just self-destruct so I don't have to bother reading them and pitching them myself.
With Post-Its, you have a couple favorable points. One, they come in pre-cut, standard sizes. How many times do you get coupons that match the same length and width as it's predecessor? Plus you have to cut them out so even if you do get 2 of the same size the dotted cut line is generally an inch wide so more of a border than a linear entity. Second, and perhaps the best, they are sticky. One problem I have with coupons is where to put them when I'm heading out so that I know to use them. With Post-Its, I can stick one right on the outside of my wallet and I'll see it when I go to purchase something. Unfortunately, all Post-Its are yellow, so all my notes carry the same level of urgency and eye-catchiness. But at least I know they are trusted memos from me-of-the-past and not some advertisement to pick up 3 boxes of Little Debbies when I already have 4 in the cupboard.
I guess there are pros and cons to each, but if one product was to capitalize fully on the pros of each that would have to be Cheez-Its. And all they would really have to do would be punch a few holes in the standard Post-Its and add a little orange to the canary yellow. Then it wouldn't need any text whatsoever, the value would be understood to be infinite, and you could simply bite into it to figure if it was expired.
Either that or start scribbling your to-do list on stale Cheez-Its, licking then sticking them to your fridge. Either adaptation works pretty well.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Bears
Bonanza is a great show. Was a great show. For 17 years or close to it. But like any program that replays over and over again on TV Land, too much of a good thing is just awful.
And so I find myself watching my grandmother as she passes the time watching Bonanza reruns. My family has also prepared for the occasional weekend of alternately scheduled programs by purchasing a Bonanza DVD. I think this is much like entertaining a child with a Barney DVD. But while the occasional characters of the Wild West die off, nobody has successfully taken a Smith & Wesson to the purple freak of a dinosaur.
Anyway, a man will do just about anything to keep his mind occupied. For me today this included a game of counting the excessive bears in the household. Yes, bears. For some reason, my family continue to buy bear-themed gifts for my grandma when in actuality probably just one could be re-gifted every 5 minutes. (Yes, the unfortunate reality of Alzheimer's.) And no, there are no up-and-coming boy scouts in the family nor do we share any admiration for the great city of Chicago.
The bears, I'm sure, are just a recent allure. I certainly don't recall this fascination when I was younger, not that I was paying astute attention to her collections back then- I was too busy amassing a kick-ass Matchbox set. But I think this kind of collection fervor usually comes and goes in waves, for most people. It seems like everyone has (or should have) a hobby or something that peaks their interested more than the average soul. Something like cats, or Mustangs, or sunflowers, or beer. A topical interest that allows cheeky t-shirt makers and calendar publishers to profit by your family and loved ones who just presume that those artifacts are necessary to complete your collection.
But then you get one too many of these thoughtful gifts and then you start to realize that you're becoming that person. The one who is crazy about dogs. Or who respects no other animal but cuddly koalas. You realize that people see you as more fond of the subject then you ever thought you were. A bit of human nature whereby we see you display any interest in a subject and just automatically link you to it forever. So then it is time to cut the cord. Throw away all useless paraphernalia (pretty much all) and start looking for a new association. (Except for beer, and wine for that matter, those hobbies never die out). For me, as a kid, it was wolves. For my mom it was butterflies. And now, for my grandma, it is bears. Except she doesn't have the wherewithal to know when enough is enough (ironically a garbage bag is actually stuffed with bears and further stuffed in the closet). So they just accumulate and the rest of my family still fancies her "hobby" as cute, which it still is, and never-evolving.
So back to the game, I easily reached 52 before I decided that that was enough and that I won. Enough for every season, or for every week of the year. But there were a couple of notable non-stuffed versions I encountered. A Panda Buffet 2012 wall calendar (no idea how this made it in the house since this family isn't known for it's culinary diversity), a glass money holder (with a screw-top lid proclaiming it as a bank), and a couple of plastic honey jars. There was also this magnet, which I presume must either be Smokey or Yogi in the sketch since I didn't catch either of them elsewhere in the home and I can see where people may get them all confused. Not that we're stereotyping, they all kind of look the same, really.
And so I find myself watching my grandmother as she passes the time watching Bonanza reruns. My family has also prepared for the occasional weekend of alternately scheduled programs by purchasing a Bonanza DVD. I think this is much like entertaining a child with a Barney DVD. But while the occasional characters of the Wild West die off, nobody has successfully taken a Smith & Wesson to the purple freak of a dinosaur.
Anyway, a man will do just about anything to keep his mind occupied. For me today this included a game of counting the excessive bears in the household. Yes, bears. For some reason, my family continue to buy bear-themed gifts for my grandma when in actuality probably just one could be re-gifted every 5 minutes. (Yes, the unfortunate reality of Alzheimer's.) And no, there are no up-and-coming boy scouts in the family nor do we share any admiration for the great city of Chicago.
The bears, I'm sure, are just a recent allure. I certainly don't recall this fascination when I was younger, not that I was paying astute attention to her collections back then- I was too busy amassing a kick-ass Matchbox set. But I think this kind of collection fervor usually comes and goes in waves, for most people. It seems like everyone has (or should have) a hobby or something that peaks their interested more than the average soul. Something like cats, or Mustangs, or sunflowers, or beer. A topical interest that allows cheeky t-shirt makers and calendar publishers to profit by your family and loved ones who just presume that those artifacts are necessary to complete your collection.
But then you get one too many of these thoughtful gifts and then you start to realize that you're becoming that person. The one who is crazy about dogs. Or who respects no other animal but cuddly koalas. You realize that people see you as more fond of the subject then you ever thought you were. A bit of human nature whereby we see you display any interest in a subject and just automatically link you to it forever. So then it is time to cut the cord. Throw away all useless paraphernalia (pretty much all) and start looking for a new association. (Except for beer, and wine for that matter, those hobbies never die out). For me, as a kid, it was wolves. For my mom it was butterflies. And now, for my grandma, it is bears. Except she doesn't have the wherewithal to know when enough is enough (ironically a garbage bag is actually stuffed with bears and further stuffed in the closet). So they just accumulate and the rest of my family still fancies her "hobby" as cute, which it still is, and never-evolving.
So back to the game, I easily reached 52 before I decided that that was enough and that I won. Enough for every season, or for every week of the year. But there were a couple of notable non-stuffed versions I encountered. A Panda Buffet 2012 wall calendar (no idea how this made it in the house since this family isn't known for it's culinary diversity), a glass money holder (with a screw-top lid proclaiming it as a bank), and a couple of plastic honey jars. There was also this magnet, which I presume must either be Smokey or Yogi in the sketch since I didn't catch either of them elsewhere in the home and I can see where people may get them all confused. Not that we're stereotyping, they all kind of look the same, really.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Hodge Podge
If Jeopardy can get away with a random Hodge Podge category then so can I:
1. Doesn’t anybody else notice that Safety Harbor is redundant? Or Mount Summit? Or Djibouti, Djibouti?? Stop naming things twice.
2. I hate when personal interactions affect my understanding of and reaction to words. Like retard. Or creative. Or robust. Why can’t people leave well enough alone? And Ben Roethlisberger alone
3. If Italy looks like a boot then Panama must be discarded pantyhose.
4. Future season of The Bachelor: “Will you accept this Charlie Rose?”… AND THEY WILL!
5. As great as soap is to clean shit up, it can be a royal pain to clean up itself. Stubborn soap scum in the shower. Excess dish detergent around the sink of which there is no solution or dissolution. Hand soap that seems to creep it’s way onto the outside of the SoftSoap bottle (perhaps why they make those things disposable).
6. The best damn motivational message I ever saw, on a billboard not more than a few miles from where the lecture was delivered:
7. Cynics, like comics, can be geniuses. And perhaps one in the same. “Would you be offended if I told you to stick to your strengths?” - A fellow since passed who I wished would have found and stuck with his.
8. Fact: There are companies that exist solely to name products. They’re called catchword naming specialists. Check one out called Catchword Branding and commence wondering what the fuck is wrong with this world (as well as what did you do with your life to not make earning a living so easy).
9. Does the word “cool” carry any value anymore? Or is it just a catchall for when we have no better way to aptly describe something or rather just don’t care to?
10. Loyalty is an amazing force. Bake some cookies and everyone will want one. Decorate with a rival NFL team’s logo and most will not only pass on the treats but will also hate you.
11. “Al dente” is short for impatient.
12. “It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled, or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust, and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - Teddy Roosevelt
13. Editor’s note: “I’m afraid the type of man being praised by Teddy has no place in modern society. Today the kudos are reserved for the critics.” – Don Dodge
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Powers of 10
The number ten (10) certainly shows up a lot in popular history and culture. From the Ten Commandments to the Bill of Rights, to popular countdowns like David Letterman's nightly Top Whatevers and launching a space shuttle. Whether demarcating the end or the start of a list, it's popularity and frequent use suggest something more than just cosmic coincidence. And a brief look down at our hands could offer one explanation why.
The number ten (10) is rooted in the use of the base 10, or decimal, system. No, not Dewey's system, he just correlated numbers to particular topics so you wouldn't have to spend more than 10 minutes of your time lost in the library. The base 10 system (for the non-nerds out there) is the means by which we count off ten numbers before indexing over to another decimal place. Perhaps the most popular base counting system understood, if not used, other than the binary, or base 2, system. So basically everything in our daily lives that involves a number is displayed in the base 10, or decimal, system. Bank statements, calendar dates, and phone numbers (how many digits can you choose from when drunk dialing?). Surely you or nobody else ever thinks about it, you shouldn't. But it is one global and historical consistency which has enabled mankind to communicate at least a little more clearly through mathematics.
Set aside democracy, the US government must have also borrowed numeration from the Romans, as well. Look at our most popular, or smallest, dollar bills. $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. (The $2 Jefferson bill just didn't withstand the test of time, much like the Roman empire.) These numbers correspond pretty much exactly with the classical Roman numerals of I, V, X, and XX. But what makes thee numbers so special? Why would the Romans designate new characters for a quantity of 5 and of 10? And why would the number 10, graphically speaking, resemble two V's connected to each other? Again, it most likely is due to our human anatomy and a case of each I equaling 1 finger and each V equaling 1 hand. Since it you're going to establish a standard, why not pick one that is fairly common to the users, or if it is slowly changing at least it will take thousands of years to occur.
I once visited a Bodies Exhibit, actually a couple times. The controversial exhibits at science centers worldwide whereby a German scientist plasticized (that was the term they used) deceased human remains and presented them in both normal and atypical, artistic displays. The end result was basically like walking through a combination of a wax museum crossed with an anatomy book. Anyway, I happened to notice when staring at the entrails of one subject that their hands and feet looked a bit crowded with digits. Sure enough, after counting, this person displayed 6 fingers on each hand as well as 6 toes on each foot. It wasn't advertised to the public, and I later found out that visitors who paid extra for guided headset tours got the tip, so it was probably one of several biological oddities on display that day. Much like Lyle Lovett's face (why that poor man's face is the universal symbol of eh, I don't know, I'm just sticking with it).
So with ten minutes to spare until dinner (my girlfriend honestly just announced that), let me conclude that I'm thankful for the convenience and use of a common base system worldwide (10 or otherwise). I think trying to explain, or use, any other base system would definitely inhibit our ability to communicate and evolve as a "middle class" society. And the slower we evolve physically (rumor has it one day our pinky fingers and toes will cease to exist) the longer we have to morally, politically, humorously, and scientifically evolve. Or at least eclipse the Romans.
The number ten (10) is rooted in the use of the base 10, or decimal, system. No, not Dewey's system, he just correlated numbers to particular topics so you wouldn't have to spend more than 10 minutes of your time lost in the library. The base 10 system (for the non-nerds out there) is the means by which we count off ten numbers before indexing over to another decimal place. Perhaps the most popular base counting system understood, if not used, other than the binary, or base 2, system. So basically everything in our daily lives that involves a number is displayed in the base 10, or decimal, system. Bank statements, calendar dates, and phone numbers (how many digits can you choose from when drunk dialing?). Surely you or nobody else ever thinks about it, you shouldn't. But it is one global and historical consistency which has enabled mankind to communicate at least a little more clearly through mathematics.
Set aside democracy, the US government must have also borrowed numeration from the Romans, as well. Look at our most popular, or smallest, dollar bills. $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. (The $2 Jefferson bill just didn't withstand the test of time, much like the Roman empire.) These numbers correspond pretty much exactly with the classical Roman numerals of I, V, X, and XX. But what makes thee numbers so special? Why would the Romans designate new characters for a quantity of 5 and of 10? And why would the number 10, graphically speaking, resemble two V's connected to each other? Again, it most likely is due to our human anatomy and a case of each I equaling 1 finger and each V equaling 1 hand. Since it you're going to establish a standard, why not pick one that is fairly common to the users, or if it is slowly changing at least it will take thousands of years to occur.
I once visited a Bodies Exhibit, actually a couple times. The controversial exhibits at science centers worldwide whereby a German scientist plasticized (that was the term they used) deceased human remains and presented them in both normal and atypical, artistic displays. The end result was basically like walking through a combination of a wax museum crossed with an anatomy book. Anyway, I happened to notice when staring at the entrails of one subject that their hands and feet looked a bit crowded with digits. Sure enough, after counting, this person displayed 6 fingers on each hand as well as 6 toes on each foot. It wasn't advertised to the public, and I later found out that visitors who paid extra for guided headset tours got the tip, so it was probably one of several biological oddities on display that day. Much like Lyle Lovett's face (why that poor man's face is the universal symbol of eh, I don't know, I'm just sticking with it).
So with ten minutes to spare until dinner (my girlfriend honestly just announced that), let me conclude that I'm thankful for the convenience and use of a common base system worldwide (10 or otherwise). I think trying to explain, or use, any other base system would definitely inhibit our ability to communicate and evolve as a "middle class" society. And the slower we evolve physically (rumor has it one day our pinky fingers and toes will cease to exist) the longer we have to morally, politically, humorously, and scientifically evolve. Or at least eclipse the Romans.
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