Time well spent

Published January 11, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 11  ·  

The world is a thing of utter inordinate complexity and richness and strangeness that is absolutely awesome. I mean the idea that such complexity can arise not only out of such simplicity, but probably absolutely out of nothing, is the most fabulous extraordinary idea. And once you get some kind of inkling of how that might have happened, it’s just wonderful. And … the opportunity to spend 70 or 80 years of your life in such a universe is time well spent as far as I am concerned.

~ Douglas Adams

slip:4a26.

Being awake

Published January 10, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 10

It’s worth the effort, because being awake means we’re not missing life as we walk through it. Being awake means we’re conscious of what’s going on inside us, as it happens, and so can make more conscious choices rather than acting on our impulses all the time.

~ Leo Babauta from, 12 Indispensable Mindful Living Tools

slip:4uzeto1.

ɕ

On Aikido grading

Published January 9, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 9

For several years, I’ve been on the verge of writing something about grading within Kinokawa. Stefan Stenudd has, hit all the high points, and saved me a lot of effort:

Therefore, though with some reluctance, I have kyu and dan gradings in our dojo, trying to make sure that everyone advances in grades in accordance with his or her advancement in aikido. That’s not rocket science, but it’s not a piece of cake either.

~ Stefan Stenudd from, The Gordian Knot of Grading

slip:4uaifo1.

If you’ve been studying with Sensei Wirth for some time, you’ll notice a few obvious differences – things like our having changed to colored belts for kyu ranks ~2001/2002, hakama for dan ranks, etc. He also dives deeper into the details of performing higher level dan gradings – which is something that I don’t have to worry about.

ɕ

Stop data-mining me

Published January 8, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 8  ·  

Data brokers have pioneered advanced techniques to collect and collate information about consumers’ offline, online and mobile behavior. But they have been slow to develop innovative ways for consumers to gain access to the information that companies obtain, share and sell about them for marketing purposes. Now federal regulators are pressuring data brokers to operate more transparently.

In 2012, a report by the Federal Trade Commission recommended that the industry set up a public Web portal that would display the names and contact information of every data broker doing business in the United States, as well as describe consumers’ data access rights and other choices. But, for years the data brokers have been too busy to build a centralized Web portal for consumers. So, we decided to help them out and StopDataMining.me was born!

~ http://www.stopdatamining.me

Go there. Then, one by one, follow the links to the data mining companies “opt-out” forms. These companies ALREADY know who you are.

ɕ

The Mighty Ducks

Published January 6, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 6

Let’s set aside the fact that a guy who gets convicted of a DUI is put in charge of a children’s hockey team, and instead focus on the fact that this bum of a coach managed to change the lives of the Mighty Ducks, and my life as well.

Today we’re going to learn from Coach Gordon Bombay (EMILIO!!) Charlie Conway (spazz!), Adam Banks (cake-eater!), Folton Reed, GOLDBERG!, and the rest of the Mighty Ducks about leveling up ourselves and our lives.

~ Steve Kamb from, How The Mighty Ducks Will Make You A Better Person

slip:4unebo15.

ɕ

Gut bacteria

Published January 4, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 4

Scientists are just beginning to learn about how our decisions at the dinner table — or the drive-through — tweak our microbiome, that is, the communities of bacteria living in our bodies. But one thing is becoming clear: The critters hanging out in our intestine influence many aspects of our health, including weight, immunity and perhaps even behavior.

~ Michaeleen Doucleff, from Chowing Down On Meat, Dairy Alters Gut Bacteria A Lot, And Quickly

slip:4unobo1.

Have you ever seen a copy of Gray’s Anatomy? (*sigh* No. It’s a book. The TV show is the rip-off.)

…also, Time Well Spent by Douglas Adams.

ɕ

Beginning the pursuit

Published January 3, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 3  ·  

The journey begins with a single step, a wise man said, and for me that first step is simple:

Admit I don’t know.

Learning begins by emptying your cup, so that you can fill it with what you find. Emptying your cup means getting rid of pre-set opinions.

~ Leo Babauta from, My Pursuit of the Art of Living

slip:4uzeao2.

ɕ

Stumbling Blocks

Published January 2, 2014  ·  All posts on Jan 2

The story of oil limits is one that crosses many disciplines. It is not an easy one to understand. Most of those who are writing about peak oil come from hard sciences such as geology, chemistry, and engineering. The following are several stumbling blocks to figuring out the full story that I have encountered. Needless to say, not all of those writing about peak oil have been tripped up by these issues, but it makes it difficult to understand the “real” story.

~ Gail Tverberg from, Stumbling Blocks to Figuring Out the Real Oil Limits Story

slip:4uousu2.

ɕ

Happiness

Published December 30, 2013  ·  All posts on Dec 30  ·  

I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.

~ J. Richard Lessor

slip:4a478.

The little book of contentment

Published December 29, 2013  ·  All posts on Dec 29

It’s been a long journey, but I’ve enjoyed it. I struggled with feeling bad about my body, feeling insecure about myself, doubting my abilities to make it without an employer, doubting myself as a writer, not believing I had discipline or the ability to change my habits.

And all this led to other problems: I sought happiness and pleasure in food, beer, shopping, distraction, TV. I procrastinated, I let my health get bad, I smoked, I was deeply in debt, unhappy with my work, never exercised, and ate lots of junk food.

~ Leo Babauta from, The Little Book of Contentment

slip:4uzeli3.

The book is a short, and completely free, download.

ɕ

Lofty goals

Published December 28, 2013  ·  All posts on Dec 28  ·  

To my mind, the most important guiding star on our journey is integrity. We have to practise what we preach, and this means embodying the principles we aspire to and letting them permeate every aspect of our lives.

These lofty values and principles we aspire to in training; courage, determination, commitment, humility, honesty, quality, consistency, perfection – what good are they if we abandon them when we end the training session and return to our daily life?

~ Dan Edwardes from, «http://www.parkourgenerations.com/blog/way-pathfinder-part-two»

ɕ

WolframAlpha

Published December 24, 2013  ·  All posts on Dec 24

I wonder how many Sundays are between June 17th 2012 and today?

WolframAlpha: 79.

Ho. Lee. Crap. That’s awesome.

You do know about WolframAlpha, right? …the “computational knowledge engine”? No? Go there. Ask it things.

Stephen Wolfram is a character. (But anyone whose thesis committee contains Richard Feynman gets a complete pass in my book.) “This math stuff is annoying…” Bam! Mathematica. And if you want to really go “whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!”, try to wrap your brain around, A New Kind of Science.

ɕ

A big yes

Published December 22, 2013  ·  All posts on Dec 22  ·  

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically, to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.”

~ Stephen Covey

slip:4a50.