Governmentgirl1943lp

Idea Log 31122010

"How can one test for humanity?" mama asked. "By whether or not you cast a shadow or leave footprints in the sand? Tang Xianzu gave you the answers in the opera you love so well, when he wrote that no one can exist without joy, anger, grief, fear, love, hate, and desire. So, you have it from the Book of Rites, from The Peony Pavilion, and from me, that the Seven Emotions are what makes us human. You still have these within yourself." (See, Pg. 221)

Also another quote from this book can be found at: http://governmentgirl1943lp.typepad.com/blog/2010/12/idea-log-29122010.html#tp

 

Idea Log 30122010

BOOMER ECONOMICS:

 "What's the matter with kids today? Well no job ... "

by Gary Mason ([email protected])

One of my son’s friends who graduated from the University of British Columbia last spring with a business degree has been looking for work. He’s applied everywhere, in search of something even remotely connected to his area of study. No luck.

So now this bright, educated 22-year-old who got solid grades has begun sticking flyers through people’s mail slots offering his services to do odd jobs, anything to put a few bucks in his pocket.

My own 24-year-old is hoping to head to graduate school next fall. He knows there’s nothing out there for a kid with a degree in psychology. My 21-year-old, meantime, is finishing his undergrad at Queen’s this spring and simply accepts there are more years left of school before he’s somehow qualified for today’s job market.

What’s remarkable is how upbeat my kids and their friends remain despite the raw deal they’re getting. There aren’t nearly the opportunities for young people today as there once were, a fact highlighted in the government’s recent labour force survey.

In November, the youth (15 to 25) unemployment rate dropped to 13.6 per cent from 15 per cent the previous month. But the figure is misleading and doesn’t reflect the fact that the number of kids looking for work is far fewer. While the economy has created 440,000 jobs since the recession, there are 228,000 fewer young people employed, according to a recent story by The Canadian Press.

“A lot of young people are throwing in the towel, saying forget it,” Brian Bethune, chief Canadian economist with IHS Global Insight, is quoted as saying. “There’s an intergenerational imbalance happening. You have a big bulge of baby boomers who have gotten into established positions, entitled to three and four weeks vacation, and young people can’t find jobs.”

Maclean’s magazine recently explored this phenomenon in a cover story titled Generation Screwed. It’s a chilling portrayal of the absolute mess boomers have not only created for the millennial generation (those born in 1980 or later) but seem destined to leave behind for others to clean up.

Our kids could be a lost generation, but boomers don’t seem too worried about it. They’re otherwise occupied, racking up obscene and unsustainable levels of debt on vacations and houses they can’t afford. Meantime, many don’t have a realistic financial plan to retire so, instead, figure they’ll work past 65, thus ensuring that jobs won’t be opening up for others.

Even when the boomers begin retiring in big numbers, the news won’t be good. Growth in the work force is expected to slow and GDP shrink. Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page, has already started to sound the alarm about this demographic dilemma – but he concedes no one is listening.

The C.D. Howe Institute, meantime, estimates that aging baby boomers are going to cost Ottawa and the provinces $1.5-trillion in extra health and pension expenses over the next 50 years. It’s almost certainly going to mean higher taxes for young people, who are going to have to help shoulder a big part of that load.

Students, meanwhile, are graduating from universities with record debt. The average amount for a typical undergrad in Canada is $27,000, more than double the average of 20 years ago. And when they do graduate, there are few jobs, a fact that’s forcing many to seek a graduate degree – thus burdening them with even more student loans.

No wonder twentysomethings are putting off marriage and kids and buying a house. They’re just worried about surviving, which often means sleeping in the same bedroom they grew up in because they’re still living at home. Young people all over the world are postponing their dreams.

If youth unemployment and the bleak prospects for an entire generation isn’t a crisis, I don’t know what is. Yet, governments seem blind to what’s going on or unwilling, at least, to divert their attention away from the needs of whining boomers who have all that voter clout.

So, for now, many of our university grads will have to content themselves with cleaning gutters for a living – if they’re lucky.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/gary_mason/whats-the-matter-with-kids-today-well-no-jobs-no-money/article1839671/

My comments: The objective of being able to relate to the article is probably not to say,"I can't get a career I want because boomers aren't retiring" or say, "what am I supposed to do when this is reality?" and just give up. Lets face it- for every Boomer parent who complains that their university educated child is without a job,  for every 'Generation Y-er' who is unwilling to start at the bottom of the career ladder,  for every university student who blows off their OSAP money by partying their weekends away and refusing to work a job (and then complains incessantly about how they were given more money than they can afford to pay back), for every immigrant parent starting a new life at 50, ... we are all in it. No one is taking anything away from any one. Essentially this is a case of one not being able to relate to the other- the Boomer generation can't trust the younger generation and the younger generation can't respect the older. We are all correct to a certain degee to stick to what each of us believe in or to want to protect the 'status quo' in this case but this fracture in the learning process between the older and younger generation appears to be breeding more distaste and unrest rather than a road towards a new resolution. oh well... what can we do? "We" can do nothing. But "you" and "I" can do something about it and for this new year I hope each of us starts with a resolution to move away from this mob mentality and think of how we can break away from this hostile environment and take it upon ourselves to learn, to teach and to find common ground so that we can all relate to one another to only realize we are working towards the same goal - to live a life we think we are "entitled" to.

P.S: I'm sorry, I'm being sacarstic when I say "entitled"

Idea Log 29122010

"I pulled out my ink, ground it into the inkstone, added water, and then in my finest hand wrote my thoughts in the upper margin of Volume one:

Most of those who grieve over spring are especially moved by fallen blossoms, as I was when I last walked in our garden. Liniang sees the petals and understands that her youth and her beauty are fleeting. She doesn't know that her life is frail too." (Pg. 80)

(Taken from Lisa See's novel - PEONY IN LOVE~Just finished reading this book today. This is one my favourite excerpts from the book.. LOVE. I would never watch the movie-- it is probably going to destroy the book! )

Idea Log 28122010

POWER POINTS: Questions to get you going

Here are some questions to ask as the year draws to a close from life coach Eileen Chadnick(answers to be released on 1st Jan, 2011):

• If 2010 had a theme for you, what would you name it?
• What were the lessons for the past year?
• What do you need to let go of or complete before the year is over?
• What do you want for yourself in 2011, and how will you make that happen?
• What are your personal learning and development goals for the year?

[Taken from Report on Business- Globe and Mail, Monday, December 27, 2010]

Idea Log 27122010

"For children in their most impressionable years, there is, in fantasy, the highest of stimulating and educational powers." - Arthur Rackham

Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrator. Rackham invented his own unique technique which resembled photographic reproduction; he would first sketch an outline of his drawing, then lightly block in shapes and details. Afterwards he would add lines in pen and India ink, removing the pencil traces after it had dried. With color pictures, he would then apply multiple washes of color until transparent tints were created. He would also go on to expand the use of silhouette cuts in illustration work.

Typically, Rackham contributed both colour and monotone illustrations towards the works incorporating his images - and in the case of Hawthorne's Wonder Book, he also provided a number of part-coloured block images similar in style to Meiji era Japanese woodblocks.

Fairy on a Spider's Web

Notable works

• The Zankiwank and the Bletherwitch by Shafto Justin Adair Fitzgerald (40 line, 1896)
• Two Old Ladies, Two Foolish Fairies, and a Tom Cat by Maggie Browne (pseud. Margaret Hamer) (4 colour plates, 19 line, 1897)
• Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (95 line, 1900, reworked edition 40 colour plates, 62 line, 1909)
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (11 line 1900, reworked edition 12 colour plates, 34 line, 1909)
• Rip van Winkle by Washington Irving (51 colour plates, 3 line, 1905)
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (13 colour plates, 15 line 1907)
• The Ingoldsby Legends by Thomas Ingoldsby (pseud. Richard Harris Barham) (12 colour, 80 line 1898, reworked edition 23 colour plates, 73 line 1907)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (40 colour plates, 34 line, 1908)
• Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb (1909)
• Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (15 colour plates, 41 line, 1909)
• The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie by Richard Wagner (34 colour plates, 8 line, 1910)
• Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods by Richard Wagner (32 colour plates, 8 line, 1911)
• Aesop's Fables by Aesop (13 colour plates, 82 line, 1912)
• Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M.Barrie (50 colour plates, 3 line, 1906, new edition 50 colour plates, 12 line, 1912)
• Mother Goose (13 colour plates, 78 line 1913)
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (12 colour plates, 1915)
• The Allies Fairy Book (12 colour plates, 23 line 1916)
• Little Brother and Little Sister by The Brothers Grimm (13 colour plates, 45 line 1917)
• The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Alfred W. Pollard (23 colour and monotone plates, 16 line, 1917)
• English Fairy Tales by Flora Annie Steel (16 colour plates, 43 line, 1918)
• The Springtide of Life by Algernon Charles Swinburne (8 colour plates, 1918)
• Some British Ballads (16 colour plates, 23 line, 1918)
• Cinderella ed. Charles S. Evans (1 colour plate, 60 silhouettes, 1919)
• The Sleeping Beauty ed. Charles S. Evans (1 colour plate, 65 silhouettes, 1920)
• Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens (16 colour plates, 20 line, 1920)
• Comus by John Milton (22 colour plates, 35 line, 1922)
• A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys by Nathaniel Hawthorne (16 colour plates, 21 line, 1922)
• The Tempest by William Shakespeare (20 colour plates, 20 line, 1926)
• The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith (12 colour plates, 23 line, 1929)
• The Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton (12 colour plates, 22 line, 1931)
• Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen (12 colour plates, 43 line, 9 silhouettes 1932)
• Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe (12 colour plates, 28 line, 1935)
• Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen (12 colour plates, 38 line, 1936)
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (16 colour plates, posthumously 1940 US, 1950 UK)

> Art link: http://www.squidoo.com/arthurrackham

 

Idea Log 26122010

"Without any preconceptions, I evolve a design from the inside out, open to all possibilities.” –Douglas Cardinal

 

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Red Deer, Alberta (I've been here!)

DOUGLAS CARDINAL ARCHITECT Inc

 Douglas J. Cardinal was born and raised in Alberta, but it was his education and work experience in Texas in the 1950’s and early 1960’s that laid the foundation for his unique approach to architecture. He was influenced by the art deco and organic approach to architecture developed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Bruce Goff, Alvar Alto and Gaudi. He was also influenced by the philosophies of Rudolph Steiner, who not only produced innovative architecture, but also developed the Waldorf education system. The University of Texas at Austin emphasized the development of the individual, and stressed individual responsibility and achievement. While in Texas, Douglas Cardinal worked with the architectural firms Jessen, Jessen, Milhouse and Geeven, and Fred Day. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with honors in 1963, and returned to Alberta.

In 1964, he established his practice, Douglas Cardinal Architect. His first major building was St. Mary’s Church in Red Deer, Alberta, which received international recognition. Douglas Cardinal’s unique expression of his approach to architecture is embodied in the design of this building. The Canadian Government honored this building by developing a stamp based in its likeness in 2007. This building follows his tenet that organic architecture is the expression of a free individual in a free society. Says Mr. Cardinal, “It is the individual expression, celebrating the signature style of the architect, in a society that honors each individual’s contribution and responsibility.”

In this building, he strived to elevate the human spirit and bring harmony and balance to our own nature and our natural environment. With Father Merx and the congregation, he evolved the building from the needs of the congregation and the requirements of the church. His belief was to bring their visions into reality. He followed these principals in his designs for Grande Prairie Regional College, The Edmonton Space Sciences Center, The Government Services Center in Ponoka, St. Albert Place, and several other public buildings. In these spaces, he emphasized that we should embrace and respect each individual and promote a respect for, and balance of, nature. He served the people of Alberta, and the surrounding Prairie Provinces, for some twenty years.

In 1983, he won a national competition held by the Canadian Government, where Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau selected him to design the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec. To carry through his commitment, Douglas Cardinal moved his office to Ottawa in 1985, where he currently resides today. In 1991, he won an international competition to design the National Museum of the American Indian, which is located directly in front of the capital in Washington, DC.

For his service to the government, and his contribution to our nation’s capital, Madame Sauve honored him with Canada’s most prestigious award, naming him an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001. For his work with the James Bay Cree, the community he designed for Ouje-bougoumou won the "We The People - Fifty Communities Award" from the United Nations, and was featured in Expo 2000 held in Germany. He was recognized for his work by the Society of American Registered Architects, who also gave him international recognition by making him an honorary member.  

For his works in both Nation’s capitals, the Scottish Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland has declared him an honorary fellow.

His design for the First Nations University of Canada received awards from the International Academy of Architecture, who invited him to Europe in 2005 where they declared him Professor/Academician. In 2006, the International Academy of Architecture also awarded him the title of World Master of Contemporary Architecture. Throughout his career he has received many honors and awards, as well as 11 doctorates. He was also awarded with a Gold Medal in Architecture from the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, one of the highest awards available to a practicing architect.

His firm is one of North America’s leading users and pioneers of current computer technologies.

He believes that one has to begin the design process without any preconceived ideas. The creating of new paradigms comes from individuals who are willing to think beyond the confines of the existing knowledge.

[My Favourite Canadian Hero! ARCHITECT DOUGLAS CARDINAL]

[I literally only have two favourite architects/ My Gods of Architecture: Him (Douglas Cardinal) and Frank Lloyd Wright ]

sad this Christmas season is almost over ... This was a really good Christmas, wasn't it?? ***Merry Christmas... (^__^)p ... can't wait to read Lisa See's 'Peony in Love'

Idea Log 25122010

www.pacificmalltoronto.com

The best Christmas day outing with my sisters! Toronto's BEST open everyday of the year!! Great food in the food court with Christmas caroling~~ and a $30 shopping spree at my favourite store "Smart Maple".. http://www.smartmaple.com/index.html STATIONARY ~ my worst obssession ~ "they" say.

Idea Log 24122010

 
Room to Read: World Change Starts with Educated Children

http://www.roomtoread.org

The only gift I gave this christmas. This is my favourite charity and the founder, John Wood has been a true inspiration to me! I loved his book!

Brief History : John Wood, founder and executive chairman, launched Room to Read after a trek through Nepal where he visited several local schools.  He was amazed by the warmth and enthusiasm of the students and teachers, but also saddened by the shocking lack of resources. Driven to help, John quit his senior executive position with Microsoft and built a global team to work with rural villages to build sustainable solutions to their educational challenges.

In founding Room to Read, John wove proven corporate business practices with his inspiring vision to provide educational access and opportunity to 10 million children in the developing world. His novel approach to non-profit management calls for:

• Scalable, measured, sustainable results
• Low-overhead, allowing maximum investment in educational infrastructure
• Challenge grants fostering community ownership and sustainability
• Strong local staff and partnerships creating culturally relevant programs

In 2000, Room to Read began working with rural communities in Nepal to build schools and establish libraries. The organization's geographic reach expanded rapidly as significant needs and opportunities were identified in Vietnam (2001), Cambodia (2002) and India (2003). The Asian Tsunami in 2004 provided a catalyst for entry into Sri Lanka followed shortly by Laos.  We expanded to our second continent by launching Room to Read in South Africa in 2006, and then Zambia in 2007. In 2008, we began operations in Bangladesh.

Visit our History page for more information.

Our Vision

Room to Read believes that World Change Starts with Educated Children. We envision a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that enables them to reach their full potential and contribute to their community and the world.

Mission

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

 

Idea Log 23122010

 

Tangled movie stills

[WATCHED IT AND LOVED IT!!] 

 

 

 "When Will My Life Begin?" Lyrics

7 am the usual morning lineup

Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean

Polish and wax do laundry and mop and shine up

Sweep again and by then it's like 7:15

 

And so i'll read a book

Or maybe two or three

I'll add a few new paintings

To my gallery

 

I'll play guitar and knit

And cook and basically

Just wonder when will my life begin?

 

Then after lunch it's puzzles and darts and baking

Paper mache a bit of ballet and chess

Pottery and ventriloquy candle making

Then i'll stretch maybe sketch take a climb sew a dress

 And i'll reread the books

If i have time to spare

I'll paint the walls some more

I'm sure there's room somewhere

 

And then i'll brush and brush

And brush and brush my hair

Stuck in the same place i've always been

 

And i'll keep wanderin' and wanderin'

And wanderin' and wonderin'

When will my life begin?

 

And tomorrow night the lights will appear

Just like they do on my birthday each year

What is it like out there where they glow?

Now that i'm older mother might just let me go

 

 

Idea Log 22122010

大日本帝國 Dai Nippon Teikoku  

[Japan: My first Love... I was a weird 3 year old]

Currently reading:

'Japanese Manufacturing Techniques: Nine Hidden Lessons in Simplicity' by Richard Schonberger (published 1982)

"At the heart of Japanese manufacturing success are two overlapping strategies:

'just-in-time (JIT)' production and 'total quality control (TQC).' [from the jacket cover]

The Genesis of JIT/TQC [Pg. 3]

"With all of the recent journalistic attention given to Japanese industry, most of us know by now that Japan is small, crowded, and resource-poor. Nearly 125 million people inhabit the Japanese islands, whose land mass is about the same as Montana's. Montana is rich in natural resources, however, compared with few natural resources may keep explain Japanese resourcefulness. The Japanese make do with little and avoid waste. The modern Japanese system of factory management- the just-in-time approach, featuring hand-to-mouth management of materials, with total quality control-seems in character with their historical perchant to conserve. To the Japanese factory worker, JIT/TQC objectives seem reasonable, proper, and easy to accept, inasmuch as JIT/TQC attempts to control such costly sources of waste as:

• Idle inventories, which constitute waste of scarce material resources, and, indirectly, energy for basic material conversion and refining.
• Storage of idle inventories, which wastes limited space.
• Defective parts, subassemblies, and final products, which are a waste of materials/energy.

  

 [Toyota: My other love...I was a really weird kid] lol

Japan’s Manufacturing Techniques Taken from: http://asifjmir.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/japan%E2%80%99s-manufacturing-techniques/

Nations are built not with bricks and stones but with the capacity to create and apply knowledge. The result of knowledge creation and application in manufacturing and management practices is well demonstrated by Japan. Today we are witness to many industrialized economies that are strengthening their manufacturing activities simply by adopting these techniques.

The distinguishing characteristics associated with Japanese manufacturing techniques include an emphasis on designing and redesigning processes to optimize efficiency and a strong commitment to quality.

The manufacturing techniques that Japanese companies practice provide a competitive advantage and outstanding economic performance. The key for success is an understanding of the broad context of manufacturing culture, infrastructure and environment. These sound manufacturing and business techniques created and adopted by leading Japanese manufacturers have turned out to be the secret of their market leadership in many industries.

Following are a few of these concepts, which can help in managing any business set-up in a better way:

• Kaizen is one such technique, which in Japanese means ‘improve.’ This is commonly recognized as practices focusing on continuous improvement in manufacturing activities, business activities in general, and even life in general, depending on interpretation and usage. By improving standardized activities and processes, Kaizen helps in eliminating waste.
• Another management Japanese technique is the 5-S. It is a technique used to establish and maintain quality environment in an organization. It has five elements: Seiri (sorting out useful and frequently used materials and tools from unwanted and rarely used things); Seiton (keeping things in the right place systematically so that searching or movement time is minimized); Seiso (keeping everything around you clean and in a neat manner); Seiketsu (standardizing the above principles in everyday life) and Shitsuke (inculcating good habits and practicing them continuously). The 5-S practice helps everyone in the organization to live a better life.
• Kanban and ‘Just in Time’ are two other practices in inventory management practices that were pioneered by the Japanese automobile manufacturers, such as Toyota. Quality improvement, on the other hand, is the result of lower proportion of component scrap since the components spend less time in the supply chain.
• Poka-yoke is a process improvement focused on training of workers for mastering the increasingly complicated tasks to selectively redesign the tasks so they could be more easily and reliably mastered. It involves designing a foolproof process to eliminate the chance of errors.
• Jidoka is a practice by means of which an individual worker runs several machines simultaneously. Japan thus designs such machines that eliminate both error and the need for constant supervision.
• Muda is another technique that reduces wasteful activity in service processes. It ensures process efficiency and effectiveness.
• Mura curiously combines rigidity and flexibility and thus teaches service process improvement.
• Reducing Muri means reducing physical strain. In services process improvement, Muri applies to convoluted and unnecessary routings, physical transfer, and distances paper files may have to travel for a process to complete.
• Genchi Gembutsu means going to the actual scene (genchi) and confirming the actual scene (gembutsu). Observation of service processes at the point where it is actually delivered may unearth a host of problems such as lack of training, unnecessary steps, or a number of other areas that would benefit from small but significant process improvement ideas.

This is a glimpse of manufacturing techniques that Japan has so intellectually created and so profoundly practiced in its manufacturing systems that even with no natural resources, it has acquired the status of one of the most industrialized nations. Can we learn from Japan?

 Author: Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Lectures, Line of Sight

Idea Log 21122010

Lunar Eclipse + Winter Solstice—First in 372 Years:

I SAW it! I SAW it! I SAW it!! @0330-0415.. it was such a clear night sky!

 

Andrew Fazekas

for National Geographic News

Updated December 20, 1020, 2:55 p.m. ET

In 2010, for the first time since 1638, a total lunar eclipse falls on the winter solstice—a stargazing event almost anyone in North America will be able to see tonight, weather permitting.

Occurring at 6:38 p.m. ET Tuesday, the 2010 winter solstice marks the official beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The shortest day of the year boasts the year's longest shadows and fewest daylight hours.

It's all due to the Northern Hemisphere being tilted farther from the sun than at any other point during the year. As a result, the sun follows its lowest arc of the year across the sky. (Get more winter solstice facts.)

In the early morning hours of the winter solstice day, many sky-watchers will see the first shadings of a total lunar eclipse.

The entire lunar eclipse will be best seen from North America and western South America. In most of Europe and Africa, the moon will dip below the horizon in mid-eclipse.

"Lunar eclipses are special, in a way, as the observer that is always in the city or too busy to get away can see this from his or her own backyard."

That assumes, of course, that you're in the right place at the right time

 

Idea Log 20122010

My sentiments exactly.....

Trust me, I shouldn’t be a writer. I hate writing papers, I hate being forced to write about a particular topic with a deadline looming, and I can feel my brain strain like Nathaniel when I try to express how I feel. Which is why I keep quoting other people. So y’all who ask me for my opinions, I prefer to be as concise as possible.

But I would love to be an editor, judge people’s writing, and boss people around. Kidding.

taken from< http://signaturescarf.tumblr.com/>

This is the weirdest deja vu moment..^^ I didn't say those things but that is exactly what I tell my co-workers all the time. I am convinced that there is no original thought... everything we think about already exists.

Idea Log 19122010

All I want for Christmas is WISDOM and this Guggenheim Architectural Model:

Buy @ www.guggenheimstore.org for $45

  
Assembly encouraged! Create your own piece of architectural history. Inspired details and fine materials capture the character of our New York City landmark.

 The Guggenheim Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's (1867–1959) architectural masterpiece, is the inspiration for this playful snow globe.

Plastic globe and base. Boxed. 2 3/4” h x 3 5/8” l x 2 3/4” w

 

Idea Log 18122010

For You,

Mom and Dad

"Children Do Not Realize"

 Until we're grown,

we never know or fully realize

How sweet and kind

our parents are,

how gentle and how wise.

We simply take for granted

from day to passing day

Each sacrifice

they make for us

in their own loving way...

But then we grow

and finally learn,

the way that children do,

How much their love

has really meant,

how thoughtful

they've been, too...

And so this comes

with all the thanks

you both deserve,

and more -

For there aren't

two dearer parents

than the ones

this greeting's for!

Happy Anniversary

Love and Gratitude Always...

your Choris Neisha & Yesha

Happy Anniversary Mum and Papa!!! 18-Dec-2010

When marrying, ask yourself this question: Do you believe that you will be able to converse well with this person into your old age? Everything else in marriage is transitory.
Friedrich Nietzsche

Chicago's Architecture in the intro.!!... watching "In the good old Summertime" ... if it's not interesting enough I'm going to SLEEP!!

Idea Log 17122010

Chapter #7: Don't just find your bliss- do your bliss

Discovering a true vocation is a huge milestone on the way to making our lives what we want them to be. But it's only a first step.

Buying time to explore the implications and challenges of that vocation is also an important process. But it's only a second step.

The big question remains is this: Once we've found our vocation, what do we do with it?

 (Buffett, Peter. Life is what you make it. Pg. 127)

Idea Log 16122010

<Something to believe in> lyrics by Aqualung

You talk too much.
Maybe that's your way
Of breaking up the silence
That fills you up.
But it doesn't sound the same
When no one's really listening

We stumble into our lives:
Reach for a hand to hold.
And any wonder
We need to find
A certain something, certain.

Turn out the light
And what are you left with?
Open up my hands
And find out they're empty.
Press my face to the ground
I've gotta find a reason.
Just scratching around
For something to believe in:
Something to believe in.

You have too much.
You're spending all your time
Collecting and discovering
It's not enough.
And no matter how you try,
You never find the one you want.

We stumble into our lives:
Without a hand to hold.
And any wonder
We need to find
A certain something, certain.

Turn out the light
And what are you left with?
Open up my hands
And find out they're empty.
Press my face to the ground
I've gotta find a reason.
Still scratching around
For something to believe in:
Something to believe in.

Idea Log 15122010

Mr Belvedere goes to College < how is this as a response for the last post on 'Perfectionism/Perfectionists'!! You have to watch the movie! I want the script!!

"I wonder how that man ever grew to be 77 without someone killing him?"

"In the beautifully organized character which Clifton Webb makes of him, he is the absolute representation of the secret American dream—the completely self-made, self-cultivated and supremely self-confident man. Sure, it is howlingly funny when he quietly informs the college president that his "formal education has been limited to two revolting weeks in kindergarten" or when he answers a question as to what he can do with a frank and serene "everything!"

By BOSLEY CROWTHER, Published: April 16, 1949"

 

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0DE6D7153FE33BBC4E52DFB2668382659EDE

 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent. The screenplay written by Mary Loos, Mary C. McCall, Jr., and Richard Sale was based on characters created by Gwen Davenport. The film focuses on prickly genius Lynn Belvedere who enrolls in a major university, and is pursued by a journalism student looking for a story.

I love you, Mr. Belvedere! He is soooooooooooo funny! CHARMING indeed!

"Madam, will you stop creeping up on me" LOLz!

Idea Log 14122010

<PICTURE IT IMPERFECT by Elizabeth Bromstein for NOW magazine>

My friend is concerned that her daughter is a perfectionist. The kid stresses about everything she does and isn't happy until it's perfect. ("weird," I said. "She sure as hell didn't get it from you.")

It's great, of course, that people want to do a good job - but bad that they worry so much about it.

There's actually a debate about this sort of thing. Some psychologists distinguish between "adaptive" and "maladaptive" perfectionism., while others insist there's no such thing as a positive form of perfectionism. Striving for the unobtainable, they say, leads to a host of anxiety disorders and stands in the way of success.

And isn't this the season for unrealistic goal-setting? Holiday hype makes us all struggle to impress with parties and perfect-giftism.

So what is good good enough and better bad?

What the experts say...

"Learn what type of perfectionist you are. There are several types: detail-oriented, having high expectations, make mistakes, controlling. There may be places where perfectionism is problematic and places were it works. Being detail-oriented is a fabulous skill. In places where it works, leave it alone. In places where it's problematic. tone it down. Know when you're crossing the line between useful and problematic. If you're getting stressed, then it's too much. Step back, breathe, calm yourself. Then come back to what you were stressing over and ask yourself how perfect it has to be. Most perfectionists assume there's a right and a wrong way. Challenge this assumption. Thing's can't always be perfect." Monica Ramirez Basco, author, Never Good Enough.

"Generally, setting high standards isn't a problem. We define perfectionism as setting standards that are impossibly high and being overly invested in meeting those standards. People can end up devasted, depressed or anxious and may feel paralyzed in that work and unable to get things done. Negative perfectionism is associated with anxiety disorders like eating disorders and OCD. One strategy involves doing what is frightening. We encourage people to loosen up their standards; hang the towels crookedly, make mistakes. Even small things for perfectionists can be very frightening." Martin Antony, author, When Perfect isn't Good Enough

"Perfectionism is just an idea; it's not actually a reflection of reality. Even if it were possible, it's not usually up to us whether it happens. Mindfulness meditation is acceptance, being with whatever you experience in the moment without indulging in it or running away from it. Whatever you're experiencing - joy, anxiety stress, wanting things to be perfect - just be present with that feeling. Eventually, this will get you over your anxiety. The desired outcome is freedom from reactive emotions. If you just observe your anxiety, it will go away, but you have no control over when." Paul Baranowski, teacher, Toronto

"A perfection has to do it right the first time. Learning curves are for other people. What makes people successful is talent, energy, commitment outside of the perfectionism. Research shows that perfectionism makes you less successful, if anything. Kids can get overloaded and overcommitted. Let your kids know what you appreciate about them regardless of how well or poorly they do. There's a recovery process, but perfectionism can be overcome by having these conversations." Thomas Greenspon, author, What To Do When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough: The Real Deal On Perfectionism.

Ruthlessly seeking perfection is a sure way to fail (REALLY??! I disagree *SCOWL*)

[My take... perfectionism to me just means that I strive to be the best I can, try to create the best life I can for my self, expect the best from others and give others the best I have.

PICTURE IT,  I'm PERFECT q(^_^)p]

Idea Log 13122010

동방신기 ~ 사랑해요!

W [별] [별] [별][별] 별]  W

In 2008, 동방신기 [Dong Bang Shin Ki (Korea & Intl)/Tohoskinki (Japan)/TVXQ (China)] made it in the Guinness World Records for having the world's largest official fan club. Cassiopeia, the band's official fan club, is claimed of having more than 800,000 official members just in South Korea. Their Japanese fan club is called BigEast. 

Song: "W"

夜空(yo sora) に浮(u)かんだ 星(hoshi)が 文字(moji)を描(ega)き出(da)すのは
The letters that the stars created in the night sky

偶然(guuzen)じゃないと 今(ima)もまだ信(shin)じてるよ
I still believe that it is not just by chance

同(ona)じ闇(yami)の中(naka)で 同(ona)じ距離(kyori)のままで
In the same darkness, in the same distance

W＜ダブル＞を描(ega)き続(tsudu)けている
We are painting the <W><cassiopeia> in the same way

君に見(mi)つかるように もっと輝(kagaya)くから
We will shine more and more so that you can find us

keep in mind that I love you.

きっ とI wish..

いつか逢(a)えるから 瞳(mewo)を閉(to)じる度(tabi)君を想(omo)う you’re everything
Our paths will cross again, I am thinking about you every time I close my eyes, you’re everything

君が居(i)ることが 今(ima)もまだあたりまえなんだよ
It is still natural that you are by our side

た だ今(ima)は君が幸(shiawa)せであると願(nega)い
We can only wish that you are happy

僕(boku)らの階段(kaidan)をひとつひとつ登(nobo)っていくよ
We will climb our stairs one by one

僕 (boku)らはまだ僕らの未来(mirai)を想像(souzou)しながら　君を待(ma)ってるよ
We are still waiting for you, imagining our future

きっと I wish…

いつか逢(a)えるから 瞳(me)を閉(to)じる度(tabi)君を想(omo)う you’re everything
Our paths will cross again, I am thinking about you every time I close our my eyes, you’re everything

君が居(i)るこ とが 今(ima)もまだあたりまえなんだよ
Kimiga irukotoga imamo mada atarimae nandayo
It is still natural that you are by our side

いつか逢(a)えるまで　君の居場所(ibasho)は守(mamo)ってるよ
We will keep your place here, until the day we can meet again

君ともう一度(do)　笑(wa)えると信(shin)じてるから
We believe that we can laugh together with you once again

You’re my love Please hold on

時(toki)が流(naga)れ ても　どんな痛(ita)みが待(ma)っていても
Even when the days pass by, and that there may be pains

君はいつまでも　僕(boku)たちの 「プライド」なんだよ
You are always our “PRIDE”

夜空(yo sora)に浮かんだ　星(hoshi)に君が呟いたのは
The words that you murmured to the stars shining in the nightsky

さよならじゃないと　今もまだ信(shin)じてるよ
We still believe that it is not “Good bye”

同(ona) じ空(sora)の下(shita)で　同(ona)じ夢(yume)を描(ega)き
Under the same sky, dreaming the same dream

W＜ダブル＞を探(saga)し続(tsudu)けている
We are still searching for the <Cassiopeia>

同(ona)じ形(katachi)のまま　ずっと輝(kagaya)くから
We will always shine in the same shape

keep in mind that I love you.

逢(a)いたくて　逢(a)いたくて X 4
I want to see you, see you, see you

きっと

い つか逢(a)えるから 瞳(mewo)を閉(to)じる度(tabi)君を想(omo)う　you’re everything
Our paths will cross again, I am thinking about you every time I close my eyes, you’re everything

君 が居(i)ることが 今もまだあたりまえなんだよ
It is still natural that you are by our side

いつか逢(a)えるまで　君の居(i)場所(basho)は守(mamo)ってるよ
We will keep your place here, until the day we can meet again

君ともう一度(do) 笑(wa)えると信(shin)じているから
We believe that we can laugh together with you once again

Source: esayel @ YouTube
Translation: smiley @ OneTVXQ.com
Credits: OneTVXQ.com { One World. One Red Ocean. One TVXQ! }

 
This is my first bigeast dedication!

W [별] [별] [별][별] 별]  W

Idea Log 12122010

Johnny Weir on FaceTime with Jeanne Beker. This was the best interview from Jeanne Beker ever!! Well done! Until I can get the transcripts to this interview we will have to stick with this picture!! But this interview was amazing. Johnny Weir is *amazing*! The best 30mins I've spent today.

 <Dec.14.2010> The interview is up now!!! http://watch.ctv.ca/facetime-with-jeanne-beker/interviews/facetime-with-jeanne-beker-ep-101-johnny-weir/ 

Transcripts coming later....

 

Johnny Weir autobiography Welcome to My World to be released January 11

 

 

... watching "White Christmas" on AMC ... the last 15mins was the best!! ** Bing Crosby <3

Idea Log 11122010

The Honourable GEORGE W. VARI, P.C., C.M., O.L.H, Ph.D., H.LLD Passed away peacefully at home in Toronto, on December 9, 2010. Beloved husband of Helen (nee de Fabinyi), loving uncle of Agnes and Christopher Hilkene and Victoria and Jason De Luca. Cherished Gyuriba of Alexandra, Anna-Sophia and Isabella. Dear relative to Janos Timar, Dr. Judit Vizvari, the Fabinyi family in Hungary and the Sheely family in Washington, D.C. Born in Hungary in 1923, educated as a lawyer, economist and engineer, George immigrated to Canada in 1957 after the Hungarian revolution. His professional passion was construction and as a developer he built projects around the world, most notably the 58-story Tour Montparnasse in Paris, still the tallest building in Europe, 6 Pavilions and the Theatre for Expo '67 in Montreal and the Hotel Cosmos in Moscow. With his wife Helen, George created an outstanding record of philanthropic activity. 'The world can only be saved by education' was George's fundamental belief. Among countless charitable contributions, this passion for education and research led them to become patrons of great institutions such as: Vari Hall at York University, The George W. Vari Engineering and Computing Centre at Ryerson University, the Variscope Scholarships at Victoria University / OISE at the University of Toronto, the Vari Laboratory at Princess Margaret Hospital amongst many others. George's strong belief in civic responsibilities and Canadian values led him to establish the George Vari Award for Good Citizenship at Ryerson University and the French language bursary at the University of Waterloo Ontario. In 1993, George contributed to the artistic and cultural fabric of Rideau Hall through the donation of the sculpture 'Osmosis' symbolizing Canadian unity. His love of nature led him to create the Vari Undergraduate and Graduate Entrance Bursaries at the Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. In France, George and Helen were pivotal in the restoration of the cathedral of Les Invalides in Paris. Following the 2001 hurricane that destroyed large sections of the historic forests in and around Paris, George donated 3,000 Canadian sugar maples to create the Canadian Forest at the Chateau de Versailles and the Ontario Forest in the Bois de Boulogne. In 1992, George was appointed a lifetime member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. He received the Order of Canada, the Legion d'Honneur from France, and the Knight of Saint Gregory from the Vatican. He was awarded the commemorative medal celebrating Canada's 125th anniversary and was also a recipient of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal. He proudly accepted Honorary Doctorates from York and Ryerson Universities. The family remembers George as a proud Canadian and a tireless advocate and champion of education, but first and foremost, a warm, kind and caring uncle who enjoyed spending time with multiple generations of his family. George will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by his soul mate Helen, family and friends. All are invited to the Visitation Centre at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 375 Mount Pleasant Road (east gate entrance), Toronto, on Friday, December 17, 2010 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 354 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto. Interment and Reception will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery and Visitation Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations in George's memory can be made to the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation: http://www.tgwhf-uhn.ca/ Please visit www.etouch.ca for service details and condolences messages.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=george-w-vari&pid=147087611

<Just one of my odd habits - I like reading obituaries! I am glad I came across this one. May Mr. Vari's soul rest in peace and condolences to his family.>

Idea Log 10122010

Ok details... lets read this blog entry below (it's not me: but it might as well be me- my version follows this one in blue):

http://askastudent.utoronto.ca/?p=1716

First, a point of clarification: “no double majors were accepted” refers to student who wanted to simultaneously take both a double Major in Architectural Studies (Design) AND Architectural Studies (History/Theory/Criticism). You CAN pair a Major in Architectural Studies with any other Major imaginable in the Faculty of Arts & Science. In fact, you have to (see this post).
 
As for your discouragement about getting into an ARC Major, I graduated with a BA in Architectural Studies (Major with a concentration in Design). So, I’m really gonna try here…
 
I could give you a pep talk about turning that defeatist attitude around, buuut that’s not really my style. Plus, I’m not sure what good it’ll really do. Instead, I will give you a play-by-play of my affair with an ARC Major, which I think should shed some anecdotal light on your prospects.
 
1. at the end of my first year > in the first round of POSt enrollment > requested both ARC Majors >  didn’t get invited into either > tears > anger > Hello Art Histoy!
2. summer after first year > second round of POSt enrollment > requested both ARC Majors > got invited to History/Theory/Criticism > foot in the door!
3. end of second year > first round of POSt enrollment > requested ARC Major in Design > didn’t get the invite > denial > rage
4. summer after second year > second round of POSt enrollment > request ARC Major in Design > got invited > celebration > buy an entirely black wardrobe and thick-framed glasses
 
Despite getting a (baker’s) dozen rejections by the ARC Program, I was not behind on any courses when I eventually got into Design in third year. This is because the second year ARC courses are the same for either Major. So, entering Design at the 300-level was as if I was always there. I think that they finally let me in for a couple reasons. One, that I was persistent and/or obnoxious – thus demonstrating genuine commitment to ARC. Two, that enough time had elapsed for me to resurrect my dismal CGPA from the first-year massacre. Three, that I was able to demonstrate competency in the 200-level ARC courses.  
 
As you can see, my relationship with ARC began on a tumultuous path. It teased me for a bit, played hard-to-get, then finally realized that we were meant for each other.
 
But the honeymoon phase was short-lived. My tenure in Architecture was a cyclical abusive relationship characterized by: lack of sleep, shattered confidence, and gradually losing my fingertips in desperate attempts to cut plexiglass (all of this interspersed with the awesome realization that you get to draw and build things for credit!).   
 
I’m gonna go a step beyond your question now, and talk a bit about Art History, which – should you get into an ARC Major – you will quickly develop a deep affection for. This relationship will begin in the lusting phase, on account of FAH being pretty cool (you get to look at pictures all class). Then, the inevitable transition from courtship to a committed relationship will happen just after marks are posted on ROSI. This is when ARC studio courses are trying to demolish your GPA, while FAH courses are blissfully counterbalancing them. <I Agree>
 
Let’s be clear that only in the realm of Arts & Science would I condone such infidelity. While Art History is a sexy part-time lover, when you’re going steady with Architecture, it is not the only good option. I also did Environmental Studies (the way of the future, my friend). Urban studies and visual studies are popular, but I encourage you to consolidate ANYTHING with Architecture. All good design is interdisciplinary.  <I Agree: I took Urban, Social and Economic Geography> 
 
To all of you monogamistic purists out there, whose jaws are in perma-drop from my sexually-liberated metaphor, go take a Specialist. Of course you can’t in Architecture – they are far too corrupt.  
 
Ooo! Let’s push this metaphor too far… Taking a double ARC-ARC Major is an incestuous love triangle. And why on earth would you want that!?!

NOW: My Version, PLEASE!!!! (I cannot remember being this excited to talk about my escapades out and about the Department of Architecture, Landscape and Design -ALD; ok I lied - excitement was when I went into the department during my first year to pick up my ARC131 paper where I'd scored all As. Just imagine!)

hahahahhaha (ok, I can actually laugh about it now) My love affair went like this-

1. At the end of my first year in the first round of POS enrollment> requested ARC design Major> got invited> celebration> requested both ARC Majors >  didn’t get invited into either > tears > anger > Hello Art Histoy!
2. summer after first year > second round of POSt enrollment > requested both ARC Majors > got invited to History/Theory/Criticism > foot in the door!
3. end of second year > first round of POSt enrollment > requested ARC Major in Design > didn’t get the invite > denial > rage
4. summer after second year > second round of POSt enrollment > request ARC Major in Design > got invited > celebration > buy an entirely black wardrobe and thick-framed glasses.

excitement>second year >excitement> disillusionment> denial> acceptance> thirdyear> excitement> disillusionment> denial> acceptance> fourth year> Uncertainity> Unfair Grading>confrontation person#1>shock>rage> disbelief> confrontation person#2>MIA> confrontation person#2> Irritated> total Disbelief>total Disgust> an 'are you kidding me?' moment> dawn of a new realization> Signed up for extra semester- Goodbye ARC Major in Design/ request ARC Major in History, Theory and Design> accepted> RELIEF> Graduated HBA with concentration in Architectural Studies - History, Theory and Criticism in 2008> Conclusion- I must really love Architecture~ Fine Art History classes were 'Priceless', Studio classes were totally not worth my time and effort but all the TAs were AWESOME!>  Today- 10th December 2010 - Closure> My UofT experience was actually very rewarding minus the ALD administration and teaching staff  ("I" despise thee)

 91 applied for history and 8 got invited. 176 applied for design and 42 got invited.

Idea Log 09122010

I'd always considered it perfectly natural to be consumed with winning.  Take a deer, for example. Stags spend a lot of time and energy growing elaborate horns on their heads. These must be a complete pain in the neck, especially when walking under low-hanging branches, but stags put up with them so they can spar with other stags during rutting season. The winner of these antler-butting contests gets to mate with the best, if not all, the females. After the fight, you never see a sympathetic doe coming up to the losing stag, saying, "Never mind, it's the taking part that counts - I'll have sex with you." 'Evolution works on the principle of survival of the fittest, not survival of the 'tried hard but didn't quite make it'. If lady deer did start mating with second-place stags, the deer populance would become a bunch of excuse-making losers and soon to be eaten by the next hungry pack of wolves.

^^ Real Mag- Oct 2003 Issue - Actually this was taken off a RealHumor section and was part of a longer article titled 'It's only a game... unless you're a Bloke, that is. Jon Triggs explains why men just can't help being competitive. "It must have been a woman who first said, "It's not the winning. It's the taking part that counts."

< Lets face it.. for me.. I have yet to meet a sample group of men big enough to prove that theory; guys my age in Toronto, anyways. *But I am willing to accept that unicorns such as those described do exist.. in UK probably!! >

Idea Log 08122010

CHANGING TIMES: What made women happy in the 50s - and what do we expect today?

HOLIDAYS:

• THEN In 1953, Skegness was one of the most popular destinations and holiday camps were enjoying their heyday. A week at a camp in Skegness cost 11.50 (UK pounds).
• NOW We want luxury. A holiday on a Caribbean Island costs around 2000 (Uk pounds) for a fortnight.

TECHNOLOGY:

• THEN Most people couldn't afford a fridge or a washing machine, and thought themselves lucky to own a TV.
• NOW We expect to have the very latest technology in our homes - mobile phones, DVDs, access to the internet via laptop computers.

MARRIAGE:

• THEN For most women, getting married was their ultimate goal. The average age for a bride was 24, and a newlywed was expected to stay at home as a housewife and mother.
• NOW Women are putting a career first and delaying marriage. The average for a first-time bride is 32.

EMPLOYMENT:

• THEN Work was largely limited to secretarial and cleaning jobs. In some cases, women were barred from the workplace once they'd started a family.

• NOW Women can do almost any job if they have the qualifications. In the UK, almost 70% of work-age women have jobs outside the home.

SHOPPING:

• THEN Rationing was still in force for sugar, butter, cheese, margarine and meat. Lack of refrigeration meant women made daily trips to the shops.
• NOW Supermarkets are open 24 hrs a day, and online shopping enables groceries to be delivered to your door.

FOOD:

• THEN Spam fritters, bubble and squeak and semolina were normal evening meals.
• NOW Anything goes, from Thai green curry to sea bass with Mediterranean roasted vegetables, very often accompanied by a glass of wine.

<Taken from Real Magazine UK: 7-20 October 2003-- Part of a longer article titled:

HAVE YOU JOINED THE AAA Club? (That's Affluent but Anxious and Alienated)

subject:

"In an age when women are supposed to 'Have It All', why are so many of us unhappy and unsure about what we really want and how to achieve it?"

They're usually working women in their late 20s and 30s who have placed extremely high expectations on themselves. Yet dispite reaching the dizzying heights of career success, they feel unable to cope in all other areas of their lives>

 

 

 

Idea Log 07122010

  
On a Smarter Planet, answers are hidden in the data/ IBM

<text>

Here's a bold prediction: The biggest leaps forward in the next several decades - in business, science and society at large - will come from insights gleaned through perpetual, real-time analysis of data.

The new science of analytics must be core to every leader's thinking. Because while data is growing exponentially today in volume and complexity, time is not.

There are three keys to moving from "big data" to smarter data: organize your information, in all its diversity; understand its context; and manage its continual evolution, in real time.

Smarter data, delivered in real time via new computational models like stream computing, lets us make fact-based projections in a world where risk and opportunity are constantly in flux. So doctors in a Canadian hospital treating high-risk newborns can identify patterns within an array of psychological data to help detect life-threatening infections up to 24 hours sooner.

Through smarter data, we can make sense of information in all its forms - structured and unstructured, text and multimedia. That's how Netherlands Railways is able to weigh 56,000 variables (including the railroad's rolling stock, weather patterns, passenger demand) to assemble and schedule more than 5,000 passenger trains per day, improving operating effienciency by 6% and saving an estimated 20 million euros annually.

Lastly, through smarter data, we can also see how one piece of information relates to the things around it. Nearly useless by itself, a data point can now be put in context, and that context can be analyzed in real time. Spanish oil and gas company Repsp; uses predictive analytics to parse huge volumes of seismic data, boosting the success rate of its exploratory efforts.

As thousands of forward-thinking leaders today are discovering, their data's hidden meanings don't just make their companies smarter. They also increase the growth, transparency, sustainability and knowledge of entire industries, and of our whole planet. Which is turning bold prediction into a promising reality.

Let's build a Smarter Planet. Join us and see what others are doing at: ibm.com/smarterplanet/ca

<This advertisement was published in today's Globe & Mail/REPORT ON BUSINESS; I LOVE IT! Thank god we can still count on some people who are investing in some worthy print ads!> For a pdf downloadable version go to:  

http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/global/files/us__en_us__intelligence__Data_visualization_4_6.pdf

Idea Log 06122010

Let's Blame Mrs. Williams

taken from "GETTING THINGS DONE-David Allen  (Pg. 60-61)

If you're like most people in our culture, the only formal training you've ever had in planning and organizing proactively was in the fourth or fifth grade. And even if that wasn't the only education you've had in this area, it was probably the most emotionally intense (meaning it sank in the deepest).

Mrs. Williams, my fourth-grade teacher, had to teach us about organizing our thinking (it was in her lesson plans). We were going to learn to write reports. But in order to write a well-organized, successful report, we did have to write first? That's right- an outline!

Did you ever have to do that, create an outline to begin with? Did you ever stare at a Roman numeral I at the top of your page for a torturous period of time and decide that planning and organizing ahead of time were for people very different from you? Probably.

In the end, I did learn to write outlines. I just wrote the report first, then made up an outline from that report, after the fact.

That's what most people learned about planning from our educational system. And I see outlines done after the fact, just to please the authorities. In the business world, they're often headed "Goals" and "Objectives". But they still have very little to do with what people are doing or what they're inspired about. These documents are sitting in drawers and in e-mails somewhere, bearing little relationship to operational reality.

... suffering from writer's block!!! I need to finish writing this piece now! why can't I just type and edit it later?!?!?... darn you perfectionism+!

Idea Log 05122010

Jem, also called Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication. The show is about music company owner Jerrica Benton, her singer alter-ego Jem, her band the Holograms, and their adventures. Office-goer by day- rock star by night!

 

Plot

The central "secret" of the series is that Jem, lead singer and frontwoman of the rock group Jem and The Holograms, is in fact the alter ego of Jerrica Benton, owner/manager of Starlight Music. Jerrica adopts this persona with the help of a holographic computer, known as Synergy, which was built by Jerrica's father to be "the ultimate audio-visual entertainment synthesizer" and is bequeathed to Jerrica after his passing. Jerrica is then able to command Synergy to project "the Jem hologram" over herself by means of the remote micro projectors in her earrings, thus disguising her features and clothing and enabling her to assume the Jem persona. She does so to acquire money to support Starlight Music and the Starlight Foundation for Girls, a foster program founded by her late mother Jacqui Benton. The band The Holograms consists of: Kimber Benton, Jerrica's younger sister, keyboardist and main songwriter for the band; Aja Leith, guitarist; and Shana Elmsford, who plays the synth drums. Aja and Shana are also childhood friends and adopted foster sisters of Jerrica and Kimber. Shana briefly leaves the group to pursue a career in fashion, at which point a new character, Carmen "Raya" Alonso, is introduced as her replacement. When Shana returns, Raya remains the Holograms' drummer while Shana takes up the guitar. Only The Holograms are aware of Jem's secret identity and the existence of Synergy when the series begins.

<Welcome back nostalgia... high heels and those preppy clothes but what is up with the plastic hair!! Can't believe I used to want to dress like them! I used to watch Jem and the Holograms on Tv at 7:30 while my granny used to plait my hair.. I am such an 80s child.. although it was 91-92 when I used to watch it along with BBC's Asia Today with Daljit Daliwal. This is probably the show where I learnt the word 'misfits'>I love vintage!

http://www.jemandtheholograms.net/

Idea log 04122010

 
Change your FACEBOOK profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood and invite your friends to do the same. Until Monday (Dec 6th) there should be no human faces on facebook, but an invasion of memories. This is a campaign to stop violence against children!!!

 

 

Idea Log 03122010

Transit City: It’s too late to switch tracks

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/894115--transit-city-it-s-too-late-to-switch-tracks

Mayor-elect Rob Ford will soon discover, if he hasn’t already, that he’s caught in a dilemma of his own making. He campaigned on a promise to give taxpayers good value for their money and on a high-profile pledge to kill Toronto’s Transit City light rail plan. It is impossible to do both.

Attempting to switch tracks now, in favour of building new subways, would be so costly and disruptive that no responsible keeper of the city’s books would risk it.

About $130 million has already been spent on Transit City, including the cost of environmental assessments, planning and design work. Cancelling the light rail plan would be equivalent to throwing this money away. But even bigger losses loom — contracts worth about $1 billion have been signed, including a $770 million deal to buy the vehicles to run on Transit City’s tracks; a $54 million purchase of massive tunnel-boring machines, now being built, and $30 million for construction of a grade separation on the Sheppard light rail line, where work is already underway.

It’s not known what it would cost to back out of these agreements at such a late date. That would be up to lawyers to work out. What is certain is that companies signing these contracts did so in good faith and could expect considerable compensation for their efforts.

In fact, the City of Toronto would save nothing by cancelling the four Transit City lines scheduled for completion over the next decade. That’s because Toronto isn’t paying for them. Ottawa is contributing $330 million for the Sheppard line, about a third of its cost, while Queen’s Park covers the rest of the $8.15 billion bill for Sheppard, a Finch light rail line, an Eglinton crosstown route, and conversion of Scarborough’s aging rapid transit line to light rail.

That’s a pretty good deal for Toronto taxpayers. Yet Ford proposes to walk away from it. He wants Premier Dalton McGuinty to invest Ontario’s money, instead, in subways mainly serving the city’s east end. Presumably, Ford also expects the province to swallow the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars already spent. In reality, the city could hardly trigger such losses without paying a share of the penalty.

McGuinty would be most unwise to accept the changes Ford proposes, especially since Transit City isn’t envisioned as just a Toronto project. It is part of a regional plan developed by Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of coordinating transportation throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. It has taken years to bring that plan, including Transit City, to where it is today. Stopping now, at huge financial cost, in order to start over with subways would be the opposite of paying due respect to the taxpayer.

<As of now, I have two choices-- succumb to a heart attack or move out of this city.... because honestly, I cannot see my (once) love of my life self-destruct like this!!>

Idea Log 02122010

"It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary.

If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a GUCCI bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.

If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.

If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise."

GQ {Jokes} section

Idea Log 01122010

The Mental Disorder known as INFACTUATION

"As things progress during infactuation, our neurochemistry rewards us with a psychotic journey known as "infactuation". Fascination and infactuation both originate in the limbic area of the brain, the part that the houses rage, ecstasy, sadness, sexual arousal, and fight-or-flight.

In the book Love Sick: Love as a Mental Illness, Frank Tallis writes that if we take the symptoms of falling in love and "check them against diagonistic criteria for mental illness, we find that most 'lovers' qualify for diagnoses of obsessional illness, depression or manic depression." Other symptoms include insomnia, hyperactivity, and loss of appetite. Ah, ain't love grand? Northwestern University psychologist Eli Finkel describes how falling in love can "make otherwise normal people do very wild things. They'll stalk, hack into e-mail, eavesdrop and do other thing they'd never do in a rational frame of mind." Helen Fisher, an evolution anthropologist, explains that the elevated dopamine levels experienced during the rush of falling in love can drive us to take risks that might otherwise seem unthinkable. So love really does conquer all, and not always in a good way.

But wait. Hold on. Why would our brains throw us into a temporary insanity? What's the evolutionary purpose for this whacked-out loss of control? To understand why fascination grasps us so irresistibly, keep in mind the illogic of flirtation, and the lunacy of love.

Fascination, as we've seen, is a visceral and primal decision making process, one that's largely involuntary. Fisher says that our brains are literally "built to fall in love" because it's in out evolutionary best interest not to think clearly during the two year time period that it takes to meet, court, and produce a child, or else we might come to our senses and avoid the inconvenience of child rearing altogether. Tallis agrees, proposing the evolution has hardwired us for psychopathological romantic obsessions that last "just long enough to ensure the survival of genes from one generation to the next." Hogshead, pg. 6-7