11/30/2013

Technology Dependence: A New Addiction

Now more than ever we are all addicted to technology. I'm not speaking from a position of judgment. I'm just as addicted as the next person. However, I'm not speaking in a simple informative voice either. Recently I was traveling and stopped at a convenience store to get some gas. The computer was down and the register wasn't functioning properly. I handed cash from my wallet to the cashier. The woman behind the counter couldn't make change for me. Without the cash register she couldn't figure out what amount of change to give me out of a dollar. I was in shock. Simple addition and subtraction was beyond her business skills. At some point early on she decided that she would never need to know how to do the basic algebra. That begs an obvious question. In the future what knowledge will we as a society decide is no longer needed. What things will we then miss?

Computers - Technology Addicts Crack!?
This is the most dangerous symptom of our collective technology addiction. It isn't restricted to the functions of a calculator. How often in one day do you check your cellphone for messages, send texts, or e-mails? I compulsively check my social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are my personal guilty pleasures. It seems a bit ironic to me that there are literally thousands of articles and blog posts across the internet warning us about the dangers of overusing technology. As of this writing a simple Google search for the term “technology addiction” revealed about one hundred and six thousand results.

Technology addiction has even been recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Among other things FEMA recognizes that technology trends have extended even beyond the expected avenues. For this they coined the phrase “The Internet of Things”. An interesting paper called “Technological Development and Dependency Long-term Trends and Drivers and Their Implications for Emergency Management” was published by FEMA under the Strategic Foresight Initiative, “A future of opportunities and risks will arise as people can remotely control, locate, and monitor everyday things – “The Internet of Things.” “The Internet of Things” refers to the general idea of things, especially everyday objects, which are readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable, and/or controllable via the internet. These everyday objects include not only electronic devices and the products of higher technological development such as vehicles and high-tech equipment, but things that many people do not ordinarily think of as electronic at all—such as food, clothing, and shelter; materials, parts, and subassemblies; commodities and luxury items; landmarks, boundaries, and monuments; and all the miscellany of commerce and culture. There are several rapidly developing technologies that are enabling the Internet of Things including sensor networks, positioning technologies, and biometrics.”

Technology will eventually be even more around us and involved in every aspect of our lives. Whether or not you consider that invasive or not isn't important. We have to be sure that we can function with autonomy when any aspect of our lives is interrupted by the inevitable hiccup/malfunction of technology. Use technology to make lengthy and common tasks shorter and more convenient. Don't use technology to replace your knowledge. Don't be the cashier lost in ignorance and far too dependent.

11/28/2013

What Does The Turkey Say? Quotes About Thanksgiving

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.” - Marcus Aurelius, in Meditations

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” - A.A. Milne in Winnie-the-Pooh

“Gratitude goes beyond the 'mine' and 'thine' and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen

"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." - John Milton

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” - Cicero

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." - Aesop

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” - Epictetus

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” - Albert Einstein

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving From Us! Oh, and Jimmy Fallon ...


11/27/2013

The Sultan And The Vizier - A Moral Tale

The following is a parable passed on by both Chess enthusiasts and Mathematicians. I took some artistic liberty with the original but the basic moral of the story is intact.

In ancient India there was peace across the whole land and as a result the royalty became restless. The Sultan in a fit of frustration commanded his court to bring him all the entertainments in the kingdom. They could not refuse any request he made but they had exhausted the common diversions. The oldest and wisest of the Brahmin Viziers was consulted. What could they do?

The wise old man was annoyed by the sultan's request but consented to show him a new game played on a sixty-four square board. That game was the oldest predecessor of chess called Shatranj. The Vizier taught the members of the court how to play the game and they immediately brought it to the Sultan. The Sultan learned to play and beat all the members of his court quite easily. You see, the members of the court were afraid that if they beat the Sultan they would lose their lives from his anger.

The Sultan puffed up by his numerous victories declared that if any man in all of India could beat him he would give the winner anything they desired. The wise old Vizier had had enough and immediately accepted the Sultan's impulsive challenge. The Vizier took his time to win the game as he enjoyed the pained demeanor of the foolish Sultan. Eventually, the Vizier won the game. The Sultan with a gracious nod tried to hide his anger and asked the Vizier what he wanted for his reward.

“I want only enough grains of rice to fill the board we played the game on.” replied the Vizier.

“You must be joking, do you mock my wealth?” the Sultan shot back.

“No, great Sultan. I simply ask for one grain of rice in the first square on the board today, and then double that number every day thereafter until all the squares are filled. Two grains in the second square tomorrow, four grains in the third square on the next day, and so on.” replied the Vizier humbly.

“This is nothing to me!” said the Sultan confidently and granted the Vizier's wish.

By the sixth day the Vizier accepted his meager reward of one hundred and twenty-eight grains of rice. The Sultan could not resist his pride and made fun of the Vizier.

“You were wise to win the contest but this meager reward was a foolish request!” the Sultan would say among other similar remarks.

“Dear Sultan,” replied the Vizier, “Before you get to the last square on the board the whole of the kingdom will run short of rice and you will not be able to pay me my reward.”

The Sultan at first did not believe the Vizier and demanded that the amount of rice due to the Vizier be counted. It was found that to double the amount of rice until all sixty-four squares were filled would result in 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains of rice! Far more than all the rice available in India or even in the world! There was no way to repay the debt and the Sultan fell to his knees in despair beginning to weep at his foolishness. The Vizier could see that the Sultan was humbled by the lesson and forgave the debt. From that day the Sultan ruled more wisely and always remembered what his pride had cost him.

11/26/2013

The Underbelly Of The Internet And ... Philosoraptor?!?

“Meme” is a word that you hear all over the internet these days. It comes from the Greek words Mimos, Mimema, and Mimeisthai which all have to do with imitation or mime. Wikipedia says that the term meme, “ was coined by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene ... as a concept for discussion of evolutionary principles in explaining the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. Examples of memes given in the book included melodies, catch-phrases, fashion, and the technology of building arches.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme)

The term as it relates to the internet carries a similar meaning. Memes are essentially images that carry a significance in popular culture. For this article let me talk about one of my favorite memes, Philosoraptor. The image associated with Philosoraptor is a thoughtful looking bust of a Velociraptor with words appearing above and below him. The words above his head are of a logical “what if” styled statement and the words below him are usually a drawn conclusion in the form of a question. Some examples are: What is Pinocchio said … “My nose will now grow”? If kids refuse to go to sleep at nap time … are they resisting a rest? If actions are stronger than words … why is the pen mightier than the sword?

He was created and gained popularity some time in 2007-2008 and according to KnowYourMeme (http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/philosoraptor), the compendium of meme research, the image associated with him first appeared on a T-shirt produced by a company called Lonely Dinosaur T-shirts. Like all memes he can be found today all over sharing sites like 4chan (http://4chan.org), Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/), etc. I would warn you, however, that these sites are notorious for being the closest thing to the seedy underbelly of the internet. They are praise-worthy for being mediums of exchange that can distribute information very quickly but what people do with the information can many times be harmful or even incomprehensible.


Now, back to Philosoraptor. He is still incredibly viral outside of those online communities as an image search will quickly tell you. I like the meme because it is thought provoking and comical at the same time. I don't think these examples will provoke a belly laugh but they are nice for a quick chuckle. As with everything that is freely floating to be shared around the internet there are versions of Philosoraptor that are, let's say, no very philosophical and more adult oriented. These produce a heartier laugh from those who, like myself, enjoy that sort of tongue-in-cheek childishness but certainly aren't going to be “work computer friendly”. However, I will say that these irreverent versions of Philosoraptor are not representative of what he is at his core. A thinking individual with a healthy sarcasm and wit to point out the inconsistency in certain assumptions and conventions that we make in modern society. The statement he makes is this: “Philosophy, so easy a velociraptor can do it”.

11/25/2013

Calligraphy: What It Is And Where It Is Going

Calligraphy is the art of writing beautifully. The word “calligraphy” comes from a blending of the Ancient Greek words Kallos "beauty" and Graphe "writing". The book “Calligraphy: From Calligraphy to Abstract Painting” written by Claude Mediaville (ISBN #9080332518) defines calligraphy as "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner".

Arguably the oldest form of calligraphy is East Asian which is somewhere around five thousand years old. Calligraphy is called Shufa in China, Shodo in Japan, Seoye in Korea, and Thu Phap in Vietnam. There are a few other notable forms of calligraphy in history. Namely, Kufic for Arabic scripts, Asoka in Ancient India, and of course Medieval Latin scripts in Europe.

Calligraphy styles from all parts of the world began their practice as very block-like and then eventually became flowing scripts with connecting letters. The exception worth mentioning here is again those styles from East Asia. The alphabets in those countries are not constructed of letters. Each character is a separate word. For example, there is an estimated Forty-eight thousand plus characters in Chinese. The average speaker only really uses four thousand to six thousand characters but that's still a huge number compared to our words which are made up of only twenty-six characters. It is no wonder then that a little variation in the way a character is written is more acceptable in these languages. In Europe, for instance, it was frowned on to differ from the conventional alphabets used. Any blot in ink on paper is a transgression. The prevailing Asian view is quite different and much more artistic. An ink spot or run here or there, a slight variation in letter sizes, or any similar “mistake” is considered to be part of the process of artistic expression.

The demand for well done calligraphy is very low in modern times. Now, with just a few clicks in any computer and common word processor we can create a wide variety of “unique” text art. Unique enough to stand out to any average reader anyway.

Don't misunderstand. The lack of widespread interest in the arts of traditional calligraphy has led to a very interesting and unexpected result. Calligraphers of quality are now fewer in number but are now individually in demand. Worldwide there is a greater appreciation for their work as well. Calligraphy in its origin was the tool of professionals to grab attention and inspire envy but now it is appreciated for what it truly is, a beautiful and skillful art.

There are still masters in these arts who practice today. People who have had the methods passed down to them from teachers who had the art passed to them and so on. I personally find the art of calligraphy to be an extremely relaxing and therapeutic exercise. A mind calming practice that takes concentration and care. I think Edmund Burke said it best, “People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors.”

11/24/2013

Segal, Segall, Or Seagall: Too Many Choices


Today I was inspired by a post on Pinterest. On an image from that site was the following quote:

"A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure."

Too Many Choices ...
The quote wasn't attributed to anyone so I spent a few minutes doing a Google search. I have been doing research for articles for several years now. This quote was actually very hard to find from a common source. Wikipedia had a stub and that was all there was to find. However, I lucked out and found an underutilized website that I found incredibly interesting. The phrase has an entry in an online etymological dictionary. In modern English that's a history book for uncommon phrases. So, thanks to Barry Popik for this information http://www.barrypopik.com/

The entry by Mr. Popik calls the quote “Segal's Law”. It is credited as a quote by Lee Segall of Dallas, Texas in 1961. Somewhere along the way from 1961 to the time the term Segal's Law was coined the name had lost it's second “L”. Not to be confused with actor Steven Seagal's law, which is apparently to kick butt and deliver deadpan lines in his movies. That joke didn't offend anyone and it was pretty cheap anyway.

Anyway, back to the quotation. What does it mean? There is a big danger in having too many choices. I'll give you some examples. If you go shopping for a computer and the store has only one model you have one choice. Do you buy it or not? If you go shopping for a computer and the store has twenty different computers then the choices make the decision so much more difficult. Do I get the larger screen? The one with higher memory? Get it in black or red? It takes a lot more time and more concentration.

If you have the time for the choice that's nice but what about the situation where too many choices comes at a high cost? For example, if you practice martial arts and you know seven different ways to defend against a standard punch what happens when you have to defend yourself? From the time the fist is in the air to the time you end up with a broken nose do you have the time for all those choices? No you don't.

Let's talk about it economically. The stock market has been portrayed as a cutthroat environment on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. When your stock prices are changing every second you don't have time for indecision. It's more than just whether or not to buy, hold, or sell. You have to look at the stock's history, its portfolio. All that information that can be used to make the decision takes time to analyze. The second or two that you had to make the choice is long gone if you're not prepared.

Having a little knowledge makes you educated and fights ignorance. Knowing too much can be more dangerous than ignorance at least in terms of making decisions. In the age of the internet there is so much information floating around and freely available that the temptation to learn it all is too great. There is no excuse for ignorance but what is the excuse for being an indecisive know-it-all? Food for thought.

"A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure."

Audiobooks: Preferred Media For Fiction?

I have a passion for fiction in all forms of media. In decades now passed it was popular for someone that loved fictional stories to read A LOT! Well, I can't do that for an extended period of time. I just don't have the patience for your average work of fiction. It is a testament to my lack of literary refinement that as a boy I was in love with the Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine. Those books are criticized for being overly formulaic and “too easy” to make it through. On the other hand that's kind of the point of that series. Produced quickly so that they are read quickly and you are ready to buy the next one when it came out. That's the subject of a different article so I digress.

I did manage to make it through several of the works of Shakespeare and Poe. Perhaps that keeps some of my academic pride intact. At any rate as an adult I tend to avoid reading fiction. I can read pages upon pages of non-fiction so it isn't a case of laziness. I love watching television and movies so maybe that is a contributing factor. After all a popular fictional book written in modern society is made into a movie fairly quickly. In some cases the movies are made without thought as to whether the book would make a good movie … and it still sells.

Anyway, I have discovered the platform that allows me to enjoy fictional works and I wanted to share it with you. Audiobooks! When I first discovered audiobooks they were in medium sized cases stored on cassettes. There was no way I was lugging those plastic cases around. Now, in the age of portability, I can download an audiobook onto my mp3 player and slip it in my pocket. That's perfect for me! I can do some serious multi-tasking with audiobooks. In fact, at this moment I'm listening to an audiobook of one of Jim Butcher's books from the Codex Alera series. As I write I'm becoming more and more engrossed in Jim's fictional universe. Don't worry, I take out the earbuds when it's time to proofread.

Before I re-discovered audiobooks I tried using an e-book reader. Really, I tried. I wanted it to work for me because my inner technophile wanted it to be a happy marriage. I love the technology but it just wasn't meant to be. I have a few friends who swear that their e-book readers are the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel. It feels no different to me than reading a book except that I tended to strain my eyes even more than I do reading books.

There are a few drawbacks to using audiobooks. If you play them out loud the noise of the rest of the world may force you to play the audio a bit louder than seems appropriate. If you play them using headphones you may feel the urge to wear the “grunge” style clothes of the '90s. That was sarcastic of course, but seriously, if you wear the headphones and sit somewhere people assume you aren't busy because your hands are empty and will talk to you or expect your assistance. I haven't yet solved that particular problem.

11/23/2013

Yoga Or Pilates?

Yoga and Pilates have both become a staple in modern fitness practices. Nearly every commercial workout program has been influenced by these classic approaches to health. In fact, yoga and Pilates are compatible practices that you will often find combined in the same classes or at least taught by the same instructors. But common questions still remain: What is the difference between yoga and Pilates? Which is better for me?

Yoga is an eclectic blend of ancient physical, mental, and spiritual practices that originated in India. In the strictest sense yoga is not one thing but is a mixture of several things. The result is a great variety of teachings with no less than six recognized major styles. These differing approaches to the practice of yoga make it difficult to know what to expect from an individual instructor. For example, some schools give heavy emphasis to the spiritual aspects of yoga while others present almost no traces of spiritual practice and instead focus on the physical movement.

Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. Joseph was a German immigrant to the United States who ran a performing arts school and rehabilitation center with his wife Clara in New York. Pilates actually called his method “Contrology”. He based his practices on sports science and the idea that a strong core radiates outward to make a stronger whole body. It was not long before his ideas and methods spread to those outside of the performing arts and everybody was doing what eventually became known as “Pilates”.

Which one is the best? What are your goals? If your goal is to change your state of mind and to work your body to attain success toward inner peace then yoga is probably best for you. If your goal is to change your body at the core so that it radiates outward and results in a changed way of thinking then Pilates may be your exercise of choice. Do whichever one is most convenient, appropriate, and is the best fit into your lifestyle but do so with an appreciation and a little better understanding of both.

11/22/2013

5 Board Games To Try This Winter


Ready or not winter is upon us. The hobbies and sports of summer months are long gone. For some people that can mean restlessness or even depression. To chase away the feeling of “blah” this winter I have been dusting off some old classic board games out of my closet. Here is a list of my five top strategy board game picks in no particular order:


1. Chess – I have always had a love for this game. There is a reason it is called “the game of kings”. Medieval kings would learn to play chess to teach themselves critical thinking skills. Several schools around the United States and internationally have implemented and funded chess programs for their students for the same reason. Chess can be a humbling experience and from it I learned sportsmanship and the value of defeat. Now, as an adult many years after learning the basic rules I think everyone can have fun and learn something from chess.

2. Checkers (also called Draughts) – I started playing checkers around the same time in my childhood as chess. Why? Because it was far easier to convince other people to play checkers. Apparently, it is less intimidating to play a game with 24 pieces that move exactly the same than to play a game with 32 pieces that move half a dozen different ways. Check out this quote from researchers at the University of Alberta in 2007, “The game of checkers has roughly 500 billion billion possible positions. The task of solving the game, determining the final result in a game with no mistakes made by either player, is daunting. Since 1989, almost continuously, dozens of computers have been working on solving checkers, applying state-of-the-art artificial intelligence techniques to the proving process. … checkers is now solved: Perfect play by both sides leads to a draw.” The possible positions in checkers are five times ten to the twentieth power. It may seem a little more intimidating now that you know the math but trust me it's FUN!

3. Backgammon – Backgammon uses dice. Is it a game of chance or a game of skill? Backgammon is perhaps the only game to have been proven as a game of skill in a United States court. Oregon vs. Barr is a 1982 court case where Alex Barr was accused of promoting gambling by promoting Backgammon. The expert witness for Barr, professional Backgammon player Paul Magriel, said it best: “"Game theory, however, really applies to games with imperfect knowledge, where something is concealed, such as poker. Backgammon is not such a game. Everything is in front of you. The person who uses that information in the most effective manner will win."

4. Go – Go is a Chinese game that is somewhere around 2500 years old. The name of the game in Chinese means roughly “the encircling game”. The game has seen some popularity outside of Asia due to the prominence of the Japanese Anime “Hikaru No Go” about a young boy who is on his way to being a professional Go player. However, the game remains an Asian dominated mind sport. As a result, you will likely not find a Go set at the corner store. However, the game can be played with a checkerboard and some tokens (called “stones” in the game), so suitable replacements are fairly easy to find.

5. Shogi – Sometimes called “Japanese Chess”. I discovered this game when I was experiencing severe burnout with chess several years ago. A friend asked me to play a different game with him and since then I have been hooked. This is probably the most difficult game on this list for one reason. The pieces you play with are all on similar tiles. The only way to tell some of them apart is the different Japanese characters written on the tiles. If you can't read Japanese your brain can get really twisted and confused by this game. A form of culture shock rarely explored.

Well, those are my personal recommendations. What games are in your closet to be dusted off this winter? Get some friends together and make magic happen.