Saturday, March 30, 2013

Intellect - Apathy? Numb? Outrage?

It amazes me that students aren't staging sit-ins and protesting..... there seems to be a lack of passion in the country. Maybe everyone is just sick and tired...so frustrated or numb from all the scandals, corruption, and waste? Where is the Outrage?

Is this really the country we've become?

1. If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

2. If you have to get your parents permission to go on a field trip or take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

3. If you have to show identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor, or check out a library book, but not to vote, … you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

4. If the government wants to ban stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines with more than ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to the crazy new leaders in Egypt, you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

5. If, in our largest city, you can buy "two" 16-ounce sodas, but not a 24-ounce soda because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

6. If an 80-year-old woman and 3 yr old child can be stripped searched by the TSA, but a woman in a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

7. If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

8. If a seven year old boy can be thrown out of school for saying his teacher is cute, but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable, … you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

9. If children are forcibly removed from parents who discipline them with spankings while children of addicts are left in filth and drug infested homes…, you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

10. If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government intrusion, while not working is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid, subsidized housing, and free cell phones,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

11. If you pay your mortgage faithfully, denying yourself the newest big screen TV while your neighbor buys iPhones, TVs and new cars, and the government forgives his debt when he defaults on his mortgage,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

12. If being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you more safe according to the government,… you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Intellect - Words of Wisdom from the CEO of Go Daddy


The CEO of Go Daddy Shares His 16 Rules For Success In Business & In Life

Bob Parsons, the CEO of Web Hosting & Domain name registration company “GoDaddy“, shares his 16 Rules for Success in Business & in Life.
 Bob Parsons 16 Rules Of Success In Life & In Business

1.

 Get and stay out of your comfort zone.

I believe that not much happens of any significance when we’re in our comfort zone. I hear people say, “But I’m concerned about security.” My response to that is simple: “Security is for cadavers.”

2.

 Never give up.

Almost nothing works the first time it’s attempted. Just because what you’re doing does not seem to be working, doesn’t mean it won’t work. It just means that it might not work the way you’re doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn’t have an opportunity.

3.

 When you’re ready to quit, you’re closer than you think.

There’s an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”

4.

 With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.

Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of “undefined consequences.” My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, “Well, Robert, if it doesn’t work, they can’t eat you.”

5.

 Focus on what you want to have happen.

Remember that old saying, “As you think, so shall you be.”

6.

 Take things a day at a time.

No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don’t look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7.

 Always be moving forward.

Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8.

 Be quick to decide.

Remember what General George S. Patton said: “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”

9.

 Measure everything of significance.

I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10.

 Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.

If you want to uncover problems you don’t know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven’t examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11.

 Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you’re doing.

When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12.

 Never let anybody push you around.

In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you’re doing as anyone else, provided that what you’re doing is legal.

13.

 Never expect life to be fair.

Life isn’t fair. You make your own breaks. You’ll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14.

 Solve your own problems.

You’ll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you’ll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: “You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others.” There’s also an old saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: “A wise man keeps his own counsel.”

15.

 Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16.

 There’s always a reason to smile.

Find it. After all, you’re really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time!”

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Intellect - Newspapers in America - A dying media?

After a 50+ year subscription, I canceled the Miami Herald!

I took over the subscription from my parents when they retired and moved away 18 years ago.

It was not an easy decision. It was a family tradition. A morning ritual almost my entire life.

Some mornings while I was waking up, I would visualize what the front page looked like.

Although I miss the morning ritual, It was frustrating because it seemed like the paper had been gutted of local news.

It seemed like most of the reports were from out-of-town wire services. More and more, I was getting my local news from other sources.

The value of a local news paper is local news, and the Herald "local" section seemed to shrink over the years? Local issues, politics, and had great investigative reports of corruption and scandals is what sells papers.... 

Maybe it was budget cutbacks? Maybe it was editorial preference? 

Whatever the reasons, the Herald is no longer a "great" American newspaper....it's not even a good paper.

So I canceled a few years ago.....and started checking in on-line occasionally to see the local headlines.......

It was annoying to be forced to look at advertisements on the web version of the Herald.....but I understood that the paper has to make money somehow...... so pop-ups and dancing toilet paper pays the bills.

But all things must eventually end.....so the Herald decided that the on-line version should be a fee based subscription service? I guess the ad revenue wasn't enough, so they decided to charge users......the final nail in the coffin in my relationship with the Herald.

This is a disastrous policy.....on-line viewing will drop.....and advertisers will eventually leave when they realize how many on-line readers have left.



Sunday, March 17, 2013

Spiritual - Senior Citizens in Florida?

A Florida senior citizen drove his brand new Corvette convertible out of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he pushed it to 80 mph, enjoying the wind blowing through what little hair he had left. "Amazing," he thought as he flew down I-95, pushing the pedal even more.

Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a Florida State Trooper, blue lights flashing and siren blaring. He floored it to 100 mph, then 110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, "What am I doing? I'm too old for this!" and pulled over to await the trooper's arrival.

Pulling in behind him, the trooper got out of his vehicle and walked up to the Corvette. He looked at his watch, then said, "Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes and today is Friday. If you can give me a new reason for speeding--a reason I've never before heard -- I'll let you go."

The old gentleman paused then said: "Three years ago, my wife ran off with a Florida State Trooper. I thought maybe you were bringing her back.

"Have a good day, Sir," replied the trooper.