Monthly Archives: July 2011

Disastrous outcomes

Posted on July 31, 2011 by

“What we need, is a really big climate disaster where lots of white people die; that will make everyone Wake Up.” Hands up if you’ve heard people say that? Hands up if you yourself have said that, or at least … Continue reading →

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What the Vuca’s going on?

Posted on July 31, 2011 by

I thought I was up to date on my milacs (sorry, “military acronyms”) like SMEAC, OODA, BOHICA, but I had not heard of “VUCA“. VUCA is an acronym used to describe or reflect on the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity … Continue reading →

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How we deal with arguments (SMBC)

Posted on July 30, 2011 by

I adore Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. The world would be a better place if everyone put SMBC in its google reader, like what I have… Here’s a recent one on the gap between what we want/need to believe about ourselves … Continue reading →

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Howard Zinn was so cool…

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

These clippings from a book of brief interviews with folks like Chomsky, Zinn, Amira Haas etc called “Political Awakenings“…. I enlisted in the Air Force. I volunteered. I was an enthusiastic bombardier. To me it was very simple: it was … Continue reading →

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Making a parachute as you fall

Posted on July 28, 2011 by

I was at a truly terrifying conference the week before last (of which more later). And it occurred to happy-thoughts-me that our species is placing rather a lot of faith in its smarts/ability to roll with the punches. How much? … Continue reading →

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Michael J Fox on booze, control and expectations

Posted on July 27, 2011 by

I think this is pretty interesting… Before I continue with my own personal story, let me give you some idea of where I’m heading. It’s all about control. Control is illusory. No matter what university you go to, no matter … Continue reading →

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Splitting the bill harder than splitting the atom

Posted on July 26, 2011 by

We’ve all been there – big group at a restaurant, some having starters, some having booze… This cartoon is … bleak as…

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Tyrannical emotions…

Posted on July 25, 2011 by

Centre to uncover the essence of humanity Luke Slattery Weds June 1, 2011, The Australian The centre is structured around a roll-call of investigators from Australia, Europe and North America, one of whom is the University of Queensland’s Peter Holbrook, … Continue reading →

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Only following orders..

Posted on July 24, 2011 by

Peter Corris has been writing his hard-boiled “Cliff Hardy” novels for over 30 years now. There’s been some typical elasticity with Hardy’s age (heroes age more slowly than mere mortals!), but the series has legs… Here’s a clip from a … Continue reading →

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Trying to sleep on Murphy’s waterbed…

Posted on July 23, 2011 by

This is genius, IMHO. “It was observed by many participants that if you push a problem down in one place it will pop up in another, usually unpredictable, place, a phenomenon labeled by one participant as Murphy’s waterbed.” Walker, B., … Continue reading →

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