Things happen when the Owl sleeps.
WORDS AND PHRASES TO KEEP YOU IN THE KNOW
- RADICAL EMPATHY: This is where some people, who are trying to understand and feel what life is like for the poor and under-privileged, go to live in a Barrio for a week, or go to to the desert in Sudan for a summer. That kind of tourism. Me? I would like to go live with the 1%ers for a long time. They have problems, too, you know. I’d like to feel what they feel. Maybe there is a niche tourism business here.
- VIRTUAL KNOWLEDGE: This is a term I virtually made-up. It should be self-explanatory as it dominates much of the thinking processes of the day. To me, the words suggest knowledge that is based on data which has been generated by algorithmic data alone and not by the mind. It has already gone viral.
- THE RIGHT TIME REFLEX: You might think this refers to your always being able to meet your friends in a bar or restaurant within 20 minutes of the appointed rendezvous-vous. Or, you may think this refers to your suspicion that you were born in the best possible age in history to witness your life and all that surrounds your personal being. But the real meaning here is: It refers to when a cat falling from a tree or some height can regulate itself mid-air and land on its feet.
- JELLYFISH BLOOMS: You have heard of Algae Blooms? Well, there are Jellyfish Blooms in parts of our oceans. Primordial soups of them. In some bays in the Far East, fishermen cannot plow through the waters for the thickness of the blooms. Apparently some types of Jellyfish thrive on the man-made pollutions which have sludged into the waters. I have not read if they are beautifully luminescent at night, or not. But there is hope: I have heard in Television ads about a pill that is good for your memory that has the same chemical in it that jellyfish have. That news ought to get the fishermen to scoop up a lot of jellyfish and help solve both our excess bloom and ever increasing memory problems. Have I said that already?
- ORBITAL DEBRIS aka THE KESSLER SYNDROME: This refers to the metal shards, which have chipped off of our various satellites and rockets and what-not space activities (and are floating around up there at speeds faster than Superman could fly) which are growing in number and cascading in our outer orbits – and capable of destroying everything in their pathways. I saw a picture (in the newspaper) of these chunks of debris…some smaller than a fingernail, some as large as a Dodge Ram – glistening all around, way up there in the wherever, and I wonder how we are going to pass through those jagged zingers when we need to get out of here. That could be bad news. But, on the other hand, no one from somewhere else is going to be able to get in here – without getting cut-up first.
UNCONTROLLED THOUGHTS
- Studies have shown watching TV for more than 3 1/2 hours can exacerbate memory loss – especially in older people. We are talking both verbal memory and remembering things they’ve seen. Worse, older people tend to watch ‘Soaps’ and they relate to the characters in the shows and that gives them added stress because the characters tend to go through difficult times themselves and all this causes stress which contributes to more memory loss (of the older people, not the actors, of course). Thank God I hate the soaps. At least I think I do. Soon we will all be guzzling jellyfish, or however you ingest them.
- Remember when humans could beat ‘Big Blue’ in chess? Well, we can still beat the computer in debate. This means: Humans can still get more humans to change their minds than the computer can. But our days are numbered. Apparently, the computer is developing charm – and charm is the great persuader, especially in human affairs.
- Here is the good news: Last year, more CEO’s of Stock Exchange listed companies were forced out of their offices for ethical lapses than for poor earnings performances. (Or, is that bad news?) More on CEOs: More than 1/3 of Fortune 600 Chief Execs are taller than 6 foot 3 inches. Apparently, the taller win out more than the shorter and the shorter die off earlier from jealousy and heart disease. I am not making this up. This comes from a British study (to give it credence) on 120,000 people – short and tall. Studies are sacred, as you know. Me? I’m not one of the taller – yet. But do ‘Lifts’ in your shoes count? I wonder. Have they done a study on Lifts?
Some thoughts from the past, brought to mind by the paragraph above:
- “Beware, as long as you live, of judging people by their appearances.” -Jean De La Fontaine, 1621-1695, Book 1,Fables
- “Appearance overpowers even the truth. -Simonides of CEOS, Greece c.566-465 B.C.
Until next time; “Excelsior!” (-Stan Lee’s favorite sign off)
