I got to hold Duncan Free's Gold Medal this morning. While it seemed pretty cool at the time, upon reflection the medal is a very humble gesture to acknowledge the supreme workload that has gone into being the fastest mens pair at the Beijing Olympics.
Duncan used quotes like: "Make pain your friend" which again don't do the effort justice.
I can only begin to imagine the many nights lying in bed being totally exhausted thinking: why am I doing this? Or is it all worth it? Or suffering a knock-back and needing to get back into it the next day. Obviously this is the strength of the human condition of these fine rowers.
And to think that after so many years, it took only six and half minutes to reach that goal. Incredible. I hope he can do it all again in London.
Wolfram Alpha
It is very interesting. I'm researching this at the moment for a presentation I want to do at work before I go - a parting gift if you like!
I watched a webcast on Web3.0 the other night by the guy that originally invented the internet.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/tim_berners_lee_on_the_next_web.html
The guy, Tim Berners-Lee is not a particularly good speaker however in my view he's a pretty incredible person to have invented the internet! No piece of technology has had so much of an affect on our lives in the last 50 - 100 years. He makes it sound so simple.
Other sites of interest (maybe only interesting to geeks like myself...)
He was presenting at TED how web2.0 is/was all about bringing people together (Facebook, MySpace etc). His view/prediction is that Web3.0 is all about bringing data together. That is making Data available for all to share and interpret. Obviously there are copyright issues, but its not to say that some data would be valuable to others and not create privacy issues. This Wolfram site begins to set up systems that might be able to make sense of all this data. I personally don't have a use for Wolfram at the moment so its irrelevant however I like toys so will be keeping an eye on it as it evolves. It is cool, that's for sure.
I watched a webcast on Web3.0 the other night by the guy that originally invented the internet.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/
The guy, Tim Berners-Lee is not a particularly good speaker however in my view he's a pretty incredible person to have invented the internet! No piece of technology has had so much of an affect on our lives in the last 50 - 100 years. He makes it sound so simple.
Other sites of interest (maybe only interesting to geeks like myself...)
http://anthillonline.com/the-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
He was presenting at TED how web2.0 is/was all about bringing people together (Facebook, MySpace etc). His view/prediction is that Web3.0 is all about bringing data together. That is making Data available for all to share and interpret. Obviously there are copyright issues, but its not to say that some data would be valuable to others and not create privacy issues. This Wolfram site begins to set up systems that might be able to make sense of all this data. I personally don't have a use for Wolfram at the moment so its irrelevant however I like toys so will be keeping an eye on it as it evolves. It is cool, that's for sure.
The Grey-Haired effect
I was pondering this morning about the power of grey hair. I use the term grey hair to reference experienced businessmen / businesswomen who probably have been around for a while and perhaps have grey hair. The colour of their hair is actually not important because further thought brings me to thought that many probably no longer have hair at all.
Anyway, I was thinking about credibility and respect gained by being older and potentially having more experience to give advice. I was contemplating new, young graduates who take positions in powerful consulting roles, whether they be law or management consulting and what confidence they give the company or person they are advising.
From the viewpoint of neuro-marketing (Buyology and other books) there are two situations:
The young person
- Conveys youthful energy
- New perspectives
- High risk, high return
- Bright upstart
The grey hair
- Conveys experience
- Wise-owl image
- Conservatism
- Contacts and Networks
- Track record
So, when a large corporation engages a firm to provide advice, what are they expecting and what is seen as value for money? I propose a balance of both. Considering I don't have any experience with these firms, I assume this is the case. The grey-hair factor is critical while this balanced with energy gives great value for money to the client.
Anyway, I was thinking about credibility and respect gained by being older and potentially having more experience to give advice. I was contemplating new, young graduates who take positions in powerful consulting roles, whether they be law or management consulting and what confidence they give the company or person they are advising.
From the viewpoint of neuro-marketing (Buyology and other books) there are two situations:
The young person
- Conveys youthful energy
- New perspectives
- High risk, high return
- Bright upstart
The grey hair
- Conveys experience
- Wise-owl image
- Conservatism
- Contacts and Networks
- Track record
So, when a large corporation engages a firm to provide advice, what are they expecting and what is seen as value for money? I propose a balance of both. Considering I don't have any experience with these firms, I assume this is the case. The grey-hair factor is critical while this balanced with energy gives great value for money to the client.
Ideas
I believe opportunities are arising to utilise the current tight financial situation to educate consumers and to change the culture of owning assets.
For example, websites such as rentroid.com.au are leading the way in ways to utilise current assets to generate cashflow. During the recent years of economic prosperity we have all acquired many unnecessary assets. Why not use them now to generate income?
I will be looking at how people who have purchased real estate and are now finding themselves financially stretched, could generate income from their assets. Similarly, those who own cars may be able share to generate income.
For example, websites such as rentroid.com.au are leading the way in ways to utilise current assets to generate cashflow. During the recent years of economic prosperity we have all acquired many unnecessary assets. Why not use them now to generate income?
I will be looking at how people who have purchased real estate and are now finding themselves financially stretched, could generate income from their assets. Similarly, those who own cars may be able share to generate income.
The US Economy
Tonight, on SBS, I watched a report on the US Economy and the history of policy decisions to this point. From the Reagan years through to the hope of the Obama days today. I am totally bewildered at the amount of money involved and astonished at the current rhetoric and culture of poor fiscal discipline and the huge greed of Americans and their parliamentarians. Still a culture of 'spend now, borrow now (but not off the citizens via Tax but in liabilities to other governments, namely China), deal with later' is standard. Starve the Bear, as it is called is still a key budgetary strategy. This is worrying when the debt graphs, spending graphs and unemployment graphs tend upward in the same fashion as Al Gore's climate change graphs bahave.
Not only does the US Economy seem to be in a seriously diar state, it is heading south, uncontrollably. Together with huge spending aimed at propping up spending towards rescuing a faltering GDP, the US is spending huge amounts on health care promises it can't keep.
The reason for huge spending on health care is mainly due to an aging population and existing policy aimed at supporting retirees with their health and supplementing the drugs they require to live longer. The reason retirees seem to be such a political target is that they are the majority age group who vote voluntarily. So the huge hemorrhaging of spending is politically driven, not rational policy, to keep the voters, those in the upper age bracket, happy.
No mention was made about other solutions to fix this slew in political focus away from an aging population toward a more all-encompassing focus. By this I would suggest a complete shift from voluntary voting, to compulsory voting would create a paradigm shift in the US political system. On face value this is a huge shift, but on a deeper level having each person accountable to their decision would be a huge step forward for the American people and its culture.
I notice that the Australian Government announced in its Federal Budget that it plans to increase the age of retirement over the coming years by 6 months each year. If this is included in the US Federal budget, changes to the projections may result in drastic changes to the forecast cost of future health care.
I acknowledge that this is a far more complex issue that outlined however there is no doubt that each US citizen will need to be accountable and more aware of their country's financial issues into the future.
Not only does the US Economy seem to be in a seriously diar state, it is heading south, uncontrollably. Together with huge spending aimed at propping up spending towards rescuing a faltering GDP, the US is spending huge amounts on health care promises it can't keep.
The reason for huge spending on health care is mainly due to an aging population and existing policy aimed at supporting retirees with their health and supplementing the drugs they require to live longer. The reason retirees seem to be such a political target is that they are the majority age group who vote voluntarily. So the huge hemorrhaging of spending is politically driven, not rational policy, to keep the voters, those in the upper age bracket, happy.
No mention was made about other solutions to fix this slew in political focus away from an aging population toward a more all-encompassing focus. By this I would suggest a complete shift from voluntary voting, to compulsory voting would create a paradigm shift in the US political system. On face value this is a huge shift, but on a deeper level having each person accountable to their decision would be a huge step forward for the American people and its culture.
I notice that the Australian Government announced in its Federal Budget that it plans to increase the age of retirement over the coming years by 6 months each year. If this is included in the US Federal budget, changes to the projections may result in drastic changes to the forecast cost of future health care.
I acknowledge that this is a far more complex issue that outlined however there is no doubt that each US citizen will need to be accountable and more aware of their country's financial issues into the future.
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