Arnold Schwarzenegger also has an environmental message that managing the risk doesn't have to be all about sacrifice and not living an attractive lifestyle.
Technorati Tags: Environment
Zoom Videoconferencing Security Issues
4 years ago
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Global Warming Risk Management
Check out this Youtube video on whether it is a good idea to do something about global warming.
Arnold Schwarzenegger also has an environmental message that managing the risk doesn't have to be all about sacrifice and not living an attractive lifestyle.
Arnold Schwarzenegger also has an environmental message that managing the risk doesn't have to be all about sacrifice and not living an attractive lifestyle.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
A Wii bit of fun
Here is a wishlist of Wii interactive games from Brain academy, Dance Dance revolution, Guitar Hero, on up to Boogie.
Description Purchase Price
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party Bundle (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $79.99
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $49.99
Cranium Kabooki (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $39.99
Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $59.99
Guitar Hero III Bundle (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $99.99
Boogie (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $64.99
Nintendo Fit and more Nintendo Fit with the new step pad and the options it makes possible could be good whenever it becomes available.
Description Purchase Price
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party Bundle (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $79.99
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $49.99
Cranium Kabooki (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $39.99
Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $59.99
Guitar Hero III Bundle (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $99.99
Boogie (Nintendo Wii) Buy Online $64.99
Nintendo Fit and more Nintendo Fit with the new step pad and the options it makes possible could be good whenever it becomes available.
Technorati Tags: Entertainment, Health
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Todo List Mania
This article from lifehacker provides an overview of why so many people are keen about using lists to achieve their goals and different ways it can be approached.
Breaking goals down into small tasks and focussing on the next action can be really effective in tracking progress (love those little checkmarks) and getting things done (GTD).
The best system in my opinion needs to strike a balance on planning and prioritizing goals before getting too efficient at clicking off the chain of tasks.
Breaking goals down into small tasks and focussing on the next action can be really effective in tracking progress (love those little checkmarks) and getting things done (GTD).
The best system in my opinion needs to strike a balance on planning and prioritizing goals before getting too efficient at clicking off the chain of tasks.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Goal Tracking with Joesgoals
I am still using Googledocs for some of my goal tracking but I found joesgoals has a lot of the features I was looking for.
I particularly like the capability of tracking both things you want to reduce and things you want to increase.
Ben Franklin's virtues of tracking goals for not doing things can be balanced by other habits where you can get bonus points for doing good things.
Need to experience rate the scoring though, as not all the items tracked have the same importance. [Update: you can set different points for each item]
The reporting seems pretty good so far to summarize results since trends are more important than actual score. Its free and very easy to use so why not give it a try?
It has become conventional wisdom that resolutions are not worth making because they are broken so soon but I like to think that it is still worthwhile to strive for improvement.
My theory is that the error is not in setting goals for improvement but how and what goals are set.
Maybe the trick is to set specific incremental, measurable, and a limited number of goals at one time rather than too many dramatic quick fix large and vague goals. Break it down into a prioritized set of small items that allows us to move towards the bigger goals without getting discouraged. Try to avoid perfectionism and instead approach the process with a growth mindset. Hope should spring eternal with a willingness to make fresh starts rather than giving up entirely.
Stephen Covey uses the plane analogy in relating that through a journey a plane may never be on course but with course corrections can still arrive at its ultimate destination eventually. This is achieved by the flight plan and the instruments measuring deviances from the course. Its been said before that many things are managed rather than being conquered. There is no shame in not achieving all your goals completely as I think you are better off having tried than you would have been leading an aimless life.
There is something to be said for having the courage in calling your shots as in pool and having the satisfaction of achieving success or even just getting closer and doing better next time. It is better to try purposefully no matter what the outcome. That is why I like the quote by Theodore Roosevelt, the Man in the Arena.
I particularly like the capability of tracking both things you want to reduce and things you want to increase.
Ben Franklin's virtues of tracking goals for not doing things can be balanced by other habits where you can get bonus points for doing good things.
Need to experience rate the scoring though, as not all the items tracked have the same importance. [Update: you can set different points for each item]
The reporting seems pretty good so far to summarize results since trends are more important than actual score. Its free and very easy to use so why not give it a try?
It has become conventional wisdom that resolutions are not worth making because they are broken so soon but I like to think that it is still worthwhile to strive for improvement.
My theory is that the error is not in setting goals for improvement but how and what goals are set.
Maybe the trick is to set specific incremental, measurable, and a limited number of goals at one time rather than too many dramatic quick fix large and vague goals. Break it down into a prioritized set of small items that allows us to move towards the bigger goals without getting discouraged. Try to avoid perfectionism and instead approach the process with a growth mindset. Hope should spring eternal with a willingness to make fresh starts rather than giving up entirely.
Stephen Covey uses the plane analogy in relating that through a journey a plane may never be on course but with course corrections can still arrive at its ultimate destination eventually. This is achieved by the flight plan and the instruments measuring deviances from the course. Its been said before that many things are managed rather than being conquered. There is no shame in not achieving all your goals completely as I think you are better off having tried than you would have been leading an aimless life.
There is something to be said for having the courage in calling your shots as in pool and having the satisfaction of achieving success or even just getting closer and doing better next time. It is better to try purposefully no matter what the outcome. That is why I like the quote by Theodore Roosevelt, the Man in the Arena.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Virtues of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a wise man as I have blogged about before.
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is online and it provides a very instructive guide to his character development and experiences he had through his varied career.
At this time of new year resolutions, here is Ben's life long (20 years of age to 84) list in order of priority for a virtuous life:
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Ben advised not to try applying all of these at once but to start at the top and work down as they are mastered.
Apparently he had a good system for tracking his progress too.
Here are some templates in OpenOffice and PDF format to do some manual tracking.
I am working on a googledocs spreadsheet to track these types of habits and compare results each month.
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is online and it provides a very instructive guide to his character development and experiences he had through his varied career.
At this time of new year resolutions, here is Ben's life long (20 years of age to 84) list in order of priority for a virtuous life:
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Ben advised not to try applying all of these at once but to start at the top and work down as they are mastered.
Apparently he had a good system for tracking his progress too.
Here are some templates in OpenOffice and PDF format to do some manual tracking.
I am working on a googledocs spreadsheet to track these types of habits and compare results each month.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Winter Wonderland
Photo taken by Gavin of the snow piling up outside our house.
It certainly was a white Christmas although not so much in Calgary.
Good Books
A couple of Ken Follett books set in the middle ages which I have particularly enjoyed:
Pillars of the Earth
I read this a few years ago and now it is an Oprah book club selection.
Wikipedia has an article about Pillars of the Earth but don't look at it before reading the book since it summarizes the plot.
World without End
His latest which I just recently read is equally as good.
Hornet Flight looks worth investigating for those with aeronautical history interests.
Pillars of the Earth
I read this a few years ago and now it is an Oprah book club selection.
Wikipedia has an article about Pillars of the Earth but don't look at it before reading the book since it summarizes the plot.
World without End
His latest which I just recently read is equally as good.
Hornet Flight looks worth investigating for those with aeronautical history interests.
Technorati Tags: Books
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