7 Feb
So-called “global warming” is just a secret ploy by wacko tree-huggers to make America energy independent, clean our air and water, improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles, kick-start 21st-century industries, and make our cities safer and more livable. Don’t let them get away with it!
- Chip Giller
28 Dec
This struck a chord because several times after a purge I wind up missing something. I found it originally at 43 Folders, but it is by way of MetaFilter user occhiblu.
On kind of a meta note: To some extent, I think de-cluttering involves recognizing that regret is part of life, and being OK with that. Yes, I’ve given away books that I now often wish I still owned. But I’ve also screwed up relationships, made iffy career choices, etc. — you suck it up and move on. If you try to cling to every single thing (material, spiritual, or emotional) that you might need one day in the totally hypothetical future, you’re going to end up bogged down in a lot of stuff.
9 Aug
I originally found this at the Frugalist web blog. They are some sort of credit card reseller that preaches responsible credit usage.
Click more to read the local copy:
Continue reading »
2 Aug
John Wesley wrote
Language is the primary conductor between your brain and the minds of your audience. Ineffective language weakens and distorts ideas. If you want to be understood, if you want your ideas to spread, using effective language must be your top priority.
In the modern world of business and politics this is hardly ever the case. In many instances, imprecise language is used intentionally to avoid taking a position and offending various demographics. No wonder it’s hard to make sense of anything!
This is hardly a recent problem, and as George Orwell wrote in his 1946 essay, Politics and the English Language, the condition is curable. By following Orwell’s 5 rules for effective writing, you’ll distinguish yourself from competitors and clearly communicate your ideas.
2 Aug
Most of the financial advice you get around the web is based on opportunity. People are always looking for the newest way to earn cash for the least amount of work. It’s no surprise most people struggle to build wealth, jumping from one opportunity to the next, wondering why nothing ever works.
The principles that build wealth haven’t changed for centuries. These 78 maxims, gleaned from Benjamin Franklin’s Way to Wealth, contain all the wisdom needed to amass a fortune. Unfortunately, it’s still going to take hard work, intelligence, and discipline.
Industry (1-39) – Energetic devotion to a task or an endeavor; diligence.
1. Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise
2. Diligence is the mother of good luck
3. God helps them that help themselves
Continue reading »
18 Jun
While reading up on some programming philosophies (YAGNI, KISS, XP), I found some great quotes on simplicity. Simplicity at Wikipedia The da Vinci quote is my favorite because with programming it is often true. Unfortunately simple for the programmer and simple for the user are rarely the same thing.
* “Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means.” — Koichi Kawana, architect of botanical gardens
* “Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” — Albert Einstein (1879–1955)
* “Simple things should be simple. Complex things should be possible.” — Alan Kay
* “You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.” — Richard Feynman (1918–1988)
* “Our lives are frittered away by detail; simplify, simplify.” — Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
* “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
* “If you can’t describe it simply, you can’t use it simply.” — Anon
* “Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought.” — William Hazlitt
24 Apr
The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet. — Willam Gibson
I saw this used in a discussion of e-books.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/sony-reader-details-and-pics/
