T-M-I from T-I-M

Kerlon: An UNREAL soccer player

I just learned about this dude listening to a sports show.  Check out his "seal dribble" where he dribbles the ball on his head.  And for even more fun, check out his skills, they are unbelievable.

Of course, he's getting knocked around by the people who wish they could do what he does.  Soccer is magnificent when played artistically as Kerlon does.

Just another $190 Billion for Wars

I read today that the most recent request from the Dept. of Defense for next year's spending is $190 Billion.  You know at some point, numbers get so huge that they almost lack any relevant context to have a reasonable discussion.  I guess I'm just shocked to read that number, so I tried to put it into context.

It is:

1. In $$ terms the it would be #36 in GDP, in front of Hong Kong behind Portugal (although I'm not sure if that number for Portugal is pre or post Freddy Adu.
2. It was more than the entire US GDP as recent as 1943...that is staggering to me.
3. It's more than GE's revenue which is about $160 Billion...that one I'm not sure which is more staggering.

I actually don't much care in what context you want to put it in, the fact is that is an enormous number.  I suppose if I were to do some type of ROI, I would have to consider what value it is to be safe....oops, apparently we're not safe...we are in code orange right?  or is it code yellow?

Additionally, with the numbers above, I sort of feel like Charles Grodin in Dave when he comes to talk to Kevin Kline and he orders bratwurst for the two of them to balance the budget.  How can we possibly come to any type of reasonable financial terms with this type of expenditure?

I've got an idea, let's hire a bunch of people in the government to oversee it!  As long as they stay away from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport all will be fine. 

Oh yeah, and make sure those defense contractors are taken care of...for $190 Bil, I think everyone can join in the fun.

Randy Pausch's REAL dying speech

If this doesn't move you, I'm not exactly sure what will.  A professor at Carnegie Mellon gave a "last lecture" recently.  This apparently is a trend where teachers give up and give a "last lecture" as if they are dying and they are going to give one more lecture on whatever they want.

Well, Mr. Pausch has inoperable liver cancer and this really is his last lecture.  It reminds me of Chasing Daylight by Gene O'Kelly in some ways.  Speaking from a perspective of a soon to be certain death is curious to me.  Of course we're all going down, it's just that these guys have a sense as to when.

I think my favorite part about it was his challenge to video games:

He talked of requiring his students to create videogames without sex and violence. "You'd be surprised how many 19-year-old boys run out of ideas when you take those possibilities away," he said, but they all rose to the challenge

I also liked when he mentioned that if your child wants to paint his or her bedroom to do him a favor and let 'em do it!

It was quite beautiful to read and inspiring at the same time.  How many times do I need to hear it before I get it?  Life is meant to be cherished...and fun.

My new website

One of the bene's of working at a website company is we are encouraged to do our own websites.  I just finished mine, a re-branding of my investor presentation work that I do.

I still have content to add, but in the meantime it's pretty cool.  Oh, and any suggestions (or references) are much obliged.

Check it out.

Mark Ecko puts the fate of the Barry Bonds ball in our hands

I'm sorry, but life is just fantastic sometimes.  Fashion designer Mark Ecko plunked down $750k to buy the Barry Bonds baseball.  Without even seeing it, he put up a website that will enable us to determine what the fate of the ball will be.  (I voted to asterisk it and send it to the Hall.)

I guess he's kind of a prankster so he may not actually send the ball to any of the three options and he's just interested in what people think, but I still think it's great.  He's having fun with it and I'm happy about that.

God bless our inner children that help us have fun!

I had to add one more post

I don't much care what people think about what I write on my blog, I've said that many times before.  However, the visual for me of Chris Crocker in mid-rant about Britney as one of the first things you see on my site is just a little too much for me to bear.

So, I offer you this:  I was talking with a friend who said that blogging will eventually die out from a mass adoption perspective, but if you look at the trends of how young people are blogging there's not doubt in my mind that he's wrong.

I read a Forrester report that said 3% of US Online adults blog.

An unbelievable 32% of US Online youths blog.

That gap is astonishing.  Ask anyone what that means and they'll all be wrong.  Nobody knows.  Just like I said about youtube and senor Crocker.  We just don't know but it will be interesting to watch.

And it also helps me avoid having my entry page on this blog be Chris Crocker.....

No disrespect Chris, I just couldn't handle it.

And now for something completely different: LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!!

Often when I'm talking to start-ups about their companies we talk about how it's impossible to predict the results of putting a functionality or network or tool or community out there.  Do you think you would have believed that this video would have gotten 4,000,000+ views????

I would have never predicted it.  Do yourself a favor and don't minimize the power of users creating their own content as a means to attract viewers.  My only question is how much money is Brittney Spears paying this guy for advertising?  None I'm sure and I doubt either of them care very much.

 

I wonder if Britney is just a little tripped (or maybe creeped) out by this.

Beyond that, I'm speechless, enjoy.

I'm better than I was yesterday

I've heard this a lot as a way to live life.  I also read it in an article where the person who quoted it said if you aren't going to be better tomorrow than you are today, what's the point of tomorrow?

I don't view better from a skill set perspective or financial perspective.  I do think there is a wonderful daily measure for how I'm doing:  my relationships.

One way I seek spirit or God or whatever you want to call the higher energy is through relationships.  Am I honest, patient and kind?  Or do I "think" I'm honest, patient and kind.

I find that if I'm truly loving to you, I actually don't really sweat it if you see it differently.  Now if dozens of people see it differently with me and I find myself with very few friends then perhaps there's something up!

Ultimately, it seems that in my relationships with you I reflect the way I feel about myself.  And if I stay teachable and open I find that every day I'm growing.  That's when I feel like I'm seeking God (rather than thinking I've found God, which is troubling).

It's nice to know there's not a destination.  It's also nice to know that even though I'll be better tomorrow, I'm perfect today.  That feels awesome.

Rick Reilly shares another GREAT story

Every once in a while I forget it but nearly every time I run into one of his columns I remember it, Rick Reilly is hands down the best sportswriter out there.  He is insightful and on point.  I love his Riffs of Reilly on SI.com and also love it when, now and again, SI.com features a story of his (you can always find him bringing up the rear in SI and usually end up laughing or crying your rear end off).

This time he writes a deeply touching story about Korinne Shroyer who committed suicide and then became a life saver because of it.  The pain the parents feel jumps off the page.  I have no idea what I would do if something like that happened to Zoe. 

I also happened to find a webpage devoted to the story of Len Geiger whose life was saved by Korinne and her parents' actions.

He just picks good stuff to cover and now and again I feel downright blessed to be alive at a time when someone like him is writing.  It's awesome!!

Brevity, brother, brevity

I looked at my blog post on The River of Doubt and realized, I can be really long winded sometimes!!

I get acute ADD just scrolling through how long it is.  I know it's hard for me to stay focused once a blog post goes beyond a few paragraphs.  But then again, I guess this blog is a reflection of who I am.

And face it, I just find myself awfully damn interesting from time to time.  (If I could do a smiley face avatar here I would....)