School 1957 vs 2010

I read this as a reader comment to a story in WSJ.

Thought it was quite thought provoking. Read on.

SCHOOL - 1957 vs. 2010

Scenario:
Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.

2010 - Police called, arrests Johnny and Mark.. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. Both children go to anger management programs for 3 months. School board hold meeting to implement bullying prevention programmes

Scenario:
Robbie won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 - Robbie sent to office and given 6 of the best by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2010 - Robbie given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADHD. Robbie's parents get fortnightly disability payments and School gets extra funding from government because Robbie has a disability.

Scenario :
Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2010 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.

Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark gets glass of water from Principal to take aspirin with.

2010 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.


Scenario :
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from Guy Fawkes, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a bull ant nest.

1957 - Ants die.

2010- Police & Anti-Terrorism Squad called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, investigate parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario :
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary . Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

When the whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts!

Over the past two months, reading numerous blogs and articles on the highly anticipated and newly introduced Apple iPad, I have rarely, if ever, observed a product so polarizing. People have been divided into to very distinct and vocal camps of haters and lovers (aka "fanboys"). Why is this so?

The haters talk about which OS it runs (or does not), the frequency of the processor, lack of flash support, or lack of a camera and such. They passionately question why someone would ever need such a device and if it is really a new category of device or just a large iPhone. They focus on the ingredients and endlessly debate the specs of that particular feature.

The other camp, the lovers (and I admit to be part of this camp) describe the new user experience enabled by the device, the new apps, and a new way to access endless amounts of information enabled on their very fingertips.

It ultimately boils down to those who focus on the ingredients and those who focus on the product. Given I am such I foodie, I cannot resist comparing this to any good dish.

The objective there is to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts i.e. To make a fantastic dish, its not that a new ingredient has to be invented - just the right ones discovered, chosen, mixed together in just the right amounts, and cooked with love and care resulting in something fantastic.

With an iPad, as previously with the iPhone, the whole is clearly greater than the sum of the parts!

Sent from my iPad

I totally agree with item 1 ;-)

The Man Rules At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down Finally , the guys' side of the story. We always hear "the rules" From the female side.... Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules! Please note.. these are all numbered "1 " ON PURPOSE! 1. Men are NOT mind readers. ( FIRST & FOREMOST RULE) 1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down. 1. Sunday sports, It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be. 1.. Crying is blackmail. 1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it! 1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question. 1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for. 1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days. 1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us. 1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one 1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it , just do it yourself. 1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.. 1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we. 1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is. 1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that. 1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.. 1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear. 1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really . 1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as Football or Hockey. 1. You have enough clothes. 1. You have too many shoes. 1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape! 1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Trouble with Phones

Have you noticed that phones (especially those which are internet enabled) allow you to be everywhere at once but at the same time be really nowhere?

I myself have been guilty of this phenomenon where I chose to ignore (and possibly annoy) those I am sitting next to by immersing myself into my phone - checking email, texting, browsing, and commenting on social networks, etc. at somewhat unpredictable but frequent intervals.

We have clearly been enabled to do many things at the same time (multi-task) by these new breed of gadgets, but are we doing the right thing? Thoughts?

--

Sent from my iPhone (during a conversation with someone ;-)

Food Exhibitionism

After being inspired by an interesting article in the New York Times titled, First Click, Then Fork (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/dining/07camera.html), I decided to photograph and record every meal I ate. My hypothesis was that since I was so publicly displaying what I ate, it would make me more accountable for my food choices (and quantities). This task was made easier by the fact that I was just heading out for a spring break with the family and expected to have some "free" time on my hand.

Photographing everything I ate certainly made me much more conscious about what I ate, how much I ate, and pretty much eliminated snacking (except for a few bites I snuck in here and there). All good things in my [recipe]book ;-)

However, it made me (and seem, according to some) a tad bit obsessed with food. I started to compulsively think about what was going to eat next and even plan to a certain degree rather than be impulsive and seek out things when I was hungry. I started eating all meals at regular times rather than skip an occasional meal as I normally do.

But the thing that bothered me the most (and many of my dear friends judging from their feedback) was looking at the photos of the food I ate. Just looking at the pictures reminded me of the delicious things I had eaten and that somehow created an unstoppable urge to seek out and conquer new food both with my camera (iPhone) and my stomach. This had to stop!

I put this experiment to rest within a short few days of starting (thankfully), and I am left to wonder if I had continued this experiment, would it have made me gain or loose weight (and possibly friends ;-) ?

Restart Blogging

This blog has been gathering dust for quite some time now.

I am hoping to change that and start writing at least once a week.

To new beginnings.

People & Things

"Things are to be used and people are to be loved,

But the problem in today's world is that people are
used and things are loved."