Written Words – Economics at Work

Three weeks ago I started my new job as a bartender at the Royal Blenheim.

I like it. For a couple of hours a week I get to exit Oxford (figuratively) and hang out with locals discussing the various batches of bitter that come from the brewery. It puts a little change in my pocket and limits the nights when change is going out.

When I started the job, Ian, who along with his wife manages the pub, told me my favorite button on the till (cash register) would be “staff meal.” Oh was he right. It turns out that at a time when I was losing some weight due to sickness/basketball, those two pound fifty meals, home-cooked, would be lifesavers.

I’ve started eating at the pub on a regular basis. I come in half an hour early, leave half an hour late, and basically eat before and after every shift.

Of course, as staff, I am getting the meals “at cost.”

Well, it took a mere three weeks for them to raise the price of staff meals to 3 pounds. Now that’s supply and demand at work.

Written Words – On Productivity

It’s the theme of everyone I know right now. “I’m not being productive.” Across all life paths, my friends, associates and peers generally feel as if their actions suddenly have ceased to be as productive. So, with a tip of the hat to John DiIulio, who likes to remind me that data is not the plural of anecdote (and a tip of the hat to Silvius, who argues that data is in fact, nothing more than the plural of anecdote) I’d like to take a moment to address some philosophical thoughts towards the subject of productivity:

Let’s start with a basic premise. I refuse to accept the possibility that suddenly all of my friends have ceased to be productive. This seems unreasonable, especially considering the generally high quality of such individuals. Of course the possibility exists for a general quarter-life crisis; perhaps that’s a topic for another post (or a John Mayer song).

Instead, let’s look at the similarities across these individuals. The biggest thing that shows up is that we’ve all existed undergraduate education. In fact, the one exception to this trend — the person who feels exceptionally productive — is my friend that has reentered undergraduate education. Now this is obviously a huge life change, most of our life has been focused on descriptive, and at its worse, simply regurgative learning. But is the exit enough to explain the unproductivity phenomena? Is it a hangover? A depression? An adjustment?

I’d like to argue that instead, it is a reflection of the way undergraduate (and by extension, high school) productivity distorts our perception of real world productivity.

In undergrad, there are clear objectives. There are clear tasks. There is a grade at the end that is in many ways the end-game. There are assignments.

There is also an art to handling such things. And to a tee, my friends are people who mastered this art. They (and I) were busy, but had a way of completing these things in such a way that they got positive feedback. Furthermore, the focus on regurgitating or learning for success. Success was defined as getting something right. That was something you could work at. You could set goals for. You did assignments. Nailed tests. Wrote papers. The objects on your daily agenda defined success.

Of course, this is profoundly different than real world productivity. I was talking to a teammate working in a lab, and he said he was in the middle of a stretch of a month in which every one of his experiments failed. So despite his ticking off the boxes, he had failed to move forward. He felt unproductive.

This was largely representative of my experience in the work force. In my non-profit job in Philly, it was often a little spurt of creativity (I should call Spark the Wave! What if we went on an Outward Bound trip?) that did the majority of the work. Yet, the vast majority of the time, especially in between these moments, I felt profoundly unproductive. I can remember entire days where I felt like I was a waste of place in the office. I’d google things, read political blogs, write blog posts.

But when I look back over the year, I am tremendously proud of what I accomplished. What causes that disconnect between my understanding of my productivity and the level of productivity over the long term?

I think it’s the way in which undergrad education teaches us to define productivity. In basic schooling, productivity is defined by daily progress towards clear goals. In life, it’s often a process more akin to stuttering than smooth speech. Days, weeks, years of nothing. Then, boom, a break. Productivity.

I wonder if my generations struggle with productivity has nothing to do with themselves. It has everything to do to moving onto tasks (becoming a doctor, a researcher, a lawyer, working in a non-profit, working in government) in which productivity is not defined by steady progress, but rather by inspiration.

Found Words – Eboo Patel

IFYC — I went to this conference a few years ago and gave it mixed reviews. Here’s the core idea:

Religious pluralism is neither mere coexistence nor forced consensus, but the conviction that people who believe in different creeds can learn to live together with, in the words of Wilfred Cantwell Smith, “mutual trust and mutual loyalty.” It surpasses mere tolerance of diversity and requires that people of different religions affirm their distinct beliefs while making commitments to one another and the world we share. Three components which hold true for a pluralist society are respect for religious identity, mutually inspiring relationships, and common action for the common good.

Written Words – Naive View of Politics

A lot has been made recently of health care reform.  News shows, newspapers, websites, water-cooler talk, blogs (haha!), chats, etc…  I’ve read liberal views about how republicans have a personal vendetta against the president, I’ve read republicans claim that Obama’s trying to implore a communist agenda.  And those are the relatively rational opinions.  I’m reminded of an appearance Jon Stewart made on the now defunct “Cross Fire” a few years ago.

It’s amusing to see people in congress, or in the senate act like children.  Screaming at the president that he’s a liar.  Or seeing town hall meetings where citizens compare the proposed health care reform to the Nazi’s, and Obama to Hitler. Or reading about how an elementary school that taught a  song about Obama’s election (during black history month), is indoctrination of our children (never mind that it was approved by the parents and school prior to ever occurring).  These are just a few examples of the hyperbole that encompasses our current political climate.  A coach in high school taught me, that so often we we speak about someone, we’re often saying more about ourselves than we are of them.

It’s not just Republicans caught up in the bashing, although they understandably get painted worse because Democrats are in power now.  But just a few years ago when Bush was in power, he was subject to the same asinine opinions of what he did.  Or the constant questioning of his intelligence, ignoring the fact that he was a graduate from Yale.  Thought he admittedly could have used a few classes on public speaking.

The recurring theme in almost everything I read, see, or hear, is that seldom does actual debate occur.  It seems more often than not things turn into an assault on the individuals character, or alludes to a hidden agenda.  Sometimes we see “conservative” members of both parties try to bridge the gap, and end the fighting.  Which would be great if it didn’t also put an end to the debate.  Our government was set up for diverging opinions. It’s designed so that the minority opinion can be heard.  Hell, look at the floors of the House of Representatives of the Senate, they’re divided by party.  They’re like that to ENCOURAGE debate.  But what we have now is not debate, but personal attacks instead of presentations of fact.  I’m admittedly new, and naive to how our political process works, but I do know that we don’t have that.  Bills are passed or shot down based on what people are promised for the future.  A Military contracts for weapons go to Arizona if person X votes “ye” on this vote.  Person Y won’t get support from his party during reelection if he votes “nae” on that vote.  Earmarks being thrown in so that a bill can’t possibly passed.  It’s a joke.  Instead of some of our countries brightest people, people ELECTED by the people they’re governing, instead of pouring over facts and debating about what’s best for their district, their state, or their country, we often get promises of fundraising help for the next election if X supports Y’s amendment.

Can’t we all, at the very least, agree that we want the country, hell the world, to be better than it was yesterday? And tomorrow to be better than today?  We just may have differing opinions on how to get that done.  Instead of holding a position based on party affiliation can’t we open ourselves up to change our minds as more facts become available? Instead of labeling a “flip flopper” as something to be ashamed of?  What rational, intelligent person maintains a view point after clearly seeing that they were in the wrong?

This is a rant.  This is a young person with an admittedly ideological hope for the future.  People much smarter than I talk to me about this stuff and I listen.  I’m smarter than I was yesterday because of it.  My opinions change from day to day, from conversations, reading, and thinking.

I’ve considered myself a hardcore liberal, a moderate, a conservative, really everything, really nothing.  I’m not sure what I am yet, but I’m starting to understand what I believe, and what I’d like my government to be about.

I think college education should be more affordable and less strict with their admissions policies.  Doesn’t it make sense that someone who’s a borderline student would benefit from a better education?

I think business should be allowed to fail without being bailed out by the government, it’s part of capitalism.  People fail and others come along with a better plan and succeed.

I think our education system is in need of a wake up call, that it gets further and further away from actual education as we graduate from grade to grade, and becomes more and more about finding elite minds, instead of developing them.

I think the idea that “abstinence” being taught in school is funny, since that’s a moral and religious issue, and people seem very uncomfortable with religion being mentioned in school.  While educating teens on the dangers of STD’s, and responsibilities that come with parenthood is more of scientific one.  Tell a kid he’s saddening God by having sex, he’ll forget what you’re talking about at the first sign of a coed, show a kid the hospital bills from AID’s treatment, or medical costs of a baby, and he’ll think twice.

I think religion, not a specific one, should be taught as a subject, not a homily, in all schools.  Can’t we learn more about the world if we educate ourselves on the different religions, and the varying beliefs and values of it?

I think marijuana should be treated like alcohol and not cocaine.  Even if I don’t want to smoke it anymore (just seemed to make me dumb and paranoid in high school, but others seem to enjoy it), it isn’t as deadly as cigarettes, and evidently has some medicinal purposes.

I think health care should be available to those that want it, at a cost to them.  Things cost money.  I wouldn’t ask a millionaire to pay for my groceries, I don’t think they should have to fund my flu shot.

I think the “sliding scale” for taxes is good.  15% of  someone making a salary of $21,000 a year, really hurts, I don’t think someone making $20,000,000 is going to have to cut coupons to buy bread paying that same percentage.

I think abortion should be illegal, except in cases of rape, or when the mother’s life is in clear jeopardy.

I feel like high schoolers would be better served learning how to balance a check book and understand how credit works, than they are learning how to diagram sentences.

I think politicians should be paid handsomely, if only so that our smartest people would become them, instead of turning into millionaire CEO’s.

It makes me laugh when politicians try to get involve with sports.  Whether it be college football’s BCS system, or MLB’s steroid’s issue.  It makes me laugh because realistically, more people pay attention to those hearings on CSPAN, than of the ones concerning government bailouts, stimulus package, or health care.  Maybe if the country felt more like they were going to see/feel progress, and not screaming adults, they’d pay attention.  Maybe not.

I think more debate needs to occur like this

So that’s my rant, youtube clips and all, at least until someone smarter than me makes me think differently.

Found Words – Bill Simmons

Here’s an excerpt from Bill Simmons while writing about his book tour (excerpts from his actual book to follow in the coming days). :

“The bad news from our White House visit: We missed Obama by 15 minutes. The good news: We met Reggie Love, who has arguably replaced Charles Oakley as the world’s single coolest sidekick. I left a book behind for Obama and signed it like this: “DEAR POTUS, PLEASE DON’T READ THIS UNTIL 2017.” Because, if he does, we’re all in trouble. It’s 700 pages. I’d rather he figured out healthcare first.”

Found Words – JH

“As more of my friends get doctoral degrees, I don’t find myself more impressed with my friends, but less impressed with doctoral degrees.”

Found Words – Angels and Airwaves

“When all is said and done
Will we still feel pain inside?
Will the scars go away with night?
Try to smile for the morning light
It’s like the best dream to have
Where every thing is not so bad
Every tear is so alone
Like God himself is coming home to say

I, I can do anything
If you want me here
And I can fix any thing
If you let me near
Where are those secrets now
That you’re too scared to tell
I’d whisper them all aloud
So you can hear yourself

Green trees were the first sign
The deepest blue, the clearest sky
The silence came with the brightest eyes
And turned water into wine
The children ran to see
The parents stood in disbelief
And those who knew braced for the ride
The earth itself then came alive to say

I, I can do anything
If you want me here
And I can fix anything
If you let me near
Where are those secrets now
That you’re too scared to tell
I whisper them all aloud
So you can hear yourself

I’m sorry I have to say it but you look like you’re sad
Your smile is gone; I’ve noticed it bad
The cure is if you let in just a little more love
I promise you this, a little’s enough”

-A Little’s Enough

Found Words/Found Music – Javier Mendoza

“I’m awake to see with my heart
The light that floods the night in Cusco
I’m awake to see with my hands
The faces that save
I know I love you
They are truth
They are love
They are God
And I am at their feet
Forever
Forever I am changed”

-Night in Cusco

Found Music – Mariano Mores

Tanguera for Orchestra.

Found Words – 1 Chronicles 17:16

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?