tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73198648942214847682024-03-15T11:45:32.765-03:00RipencilListen to those that have the fruit from the tree.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1058125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-84579331702619259482024-03-13T02:00:00.145-03:002024-03-13T02:00:00.250-03:00Take Ownership of Your Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYomqOdF9orqGR76mZTew8kjWuSaxCQIzNonHRsNxlxrpvAr85QAg1TnVLiaYyIKH6NCXuyonqHUGcIGD78XPV3TVreyhMEsfMscemwq6Vsp08EWglLakzTWgfg597DAyuZnljD_um0WdYgdycLTe0AcdwPiINmo0UNyqbL_mONYP2ilufq2E0aVICAI/s1024/_cfa75d9e-9c4b-4d15-a4f8-721899c2c433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYomqOdF9orqGR76mZTew8kjWuSaxCQIzNonHRsNxlxrpvAr85QAg1TnVLiaYyIKH6NCXuyonqHUGcIGD78XPV3TVreyhMEsfMscemwq6Vsp08EWglLakzTWgfg597DAyuZnljD_um0WdYgdycLTe0AcdwPiINmo0UNyqbL_mONYP2ilufq2E0aVICAI/s320/_cfa75d9e-9c4b-4d15-a4f8-721899c2c433.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I've rarely accepted to partake in learning engagements at work for the simple reason that most of these "classes" are taught by people that don't know anything beyond the Powerpoint presentation they've created for it. <div><br /></div><div><i>Take ownership of your education...</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2007-08, I was a young, French only, punk about to start my career in the tech industry. In order for me to learn English, I created this blog. The plan was that I would do my research, in English, to write the blogs. Within a year, my English was to the point that I could communicate with my peers. </div><div>A few years later, I was on a project where they were discussing Google Analytics & Adsense. Again, I used this blog to learn about these technologies. On another project, I needed test automation experience... this blog was used for this as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>My point here is that whenever I needed to learn a new skill I created a little side project to teach myself how to do it. This isn't to say that there's no value in having a teacher but you do need teachers that have the results that you want.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Listen to those that have the fruit from the tree."</div><div><br /></div><div>If you can't find good teachers, then the only other option you have is to teach yourself.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-39355977576477143072024-03-06T02:00:00.172-04:002024-03-06T02:00:00.136-04:00The Universal vs Intellect Perspective of Free Will<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKXdtd5Qov1bI1TKyd8Rj72boZWS3cwwkSijUX2PDSFFPrF1mumH5TyrOZUMSx-AtQGVN4gnpuwqK5XOhN8cThv6REYZbsNkHQp_tM5kBn3sAkJcr7-zViJgr1bf5oQPVILrjfDWu-blhpgBVfTqRzSTaB8aPTv9QUi84bPv6Ppi04dvJLVGn19nafSk/s1024/_c334e01d-dd3e-44d1-8a9c-a1929026b432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKXdtd5Qov1bI1TKyd8Rj72boZWS3cwwkSijUX2PDSFFPrF1mumH5TyrOZUMSx-AtQGVN4gnpuwqK5XOhN8cThv6REYZbsNkHQp_tM5kBn3sAkJcr7-zViJgr1bf5oQPVILrjfDWu-blhpgBVfTqRzSTaB8aPTv9QUi84bPv6Ppi04dvJLVGn19nafSk/s320/_c334e01d-dd3e-44d1-8a9c-a1929026b432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Last week, I agreed with the theory that <a href="https://www.ripencil.com/2024/02/the-universe-and-illusion-of-free-will.html" target="_blank">free will is an illusion</a> but I feel the need to expand on it as it depends on the perspective.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>From the perspective of the Universe:</i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Everything happens in accordance to the forces at play regardless if a thing is a rock or alive. What begins will end following the pre-determined path - there's no free will as much as things are bound to destiny.</li></ul><div><i>From the perspective of Intellect:</i></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Intelligent life is free to shape its surroundings and impact its future. A person can choose to be a doctor or a mechanic and as far as he's concerned the Universe had no impact on his decisions.</li></ul></div><div>From a universal perspective, free will is an illusion because it was created by, and is bound to, itself. From the perspective of Intelligent life, we believe that we're free to choose not realizing that what ever direction we take is still within the Universal parameters. A fish in an aquarium is free to choose what to do within the boundaries of the aquarium.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-68983361961306338152024-02-28T02:00:00.277-04:002024-02-28T02:00:00.139-04:00The Universe and The Illusion of Free Will<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4FAbD1lz6sKUH-KawxMm0rZvxcPFzB-eb-JCD_bPIvj0FG4FCzO7BRugsMnqVASGHQZldFysWTfMxkAeVLX1GMmQIl3WpViNCn1mdd3WInGGrTEtsu1bv6wJDzQcXpTAFmbIdkN3XM41mDxmiM291dv9rJwXVqfde5J-xCnYYBk_zDsR7c4zZWLRjCE/s1024/_2ec0ef7c-8883-44a8-bfa3-4ee19bbf787e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4FAbD1lz6sKUH-KawxMm0rZvxcPFzB-eb-JCD_bPIvj0FG4FCzO7BRugsMnqVASGHQZldFysWTfMxkAeVLX1GMmQIl3WpViNCn1mdd3WInGGrTEtsu1bv6wJDzQcXpTAFmbIdkN3XM41mDxmiM291dv9rJwXVqfde5J-xCnYYBk_zDsR7c4zZWLRjCE/s320/_2ec0ef7c-8883-44a8-bfa3-4ee19bbf787e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If we throw a rock in space, it will continue on its path until a force comes in contact with it. There's a predictability, or destiny, to it - the adventure begins somewhere and will end somewhere else. </div><div><br /></div><div>If we could go back in time to the beginning of the Universe and move some particles it would, over billions of years, create a universe that's different from our own. The resulting universe would act in accordance to the changes made.</div><div>If we don't change anything then things should progress as it already did. The Earth would form and we would exist in it exactly as we are now... or would we?</div><div><br /></div><div>Is there such a thing as free will or are we bound to a path similar to the rock that travels in space? Free will suggests that if we had 2 identical Universes that life would evolved differently in each, based on the decisions made, but if everything is the same then how could life possibly evolve any differently? </div><div><br /></div><div>How can decisions be any different when the surroundings are the same?</div><div><br /></div><div>While there's no way to prove whether or not we're bound to destiny, or set path, I like to believe that we are bound to a degree of destiny as life isn't as unpredictable as some believe it to be. Everything that lives wants to survive and it wants to do so the easiest way possible. If another Universe has every particles exactly at the same place as our own then life would of evolved the same way. It would of crawled into the same cracks trying to find the same source of nourishment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Free will is an illusion because if we were given the choice between eating at a table Infront of us or climbing a mountain to eat at the top we would choose the table Infront of us every time even if we're free choose. Intelligent life IS predictable in the sense that it takes the easiest way for its survival.</div><div><br /></div><div>Part of the theory of time travel is that if someone goes back and makes a small change it could have dire consequences on the future.</div><div>If we didn't change anything in the past wouldn't this mean that life would progress the same as it did previously?</div><div><br /></div><div>We think we have free will because we have no way of knowing what the future will bring. We can't predict the future therefor we believe that we're free to create it. </div><div><br /></div><div>We can't change the natural progression of time - the events will occur in harmony with the Universe regardless of our supposed free will. Because of our awareness to our surrounding, we have some degree of control over our environments, compared to a rock, but it doesn't mean that our actions aren't already known to the Universe.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">We're not living our lives as much as we're discovering it.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-46409387696003307472024-02-21T02:00:00.018-04:002024-02-21T02:00:00.137-04:00When Easier is Available...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSdiV29lYAjyE0GxNwpPXv8MVFmaLEag2aL8SNE3ib1wxfEWftRwMPLYH90gF29HNqFPztehUxomqKWiOy8Qg2nQHlZVzmVAYXN3YSEdS88aPXKY0sbz1PdtQ_GUM2ho5cuqRfU6OmIwANiHb8pARetAlBmbvBwz8-R2JBv_mIxNf2aUo2CDvAjKPRLo/s1024/_a4e1155a-729d-42da-842f-7ecf5bed6d7c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSdiV29lYAjyE0GxNwpPXv8MVFmaLEag2aL8SNE3ib1wxfEWftRwMPLYH90gF29HNqFPztehUxomqKWiOy8Qg2nQHlZVzmVAYXN3YSEdS88aPXKY0sbz1PdtQ_GUM2ho5cuqRfU6OmIwANiHb8pARetAlBmbvBwz8-R2JBv_mIxNf2aUo2CDvAjKPRLo/s320/_a4e1155a-729d-42da-842f-7ecf5bed6d7c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Nobody will take the most difficult path if an easier is made available to them. This is not only true for humans but also for other species as well. My dad recently placed a bird feeder on his property and a large gathering of bird have ensued. They eat the free food with such vigor that one has to wonder what they were eating before this came along. </p><p>This has been going on long enough that birds are now waiting for the food to come rather than hunt for their own food. The birds will continue to wait for their free food for as long as they have hope that it will come and, in this situation, it will come for as long as there’s snow outside. </p><p>Humans are like that too aren’t they? If you offer them social assistance, you effectively remove their willingness to go hunt for their own food. This will go on for as long as there’s free money available. </p><p>I understand that some can’t get their own food and are required to go on social assistance as a result but let’s not kid ourselves here - there are definitely people that are abusing this system.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-47945245079886224942024-02-14T02:00:00.007-04:002024-02-14T02:00:00.133-04:00Travelling Isn't for Everyone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDPSkXyIKKvnt8gLdVQgI1Pzpwep4eWnbIJjrTv8__5ZhxPLOzr25XgdA22sCCc2oq6r992OBIfBA1IQW4KDa3syDWkwDAyDkFChEw1qskknmxbjU1mo693s4bF2Ca1yDYx8yPmLguOrRA5hR4C9PprBZtvHlxnYV9zg2ghYAQwcFSZiWZaBgpoPzH4E/s1024/_7760a40c-658c-43c8-89b7-99f169ea4680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDPSkXyIKKvnt8gLdVQgI1Pzpwep4eWnbIJjrTv8__5ZhxPLOzr25XgdA22sCCc2oq6r992OBIfBA1IQW4KDa3syDWkwDAyDkFChEw1qskknmxbjU1mo693s4bF2Ca1yDYx8yPmLguOrRA5hR4C9PprBZtvHlxnYV9zg2ghYAQwcFSZiWZaBgpoPzH4E/s320/_7760a40c-658c-43c8-89b7-99f169ea4680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As a consultant, there's a demand for me to travel which is something that was made very clear to me when I first started working. I never was the traveler which explains why my managers would tell me things like "you should enjoy travelling while you're young as you won't be able to when you're older".</div><div><br /></div><div>Travelling is a necessity more so than something that I enjoy doing and I've always found the need to meet people "in person" kind of silly in the world of Information Technology. Whenever I take an airplane I ask myself if the carbon monoxide used to get me somewhere is actually worth it? (to me it isn't)</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're a traveler then by all means travel; it certainly is great period in our history to do so considering all the methods we have available.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-43970221930105797572024-02-07T02:00:00.000-04:002024-02-07T02:00:00.166-04:00The Choices You Have To Make with Bellow Average Work from Your Team<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOGVYgivCyi_cSVetZw31-slzBB0Mqfb_GMXaBXVLJdnBSjDnF17iTef4NNe6Z7YPNcULsEg6K9PCDP9qIlo3NmCfpYrjtT0SIs5gI-ta3XV_DHJ_ASLitmhMIm5zec_8OQ2dcp0pnx7ETS5PyVQv4ZyI-vPQwWedVLAuf6keW9ddQwCJ27AqPJ252pc/s1024/_2b158d69-f1a8-44ae-98f6-8098ec67987e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOGVYgivCyi_cSVetZw31-slzBB0Mqfb_GMXaBXVLJdnBSjDnF17iTef4NNe6Z7YPNcULsEg6K9PCDP9qIlo3NmCfpYrjtT0SIs5gI-ta3XV_DHJ_ASLitmhMIm5zec_8OQ2dcp0pnx7ETS5PyVQv4ZyI-vPQwWedVLAuf6keW9ddQwCJ27AqPJ252pc/s320/_2b158d69-f1a8-44ae-98f6-8098ec67987e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you manage a few people then chances are that they will deliver below average work from time to time. When this happens, you are faced with one of the following options:</div><div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Accept the work as is...<br /></li><li>Fix the work yourself...</li><li>Initiate a training exercise...</li></ul></div><div>Anyone overseeing anyone else has to choose one of the above options every time below average work is delivered. The severity of the problem, or the importance of the task, is what will influence the choice that needs to be made. </div><div>It's also possible that the employee is going through some tough times so be sure to clear the air prior to initiating anything. If he's going through a divorce, for example, it's very likely the cause of his problematic work.</div><div><br /></div><div>While "Done is better than perfect" it's important to reach a point where the work provided is consistently acceptable for the project. If it isn't, and you find yourself needing to choose one of the above consistently and your attempts to work with your employee was fruitless then it may be time to part ways.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-11765135234617785932024-01-31T02:00:00.061-04:002024-01-31T02:00:00.142-04:00The Tradeoff of Privacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehCIYGlc9A_RDB5mBmyPCVKbyi_zRyxAUgdqvmuOLLQ_o4mWv3sV-C6bY5LBSJLSDi0EV5zXmHRXKbMWChTc210IK_DexYgq6hyphenhyphenZh5LW4f6K_6-CxPJpp4ehyphenhyphenW4qhC8OB3xl1kFx1V2ee6yedECZ8bBfU84Z4WADi_qqPr5cQLyBKMdX4eoHyvoSuz3Y/s1024/_f29e282d-d897-4019-bcb1-1693aea4a005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehCIYGlc9A_RDB5mBmyPCVKbyi_zRyxAUgdqvmuOLLQ_o4mWv3sV-C6bY5LBSJLSDi0EV5zXmHRXKbMWChTc210IK_DexYgq6hyphenhyphenZh5LW4f6K_6-CxPJpp4ehyphenhyphenW4qhC8OB3xl1kFx1V2ee6yedECZ8bBfU84Z4WADi_qqPr5cQLyBKMdX4eoHyvoSuz3Y/s320/_f29e282d-d897-4019-bcb1-1693aea4a005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Most of what companies are offering for your privacy today isn't worth it. Whether it be Social Media, which takes your privacy in exchange for followers, or DNA tests, which takes your privacy in exchange for a "family tree" or even electric cars which takes your driving data... the tradeoffs are rarely worth it. <div><br /></div><div>What I mean by this is your privacy, or the data you give away, is more valuable than what you get in return and the demand for your data will only increase over time. It may come to the point where you won't have a choice but to surrender it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What will the future of privacy look like?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, it will be possible for humans to connect their brains directly to the internet. In exchange for your "thought privacy", your brain will have access to unlimited knowledge. If this ever becomes a reality then you may not have a choice to surrender your "thought privacy" as not doing so would mean that you're at a disadvantage over everyone else that chose to do so.</div><div><br /></div><div>As technology progresses, the tradeoff for your privacy/data will become increasingly appealing to the point that it may no longer be possible for you to refuse it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-19191512487238381152024-01-24T02:00:00.010-04:002024-01-24T20:00:17.193-04:00Think Twice Before Quitting College<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UX2JANaq06pBVoFB1oaj0qq1iOY7pCXxByzm-08shlrGfmcFCFJI0-B26a9_Sn2a5U07g0OCLvXaByQtiAEFbysesk02Dfxt_PygXqYlWR4qX-yiPPNA3Mw-LGujYwWetBzbS8a4jDWwKooq5d2GwqrsdcxatCn0TehzfrhcRIL-0m6KbG1TMxIm9Ec/s1024/_b2781163-1a6a-42a3-87c4-be0a31b5a07d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UX2JANaq06pBVoFB1oaj0qq1iOY7pCXxByzm-08shlrGfmcFCFJI0-B26a9_Sn2a5U07g0OCLvXaByQtiAEFbysesk02Dfxt_PygXqYlWR4qX-yiPPNA3Mw-LGujYwWetBzbS8a4jDWwKooq5d2GwqrsdcxatCn0TehzfrhcRIL-0m6KbG1TMxIm9Ec/s320/_b2781163-1a6a-42a3-87c4-be0a31b5a07d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's not uncommon to hear someone say "Bill Gates was a college dropout" prior to quitting their advance degrees. What those people fail to understand is that for every Bill Gates there's a hundred thousand college dropouts that didn't succeed in whatever endeavor they thought would be better at.<div><br /></div><div><div>Success stories like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are often highlighted, but it’s crucial to remember that they left college to pursue projects that were already showing significant promise. They had a clear vision and a plan in place.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't like the subject you chose then by all means quit but don't quit thinking that you're going to be making it big if you don't have an idea to fall on.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-66823206531154103072024-01-17T02:00:00.159-04:002024-01-17T02:00:00.138-04:00The Future of Video Games using A.I.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyGNUbg8922zjryUjVyJov2bb721wTxApC_a8bPwmCBbCaEOuAU1I-JPFQ7949eEIsAItkhKc4eLy2chhQ7UUNFBf6GWVF5vSa_FLw-1gpie1N-X5W_byogghtnmqLwy6tEe739MKks7luSMah9hnD50nqAL3Z3DVbOZGSdy20gIclnskV5U4iBcR0NE/s1024/_30316b31-17bf-4716-8eca-08e06f5896c3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyGNUbg8922zjryUjVyJov2bb721wTxApC_a8bPwmCBbCaEOuAU1I-JPFQ7949eEIsAItkhKc4eLy2chhQ7UUNFBf6GWVF5vSa_FLw-1gpie1N-X5W_byogghtnmqLwy6tEe739MKks7luSMah9hnD50nqAL3Z3DVbOZGSdy20gIclnskV5U4iBcR0NE/s320/_30316b31-17bf-4716-8eca-08e06f5896c3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We're well into the era of procedurally generated environments and we're about to enter the era of adaptive experiences. Games will be different based on how they're played and who plays them. Think of the game engine as being an A.I. looking over what the player is doing and creating an experience that best suits their needs. </div><div><br /></div><div>The below are a few example of how I envision the future of gaming using A.I.:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you like to play your FPS using stealth, you will be given additional opportunities to use stealth than the person who likes to run and shoot.</li><li>If you have a tendency to always use the same mechanics in your action games, the A.I. will introduce situations that will force you to switch things up.</li><li>The stages in platformers will adapt based on your skill level.</li><li>RPG stories/events will be created on the spot and could be played indefinitely in a ever changing world.</li><li>The interaction with NPCs will be in real time.</li><li>Racing games will adapt to the player's skill with opponents that feel more authentic/diverse.</li></ul><div>Animation, sound, weather effects will also be improved using A.I. as the game engine will be able to mimic environments using real world data. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>When can we expect this A.I. revolution in games?</div><div><br /></div><div>We have to keep in mind that "Left 4 Dead", a game that came out more than a decade ago, had a basic algorithm that made each playthrough different based on difficulty and player behavior. A player recently made a mod where NPCs in Skyrim are connected to ChatGTP and can interact, in real time, with the player... this means that some people are already toying with the idea of offering players unique experiences using some form of A.I.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is being discussed here, however, is on a much larger scale and likely won't be made available offline as the processing power required is more than what players will be able to buy at home. I also believe that Epic Games will be the leaders of A.I. via Fortnite (Unreal Engine) considering that their metaverse strategy is dominating the market currently and A.I. seems to be the logical next step for them to take.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not crazy to think that this will start happening within the next 5 years.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-25508305379587632082024-01-10T02:00:00.125-04:002024-01-10T02:00:00.137-04:00Performance Enhancing Drugs in Bodybuilding is Annoying...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WanBY7d9xWBo6PVvRthNNUmJ3CyL0hiSqEtFh7UOfJrNkxPnIpHxKC6A-TZm3wYETRQAcOFaeMNdLBgcW9dIVAmsHnCRkAtWAOE0ljebeem_PPgpoqaXWva6ycVO-dR43VnvO4k8nX5gdk7HLi8E9z5IVBvY3NxnXF5Nkqgo_6v-F40f64xMAOS6d0A/s1024/_bfaef5f1-1b0a-41e4-b238-54e3c2d93c11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WanBY7d9xWBo6PVvRthNNUmJ3CyL0hiSqEtFh7UOfJrNkxPnIpHxKC6A-TZm3wYETRQAcOFaeMNdLBgcW9dIVAmsHnCRkAtWAOE0ljebeem_PPgpoqaXWva6ycVO-dR43VnvO4k8nX5gdk7HLi8E9z5IVBvY3NxnXF5Nkqgo_6v-F40f64xMAOS6d0A/s320/_bfaef5f1-1b0a-41e4-b238-54e3c2d93c11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I saw an interview where Mike Tyson said that he supported the use of performance enhancing drugs in the world of bodybuilding because it wasn't a contact sport.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any other sport, Athletes show us what is possible with hard work and dedication. Bodybuilding show us what is possible with hard work, dedication, and a cocktail of performance enhancing drugs. It's not possible to compete in Mr. Olympia without the use of it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Why is it allowed?</b></div><div>The official reason is that Bodybuilding isn't a sport that is governed by the "World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)" which is responsible to enforce anti-doping regulation in most other sports. As a result, bodybuilding competitions are not subject to the same strick anti-doping rules as other sports.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my mind, however, it isn't allowed because it brings "wow" factor to the sport.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bodybuilding, at least in my mind, is supposed to be promoting healthy lifestyle or the achievement of the perfect spartan (symmetric) body but we've turned it into an unhealthy swollen mess with athletes dying before the age of 40.</div><div>To some, this is a beautiful sport but to me it's nothing more than a facade hiding something that is ugly.</div><div><br /></div><div>My advice to you for 2024 is to exercise without the use of performance enhancing drugs.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-34635189783113215932024-01-03T02:00:00.079-04:002024-01-03T02:00:00.249-04:00Where are the Facts?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGVn6vM2nhfCJKOvPQV8QB_9lTS-aghccmVkjM6tgXkz9XPYjxrWgGdosNFLEF5lL0JrDn21_DFkAnoTYxHIHk2TYXyfSs214qaTQqeRbHdoOLPuqaqanBvRMzPYwjVZhYbdc1kd-8RfdrHXXbrXEFTu2K1rhsM8OKwUkKRjbxTyTHteJWzRsf2Dmc-g/s1024/_7a288a10-c4fd-498c-b0f2-95601bb25b0b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGVn6vM2nhfCJKOvPQV8QB_9lTS-aghccmVkjM6tgXkz9XPYjxrWgGdosNFLEF5lL0JrDn21_DFkAnoTYxHIHk2TYXyfSs214qaTQqeRbHdoOLPuqaqanBvRMzPYwjVZhYbdc1kd-8RfdrHXXbrXEFTu2K1rhsM8OKwUkKRjbxTyTHteJWzRsf2Dmc-g/s320/_7a288a10-c4fd-498c-b0f2-95601bb25b0b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>A few years ago, I attended a leadership seminar where the speaker said "trust but verify" the information that you find but today I find it difficult to "verify" any information.</div><div><br /></div><div>Where are the facts?</div><div><br /></div><div>When I was in school, I was assigned research projects where I had to provide at least 3 sources that would support my findings. The only sources that were accepted were from reputable organizations whether it be an encyclopedia or online. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have access to an abundance of information online. Many "experts" talk about things that disagree with each other. How are we supposed to discern facts from fiction? In addition to this, we also live in a world where some purposely share erroneous information for the sole purpose of making a profit.</div><div>This problem is made even worse with A.I. as it learns from the data that we give it. However, I also believe that the solution to this problem can also be fixed with the help of A.I. as it's also possible to tell it what is widely considered to be the facts on any given subjects.</div><div><br /></div><div>The only thing that we can do is never assume that we know something - always be open to learning new things. This is what it means to be a Student of Life. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-63516368829130082642024-01-01T02:00:00.048-04:002024-01-01T02:00:00.256-04:00Happy New Year - 2024!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxGVnPYSV5F8xI6506SEE6KWi-OQbiKzUvIq_dMKNrZrz49_BKCwiCQg7yPP_KHa_R_i4VHkjzLR4MdR_i83yGXTOu3SvN0qXt5Aev9LU5rVfjUH8jcwH1ypdXGiVQ12fF_9KTyUKMub2h69MrivEP6ylCdgvSMvSOUxJ6SVAnZ458ty-rx6TkHfPZaE/s1024/_bf53dd6b-637b-4b35-a8d0-f7444ec3b731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxGVnPYSV5F8xI6506SEE6KWi-OQbiKzUvIq_dMKNrZrz49_BKCwiCQg7yPP_KHa_R_i4VHkjzLR4MdR_i83yGXTOu3SvN0qXt5Aev9LU5rVfjUH8jcwH1ypdXGiVQ12fF_9KTyUKMub2h69MrivEP6ylCdgvSMvSOUxJ6SVAnZ458ty-rx6TkHfPZaE/s320/_bf53dd6b-637b-4b35-a8d0-f7444ec3b731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>A new year often brings with it inspiration for change. Typically that change is physical but this year we should evaluate our minds.</p><p>The person that talks to you most in your lifetime is the voice inside of your head. To some, that voice isn't the most supportive or at least not where it should be. Start paying attention to what that voice is saying and make the necessary changes.</p><p>We can achieve a lot more than our mind often allows us to. Let's unleash that potential and become whom we're supposed to be.</p><p style="text-align: right;">May 2024 be your year!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-15142986042498029082023-12-27T02:00:00.044-04:002023-12-30T11:18:08.710-04:00Life Is Shorter Than We Think<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3q3e45UqeHOd_j6pgeslyOnQqsLHrpH14KLOSnrCe6X1nftCsayadcrbxfvKyzlmql_2qMnoBZ3Uriy3-JNC7DtD-Avz-96nlke-mOZ9x4SGTKsQ_jh6EUJXqAGzYtDyYGGgDQ9ne0cwDOy31mZnkxY0r2ra4FsYfc0PyIwKbdrKwXHd9Zpo2S0QXjc/s1024/_d9111b50-3b95-44a5-a2f6-c2e64e35e455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3q3e45UqeHOd_j6pgeslyOnQqsLHrpH14KLOSnrCe6X1nftCsayadcrbxfvKyzlmql_2qMnoBZ3Uriy3-JNC7DtD-Avz-96nlke-mOZ9x4SGTKsQ_jh6EUJXqAGzYtDyYGGgDQ9ne0cwDOy31mZnkxY0r2ra4FsYfc0PyIwKbdrKwXHd9Zpo2S0QXjc/s320/_d9111b50-3b95-44a5-a2f6-c2e64e35e455.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div>Life is a lot shorter than we think for the simple reason that we're not actively living for more than half of it. When we think about our lifespan we don't think about the time where we passively live only the time where we're actively living. When we think about our retirement, at the age of 65 years, we don't think about half of the time we'll be asleep, we don't think about the times we'll need to recover, the times where our minds will simply wonder on unproductive things, the time we'll need to cook, the time you'll need to take care for those close to you...<div><div><br /></div><div>If we factor in the degradation of our bodies then we even have less time to do what we actually want to do. If you're in your early 20s, for example, it's no longer time for you to be starting the process to join a professional sport team - if you haven't started in your early childhood then you've already missed that boat and it only gets worse from there.</div><div>Your mental faculties also degrades over time and you'll notice that you may not be as creative in your later years as you were years prior.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, life is short and it's even shorter than we actually think it is as we often don't consider the time where we passively live whenever we think about the duration of our lives. Work on your goals with a sense of urgency as tomorrow is not guaranteed and even if you are going to be here tomorrow... tomorrow will come sooner than you think and you may not have the ability to work on your goals anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-13800157286812302312023-12-25T02:00:00.004-04:002023-12-25T08:52:52.583-04:00Merry Christmas - 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn12kzWk176G758fJwyI3G0Ouk0LVG65ztD165SVJGLO5gQAf4OFsfMiN5dWaYvT4J-X8Fol1OZyW3pyGg1jU6LIY8RbY44kp2muO-6IrwGrDuFVNKlao65U41yOwH-dncXEd-i2KWqBmW_MLFkK7Mntu6ZfPmYSGPZum5ERVW9gBg2KhTrchRFfNnqT0/s1024/_ae1bfd10-0961-4e9a-8083-e3eaecee6a9c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn12kzWk176G758fJwyI3G0Ouk0LVG65ztD165SVJGLO5gQAf4OFsfMiN5dWaYvT4J-X8Fol1OZyW3pyGg1jU6LIY8RbY44kp2muO-6IrwGrDuFVNKlao65U41yOwH-dncXEd-i2KWqBmW_MLFkK7Mntu6ZfPmYSGPZum5ERVW9gBg2KhTrchRFfNnqT0/s320/_ae1bfd10-0961-4e9a-8083-e3eaecee6a9c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div><div>For some, Christmas is a period of time with lots of family gatherings and maybe you wished those would stop. To you, I say be careful what you wish for as one day that wish will come true and you will regret ever wishing it. Sure, attending 15 different suppers may be exhausting but those are blessing in disguised. When those supper stops, it's either going to be because someone died or they've lost interest in doing them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Have those suppers and enjoy them while they last.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year, I realized that not everyone has been as blessed as I have with life up to this point. Many will be alone for Christmas and this post, my friends, is for you. May you have a wonderful Christmas and may next year bring you the joys of close relationships.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">Merry Christmas 2023!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-17180406271086075062023-12-20T02:00:00.010-04:002023-12-20T02:00:00.134-04:00The Secret to Mental Heath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniBxllBcHUetHny6KueU_2Y8v2RtJH_0O-2z2rhooqUzMgJFdCF0JNq3fFE26WsjQ6Vds6MZ5Cc6HnCZwBAJdTb32OFvXXo8Wr4lT7JWMBH0JiQeBbMOd94FlAfGCyuPKcvGMu-035kQG1GCZM36xKKOhN6PhQnIshrp1S_VXk27BxEfXJ_-p8PkkXo0/s1024/_d870a1d9-11a8-4b5e-8733-fef740457a68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniBxllBcHUetHny6KueU_2Y8v2RtJH_0O-2z2rhooqUzMgJFdCF0JNq3fFE26WsjQ6Vds6MZ5Cc6HnCZwBAJdTb32OFvXXo8Wr4lT7JWMBH0JiQeBbMOd94FlAfGCyuPKcvGMu-035kQG1GCZM36xKKOhN6PhQnIshrp1S_VXk27BxEfXJ_-p8PkkXo0/s320/_d870a1d9-11a8-4b5e-8733-fef740457a68.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>My sister recently pointed out to me that she found it strange that I didn't require medication for stress or depression at my age considering the work I was doing and how other people seem to require it. While my mental health isn't the greatest all the time I know that there's some things that I can do to help it and thankfully it never got bad enough that I felt the need for medication - at least not yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>The secret to mental health is to not let it deteriorate - prevention is much better than medication. </div><div><br /></div><div>How do you even work on your mental health though? While there's no one answer that will work for everyone there are some rules that we should consider to help keep our mental health where it should be.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some things to consider:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Physical Health </b>- The relationship between body and the mind can't be understated. If you're body has problems, your mental state will have problems. Eat/sleep/exercise to help you body cope with the stress of life and give it a better chance at fighting the inner daemons.</li><li><b>Meditation</b> - Read good books, calm your mind, don't dwell on the negativity of your life.</li><li><b>Shut off negativity</b> - I know people that watch 8 hours a day of negative news and wonder why they don't feel the greatest? Limit your exposure to negativity; Sometimes this means to remove friends from your life or negative news.</li><li><b>Financial stability</b> - Financial stress is quite difficult to cope with. Learn to say no to the things that will bring you in unnecessary debt and ultimately clutter your life.</li><li><b>Relationships</b> - Having good friends does wonders to your mental health.</li><li><b>Get out of the comfort zone</b> - Comfort zone is comfortable but not really exciting. Doing something new will add "life" to your life.</li><li><b>Therapy</b> - If you struggle, seek professional help! Don't let those problems grow within your mind as they're easier to deal with when they're small than when they're fully ingrained.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div>While I'm convinced the above can help, sometimes life just keeps throwing things at you which makes it difficult to see the positive side of things. If you're going through one of those times, the only thing you can do is keep moving forward keeping in mind that nothing last forever whether it be the good or the bad times.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-60482999916942554632023-12-13T02:00:00.097-04:002023-12-13T02:00:00.271-04:00Leaders Take Blame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZdFb7Xu48k1JRSg7fWUCHUteilv0szn1hW3vj2C6dRUnjSLk1jSHWDheMIkI6KuQhZIsdkrY6dlsAK4ek7kGTLw8tM9q_9GPJuX5tFta2AX2XEEA2tU0dh3eh2qXU3hqWAHOX8lg7m0o729kg1oV5gwT65BnG9jqcFBv9I3GuTJBtJSO1hWgSUOkavM/s1024/_96b25a28-f282-4f9c-abd5-2667e7698ebc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZdFb7Xu48k1JRSg7fWUCHUteilv0szn1hW3vj2C6dRUnjSLk1jSHWDheMIkI6KuQhZIsdkrY6dlsAK4ek7kGTLw8tM9q_9GPJuX5tFta2AX2XEEA2tU0dh3eh2qXU3hqWAHOX8lg7m0o729kg1oV5gwT65BnG9jqcFBv9I3GuTJBtJSO1hWgSUOkavM/s320/_96b25a28-f282-4f9c-abd5-2667e7698ebc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>"Leaders take blame" is something I first heard roughly 15 years ago when I attended my first MLM Leadership seminar. While I've applied the principle for myself, it's not until recently that I've had to extend its reach to someone else's mistake and understood the reasoning behind it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">"In youth we learn; in age we understand."</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm at a point in my career where I have more work than I can reasonably do on any given day. Lately, this has become a problem due to competing priorities; when I work on one thing, the other thing doesn't get done until I have time to do it. </div><div>To remedy this situation, I've started delegating some of these important task unto other people and this is how I learned the importance of taking the blame from someone else's mistakes. If I discourage people when they make mistakes, then I'm going to be stuck doing these tasks on my own - forever. If I want other people to step up and take up things off of my plate then I must create an environment to allow them to grow.</div><div><br /></div><div>By taking the blame, I've allowed people to be more courageous than they normally would of been which translate to them taking ownership of the tasks.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're fighting for a goal bigger than you then you need a team to support you. Leaders take the blame indeed...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-41796765370295716482023-12-06T02:00:00.050-04:002023-12-06T02:00:00.151-04:00They're Everywhere!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE0bpiQaAu7d9eBxP5yLDtPydXZ6xi2ctcgZTQk7L-FPQ2E8nuMsbRQaswBzP9QWr2nQedBW5QBdI59Fophc1O-zWXZcv3trKuoidhWaKTWid0cy8V6S3jh2mNwztzEdxgN685wA1Vnjh2ksDGLolLcIiDabm36T3ZFmGm6T99XnqFvGgh54Y-UOfDV4/s1024/_81c9fc29-8397-453d-8e3b-4d04f0ce9e03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE0bpiQaAu7d9eBxP5yLDtPydXZ6xi2ctcgZTQk7L-FPQ2E8nuMsbRQaswBzP9QWr2nQedBW5QBdI59Fophc1O-zWXZcv3trKuoidhWaKTWid0cy8V6S3jh2mNwztzEdxgN685wA1Vnjh2ksDGLolLcIiDabm36T3ZFmGm6T99XnqFvGgh54Y-UOfDV4/s320/_81c9fc29-8397-453d-8e3b-4d04f0ce9e03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div></div><div><br /></div></div><div>A friend of mine has told me recently that she quit her job because she was tired of working with people that didn't want to work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Different company-same problems...</div><div><br /></div><div>Some people are mediocre regardless of the amount of training they go through. Whether it be intentional or not they simply don't produce at a level that is satisfactory for the role they're supposedly hired to fill.</div><div>Companies must have plans in place to identify/work/remove these individuals as not doing so will negatively impact morale as well as drive out those that are producing. It's a real shame to loose a good employee at the hands of a mediocre one.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-40697721358039533262023-11-29T02:00:00.081-04:002023-11-29T02:00:00.135-04:00Is Cryptocurrency the Information Age's Ponzi Scheme?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzsEix71k1nafIym4i-aUJu-F8E1oYYPTzFxdx85AKT-KnCsG4cs06o7iThRXCxTyd9TgcsKxAr-0PoJEQH2BIl_HHDzIs9cOdN4dwVRDa_sh_-n9OpaU-G1YC4z1aHl0F7u50fVaP1Qk_a6fyy_z9io38t4K6r6Jv9fUWEDVI4HeQWR86JwaTMwyE9U/s1024/_1df940e7-7e99-4e4d-b6c0-758872bfcbea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzsEix71k1nafIym4i-aUJu-F8E1oYYPTzFxdx85AKT-KnCsG4cs06o7iThRXCxTyd9TgcsKxAr-0PoJEQH2BIl_HHDzIs9cOdN4dwVRDa_sh_-n9OpaU-G1YC4z1aHl0F7u50fVaP1Qk_a6fyy_z9io38t4K6r6Jv9fUWEDVI4HeQWR86JwaTMwyE9U/s320/_1df940e7-7e99-4e4d-b6c0-758872bfcbea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div></div><div><br /></div>There's been people trying to get money off of other people for as long as money exist. In the industrial age, "Ponzi Scheme" came about to do just that and today it seems to have taken a new form namely: Cryptocurrency.<div><br /></div><div>Is Cryptocurrency the information age's version of a Ponzi Scheme?</div><div><br /></div><div>It's important note that not all door to door salesman are part of a Ponzi Scheme. It's very likely that not all cryptocurrencies are frauds however it does look like it's easy for it to be a fraud as people don't understand them enough. </div><div>With FTX, one of the biggest cryptocurrencies exchange platform, going bankrupt after being found to be a fraud ... it's difficult to trust any of them. If one of the biggest one turned out to be a fraud then how likely are we to find other ones to be frauds?</div><div><br /></div><div>The idea behind cryptocurrency is relatively simple: scarcity creates value. The value of these coins comes from them being limited. The key here, however, is that people must buy into it - if there's no trust there's no value. For Cryptocurrency NOT to be a fraud, it must exist for the right reason and not for the purpose of defrauding someone.</div><div><br /></div><div>Is Cryptocurrency the information age's version of a Ponzi Scheme?</div><div><br /></div><div>Ponzi Scheme was created in the industrial age for the purpose of defrauding people. Cryptocurrency was created in the information age but the purpose depends on the creator. Some turn out to be FTX while others are Bitcoins... some salesmen represent Ponzi Schemes while others don't.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-69501793500067298212023-11-22T02:00:00.016-04:002023-11-22T02:00:00.149-04:00The Inspiration Dilima <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9d2VWVPeguUWPw735yCLlC-k0E-jGvEB5f51RKElFONC5nAPKzvp1ZO3Z5uBn5q9BhPP1Kf2_njE_XON-BqX3mK16_xH8vo7wg7jOTXh0coDa65ptVHjRtk-Rbz775-o9nxjguME0HE6tnMzCE12wZlfMn9PAe6BnLLwot0t_fF7iRz4CbQ-UKDKj1O0/s1024/_d6db0d26-b451-4479-b600-1ea62353e820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9d2VWVPeguUWPw735yCLlC-k0E-jGvEB5f51RKElFONC5nAPKzvp1ZO3Z5uBn5q9BhPP1Kf2_njE_XON-BqX3mK16_xH8vo7wg7jOTXh0coDa65ptVHjRtk-Rbz775-o9nxjguME0HE6tnMzCE12wZlfMn9PAe6BnLLwot0t_fF7iRz4CbQ-UKDKj1O0/s320/_d6db0d26-b451-4479-b600-1ea62353e820.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div></div>Many so call artists will wait until inspiration strikes prior to creating anything. The problem with this approach is that inspiration doesn't come easy - it's sporadic. <div><br /></div><div>I love writing stories on my free time and one of them I've only really worked on when I had the inspiration for it. In a year, I may of gotten 2 pages in... If my goal was to be a published author then I, obviously, cannot use this approach as it would take me decades to complete it. </div><div>For some other stories, I've forced myself to write a little bit in it every second day. I've not only gotten more content in but I would argue that it's actually better than the story I only been writing when inspiration struck.</div><div><br /></div><div>The lesson here is that if we want to create anything then we need to create it regardless if we're inspired or not. Inspiration often comes when you force it a little bit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-7418990544012076912023-11-15T08:00:00.025-04:002023-11-15T08:00:00.143-04:00Death of the Experts?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbk5VJpXhhQFVntsQ1bFDmmiznQsIohfjpmGq2Y96CtLcpFarnsq8fIvKF6KusKH-PvZuof4fkwGsrXam55Oc6jcOO5-x0h2WNPNc30Po3cIlQMI6kDE4OSwNkHQumKigvWIUeYfGY1cmxjBm8wSC2DogTUFgJyyk6VoF79NNTMqz8DWEIinMwYlYcF8/s1024/_10b73a1d-a993-4366-b421-93bd2c53d354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbk5VJpXhhQFVntsQ1bFDmmiznQsIohfjpmGq2Y96CtLcpFarnsq8fIvKF6KusKH-PvZuof4fkwGsrXam55Oc6jcOO5-x0h2WNPNc30Po3cIlQMI6kDE4OSwNkHQumKigvWIUeYfGY1cmxjBm8wSC2DogTUFgJyyk6VoF79NNTMqz8DWEIinMwYlYcF8/s320/_10b73a1d-a993-4366-b421-93bd2c53d354.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div><div>We've designed the internet to spread misinformation as we've prioritized "views" over "facts". The lifeblood of an influencer is in "views" which means that they may not necessarily fact-check everything they promote. They are likely to make decisions based on views more so than anything else.</div><div><br /></div><div>Experts are people that have acquired expertise via credible sources while influencers are people that exert an expertise they may not have. Influencers builds trust with their audiences which allows them to be more believable in their message than an unknown expert.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Why would I believe you, an expert that I don't know, when mamajojo on youtube, whom I've watched for years, is saying something different?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>We need to fix this problem on multiple fronts:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We need a change in the internet algorithm to minimize the spread of misinformation.</li><ul><li>While free speech doesn't allow us to censor misinformation, do we really need to put it on the front page?</li></ul><li>We need influencers to fact-check their messages.</li><li>We need viewers to understand that what they see <a href="https://www.ripencil.com/2020/05/dont-believe-everything-you-see-online.html">online isn't necessarily true</a> and may just exist for the sake of generating views.</li><li>We need everyone to prioritize facts over sensationalism. </li></ul><div>Misinformation isn't an easy problem to fix as facts tend to be boring. When a journalist writes something, he'll put things in his work to shock the audience as this is what generates money. We need to find a balance and right now it feels like the scale is too much on the side of misinformation.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-82675414698700838752023-11-08T02:00:00.086-04:002023-11-08T02:00:00.142-04:00How Dating Change With Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF_5ogNZ6BuvC1Jtc9TFmvtbeoI7kgCUBCmHS3Gu-3Nv79XjQ4yjuqmKt27uqy-okTXmURugthAdaIY_9Z-QXQlnlsRnJFwlyNvsMVuUeVZD2Z7HYhTF0FUNNExhFoWbl8Ag4QYlCWdGtkeHRhwKKuc4rdYclpN0y6ebyEo0bL6UbfLnfVFT1ojm3W2Q/s1024/_62696ac1-4eae-40b5-b8eb-96ca65681ce9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF_5ogNZ6BuvC1Jtc9TFmvtbeoI7kgCUBCmHS3Gu-3Nv79XjQ4yjuqmKt27uqy-okTXmURugthAdaIY_9Z-QXQlnlsRnJFwlyNvsMVuUeVZD2Z7HYhTF0FUNNExhFoWbl8Ag4QYlCWdGtkeHRhwKKuc4rdYclpN0y6ebyEo0bL6UbfLnfVFT1ojm3W2Q/s320/_62696ac1-4eae-40b5-b8eb-96ca65681ce9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div>Dating changes as we get older. The biggest of these changes is perhaps the willingness to present our real self from the start rather than who we think the other person will like. We do this because we come to realize that life is finite and our window of opportunity in finding a suitable mate is closing - finding a quality, rather than quantity, partner becomes increasingly important the older that we get.<div><br /></div><div>While being physically attracted to a partner remains important, especially for men, we do come to realize that physical appearance is fleeting and will degrade with age. We know this because we see the degradation in ourselves. Life is slowly eating away at our youthfulness leaving behind gray hair and dry skin.</div><div>Some qualities we may come to value more, in our partner, as we age are:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Kindness</b> - Being kind is more difficult than being mean. Kindness shows that the person wishes to make good in the world and will likely add value to your life.</li><li><b>Financial Stability/Discipline </b>- Having a stable financial situation is better for relationships than not having a stable financial situation. The relationship is more likely to be peaceful if there's no needless debts.</li><li><b>Sensitive to One's Own Health</b> - Physical/mental health is an important part of the human experience. If you're dating someone that fail to see its importance then chances are high that you will need to deal with some form of negativity caused by it.</li><li><b>Eternal Student</b> - Nobody has all the answers. The student of life is someone that understands that learning doesn't end when high school ends - it ends when the student is dead. The person that is willing to learn will be more opened to learning/fixing relationship issues rather than push the blame.</li></ul><div>In case you haven't noticed, the common theme of these qualities is peace. Whether it be intentional or not, peace is what we ultimately want as its the birthplace of happiness.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-9279225630086860732023-11-01T02:00:00.004-03:002023-11-01T02:00:00.148-03:00No Energy for Enemies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs_jkVA-pFP59uaI69V6hyphenhyphen4UjL9DljL_4GrEXiSNFC0IGzy-OKDE_SeNTvRV_GIXpktpdGQjLNb-ARiP-Snfp52M4qCPJB2BzA-vBhdpy8UTv7R3ub2xTxNPsIw-VYHZx8AEG8ord3-9gwU2evPxl1yhE6tSrf-XiPd4X19QetcRnTqfmhtEeLO7mNZY/s1024/_3c53324b-389b-4559-8f5a-8225e33a9965.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs_jkVA-pFP59uaI69V6hyphenhyphen4UjL9DljL_4GrEXiSNFC0IGzy-OKDE_SeNTvRV_GIXpktpdGQjLNb-ARiP-Snfp52M4qCPJB2BzA-vBhdpy8UTv7R3ub2xTxNPsIw-VYHZx8AEG8ord3-9gwU2evPxl1yhE6tSrf-XiPd4X19QetcRnTqfmhtEeLO7mNZY/s320/_3c53324b-389b-4559-8f5a-8225e33a9965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div></div><div><br /></div>My mother has told me "not to befriend anyone from family X" multiple times, over the past 30 years, because they've stolen things from her in the past. While I can certainly understand the frustration, it seems like a lot of energy was spent reminiscing about the pain this person inflicted over all this time.<div><br /></div><div>Don't hold grudges for that long...</div><div><br /></div><div>What I mean is don't carry the pain someone did to you over an extended period of time. There's other, more important, things that you need to be focusing on. While you don't necessarily need to befriend your enemies, don't spend time thinking about the pain they've inflicted to you. Learn to live with it and move on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nobody's perfect, people make mistakes and people can change. If you got hurt by someone 30 years ago, they're not necessarily the same person anymore. Again, you don't need to befriend them but you do need to get them out of your head - they certainly don't deserve all the attention you've continuously allowed them to have.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-47739635181219949362023-10-25T02:00:00.042-03:002023-10-25T02:00:00.148-03:00This is a Reminder: Christmas is Coming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCM3JgTl-07IXCPNhgzA7DT7VLz-rMPEg1OhUkWYtGAvjoo_6EMMNlQbb89jA9iapGwQhdCi4XbEUxu4Wa_7VsSqmcQbOz0ZWXUpyUqtfB7qcJ4V5OMf2IdXmEEdLsmz3Y1JT7Ch_vbKB8oRxk9ygA-vyDp5S29EGJ33l3paAisazyHR0zrY4Uxca3Jo/s1024/_58864722-1026-4b5d-a443-da5879a8e97c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCM3JgTl-07IXCPNhgzA7DT7VLz-rMPEg1OhUkWYtGAvjoo_6EMMNlQbb89jA9iapGwQhdCi4XbEUxu4Wa_7VsSqmcQbOz0ZWXUpyUqtfB7qcJ4V5OMf2IdXmEEdLsmz3Y1JT7Ch_vbKB8oRxk9ygA-vyDp5S29EGJ33l3paAisazyHR0zrY4Uxca3Jo/s320/_58864722-1026-4b5d-a443-da5879a8e97c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div>Another year, another Christmas and another year where you wait last minute to buy Christmas presents. If you have the intention of giving gifts this year, and you haven't started, you're somewhat late- you should of started 2 months ago!<div><br /></div><div>The biggest secrets for good gifts giving is to plan ahead of time. You need to start thinking about it months before you actually need it. When your mind is seeking for good gifts, long before you actually need them, you're more likely to pick up things from those around you that would make good gifts. If you're buying gifts for your spouse, for example, and you learn that she's thinking about starting a new hobby... that could be a good gift for the next holiday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gift giving is supposed to be a fun activity but it's often a cause of stress and the main reason for that is that most people don't plan ahead enough for them. If you're only a few days, before the holiday, you're rushing to get gifts that may not even be available anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div>Plan ahead and your chances of finding something your entourage will enjoy is increased. For more tips, look at my previous post <a href="https://www.ripencil.com/2021/09/want-to-make-thoughtful-gifts.html" target="_blank">here</a>, </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-7670276516917377802023-10-18T02:00:00.058-03:002023-10-18T02:00:00.149-03:00Keep the Relationship Problems Private<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYCLiLzASt4v2Mfyo6keSxl9LnF-F4LEuM6u-mYMPGSG329LzG04xxoAiXkVQRcwGI0D1sQ1rsr-aGQ16NtLZjHta7IDrEZDP_ICggsZknZ7fYluRnUUlCQeerkDJexP4ARQ-nlJtxPnEMJxR8AUpaNtgpZ4XbvZO00Z-Cr5DyAJECzW1KPQjBTxXal4/s1024/_04318ce4-8b7f-423d-ad42-95758cdf2d91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYCLiLzASt4v2Mfyo6keSxl9LnF-F4LEuM6u-mYMPGSG329LzG04xxoAiXkVQRcwGI0D1sQ1rsr-aGQ16NtLZjHta7IDrEZDP_ICggsZknZ7fYluRnUUlCQeerkDJexP4ARQ-nlJtxPnEMJxR8AUpaNtgpZ4XbvZO00Z-Cr5DyAJECzW1KPQjBTxXal4/s320/_04318ce4-8b7f-423d-ad42-95758cdf2d91.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</div><div><br /></div>In the age of Social Media, it's fairly easy to share whatever may be going on with the rest of your entourage but not everything needs to be shared - relationship problems being one of them. Issues between you and your partner should remain private as exposing them may have a negative impact on the dynamics of the relationship.<div><br /></div><div>Spending a lot of time with a person is bound to expose the failing of their characters. If your partner truly is one of the most important person in your life then what use is there for you to be speaking ill of them? The only thing this would do is bring them down through the eyes of others and reinforcing the negatives within your own mind.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to the Bible, the sixth Commandment is "Thou shalt not kill". If you're speaking ill of your partner, you are "killing" his reputation to the eyes of others. The Golden Rule is ""Do unto others as you would have them do unto you..." I doubt you would like it if your partner spoke ill of you.</div><div><br /></div><div>When sharing things about your partner, share only the good - keep the negative private as these problems are only for the both of you to work on.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7319864894221484768.post-31606930452914223422023-10-11T02:00:00.022-03:002023-10-11T02:00:00.152-03:00How Addictions Kills Relationships...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahJt00m3ddAzLFkia7MSsabfDByPCS18iocnFJkY8B_x_bZeSrYc4VVkaKkQFFGAkRPl0uCOoDBX1Mouy5msKH6ty2dnBl247zK5DHgCC5XYO5jt5KbLX0QiNgMppfP6kF_N2w6Uz45E2-lrKCAwoT4PUzgwgnvrL2gTaA7JsVsIV3F69khEMmNVtGDQ/s1024/_52c8cb31-05bd-4178-aaf3-28aaf1473d90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahJt00m3ddAzLFkia7MSsabfDByPCS18iocnFJkY8B_x_bZeSrYc4VVkaKkQFFGAkRPl0uCOoDBX1Mouy5msKH6ty2dnBl247zK5DHgCC5XYO5jt5KbLX0QiNgMppfP6kF_N2w6Uz45E2-lrKCAwoT4PUzgwgnvrL2gTaA7JsVsIV3F69khEMmNVtGDQ/s320/_52c8cb31-05bd-4178-aaf3-28aaf1473d90.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Image created by A.I. DALL-E/Bing)</span></div><div><br /></div>The biggest problem with addictions is that we don't see them as addictions. After all, if we feel love, or happiness, towards something then how can that thing be bad?<div><br /></div><div>Since we all have 24 hours in a day, it means that we have a limited amount of time that we can dedicate to everything that matters to us with some of that time already allocated to other things such as:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>8 hours of sleep.</li><li>8 hours of work.</li><li>1-3 hours food.</li><li>...</li></ul><div>Which leaves about 5-6 hours of "personal" time left. If there's an addiction then that's additional time that will be taken away from you. </div><div>The 24 hour period is important to note here as it means that we're limited in what we can do, or think, in a given day. Since most of that time is guaranteed to be allocated to other things then there really isn't much "personal" time left. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the time remaining is dedicated to an addiction, rather than relationships, then how can a relationship be nurtured if there's no time/effort dedicated to it?</div></div><div><div>Addictions kills relationships by taking over the mind. It's a poison that takes over the limited amount of thoughts, available in a given day, that would of otherwise went towards the relationships. </div><div><br /></div><div>If there's something in your life that takes precedents, daily, over your relationships then you may need to work on forcing it out in order to prioritize the relationships... otherwise you're going to end up alone.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0