Book of the year

I have read many books in 2005, but nothing comes close to this.

This excellent book teaches you to spot your mental locks and how to open them. You will recognize your thinking pattern and learn a different method to complement it.

For example, you could be very strong in critical thinking and economic rationality. That is excellent in the workplace because we value people who can solve problems with the shortest time and the least cost.

But life is rarely that simple. Solutions are smudged with uncertainties. An option may solve 80% of the problem, but it worsens the remaining 20%. What do you do when your primary reasoning fails to solve the problem?

Dig into the other side of the mind: parallel thinking.

You see, critical thinking is a process of elimination; It cuts down wasteful options. Parallel thinking is a process of creation; It opens up a universe of possibilities.

Critical thinking emphasizes about how different things are. Nobody would mistake a fridge for a cat. But parallel thinking sees how similar a cat and a fridge is. Both have a place to store fish. Both have a tail. And both purr.

Like a spotlight, critical thinking is bright, clear and intense, but the focus is narrow. Parallel thinking is like a floodlight. It is more diffuse, not as intense, but covers a wider area.

To effectively solve any problem, you need parallel thinking to see all the solutions. Then you use critical thinking to pick the answer.

Personally, I find it useful for 2 kinds of problems. The first kind are new problems that require answers I've never imagined possible. And I learn new things that have not appeared on any books before. It's like blind spots: I can't see what I missed till I turn around.

The second kind of problem is people-related. Parallel thinking taught me how to see a person for all his worth. Instead of thinking about what a person cannot do, I learn to value what a person can be taught.

Look into the mirror today. Is it someone who sticks to the familiar, or someone who learns something new everyday?

The Chronicles of Narnia

I have just watched the Chronicles of Narnia. Normally I won't do this, but the desire to release myself from this experience compels me to comment. Hopefully the writing will grant me peace.

Once again, Disney has brought a children fantasy to life on the silver screen. The movie lasts 140 minutes, though it was supposed to be a standard 90 minutes. Rumour has it that the editors fell sick due to over-exposure from the film. Even censors refused to go near it without chemical warfare protection.

In the movie, 4 British children enter the magical land of Narnia through a wardrobe. Now Narnia happens to be a tourist-free country because there are no immigration officers at the other end of the wardrobe, searching for terrorists, bombs or drugs. Instead, it is a land free of humans, if you excuse a nasty witch.

By accident, 8 year-old Lucy wanders into the wardrobe and meets a fawn. In case you are wondering, a fawn resembles a genetic mixup between a man and a goat. He excels in seducing young girls to his house with tea, toast and sardines. I don't know why, but the word paedophile keeps popping into my head. Maybe Disney Corp picked up a British newspaper.

Talking animals make up the majority of the Narnia population and they are divided into 2 camps: the witch party and the lion tribe. The witch is the incumbent tyrant. The lion, king of beasts and all, plots high treason because he hasn't had any Christmas gifts for a hundred years. And it was because Santa Claus took an extended break and pinned the blame on the witch... No wait, that part was from The Grinch That Stole Christmas.

And there's supposed to be a prophecy that every animal in Narnia knows because it's standard kindergarten material. One day, 4 kids would come and rescue them from the cold bitch. Now that must be true, because I saw the same storyline in The Matrix.

One part that confuses me though: why is Narnia a magical land when the witch is the only one who casts magic? Sure there are satyrs, minotaurs and talking beavers, but I really fail to appreciate the magic. You would have expected the 4 kids to wield a wand, chant some spells or toss some fireballs. But no, they did not. Sigh... But I can't blame them, can I? There's no magic in A Series of Unfortunate Events too.

Moving on... Kids meet witch. Kids run away to join the lion's gang. Kids fight and witch dies. Kids become kings and queens of Narnia. Lion takes a long walk along the coastline and forgets to come back. Kids go back to the real world. All's well that ends well. Freakingly, wholesomely, nicely boring stuff.

Excuse me, Disney executives, have you heard of the wizard Harry Porter? No? Oh nevermind.

Don't talk during lunch

I buy my lunch at the coffeeshop or hawker centre every afternoon. You can see all kinds of people there. Office folks, labour folks, study folks... It's a global thing. We eat lunch in the middle of the day because we are hungry.

Everytime I'm in the queue, I think about them. What are they thinking right now? What are they chatting in-between mouthfuls of food? What occupies their minds after swallowing their coffee?

Maybe they are drooling over the new girl whose skirt fails to discipline her creamy legs.

Maybe they are cursing the CEO who stole from the donors, the kidney patients and the NKF staff outside of his bloody gang.

Maybe they are just choking over a stupid joke.

I don't know. But one thing I'm sure. They are not talking about ads.

Because the ads today talk about how the product is the grandest, the superest or the bestest.

Because the ads today talk about how smart the ads are, with concepts that need no words to explain themselves.

Because the ads today talk about how the cutting-edge techniques win the copywriters and art directors so many awards in the international scene.

And because the ads today talk so much, people no longer listen. After all, they are not in advertising. Why should they care?

When I go to a doctor, I don't want to know his college life, his X-ray machine, or his 54-year old nurse. What I'm more interested is the headache that threatens to split my skull and when I'm going to recover from it.

The cliche goes: What's in it for me?

The next time you are out for lunch, think. Is your ad talking to them? You can't persuade if they aren't listening.

A good ad stops the reader. A great ad feeds his mind, warms his heart and bursts out of his mouth during lunch.

So buy your food, sit down and stay quiet. Don't talk too much. Listen. Lunchtime is crunchtime.

What is The Final Solution?

Is it:

1. A mathematical hypothesis that can divide any number by zero and thus prove how the universe came together?

2. An ongoing debate among the World Health Organization to eradicate AIDS in Africa by 2060?

3. A systematic elimination of Jews by Germans in World War 2?

4. A logical process Sherlock Holmes devised to crack his murder mysteries?

The answer:

Perhaps, you are familiar with its other name: The Holocaust.

This happened in World War 2. The Nazis had decided the Jewish peoples were troubling his European conquest. So Hitler devised a plan to round up the Jews and murder them. 6 million Jews were imprisoned in concentration camps and gassed, shot and mutilated.

This decision to systematically kill the Jews of Europe was made at the Wannsee conference in Berlin. During the conference, a group of Nazi officials convened to decide on the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question". The records and minutes of this meeting were found intact by the Allies at the end of the war and served as valuable evidence during the Nuremberg Trials.

The Final Solution was the blueprint; The Holocaust was the execution.

Baby Blues!

I love this strip. The artists must be genuine parents. Either that, or they are extremely talented folks.

What do you make?

I took this from a Graduation Speech by Thomas Friedman.

... It goes like this: "The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued this way. 'What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher? You know, it's true what they say about teachers: 'Those who can do, do; those who can't do, teach.' To corroborate his statement he said to another guest, 'Hey, Susan, you're a teacher. Be honest, what do you make?'

"Susan, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness, replied, 'You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could and I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. I can make a C-plus feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor and an A feel like a slap in the face if the student didn't do his or her very best.' Susan continued, 'I can make parents tremble when I call home or feel almost like they won the lottery when I tell them how well their child is progressing.'

Gaining speed, she went on: 'You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder, I make them question, I make them criticize, I make them apologize and mean it, I make them write and I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English.'

Susan then stopped and cleared her throat. 'I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart. And if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make in money, you pay them no attention.'

Susan then paused. 'You want to know what I make?' she said. 'I make a difference. What about you?'"

LOST, with too much time

Found this thread on a forum. Someone started a funny dialogue with Jack and Locke, and everybody just pitched in with a new line. A bit long though, but funny. You need to watch Season 2 Ep 9 to appreciate some parts.

*Jack was strolling in the hatch when the key around his neck decided to stick to the concrete wall.

Jack : Uhhh.. Guys? Help?
Locke : The key wants to be on the wall, listen to what the key is trying to tell you, it's your destiny dammit!!
Ana Lucia : Oh forget it! Forget the damn key, just let me shoot it!!
Michael : They took my son!!
Jin : Udders, Udders!
Hurley : Dude?? Would you...like...let the key go???
Eko :........(long pause....like 40 or so days) i would like to explain this all.....if you dont mind
Charlie : Off course I bloody mind....and stay away from Virgin Mary statue you friggin' lunatic
Eko : ...... (another long pause) I think its magnetic ....
Jack : Shut up all of you! i can't stand this, i'm going to drink some wine. Ana Lucia, if you would join me to have a baby while i abandon you in a future episode. Thank you!
AnaL : We'll just take this baby, its easier
Claire : You can't take my baby!
Charlie : Give us back our baby!
Claire : Its my baby Charlie, mine!
Jin : Udders! Udders!
Sawyer : What the hell's with all this Udders business Jackie Chan?
Eko : I can explain about the Udders............................................ .......
Sayid : Does anyone speak French?
Danielle : The Others are coming for the boy, they want him to milk them! By the way, wait why i am so early here in season 2?
Walt : I'm gonna play with Mr. Locke
Michael : Stay away from Mr. Locke, Walt. They took my son.
Desmond : "you gotta make your own kinda music" ... woah, where did you guys come from ??
Kate : Sorry boys, gotta run. I have a black horse to catch.
Sawyer : Well hang on there freckles, I saw that horse too and its half mine ..
Horse : If you break me open you'll find that i'm full of heroin
Charlie : Bloody hell , that sounds like a good horse.
Horse : I'm a charlie horse. Hahahaha... But i'm not a very funny horse.
Walt : dab, nottub on..
Michael : WALT!!! HAVE YOU SEEN MY SON?!
Hurley : Uhh, dude? That is your son.
Michael : No, he can't be. My son doesn't constantly drip water out of his mouth and speak in a creepy backwards language.
Locke : Maybe the island is trying to tell us something. Maybe we should all wear water wings in case the ocean rises.
Eko : Do not confuse coincidence w-- *gets smacked by Jin*
AnaL : Wow, thanks Jin, I've wanted to do that for a while.
Rose : hello...i'm off now, i dont like it in here...
Vincent : woof woof woof
Walt : sdrawkcab klat em ekam sreddu
Jack : slow down, don't everybody start talking at the same time
The Monster : grawrawrlarwarl
Eko : The Lord is my Shepherd.... AAAAHJKLSDHLKD *gets eaten by monster*
Sayid : Ohhhhkaaaay. Don't think I've ever seen someone get eaten by black smoke before. That was.. interesting.
Shannon : Yeah, strange.
Sayid : ?!??! Shannon?! I thought you were dead!
Shannon : Oh whoops, sorry. Thought this was a season one thread.. *sneaks off*
Sawyer: Oh crap, Shaft got shafted by the monster(turns to AL), Hotlips, here is your chance to be a bitch again, shoot that thing!
Hurley : Dude..where are Rose and Bernard? *hears some weird noises from the weapon's chamber*
Polar bear : hey, how come the horse can talk and not me?! oh.. wait a second....
Charlie : Oi you dirty old gits...my baby's trying to bloody sleep, keep it down you
Claire : But Charlie.....
Charlie : For Pete's sake woman shut up!
Sun : i'd like to hear Scott's opinion on this
Walt : that's steve....scott's dead
Michael : oh so it WAS scott who died, wait a second.....WAAAAAAALT!!!!!!
Desmond : do you want him to die? .....brother.
AnaL : Yea, let me kill him
Locke : it's desmond's destiny dammit, dont tell him what he can't do!
Boone('s ghost) : if it's his destiny, john, why hasnt he done it then
Locke : the island will tell him what to do!!
Hurley : the islands kinda...cursed.
Locke : Hugo, it may be cursed, but dont stand in the way of destiny!
Danielle : yes....i agree, it is cursed....
Charlie : don't listen to her, she's missing a bloody wingnut!
Danielle : what iz diss? Wing-nut did ju say? 'Av we recited de Notre Dame au jour dui?
Sayid : So, this curse - maybe I could use a triangulation to find it.
Danielle : I hear them, out there in the jungle, they whisper...
Libby : I need a drink..
AnaL : I heard that..
Dr. Marvin Candle : Do not attempt to use this thread for anything else other than the entering of the code...
Walt : Dad?
Michael: YOU TOOK MY BOY!
Walt : how did i take myself dad? u been using some of that gunk locke put on boones head?
Locke : Don't tell me what I can't do! The island told me to do it.
AnaL : Alright everyone, get up - we're moving out.
Sawyer : Is that right, Rambina?
Sun : Mykul, wait! The udders took my wedding ring too!
Rose : Honey, dont get your knickers in a twist. It will be here on the island, i just know
Bernard : give me more chocolate, woman!
Sun : Mykul Mykul my wedding ring!
Michael : They took my son!
Desmond: 4 8 15 16 23 42 * 4 8 15 16 23 42*
Michael: *looks at Desmond* Whate the hell is with you and those numbers? They took my son, man! Waaaaalt!! Waaaaaalt!!
Desmond: You type in these numbers brotha, and you might find your real son...
Michael: *???* Type what in where??
Locke: (chuckles lightly)...they took your son (gets a little nasty) well they took my kidney and I want it back dammit
Jack: well..John....I have Boone's Kidney...was keeping it incase..y'know
Sawyer: In case of what Dr Frankenstein?
Eko:.....................err.....sup guys!
Danielle: Hi Eko, your new here, are'nt you, your drug plane brother must be proud.
Eko: Your a udder, DIE!
Sayid: Eko! no, don't do it, she lost her baby!
Eko: Okay, i am sorry. *cries
ABC: What if you are on a plane flying from Sidney to Los Angeles? A plane full of strangers... ...
Everybody: Dude, we already know that.