In a phone call with my friend Brad today he said something I asked permission to quote. He gave it to me, so here you go:
“Calvin [attempted to] systematize scripture. Everyone [of his followers] after him systematized Calvin”
Author Archives: Randy Peterman
Sign Here
I was at the dentist today and they had me fill out a 9 (or so) item form about cancer screening. I’m all for screening where it is needed, but the 9 items that required my signature were not necessary. They were just stats. 27% of this (fear here) and some group of (fear there) do not require my initials.
Let me sign that I do or do not want the screening procedure that is more expensive and move on. If I can’t afford the screening, or don’t want it, let me opt out. Let me just check, “No,” sign the form, and move on.
Forms designed like this upset me because they’re designed to scare patients and to earn the office more money through fear and nonsense. Let’s do away with fear as marketing and leave it to the terrorists. They’re better at it anyway.
You Don’t Know Percentages
When what you read is:
Debt increase by presidents: Reagan 186%, Bush 54% Clinton 41% Bush II 72% Obama 23%. /source CBO [from Twitter].
Does your brain translate it to this:
It turns out those percentages don’t add up to the actual national debt value, so the numbers seem wrong. But when someone shows you percentages get out your spread sheet or calculator to make sure that you’re not being had. If you say that Obama has had less spent during his presidency or that Clinton was a spendthrift or any number of other things based on percentages you’re probably doing it wrong. And yes, this is showing billions and trillions [the formatting isn’t quite right in the copy/paste].
Due to the compounding values of those debt numbers this massive expenditure of “only” 23% is rather ‘off’. Additionally Obama’s presidency is not over, so calling this one is a bit premature.
I say we call them all out for being fools with the financial resources. Additionally: congress(es) is (are) also responsible for this.
History Repeats Itself
From the Stanford Technology Venture Program – Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders:
“I can only encourage you to make mistakes. It is perhaps the most valuable part of the learning experience. When you make a mistake it’s the only way for you to understand the context of the impact or the cost of your actions. … Just don’t make the same mistake twice. ” – Mark Jung
I try to learn from my mistakes and others’ mistakes, but I have to agree: when you make a mistake it sticks. Sometimes it’s the pain, sometimes it’s the survival, and sometimes it’s the wonder that you get to experience life in a new way. Don’t be afraid of mistakes as much as you’re willing to learn from them.
Bread Alone
I asked Jessica, “What is this bread doing soaking in the blue bowl?”
She replied, “It’s benadryl, for the dog, so that she can stay calm after her surgery.”
“OK,” I said, satisfied by that answer.
“Don’t eat it,” she added to help me grasp the seriousness of the situation. She knows I have a special place in my heart for benadryl soaked bread. 😉
Backy Juice
Yesterday Jessica accidentally spilled a container of tobacco juice which we made for some lawn maintenance strategy that was suggested to us. The problem is that we tried to employ this strategy about 3 years ago, maybe more. So the nasty smell was from fermented tobacco juice. It stinks quite badly. I hope we’ll be able to sell the house now 😉
Bananas
It turns out that my family does not like dried bananas. At all. I discovered this during our family trip because I opened up a package of dried bananas and the whole car churned into a cacophony of complaints that it smelled bad or that someone had farted or died in the car.
I ate the dried bananas anyway. I enjoy them.
We’re Home Again
After 3 weeks of being on a road trip (during all of which I worked) we’re home. I’ve got plenty to share… later. It’s just that I’ve got more work to do than time, and more time than money, and more money than the impoverished people in parts of the world where I don’t live. I’m working on adjusting all of that as best as possible.
The girls are fine.
Jessica is fine (and beautiful).
The dogs are looking for discipline.
The weather is hotter than I’d prefer.
I’ll try to get back to this – eventually.
Texts From My Wife: Father’s Day
“Really, fathers day cards from the dog?! So ridiculous! I am so not letting the dogs pick on out for you :)”
I agree, I expect fathers day cards from the children, a few special badgers, and maybe my time-traveling grand children, but not the dogs!
North Carolina, Duck!
I’ve had an incredibly relaxing and fun week so far. We’ve been on vacation, and aside from a few work emails hitting my phone, I’ve been pretty much focused on friends and family. I have never been to the Atlantic Ocean before Sunday night. I’ve had (or will have) a few firsts on this trip and I’m very excited for the chance to be part of this family vacation. I’ll post some more pictures soon, but as a ‘stop gap’ here’s one:
