What's In a Name?
I have to admit I'm intrigued by predictions and prophecies; I don't think anyone keeps track of the majority of failed ones; nevertheless, I'm fascinated by what other think, and it's fun entertainment. I saw a number of psychics and others predict Trump's unlikely victory before the election last year, and I smirked at how all these hacks would be left with egg on their faces after Clinton's inevitable victory. Not that I was exactly happy about a Clinton Presidency either. I will not say that I'm a sudden believer, but I think Clinton won probably 85% plus of the pairwise polls between Trump and her, and I never really believed he had a shot.It is amusing to read, say, the daily horoscope in the newspaper (or website) (I'm a Capricorn); the advice was so nebulous almost anyone can read something into the message. I even had one of those premium computer-based astrology reports where you provide detailed birthday detail done. Let's just say that I'm a profound skeptic of the idea that distinct star systems somehow have any substantive impact on newborn life. Nevertheless, despite low expectations, I was curious about things like whether it saw a romantic future for this lifelong bachelor (not by principle but limited opportunities). To be clear, I haven't read it in some time, but it was long-winded and hopelessly vague: was I destined for career successful? Financial wealth? Good health? A romantic future? Almost nothing definitive on these or other topics. To be clear, I would been skeptical of firm findings, but it was pointless, like listening to one of Obama's meandering speeches.
I have no idea why my folks named their firstborn 'Ronald' (mighty ruler). I think in part they wanted uniqueness from others in the family tree (although one of my Dad's cousins, who lives in FL, unknowingly also named one of his sons 'Ronald'). Now I know very little about numerology, even that they do numerology on given names, but my jaw dropped when I found this excerpt on a baby name webpage:
NumerologyNow I'm sure that most readers know someone who could fit in these fairly specific descriptions, but I swear if I had described myself before I read this, I would have written something eerily similar to the above. I can describe so many incidents it's ridiculous. For example, at UWM, I used a textbook bundled COBOL-85 compiler (which included structured programming constructs), with outright opposition of students, fellow faculty and administrators, something that most junior professors wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole. I wrote a fairly unique dissertation relying more on referential disciplines like applied psychology, human factors engineering, and technical communication than my own core MIS areas. I've mentioned one of my own favorite idiosyncrasies was to go around the college bookstore and look at other area research methodology texts. While I was in Milwaukee, I basically was pursued by a PAC-10 university about a position they all implied was mine for the asking--they hadn't even listed the position yet: all on the basis on my scholarship. I had never personally met anyone from the school, in fact had never taken a technical communication course.
SoulUrge Number: 7People with this name have a deep inner need for quiet, and a desire to understand and analyze the world they live in, and to learn the deeper truths.
Expression Number: 1People with this name tend to initiate events, to be leaders rather than followers, with powerful personalities. They tend to be focused on specific goals, experience a wealth of creative new ideas, and have the ability to implement these ideas with efficiency and determination. They tend to be courageous and sometimes aggressive. As unique, creative individuals, they tend to resent authority, and are sometimes stubborn, proud, and impatient.
It was almost impossible to get alone time, growing up with 6 younger siblings and have to share a bedroom with 2 little brothers. I'm one of those people who will literally zone in to almost anything he works on to the extent if someone knocks on my cubicle, I may literally jump from my chair. I've also described my first love as philosophy; I had to fight my own adviser to get into my first class and completed my major, despise knowing there were zero opportunities with a degree in philosophy. (Initially I thought I had ambitions for the Roman Catholic priesthood, and philosophy is a common major for prospective seminarians.) The selection below is one of my personal favorite songs from the 70's.)
Sanders Supporter At the Laundromat
Technically this topic could also go (and maybe will in an expanded format in the future) in my new rant format posts. Every other weekend I make a visit to a local laundromat (which I haven't done for a long time, I think maybe since the early 90's when I lived in Normal, IL, initially as a visiting ISU professor; most apartment complexes either include a washer and dryer in your unit, or a room with connections or have an on-site facility).This is a fairly lower/middle-class, integrated community; Maryland isn't exactly libertarian-conservative territory. I mentioned in an earlier post how a local grocery clerk was having a pro-Sanders, anti-Clinton discussion with the customer ahead of me; if only he knew.... I sometimes get a kick out of little kids running around but mostly keep to myself. The laundromat has a couple of TV's, this morning on Face the Nation. (It used to be my podcast list, but I had issues with downloads from CBS.) In the meanwhile, I'm in the middle of reading a Tesla (the man, not the car) biography on my Kindle.
So while I'm reading, this middle-aged woman seems to be talking to herself out loud, apparently referencing the CBS show,,which seemed to start with an anti-Trump rant and then goes into a typical "rich are getting richer; poor are getting poorer". I refused to take the bait, if her attempt was to draw me into a conversation. (Anyone who follows my Twitter feed knows that I have no problem debating an issue.) I don't suffer fools gladly and don't want to cause a scene. I have NEVER started a discussion on religion, sex, or politics at a workplace setting and have ignored or sidestepped most attempts to manipulate me into a related discussion.
But let me point out a few things:
- most of the studies I've seen don't include things like federal government fungible benefits; there also also measurement issues on wages vs. compensation. But it also fails to take into account, say, lower-priced/imported goods, declining prices (e.g., televisions and other electronics), generic prescriptions, etc., which help raise the standard of living across the board
- most studies aren't longitudinal in nature. But if you compare/contrast the Fortune 500 from 60 years to today, you will notice only a fraction of the original companies remain. So if the rich are getting richer, only a few seem to be doing so. It may be that a small percentage gets a large cut of aggregate income, but individuals come and go from that group
- if you are trying to increase revenues, targeting the people with little income or discretionary spending is not a promising strategy. Furthermore, if you cut wages below the market price, you will have high turnover and retraining costs.
