Category: politics

why california is called california

Dictionary.com had hot word “California” and its origins. Have a read.

Early mapmakers began labeling the “island” as California, the name of a mythical island in a book called Las Sergas de Esplandián, “The Adventures of Esplandián,” written by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The book was part of a popular series of Spanish romance stories.

In the book, the mythical California is ruled by Queen Califa and populated only with female warriors who brandish gold weapons. They even harness their animals in gold because it is the only mineral on the island.

peter’s laws

  1. If anything can go wrong, fix it!
  2. When given a choice – take both!
  3. Multiple projects lead to multiple successes.
  4. Start at the top and work your way up.
  5. Do it by the book…but be the author!
  6. When forced to compromise, ask for more.
  7. If you can’t beat them, join them, and then beat them.
  8. If it’s worth doing, it’s got to be done right now.
  9. If you can’t win, change the rules.
  10. If you can’t change the rules, ignore them.
  11. When faced without a challenge, make one.
  12. “No” simply means begin again at the next highest level.
  13. Don’t walk when you can run.
  14. Bureaucracy is a challenge to be conquered with a righteous attitude, an intolerance for stupidity, and bulldozer when necessary.
  15. When in doubt: THINK!
  16. Patience is a virtue but persistence to the point of success is a blessing.
  17. The squeaky wheel gets replaced.
  18. The faster you move, the slower time passes, the longer you live.

Admittedly, 160 words.

wikileaks: 25 days of leaking 25 million secrets of the world

List of Wikileaks exposures.

is democracy bad for growth?

Why did China outperform India?

“Shanghai Theory of Economic Growth”

  • Infrastructures
  • Strong government
  • State capitalism and government ownership
  • Democracy is a hindrance to growth

It is neither infrastructure (Soviet Union vs China before 1989) nor strong government (Pakistan vs India by 2008) nor state capitalism (success of Korea, Singapore vs failures Burma and DPRK).

So why did China so systematically outperform India even during its Cultural Revolution?

China’s greatest advantage over India was basic education (literacy rate – to read/write 1500 Chinese characters vs write your name in any Indian language you happen to speak) whereas India focused heavily on tertiary education instead.

random about modern america and historic china

Modern America looks as below:

  • 4 million cups/day on airline flights (not reused/recycled).
  • 40 million papers cups/day for hot beverages.
  • Has the largest percentage of population in prisons (2.3 million in 2005).
  • >400.000 (1.100/day) Americans die of smoking annually.
  • 384.000 American women (vast majority <21) opted for breast augmentation surgery (the most popular high-school graduation gift).

Historic China personifies:

  • Fortune cookies (considered Chinese) invented in 1920 by a noodle-factory worker in SF.
  • Kites (1000 BC, to frighten enemies), soccer  (1000 BC), natural gas (used as heat source by 4th century BC), parachute (4th century AD), ice-cream (Marco Polo).
  • Stamp collecting (#1 hobby).
  • Red (happiness) and white (sadness).

best buy micro-innovation and fidel castro

One manager of a Best Buy store, who resembles Fidel Castro, leveraged this “asset” turning his store into the best performer. How? Revolutionary mode (called his store “La Revolucion,” posted “Declaracion de Revolucion” in the break room, made store supervisors wear army fatigues,…) and encouragement to whistle when employees do good things.

In Cuba, considered “Internet enemy” by Freedom House, Internet has only 14% penetration,  served much like rationned food.

In 2010, Castro admitted he admired Internet and WikiLeaks’ influence on American government and agreed to have a Cuba-Jamaica-Venezuela fiber-optic line, increasing its connectivity 3000 times, but not for ordinary citizens.

what is money?

Banks create money based on borrowers’ promise (in exchange for bank loans) to pay back, i.e. money is created out of debt.

The Bible:“One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor but has great wealth” (Proverbs 13:7). Or: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”(Proverbs 22:7).

Buddhism states  money complex is a demonic religion – demonic because it cannot absolve our sense of lack.

French classic-liberal Bastiat‘s collection includes an Achilles-Tortoise-styled polemic about money.

P.S. Bush’s grandfather used money helping Hitler rise to power.

historic diplomacy and modern e-diplomacy in America

Modern diplomacy origins trace to 13th-century Milan. Sforza’s Milan saw many modern diplomatic traditions begin (ambassador credential presentation,…) and was first to practice balance of power.

One of first American diplomats was Franklin, who secured French support against England, leading to Treaty of Alliance, a turning point in Revolutionary War.

But nowadays, Obama’s America is less popular in MENA than Bush’s. In Turkey, its popularity plummeted from 52% in 2000 to 10% in 2011.

Obama-style solution? E-diplomacy: US State Department operates 230 Facebook accounts, 80 Twitter feeds, 55 YouTube channels, according to this research, leveraging tools like Klout, Facebook Insights,… for influence and measurement.

success in life according to coolidge, einstein and gilberto

Coolidge, 30th American president, said:

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Einstein thought imagination is our biggest weapon, music is life, and curiosity is our biggest gift. Brazilian music-legend Gilberto, father of bossa nova,  claimed, to become successful, one needs to develop in isolation.

life, gamification and emergence

What is life? Life is a game, emergent on simple rules – humans cannot pretend to know even a tiny part of those rules. But games are the best way to learn about general and specific aspects of life such as business, politics, music…

Watched Matrix? Played Matrix Online?

But why do we play games? Fun (easy/hard), different mental/intellectual states and people. In a word: a richer emotional/mental/social set of experiences our lives rarely grant us.

Games reflect complexity aspects of life. No better game than chess for us to learn more about life.