Mao Tse Tung – China Leadership Watch

So this was absolutely amazing today. 

We had a meeting and someone brought in a bag of “prizes” as an icebreaker.

Low and behold, one of the items being given away was a Kim Jong-il (father of Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s current leader). 

“Coincidentally,” this just one day after the historic peace summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. 

Why anyone would give a watch like this away is mind-boggling to me. 

I am curious if anyone knows what the inscription on the back is?  

Anyway, I think this watch is an amazing piece of history, especially from the isolated nation of North Korea.

I can only imagine what the history of this timepiece is and how it got here to NIST.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Bull In A China Shop

For some reason everyone wants to face down the bull in the China Shop or on Wall Street. 

The bull is stubborn and when it gets angry, it charges and gores. 

So how heroic for the statue of little girl (below on International Women’s Day) to be shown standing in front of him defiantly and not afraid. 

The truth probably is that we are all afraid in life. 

No one wants to get hurt or worse. 

The consequences of something really bad happening can be devastating loss–limb, body, mobility, property or even total person. 

And actually, the more we have in life, the more we have to (potentially) G-d forbid, lose. 

So when you have a spouse, children, a beautiful home, and a good job, that’s when you get really, really afraid. 

Losing your precious loved ones and everything you’ve built with G-d’s blessing and help can instantaneously be gone in the blink of an eye. 

Therefore, be careful before standing in front of a raging bull, you never know when you’ll get walloped and bad. 

Bravery in the face of danger is noble and praiseworthy when doing true good and confronting evil, but just to be a big mouth or a know-it-all or to strut your stuff, you better forget about it–you’ve got a lot to lose and it doesn’t take much for that bull to charge head on and do you a real big dirty! 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal and here with attribution to AP)

Answer Your Watch

So I did it and took the plunge into a smartwatch. 

For over a year, I thought the technology just wasn’t there yet. 

Too clumsy, too difficult to use with such a small device. 

First, I considered just a Fitbit for tracking activity, but I quickly ruled it out, since you can get so much more with a full smartwatch.

Then, I looked into the Pebble, in particular the latest model the Time Steel, which runs between $200-$250. 

But I watched a review that pointed out the the Pebble does not have a touch screen, and everything are the buttons–okay, I immediately ruled that out. 

Next, I looked to old trusty, Apple…they have never failed me yet, and I tried on their various smartwatches. 

I settled on a simple sports model, since I figured as the technology continues to evolve or as the watch gets beat up in daily use, I could simply upgrade to the next great thing. 

Also, I figured if I really don’t like how it works, it wouldn’t be such a great loss monetarily. 

Well, the verdict is in–I really like it!

Easy to set up by simply syncing with the iPhone. 

And then all your major apps just show up on the colorful apps panel. 

In no time, I was checking the 10-day weather forecast, reading news headlines, tracking my activity, using the GPS locator, looking up calendar events, checking email and replying with easy voice dictation, sending text messages, and even calling family and talking to them into the watch!

I even started the music on my iPhone from another room by using the smartwatch. 

Oh yeah, I almost forget, it tells the time too!

Except for taking photos, which would be really cool with the watch, but it doesn’t do–it did most of the basics that I wanted it to. 

For not a lot of money, I felt that I was getting a lot of convenient functionality, and I am now encouraging my wife and kids to get it too. 

Apple, you still got it–so even though Google surpassed you in market value this week, I am still hopeful that you got some decent mojo left in you. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

If I Could Get Back Time

My good friend, Jacob Elbaz, taught me this awesome saying in synagogue today:

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“Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is mystery.

Today is a present. “

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Another way that my dad taught me is this:

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Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. 

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Hope you enjoy these!

(Source Photo: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)

What does 600613 Spell?

As per my previous blogs on the mystical number 613 (corresponding to the G-d’s commandments in the Torah), today we have a technological twist.

Recently, Google paid an award to a former employee of $6,006.13.

The amount is special in two ways as you can see:

First of all, Google saw that, if you look closely, this number spells Google. 

Secondly, it has the number mystical number 613 in it. 

613 is a winner and so is Google, which is now the the most valuable company in the U.S. (worth more than Apple) at $554 billion!

If you use simple Gematria, where each letter is a number (A=1, B=2, C=3…Z=26), then Guess what other successful technology companies has the mystical 613 in their names:

(Also, see which amazing technology company has 613 twice in their name!)

In contrast, some ailing technology companies that do not have 613:

– Yahoo

– Twitter

– LinkedIn

613 is a reminder of G-d’s benevolence to mankind in that he G-d us the commandments as a roadmap to live by.  613 is a symbol of faith in G-d almighty and in his holy Torah (Bible). 

For those that keep His charge, we believe that Hashem will bless them and keep them. 

Indeed, technology used for the good of mankind is a blessing to us all.  😉

(Source Graphics: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)

Who’s Getting The Attention Now?

I took this photo of this couple online in Starbucks this morning. 

It was very hard not to notice this guy’s sneakers and socks (on the left). 

Hot pink sneakers with matching Homer Simpson pink socks. 

I thought to myself that you’ve got to be pretty bold to go out and wear that. 

It’s funny how people love attention, and often it seems like they will say, wear, and act any which way they have to in order to get it. 

Maybe (good) attention is like currency:

– It’s valuable when your noticed (you become instantaneously cool, one to follow, maybe gets into the school or job you always wanted, oh and don’t forget all the likes on Facebook or the paparazzi).

– It feels good to have some (who wants to be ignored or looked down on? Positive attention is like an addictive drug to many people).

– You can trade attention with others (they give you some and you give them some–it’s like rubbing each others backs, but in this case it’s your egos instead). 

– Perhaps, you can even save some up in the (memory) bank (where people remember what a great gal or guy you are). 

Think about what do you do to get attention and is it something you are proud of or are you acting a little mischievous, naughty, and outlandish to get it? 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

There’s No Line In Online

I loved the article in the Wall Street Journal By Andy Kessler.

Kessler’s point is that technology is all about convenience.

The way I put it is that online, there is no line!

With technology, we can do things proverbially–better, faster, cheaper.

But so much of technology really is about doing things with the utmost convenience–that means that rather then spend time hunting or gathering, searching or shopping, traveling or transacting, gaming or gambling, we can go online and in Internet speed it’s done!

The beauty of the Internet and technology is that there is no queue, no lines, no waiting–just lots of convenience mainly with point and click.

I couldn’t hate lines more–hate wasting time–hate doing stupid things that have no real meaning–>time is absolutely precious!

We are mortal and one day, time stops for all of us, so we better use what we have well–use it wisely, not wastefully.

When we have convenience from technology, we have to spend less time on the mundane and have more time to do the things we really enjoy or that can grow us.

So get the doldrums done quickly online, and spend more time with family and friends, on fitness, pursing spiritual matters, and even learning the secrets of the universe–and then blogging about them.

Technology is a convenience and a true G-dsend. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Hold That Smartphone!

So coming home yesterday, there is this lady sprawled out, sleeping on the Metro.

Lots of people sleep on the train…especially after a long day and when the weather is the pits out there.

However, this lady falls asleep with her smartphone just lying out on her lap–no hands on–just plop sitting on her skirt.

A couple of guys to my right start laughing and then saying what’s that lady doing–someone is going to steal her phone.

They nudge another passenger standing in front of the lady to tap her and let her know.

The passenger begrudging does it and then the guys yell over from a couple of row away–“Hey lady! You better hold on to your phone or someone’s going to grab it and run!”

The lady opens her eyes sees the phone just sprawled out on her lap, fidgets with it for a moment, and then of all things–she just falls right back to sleep again with the phone laying there unattended.

These two guys on the train are roaring about it–one starts saying that he saw someone grab another person’s device on the train just the other day and run right out the train door with it.

At this point, the lady is sound asleep and now snoring away on top of it and her smartphone is rising and falling with her laborious breathing.

Hey folks, this lady may not have gotten enough sleep the night before, been drinking a little too much, or may not have been the brightest bulb to begin with–but we’ve all got to be careful out there–hold unto your valuables and your smartphones is quite that. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

2 Eggs Are Better Than One

Aside from the cholesterol, generally speaking two eggs are better than one.Two eggs here, as you can see, are two friends–in it together, working together, putting their heads together, sharing life together.My father always told me that with that special someone the joys in life are twice the joy, and the sorrow in life is half the sorry–he is a smart man!

When it comes to friendships though, I have learned there are many types of friends and we have different names or references for them:

– Childhood friends–“We go way back.”

– Best friends forever–or BFF; often you’ll see this on bracelet charms, necklaces, or even t-shirts–this is reserved for your closest buds.

– High school sweethearts–“first comes friends, then comes marriage, and then comes a baby in the baby carriage.”

– Confidant friend(s)–these are people we feel we can talk to, connect with, and trust with our personal and emotional secrets. Ummm, don’t tell, but…

– Neighbor friends–you live near or next to each other, so might as well bring over some welcome muffins or borrow some sugar–then again, “tall fences, make good neighbors.”

– Casual friends–these are friends you keep in touch with “every so often” and share some laughs or have a “cold one” with.

– On again off again friends–people you are friends with one minute and alienated from the next–often an endless cycle–you like somethings about the person and other things drive you mad!

– Work friends –these are associates that you work with day in and out–40, 50, 60 hours a week or more–and who you share work experiences, challenges, projects, and sometimes frustrations with–and don’t forget “happy hour”.

– Friends with benefits–this is a naughty friendship and is what it sounds like–at your own foolhardy risk!

– Marriage partner and best friends–the most fortunate people are those who find their “beshert”–the one true one that they are destined to be with–and who is not only their life partner, but their soulmate and best friend.

Good luck finding and keeping your friends of all types–these are precious and make life worth living.

(Source Photo: Meme shared with me)

>Information-Free Is Invaluable

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At first I admit it, I didn’t really get Google; I mean what is this G-o-o-g-l-e and the shtick about “doing search”?

But the writing was on the wall all along with their incredible mission statement of: “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

So search is the just the beginning of a long list of now amazingly valuable Google properties and services (now valued with a market capitalization of almost $169 Billion):

– Search (Google Search, Google Search Appliance, Google Desktop)

– Cloud Computing (Google Apps Engine, Google Storage for Developers, Chrome Notebooks)

– Advertising Technology (Adwords, AdSense, DoubleClick)

– Website Analytics (Google Analytics)

– Operating Systems (Chrome OS, Android, Honeycomb)

– Web Browser (Google Chrome)

– Productivity Software (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Apps Suite)

– Social Computing (Google Wave, Google Talk, Orkut, Buzz)

– News Aggregator (Google News, Google Reader)

– Translation (Google Translate)

– Telecommunication (Google Voice)

– Clean Energy (Google Energy)

– Geospatial (Google Maps, Google Earth)

– Video (YouTube)

– Photos (Picassa)

– Electronic Books (Google Books)

– Blogs (Blogger)

What Google seems to intuitively get is that their free powerful web services creates invaluable consumer market share and mind share–like a honey pot. Once the consumer comes on board–like good little bees, they are ripe for companies to reach out to via advertising for all and every sort of product and service under the sun. And according to 1998 revenue breakdown, as much as 99% of Google’s revenue is associated with advertising!

Google is brilliant and successful for a number of reasons:

1) Google is consumer-oriented and knows how to attract the crowd with free services, and they let others (the advertisers) concern themselves with monetizing them.

2) Google is incredibly innovative and provides the breath and depth of technology services (from cloud to productivity to search to video) that consumers need and that are easy for them to use.

3) Google is information rich, but they share this broadly and freely with everyone. While some have complained about the privacy implications of this information bounty; so far, Google seems to have managed to maintain a healthy balance of information privacy and publicity.

4) Google values their people, as their “owners manual” reads: “our employees…are everything. We will reward them and treat them well.” And to help retain their talent, Google just gave their employees a 10% raise in January.

5) Google wants to be a force for good–their creed is “Don’t be evil.” They state in their manual: “We believe strongly that in the long term, we will be better served- as shareholders and in all other ways–by a company that does good things for the world, even if we forgo some short-term gains.”

Do not underestimate Google–as the Wall Street Journal, 23-24 April, 2011 summarizes today, they are not a conventional company.

At the end of the day, if Google is successful in their business of making information universally accessible and useful, then we are talking about making an invaluable difference in the lives of humanity–where information builds on itself, and knowledge–like the Tree of Knowledge in the Book of Genesis–is alive and constantly growing for all to benefit from in our Garden of Eden, we call Earth.

(Source Picture: Honeybird)