School Elections Matter, Too

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The moonless night trembled with eerie silence. Still, the veteran warriors waited with resigned anticipation. The now 54-day old siege had worn upon them. Yet, they stood, along with their courageous emperor, willing to confront their ultimate fate.

That final assault began shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the 29th of May, 1453. It would prove to be the last day of an Empire that had existed – in one form or another – for more than 20 centuries. Wave after wave of Ottoman attackers charged with relentless regularity. The 150,000 invaders far outnumbered the 7,000 war-weary defenders of Constantinople – the last capital of the Roman Empire.

Amid the battles cries and the shouts, the screams and the barking of orders, the first Continue Reading “School Elections Matter, Too”

Patrick H. Price – Savior, Savant, or Sacrifice?

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The Watergate hearings began in earnest in May of 1973. All of Washington feared the end was near. Wagons were circled. Anything the least bit nefarious was to be swept under the rug. It was all coming to a head.

For a little over a year at that time, two little-known California physicists had been receiving secret funds from the CIA to research a phenomenon known as “remote viewing” – the ability to see in detail a far away location while safely ensconced within the confines of a secure location. The researchers had brought in Uri Geller and Ingo Swann, two professional psychics (or magicians, depending on your point of view) for this purpose.

The CIA, whether because of impressive results or the heat of Watergate, decided to Continue Reading “Patrick H. Price – Savior, Savant, or Sacrifice?”

The Stargate Folly – It’s Never About The Science, It’s Always About The Funding

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On August 1, 1973, Johnny Carson introduced Israeli mentalist Uri Geller to America on The Tonight Show. Geller’s claim to fame was his ability to bend spoons with his mind. Admittedly a skeptic, Carson gave Geller more than twenty uninterrupted minutes to show his stuff to the audience. Geller never had a chance. Here’s why.

Carson sought to shame Geller. He suspected Geller was a fraud (for calling himself a psychic, but a very good illusionist). He contacted his friend James Randi, a magician and psychic skeptic, to trap Geller. When Geller showed up on set, he sat down between fellow guest Ricardo Montalbán and host Johnny Carson. In front of him was a table with an array of trinkets on it.

For the next twenty minutes Geller hemmed and hawed and didn’t do a thing. His “bent” spoon wasn’t very bent at all, with Carson sarcastically saying “A spoon that’s got a slight Continue Reading “The Stargate Folly – It’s Never About The Science, It’s Always About The Funding”

SCANATE Proved There’s No Such Thing As A Government Secret

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A lot of crazy things happened during the Cold War. In California those things got crazier. As you might expect, it took some time to discover the truth.

Or did it?

In late 1995, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) declassified all materials relating to what was then known as the Stargate Project. The Stargate Project represented the final consolidation of several secret research efforts by multiple government agencies (including the CIA) to investigate the application of psychic powers in military and criminal matters.

The powers that be decided to assemble what they called a “blue ribbon” panel to assess the success or failure of the nearly two-decade effort to determine the efficacy of “remote viewing.” According to “An Evaluation of Remote Viewing: Research and Applications,” this committee’s final report which was issued on September 29, 1995 under the auspices of The American Institute for Research, “remote viewing,” which is also called “anomalous cognition,” is “the ability to describe locations one has not visited.”

In other words, “ESP.”

Naturally, if you combine “secret government research” and “ESP,” you no doubt get Continue Reading “SCANATE Proved There’s No Such Thing As A Government Secret”

Why The Harvard MBA Should Be FIREd

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Have you ever played the game of Life? Very early on, you reach a fork in the road. You have to decide whether you’re going to go to college or whether you’re going to go straight into a career.

Does this sound familiar? If it sounds a lot like “What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?” then congratulate yourself. You’re definitely paying attention.

Recall the story of the Sicilian fisherman. When the Harvard MBA tried to convince him to expand his business, the fisherman would have none of it. Why? Because he understood Continue Reading “Why The Harvard MBA Should Be FIREd”

Pyrrhus and Cineas – The True Story Behind The Origin Of The ‘Fisherman’s Parable’

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Ferdinand Bol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ferdinand Bol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

If you search “Fisherman’s Parable,” you’ll find dozens of sites repeating what is commonly labeled in terms of the parable of the “Mexican” fisherman. In truth, most of these sites merely repeat a variation on a theme akin to the “Sicilian” variation told to me by my grandfather.

These sites tend to declare the original author of this story is “anonymous.” A few of the more honest ones cite a specific source, namely Heinrich Theodor Böll, a German writer who received the 1972 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Böll wrote a short story in 1963 titled “Anekdote zur Senkung der Arbeitsmoral” (“Anecdote Concerning the Lowering of Productivity”). Rather than a Harvard MBA, the interlocutor is a “smartly-dressed enterprising” tourist. Instead of being Sicilian (or Mexican, for that matter), the “shabbily dressed local” fisherman was found resting at an unnamed harbor on the west coast of Europe. The rest of the story, including its ironic conclusion, remains very similar.

Still, we can’t credit Böll with an original philosophical insight. In fact, the original source Continue Reading “Pyrrhus and Cineas – The True Story Behind The Origin Of The ‘Fisherman’s Parable’”

‘What Success Means to Me…’

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The Parable of the Sicilian Fisherman and the Harvard MBA
(based on a grandfather’s story to his grandson)*

*My grandfather, an immigrant from Sicily, always laughed when he (repeatedly) told this story to me. If it sounds familiar it’s because this Parable has been told in many different ways by many different ethnic groups. Next week I’ll reveal the story behind the original story and why you may have seen this particular version, albeit with a different international flavor.

One morning, a Fortune 100 CEO, vacationing in a lush Sicilian villa overlooking the warm Mediterranean sands, came upon a local peasant sleeping comfortably against a fig tree. The peasant’s children danced around him, only occasionally tugging at the straw hat that protected his relaxed face from the tropical sun.

The energetic CEO studied the placid scene. Curiosity getting the better of him, the CEO woke the native and asked him what he did for a living.

“I’m a fisherman,” yawned the perplexed peasant.

The CEO then asked the man why he wasn’t fishing.

“I’ve caught enough fish for today,” replied the tranquil fisherman. He didn’t seem to mind the CEO interrupting his quiet family life. “I am the best fisherman on all the seas,” he continued matter-of-factly. “Each morning I take 30 minutes out of my day and haul in a boat-load of fish. This is enough to feed my very large family and still have some left over to share with my less fortunate neighbors. I can then spend the rest of the day watching my children grow or whatever else I want to do.”Continue Reading “‘What Success Means to Me…’”

Your Date With Destiny

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An inconspicuous spot stands apart in a dimly lit corner of a musty, but comfortable, restaurant. The usual red and white checkered cloth covers this tiny table for two. The only light in the darkly paneled corner comes from a lone candle atop the table’s center. A worn wooden chair occupies a position on each side. The slightly overdressed couple sits casually. Their rigidly relaxed bodies betray the dull seriousness of their conversation.

Ever the curious sort, you’ve always wanted to meet fate. She’s now poised across from you, having accepted your invitation. Things aren’t going well.

“Tell me,” she says with forced interest, “what is it you really want to do?”Continue Reading “Your Date With Destiny”

What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?

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You have 24 hours left…

…which life did you choose?

Where has your time gone? Another hour. Another day. Another week. Another month. Another year. Another decade! That literary classic gathers dust on your shelf – for how long? That great idea stagnates in your head – how else will people recognize your talents? Your children mature more every day – what was it you wanted to teach them? Your financial papers pile up – they’re not the priority right now! You trash another set of expired travel brochures – “One of these days…”

– or –

You live the fulfilling life of comfort and satisfaction you thought only possible in your wildest dreams. Your successful and healthy family brings smiles of pride whenever you think of them. You’re living where you want to. You’re spending your time with close friends and family. You’ve accomplished much. You’ve endowed your community. Your colleagues respect you. Your children praise you. You proudly own no more and no less than you want and need. Life is good.

Imagine Your Dreams – Now Make Them Come True!

Remember those dreams you had when you were a kid? As children we played many imaginative games. We became explorers, astronauts, and deep-sea divers. We emulated our favorite sports champions, movie stars, and storybook idols. We pretended we were space heroes and aliens. No adventure – real or fantastic – seemed impossible.

Do you still dream? Do you want to make your dreams come true? What kinds of dreams do you have?

Do you crave the best for your family? Do you aspire to become a community leader and role model? Do you dream of pursuing delightful activities? Do you have a secret wish to accomplish your deepest desires? Do you yearn to live the fantasies you thought you could only dream of?

What if I told you, “You could get what you want when you want it?” Would you like to discover how? (Then keep reading!) Would you think it would cost too much? (You’re probably already paying for it!) Would you think you’re too busy to take advantage of it? (It takes no more time than going to the movie theatre or a sporting event once a year!) Would you think it would take a lot of work? (It requires no more effort than it takes to complete a popular magazine’s personality test!) Would you think you don’t have the discipline to carry it out? (You don’t need the discipline! There’s a template for that!)

How Often Do You Hear Yourself Saying: “No, not yet, but I’ll get around to it.”

Honestly, when did you last really think about your Lifetime Dream? If you’re like most people, you always thought your Lifetime Dream was “pie-in-the-sky.” It was fun to contemplate while you lounged on your armchair, but that was the extent of it. Besides, you have too little time to do the things you have to do, let alone the things you want to do. You have other priorities. You have too many unexpected interruptions disrupting your day. You’re too busy answering other peoples’ orders. More to the point, you never took accomplishing your Lifetime Dream too seriously. You never developed a game plan to succeed.

Sure, you want to achieve your Lifetime Dream, but what about the risk? Behavioral scientists have discovered people’s aversion to loss usually trumps the potential for reward. The joy of accomplishment motivates you towards achieving your Lifetime Dream. On the other hand, a powerful series of demotivators keep you sitting in your armchair. Which of these demotivates you the most? Is it loss of security? Is it self-doubt? Is it fear of failure? Is it fear of change? Is it the never-ending burden of other duties?

How You and Your Family Can Live a Happy, Fulfilling and Rewarding Life

Oddly enough, before you address the demotivators, you must first firmly establish the vision of your Lifetime Dream. A simple 5-step Lifetime Dream Process begins the most exciting and most satisfying journey of your life. The Lifetime Dream Process, outlined briefly in “What’s Your Dream? (Here’s How To Capture It),” Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, January 20, 2022, applies techniques first used successfully by Socrates and improved by Aristotle. The Lifetime Dream Process contains the critical elements exploited by the most successful copywriters – those experts who, with consistency and accuracy, can best target the needs and wants of all different kinds of people.

Initially developed by a Yale undergraduate to productively manage a broad array of academic and extracurricular activities and formally documented following the 1987 stock market crash, the Lifetime Dream Process has been effectively used and refined through years of actual practice. The Lifetime Dream Process is easy-to-understand. In plain language and with fun parlor games, it quickly locates your most pressing needs, your deepest desires and your ultimate dreams. In less time than it takes to go to the movie theater or a sporting event, you’ll not only have identified your Lifetime Dream, but you will have designed a clear plan to attain it. Once the plan is created, you don’t need to maintain it – it maintains itself! You only need to periodically update it.

The Lifetime Dream Process represents a life plan. It’s comprehensive. It supersedes other popular “plans.” For example, unlike a typical financial plan, it helps you avoid an all-too-common mistake. Too many people leap before they look – they pick an investment objective before they completely outline their Lifetime Dream. Unfortunately, the investment industry inadvertently encourages this error as too many firms merely manage money. As a thorough procedure, the Lifetime Dream Process prevents you from chasing the stock market and focuses your attention on chasing your dreams.

That is why it would be very much to your advantage to accept this opportunity at once. Take a moment to learn about how the Lifetime Dream Process can work for you. Just a few hours start you on the journey to achieving your Lifetime Dream!

Not many people get the chance to achieve their Lifetime Dream. Fewer still actually accomplish the feat. One thing we know for sure, anyone who fails to design a roadmap to their Lifetime Dream never has the chance to realize the triumph. Before time passes you by, act now and give yourself that chance – the chance of a lifetime!

To People Who Have A Dream – But Can’t Get Started

By now, you realize from the statements made the Lifetime Dream Process will improve your lifestyle, your relationships, your prestige, and your wealth. You know these techniques have been successfully used for centuries. You know the quality of the Lifetime Dream Process is what you would naturally expect from any well-respected life coaching method.

But picture in your own mind why it is so desirable for you to enjoy immediately the advantages the Lifetime Dream Process offers to you. Surely the comfort of knowing you will now march to a greater purpose and not merely spin your wheels will instantly improve your poise and self-confidence. Imagine how this suddenly advances your lifestyle in much more than a material sense. Indeed, no doubt social and business contacts will quickly detect a greater gravitas in your bearing.

And, of course, the clear sense of purpose redefines and redirects the relationships between you and those closest to you. This is likewise very much worthwhile to you. You can certainly think of many more interesting ways your focused direction will have a positive impact on your loved ones. Visualize the monetary and spiritual wealth you gain from the Lifetime Dream Process. That is why it would be very much to your benefit to embrace this prospect immediately. Another reason why urgent action on your part can prove valuable stems from the fact we only possess a finite number of hours in our lives. Getting started on the Lifetime Dream Process may merely take a few hours of your time, but investing those hours today gives you that many more to use to realize the dreams of your life.

Devoting only a small amount of time right now starts you on the most fabulous voyage of your life, the journey to achieving your Lifetime Dream!

…to be continued…

Capacity Constraints: How Knowing Your Limitations Can Save Your Life (And Your Business)

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There’s a scene towards the end of the classic movie The Outlaw Josey Wales when a bounty hunter saunters in looking for Clint Eastwood’s titular character. When Wales asks him if he’s a bounty hunter, the man says, “A man’s got to do something for a living these days.” To which Wales responds, “Dying ain’t much of a livin’, boy.”

The bounty hunter considers this “advice” and saunters off only to return moments later to, well, let’s just say he wasn’t very good at making a living.

This would have been the perfect moment for Clint to growl “A man’s got to know his Continue Reading “Capacity Constraints: How Knowing Your Limitations Can Save Your Life (And Your Business)”

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