I’ve never seen anything like Saudi Arabia.  I would not call it awe, or interest.  I would describe it as a dull itch looking for an outlet, an uneasy boredom.

Most of my exerience in the Middle East has been with more moderate countries:  Turkey, Morocco, and to a lesser extent Egypt and Jordan.  Honestly I don’t know if there is anywhere on the planet more “conservative” than Saudi.

“Conservative” is in quotes because honestly I don’t know if that is the right word.  I’m scratching my proverbial head here.  I can certainly describe the country, but I don’t know what to make of it.

Women:  This is what people generally want to know about, so here goes:

They do where abayas, which is basically a black robe that covers everything but the eyes.  Some of them even cover their eyes.  That has to suck.  They seem to start wearing them at puberty since the young girls wear regular clothes; I bet they cry the first time they put it on.   What must that be like for a mother?

Women can’t drive; they couldn’t vote up until a few years ago.  Where I work there are two separate cafeterias; one male, one female.  At the hotel, only men can use the gym.  The women do go to the pool…in their abayas…totally covered in black  They don’t swim.  They watch the kids swim. Speaking of the gym, it’s always well-maintained thanks to regular services like gym equipment repair near me. Additionally, for all your gym equipment needs, you can check out this site at https://rentcommercialgymequipment.co.uk/ for top-notch services and equipment.

To work women need permission (written) from their male guardian.  Over half of Saudi university graduates are women; a lot of good that education does them as they as sequestered away in the house, unable to leave unless escorted.  Many shopping malls have women-only floors.

Speaking of shopping, I’m amazed by the number of high-end women’s clothing stores, Gucci, Fendi, Benetton, etc, etc, etc.  Where the hell do they wear them?  The answer, I have learned, is that they are dressed to the 9s under that incredibly unflattering abaya.  Bizarre.

Speaking of unflattering, I do find somethin incredibly mystical and forbidding about the young women behind their veils.  In the West, men (including myself) look at women when they pass; we may look at any part of their body though, since most body parts are at least exposed in sillouette.  There is no personal connection when looking in this way.

The ONLY thing to look at when a veiled woman passes is her eyes; and that makes it personal.  She knows you looked at her, and she is obviously looking at you too.  Their eyes are dark, black pools…mysterious, cat-like…communicating something profound if only you knew the language.  There is something oddly MORE personal and intimate about it than I’m accustomed to.  Sometimes you can see a smile from under the veil touch their eyes;  the eyes tell alot.

I wonder what they are thinking?  They know their life is restricted.  Are they happy with that?  Is it simply accepted as part of life?  I don’t like to judge other value systems….there is something odd about it though.

Regardless, the restrictions will loosen.  There is a huge shortage of qualified Saudi men for jobs (Saudi men will not take “menial” jobs).  They have the largest ex-pat population of any country I’ve ever been to.  They will be forced to start to employ Saudi women…or their country will be over-run by Philipinos, Pakistanis, and Indians….not that that would be a bad thing, but I’m sure the Saudis wouldn’t love it.

Wasta:  The only Arabic word I’ve learned is “wasta”.  It means influence.  It is the system of nepotism, favoritism, tribalism, etc. that is the politics of life here (this also applies to many other places in the world).  In Saudi it is ALL about relationships.

I’m here consulting; why bother?  They don’t wish to be efficient.  They play fierce office politics, hoard power, blame others, play favorites, etc (of course this happens in all offices, but to a greater degree in Saudi).  I’m not saying those as a negative, that is simply life here.  It DOESN’T; however, add up to any kind of recipe for effectiveness or efficiency.

Gas:  I figure it is about 50 cents a gallon.  The joke here is that gas is cheaper than water (which is true since it is a desert)…..3 times cheaper.

Life in the Cities:  Cities have vibes; they have life.  Barcelona has life.  NYC buzzes.  Paris is elegant and self-righteous.  Delhi is swarming, complex, and anachronistic.

Saudi cities are dead.  I have never been anywhere that lacks character like this.  Riyadh is simply one large shopping mall, bright…new…sterile…lifeless.  Jeddah is hardly better.

Rude drivers, no sidewalks, streets filled with all men, dust hanging in the air, 100+ degrees with endless shopping malls filled with oil money (the whole country would be re-swallowed by the desert if not for oil.  They’d still be beduins with camels.)

There is no music, no dancing (Viva Cuba!).  There is no alcohol.  The Internet is censored.  There are no women to look at to lift the men’s moods.  There is no fun.  I’m sorry…really.  It is bad.

People take their cars into the desert on the weekends to drive I’m told.  Saudis like picnics (it was 110+ degrees everyday last week).  Whooppiee!! It sucks.

In conclusion, when I first visited the Middle East over a decade ago as a young, brash kid I said, “The entire Middle East needs to get laid.”  I still think that is true; it would be the end of terrorism, and hopefully the beginning of some fun.

Yes, I know that I never posted about Cuba (here are some pics).  I know that I haven’t written anything in a long time.

The fact is that I’ve been extremely busy, with work (about to leave for S. Arabia for two weeks) and being engaged (wedding Jan 2nd) and family drama (parents are getting a divorce) and house repairs (bathroom renovation) and tennis (USTA city champs!).

This is a topic dear to my heart, and with which I have a good deal of experience.  As I prepare for my next, and quite possibly last, real travel…..I think it is time to share what I’ve learned about packing.

Actually, an “all purpose world travel backpack” is a bit redundant.  If it is for “world travel”…it must be “all purpose”, and vice versa.

What is a world traveler: Though mentioned before, I will review again.

A world traveler is not on vacation.  It is a trip of undefined length with often a fixed amount of money (which is why travelers are often cheapskates).

A traveler is not necessarily trying to see or accomplish anything.  They may skip the museums or churches in favor of wandering aimlessly or sleeping till noon.

Traveling is not planned in advance.  The trip begins best with a one way ticket; the next destination is not known.

The needs of a world traveler:

The world is a big place; you need to be ready for anything…and though the world gets smaller everyday, there are still places where it is better to be a self-contained unit.  Hopefully those places will always exist, else how are we to learn the joy of self-sufficiency, and the growth associated with a little danger?

Pre-Pack: You need receptacles before you can actually pack, water-resistant preferably.

The Goldilocks Backpack: A  good travel backpack is of a moderate size. Bear in mind you are not camping, and you are not on a vacation.

Too small and you’re agile, ready to move, but not prepared for anything.  It simply can’t hold all the necessaries and also the niceties that make you happy you have it.  As you travel more your backpack tends to get smaller.

Too large and you lugging around something you can’t hike with; it becomes burdensome.  You are overprotective of it.  Seasoned travelers chuckle at the folks with oversized backpacks. Also, it is hard to run in large packs…sometimes you have to make a run for it.  That’s just the way it is.

Remember:  “Things” are fine; they are necessary, but never pack anything you are not willing to have stolen.  It will happen eventually.  Trust me.  If it does happen, your trip will get even better, and you’ll take a scooter ride across Mallorca.

Day Pack: You will need to take things with you while you’re out during the day. Some backpacks come with detachable day packs or fanny packs.  I personally use a separate bag that is much like a sleeping bag sack with some back straps.  It is quite small when not in use.

Money belt: Cash, Passport, and anything of the sort need to be kept on you at all times.  I sleep with my money belt on.  I take it to the shower.  You only need your passport stolen in Spain once to learn this lesson well.

Plastic Bags:  Any number and/or size.  They take up no space, and keep things dry.  You only need bump down a dirt road 5 hours in the back of an uncovered truck in a monsoon in Thailand once to realize it sucks to have nothing dry to change into.  I now have an airtight compression sack for clothes as well; though it isn’t necessary.  To reiterate:  keep everything in a plastic bag…even the plastic bags.

Items to Pack: In no particular order.

Rainy Day Items: This is what you pack because you are a world traveler who may be in Istanbul one day and on the train to Siberia the next.  Think you don’t need it?  Just wait.  Some of these things can be bought of course given time, but it stinks to be caught without them if they’re needed at a given moment.

Mosquito repellent:  Don’t go to Rishikesh, get eaten alive by mosquitoes, and think you have malaria.  Its dumb.  Keep some of that high DEET repellent they don’t even sell in the US with you.  Its small and packs away nicely.

Antiseptic:  Don’t cut your dirty foot on a rock in Dahab and envision an emergency toe amputation in an Egyptian hospital from the infection.  Take some antiseptic.  Again, it is small.

Sun tan lotion:  Hiking in Peru, the beach in Thailand…wherever.  Nothing can ruin a trip faster than a blistering sunburn that leaves you with chills and unable to go out.  Get that SPF 50 white paste.  You’ll be thankful.

Water purification pills:  Very unlikely you’ll get caught without access to clean water hiking in Nepal; however, since water is necessary to live you’ll be really happy if these come in handy.  Also, they are very small so its a good item just in case.

Rope:  Take some rope.  Not the big sailing rope of course; just something thin and sturdy as a precaution.

Flashlight: Holy Moly.  Don’t get caught trying to find a tarantula in your room in Cost Rica in the dark  (didn’t sleep too well that night).  Take the really good LED flashlight or mag-light.  Take extra batteries.

Leatherman:  At the least it is an overpriced bottle-opener or pocket knife that doesn’t take up much space.  They are very versatile though when needed.  I struggled with this one a while after 9/11, since it caused you to have to check your bags (no sharp objects on the plane)…but now you can’t even take normal sized toiletries on the plane, so you really have to check your backpack anyway.

Something warm:  I don’t care if you’re going to the hottest place on the planet…take something warm, a fleece, some layers…something.  It gets cold in the desert; it rains in the tropics.  Sometimes you get stuck in Salzberg in the snow at 4 in the morning and you wish you had something warm.  This one is a bit of a struggle to find the right balance, because jackets take up space…too much space.  Take something small and long sleeve. If it really gets cold and you’re stuck, you’ll need to buy something or depend on people’s help until you can buy a jacket.

Gloves/Scarf:  Take them.  They are small, warm, and invaluable if needed.

Rain coat/Poncho:  Take something in case you are outside and it rains.  These can be a bit heavy, but can pack up small if you’re careful.  I suggest a Poncho.  Even a trash bag will work if you’re creative.

Pack Cover:  Again, don’t let your pack get soaked so that everything you own is wet.  It sucks, and can ruin your electronic equipment (which should be kept in plastic bags).  Pack covers are small.

Voltage Converter/Plug Adapters:  This is a new item.  When I first traveled there were no iPods, cameras used film and batteries lasted forever.  Now with iPods and digital cameras you need to be prepared for countries with different voltage requirements and outlet configurations.  You can buy small voltage converters for low wattage devices; however, they are heavy.  The plug adapters are small and light.

Phone Card:  Though less important in the age of the Internet, and possible to workaround, it is still important to be able to call if something drastic happens, or you have to change flights, or need to call a contact in the next country.  You can always buy a local calling card, but since they are small its a good idea to keep a general purpose calling card from a major carrier with associated country access numbers available.  They don’t cost anything if not used.

Extra Space:  NEVER LEAVE WITH A FULL PACK.  You will buy stuff and it will be better than the stuff you brought from home.  I try to leave at least 1/3 of my pack empty at the outset.  Don’t forget to dress out of your backpack when you leave home (otherwise what you are wearing is an extra set of clothes).

Mainstays: These are the items you will always pack when you go somewhere.  They are less important as you can always replace them, they are rarely needed on the spur of the moment, and are generally widely available.

Clothes:  Bring two changes of clothes at least (and also at most)…so you can have something to wear while you’re washing clothes.  I take shants (pants that zip off into shorts) and a lot of synthetics (capilene, polyester, etc.  clothes that are warm, pack small, and dry fast).

Shoes:  Take one good pair of shoes that are comfortable and you’d be willing to wear everyday if necessary (because it might become necessary).

Toiletries:  Take them because you always do.  They can be replaced though.  I do recommend travel sized toiletries, a fold up toothbrush, and a small soap case.  Don’t take a big bottle of shampoo and conditioner.  They take up too much room.  Get used to being a little dirty.

Towel: Don’t take a full sized towel.  Its big.  Take a pack towel, and get used to drying yourself with something the size of a hand towel.  That’s life.

Camera:  I suggest splurging a bit on a good camera.  Travel doesn’t leave a lot of residual assets other than the memories.  Sometimes pictures are the only concrete thing left.  Bring LOTS of memory for your camera and extra batteries (charging them covered above).  You don’t want to run out in Patagonia (one of the most beautiful places on the planet) because you were too dumb to buy an extra memory card.  That being said, there is always the possibility that your camera gets stolen.  Nice, compact camera, yes.  Amazing, SLR camera; be careful.

Music:  Music is the soundtrack of your life, and Travel is the Greatest Hits.  Take an iPod or something.  I’ve traveled before portable music, with mp3 cds, and with truly portable music (iPod)….music is awesome when you travel.  I could write a whole post on good travel music.  It matters.

Items not to pack: Just as important as what to bring, is what you think you should bring that you really shouldn’t.  The general rule is to take half the stuff and twice the money you think you’ll need.  Even if you don’t have the funds to take twice the money (who does?), half as much stuff is still a good rule of thumb.

Hat:  They are needed, but you can always buy one.  If you need cover immediately, tie a T shirt around your head and improvise.  If you have a favorite hat, of course take it.

Sunglasses:  Again, usually needed eventually, but available within short order if necessary.  Expensive glasses are just something to lose or get stolen.

Toilet paper:  There are places where you will get stuck wiping your ass with leaves on the top of the world in Nepal….but you don’t need to take toilet paper with you from your home country.  Buy it and keep it with you as you go.

Jacket:  You’ll need it, but it is so bulky it is impractical to pack.  Buy it on the road.  Discard it afterward or send it home by mail if it has become sentimental.

Sleeping Bag/Tent/Cooking Gear:  We’re not camping.  They are way too bulky to bring with you.  Even sheets are too bulky.  Rent camping equipment if needed.

Clothes:  You find the coolest clothes on the road.  Buy them.  The crap you bring from home is just to get your started.

Shoes:  Don’t take a bunch of pairs of shoes.  You can’t anyway because they are too bulky, but be aware that you’ll need to make some compromises with shoes.  You can’t take a shoe for every occasion.

So there it is:   A complete guide to the all purpose world travel backpack.  Pack up, buy a ticket, and have at it.

Here is what it looks like after a job well done (the pack is small, and you are tired, but happy:)

I’ve been writing on this website for years, and this is perhaps my most practical post ever…someone might actually learn something useful from wasting/spending their time here.

The Problem with Parties:

I had some people over to the house to watch basketball on Saturday.  I invited people over because I didn’t want to watch the NCAA tourney at a bar and have to pay 4 bucks a pint and have to drive after drinking.  So I said come over and I’ll grill out.  So I did.

That works out great for the most part, except I didn’t watch that much basketball.  I spent a lot of time outside cooking and not watching basketball.  Then I tended some to the guests…made sure everyone had what they needed.

Then if you invite people over, there are people you didn’t invite over.  They find out and wonder why.  I don’t mind that much; I keep about my things the same, and if they don’t invite me next time, I live on….but the point is:

I just wanted to watch the game and have a drink; I didn’t really succeed.  I think the best bet would be to watch it at home by myself…that sounds a little depressing, but yet liberating at the same time.

The “Scrubbing the Toilet Strategy”:

Otherwise I had a trip to Cuba coming up for vacation….3 weeks.  Sounds great.  I was getting excited.

Then work asked me if I was interested in going to S. Arabia for a on-site consultancy.  I don’t actually have to say yes.

But I think back to when I went to India with work a few years ago:  I was just a little over a year into my job (same place I’m at now), and was not chosen to go to India because other people had more experience.  But then one of those people backed out at the last second and I agreed to go.  So I got my opportunity basically because I agreed to do it when no one else would…its the scrubbing the toilet strategy.

Now is the same concept.  If the project was staffed in the US they’d never pick me.  There are lots of other more experienced consultants available, but most of those won’t agree to go to S. Arabia, so the pool dwindles.  I get my opportunity when the someone backs out at the last second and the pool dwindles to one…me.  So off I go to S. Arabia.  I better dust off my djellaba.

Who Watches the Watchers?

Everyone knows I’m apolitical…mainly because there is little difference between the Republicans and Democrats.  I believe that power corrupts…even the most well meaning people succumb.  I believe the best government/system is one that does not let too much power into any one set of hands.

I watched President W. Bush grab power like a king and ignore the Constitution.  Bush stripped civil liberties, ignored Congress, and basically ran the country like it was under martial law all in the name of the War on Terror (ever read 1984 by Orwell?).  He used a crisis to extend his power while claiming (and likely really believing) it was for our own good.

Now Obama takes office on a platform of change….and he grabs power too.  He uses the crisis of the economy to do things the Fed and the Dept of Treasury were never meant to do. (The Fed nor the Treasury Dept are meant to bail out the economy. By law they cannot invest in companies.  The proposal to tax the AIG bonuses 90% is likely unconstitutional.)

Ever heard of the 10th amendment?  “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”  To sum up:  All powers not explicitly granted to the Federal government in the Constitution are prohibited.  It is meant to limit power….crisis by damned.

In the end the issue is that the power is never returned.  Eventually it all sits with the overseers (the government)……but who watches the watchers?  That’s the question.

So I was talking to Brian Allex at dinner the other night and he told me he almost got into a McDonalds commercial.  I mentioned (as I always do) that I wanted to be in a commercial too…as a voice talent.  He said he gets demos all the time from folks.  I said I need a demo too….thus I made one.

The Background: I thought I would re-do another movie trailer, maybe a Don Lafontaine classic.  Unfortunately, there is no website that catalogs movie trailer scripts.  There are also none that give away the music behind the trailer (although there are some that charge).  So I decided to make my own trailer, with my own music.

The Interview: As I was getting into the mindset, I started thinking about myself as voice actor.  I watched some interviews with Don L, and then decided my demo should also contain background info….my story as a voice actor.  So I wrote a self-interview too.  This was the funniest part to me.  It was actually much longer than made it onto the demo, but in the interest of time I cut my own interview short.

The Music:  Fortunately there is a lot of good info out there on suitable classical music for movie trailers.  The one that came up over and over was Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

The Trailer: Surprisingly easy to write.  I did a little research, but they are pretty formulaic and easy to poke fun of.  “In a world..”, “On man…”, “Renegade…”….anything dire, immediate, short, and punchy.

I laughed my ass of watching this:

The Mix:  I use Adobe Audition (formerly Cool Edit Pro) to mix audio.  I know something about that from my limited experience recording music, and I have a pretty decent microphone that picks up what little depth and richness I have in my voice.  I didn’t use alot of effects on the tracks (echo, or enhancing the bass of the vocals); its pretty much how I sound.

Here is a pic of clips:

You see I recorded the lines one at a time. The trailer definitely wasn’t all one take. The interview was though.

The Environment: I did drink a bottle of red wine in preparation.  Alcohol dries your throat out and deepens your voice.  I didn’t smoke any cigarettes.  I don’t like to smoke.  I assure you the wine was not enjoyed, but only drunk in pursuit of the art.

The Result: Here you go.

With the recession looming, I figure its time to diversify my interests.  You never know when you might be forced to consider a career change.

Ok…really its two different topics, so I’ll take holistic thinking first.

So I do HR consulting, and we are always talking about the big picture…creating a holistic transformation, etc, etc.  Let’s think about holistic.  Its means whole.  You’re thinking about the whole thing.

Why is this is pipe dream?  Two reasons:

1. Employees, no matter how high up in an organization (other than the CEO/COO) only have a certain purview.  The Executive VP of Compensation….deals with compensation.  If s/he were to think about the effect of compensation, it is just one piece of what keeps an employee at a company and motivated to perform (there is also benefits, manager competence, even the comfort of the chair s/he sits in at work).  In short, the VP of Comp can’t afford to think holistically about “total rewards” or “employment brand”….their purview is too limited.
2. Some companies now have “total rewards” managers, or some other role, trying to get around this paradox.  Its a good idea, and likely works better than roles with more limited scope.  2 issues here:
   1. Its hard to find someone that knows a fair amount about everything related to Total Rewards or Employment Brand (It was hard enough to know just about Compensation).  Competence at this level will be difficult to come by….by definition.
   2. Here is the main issue, and my main issue with Holistic thinking….even in the best case scenario:  Complexity is hard to sort out.

People are not smart enough to deal with real complexity.  No one is.  The human brain cannot deal with an unlimited number of variables.  If you make a manager’s scope too limited, they are not holistic.  If you make the scope larger, they run into the issue of complexity.  Ok….what’s the real issue?

They call it the Butterfly Effect or perhaps more accurately the Law of Unintended Consequences.  Bottom line, we are unable to predict the outcome of systems that get too complicated.  The weather is an example.  Businesses are another…at least currently.

I think business/management will eventually become more scientific.  The human brain often fails at modeling complex systems (no person can predict the weather), but science can do a little better given time.  Of course, we still can’t very accurately predict the weather…even with science.

Any advice for businesses?  Yeah, I do have some.  Its a vote for the next-best, iterative solution.  The great Holistic strategy is not forthcoming, and if it were…..it would be too complicated to implement.  Be willing to start something today that you know is a step, and isn’t perfect, and is full of holes.

Companies already do this.  They’re good at it.  Where then do they fail?

Short-sightedness.  They start on a step 1…by the time step 2 is supposed to happen, they’ve had turnover (the original planners are now gone), the business environment has changed….they’ve already come up with another plan.  Plan 1 isn’t anywhere near done, and they’re already on Plan 3.

There is an abundance of strategy in corporate America.  There is not a ton of execution/follow through.  Even I recognize this.  By the time I’m good enough at my current job to have real effect….I’m off to something else.  Sustained effort is gold.

____________________________________________

And then there is inflation.  I explained here what the US is doing with its monetary policy (printing money), and how we might bail ourselves out of this mess (other countries will finance our ir-responsibility).  It seems the Chinese know it too.

Another short bit on inflation:  I’ve heard the business press say wage pressure causes inflation (if people get paid more, then prices go up).  That’s shit.  Inflation is primarily caused by a change in the money supply.  The money supply is controlled by the Federal Reserve.  The Fed causes inflation.

What the Fed tries to do is even out the business cycle, to prevent inflation, to prevent boom and bust by slightly rigging the system all the time to ensure even growth and stable prices.  We get back to Complexity though (and weather prediction).  No one can predict economics.  The Fed gets it wrong….and thus causes our business cycles, not prevents them.

I’m not down on the Fed….I’m sure Ben is one of the greatest economists ever to live….but that don’t mean shit.  The greatest weatherman is still just some clown pointing at clouds on a map…..failing against Complexity.

I recently had my tennis strokes filmed by high speed camera.  It was very interesting.  You know what I learned?  I’m pretty good, and have lots of room for improvement if I play more (which is impossible because I’m old and am hurt all the time).  Regardless, especially on my groundstrokes, I am fundamentally very sound (thanks to my parents for all the lessons).

What was my worst stroke?  My serve.

I still win my serve most of the time.  It isn’t devastating, but I have a big kick, I’m consistent, and I can control it pretty well.  How hard do I hit it?  About 100 MPH throwing my arm out.  To put that in perspective, the best guys can serve near 140; the best women near 115.

How can the women serve faster?  Good question.  I can certainly beat them in arm wrestling.  Its technique, at least a lot of it.

Additionally, how hard to you need to serve?  Not 100+ MPH.  If you serve at the edges of the box with some spin, most people won’t even return a serve in the low 90s.  If they do, it’s popped up.

Here is my serve versus the serve of Mark Philippoussis…the most dominant server whose footage I have available (and one of the great servers of all time).

So you get these “key positions”, and here is my worst, the “Power Position”:

This is when you’re loaded and cocked.  After this its all racquet speed…how fast can I get my arm moving before I strike the ball?

So what’ wrong…3 things.

1)  Ball toss:  You can’t see it well, but my ball toss is not as far into the court/out in front.  This one is tough to change, because I am not tall.  I need the net clearance I wouldn’t get it threw it farther forward.

2)  Shoulder rotation:  We definitely look different in the shoulders, but the difference is not in elbow/racquet position….its in the shoulder rotation.  He’s dropped his shoulder perpendicular to the ground (180 degrees).  Mine is about at 115 degrees.  He has 65 more degrees of power.  He’s more loaded.

3)  Hip rotation:  This is single biggest mistake I make, and the most fundamental.  This is the only completely bad/wrong thing I do.  His right hip is cocked.  My right hip is already released (it is turned into the court).  Mark’s right hip doesn’t look like mine until after he hits the ball.  In essence, I’ve already unloaded.

So what about Andy Roddick (world record holder)?

Well…Andy is a freak, since he can get his arm moving faster than anyone on the planet other than major league pitchers….however, there is something to learn.

Mark P. has better mechanics, but Andy isn’t far behind.  His power position shows a tremendous load on the legs.  He seems poised to explode up into the ball.

In my defense, I had a knee injury during filming that kept me from a deep knee bend (but even a deeper knee bend would not change the fact I unload my hips before contact); however, the point remains valid:  Andy is generating a ton of power from his legs.

I need Mark’s shoulder rotation and Andy’s leg explosion.  I reality I would just like to be able to hit it harder than the women.

I would like to point out that Roger Federer is a little girly:

I mean the guy cried.  I don’t think its only because he lost; I think he loves tennis, and was touched by the fans, and is aware of his place in tennis history, etc….but the fact still remains he cried:  Not very manly.  Nadal did give him a man hug though, which I thought was sensitive, but not overly girly.  1 point for Nadal (besides being the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon champion).

In the end, I think I like Federer more.  A little humanity in our sports stars is nice when contrasted with other sports.

The “man bag” is a bit much though (or should I just call it a purse?):

Next Topic, Jesus:

Remember in college we all took the World Religion class?  I think its a requirement at most schools, so everyone took something at least similar.  We learned about Joseph Campbell and the common myths/stories inherent in all religions.  The Greek gods and the Roman gods….pretty freaking similar.  Greek/Rome is just one instance; however, we learned that obviously the religions are borrowing from each other.

Islam as well borrows from Christianity, which borrows from Judaism, which borrows, I assume, from something else all the way back to pagans and two cavemen smoking weed and staring at the stars under a moonlit sky.

I never noticed I suppose in that religion class that the Jesus myth was not treated the same; we never studied its antecedents.  We assume it happened (virgin birth, son of god, rise from the dead, etc) in a vacuum for the first time.  That it was special.

Guess what?  The Jesus story had already been told….in Egyptian mythology (one of the oldest in existence).

Old testament: “I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.” Hosea 13:4″.  But lots of things are said in the Bible.  What does difference does one verse make?

Well…I used to read these crazy book by Graham Hancock, and while most of it was shite, some of it was interesting:

The life of the Egyptian God of Horus closely resembles that of Jesus.  There are a lot of comparisons in the chart in this link, and some of them are tenuous at best; however, the fact remains that the similarities (special births, son of god, miracles performed, crucifiction, resurrection after 3 days, etc.) are likely more than coincidence.

It is significant because we remember the Isrealites were formerly Egyptian slaves, so it would’ve been natural to co-opt Egyptian mythology (which was still worshipped when the Israelites were there), just as the Romans did with the Greeks.

I’m not making any comment on whether Jesus really existed, whether he rose from the dead, or whether people added to his story where convenient after he as gone (would he have been any less significant if he’d not been born under a star, had a virgin birth, or hadn’t turned water into wine?)….I simply do not know that.  But what I do know is that people make shit up….and usually when they do, they steal ideas from other people.  The Jesus myth is not unique.  The Hebrews took the framework from Egpytian mythology, with which they were very familar…having been in Egypt for 400 years.

Next Topic, the mind of God:

To simplify, being that there are so many commonalities in our myths and religions, that either means a) people borrow from each other (if we assume people are making up the myths), or b) God tells the same story over and over again (if we assume God is handing down the stories as the religions say).

If I were God (funny to think about), would I tell the same story over and over, or would I tell different stories?  I think I would tell the same/similar stories, because if I told different stories the people would eventually share the stories and thus they could converge anyway.

Alternatively, if I told different stories, people naturally war with each other, and so only the winning stories would remain…thus again you end up with the same/similar stories.

All roads lead to the same/similar stories.  It doesn’t matter what you start with.  In this case, the mind of God is not required.  All the stories will end up similar.

And this I think is what I took away from my World Religion class:  The winners tell the stories, the story remains the same.

I read today about Obama chiding Wall Street for their reported $40 billion dollars in bonuses this year (even though they were down over the past few years).  It does offend one’s sensibilities, I certainly agree.

I mean…if risky mortgages are the source of the problem, then don’t bail out the banks, bail out the people…the banks get the money in the end anyway (since the people still have to pay the mortgage) and the people get to keep their homes.

If you bail out the banks…the banks get the money, the people still lose their homes…which then means the banks get the homes………so the banks get the homes AND the money:  And they were the ones responsible for the mess in the first place (to the losers go the spoils)!

Seems like they’re making out like bandits.  We lose our homes AND we pay to bail them out.  But whatever….that’s another conversation (the gist being that it really ISN’T the bad mortgages that are causing banks trouble, otherwise bailing out the people would be a more logical economic and political solution).

What the continuance of Wall Street bonuses really means is that pay for performance is a myth, and that is what it has to do with my job (HR Consulting).  Pay for performance is the idea that each is paid (in some measure) according to what they contribute.  If you do better, you get more.  A bonus (since it is a BONUS and not part of regular pay) would be linked to some performance measure and if you meet that measure then you get the bonus.

This is where it gets a little human on us:  The bonuses are largely paid out anyway (people set goals attainable within the normal flow of work, or managers “adjust” for externalities, etc.)  In effect, bonuses are not pay for performance (otherwise Wall Street wouldn’t get any)….they are really just a part of base pay.  In a good year you may earn 100% of a potential bonus; in a poor year you may still earn 75%.

Merit pay increases work the same way:  The average salary increase is 3.5% or so a year.  The average merit increase for good performers is 5%; top performers 7%.  In other words, there is only a 4% difference in pay increases between those who are just drawing paychecks, and those who are the best of the best (the best of the best do get promoted though).

Anyone who’s ever worked in corporate America knows the top performers are worth 10x or more than the average worker.

Of course there is the issue of measurement (how do you know how much more someone is worth?), and the issue of fairness (would you work next to someone doing your job that is making 10x more than you?), and the holdover from manufacturing/assembly line era of pay where a warm body is a warm body…anyone can pull a lever or start a machine, so everyone should make the same.  And then there is simplicity:  its easier to largely pay people the same.

Anyway, don’t blame Wall Street for their bonuses for the most part….its just part of salary.

I don’t know if this is real or a joke, but some SC state senator is trying to outlaw profanity.  I just have no response….