Category Archives: Blog

Best Fitness Tip Ever: the proper angle of the head

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1) The greatest obstacle to achieving proper posture is that for most humans it does not feel right or natural. When a typical human is told to stand tall, the response usually involves raising rather than lowering the chin. But it is the slight lowering of the chin that maximizes your height.
The chin feels slightly “in” rather than “out.”

2) When the chin is ever so slightly in, the sternum rises and the core muscles are engaged.The constant engagement of the core muscles strengthens them.The proper angle of the head doesn’t only make you look stronger, it makes you stronger. The proper angle of the head not only makes you look taller, it makes you taller.

3) But it is a very slight adjustment. Finding the perfect angle is an art and a science and usually takes quite some time to find it, cultivate it, and maintain it without stiffness. But the results are stunning and clearly visible whenever an Olympic athlete, ballerina, or soldier walks in a room. The angle of their heads is always perfect and always the same. Their careers demand it.

The math of democracies and republics

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1) Democracy: 2 wolves and 1 lamb deciding what to have for dinner.

2) Republic: 200 wolves and 100 lambs voting for 2 wolves and 1 lamb to decide what to have for dinner

3) Constitutional Republic: A Constitution saying you can’t eat lamb but a Supreme Court made up of 5 wolves and 4 lambs deciding that mutton is not lamb.

Source: attribution unknown

Simpson’s Paradox: How statistics can mislead

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What hospital to go to: A or B. Well, hospital A’s patients survive 90% of the time and hospital B’s survive 10% of time. Clearly, hospital A is the right choice. Well, not necessarily. Hospital B’s patients could be a much sicker group to begin with. Should you buy stock in company A or company B. Well, A has higher margin and faster growth, So clearly company A. Well, not necessarily. Company A also has too much debt and its growth is all from acquisitions. Company B’s growth is organic and its balance sheet is debt free. Similarly, is there gender discrimination in at college x. Well, say 60% of women who apply are admitted while 90% of men are. Clearly there is discrimination, right? Not necessarily. Perhaps the women are applying to more competitive departments. It is extraordinarily easy to come to the wrong conclusion based on incomplete data. Demagogues love twisting your emotions with data that sound compelling when critical, granular data is omitted.

Education First Policy: Three Thoughts

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1.) Education is the key to our economy, our democracy, and our identity. Without rigorous training our economic potential will not be realized. Without civic literacy, true democracy is impossible. If our children are not taught to focus on the shared, the positive, and the future, their full humanity will not be reached.

2.) Education happens in homes, schools, and communities. Any strategy aimed at “fixing education” must address all three fronts.

3.) Education is not just about academics – it’s also about arts, athletics, and character. Equal schools means equally rigorous training programs in each of these “non-academic” areas.

Check out:

www.thinkingcitizen.com

and

www.educationfirstparty.com

Feedback much appreciated.

Best paragraph written in human history?

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My choice is the first aphorism of Hippocrates:

Art is long but life is short, the opportunity fleeting, experience delusive, therefore judgment difficult. The physician must not only do the right thing himself but make sure the patient, the attendants, and the externals cooperate.

This aphorism applies to every sphere of life and every profession.

What is your choice?

Best science experiment selection algorithm?

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The best science experiments to teach children are ones that involve the least equipment. The very best involve no more than their own bodies. Repetition is the key to learning anything. The less equipment the easier to repeat and share with others. Example: stand up, change the angle of your head. What happens to the rest of your body? Why?

What is your favorite science experiment selection algorithm?

Most under-appreciated song of the last 100 years?

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My choice is…

“Smile” was written by Charlie Chaplin, most famously sung by Nat King Cole,
and was the favorite song of Michael Jackson who knew a thing or two about music.

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky
you’ll get by.
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through
For you.
Light up your face with gladness,
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although a tear may be ever so near

Mother Teresa was known for saying that what the world’s neediest want most is a smile.