Ever heard the one about the guy who learnt body-building through a correspondence course? He didn't become much brawnier, but the postman is now the strongest man in town!
"This is what Zeno said, what about you?"*
It's not enough that you read and come to know of great men's thoughts; what's important is that you think about these, form an opinion of your own and know what they really mean. Think, what if. Think, what more. Only then can you assimilate greatness and become better for having read/heard it. Think, Why. Think, Why Not. Like the Eagles sang in their song Already Gone, you can see the stars and still not see the light.**
This is the path to discovery and, often, invention- small deviations may result in totally different though possibly equally great, if not greater, destinations. The pleasures are in the journey on the thought-train; even if the terminals are the same, the route makes a difference.
What say you?
- Thomas Jay Cubb
NOTES
---------
* This piece was inspired by a few lines mentioned in Tibor Fischer's The Thought Gang. The comparison in the title is from a passage in it. Ever since I read it, this particular thought has influenced me a lot. Other listings included -
Stupidity, that's me. - about the value of humility.
Live according to nature. - no greed path to happiness.
** In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you. -Mortimer J. Adler,
philosopher, educator and author (1902-2001)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Doubled
Labels:
Verse
This was written to report the occasion of a colleague getting married.
---------------------------------
DOUBLED!
---------------------------------
From a lion to a cub,
Welcome to the Club.
-Thomas Jay Cubb
---------------------------------
Meaning plane 1
You have just gotten married; we have been married for many years. Come and start enjoying the joy of matrimony.
Meaning plane 2
You were a lion (with free will) once, now you'll become a cub again! We share your misery!
---------------------------------
DOUBLED!
---------------------------------
From a lion to a cub,
Welcome to the Club.
-Thomas Jay Cubb
---------------------------------
Meaning plane 1
You have just gotten married; we have been married for many years. Come and start enjoying the joy of matrimony.
Meaning plane 2
You were a lion (with free will) once, now you'll become a cub again! We share your misery!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Surprisingly SBI
Labels:
Kicks
There are a lot of ads doing the round asking different questions, all of them with the same answer: Surprisingly SBI.
Which bank has the most ATMS?
Which bank gives you ......... ... the best X?
...
...
Surprisingly SBI.
Why should it be surprising? Why do they have such low self-esteem? Didn't the ad agency think about that?
Does SBI expand to Surprising Bank of India? :-)
Which bank has the most ATMS?
Which bank gives you .....
...
...
Surprisingly SBI.
Why should it be surprising? Why do they have such low self-esteem? Didn't the ad agency think about that?
Does SBI expand to Surprising Bank of India? :-)
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Living To Fight Another Day
After writing the elimination round of any quiz competition, there is always this doubt in one's mind - Have we scored enough? Will we get through to the final round?
In my experience, I have found that around 50% does it. Of course, the more points you get, the surer you are to get through. But if one is sure about around half the questions, the odds are that you will make it. We might not qualify as the toppers, but we will most probably scrape through - living to fight another day and that's what counts.
On a couple of occasions, I have been eliminated even after touching this magic figure. Each time, there were more than a couple of teams on the same score, we were shot out after a tiebreaker or a coin-toss and apology. It's fair and square, I've been on the benefiting side as well.
Now, suppose you are sure about 60% and you still don't get through.
Chances are that -
a) you were wrong on a few (QM googlies). Oh.......#@*#.....That! How could I have not spotted that! The QM knows better than you.
b) you know better than the QM. He uses an old edition of that book. But there's no point in arguing, remember the cardinal rule : the QM is always, always, no matter what, right.
c) it was not a good set of questions- hugely loaded with current affairs or some niche topic - favouring some teams with specific backgrounds. Was Rembrandt really that good? So many questions... Or is today that important a day?
d) The other teams were fantabulously great. They make it every time, why don't I?
In all four scenarios, it's probably best that you didn't make it. But no matter what, stay to watch the final round. Don't leave the venue disappointed.
On the other hand, if you didn't score around half and the cut off was round about there, it's time for some serious book- or web-crawling!
What say you?
This 50% rule is also the criterion by which I make out who google on my online quizzes and who don't. Generally, I'm right! Or, it was a bad set of questions....More thoughts on what makes a good set of prelims questions, later.
In my experience, I have found that around 50% does it. Of course, the more points you get, the surer you are to get through. But if one is sure about around half the questions, the odds are that you will make it. We might not qualify as the toppers, but we will most probably scrape through - living to fight another day and that's what counts.
On a couple of occasions, I have been eliminated even after touching this magic figure. Each time, there were more than a couple of teams on the same score, we were shot out after a tiebreaker or a coin-toss and apology. It's fair and square, I've been on the benefiting side as well.
Now, suppose you are sure about 60% and you still don't get through.
Chances are that -
a) you were wrong on a few (QM googlies). Oh.......#@*#.....That! How could I have not spotted that! The QM knows better than you.
b) you know better than the QM. He uses an old edition of that book. But there's no point in arguing, remember the cardinal rule : the QM is always, always, no matter what, right.
c) it was not a good set of questions- hugely loaded with current affairs or some niche topic - favouring some teams with specific backgrounds. Was Rembrandt really that good? So many questions... Or is today that important a day?
d) The other teams were fantabulously great. They make it every time, why don't I?
In all four scenarios, it's probably best that you didn't make it. But no matter what, stay to watch the final round. Don't leave the venue disappointed.
On the other hand, if you didn't score around half and the cut off was round about there, it's time for some serious book- or web-crawling!
What say you?
This 50% rule is also the criterion by which I make out who google on my online quizzes and who don't. Generally, I'm right! Or, it was a bad set of questions....More thoughts on what makes a good set of prelims questions, later.
To The Book Borrower - I
Because nobody ever returns books they borrow... After some time it becomes the borrower's - why return it now, he has read it anyway! I used to write this in every book I bought.
-------------------------------------
TO THE BOOK BORROWER - I
-------------------------------------
This book is dearly mine,
And if you, my darling, borrow
Mind to return within weeks nine
For that is the mine-thine fine line.
Beyond which is bereavement, sorrow.
- Thomas Jay Cubb
-------------------------------------
TO THE BOOK BORROWER - I
-------------------------------------
This book is dearly mine,
And if you, my darling, borrow
Mind to return within weeks nine
For that is the mine-thine fine line.
Beyond which is bereavement, sorrow.
- Thomas Jay Cubb
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