Being out of the Government sector is a pleasant relief. I still remember the shock I got going back into the sector on a contract basis after a long break. It now seemed all just so constipated! That started some of my writing seeking reforms to public administration.Very difficult to get the message across when people are so acculturated to what is.
Our views are deeply influenced by the societies in which we live. For example, when I first studied history I actually has little idea just how Western European centric my view of the world was. Have you had one of those lightbulb moments that made you realise your won blinkers?
Finally, this story from news.com.au - Real housewives of Gen Y: Rise of the millennial homemaker - suggests that the young are reverting to more traditional role views. I think that's right. However, to my mind its not the same as when gender roles were fixed. It's rather more a matter of choice, not a socially enforced role. What do you think?
As always, feel free to go in whatever direction you want.
16 comments:
It seems ethics is a Bridge too far: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/03/07/the-cheating-problem-in-professional-bridge
And also crossword puzzles: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-plagiarism-scandal-is-unfolding-in-the-crossword-world
Time for the lawyers to get involved - but who to choose?
AirBnb/Uber/Trivago for lawyers: https://lawyerquote.com.au
kvd
ps could use another recipe from tanners about now :)
One wonders where is the host of the blog. Thankfully interesting subjects come up nevertheless.
Fascinating article on the bridge too far or Dirty Hands. Nice bridge puns. Thank you kvd from the player returning to bridge after years.
I can identify with what David Owen says - "One of the reasons bridge continues to fascinate players all over the world is that, in order to become even sort of good at it, you have to be willing to be bad at it for a long time". Since I am at the time of being bad at bridge and this may continue for a while I do not have any capacity to cheat on top of playing the best bad game I can muster.
For some and this includes me, the story told by Weinstein can be also a reason for not cheating. He said to the suspect of cheating - Lotan Fisher ‘I don’t know, Lotan. I really can’t relate to that, because I would never be in your position.’ He may have lack honesty in mind.
Also playing well and cheating well can not be done at the same time. My choice is to play well one day. She dreams…
AC, I almost dedicated that bridge link to you - but thought you'd probably see the link anyways, so decided not to be too obvious :)
Personally, I have never quite reconciled my love for my now deceased wife with her quite obvious joy in repeatedly cheating at Scrabble. Call me slow, but it took many months before I realised that 7 thru 9 blanks, and my consistent losing, were somehow connected.
That said, how I wish we were still playing now. Efficacious, rather than ethical.
kvd
Kvd, looks that we not always love for perfection, maybe never? I played Scrubble in my Polish chapter, but do not understand the meaning of ‘7 thru 9’. However, this does not seem important. Your affection for your late wife is touching. I am sorry that it all passed on for you.
Anna, there are 4 blanks in Scrabble - unless, like my wife, you feel that an unnecessary limitation. And yes, perfection would be boring, I think.
"Scrubble"? I love that! But wouldn't you need about 13 Z's to play in Poland?
kvd
Yes, there few more than in English. There are also: żźćśłęą (how about that?) and they are worth quite a bit. I wonder how it would be for me to play it in English. I would not be too good, I expect. I also liked it a lot, and for me this is also over.
Anna
kvd, I eventually got my spelling problem. It is too hot, my brain is not working. You treated this mistake rather gently as for you, thank you.
Jim, your comment count is going up. Best regards.
kvd,
I have a wonderful recipe which I'll set out as soon as the intestinal parasite and the gastric virus which I have contracted at the same time both decide to make someone else's life a misery. At the moment, entertaining weblinks are rather more palatable than food for me.
I'm following the US elections through 538, so I'd seen the crossword article (I'm also a crossword addict). As far as non-convincing not-quite-denials go, that article has some absolute gems.
Sorry to hear that tanners - get well soonest! But not half as mortified as I am in finding out that in fact Scrabble only ever has had two blanks :)
kvd
ps when you do supply the recipe, please leave out the parasites and gastrics
This morning I was struck by this statement -
"I realised people were paid more for the consulting than the implementation," she says. "I'm thinking, 'I can actually do all this stuff, but actually consultants get paid more'." - in this article: http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/susie-romans-28-quits-job-makes-us15000-a-month-working-4-hours-a-day-20160308-gne5b1.html
I have no arguement with the accuracy, but I'm just wondering if this is in fact a symptom of the wider disease evident in so many companies these days - the lack of leaders either unwilling or unable to carry out their jobs, without outside 'justification', i.e. someone to blame?
kvd
Just a follow up - not only to apologise for poor spelling - I'm thinking that more often than not outside 'consultants' destroy more value than they create.
Be interesting to see some stats on the effectiveness of 'change agents'.
kvd
William Ernest Henley: 'Invictus'
______
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
______
To which I hesitate to most humbly add
kvd
Such independence is beautiful, courageous and lonely. Does it bring inner comfort?
AC, I think somewhere along the line I may have decided that breadth was more diverting than depth :)
kvd
KVD, so how is it with spirituality and you? You challenged me some time ago. Did I draw wrong conclusions? Now depth not breadth and Invictus?? All very confusing. Since internet chat is not a good place to explore existential subjects, I’ll leave it unresolved, especially that by now I feel like a squatter in Jim’s unattended blog. Best Anna
Anna, I don't think Jim minds the occasional 'squatter' - provided we tidy up the chip packets and dishes and don't rearrange the furniture - and I'm sure he's busy being gainfully employed, so probably welcomes the chance of other contributions.
On 'spirituality' I did indeed query your statement that "people need spirituality" - but then both you and Ramana contributed further thoughts which seemed to make your positions a little more clear, if differing from my own. And yes, I did not pursue it further because of just the consideration you note above.
Similarly, your earlier question regarding that poem: "does it bring inner comfort?" Answer: you'd first need to explain what you mean by 'inner comfort' - particularly in light of your own (lovely!) description which ended with 'lonely'.
On a completely different subject, I've been burrowed into a 330 page investigation of the documented aboriginal history of my immediate area (on the NSW South Coast) and I'm hoping to get permission to pass it on to Jim for his interest - as much for the methodology as for the content. I am finding it quite fascinating, even more so because my 50+ years in this district give me great familiarity with the geography discussed.
kvd
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