Dispatch 1/23/12

7:05 AM  Sitting in a hostel in Washington D.C..  The past few weeks have been hectic, yet fascinating.  I have visited Bangalore, Cochin, and Vembanad in addition to the company visits and classroom sessions in India.  Life is certainly different there.  The seemingly reckless driving is the first thing that caught my attention.  The cars have the right of way in India, which is a shock for Americans.

I'm in Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life.  Today, thousands of people, mainly Catholics, will gather to advocate for the pro-life cause on the National Mall.  I've heard it is beautiful scene, although the questionable weather will pose a challenge.  This marks my third visit to Washington D.C.  I love this city for multiple reasons.  Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum.  What a moving experience.  There was a cattle car used to transport Jews from their hometowns to concentration camps.  The eeriness and evil of it all hits you real hard.  Last night, I attended a mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  Cardinals, bishops, priests, seminarians, deacons, and thousands of laypeople gathered for the annual pro-life mass.  The basilica and ceremony itself were both beautiful.      

Newt Gingrich seems to gaining momentum as we head into the heart of the primary season.  He won South Carolina by a landslide with Mitt Romney coming in second.  Rick Perry is the latest Republican candidate to drop out of the race.  

This morning, I learned Joe Paterno passed away.  Appropriately, Penn State will be holding a candlelight vigil to honor and remember him.  You don't see many college football coaches remaining at one school anymore.  My hope is that the recent scandal involving Jerry Sandusky will not tarnish his legacy.  Ideally, all the great things he did for young men and Penn State will determine how he is remembered.

Thanks for reading,

Joe

Dispatch 12/26/11

9:31 AM  Sitting in the Hilton Hotel across the street from the O Hare airport in Chicago.  You learn something valuable everyday.  Earlier, a couple of fellow travelers and myself left the secure area of the airport to head over to the international terminal where we discovered we cannot check in until 4 PM.  We don't have boarding passes to re-enter the central terminals, so we are now stranded.  Good thing Conrad Hilton started this luxury hotel chain.

For the next three weeks, I will be in India on a shortened study abroad trip that includes company tours and sightseeing.  I am really looking forward to this trip largely because it's the first time I've ever traveled to Asia.  I've read the culture is drastically different, but you really can't get essential knowledge of a place until you've been there physically.

Christmas time was an engaging trip as usual.  We got together with extended family, but this go around didn't feel like past Christmases.  When you are a kid, Christmas is the big event, the thing you look forward to for weeks.  This time, I avoided onset of the Christmas commercials because I don't watch much television in Lawrence.  Then my mind was preoccupied with deep thoughts I didn't have time for during the semester.  Then the packing started for the India trip.  For once, I was insulated from the ugly, commercialized side of Christmas.  However, we went to Christmas mass which is the main reason we celebrate this holiday in the first place.  

Bill Self coached teams have rarely performed well against mid-major schools.  I went to game against Davidson last Monday and what I saw brought back memories of NCAA tournament losses against Bucknell, Bradley, Northern Iowa, and Virginia Commonwealth.  Every year, the Jayhawk faithful never know what to expect against these less talented, but more disciplined squads from smaller schools.  After two more tune-up games against Howard and North Dakota, the Jayhawks will open Big 12 play with a match up against a well-coached Kansas State team.

Dispatch 9/21/11

9:42 A.M.  Sitting in a computer lab.  This week has been a whirlwind of activity especially in the Eurozone as the sovereign debt crisis worsens over there.  The U.S. stock markets performed well in the beginning stages of yesterday, but that rally quickly evaporated late in the trading session.  I'm amazed at how well Apple has performed--that company is a true titan.   

The front page of the Wall St. Journal today shows President Obama and other world leaders at a global corruption-fighting initiative.  No matter what you say or do, there will always be people that behave unethically and get away with it.  The best advice I can give is to listen to your conscience.  Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to review the decisions you made, and make your these decisions align with your own moral code.  Personal reflection is not a priority in the fast-paced, hectic society we live in, but it is a valuable way to collect your thoughts and attain inner peace.

I'm not impressed with many of the GOP candidates.  Ron Paul and Herman Cain are the only two of the bunch that have made a strong first impression on me.  Herman Cain has an excellent business resume--he returned the nearly bankrupt pizza chain Godfather's back to profitability. He served on the Board of Directors at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City was subsequently elected as the chairman.  Ron Paul understands that limited government is a good thing.  He understands economics and has stayed consistent.  Because he isn't willing to budge on his convictions, the mainstream media has marginalized him. 

Last night, I attended an informative session on how to use LinkedIn to enhance your professional career.  LinkedIn is mainly used for professional "networking".  You'll never hear me use the term "networking", large because I believe the term is far too informal and impersonal for the meaning business professionals wish to convey.  In American, we have the idea that business ought to be separated from personal lives.  However, in many parts of the world, business and personal elements are one in the same.  Networking has a connotation of building relationships with the motive of benefiting yourself.  True goodness lies in building relationships in which you give, understand, and demonstrate compassion and kindness. 

Thanks for reading this.

Joe

Dispatch 9/8/2011

6:46 P.M.  Sitting in a room in the Kansas Union.  What a week it's been!  Meetings, classes, and assignments have cut significantly into my blogging time.  With every day comes a unique challenge, an opportunity to better yourself.  Prolonging and maximizing those opportunities ought to be your goal.  Business fraternities, student clubs, research organizations, job opportunities--there's just so many chances to better yourself.  I'd love the chance to become a mentor or role model--I believe that if someone looks up to you for the right reasons, this is sign you are bettering yourself and also working to better people around you.

After three weeks of college read "Chaos", I am coming to appreciate free time.  Striking a balance between leisure and productivity can be a delicate task.  For college students, time management is a skill that you must learn immediately, especially if you juggle multiple responsibilities.

You can accomplish a ton through relationships.  In Asian culture, relationships are everything--nothing can be done without them.  Even in America, a country where contracts are valued, strong, lasting relationships go a long way.  Even something as simple as greeting someone with a smile will leave a lasting impact.  In the business world, we call it "networking", but I consider that a fancy euphemism for establishing relationships. 

Earlier today, I heard that one of those frozen yogurt places is giving away free yogurt in Lawrence.  I highly doubt the validity of this claim, but I will visit the shop during my stroll down Mass Street this evening.  Maybe all these cupcake businesses are the latest form of competition to frozen yogurt shops.  However, I am more excite about my walk this evening.  You can experience so much beauty if you just walk outside and look at the sky or the sunset.  We spend so much time indoors and fail to experience the beauty of nature.  

I've been both entertained and disgusted by the way college students speak.  Even in the Business School, it's common to hear "like" and "oh my gosh" interspersed in almost every sentence.  That way of communicating is unprofessional and it lacks tact.  It can make an otherwise intelligent individual appear mindless.  Our society is terrified by silence--we view silence as the inability to communicate.  Here's a different way of looking at this issue--silence is an indication that you are thinking and deliberating.

Thanks for reading this,

Joe

Dispatch 9/6/2011

7:29 P.M.  Sitting at a friend's house watching an excellent special on the History Channel about the capture of Osama bin Laden.  It's been nearly four months since Navy Seals raided his compound in Pakistan.  The build-up to the capture is what interests me more than the actual operation.  Politicians are terrified of setting military boots on foreign soil, especially in a country that supposedly our ally.   

I haven't had time to keep well-informed on international events in the past week.   I noticed that South Korea will send aid to North Korea to assist flood victims. I'd love to visit that part of the world someday--I've been learning a ton about Asian culture and business in my international management course.

School has been fascinating to say the least.  I'm taking accounting, finance, and supply chain management courses in addition to the I-Business course I mentioned earlier.  We are finally digging into the meat and potatoes of these important issues after a slow start.  Syllabus day and the first week in general is always the most intimidating part of the school year.  To make matters somewhat more complicated, my sickness has prevented me from paying thorough attention in all my courses.  Stuffed up in September.


You only get one chance at this life--you'd better make it count.  Recently, I've noticed a fear that holds students back.  They are intimidated at looking embarrassed when asking questions.  I tell you what--even if you ask a question that has an obvious answer, that question could spark more thoughts that help you.  Never stop thinking and asking questions.  Always be learning.

Dispatch 8/29/11

It's approaching 11 P.M., and I'm seated in a couch at the Beta House.  The world has been a frenzied place in the past week with hurricanes and revolutions sweeping our fragile planet.  Last month, I wrote from Phoenix, Arizona when I was at the National Convention for Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity.  Now, I'm holding informational meetings and making visits to sororities and fraternities on campus to recruit new members.  Life's been hectic, but I'm managing to keep my head above water somehow. 

I spoke with a recruiter from Deloitte, one of the Big 4 accounting firms, earlier today.  KPMG, Ernst and Young, and PWC have all rolled through Summerfield in the past week with their tables and free enticements.  I've had a chance to meet up with everyone at the business school after an oddly quiet summer.  Lately,  I've been thinking about the need for a business professional to understand all aspects of a business while specializing in a few.  This goes for almost anything in life.  Be a jack of all trades, master of some.  That's the main reason why I included the term, "Renaissance Man" in my blog's web address. 

I have made an extreme effort to eat healthy food in the past month or so.  Our bodies can only perform up to the level of nutrition we provide for them.  Each day, if we want our bodies and minds to function at an optimal level, they need the right nutrients.  This starts with plantfood- organic vegetables and fruits if possible.  Dairy, grains, fats, and oils should be minimized. 

That's all I have time to write as of right now.

Thanks for reading,

Joe

Dispatch 7/30/11

6:08 A.M.  Sitting in my hotel room in Phoenix, Arizona.  This AKPsi Convention has been truly wonderful.  I have met brothers from all over the United States, heard famous guest speakers, and participated as a delegate in the Chapter Congress.  Alpha Kappa Psi is a business fraternity that strives to develop principled business leaders.  The Psi Chapter at the University of Kansas is only a drop in the bucket when compared to the sheer magnitude and breadth of Alpha Kappa Psi.  There are a total of 220 chapters that span across Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Primarily, this trip to convention has been educational and informative.  I've picked up a deluge of tremendous ideas from other chapters that I will bring up to the Psi Chapter, and hopefully we can implement some fresh and exciting things.

I have not been able to follow worldly affairs for the past couple days, nor have I even picked up a newspaper to see what is happening on the debt crisis or any other pressing current event.  I should have plenty of time to digest what's happened around the world when I return to Kansas City on Sunday.

My dad and I discussed the concept of eternity the other day.  It's an insane thought when you step back and ponder it.  Forever, unlimited, endless, infinite, and everlasting.  Regardless of what you believe religiously, you must of thought about how time extends forever in both directions.  There will always be time.  The small things really don't mean very much.  I encourage everyone to stop making mountains out of molehills.  When you consider eternity, there's no reason to stress yourself out because of a minor mishap.  Ask yourself, "Will this matter in one year's time?"

Vision is an absolutely critical concept.  We need to know we are going in the long-term.  A vision must be clear, concrete, big, and must include your role in making the change you desire.  A vision can hold together an organization, movement, or group when things are difficult.    

Dispatch 7/27/11

10:27 A.M.  Sitting in KCI airport waiting for my flight.  I'm headed to Phoenix, Arizona shortly to participate in an Alpha Kappa Psi Convention.  Expect a few speaker reviews posted in the next few days because as a part of this convention, there are high profile business people that come deliver talks on a variety of topics.  I've heard nothing but good things about the people in Phoenix, although I am somewhat wary of the 105 F weather.  Just a random observation: airport security folks seem to be a tight-knit group.  I guess you have to remain positive when you do the same thing day in and day out.  

The last week has been filled with tragic and urgent events.  The death of Amy Winehouse and the shootings in Norway are enough sink your ship.  It's bad all around.  The shootings in Norway are so out of place for that part of the world.  I've only heard wonderful things about Scandinavia.  I believe this shooting and bombing will make the whole region scrutinize its nationalist, right-wing fringe element.  The debt ceiling debate presses forward with both sides entrenched in their own respective ideologies as to how the government should reduce its deficit.  One way or another, the spending needs to be cut.  You can raise taxes all day long, but until the government has restrictions placed on the amount it can spend, we will just run into this debt ceiling mess again in the near future.

I'm not as informed on what's happening with Rupert Murdoch and News Corp., but I hope it's figured out soon.  I don't think it has a huge impact on our daily lives, and I'd like to actually hear more on international events and domestic politics instead of this dragged out legal affair.  As expected, the far left liberal news outlets pounced on this opportunity to embarrass the owner of its main competitor FOX News and in doing so, stole airtime from more pertinent stories.

After convention, I'll have a couple weeks to regroup before the semester starts, which means I'll have the time to publish notes of a higher quality on Joe's Musings.  Summer school was a positive experience--you get to know your fellow classmates quicker because you spend every day with them.  I've made some good friends this summer, and for that, I'm grateful.

Dispatch 7/15/11

7:58 A.M.  Still in bed on a peaceful Friday morning.  This past week has been interesting.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 came out in movie theaters.  I believe that is the last Harry Potter movie.  I have not seen any HP movies since the second one, so I'll rely on reviews before I actually catch this flick.  The first book was published way back in 1996.  15 years later, the final movie hits theaters.  The British Open is under way, but Kansas City legend Tom Watson is tied for 59th place heading into the second day.

The FBI opened an investigation into whether Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation attempted to hack into the telephones of victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.  I wonder what will happen if the allegations are proven true.  The government shutdown in Minnesota is expected to end very soon.  Democrat Governor Mark Dayton and the Republican legislature have reached a compromise on the state's budget gap.  A documentary called "The Undefeated" about the rise of Sarah Palin into national politics premiered in the last couple weeks, but it is only showing at a select few AMC theaters.  I'd be interested to see the hatemongering Sarah Palin had to endure.  I'd be willing to bet Tina Fey's impersonations of Ms. Palin on Saturday Night Live barely scratch the surface of the pop culture beat down of the former Vice Presidential candidate.  California governor Jerry Brown signed a bill requiring public schools in the state to teach students about the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.

I've been thinking about expanding Joe's Musings into a couple more realms.  The possibility of podcasts, radio shows, and Youtube videos are all ideas I have considered.  There's nothing wrong with the blog, but I'd like to expand into different forms of media.  I'll keep you posted if I make a decision regarding this.

Thanks for reading,

Joe Viviano

Dispatch 5/30/11

8:30 A.M. Sitting in my room back home.  The last week has been productive, but disheartening.  The people of Joplin now have to focus on rebuilding their home.  If anyone is interested, there are volunteer opportunities through United Way's 2-1-1 program.  I plan on going down there within the next week.  Last night, I was thinking about how little time a tornado is on the ground.  In just 17 minutes, the tornado ripped through Joplin, causing billions of dollars in damage.

People are living out their summer plans already.  I have a couple friends who are starting the second week of their internships today.  Another friend is holding down six part-time jobs.  I'll be packing in more credit hours at summer school at the University of Kansas.  Historically, summer has been a time for students to recharge and relax, but our culture has found a way to make our schedules busy, hectic, and chaotic during the summer months.

I'll be attending a Get Motivated Business Seminar in Kansas City tomorrow.  Colin Powell, Bill Cosby, Laura Bush, Rudy Giuliani, and Stanley McChrystal will deliver speeches.  Expect a few speaker reviews here on Joe's Musings in the next couple weeks.

International affairs are always an fascinating yet discouraging area to follow.  The uprisings across the Middle East have continued.  Yemen, Libya, and Syria are the three hotspots right now.  The rebels in Libya are running out of equipment and funds, so British PM David Cameron agreed to send Boeing Apache attack helicopters to assist.  Surprisingly,  the dark horse has been Spain.  Thousands of anti-government protestors demonstrated in Madrid against economic cuts.  Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received the first verdict against him--a $34 million fine for cutting off communications services during the revolution that overthrew him.  The "BRICS" countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa issued a joint statement criticizing Europe's dominance over the International Monetary Fund, calling it "obsolete" and the requested that developing nations be giving a chance to participate more.  The United States announced the removal of a number of troops from Pakistan upon request of the Pakistani government.  Relations between America and Pakistan are very tense.  It will be interesting to see how the two countries interact in the next few months.

Thanks for reading this,

Joe

Dispatch 4/24/11

Sitting in my dorm room.  It's been a long weekend and I can barely keep my eyes propped open.  I had a few interesting experiences, so I'll briefly mention a few of them.  Today after Easter mass, I spoke with an old friend from youth group.  We spoke briefly about Joe's Musings, philosophy, the spanish-speaking community, business, and doing what you love.  It was a good chance to reconnect with a person from the past.

The next four weeks will be insane.  Finals are normally a chaotic time, and when coupled with applying for leadership positions on campus, things will be sleepless and eventful.  I've really got to put my nose to the grindstone and finish this semester without any regrets.  If I weren't committed to the straight-edge lifestyle I'd be taking shots of expresso already.  I can't remember all that much of the last few days beyond the celebration of Easter and the Good Friday service.

I read in the newspaper this morning that Syria is the next Arab country on the verge of collapse.  Illnesses are becoming more prevalent among Japanese populations on the northeast coast.  A deadly new wave of disease has hit the region.  Google stock is up to $525.10 per share.  Six years ago, Google stock sat at $220 a share.

I saw Limitless this past weekend, and I must say, some of the concepts explored in the film had me thinking deep into the night.  If you could take a medication that would allow you to access 100% of your brain, would you do it?  That's the dilemma the protagonist Eddie (Bradley Cooper was faced with.  He decided to take the medication, and quickly became dependent on the drug.  In just two weeks, he became fluent in languages, made $2 million in the stock market, writes a book, and masters the piano.  I recall one line in which Eddie described the effect of the drug--"Everything I had ever learned or read or heard was organized and available."  Also, if you took this drug, what actions would you take?  Would you use your boosted intellect to cure cancer or solve world hunger?  An interesting ethical question to consider.

Thanks for reading this,

Joe    

Dispatch 3/27/11

Sitting in my dorm room back in Lawrence, Kansas.  The weather here is gloomy, but students are beginning to arrive, which makes the atmosphere more collegeseque.  The Jayhawks tip off in about an hour against Virginia Commonwealth.  If 'Hawks win, they go to the Final Four.  I can't imagine Lawrence when KU makes it to the Final Four.  There is probably scenes of pandemonium everywhere. Assuming a victory today, the Jayhawks will face Butler next.  Butler is a scrappy team, but the Jayhawk's size and speed will be too much for the over-achieving Bulldogs.  


The uprisings in the Middle East have proliferated in the past week to Syria and Yemen.  While it's a positive thing that the people over there want democracy, America and its allies should be very careful because there are radicals who desire authority.  What if the groups we are assisting turn out to be sympathetic with Al-Qaeda?


Former Vice-Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro died last week at the age of 75.  She was the first woman to be nominated for vice-president in the United States.  President Obama's latest tweet called her a "trailblazer".  Sarah Palin also tweeted her condolences and posted her memories of Ms. Ferraro on Facebook.  It took 24 years before another woman (Sarah Palin) ran for Vice-President.  The 2008 election also saw a woman running for President- Hillary Clinton.


Earlier this week, I read in the Wall St. Journal about a huge telecom merger in which AT&T has planned to but T-Mobile for $39 billion.  This might not mean much to you, but the impact on consumers could be a price-hike.  With less competition in the cell phone market, there will likely be higher prices.  Innovation will take a hit because T-Mobile is smaller and more nimble than AT&T.  When AT&T takes over, that kind of small-company inspiration might be washed out by the cash cow.


Schoolwork and exams will come back with a vengeance starting tomorrow, but I still plan on publishing a post a day here on Joe's Musings.


Have a wonderful week,


Joe

Dispatch 3/11/11

Sitting in my dorm room.  This week has flown by and things are going well so far.  This morning, I read that a tsunami caused by an earthquake has struck Japan.  Hundreds are already dead, which is terrible.  I'll be interested to see how the international community will respond.  Hopefully, we can get all kinds of help and assistance to those poor people.  On CNN, there was footage of cars being swept away by water.  It's not uncommon for Japan to experience tremors and earthquakes.  When my mom visited, she said her hotel room would shake in the middle of the night.  The Japanese are taught from birth how to deal with earthquakes, but coping with a  

I had my scholarship interview with Koch Industries today and it went well.  I simply try to answer their questions to the best of my ability, then move on.  I think they were trying to get a sense of what kind of person I am and if I would potentially be interested in working for them.  If they are interested in giving me the scholarship, I'll found out soon enough, but until then, I am not going to worry about it.  As you might now, Koch is the second largest privately held company in the world.  I read in an article that if Koch was publicly traded, it would be the sixteenth largest Fortune 500 company.

The season of Lent is here.  That means Christians must prepare for the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Back in grade school, we were asked to "give up" a vice or give more generously to charity.  This Lent, I'm taking a slightly different approach.  I spent quite a bit of time making myself a better person.  I work very hard in school, try to engage the process of leadership, and be an honest, genuine human being.  This Lent, I am going to actively seek opportunities to make others better.

The next few weeks are the most exciting in the world of college basketball.  The Jayhawks play later today against Colorado in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament.  The NCAA tournament starts next Tuesday.  As you probably know, the field of teams has been expanded to include 68 teams this year, an increase of 3 from last season.  A lot of people I know perceive sports as an unproductive way to spend their time.  I can understand this argument, but when you grew up around sports all the time, it's difficult to let them go.  I watch every Jayhawk basketball game I can and it's fun to cheer for your favorite teams.    

I saw an advertisement recently that caught my eye.  If you go to endofamerica4.com, you can learn about a guy named Porter Stansberry who thinks a drastic, unparalleled crisis will occur very soon.  He has a video where he explains his theory, but this sounds like a ton of bologna.  He tries to pad his credibility in the beginning by stating that his firm predicted Wall Street's collapse and warned investors to avoid Fannie and Freddie, Bear Stearns, and Lehman Brothers.  Of course, there is a catch.  If you pay $50, you can have access to this secret investment information.  None of this language surprised me, as there are many scammers out there.  What surprised me was that this advertisement was aired on ESPN, which is a national network.  I hope to get more information on this thing in the future.

Thanks for reading this,

Joe

Dispatch 3/4/11

Sitting in my dorm room on a beautiful sunny morning.  The weather has finally warmed up to the point where you don't need to bundle up to go outside anymore.  It's crazy to think that just last week, the entire city of Lawrence was blanketed with 3 inches of snow.  A lot has been going on in the past week, but I'll do my best to fulfill my promise of one post every day.  I barely posted on time yesterday.

I've been selected to interview for a scholarship with Koch Industries next Friday.  Koch is a private energy conglomerate based out of Wichita, Kansas with subsidiaries in manufacturing, trading, and investments.  The name Koch might be a bit obscure to you, but back in 2008, Forbes magazine called it the second largest privately held company in the United States.  Their reported revenue in 2009 was $100 billion.  Before the interview, I'll be doing a ton of research on Koch just in case the interviewers ask me a question about their company.  If I do well enough, I'll be entered into a pool of finalists and invited to participate in Koch Leadership Day on April 1.

The past week has been a blur.  Libya's dictatorship is still refusing to submit to the will of the people.  The residents are afraid the Gaddafi will send more rebels into the city of Tripoli.  From what I can tell, the whole situation is a violent mess.  I can't imagine actually being in Libya at this turbulent time.  I think the internet has been a key player in all these revolutions in the Arab world.  For the first time, individuals in that region are using social networking to further the ideals of democracy.  Iran is the next country on the radar.

This past week, I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who is a philosophy teacher.  I came to him battered, broken, and bruised (not literally) after a rough accounting exam.  I started to explain to him that multiple choice questions are the bane of my existence because I tend to over think them and create scenarios where more than one answer could be correct.  Then, he explained to me the reason he administers his exams in essay form-- to see how much the student actually knows.  I realized that I am the first generation of this no child left behind era where multiple choice questions are the way to test a student's comprehension of material.  In grade school, I took the Iowa Basic exams followed by the Kansas assessments.  All these exams were multiple choice.  The ACT and SAT are multiple choice exams.  Quite honestly, I think an oral examination is more effective than toiling over fill in the bubble exams.  I'll continue to answer multiple choice questions to get my diploma, but it's important to keep in mind that in the business world, one must know how to read, write, think critically, and evaluate arguments.  Filling in bubbles on a sheet is a task that monkeys can do.

Thanks for reading this,

Joe    

Dispatch 2/21/11

Sitting in my dorm room around 8 A.M.  These next few weeks will be very busy, but I promise to post blogs for you every day.  America is in interesting times right now.  For a sixth straight day in Wisconsin, protestors are attempting to negotiate a compromise on a bill that will eliminate collective bargaining rights of public employee unions.  The bill calls for a short-term suspension of a union's bargaining rights until 2013 because the state of Wisconsin is currently bankrupt.  The bill would close a projected $3.6 billion budget deficit by forcing employees to pay more of their salaries towards their pensions and pay more of their own healthcare.  I don't think Governor Walker's requests are unreasonable, but I can also understand the protestor's perspective.  Put yourself in their shoes for a minute.  How would you react if you were required to pay more of your hard-earned dollars into government pension programs?  You will probably never see much of that money again.  On the other side, I can definitely understand the position of Wisconsin state Senate Republicans.  They recognize that the state of Wisconsin is headed into financial turmoil.  Instead of raising taxes on the entire population, they have decided to cut government spending by targeting government employees.

I have an interesting meeting later today with a group called Justice For All.  If have not heard of this organization, here is the link to their website- Justice For All.  Their mission is to train men and women to make abortion unthinkable for millions.  Warning, some of the images in their exhibit are extremely graphic.  Justice For All is hoping to work closely with Students for Life of KU, and I have been selected to represent us.  There is a fundamental difference in the ways these two organizations promote the pro-life message, but I'm hoping we can find a way to work together on this controversial issue.

The violent clashes between protestors and security forces in Libya has intensified.  Human Rights Watch said it has confirmed 233 death in the protests so far.  It's a terrible tragedy that Moammar Gaddafi cannot grant his citizens freedom of speech.  He would rather kill his own citizens that have a peaceful dialogue.  I don't see his reign of tyranny lasting much longer.  When the protestors start shooting back, an all-out revolution will inevitably occur.  Eventually, the military will turn against each other.  Some will back Gaddafi's evil regime and others will side with the forces of freedom and democracy.  It'll be interesting to follow the developing events over in Libya.

Recently, I've been thinking about how the American lifestyle is unhealthy.  We are taught from an early age that competition is good, that you can survive and prosper by stepping on someone else.  I entirely disagree with this warped view of humanity, but I'm coming to the conclusion that it is deeply engrained within the American psyche.  A lot of times, we don't even realize it either because we have been so desensitized.  In sports, there is a winner and a loser.  In socioeconomics, there are haves and have-nots.  Even religions, which are supposed to be accepting and tolerant, bicker with one another over which doctrines are true.  We need to learn how to take care of ourselves without doing it at the expense of others.  This impure way of living is the reason I choose to be by myself.  I have my own unique methods of dealing with the world, and even though I reside within a system that encourages greed, I have retained my own values and resolve.

Thanks for reading this.

Joe  

Dispatch 2/14/11

Sitting in my dorm room on a sunny Monday afternoon.  This weekend was very interesting.  For those of you that stayed in Lawrence, you might have gone to the basketball game.  KU dominated an outmatched Iowa State team.  Is it possible to live in Lawrence and not be a basketball fan?  Come this time of year, you get all kinds of folks interested in basketball.  Back in high school, only the jocks, their girlfriends, and the band attended the sporting events.  Now, there's this huge melting pot of humanity that follows KU basketball.  I've met lots of people in both my philosophy and business classes that talk about KU basketball.  Hey, if it bring people together, chances are it's probably a positive thing.

There's so much to learn and so little time.  Everyday, I kick myself for taking time to relax.  Rationally, I know that the mind and body need leisure time, but I have a tough time translating that thought into action.  I cannot slow down, even for a minute.  What would happen if I slowed down?  Complacency might creep into my life.  I might become self-satisfied with my accomplishments and achievements, which is a terrible thing.

Earlier this week, I listened to an apt description for most of the conversations I hear in Lawrence.  In their track, "Sounds of Silence", Simon and Garfunkel sing about "people talking without speaking, people hearing without listening".  There's nothing wrong with taking a few moments to collect your thoughts before you speak.  Just out of curiosity, I tracked how many times I heard the incorrect usage of the word 'like' today.  I counted to fifty by 11 A.M. and decided pursuing the project was futile.  The poor use of the English language bows down to a larger problem that I am noticing--an overall lack of inner calm and tranquility.  The energy that is used to complain can be saved for more productive activities.  Generally, my mind is concentrated on my tasks.  I must be calm to make it through the schedule I have set up for myself.  If I lose my cool, if I let it get to me, calamity will be the result.  This world can drive you insane if you don't maintain a calm, steady mind.

Today is Valentine's Day, which doesn't mean much to all of us who are single.  My friend and I noticed an interesting trend in commercials over the past few days.  Every Valentine's Day commercial we saw was directed towards men.  We heard slogans such as "Buy her something special for Valentine's Day". Quite honestly, Valentine's Day is more about buying things for the girl than anything else.

I hope everyone has a safe and productive week.  Thanks,

Joe

 

 

 

Dispatch 2/7/11

10:47 A.M.  Sitting in a private study room in Anchutz feeling drop dead tired.  I might need to prop open my eyelids with wooden splinters soon.  I can't figure out a reason either.  I slept about 7 hours last night, but I suppose when you get used to 9 hours of sleep per night, losing those two hours will really do a number on you.

The Superbowl last night was interesting to say the least.  The game itself actually came down to the wire with the Packers winning by just 6 points.  The Steelers have been a dominant team over the past 6 years, so it was good to see the Packers pull out a victory.  For the most part, the advertisements were garbage, but I saw a few that stuck with me.  The one with Eminem promoting Chrysler and the town of Detroit was great.  I admire how Eminem never forgets his roots.  I must work on never forgetting where I come from.  

I've been working on putting together a book of all my past blog entries on Facebook.  I currently have all the notes compiled into a single word document.  The next step is figuring out which place has the lowest binding costs.  I'll let you know more when I finally get around to finding a binder.  

Classes will keep my busy the next few days, but I've written a good selection of posts ahead of time.  My hope is that moving to a blog will be beneficial to everyone.  Since the move from Facebook, I've noticed a severe drop off in the number of comments people are making.  Now that I've finally worked out all the nuts and bolts of operating a blog, I can focus on attracting traffic here.  With a URL like "joe-renaissanceman.blogspot.com", attracting traffic will be difficult.  Too bad nothing more simple was available for use.  

The University Daily Kansan ran a short article this morning about how college students are not prepared for the workforce once they graduate from college.  I have this theory about college.  You get out of it what you put into it.  Cliche?  Yes, but definitely true.  If you are very smart, you can get mostly A's without even studying, but you won't get valuable skills.  College isn't so much about what to think as it is how to think.  In our world, we get so caught up with the "whats, wheres, whos, and whens" that we forget about the "hows and the whys".  Like fine wine, critical thinking takes years to fully understand and apply.  Thinking critically is what will get you hired and promoted, not raw knowledge.

Have a safe, productive week and stay warm!

Thanks for reading this,

Joe


 

Dispatch 1/31/2011

Sitting at public computer in Lawrence, Kansas.  The last week has been a blur, but I am finally getting back into the swing of things.  It shouldn't be long before I start posting more interesting things.  The situation in Egypt right now is very troubling for the international community.  Egyptians are calling for President Hosni Mubarak to leave his office.  Unemployment is approaching 40%.  Everyday people are protesting in the streets and clashing with police.  There's even a curfew in place.  American relief has been excellent during this whole debacle.  Last time I checked, we are working to evacuate Egyptians from their downward spiraling country.  There have been 163 reported deaths in the riots and countless injuries.  One thing is for certain.  Things are changing in the world.  The next decade in international relations should be very interesting.  Fortunately in America, we don't have the kind of revolutions and revolts that the rest of the world must cope with.  For the most part, we live in a peaceful democracy where power is handed over without violence. 

Over the weekend, I attended a Christian conference geared primarily towards steering men away from pornography.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about the issue in general, but the conference went very well.  Everyone there was friendly and cool to me.  I definitely don't support the porn industry, but I think the prevention efforts can be a little overdone.  Lifetime accountability partners and software programs that monitor every single webpage your child views seems to be a breach of privacy and personal freedom.  Anyway, my job was to record the breakout talks, convert them to CDs, then sell them to the patrons of the conference.  All in all, the company I work for moved 600 CDs, which is a significant accomplishment.

I keep hearing about a massive snow storm moving across the Kansas area.  It's supposed to drop anywhere from 8-14 inches of snow.  Right now, the grounds are slick.  Students and professors are slipping and sliding all over the place.  As long as no one gets hurt, it's actually comical.  Colleges don't cancel school often, but I would welcome a snow day or two.  I should probably get around do doing my logic homework just in case we have class tomorrow. 

Thanks for reading this,

Joe

    

Dispatch

10:00A.M

Sitting on the fifth floor of the Watson library all alone.  I just had my first class this semester, and it definitely got me thinking.  The class is called "Introduction to Leadership", and my first impressions aren't too good.  You always feel like there's an insurmountable hill ahead of you on syllabus day.  The instructor tries to make a strong first impression, and the result generally makes you feel intimidated.

These last three days in Lawrence have been very odd.  I have not communicated face-to-face with another human being outside of the occasional "Hello" or "What's good?" to friends I see on campus.  This hasn't really been by design or a choice, but it's been beneficial as I prepare my mind for this semester.  I've had a chance to ready myself for the 16-week storm.  Right now, as I sit here, I am exiting the calm of this storm. One of the few ways you can successfully weather the storm is through inner peace, endless concentration, and a keen sense of awareness.

The transition back to Lawrence has been interesting to say the least.  Everywhere I go, I hear girls who pepper their sentences with "like" and"I feel like".  I'm not judging the way they speak, but it's certainly a shock to come here after I've spent the last month in the company of well-spoken parents who choose their language carefully and thoughtfully.

I saw in the Wall Street Journal that a suicide attacker detonated a bomb in Russia's busiest airport and killed 31 people including himself.  It's yet another instance of individuals using violence instead of words to make their point.  It seems that for every step forward that we make as a society towards pacifism and peace, there is one step backwards that obstructs our progress.  With current events in mind, I am looking forward to the State of the Union Address on Tuesday.  The pundits should be in full stride afterwords, especially on FOX News.  It's always interesting to flip back and forth between FOX and the liberal mainstream media after a huge event.  The perspectives differ so much that you'd think there had been two State of the Union Addresses for instance.

You see a lot of know-it-alls on a college campus.  Knowledge is a good thing, but it's important to know when to effectively use it.  Putting on a display of knowledge for the sake of showing off doesn't impress me much.  If you've got a PhD, don't think you knock everyone's socks off by reeling off a lecture that contains a couple hundred ten-dollar words.  What's far more impressive is being humble about your accolades and accomplishments as well as being able to explain things clearly and succinctly.

Thanks,

Joe

Dispatch

10:32 A.M. Sitting in my room contemplating a few things.  What a week.  Last Sunday, the Chiefs lost to the Ravens in a rather ugly game.  I've had these bizarre dreams all week.  One dream actually caused me to kick a hole in my wall.  Psychologists and shrinks would have a field day if I told them about that dream, so I'll refrain from going into detail.  

My mind is still preoccupied with the Arizona shootings.  I can't figure out why all these articles are publishing so much information on the shooter.  It seems the attention is what he wanted.  The media should focus more on the victims instead of his life.  I'm still hurt over what happened.  Good people lost their lives for no reason.  There's all these atrocities that keep occurring in America, and each and every one gets me very upset for prolonged periods of time.  Virginia Tech, Columbine, Kelsey Smith, Arizona shootings to list a few.

I went to see well-known youth earth creationist Ken Ham spoke at a conference just down the street from my house yesterday.  It was a very interesting, mind-changing experience to say the least.  Plan on a speaker review to be posted within the next few days.

Music nowadays has descended to new lows.  I always knew this, but recently, I've listened to a great deal of music.  The disparity in talent between Creedence Clearwater Revival and Kesha, for example, is indescribable.  It's sad to see how far the music industry has fallen.  I guess I should start looking for  independent musicians.  Another thing is rap music.  I'm a big fan of old-school rap.  Guys like the Sugarhill Gang, Cypress Hill, and Dr. Dre were simply amazing.  You really have to go deep underground to find good rap music now.  Mobb Deep, Immortal Technique, and Gang Starr are two rap artists that are obscure to most of the general public yet their message needs to be heard by everyone.

It's interesting to see how different people view the phenomenon of time.  Lots of people are stuck in the past and think mainly about how past events shaped who they are today.  On the other hand, a lot of people are busy looking towards the future that they forget or ignore their own past.  I try to strike a good balance between the past, present, and future.  It's good to reminisce over your past, but at the same time, I must devote concentration on my present tasks and my future.  Trying to strike a balance between the orientation of my thoughts is like a chess match.    

I can't wait to get back in the classroom.  Home is a good place and I love my family dearly, but a university provides an intellectually stimulating setting that home cannot.  This five-week winter break is a joke.  I enjoy the time off, but I can feel my mind becoming dull.

Thanks,

Joe