All Knowledge is Connected

Sometimes I like to bite off more than I can chew...But then again, sometimes I am surprised with something truly wonderful.

So, in a nutshell, my adventure this past few days has been my attempting to read some non fiction books about the Poincare Conjecture as well as the famous Russian mathematician by the name of Grigory Perelman who solved it.

Whenever I delve into something beyond my comfort zone, I never know what gem I may uncover. Therefore, in wading into the second book I had sourced about said subject matter, I was delighted to hear the author speak about a link to the Black-Scholes Model, which indicates a method for understanding and pricing option contracts.

Option trading is something I taught myself to do, some years ago. That kind of trading was something that I took considerable time and practice to comprehend. Therefore it was wonderfully comforting, when dipping my toe in this strange new mathematical world of Perelman´s that I recognized a familiar theory.

It has been said that when you master one subject, no matter what that subject is, that you will more easily understand and master other subjects. Therefore learning, in and of itself, can be quite empowering and liberating. Especially when we begin to notice the circular nature of knowledge. All knowledge is indeed connected.  When someone becomes an expert in one field of study or practice, he/she will then become more capable of excelling in other unrelated fields of study.

All that God has made in the universes and worlds we know, is governed by the same laws and strategies. When we understand one facet of this diamond of life, we get to understand more easily, other facets of that diamond.

So, Carla what are you trying to say to your friends who dare read your blog today? I am merely saying this. Don´t be afraid to read or study something that is completely foreign to you. Why? Because that study may one just surprise you by allowing you to link it in your mind with something that you have already mastered and fully understand. Then, you will have become a master of not only one fabulous field of study....but two.....and then three or four or 100.

One only need to study the current media friendly billionaire by the name Mr. Elon Musk. His accomplishments stretch from finance, and coding to Space travel and brain surgery. His imagination is unlimited. He has not governed his life with stodgy goals or restrictive fences. He truly lives as if all of life is ¨understandable¨ and ¨conquerable¨. He believes he can....and so he does.

Dream big.....step big and you will live even bigger, my friend.

Peace,

Carla

Beware of "Tik Tok Brain

Some may say that we are simply becoming "fast learners" and able to process information at a faster pace. While that may be the case on a certain level, I have noticed that some of us, myself included, are developing a preference for info sources and reading material that move at the speed of light. Our brains are on visual crack.

Basically, any media that you can't swipe right away from seems a bit "old fashioned" and slow.

Now, I am not trying to slow down humanity. Ok, maybe just a bit. 

But I am noticing that I need to make an intentional effort to sit down and read normal paper bound books.

To sit and read a real book feels awkward and old school and cumbersome, especially when your mind is racing with fast flow media such as Twitter, youtube shorts or Tik Tok.

So, I discovered one way to slow down my brain is simply by reading one page aloud of a paper bound book. This allows more of my 5 senses to be involved in the reading... drawing my auditory  and tactile senses into the act of reading proactively instead of just visually. Just reading one page aloud  calms me down sufficiently to decide if I want to proceed with another page or another paragraph whether silently or on  "out loud" mode. (and yes, I do realize that reading aloud can really annoy room mates or family members :)

I am not going to say anything at all about which kind of book to read, as that is just not the point.

The point is that I would prefer that us humans remain capable of reading real books, real printed books. Even if these books become more expensive because the cost of paper has risen, that's ok.  i believe the process of holding a book, isolates you and your mind with access to the author of the book, without you having the distractions of other apps beeping or signalling for your attention. Paper bound books also have the wonderful option of having us humble readers the ability to write our own thoughts and annotations in the margins. 

Some folks hate to see hand written notes in a paper bound book. But I find it delightful for the most part. The reason being, that some authors become gloated with a sense of importance and have no ears for honest response. Therefore, sometimes the only reasonable outlet for voicing your objection to any author who strays too far from the good path, is a good note of objection in the side margins.

And what would a good post from Carla be without a hint of conspiracy? If all the books we read are only available "online", we are giving "the net" control over what we read and don't read. When we keep and curate a beautiful selection of real books for our homes or businesses or churches, we are protecting that treasure for the future generations. Keep them under lock and key. The last 5 years in North America have shown us a wave of strange censorship has sprung up across the continent. It does not bode well with me.

Treasure the books you have read that opened worlds for you and your mind. Speak of them, write of them and print them up if you can't buy a clean copy. Keep the originals safe under lock and key.

Well, that's all for now.

Peace,

Carla

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Professor Evelyn L. Forget Wrote a Book about Basic Income

I found a book at the library written by Professor Evelyn L. Forget  who teaches at the University of Manitoba. 

It is entitled "Basic Income for Canadians..... From the Covid-19 emergency to Financial Security for All" .

I thought it would be a good idea to feed my internal debate about the drawbacks and merits of a Universal Basic Income program being utilized in my beloved country. Is it possible? Would it be wise???

I finally meandered over to Chapter 9, which is titled "Can We Afford a Basic Income?"

I would like to quote the last sentence of the first paragraph verbatim 

" If governments are prepared to pay the interest on the debt, they can refinance it forever". 

And that was her thought process. Canada will just borrow and borrow and borrow and not worry about interest rates or debt repayment until we are forced to. She believes that, unlike a personal household, it is "normal" for governments to carry debt into infinity. 

And so ended my curiosity into Universal Basic Income. The perspective of the author on government debt was so deeply warped and unrealistic. It alarmed me further, when I noted that Professor Forget has actually been granted the status of 

"Officer of the Order of Canada"...which is a great honor.

What began as a gentle walk into the idealogy of U.B.I. and it's possible pros and cons, morphed into an unpleasant 

"drowning in debt" feeling, when the author began to discuss how such a "progressive" idea might be funded.

So, just to put things into perspective, I am not usually surprised by bureaucratic mumbo jumbo. But oy, the author declares that we have nothing to worry about, because we can just keep borrowing as a country to pay our citizens to exist. It must be noted that this book was published before the epic rise in Canada's interest rates that have choked ALL debt holders, including our own federal government.  Professor Evelyn Forget wrongly assumed that interest rates would stay low forever. Professor Forget wrote this book from the perspective that government debt is some kind of lame tame duck we can carry forever.

The national debt of Canada is a disgrace. It is a testament of a lack of wisdom and discipline. It is a picture of a man using a credit card that doesn't belong to him...running around spending billions. How did we as a country allow this to occur???Are we all asleep at the wheel?

According to my studies (i apologize for not having the proper citations for this paragraph)... the national debt of Canada has doubled since the reign of the Liberal government. Doubled! The number of government employees has increased by 20% over the past 9 years. More personnel...indicate a much heavier payroll for taxpayers to carry. 

I wonder if Professor Forget would take back some of these careless notions that she put forward in chapter 9. Debt is not a tame lame duck. Generations to come will have to come to terms with the damage done by undisciplined politicians and bureaucrats fed by emotion instead of common sense.

If you are curious as to what our current national debt here in Canada is take  a gander at debtclock.ca    .

As of today Oct 5,2024, our national debt stands at 1.2 Trillion Canadian dollars.

Dear Lord. Help us face this. Notice that I say "we", not playing the blame game. We as a country are in this boat together. We are building the future of the country with every decision we make. We can fix it together if we choose to do so.

Dear God, help us as a country to not spend before we earn. Help our leaders to understand right from wrong and to learn how to steer our country well.

I thank you God for all the many blessings that are here, right now all across Canada. I thank you for the strength and resilience of Canadians from coast to coast. I thank you for the great intelligence and wisdom that exists in Canada. Help us create a wise path for our country for this generation and the generations to come, in Jesus' name. amen.

If you are looking for a thought provoking book, you may wish to read Professor Forget's book "Basic Income for Canadians". But be prepared to be startled by it's illusions.

Peace,

Carla.

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Batteaux Park Food Forest

Batteaux Park Food Forest is one of 2 Free Fruit Forests that have been planted in Barrie, Ontario Canada.

The other one I have visited so far is located at Shear Park in Midtown Barrie.

The concept of Free Fruit Forests is a rather brand new idea that seems to be catching some good support in addition to the good vibes :)

It is reminiscent of the peace and interest in communal living in the 60ś and 70´s. There will always be those who consider these kind of efforts to be wasteful or indulgent. But they are easy to ignore. 

Community supported Free Fruit Forests bring out the best in the community. They  are a teaching opportunity for local schools, so the children can make a tangible connection between the fruits and berries they can eat and the trees and berry bushes that they can touch with their own two hands. Seeing fruits that your mom or dad bought at the grocery store is not the same as an apple that you pulled off the tree yourself, or a gooseberry you hunted down and plucked from the bush.

No one can argue against the great health benefits of eating fruits and berries fresh from the tree, harvested at the peak of ripeness with your own two hands.

The only draw back that may be put forward is that there may be some in the community who take more than their fair share of the ripe fruits rather than leaving some on  the bushes and trees for others to enjoy.

I was happy to see that the trees in the Fruit Forest at Shear Park were plucked absolutely clean. Not one berry or apple or pear or plum to be seen. That´s a great thing. That is something to celebrate. Hungry folks are eating the abundant harvest. Humans are being fed. Hallelujah :)

On a side note, since I have had numerous opportunities to volunteer for church and public food programs, I want to give you a gentle word of encouragement. The need for food support is big right now. If you  have started a food bank or food suppport program and are overwhelmed with the amount of food that people are taking, please don´t stop what you are doing. Even if you need to cut back on the amount per family that your program is giving out, please don´t cancel the program because you are overwhelmed with food requests.

Food banks must be fed with the right spirit. A spirit of kindness and generosity. Food banks are not a work program. You can not force people to work for you to ¨earn¨ the right to access your food bank. Food banks are donation centers. 

Although it may be really frustrating if you feel like people do not appreciate the free food in a sincere way, please don´t stop giving. Why? Because somewhere somehow, in the midst of the shenanigans and the occasional dishonest user, there is a vulnerable senior citizen or a young child who is finally getting their belly fully of good quality food. Never let dishonest or scammy folks dissuade you from supporting a local food bank. If you are going to be involved in food charity, you will come into contact with those who will pretend to be poor just to take advantage of a free food source.  It doesn´t matter. Those who work in charity must develop a rather thick skin. Focus on the quality and availability of good quality food, to ensure it gets to those who need it most.

Are food banks the ¨end all and the be all¨ to end community hunger? By no means. But it is just one piece of a puzzle that deserves attention. 

Hungry people can not focus on getting a job, or taking good care of their children. Hungry people are ¨hangry¨  and irritable. The lack of protein and fats,  inhibits their ability to think calmly. They may find it difficult to focus and form a good plan. 

If you have the privilege of working in or at a food bank, you may want to also spend some small chunks of time praying for those that you meet. Pray for their peace of mind and pray that they will accept the food without shame or guilt. Pray for their families that God will help them to get over their temporary troubles in Jesus´ name.

Well friends, thanks for listening to me chat about free fruit forests and food banks. If you ever get the chance to plant a berry bush or fruit tree in a public location, I encourage you to go for it! 

There´s a great book ¨ The Man Who Planted Trees¨ by Jean Giono. It is a tiny book with a huge heart. What one man can do  who just starts planting trees ....is transformative and inspiring.

It is along the same lines as the store of John Chapman, the man behind the story of ¨Johnny Appleseed¨.

Great stories build up good hearts. Take part friends in reading and repeating these great stories.

 

May God bless your adventures, big or small in tending to the earth whether gleaning parsely from a pot on your porch or planting a grant fruit forest in a public park.

Peace,

Carla

The Man Who Knew Infinity

This movie brings the winds of similar genius....although how can one compare genius?

I think of John Nash...( see the movie A Beautiful Mind)

I think of Grigori Perelman ( the Russian mathematician who solved the Poincare Conjecture)

There is a beautiful humility to all three of the above mentioned geniuses. Srinivasa Ramanujan is the young Indian mathematician that is the focus of the above featured film. 

They loved their work. They laboured at this work with a compelling passion that consumed their total concentration.

Have you found something that compels you with similar force?

Peace,

Carla

Did a Woman Write These?

 As a Man Thinketh by James Allen.

The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

The above 3 books have been and continue to be compelling reads. The authors of these books have been studied for decades and their books poured over in both written and audio formats.

But why, I did ask myself this week, why are most of these kind of books written by men? Are women not interested in the topic? No, they most certainly are interested in these topics and many women have become readers of these literary pieces.

Do any of you have any explanation as to why we, as the female side of society, not endeavored to put more of our own success strategies into black  and white? Is it that we are so secretive with our formulas that we just want to be selfish with whatever we have learned? Are so self centered that we can not share what we learn with other ladies and gents around the world?

I am going to keep this post ultra short. I just am seeking a reason for this. Do tell.

Peace,

Carla

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the Cost of Capitalism?

Not sure how I wound up living in the era where capitalism needs a boost...but here i am and will happily do so.

With modern times of rapid technological advances, I know that not only are folks trying to ¨recreate the wheel¨ in almost every industry....but they are wondering if capitalism also needs some fine tuning.

In my occasional ponderings of economics I am still convinced that capitalism works.

 Capitalism, as I understand it, works for one simple reason.....it allows some people.... sometimes....to win.

It is this process of watching the occasional person ¨win¨ that folks on the benches start squirming because they are no longer in control and jealousy begins to raise it´s ugly green head. Watching other people win, when we are struggling is hard... It´s painful.... and at the same time... it is the price of capitalism. We can not all win all the time, in a capitalistic society. But yes, we always have the OPPORTUNITY to win. We win only when we create and develop something that others have not thought of or discovered, or uncovered. We win when we make something that works well.....really really well. 

I like to think of the following example often. When a smart entrepreneur walks into a thrift store and spots an ancient painting that he believes was painted by one of the well known masters...he takes it quickly and pays for it quietly, being able to purchase it for only $19.99.

He doesn´t shout in the store, that he has discovered a masterpiece. He does not say anything to staff on his way out of the shop. No, he lays low and takes his new found treasure home. He unwraps it from the bag carefully and examines it closely, hunting for some sign that it is authentic and not a fake.

He does a search online for the painter´s works and sees if the painting he now owns is listed and where it was last sold. Finally, after completing his own due diligence, he brings the painting to a real art appraiser, to authenticate his hunch. He holds the painting every so cautiously as he rides the bus to the office of the appraiser.  The appraiser takes her time, her eyes widening as she inspects every aspect of the painting. The stunned appraiser finally asks the young man if he knows what he now possesses? The young man sits quietly nodding his head. The appraiser helps the man understand the true value of the painting to be over 2 million dollars. The young entrepreneur´s hands begin to shake and his heart begins pounding.

The young man pays the appraiser  with the last few dollars he has in his bank account.  He then goes home again on the bus, and then locates and reaches out to the nearest art auction house. Perhaps the auction house is a Sotheby´s. They agree to put the painting up for auction that very next weekend and the bidding wins the young man a solid 5 million dollar windfall. The tears pour down his face as he realizes his life will never be the same. He thanks God as he asks the auction house to transfer the money to his account.

The young man´s path has been radically altered because of his wisdom, keen eye and ability to take action. Who knows how many shoppers in that thrift store had walked by that painting and ignored it? Perhaps some shoppers even muttered to themselves that this painting reminded them of one they had seen at a museum. But their musings talked them out of taking action.

This is how we are going to protect capitalism for the next generations. We are not going to complain when we see people win. We can not tell the young man to give the thrift shop a portion of his winnings from the auction. We can not tell the young man to give his struggling next door neighbour a portion of his winnings. We can not tell the young man to pay for his sister´s college education.  We can not complain that we have ZERO control over what that young man is going to do with his new found wealth. It just isn´t fair.

Bingo. That´s the word I was looking for. FAIR. Capitalism is rarely fair. The fact that capitalism allows people to win is what keeps capitalism alive and compelling. Chasing the possibility of an unfairly oversized prize in life, is what keeps people creative and motivated. Winning is grand. Winning is often rare.

Governments also must resist the temptation to inordinately tax away the power of ¨unfair¨ huge winnings. Does a young tech wizard create a new app that he sells to a fortune 500 company for 2 billion dollars tempt the government to eat more than a reasonable chunk in capital gains tax? Do family members get to sue other family members when one sibling earns a big salary and the other one earns minimum wage?

My friends, we must get over our need to control each other´s wealth.  We must embrace the beauty of competition. We must embrace risk sometimes. The greatest innovations occur when individuals have autonomy over great wealth. They build new inventions, and sponsor schools and scholarships. They build hospitals or build better cars. They help to fight disease and fund charitable organizations that fight famines and floods.

Of course, we are all human. We would not be human if we didn´t flinch sometimes when we realize that modern capitalism is creating billionaires that can probably never outspend their wealth in one lifetime. But that does not give us or anyone who loves economic freedom the right to take capitalism away. Do not clip it´s wings. When we allow folks to win, including ourselves.....we give power to our dreams and to the dreams of the future, a future that only great gobs of money can profoundly develop.

So the next time you see a grand yacht floating dreamily down the Bay...thank God for the system that allowed that person to prosper, because next time it just might be your unique idea and relentless ambition that grants you and your family the ability to buy even more than one yacht. 

Wealth does not play favourites.

Your opportunity still exists. 

Peace,

Carla

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