The Egg Seller

How much an egg??

This morning I read a post by my sister Lurline Cocivera:

It included this parable:

'My father used to buy simple goods from poor people at high prices, even though he did not need them. Sometimes he even used to pay extra for them. I got concerned by this act and asked him why does he do so? Then my father replied, "It is a charity wrapped with dignity, my child”

And I thought, I should do that more often.

A third, a third, and a third

Woman in Gold

I was infuriated by a fellow traveller on Australia Day. For the opinion and probably because it seemed to me this person was a teacher - polluting our young peoples minds...

It was about the "invasion" day crap - I think about the fact that a majority of the arrivals on January 26th 1788 - most were white slaves - we call them convicts - incarcerated for "crimes" that today wouldn't even attract an "on the spot" fine... And I wonder if we should have a national apology to them?

But the particular thing that annoyed me was a sated preference to the original land title system in Australia before Cook's arrival to colonise Australia - common wealth - what's mine is yours.

I asked, seriously, would they mind if I and 20 others can to live with them without paying our way - "Oh you are changing the argument " they said...

Here is how James Rickards talks about what it takes to preserve wealth over centuries

The frequent reply is "a third, a third, and a third."

"Yet as one goes abroad, there is an even older kind of money, true dynastic wealth that has existed in some families for 300 years or longer. This type of wealth has survived not only business cycles but also war, invasion, the collapse of empires, revolution, and natural disaster. In order for family wealth to persist through so many centuries and through such adversity, something more is needed than ordinary investment skill. This rare kind of success in wealth preservation requires a longer view, infused with a sense of history and a keen appreciation for worst-case scenarios that too frequently become real.

When one inquires of family members and representatives as to what it takes to preserve wealth over centuries and not just cycles, the frequent reply is "a third, a third, and a third." This is shorthand for dividing one's wealth into one-third land, one-third gold, and one-third fine art. Obviously some liquidity is needed for day-to-day expenses and some room can be made for a speculative portfolio, but the basic idea that land, gold, and art outlast and outperform riskier assets such as stocks, bonds, and cash seems sound when viewed from the perspective of centuries and not just years or decades."

What about the Nazi's their shrill reply??
When in Vienna recently we were exposed to the Gold Lady - the repatriation of a painting to the heirs of a family who lost their wealth in the Second World War - I think someone paid $140 million to that heir for the painting - and wealth was restored!

Speak up or we will end up in a socialist system - what is the saying "The worst thing about Capitalism is that is was named by a socialist - Karl Marx.

Enough already

The Popular Australian National Anthem

It's time [ and I am old enough ] to say - enough is enough - about stuff that is rammed down our throats by the politically correct police.

What am I talking about?? In a group of 10 fellow proud Aussies on Australia Day a mixture of Italian and Croation immigrants, a Yorshire couple and me, a 5th generation West Australian, I voiced the opinion that I hoped that the movement to make Invasion Day the replacement for Australia Day wouldn't catch on.

I was shouted down, and kneed by "she who knows better" to keep quiet, and told that even though we have an elected Government, Democracy is a flawed system and it doesn't matter if most people don't want something, if a loud enough group shouts loud enough we should accept there views - does this sound like Same Sex Marriage advocates [?] we should make sure nobody has any grievance... and I am sure these views will be feed to young minds in school... like Safe Schools Anti Bully Nonsense... until, our weak kneed politicians, to shut up the shouting, will give in, have a National conversation, and then claim credit for a "progressive" point of view and change what ails the "down trodden"

It reminds me of the saying "Life was meant to be fair!" so get used to it.

Forever, we have had the GOLDEN RULES - the persona with the gold makes the RULES [ even I have had to change that from the man to the person ]

I used to think Ayn Rand's writing were science fiction but they are really were accurate predictions of social change - where was that country they went to to start again??

Elton John to retire

Elton john to retire??

Nothing too radical about that but did you [ certainly I did ] think his hard living, drugs and other vices... would have claimed him much younger??

Neil Diamond has succumbed to ill health but Paul McCartney was amazing in concert when I went to see him in December.

All that advice about hard living seems to have been wrong!! Hell what keeps Keith Richards going??

Nothing too radical about that but did you [ certainly I did ] think his hard living, drugs and other vices... would have claimed him much younger??

Neil Diamond has succumbed to ill health but Paul McCartney was amazing in concert when I went to see him in December.

All that advice about hard living seems to have been wrong!! Hell what keeps Keith Richards going??

Not ready yet for God's waiting room

Perfect Waves at Margaret River

Mmmm do you like birthdays?? Today I am 66... and when I was younger and until my twenties people in their 60's died of over work and old age - usually some horrible illness or a really bad flu got them. Here I am fit - 10 kms a day, healthy - I don't have a "doctor" no need apart from annual skin cancer removals [ beach in the sun as a kid ] and whilst wealthy is a stretch we are planning a Mediterranean cruise this year based on where it goes not how much it costs. So what gets people who live longer is that the body out lasts the mind... shit I hope that isn't me.

So, today is just another notch on the belt and I am still planning my next 100 ninety day projects [ that's 25 years for you non mathies ]

Grace and Frankie have a phone that only rings to announce an funeral - haven't got there yet but maybe I should consider prepaying my cremation expenses - they say costs of dying always go up but apparently the internet has ignited a price war in the UK Mmmm just another thing to have to decide about.

Terry and Elizabeth Parsons are going to put my ashes in their caravan and them spread them [ my ashes ] into the sea at Margaret River...

I just checked and I am still breathing..

Thanks for all the birthday wishes... I will be here for 67th!

Why didn't I think of that!

That's a thought!

Many random thoughts from the last month:

The new business model for knowledge workers - give away ideas charge for implementation!

"People get paid when they build a sophisticated product [ Facebook?] and then create a services ecosystem"

Exit interview " I think you would be happier working elsewhere"

and Life advice:

"The is nothing to be gained by being boring, plain and beige, and trying to please everyone"

Concentrate on what you are good at..

Paddle where I point!

Concentrate on what you are good at... ignore your weaknesses!

This morning I was listening to my daily podcast and I was fired up by the MFCEO talk... yes it does mean that!

It was about "Are you a hate to lose or a love to win!" type of person.

The story to reinforce the point was a down the rapids white water raft adventure... the group people thought the water was too rough - there had been a few days of drenching rain. So, it was decided that thry would wait until another day all except one "Old " guy who took control... here was his instructions... watch where I point and paddle as hard as you can towards there - I promise I won't point to rocks and in 30 years I have never not had a success boat trip..

Point of story - focus on what you want, NOT what you fear... focus on your strengths not your weaknesses... get really good at what you are good at and let someone else do the stuff you are not good at.

Want the tallest building... don't try and know down the other buildings, just build your taller!

What was Niccolò Machiavelli on about?? Of yes BLOCKCHAIN

The future of Money?

What is The Machiavellian General Problem?

Machiavellianism is "the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct" Basically you have to deal with everyone looking out for themselves rather than the common good, but not knowing what everyone thinks.

So, where did this challenging thought come from?? I am reading The Complete Dummies Guide for Blockchain. And to explain how nobody trusts anyone, the proof to make cryptocurrency work is the Blockchain - make it so hard to cheat that everyone plays by the same rules.

And this is done using Prime Numbers in calculations to prove an answer.... And if that is as clear as mud, this is what Blockchain mining is all about. Got it?? Well don't worry I am struggling too but it understand things like Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum you need to have a basic understanding of this stuff.

Winner writes history

Australia Day flag raising...

Thought for Today 88/500

I thought the winners wrote history... so I say leave Australia Day on January 26th, the day Cook raised the Union Jack at Botany Bay.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Will you starve or thrive

Michelangelo was RICH when he was alive!

To starve or thrive - it is only a choice!

Lots of stuff we just accept - like to be a great artist we need to go through pain... to starve and somehow the pain helps the art. We have been known [ I admit to this ] look down on successful artists like Ken Done and all his millions, However, I didn't begrudge Paul McCartney all those millions when I went to one of the 100 One on One shows of his world tour. It somehow is OK that he is rich become imagination.

So I am posing to you that artists deserve to thrive when they are making there art... Walt Disney is recorded as saying he didn't make films to make money but rather he made money so he could make films. [ Did you know the first truly BIG flow of cash came from the sale of Mickey Mouse watches.]

Also, Michelangelo was rich in his life time. Some say he was worth $50 million or more... and he was known to own multiple homes.

So here is to thriving... want to be part of Just 17 MasterMind let me know by commenting "Just17"