Saturday, April 4, 2009

Can you find the integer without Googling it?

Can you find the integer without Googling it?

Taken from a NYT article on Freeman Dyson. What's the smallest integer where, if you take its last digit and move it to the front, turning say 112 to 211, it's possible to exactly double its value? The answer is 105263157894736842 and has 18 digits. Now, what is the smallest integer where you can move the first (most significant) digit to the right, and the result will be exactly half the original number? :)

Can you work out the answer in your head? I couldn't. Instead I searched for it on Google and I got the answer in a second. Hmmm, what does that tell us about the skills we need to succeed in life?

If all knowledge becomes available online and anyone can look up the answer with the click of a button, would it matter how much you know or how able you are to work out the answer by yourself? 

As technology does most of the work for us, are we creating a society where the skill to use technology efficiently will be valued higher than learning how to work out the answers ourselves?

How should I answer that question now? If I Google it, will I get the answer or should I wait for your comments? (lol)

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Re-employment Ventures

Here's an idea on how the unemployed can help the unemployed start new businesses. The government will stop taxing unemployment benefit paychecks. Instead what is paid in tax will go to a Re-employment Ventures Fund that will invest in projects and business ventures started by people who lost their jobs and currently receive unemployment benefits. 

The initial pool of funds can be provided by the private sector in the form of charity contributions with additional money coming from the massive fiscal stimulus packages the government recently announced. 

Contributions to the fund will come from deducting a small amount of money from the unemployment benefit paycheck and deposit it with the Fund in the form of re-employment contribution. The tax is thus scrapped and replaced by the contribution amount that goes to the Fund. As a percentage, the amount will be no higher than the amount that was taxed.

The caveat will be that any new business start-up funded exclusively or partially by Re-employment Ventures must hire people who are unemployed. No option to hire people who already have jobs.

In order to turn the Fund into a prestigious institution that promotes social good, our President as well as national business icons such Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and their likes will sit on its Board.

In preparation for the G-20 summit in London, Gordon Brown called for a new global economic system that will have values and morals at the center of its markets. 

I think that values should be present at every aspect of economic activity, not just in markets. 

When those who lost jobs and careers that are not coming back are encouraged to start new businesses through networks of support they themselves create, then not only do we create economic growth and increase trade, we also make growth more sustainable in the long term

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Sweet cunnilingus...

When slurping down there tastes sour or salty, would you consider suggesting to your partner adding a few drops of sugar, or perhaps honey/syrup? A bit of dilemma when it comes to artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes. A, They might cause cancer so why take risks with your health? But B as it may, why Not perform at the peak of your Latin lover skills? Aspartame, Neotame, Alitame, Dulcin, Glucin, Miraculin Sucralosa, Lactimosa...

If you're gay make them sound Greek. Aspartamus, Neotamus, Alitamus, Sucralosamos, Dulcinus, Glucinos, Miraculinos Lactimosus, they sound like dinosaur names too, haha!

Sorry, I got distracted for a minute there, here is my serious question on the topic. When people don't enjoy an oral situation due to foul or brackish taste, why do they give themselves a penalty by not openly suggesting corrective action?

Think about it. We aren't shy to ask for salt or pepper when our food lacks it. Why are we shy or too embarrassed to suggest additives to our taste when we eat up or are eaten up by our partner? Why is that so out of our taste to ask? (lol)

Now here comes the billion dollar realization. Imagine our society and culture educated us to feel it's ok to add sugar or honey down there, in the same way we are taught it's ok to use a condom or spread a lubricant. 

Can you imagine the new sales potential experienced in the food and agriculture sector every time we don't hesitate to slurp due to bad taste? Honey makers, sugar cane farmers, food produce package manufacturers, a whole industry and millions of poor farmers will probably be lifted out of poverty overnight or over many horny nights, haha!

If most people answer 'no' to my poll as I expect they will, the business potential for genitalia food additives will have been vindicated.

As for the moral of the story, consider that in everything horny we do, we must always think about the potential for social good and economic well-being we bring to this world. Otherwise we rather not do it! :D:D:D


Do you support tree vending machines?

I think our nature is too commercialized already. Please remove vending machines from hollowed-out trees! They are not objects for company marketing, so sad...

April Serious Day

How about counterbalancing April Fools Day by having another day where everyone is totally serious? People can plan that day for marriage proposals, to fire people at work, to conceive a child on, to find out about their terminal illnesses, to start wars, to break up, to get piercings, to get in a car accident, and all that other serious stuff. Think it will work? A little scary to have a day like that?