Mindconnection eNL, 2005-03-24

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In this issue:

Product Highlights
Brainpower tip
Time tip
Finance tip

Security tips
Health tip/Fitness tip
Thought for the day

You aren't going blind, but idiots can make you feel that way.

I used to work for a publishing company, and my group once had a graphic artist who would "make things fit" by shrinking font size until you about needed an electron microscope to read things. If you have been perusing Mindconnection, you know for a fact that we don't use tiny fonts. But, many other folks do. And that's a problem.

Even with the "normal" print, most of us feel the effects of macular degeneration starting in our mid-30s. And as we get older, that eye lens becomes--like so much else about us--less flexible. By age 50, many folks are wearing bifocals. So, what do you do if reading is now an exercise in eyestrain?

Rather than struggle and squint, just use a text-to-speech scanner. These text scanners are very easy to use. They make great gifts for older folks, but are useful to anybody at any age. Click on the pictures at right to see more about those units.

Click below to see the whole line:

Discontinued.

I was puzzling over the irrational behavior of an acquaintance. Yep, you guessed it--he is not a subscriber to this eNL. Talk about irrational! :)

He has behavior that is just astounding. I am not talking about the little quirks that make each of us interesting, special, unique, and so on. I am talking about some truly bizarre behavior. And it's the self-defeating, self-delusional kind that causes all kinds of "domino damage."

Disclaimer: I will not pretend that I don't have my own set of behaviors that are odd, stupid, obnoxious, or not in my best interests. Nor am I a psychologist trained to classify these things. However, if someone is jumping off a tall building you do not need to be a psychologist to accurately classify that person as suicidal.

I was thinking about his behavior pattern and some things he says, and it dawned on me what his driver is. It's all about control. He does these things to assert control, because he has no other points of control in his life. He is simply "not in charge" where it counts, so he has created a weird parallel universe for himself. Unfortunately, this has repercussions and carry-over into the real world for him.

His need for control is so great, that it blinds him to all else.

So, I got to wondering about the degrees of control the rest of us need. How much of an impediment to sound judgment is my own need for control? (Don't answer that).

Think about this control thing. Do you respond emotionally in a discussion because you feel you don't control it? That's a fairly common reaction. We see it during "election" season all the time. People take positions and then get angry if other folks take a different position. I think control is the underlying need not being met there.

I don't know the answer to resolving the need for control. I don't think it can be resolved. But, I think sometimes rather than battle something, you need to work with it. You are what you are, and you are who you are. Trying to change that is probably fruitless. But, you can change how you react.

One of our readers (Howard Jacks) does strategic consulting. He says, "The first thing you have to do is define the terms of the debate." He has specifics for how to do this. Rather than become angry because you are not in control, put yourself in control.

If you think of how you can rationally control situations for an acceptable outcome (which may differ from the desired outcome), your anxiety for control will be reduced and you will better be able to apply your brainpower.

But if you express your need for control through such things as obsessive compulsive behavior, passive aggressive behavior, or other mind games, you simply exchange one out of control situation for another. When you define the terms of the debate, however, you then deal from a position of power.

Anyhow, some food for thought. Chew slowly on this one, and enjoy the savor.

How much time do you spend doing the same things over? This is a very common practice. Some examples:

You can't find your keys. So, you look everywhere. Then, you look in the same places again. This is rather pointless, isn't it?
You have a conversation and discuss the weather. Guess what? It's going to rain, snow, sleet, or be dry. What's to discuss? How many times in your lifetime will you tell someone else you have rain? Why would they care?
You are cleaning your house. You go to your supply area to get a bottle of cleaner X. You go back to get a bottle of cleaner Y. You go back to get another rag. How many times are you going to make that trip? Why not get all of your stuff together the first time?
You pay your bills by check. How many times are you going to write the name of the same company, put the same kinds of paper in the same kinds of envelope, and put a stamp on it? Use autopay.
You have a fight with your spouse. Have you ever noticed how the same tired arguments and accusations come up again and again? Why don't you either resolve those, or make a Chinese menu? Then, you can save time while quarrelling by simply saying, "Gripe #13." You can reply with "Defensive remark #7, and epithet #23!" Quit dragging your "loved one" through the same mud. Or, save time by using the technique just described. If you think this technique is silly, then just tape your next argument and try to tell me that isn't silly. People say the most absurd things when they argue.
You have developed consummate skill at backseat driving. Look, if you've already told your spouse (or other driver) how to drive and that person hasn't improved, why are you wasting your time repeating yourself? Maybe all that repetition and nagging is the problem.
You go through an appraisal at work and your boss is unaware of your accomplishments. Why repeat that drill? Keep a running list of your accomplishments, and present this to your boss at least 3 weeks before your appraisal is due. Using a spreadsheet where you've also shown ROI and other factors is a very good idea.

Think about setting up a trust to protect your assets. Alaska, Delaware, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Utah allow residents to do this, but you may qualify even if you don't live in one of these states. Contact an attorney for advice--don't fall for the come-ons being used to sell DIY kits.

When would you need a trust? You may want to protect assets from being taken to satisfy medical bills of dependents, or you may want to keep family assets separate from your personal assets. You cannot use a trust to escape taxes owed, even if those taxes are assessed fraudulently (which happens quite often).

So many people are worried about "Internet fraud" these days. This, despite volumes being written on this so-called topic.

If you want to avoid "Internet fraud," you first need to know what it is. The Internet is not going to invade your home through your computer and steal your identity or empty your bank account. Nor is someone going to use the Internet to do that, unless you do some very stupid things. This silly phrase is a catchword for fraud conducted via the Internet. But, such fraud takes two willing partners or one willing partner and one who is either inexperienced or very gullible.

You can avoid such fraud by merely applying common sense. You know, such things as "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is another counterproductive program Congress will inflict on us." Or, a saying something to that effect.

Some facts:

Your credit card transactions are safer when done through a secure browser than when done in a checkout line.
All credit card transactions go "over the Internet." The card processing centers all transport credit card information via the Internet. It doesn't matter if you use your card in person or over the phone. Your card data will still travel over the Internet--just as your groceries travel over the highway to get to your store.
The most expensive frauds perpetrated on you are perpetrated by your own government, and they do that without using the Internet at all. Think of how your property taxes have gone up, just as an example. Or think of those $780 toilet seats you have paid for. Or think of the fact that John Kerry charged you $93,000 for Senate sessions he did not attend last year--that's right, he didn't report for duty even half the time! What if you did that to your employer? Hmm.
The Atkins Diet was an enormous fraud perpetrated on millions of people. Its basic premise--that one macronutrient is the problem--was in stark contrast to everything we know about the human body. But, it gave out a promise that caused people to pay the freight on this one--with their health. Another "if it sounds too good to be true" scam.

Since I just mentioned the Atkins Fraudiet in the previous section, some of you may be interested in what the right answer is.

The good news is it's not some "diet" you have to fret over.

It's very simple:

Portion control. Simply eat less. That's not so hard. You just have to decide to do it. But, don't eat fewer meals--just eat smaller portions at each one. Get up from the table and don't go back for seconds.
Energy density. Eat foods with high nutrient density and low energy density. Basically, this goes back to advice you got when you were four years old: Eat your vegetables.
Go for color. Eat a variety of colors. That means red lettuce, purple kale, blueberries, strawberries, oranges--you see the pattern, here? When you buy your foods--and you should be shopping primarily in the produce department--buy a variety of colors. If you eat out rather than buy groceries, save time and money buy going the grocery route (yes, it actually takes longer, in the aggregate, to do the restaurant thing--plus the health ramifications rob you of many useful and enjoyable years of life).

If you put these three principles into your every eating decision, you will effortlessly be at a "good weight." You can become even leaner if you wish--for example, if you want "great abs" rather than just having a flat tummy. But, doing that takes work and much more discipline. See http://www.supplecity.com for free information on that.

Here's another advantage of applying these three principles--you can actually enjoy food! Most so-called food is dominated by either sugar or damaged fats. By going for the lower energy density foods, you are opening yourself up to nature's bounty of wonderful flavors.

Three simple steps to increased energy, improved health, tastier meals, and a longer useful life. What's not to like?

When you feel insulted or put out by someone, consider the source. Are you letting someone with a bad attitude control how you feel? The next time someone flips you off in traffic or does some crazy stunt that endangers you, don't get mad. Just think about how the self-induced stress in that person's miserable life is going to help clean out the gene pool that much sooner. The satisfaction from this thought should help you have a great day, no matter how rough traffic is. Now you know why some folks are always smiling behind the wheel!

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Mindconnection eNL, 2005-03-24

1. Product Highlights

2. Brainpower tip

3. Time Tip

4. Finance tip

5. Security tip

6. Health tip/Fitness tips

7. Thought for the Day

Authorship