What would the Pilgrims think of the Internet?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What would the Pilgrims think of the Internet?,” my birthday bud Jon knew that, “They would think it may flower someday.”

My writing and sailing friend Rich concluded, “The same thing Baptists think about dancing, tsk, tsk, tsk.”

In that same vein, my sister-in-law Lorrie called out, “Blasphemy!! All these blasphemous opinions coming not from G-d but from - out there, in the air” to which my sailing friend Norm added, “The Pilgrims, being very devout and religious, would have thought the internet was G-d.  After all, it is everywhere and it knows everything.”  

While my temple friend Bob replied, “They would have liked it if had helped them make progress,” my adjunct exec friend Lindy expounded, “They would probably be amused by what they learn, such as that they landed in Plymouth, when I believe  the Mayflower first landed at the tip of Cape Cod, which is now Provincetown.  And they weren’t all as puritanical as history leads some to believe.  They would probably have a good laugh at the errors on the internet, as we all should.

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What types of people don’t count?  (from my conversation w/ my sailing friend Phil)

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

Hope you had a chance to celebrate Arlo’s 50^th anniversary of Alice’s Restaurant this Thanksgiving. If you didn’t, here’s a link to an American treasure. 

Healthcare coverage note if you’re in ATL and looking for individual or group healthcare.  There is a disruptive solution to replace Blue Cross, Kaiser and AmBetter that starts with unlimited primary healthcare with no co-pays for $100/month, and combines with catastrophic coverage with no deductible.  Connect with me or visit www.HIPnation.com for more info.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

How do we know if animals need glasses?

In response to last week’s question, “How do we know if animals need glasses?,” my writing and sailing friend Rich concluded, “They bite the hand that feeds them,” to which my dad’s beach buddy Bob agreed, adding, “I even know some people like that.”

My cycling friend Ted observed, “When the dog mistakes the cat for a fire hydrant.”

My temple friend Bob advised, “When we see them lapping water directly from a stream or trough.  Or, when Rover is humping your leg when there's a beautiful female collie nearby.”  Another temple friend, Lesley, shared, “If we could get an animal, other than a human, into one of these Autorefractors.”

My social media friend Mark replied, “If their face keeps falling INTO their drinking bowl, switch them to glasses.   As we age, drinking from a bowl is just too much, and a little undignified if you ask me.  (Or for glasses, did you mean spectacles)?”

And then my equestrian friend Royce called out the simplest reply, “If they are in the optician’s office.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What would the Pilgrims think of the Internet?

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

Thank you to the hundreds of people who attended our 13^th Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration plus hundreds more who watched online.  After about 90 minutes of spoken reflections and music from people of many faiths, many colors and many origins, Rabbi Lebow offered a closing comment, “This is what America looks like.’

Best wishes for a moist, savory turkey this year.  We’ll be frying ours.

Healthcare coverage note if you’re in ATL and looking for individual or group healthcare.  There is a disruptive solution to replace Blue Cross, Kaiser and AmBetter that starts with unlimited primary healthcare with no co-pays for $100/month, and combines with catastrophic coverage with no deductible.  Connect with me or visit www.HIPnation.com for more info.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

Can you be predictably irrational?

In response to last week’s question, “Can you be predictably irrational?,” my birthday bud Jon declared, “Always.  Sometimes.”

My neighbor Al acknowledged, “Yes as long as there are women in this world,” to which my social media friend Mark added , “I refuse to comment this week, as my desire to remain married continues.”

My PR friend Stan cautioned, “Sure, just try to talk to me before I’ve had my coffee. After that, my irrationality is entirely UN-predictable.”

My thought-leadership friend Paul replied, “Dang, Hal.  One of my favorite books over the last few years IS “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely.   Fun read for marketers or change leaders - turns out the ‘bad’ news is we don’t always act as economic or marketing theory would suggest (not rational decision-makers); the ‘good’ news is we behave consistently, so easy to adjust.”

My writing and sailing friend Rich called out, “If the sun came up this morning, it is pretty predictable that some knucklehead out there will cause me to have a nutty.”

My temple friend Tracey noted, “Anyone who is irrational a lot can be predictably irrational. I have several relatives like that.”

My temple friend Richard wrote, “I believe the headlines these days from Washington, DC, make the answer self-evident.  My cycling friend Ted replied, “Just watch CNN!! No particular president's name mentioned!” to which my temple friend Kevin pointed out, “Donald Trump.”

My equestrian friend Royce admitted, “In my case, some may want to know if I can be predictably "rational" while another thought leadership friend (and newest contributor) Anand wrote, “No, but I can be unpredictably rational.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

      How do we know if animals need glasses?

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

There were additional responses to the prior week’s question that didn’t get shared:  My photographer friend Thomas shared that, “A good scare is when the universe warns you about something while you can still do something about it.”  My social media friend Mark replied, “A good scare is one that is something that could really happen. And endures for a while.” My jeweler friend Bill described his good scare as, “a deposit in your bank account that you did not make.”

My temple friend Richard shared, “I had a sudden, albeit belated, though, “A good scare would be for a nonagenarian (90+ years of age) man to be named in a paternity suit by a 20-year-old woman. Of course, that might be more a source of pride than fear.”  And my videographer friend Ivan  wrote, “Joe. Joe MAMA!!!!  Ahhhh yes, mothers guilt trips, along with her favorite local wine (in NY whiney voice) “Why can’t we go to Miami?”  The Vatican is probably the best ticket seller of guilt trips having satellite offices all over the globe with agents operating the offices everywhere.  The Jews got tickets for guilt trips too of course.  How many Jews does it take to screw in a light bulb. (in NY whiney voice) "Don’t mind me, I’ll just sit here in the dark.”

Thu, Nov 16 will be an inspiring, uplifting evening to kick-off the holiday season.  I’m involved in the planning of the 13^th Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, which is in Marietta and streamed online.  Here is event info to attend in person and if you want to watch it live.  NOTE:  If you are attending in person, plan to arrive closer to 6:30p and carpool if possible.

Healthcare coverage note if you’re in ATL and looking for individual or group healthcare.  There is a disruptive solution to replace Blue Cross, Kaiser and AmBetter that starts with unlimited primary healthcare with no co-pays for $100/month, and combines with catastrophic coverage with no deductible.  Connect with me or visit www.HIPnation.com for more info.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

What is a good scare?

In response to last week’s question, “What is a good scare?,” my adjunct executive friend Lindy noted, “As I am a timid girl, I find the question to be an oxymoron.  There is no such thing as a good scare.  Not even thinking you’re pregnant to later learn it was a false alarm.”

My sailing friend Norm acknowledged, “At my age it’s when I’m driving in my own neighborhood and don’t recognize where I am and feel lost!”

My attorney friend Phillip warned, “Donald Trump with the nuclear codes” while my equestrian friend Royce cautioned, “A letter from the IRS.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob replied, “When you have finally found your cell phone that you thought you lost 2 days ago.”

My IT management friend Kosol declared, “A good scare is when I’m not the person being scared.”

And my cycling friend Ted, who is also a private pilot, advised, “When you are flying a 1959 Piper Apache (twin engine) at night over hilly terrain and one engine quits! (But luckily a run through the emergency checklist reveals an unlocked fuel primer, and re-seating it restarts the engine! This was indeed pilot error for failing to check it before takeoff) A Good Scare is always educational for a soon to be Multi Engine Commercial pilot rating!”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

      Can you be predictably irrational?

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

Healthcare note if you’re in ATL and looking for individual or group healthcare.  There is a disruptive solution to replace Blue Cross, Kaiser and AmBetter that starts with unlimited primary healthcare with no co-pays for $100/month, and combines with catastrophic coverage with no deductible.  Get a free ticket here to hear Dr Brian Hill and Herman Cain discuss this at Cobb Galleria on Tue, Nov 7 at 7p, or visit www.HIPnation.com for more info.

Thu, Nov 16 will be an inspiring, uplifting evening to kick-off the holiday season.  I’m involved in the planning of the 13^th Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, which is in Marietta and streamed online.  Here is event info to attend in person and if you want to watch it live.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.