A new way to legalize Cannabis is in Washington State for 2012

How is that legalizing Cannabis thing going? Slow, huh. Maybe it's time for a change in the methods that are being used?

Well, check out New Approach Washington dot Org. The Seattle Times newspaper has been talking about it. Seattle's fascinating paper of the people (okay, maybe just the cool people then), The Stranger, has been talking about it. Check out the full initiative.

Alison Holcomb, campaign director of New Approach Washington

The new effort is an initiative to the Legislature, which gives that body a chance to enact it or put it on the November 2012 ballot, either by itself or with the Legislature's bill. In no case would the governor's signature be needed.

On June 22, Washington State, in a way no state has ever attempted, will begin a serious effort to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana. The method: an initiative, filed by a new coalition of health care professionals, lawyers, and drug law reform advocates.

 They have the backing and financial support of the local and national ACLU, powerful labor unions, and Democratic Party supporters that want—maybe even need—the draw of a marijuana measure to increase young voter turnout in a presidential election year.

Key Features of New Approach Washington2012 Marijuana Law Reform Initiative

• Distribution to adults 21 and over through state-licensed, marijuana-only stores; production and distribution licensed and regulated by Liquor Control Board (LCB)
• Severable provision decriminalizing adult possession of marijuana; possession by persons under 21 remains a misdemeanor
• Stringent advertising, location, and license eligibility restrictions enforced by LCB
• Home growing remains prohibited; except, initiative does not affect Washington's medical marijuana law
• Estimated $215 million in new state revenue each year, with roughly $40 million going to state general fund (B&O and retail sales tax) and $175 million (new marijuana excise tax) earmarked:
  • Evidence-based prevention strategies targeting youth, chosen in consultation with UW Social Development Research Group
  • Dedicated funding stream for Healthy Youth Survey
  • Washington's Building Bridges program for at-risk youth
  • Science-based public education materials regarding health risks of marijuana use hosted by UW Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute
  • Research by UW and WSU into the short- and long-term effects of marijuana use, including driving impairment
  • Dedicated marijuana Quitline analogous to tobacco Quitline operated by state Department of Health
  • Additional marijuana-related public health educational programs administered by Department of Health at the state and local level
  • Biennial evaluation of impacts of law by Washington State Institute for Public Policy
  • Washington's Basic Health Plan
  • Community health centers
• THC blood concentration  of 5 ng/mL  or higher  is per se Driving Under the Influence

Alison Holcomb, campaign director of New Approach Washington, is certain the initiative will get on the ballot next year. "A majority of Washington voters support marijuana legalization," she says. "The question is not whether legalization will happen, but when. The answer is 2012."

Paying to sell your writing?

I'm very careful about wasting money on anything like selling your writing, working from home, etc., etc.

Sisyphus

If I put any money into something, I try to be sure it's worth it. I've gone on this theory since the beginning of the public internet. I refused to pay for access and always did things that were free. Not because I couldn't afford it (which was true, part of that time) but because I felt the internet should be free at the time.

I skipped the whole AOL, Compuserve, and other experiences. What came of that was that I saved a lot of money, learned a lot of things and found things those other people didnt and couldn't because they were inhibited due to another person or group's acceptance of what was reasonable or acceptable.

I'm glad to hear InkTips might be a good organization from others now that I have expended a few bucks on them to see who is calling for screenplays. :) I've been using their free newsletter for a few years now. The other day I found something that sounded interesting to submit to, which motivated me to pay up, as of course, it was one of those on the pay side of things. But even their free newsletter has good stuff on it. Anyway, now I have access to more studios on there and I'm feeling good about it. But I do not pay to have my scripts on their site. For me, it just doesn't make good money sense. Maybe for some, it would. But you have to balance that kind of thing and not just do it.

Sometimes, you should pay up. But it is so easy to waste money, you have to be careful, vet your sources, check things out. Be sure you are getting something. Even if it's free elsewhere, it may save you money to pay to get it in a certain form. How much is an hour of your life worth? Now, realistically, how much?

Allow me to qualify all this as it may have seemed like I was rambling.

I listened to a Chris Soth interview the other day, actor, producer, writer. Chris is a great guy. I get along well with him. After the phone conference interviewee signed off, he took questions. At the last question, a guy said that he had his scripts on Chris' site for a long time now (or may have been Inktips, I don't remember), with no one contacting him, though he saw it was getting hits.

This meant the guy was paying money and not getting what he thought he was paying for. And that is my point.

I have seen and heard of people pouring money into getting their scripts "out there" in the hopes of getting them picked up, and all they got in the end was an empty wallet. In my endeavors, I just want to be sure I wasn't just a hopeful who was spending all my money on going nowhere.

I think talent tends to win out and if he was't getting contacted, perhaps he was in the wrong field. Chris fielded the questions well, but I felt sorry for him being put on the spot in a way that either he shouldn't have been, or would have led him to say either, "perhaps they didn't see a well written script", or  that "it fit no one at the time" (which probably wasn't the case), or simply, "I can read your scripts and tell you what I think" (which he shouldn't have to do), where in the end he would most likely have to tell the guy he needs more practice before spending more money, or that he simply needs to give up.

After all if you're not good, get better, but if you can't get better (aren't willing to put the work into it, cannot find the right information to mimic, or you simply aren't capable for whatever reason), then you should find something else to do. Maybe, you'd be a great producer instead for instance.

My point is, run down all the free ways to get somewhere, before simply dumping money into a problem, thinking that will bring the desired resolution. It can, but it typically won't.You can't just do in life, you also have to think.

Weekend Wise Words

Be Smart! Be Brilliant!

Okay, this one is my WWW for real. Yesterday was about the Stock Market, how we relate to life and I think maybe today, this weekend that is, might be good for a few brave smart words on relationships.

"Having someone wonder where you are when you don't come home at night is a very old human need." Margaret Mead

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best."
  Ella Wheeler Wilcox

 

"For lack of an occasional expression of love, a relationship strong at the seams can wear thin in the middle." Robert Brault

Stephen Levine

"If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?  And why are you waiting?" Stephen Levine

"Lust is easy.  Love is hard.  Like is most important." Carl Reiner

"To know when to go away and when to come closer is the key to any lasting relationship." Doménico Cieri Estra

“Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” William James

And today's final word comes from Tom....

Tom Robbins

“When we're incomplete, we're always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we're still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on and on--series polygamy--until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter.” Tom Robbins

Finally one of my favorite female writers ever:

Dorothy Parker

“In youth, it was a way I had,
To do my best to please.
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know
And do the things I do,
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you.”
― Dorothy Parker

Stock market crashing? Kill yourself?

Be Smart! Be Brilliant! Psyche!

Okay, this started as a quote page for my Weekend Wise Words. It grew, I got carried away, so now it's a Friday blog....

The drop in stocks and the world markets have caused many a good deal of consternation. This weekend, we could use not thinking about it. Or thinking about things that are far more enlightening, uplifting and forward looking. Buddha has a few thoughts on that, or if you prefer, Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.:

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Be happy as you can, share that with all as best you can. You reap what you sow. 


“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” So, don't dwell on the negative.

“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.”

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”  When things seem their worst, look around you, what do you see? Is anyone trying to physically harm you right at that moment? No? Are you in a dangerous environment? No? Can you breathe easily? Yes? Do you have access to what you need to survive the next hour? Yes? The next day? Yes? Then why, are you so stressed out? The future does not exist. It will most likely, but it is right now, doing nothing to you, you are doing something to you. If you are stressed out, anxious, feeling pressures, stop it. Breathe. Calm yourself. Deal with things as they come. Break down what you need to do. Do what you need to do in the order you need to do it. Do the best you can. Then you can relax, knowing you are following a course of action that will be the best you can do. If you do, all will work itself out. If you lose everything, begin again, you have not lost your life, you have lost things. Many times, losing those things are a positive change in your life. Do you really need all these things to survive, to be happy? 


That is a knot of stuff up above. Cut yourself free of it. What do you need to cut yourself free of to feel free?


I always said that should I ever feel like committing suicide, I would just leave everything in my life, walk off, and go start elsewhere. Why not? I was going to end my life, right? Why not, "end my life" as I and everyone else knows it, and start a new one, divorced of the life that was literally "killing" me. Even if you have to leave spouse, children, family, friends, responsibilities, etc. I do not, believe one should avoid one's responsibilities. But I do think that if you are at that point, that things are killing you, the obvious choice is to kill that which is killing you (figuratively, unless it is an emminant threat, then perhaps you would need to kill whatever or whoever it is). 


When someone kills their family, spouse, children, etc., then commits suicide, this makes no sense, and they have no right to do this. When you consider, that we allow things to get to us, it is our responsibility to deal with ourselves, not others. In that case, perhaps, kill yourself first, then consider killing others. But I would argue, as I do above, to simply... walk away.

Hanging from your arms is far healthier than from your neck

You might also send them a post card to let them know you are okay but you had to leave to start a new life or kill yourself. They will find it damaging, but less damaging than if you actually did kill yourself. And the chance is, one day, you can come back, or they can come visit. 

Hanging your car is healthier for everyone more than hanging yourself

As with the stock market crash of 1929, those who leaped from tall buildings to kill themselves, had they only sat still, waited, the market came back up. But by that time, they were dead.


Time passes. Things change. Doing nothing, things change. Doing something, positive, will help things change more positively. But for whom? There are politics involved in choices. Life, is complicated. But in many ways, it doesn't have to be.


Start by smiling. Realize, you can breathe, no matter how things feel at the moment. Take a drink of water. Go for a meditative walk. Or just start walking, leave town, change the channel as my brother used to tell me, make changes, do something novel, it doesn't have to be dangerous or death invoking. 


And you may then find, that things are not as bad as they seem. All you have lost are material things. Those who really care for you, who you really care for, will still be there. And if they leave you, because you have lost material things, have you been living your life right? Are they? Perhaps that is Life's way of telling you, you have another chance, before the end, to live your life right.

Go for it. The end, is not always the end. Sometimes, it can be the beginning....

Are Modern Christians Cowards? Or, smart, but delusional?

Topic: Religion. Subject: God. Orientation: Fear of one's Faith being disproved.

You know what annoys the crap out of me? Cowardly modern Christians. I think since the beginning, when Christians had to hide or die, their religion grew into a place that required it be shrouded in secrecy, to protect it, but also to keep it from being enlightened, or proved false.

Now let me say here, the opposite of that, perhaps, rabid fundamentalist Muslim terrorists, have a similar level of my disdain (but yes, relax Christian types, I do hold those terrorists in lower (far lower) esteem for obvious reasons).

My reasoning is thus: If you have what you call "Faith" in your beliefs ore religion, then why in God's name are you so afraid of everything? Isn't it your belief that Jesus is up there on high watching over you? Or, God. Or, Angels, or something? I get confused on what they believe at this point, sometimes.

This obviously also goes to any religion or belief system. But the point is, and seems to surface the most on Christians. I've really run into this in relationships. Being male (and heterosexual) I'm interesting in women. I seem to run into a lot of Christian woman. And you know what? I don't really have a problem with that. You see, that isn't the issue. The ISSUE is in their ability to accept and relate to, or to accept someone for being themselves. Now here is what has always confused me.

Jesus, as you know him (being that this was not his name, I mean, if you lived when he did and yelled, "Hey, Jesus", he probably wouldn't turn around, unless it was because he was just a nice guy and if you yelled "Hey, You" at him, he might also have turned around). Anyway, for your (that is, the Christian's benefit (and consider here that I don't think Christians should be labeled "Christian" but rather "Jesuits" (not to be confused with Catholic "Jesuit" Priests)), I'll use the name, Jesus.

So, didn't Jesus hang out with prostitutes and low-lifes? Probably to prove a point but also probably because they are far more interesting and accepting. Jesus was in a position that he probably wasn't greatly accepted in his seeing things differently and if you go to the lowlifes, well, because of who they are and what their lifestyles are, they have to be more accepting. They probably dealt better with the crazy street people back then too, except that there were probably a lost more street people (Urban Campers?) back then and so it wasn't so weird.

Anyway, my point is that if you are Christian, you probably are of the type that tends to shy away from anything that questions your beliefs, or you probably seek out that which soothes and strokes your beliefs, unlike Jesus, who hung with all kinds of people (though even that thought is screwy as you probably didn't see him hanging with the rich, which throws a bit of a monkey wrench in that whole, hang out with all types things (which again, Christians seem to run afoul of rather frequently).

I was talking to a therapist a few years ago who was telling me that her son, their both being Buddhists, was frustrated and said he wanted to go to a monastery. He found living in the real world hard to be a good Buddhist. She told him that living in an artificial environment, away from the world is no way to learn to be in the world. I'm not sure this is true, however, I believe her point to be valid. It has to do with, are you hiding away from reality, or are you taking a time out so that you can get down the mechanics of your belief system, then re-enter the world to practice the form you have burned into your mind.

Still, if you are going to live in the world, you need to face it down, live your beliefs and give them a chance to be real. Hiding away, especially in the real world, does no one justice, not the world, in viewing how you live your life (the best advertisement for your beliefs), not your; not your beliefs, as they are not getting experienced and examined by the world; and not yourself, as you are not living them for real, you are living a kind of pseudo belief system. This helps to continue it where it is defective, rather than hone it to a realistic useful system. But then, that is the thing about "revealed" (by God) religions: God revealed it to someone, so it has to be right, correct and perfect from the beginning. Right? But honestly, we all know that not to be true. Don't we. If you don't know you pick and choose your religion (especially if its from a book), then you are being delusional.

Seriously, whatever your religion, read your book. Then try to truly live it. You can't. It's impossible. You would be quickly arrested in many cases, possibly in some, you would be tried, convicted and put to death.

Getting back to my point, I find it interesting how, in my considering myself a Buddhist (having once been Catholic and yes, that explains a lot), when I considering going out with a Christian woman, sure, I feel sorry for her (mostly because most Christians I know have studied the Bible, which is rather limited), but I will accept her for her beliefs (no matter how foolish); but in return, I typically find that I do not get the same respect and consideration. Then again, I have also found that to be true in my own experience in dealing with women in general.

What I mean by that, is that I tend to accept people for who they are and leave it at that. I don't try to change them, though I will have discussions or even debates with them. But in the end, I can always agree to disagree. But I get in return, from most people, from most relationships with women that I've been in, a lack of respect, understanding and patience, although, I give that to them. They, are to be considered correct in whatever nonsense they have either been raised in or come to believe; regardless of how little they are educated in their beliefs.

What I get from them if it comes up, is that the bible says this or that, but they NEVER seem to know where the bible came from. How or why it was put together, just that it is to be accepted as the world of God, handed down to Man (yeah, I don't remember a lot of women being mentioned in history about this) from God himself (Yes, not herself, but Him Self).

I'm not sexist. History is. Religion has traditionally been. I don't personally see how any God could have or need sex. If God created God, or if God always existed, then tell me, "what's sex got to do with it?" as Tina Turner once asked. Maybe she was on to something there?

Anyway, my point in all this is, why are Christians so afraid as a whole, to experience life, but still hang on to their Faith? When I was a kid, the Catholic Newspaper used to tell us what movies we could see. Really? What is it we are so afraid of as believers?

So explain to me why a Christian cannot date or even marry someone not of their Faith. Sure it would be easier but I would actually think that being married to someone not of your Faith would tend to strengthen it on a daily basis. That is, if it were any kind of realistic belief, and not a Faith that falls apart as soon as you start looking at it. You would be praising your spouse every day for reinforcing your own beliefs as you would have a sounding board to bounce your beliefs off of, and proving your beliefs every day you are together. But instead, people hide from any kind of question of their Faith. I don't understand that. Isn't that what you do when you KNOW you are believing something fragile and probably false?

It would seem to me, that any true Christian would eventually because a tough and educated individual; one who would seek out the Truth because anyone would know that this is what God wants. To be justified, proven, carried forward and lived out in the open without fear of his teachings falling apart. These individuals would be fearing nothing and ready to take on any and all comers. But this is not what we see, is it? And even those who are like that, when called into debate at some point, always seem to run away. Because, if you think about it, if your Faith can be shaken, it's not that strong, or it's not that real, is it?

In the end it's not a matter of questioning one's Faith, but allowing one's Faith to be proved True. Because if you have the True Faith, handed down by God on High, how could you have any problems in the end?

See what I mean?

So consider that if you were to date someone who was different, if you were accepting, loving, considerate, patient, wouldn't you be giving your beliefs and religion the best bet for growing and proving itself as the right way to think? Pull your beliefs out of the darkness and show them in the light. Discuss them, update them, see the faults, see the strengths so you can truly believe. Because, we all know there are religions and beliefs out there that are total nonsense and the sooner we expose those and we all see what is closest to the Truth in the world, won't the world because a better place for it?

I think it would.

A girl, a story, a European trip, a Blue Fox fur and a sale

This is an odd story, with an odd ending. But it's a happy ending. Don't we all need happy endings from time to time? There's no photos in this one, but there kind of is at the end.

I have a friend. He has a lovely daughter. She has never been any trouble whatsoever. When she was a baby, people were amazed and charmed by her. People wanted to buy them dinner because of this baby girl. Entering restaurants, hostesses wanted to take her into show her to the cooking staff (no really, I saw this happen twice). She was an amazing child, beautiful and such a charmer. She went to events with her mother and father and charmed everyone she met, taking control of social situations unlike anyone I ever saw before at four years of age.

When his wife left him, it broke his daughter. His son from another previous marriage was celebrating as the wicked old step mother was gone forever and they had been embattled in a war for years. But the daughter, who always lived a bit in her imaginary world, was lost.

She created her own world which expanded over the years out of grade school into junior high and high school and that was where it all came tumbling down.

When her mother decided to move out, she took the daughter and didn't tell her what was happening until they were settled into another place, her mother's parent's beach house. She created a magical world where she counted for something. The mother and daughter had always been inseparable. But then the daughter hit junior high and something changed. She felt abandoned by her mother.

Her father was always there for her but the mother told stories about him. So the daughter felt disaffected and lost even though she didn't have to.

Her Mom tried marriage therapy after she moved out, she lasted nine months but was angry that the therapist didn't "fix" the marriage. Pity the therapist here. The deal was that the Mom demanded of the Dad that he get rid of his son. Then she would come back. But the Dad could only send the son to his mother who was an alcoholic and he wouldn't do it. He told the Mom that he chose to keep his son and his wife and daughter, all of whom he loved very much. But the Mom wasn't going to put up with that. The Dad chose a child over her, and so, it was over.

Once they agreed (actually the Dad said if the Mom wanted a divorce, he didn't but he wouldn't stand in her way any longer as he saw it was a lost cause. He knew he had last his love, the woman who told him years ago to take the word "divorce" and remove it from his vocabulary. He did. It took him five years but he learned to trust her. Five years beyond that, he now found himself in the middle of a divorce.

That next night, after they agreed on the phone to divorce, the Mom had a guy over for dinner. The daughter heard her say at the dinner table that it was so nice to cook again for someone. But she had not in nine months invited the Dad over for dinner, not once. The daughter was dropped off at the Dad's so he could take her to school the next morning and that was when the daughter told the Dad all about the dinner the night before. Dad smiled, said that was okay and he was happy Mom was enjoying herself. But inside, the Dad was cut, deeply. And so it went from then on.

Mom asked the daughter if she would give permission to date the man. The daughter said, Okay, because he seemed okay.

The Mom moved the daughter and herself into the man's party house on the beach, a rented million dollar house. Eventually, they bought a house near the Mom's Parent's beach house. One day, Mom got pregnant. They rushed to Vegas to get married, not telling the Daughter, not telling the Dad, just dropping the Daughter at the Parent's house.

So Mom remarried. But she never asked the Daughter's permission. The Daughter resented her for that ever since, because, if she would ask about the dating, shouldn't she have asked about the marrying? And according to the Daughter, permission wouldn't have been given. The Dad saw that one coming. He never asked the Daughter for permission to date. He just never brought anyone home, because he never found anyone to replace the Mom. Even though the kids badly wanted a new Mom around the house. But what is a Dad to do?

So, now the Mom has a baby. A new baby in the house. Suddenly Mom is happy again. But the Daughter is in Junior High and being forgotten. The Dad goes to all the concerts. He tried to go to the parent teacher conferences, but the Mom made it so uncomfortable and humiliating, he stopped going. But he went to everything else, and eventually the Mom stopped going.

The Daughter became Dad's Daughter, no longer being Mom's Daughter. But she still lived with Mom, and now, Step-Dad, and Half Sister, whom she loved anyway.

Then the break happened and she started to cut herself. She started to see and hear things. Scary things. She lost time. Did things she didn't remember. Then it got worse. Finally there were doctors involved. Psychiatrists. Mental Hospitals. It was a scary time. Daughter moved in full time with Dad.

But eventually, with Dad's help and a little of Mom's (although Dad went into debt and still it, he never got a dime from Mom to help). Daughter took college courses in high school. She finally graduated. Dad, taking a chance but thinking she'd earned it, paid for her to go to Paris with her best friend for a graduation present. More debt. But it was a healing experience. For everyone. She had a good time. She proved she could do it.

Then she fitfully started college and in the end dropped out. But she was an artist and had an eye for photography. She got very good internships. She learned, she painted, she played music. She was always very social, amiable, but she had trouble with her hallucinations, her lost time, her lies.

Eventually, she moved out, got a house with friends in Seattle. And the healing then really began. The hallucinations grew less frequent, less scary, the lies stopped. She was growing into an adult. She started to do music on the streets, with friends, travel to concerts, to events. She started to enjoy life. She had various jobs and one she loved and stayed with summer after summer.

Then she decided to go to Europe. She she earned the money to buy her plane ticket. But she needed more. So she took the Blue Fox Fur she got handed down to her from her Dad's Mom and put it on eBay.

And that is where it is now. There is an eBay sale for a Hudson Bay Blue Fox Fur that she needs to sell it to help pay for her trip (ending: Wednesday August 17, 2011 19:06:12 PDT). And so, if you know anyone who might want a Blue Fox Fur Coat, please feel free to say nothing about this, but bid on the coat and help a girl achieve her dream after a broken life that she is working hard to repair and live and enjoy. Even if you don't want a fur coat, this is one of those special things you can do to help someone who really deserves it.

This girl is going to be someone, something special. I know it. I don't know what she will end up being, but she is too talented, too liked by everyone she meets for it not to happen. And this is a chance to help someone achieve whatever that is going to be. Time is short.

As for the Mom and Dad?

Mom is still raising her replacement daughter. She left her new husband once but went back. I guess the thing with the musician didn't pan out. The ironic thing is that Mom said she went back to her marriage because of something a lovelorn Dad told her on the phone, that he wished the marriage hadn't broken up and regretted that. So she went back. Well, good for her... I think. Not sure if that's good for her spouse or not, but hopefully it's good for the new daughter.

I really like this family. Even more now that the Mom is out of the way, as things were always tense when she was about. Dad is still single. He dated some, had a girlfriend for a year or so but now he is working hard to try to switch his career from a technical one to the artistic one which he always wanted to do; but instead he stayed where the money was to support his wife's desires at a career that failed, and the children's needs and happiness as best he could. Now it's his time.

His Son (the Daughter's step-Brother) is working at a job he loves, where there is a grand piano at work that he can play on his breaks and he is happy; he just put a deposit on a room in a house where a few others live. The kids get along very well, by the way.

Dad is still looking for that right lady and I hope that one day soon, he finds her. Because like his daughter, he really deserves a good chance at happiness. I wish her well on her extended trip to Europe. It really sounds like she has planned out a Grand Adventure.

Tim Harford: Trial, error and the God complex

In the Undercover Economist column he writes for the Financial Times, Tim Harford looks at familiar situations in unfamiliar ways and explains the fundamental principles of the modern economy. He illuminates them with clear writing and a variety of examples borrowed from daily life. The Guardian says of him: "Harford's invitation to a fireside chat in No 10, if not issued already, cannot be far off..."

He gave a TED talk in July this year of 2011.

Part of his talk was about a doctor in a German prison camp named, Archie Cochrane. There was a disease in the camp and he helped to figure out how to combat it. But he found another disease, one that he also had and in the end labeled, "The God Complex". We have him to thank for recognizing this important consideration. The symptoms of the complex are, that no matter how complicated a problem, you have an absolutely overwhelming belief that you are infallibly right in your solution. This last of questioning yourself can be deadly. They say, "Question Authority" and that should include, yourself.

Tim goes on to talk about a study that is being done where 5,000 products are put into a database by the physicist Cesar Hidalgo. He's at MIT. He said, "Now you won't be able to understand a word of it, but this is what it looks like. Cesar has trolled the database of over 5,000 different products, and he's used techniques of network analysis to interrogate this database and to graph relationships between the different products." His point here is that at WalMart alone, there are 100,000 products, that the world is so complex, there is simply no way to know everything. And that as excellent a study as Cesar's is, we have to acknowledge we that the world is just too complex for us. That' doesn't mean we should give up, it means we need to include that into the calculations.


Tim continues with an explanation of how we solve problems now a days. Many times things are so complicated that we simply cannot calculate an answer, but have to calculate (if we can at all) and then simply use trial and error until we hit upon the best case scenario or fix. Which, is pretty sad.

Getting back to Archie, he found that there was a question as to whether patients after heart surgery should recuperate home, or in the hospital. Of course, Doctors said in the hospital. But was that right? The Doctors knew that hospitals were the right place for patients and that it was unethical to run any kind of trial or experiment.

"Nevertheless," Tim continues, "Archie managed to get permission to do this. He ran his trial. And after the trial had been running for a little while, he gathered together all his colleagues around his table, and he said, "Well, gentlemen, we have some preliminary results. They're not statistically significant. But we have something. And it turns out that you're right and I'm wrong. It is dangerous for patients to recover from heart attacks at home. They should be in hospital." And there's this uproar, and all the doctors start pounding the table and saying, "We always said you were unethical, Archie. You're killing people with your clinical trials. You need to shut it down now. Shut it down at once." And there's this huge hubbub. Archie lets it die down. And then he says, "Well that's very interesting, gentlemen, because when I gave you the table of results, I swapped the two columns around. It turns out your hospitals are killing people, and they should be at home. Would you like to close down the trial now, or should we wait until we have robust results?" Tumbleweed rolls through the meeting room"

In closing: "Shortly after the war, this young man, Yutaka Taniyama, developed this amazing conjecture called the Taniyama-Shimura Conjecture. It turned out to be absolutely instrumental many decades later in proving Fermat's Last Theorem. In fact, it turns out it's equivalent to proving Fermat's Last Theorum. You prove one, you prove the other. But it was always a conjecture. Taniyama tried and tried and tried and he could never prove that it was true. And shortly before his 30th birthday in 1958, Yutaka Taniyama killed himself."

"His friend, Goro Shimura -- who worked on the mathematics with him -- many decades later, reflected on Taniyama's life. He said, "He was not a very careful person as a mathematician. He made a lot of mistakes. But he made mistakes in a good direction. I tried to emulate him, but I realized it is very difficult to make good mistakes."