Ted.com comes up with yet another interesting video interlude with Rory Sutherland: Life Lessons from an Ad Man.

Advertising adds value to a product by changing our perception, rather than the product itself. Rory Sutherland makes the daring assertion that a change in perceived value can be just as satisfying as what we consider “real” value — and his conclusion has interesting consequences for how we look at life.

I think this is dead right, since many things have pretty much the same technical value, but why is it that iPods are so valued, when most other MP3 players can do most of the same things? Why do folks buy Pepsi instead of Coke (and vice versa)?

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Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works — sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.

A very interesting talk, well worth watching (yes it has very little to do with Personal Finance, but remember if your child is diagnosed as having a different mind, you may be able to get a Disability tax exemption for them).

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I wish all the Canadian Athletes good luck, and let the games begin! Hopefully it will snow in Vancouver, before the games are over!

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He found a KGB hacker, even though his expertise is in Astronomy, but he decided to figure out how all this Internet thing works, and became a techno-sleuth while doing it. His frenetic pace and stacato delivery is both wild but also refreshing to hear (OK I don’t think I could work with him, he might drive me nuts, but he is still an amazing person to listen to).

Clifford Stoll captivates his audience with a wildly energetic sprinkling of anecdotes, observations, asides — and even a science experiment. After all, by his own definition, he’s a scientist: “Once I do something, I want to do something else.”

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I am very thankful for all the amazing things that have been given to me in the year 2009.

• A new career start
• A new niece
• Good Health
• Good Friends

My life has always been blessed and this year was another great year for me.

What comes for 2010? I have no idea, but I pray it is a good one.

Happy New Year 2010!

Man that was a tiring year

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Merry Christmas to All!

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Where these stories come from is always amazing, and I thank the NFB for making them available on line.

While the townspeople in the village square raucously celebrate Christmas, a homeless man rescues a discarded box from the garbage. The box turns out to be magical, and it takes him on a spiritual journey far more fantastic than any of the villagers are likely to experience.

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I said it, I meant it.

Think about it, most men go to the Doctor when their arm falls off or their skin turns purple (i.e. never). “I’ll just walk it off”, or “Nothing to worry about”, are typical excuses by men, who believe that going to the doctor is a sign of being a Wuss.

I don’t remember who wrote this, but she was female, and she pointed out that if men poop’ed blood, they’d simply go to the bathroom with the lights off, so they wouldn’t have to see it (I have to agree with that one).

Then the MIRACLE of E.D. medications arrived. All those men who felt that somehow their virility was not what it should be, now started to flock to their Doctors to get themselves a “little blue pill” (or whatever the other pills look like).

How did this stunted (if not weird) conversation go between patient and Doctor?

Patient: Hey Doc.
Doctor: Hey Mr. X haven’t seen you since you stepped on that board with the rusty nail and got gangrene in your foot, what was that like 10 years ago?
Patient: Yeh Doc, I’ve been kind of busy, but I wanted to talk to you about a problem I’ve been having.
Doctor: Really Mr. X? What kind of problem might that be…..
{fill in your favorite uncomfortable explanation about how Mr. X.’s plumbing does not work the same as it did when he was 18}
Doctor: Well, I think we can do something for you, but I’ll have to give you a complete physical first.
Patient: What for?
Doctor: Well, if you have heart problems, or high blood pressure and I give you this medication you might die.
Patient: I guess so Doc, if I might die…

That is why Men may start living longer, because they want to have the ability to bang a nail in without a hammer. Their view that their partners will not love them unless they can do something for 4 hours, that most folks don’t do for more than 3 minutes.

An entire industry is now created around men wanting the ability to hang their hats without a nail, and due to this, there is a better chance Men will live longer. Yes, we men are a very complicated species to understand, but at least now we know what might motivate us to go to the Doctor more than once every 20 years (aside from our Doctor’s having a stunningly beautiful receptionist).

Health is more important than wealth, but most men don’t figure that out until they are very unhealthy (and can’t get back to healthy easily either). Work on your wealth, but remember without health, all you are doing is making sure your estate has lots of money for your kids.

Go see your Doctor, if you haven’t seen him (or her) in more than 5 years.

If they could figure out this kind of association for Financial Health, just think where we might be?

Christmas Laziness and Cheer

I am planning on doing a Top 10 postings for the Christmas/New Year stretch (given I may or may not be around), so if you have any suggestions for this kind of a list (top 10 for this year), please leave a comment with a title or story you may have particularly liked (written by me, that is).

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Every time any of the monkeys steps on to the ladder attempting to get at the bananas (or up the side of the cage), fire a water cannon dislodging the errant monkey but also blast every other monkey in the cage with the water cannon. Continue doing this for a few days, and more likely, no monkey will attempt to get the bananas from the top of the cage (which you should replace when they start to rot). (you do feed the monkeys, but in a controlled fashion)

Remove 1 of the subject monkeys and add a new one to the group, that monkey will naturally attempt to get at the hanging bananas, however, the water cannon most likely will not be needed, as the other monkeys in the group will stop this monkey from getting at the bananas (for fear of reprisal). Continue to replace the subject monkeys over a period of time and by the time all the original monkeys have been replaced, the Organizational Thinking of not going after the hung bananas will permeate all of the new monkeys and no one will attempt to get these bananas.

A very good explanation of how Organizational Behaviour needs to be challenged every time it is made evident.

Why am I posting this? Sometimes you really need to question why things are done to understand whether the system has a bunch of monkeys and water cannons as part of their methodology (much like many of the Mutual Fund companies I hear about). Never stand for anyone explaining something to you as simply, “That’s the way we have always done it”, when they are dealing with your money, especially. Understand what your money is doing, don’t be afraid of the water cannon!

I also posted this story because I really like this analogy.

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Christmas is coming, and this makes it feel that much closer. The Church at the beginning looks remarkably like the Church I attended in Montreal (and yes I was a Choir Boy in a younger life).

Stanley Jackson, Wolf Koenig, Terence Macartney-Filgate, 1958, 29 min 3 s

A black-and-white short documentary about Christmastime in Montreal. The milling crowds, department store Santas, Brink’s messengers, kindergarten angels and boisterous nightclubs – all combine to make a vivid portrait of the holidays.

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