There is a type of ranking that exists where attributes such as country of birth, language, skin color and place of education all contribute to your rank in society. This rank derives directly from your earning potential and can literally be traced back to an hourly rate, a young professional’s time is perceived as more valuable than that of a low income cleaner. From this we get to a point where a starving child in India has a lower worldwide ranking than that of a well fed American child.

I have an 18 years old daughter and I advice her to attend college or university. Why many people, including myself, take for grant that we should attend uni? My answer is: To be uniform, to talk the same language of business and science. Modern life is a huge process and the uni helps you to follow it. Without attending uni you're alienated from the system.
What is good about uni? To help you to think "inside the box"; for unforgettable parties, to have beer and some marijuana.
What the uni can't do for you? It does not help you to be creative (think out of the box), to be yourself (it teaches you to compete though).
I owe a lot to uni, it worked for me. Would you attend uni again?

Talking to friends we came to the realization that people that don't use Facebook essentially don't exist, instant messaging has been replaced by 'the wall' and email replaced by the Facebook inbox.

But when I look at facebook rationally I realize I get more spam and more noise on my facebook page than in my email, I'm forced to watch ads on on facebook and I'm giving huge chunks of my personal information to facebook Its time to take a stand and close your facebook account!

I am of the opinion that you can’t change a person to be how you want them to be. You cannot, nor should you try to, change another person. That is his or her job. Our job is to change the ways we communicate, react, and respond. We have the power to adjust our approach. With better communication we can more effectively give the support we seek, and in return, we will be more successful in getting the support we want as well.

I grew up on a large ranch owned by my family since the start of the century, both my Dad and his Father ran the ranch with the help of a few local men. When I was about 12 I was first involved with the yearly branding of the cattle, this is a very tough job that is pleasant for neither the people or the cattle. By the time the third or fourth cow had been man handled in to the crate and locked in it was in obvious distress and I was crying for all I was worth. The cow in the cage was so fearful that before the red hot brand was pushed on to its flank and the cow allowed to go free it twisted, slipped and broke its leg resulting in it ultimately being shot, my crying turned to wailing.

My Grandfather came over to me and smacked me, and told me to grow up and me a man, and I told him I hated seeing the fear in the cows eyes and he quickly shut me up and told me why I had to me a strong man.

His words; Everything around you, the animals on the ranch or the family in your home, the people in the street react to how you behave, my crying directly influenced the cattle they could sense my fear and became fearful and agitated which in tum would resulted in the cow in the cage injuring its self, every man in the corral felt the same but had the self control to hide their emotions of the sake of the other men and more importantly the welfare of the cattle.

Since that day I've tried to be the rock for my family, the hope and drive for my wife and to have the compassion to be a man around my animals.

I have to confess something : ( very sad, but true.) My youngest brother was about 8 years old and I was 12. He was a very "macho" kid; at his age he was already showing his passion for extreme sports and lot's of manly stuff, and not crying was part as well. One day I challenged him and told him that I did not believed a man could not cry, so I will make him cry. He told that he will not cry and he was ready for the challenge, so I took a toy,thanks God made out plastic, with the shape of a giant hummer, and start hitting his head. It sounds horrible, I know : (. What what I was thinking? He stand the pain for long till he cry and went to tell my mom what I did. I was smiling because I proved him that indeed man can cry. Please Cristian, forgive me; I had no good sense
all by then. Man please cry; bring your emotions out; it feels good!
I love you little brother

The "South Indian Monkey Trap" was developed by villagers to catch the ever-present and numerous small monkeys in that part of the world. It involves a hollowed-out coconut chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice inside which can be seen through a small hole. The hole is just big enough so that the monkey can put his hand in, but too small for his fist to come out after he has grabbed the rice.

Tempted by the rice, the monkey reaches in and is suddenly trapped. He is not able to see that it is his own fist that traps him, his own desire for the rice. He rigidly holds on to the rice, because he values it. He cannot let go and by doing so retain his freedom. So the trap works and the villagers capture him.

Perfectionists need to rethink their own values and decide whether they are going to continue to be trapped by these values or free themselves.

After living in the USA for 5 year I went to live in Germany. What a change... ; 0 ) The first time I went to buy groceries was a totally learning experience that I will never forget; it was one of those days that you'll like the earth opens and swallow you. It was January 2000; cold like hell in that specific day : (... There I was buying groceries for the first time in Germany, so I needed a lot of stuff. I filled 3 shopping carts; my kids were there helping me to push them. It was time to make the line and pay. I noticed how small the counter at the cashier was, and started thinking how the cashier will manage so many groceries. There were some people before me, but they went really fast since they had 3 or 4 things and so they pay and left. When the cashier saw me, she did an unpleasant face, and too bad I did not understand why. After all, I was buying a lot at this super market; "she should be pleased," I thought. She started ringing all my groceries as fast as she could because behind me the line was getting bigger and she was alone.
She rang one by one the things I was buying and piled all the groceries on that little counter.When the cart was emptied she put the things back to the cart, and started with the next and then finally, with lot's of work the last cart. By then the people behind me were very upset and asking for another cashier; many of them gave up by then. At that moment I started feeling very uncomfortable : ( .. I ask for grocery bags, but either she was not understanding or she did not have any available. Anyways she was in a hurry for me to pay, and then I gave my credit card. With little English she spoke she said: "Just cash Mrs. and no plastic shopping bags here in Germany."
There I was with my little kids, 3 full shopping carts that I could not pay, many observers, and a very mad cashier. I try to apologize in English, in Spanish and with the little Germany I knew, but nothing will pleased the cashier. "Sorry." : (
This experience will be in my memory for ever: I always have cash in my wallet and I never never forget my green-fabric-reusable shopping bags, here in USA or wherever in the world I go. The planet earth wanted me to have that experience for me to think not just on my needs, but in the planet's needs. Join me guys... get a green bag and take it with you everywhere you go!