Clipmarks | Optimist Clips

Why Are You So Damn Happy?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:58:49 GMT

clipped by: RayWatkins
clipper's remarks: by Megan Hustad

In June, New York magazine asked the Class of ’09 to characterize their mental outlook. Seven percent identified themselves as pessimists and 81 percent placed themselves in the optimist camp. Drilled for specifics, a scant 2 percent said they believed their lives would be worse in five years, while a whopping 95 percent saw greater things ahead—a strong indication that some self-professed pessimists aren’t so gloomy after all. Indeed, looking on the bright side has become all but mandatory in our culture, Barbara Ehrenreich argues in her new book, Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.

“Well, Joel Osteen has a very special relationship with the deity. He just has to say things like ‘Thank you, God, for blessing me with the best parking spot.’ And he gets it. He also can get good tables in restaurants, using the same method.”

Reagan’s Unfinished Agenda

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:49:11 GMT

clipped by: sillysam

Clip Source: article.nationalreview.com

Madison and Tocqueville knew better (as Mansfield has warned us repeatedly over the last two decades), and would not have been surprised by the present crisis. The other person who would not have been surprised is Ronald Reagan. This sunny optimist also warned repeatedly that “freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” Reagan’s greatest frustration as president was his inability to control spending. In contrast to Pres. George W. Bush, Reagan vetoed several “budget-busting” bills in the course of his presidency, only to see many Republican members of Congress join Democrats in overriding his vetoes. This led Reagan, late in his second term, to recognize the wisdom of Mansfield’s Razor and to embrace a bold constitutional strategy that no one much remembers today.

optimist's

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:40:48 GMT

clipped by: heumee

Clip Source: ig.gmodules.com

I wake expectant, hoping to see a new thing.

- Annie Dillard

How far can you go to save your life?

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:15:14 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth

Clip Source: www.psychologytoday.com

What may we do to save ourselves?

August 19, 2009

How far can you go to save your life?

_{Here are two explorers. Let them be Penelope Pessimist and Ophelia Optimist. They are exploring some mountainous regions, when they become suddenly aware of a bear in the distance, a bear big and hungry and intent upon feeding - feeding upon them.}

_{The bear heads in their direction, picking up speed, anticipating a tasty explorer breakfast.}

_{‘We'd better run for it,' urges Ophelia Optimist.}

_{‘What's the point?' sighs Penelope Pessimist in despair at the bear. ‘There's no way we can outrun a bear.'}

_{‘No need to do that,' smirks Ophelia Optimist. ‘No need for us to outrun the bear - just for me to outrun you.'}

_{And with that, she was off.}

_{* * *}

_{What are we morally allowed to do to save our lives? Presumably Ophelia would not be permitted morally to trip up Penelope...}

I raise this question because in many parts of the world we do need to protect our lives, yet in doing so, we may endanger others.

Banned words, images, & topics from school text books

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:49:34 GMT

clipped by: kris_tea
clipper's remarks: This would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.

Goodness knows we don't want to portray women as being peaceful or warm or men as intelligent or logical.

Clip Source: www.aft.org

Banned Words, Images, and Topics
A Glossary that Runs from the Offensive to the Trivial

Horsemanship (banned as sexist, replace with riding skill)

Pollyanna (banned as sexist, replace with optimist)

Pop (banned as regional bias when referring to soft drink, replace with Coke, Pepsi [however, note that brand names are banned by California social content review guidelines])

Primitive man (banned as sexist, replace with primitive peoples)

Sect (banned as ethnocentric when referring to a religious group, unless it separated from an established religion)

Senior citizen (banned as demeaning to older persons)

Sickly (banned as demeaning reference to person with disabilities)

Snow ball (banned for regional bias, replace with flavored ice)

Snowman (banned, replace with snowperson)

Stereotyped Images to Avoid in Texts,Illustrations, and Reading Passages in Tests

Girls as peaceful, emotional, warm

Boys as strong, rough, competitive

Boys as intelligent, logical, mechanical

Ambrose again

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:21:11 GMT

clipped by: joturtle

Clip Source: quotes4all.net

Optimist: A proponent of the doctrine that black is white.

Ambrose Bierce

Forclosure Angel Foundation

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:32:12 GMT

clipped by: Budman38
clipper's remarks: There are some Angels out there in disguise, who would have ever believed it. This is a must check out.

Clip Source: foreclosureangelfoundation.com

The Foreclosure Angel Foundation was born when Marilyn Mock saw a need in November of 2008 to help her neighbor who was about to lose her home. With no where else to turn but the streets, their home went up on the auction block. Marilyn bought the home at the auction price and sold it right back to the owners at the now lower cost. Marilyn had a keen sense that “It could be me in that situation.” One major life change could rip her family from their home too. Ever the optimist, Marilyn thought that others in her community who saw this need would surely step up and help. She took desperate letters from families losing their homes to a function where her friends and acquaintances had expendable income

Tags: forclosure help

Machiavelli's Insight

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:48:16 GMT

clipped by: JICWyllie

Clip Source: www.canada.com

we know that the louder people shout, the less credibility they have. Climate scientists find themselves in this dilemma. I

"The human tragedy," wrote Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), "is that circumstances change, but man does not."

The desperation in the tone of their warnings has increased tenfold over the last couple of years.

Perhaps their position is nicely summarized by Guy Dauncey, a BC environmentalist, author and lecturer who, despite being extremely well-informed on these issues, persists in being an optimist about our prospects. In his EcoNews publication (June 2009), his optimism falters and his English propriety lapses when he writes, "Among those who are close to the climate science, the depth of the trouble we are in is enough to make you want to shit your pants. The general public has no idea how severe the looming emergency is

nor do most politicians."

they are measuring a widening chasm between the rate at which circumstances are changing and people are not.

Tags: 1-climate change, 1-denial, 2-consequences, 2-increase, 2-risks, 3-reported, 4-canada, 4-intl

Best Wisdom & Inspiration Quotes

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:05:45 GMT

clipped by: JackieDel

Clip Source: litemind.com

It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.

—Albert Einstein

I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education.

—Wilson Mizner

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.

—Daniel J. Boorstin

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

—William Arthur Ward

If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems. And that’s a big mistake.

—Frank Wilczek

You can never get enough of what you don’t really need.

—Eric Hoffer

Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.

—Alfred A. Montapert

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

—Oscar Wilde

It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.

—Alfred Adler

I hear: I forget / I see: I remember / I do: I understand

—Chinese Proverb

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

—Winston Churchill

Tags: quotes

Strategy and Planning for Internet Marketing

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:53:48 GMT

clipped by: gavinmountford
clipper's remarks: Been doing some research today to find some tools to help my team manage their online business. Found a great site which talks about strategy and planning to help you manage your downloads, mindmaps, ebooks, pdf's etc.

Looks pretty cool and I'm adding it as a resource for my organizing and planning section.

I don't know Alex Goodall, but he's got some great ideas, tips, tricks and advice for planning and managing your online business.

Take a look at his personal site http://alexgoodallinternetmarketing.com/about-alex/ and have a look at the clever mind map he's done about himself.

Clip Source: im-index.com

A comprehensive set of folders for organizing all your downloads, including all your niche content - enabling you to save time organizing and finding your downloads, and save money by not buying products you don't need

Clip Source: www.google.co.uk

Alex Goodall (AlexGoodall) on Twitter

Knowledge Analyst, Integralist, Perspectivist, Surreal Humourist, Optimist, Familyist, Social Marketingist, Internet Marketer, Knowledge Mapper (eg see ...
twitter.com/AlexGoodall - Cached - Similar -

optimist/pessimist interpretations

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:50:55 GMT

clipped by: joturtle

Clip Source: www.google.com

The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.
- James Branch Cabell

saying

Wed, 06 May 2009 16:45:21 GMT

clipped by: judianna

Clip Source: www.thepastwhispers.com

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to
change; the realist adjusts the sails.

Can't log in via TweetDeck?

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:03:44 GMT

clipped by: PatParslow
clipper's remarks: I have had this problem before, but then I was playing with a hand-rolled client, so I put it down to me being a numptie. On this occasion, though, I only had TweetDeck as an interface between me and Twitter...

...when "Not authorised". Hmm odd. So I tried to log in via the Twitter web site. "Sorry we have blocked your account because of too many failed log in attempts" (or words to that effect).

...Wait a while... and try again. Still blocked, so wait again... aaaand finally, still blocked.

Go to raise a ticket, only to find out you have to be logged in, so ever the optimist, tried logging in there instead. Success!

But TweetDeck still a no go.

OK, so from previous experience I changed my password and tried again. Still no joy.

When I got the Tweet below from @TraciKnoppe, I thought I may as well try the same thing again - and this time, it worked.

I guess something in Tweetdeck got screwed up, but I can't really imagine what - and I would be surprised if it ke

Clip Source: twitter.com

TraciKnoppe@PatParslow Try logging out & closing TD; log into Twitter web, reset password to something new, Open TD & try again.about 1 hour ago from TweetDeck in reply to PatParslow

Tags: not authorised, tweetdeck, twitter

Discordian Quotes

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:14:28 GMT

clipped by: jennette

Clip Source: www.poee.org

Nice computers don't go down...

Never judge a man till you have walked a mile in his shoes, 'cuz by then, he's a mile away, you've got his shoes, and you can say whatever the hell you want to.

If infinite rednecks fired infinite shotguns at an infinite number of road signs, they'd eventually create all the great literary works of the world in braille.

If you have to ask, you're not allowed to know.

A good man has few enemies. A ruthless man has none.

Clip Source: www.tvguide.com

<<Highlander

Clip Source: www.poee.org

Kill two birds with one stone. Feed the homeless to the hungry.

If you were everyone but one person i would listen to everyone else.

Hold on to freedom as long as you can, 'cause the girl in your cell might think she's a man

Life is the stuff that happens to you while you're making other plans.

A nudist is just a person in a one-button suit.

The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist is afraid that it is.

quotes

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:49:33 GMT

clipped by: mayormushroom

Clip Source: www.merel.us

Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

I don't mind going nowhere as long as it's an interesting path.

In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday

I always wanted to be a procrastinator, never got around to it.

I am having an out of money experience.

It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stopped laughing.

Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good.

Stupidity got us into this mess - why can't it get us out?

An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true.