How to Win the Ovarian Lottery

Un articol frumos si interesant...

Warren Buffett popularised (coined?) the phrase “ovarian lottery”. It’s the idea that fate plays a part in your success, because being born in a certain place makes a huge difference in the outcome of your life.

Here’s how Buffett describes it in The Snowball, the most comprehensive biography of his life:

I’ve had it so good in this world, you know. The odds were fifty-to-one against me born in the United States in 1930. I won the lottery the day I emerged from the womb by being in the United States instead of in some other country where my chances would have been way different.

Imagine there are two identical twins in the womb, both equally bright and energetic. And the genie says to them, “One of you is going to be born in the United States, and one of you is going to be born in Bangladesh. And if you wind up in Bangladesh, you will pay no taxes. What percentage of your income would you bid to be the one this is born in the United States?” It says something about the fact that society has something to do with your fate and not just your innate qualities. The people who say, “I did it all myself,” and think of themselves as Horatio Alger – believe me, they’d bid more to be in the United States than in Bangladesh. That’s the Ovarian Lottery.

But you want to know the greatest thing about the ovarian lottery?

You’ve already won it.

At this moment you’re reading this article and that means a few things:

* You have an internet connection.
* You can read.
* You have more opportunity than most of the world.

But it’s not all peaches and cream. Now you have that dreaded word: responsibility. You’ve won, yes, but now what about all the people whose numbers didn’t come up?

There’s some statistic like most lottery winners end up bankrupt within a few years, or something along those lines. Their winnings go to waste and they end up worse off than someone who wasn’t given such a clear opportunity. The same goes for the ovarian lottery.

Being born in a 1st world country, even if you’re at the bottom of the economic ladder gives you millions of chances to learn, grow and do something remarkable with your life. Yet most people waste it. They go to a job they hate, hang out with hope-sucking vampires, and then waste up to 8 hours per day in front of the boob tube. And what’s worse is that they complain! On and on with the complaining.

But now you know you’ve won the ovarian lottery and you’re going to take the opportunity that’s been given.

Congratulate yourself. This is cause for celebration. What can’t you do now? Nothing is impossible when you understand the leg up you’ve been given. Feel liberated. Seriously. Right now. Feel the awesomeness flowing through your veins.

Do something remarkable with your life. Discover your life’s purpose and live it. Want to be a writer? Write. Want to be an artist? Create art. Want to travel? Travel. Excuses and reasons against fulfilling dreams won’t go away. Break free now.

Alleviate suffering. In the words of Buddha:

“If you have little, give little; if you own a middling amount, give a middling amount; if you have much, give much. It is not fitting not to give at all. Kosiya, I say to you, ‘Share your wealth, use it. Tread the path of the noble ones. One who eats alone eats not happily.”

But giving doesn’t have to be entirely economic. I aim to give with my writing as well as my wallet. I love solving problems, and if in 40 years I’m still helping people solve problems I’ll be a very happy man. My words may not feed a starving child (that’s where the wallet comes in) but I envision a future where by my advice could spark charitable giving and create the change that’d I’d like to see.

Sursa: http://www.davidturnbull.com

Moda la Praga

7 Children’s Books Worth Reading as an Adult

Charlotte’s Web

By E. B. White.

“It’s such a great story of friendship and sacrifice,” says Ilene Abramson, director of children’s services for the Los Angeles Public Library and a member of a book club that reads only children’s books.


Eloise

By Kay Thompson

Who wouldn’t love to run free inside the Plaza Hotel?


A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning

By Lemony Snicket

Not your typical kids’ book, it has plot lines similar to those of Charles Dickens, but funnier.



The Tale of Peter Rabbit

By Beatrix Potter

Also starring Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Surprisingly, “a lot of people haven’t read it, and it’s a charming little book,” says Abramson.




A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L’Engle

This fast-paced sci-fi novel follows three children on a trip through time in search of their father.




Bunnicula

By James Howe

Whether it’s twilight or the middle of the day, the tale of the vegetarian vampire bunny will brighten your mood.




The Story of Ferdinand

By Munro Leaf

The lovable bull eats the grain and goes against it. Take a cue from Ferdinand and nap under a tree the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Genial..clasic romanesc!

Christmas Eggnog

Reteta de la mama ei...


12 egg yolks
5 cloves, whole
4 cups milk
4 cups cream
3 cups light rum
1+ ¾ cups sugar
2+ ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
¾ teaspoon nutmeg, ground

In a saucepan over low heat, blend the milk, cinnamon, cloves and half a teaspoon of the vanilla essence.
Keep stirring while mixture heats, and remove from heat just before boiling point.
In a bowl, mix together the sugar with all those egg yolks.
Make sure you whisk them well so that they're light and fluffy.
Gently and a little at a time, pour in the milk mixture while continuing to whisk.
Transfer mixture back into your saucepan over a medium heat while continuing to stir.
Keep stirring until your eggnog mixture starts to resemble custard.
Never let the mixture to reach boiling point!!
Pour and strain the mixture into a jug, making sure to remove the cloves.
Stand jug in the fridge for an hour or two.
Gently stir in the cream, light rum, remaining vanilla and ground nutmeg.
Put back into the fridge overnight.
Serve in cups with a little extra ground nutmeg, cinnamon or baking cocoa sprinkled lightly on top.

Serves: 8.

Bleach is rocking the new series

Pt fanii Bleach care insa s-au saturat de fillere a inceput o serie noua care e fantezia oricarui impatimit- Shinigamii se bat cu propriile lor sabii. That's right sabiile lor - Zanpaktou - se materializeaza si urmeaza a full-on fight.

Daca nu v-ati uitat sau nu sunteti fani anime, just try it - este seria care got me addicted si bataliile si ideile din spatele lui sunt mindblowing. Nu mai vb de grafica!

Regal Tudor Gheorghe…Degeaba!?

Mult mi-a luat dar am ajuns in final sa-l vad live dupa 18 ani.

Vineri seara, pe 18 decembrie am fost la un spectacol special al lui Tudor Gheorghe, comemorand 20 de ani de la revolutie. M-am simtit foarte mandra, in primul rand pentru ca el este oltean si eu olteanca si pentru ca a cantat impreuna cu orchestra si corul filarmonicii din Oltenia.

It was like – muzica simfonica meets teatru meets un cenaclu de poezie – un show deosebit bine inchegat, complet cu un umor fin si intepator…pour les connaiseurs. Sincer, am oscilat intre lacrimi de tristete si de ras in timp ce artistul a cantat despre eroii de la revolutie dar si la caterinca engaging la adresa parlamentarilor vietii politice si celebrelor plovere de la revolutie.

Sub bagheta lui Marius Hristescu, orchestra a cantat desavarsit si s-a coordonat foarte bine cu corul, o prestatie net superioara celei de la concertul Angelei Gheorghiu cu orchestra filarmonicii Bucuresti.

Sunt inca in transa si as putea sa scriu pagini intregi. As mai avea doar o curiozitate… oare cati olteni erau in sala la spectacolu asta..asa ca statistica ;))