Wednesday 15 July 2009

Part of my DNA - an inventor



The cool guy sitting is my mothers grandfather. He was born in Sweden, but suddenly had to leave the country. He moved to USA (1910) - leaving his pregnant girlfriend in Sweden. The child (Arvid) became my grandfather.




After a few years in US David Oscar got married to Matilda and they had two sons. The families in US have very many memories and stories kept of this "Swede". When he lived in Sweden his name was David Oscar Svensson - but changed Svensson to Seaburg in the US.

David Oscar invented things and came up with new ways of doing things. My grandfather Arvid (David Oscars son) was also a sort of inventor and new-thinker. Not like Edison or Nobel of course. Not very famous. But they did come up with new ways of doing their job. Always improving things. Simplifying. Always having another way of dealing with problems.

They were supported by their wifes of course! Getting and having support is important for inventors. As well as for all of us.

Anyway, I like the picture of David Oscar and his smile and cigar. Trying to impress the viewers of the photograph? Thinking about what?

And I like the idea that I have some of his DNA in me....

Monday 13 July 2009

Really relaxing...

In order to really relax I need to get distracted. I need to get all my senses occupied. Let myself be immersed.
Then I can start to relax. See new patterns. See new people. Learn about myself.
Yesterday I spent watching car race. Noisy, smelly, exciting and lots of people. And as you can imagine, VERY relaxing.

Saturday 11 July 2009

One error gets attention...

2+3=5
5+6=11
3+4=7
5+2=7
1+1=2
3+5=9
8+4=12
1+3=4

Many persons find it very easy to spot the "error" and wonder if it is intentional. Or just an error.

Focus is drawn to the single error.

But, in the list there are seven "rights" as well. And still we let our focus be the one error.

And yet we often think to "reward whats right" to foster and teach. Seems that this is harder than we think; to focus on the "rights" instead of the "wrongs".

Are we looking for perfection? There should be no error at all? Maybe, but then we have to remember we are always learning and growing. And making "errors" and mistakes should be allowed.

To be able to really focus on the "rights" we need to focus! Do not let the single error take away all the good things!

Test yourself: Imagine your child coming home with a test-score 9 right of 10. What is your first thought? Would you like to know what the error was? Or would you be happy for the 9 correct ones?

(Can't remember in what book I first saw this "trick".)

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Small thought.

Nano technology means very little to me.

Saturday 4 July 2009

Fuel

'Lack of fuel' is fuel for the innovation engine.

Thursday 2 July 2009

1+1 is not 2

We often view "1+1=2" as a fact. But...

Many times 1 + 1 is not 2. On the light side you can add one rabbit to one rabbit and end up with a whole rabbit family.

You can also add a piece of string to another piece of string - and just get a longer piece of string. And adding one chaos to another chaos will most likely only get you bigger chaos. Not two chaoses. (Thanks, @seabird20)

If you read two newspapers you don't get twice as much news. Sometimes the information cancels out altogether (Thanks, @richardveryard)

And one hull plus one hull are not always two hulls. Sometimes it is a catamaran.

Back to the "serious math"...

1+1=10 if we do it in binary number system.

And if we have a clock-system with the "hours" 0 and 1 only the "1+1" will become "0". (Just like 08:00 plus 9 hours will become 5...)

And we also need to pay attention to what "+" means. How we use "+" to add number is a rule in the number system we have agreed upon.

And what number system are we using? Is the "1" belonging to the set of N or Z? Or real numbers? Are the first "1" the same as the second "1".
When using computers and Float numbers 1 + 1 do not always add upp to 2, due to representation of floating numbers.

So, very seldom is 1+1 = 2

And by the way. If you have one hungry lion and add three rabbits you will not get four live animals. You will get ONE less hungry lion.

To see that 1+1 is anything but 2 can be very advantageous. If you only find "2" as the right answer you miss a lot of opportunities....