Framing the debate

Cultura UCSC - Debates Interescolares UCSC

A child’s right to eat is not equal to a meal plan for all children in school.

You can have a speech: „We don’t know why we are debating the right to eat a proper meal for all children, even poor ones”.

Well, that’s not what we’re debating, we’re debating the meals for all the kids at lunch at school.

The two things are not the same.

See, if you say „Poor children deserve to be well fed”, that’s a subject, but if you say „All the children need to be fed at school”, that’s a different topic.

For the first scenario, there are some specific solutions (like just some kids to eat at school, or giving money only to the poor children), for the second scenario, there are other solutions (food in school for all of the children).

Framing the question correctly is highly important.

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How to do weather forecast?

Follow-up: Frumusețea vremii celei rele (2019.01.26, București - zone centrale)

I watch, from time to time, what’s on the Romanian weather forecast on TV.

Some observations:

  • Lots of emphasis on Europe – what’s the weather in France for the next 24 hours? But they only show a map of Europe, and, of course, it’s got little details. If you show „Sun” in France for the next 24 hours, there might be some differences that you didn’t catch.
  • For Europe – I would appreciate both a more detailed look and, also, a longer timeframe.
  • When they present Romania, again, there’s little shown – just a few counties, not all of Romania.
  • Again, the weather forecast for 10 days? You’ll likely not see it.
  • Sometimes the presenter stays on the screen in such a way that they’re obscuring the view.
  • I’m not sure what the role of the presenter would be. If they would just show a map of Europe, with evolution for 10 days, then a detailed map of Romania, with evolution for 10 days, then I wouldn’t need the presenter.
  • Whenever I want to find the weather, I go to the Internet and find it a much more reliable source than watching TV at so-and-so-hours. TV is more entertaining, but for speed, usefulness, and ability to understand the broad image – online is much better.

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We want a review!

Phạm Hồ Thanh - Review

When someone comes to your blog, saying „We want a review!”, what they really mean, a lot of times, is „We want a praise!”.

It’s not 100%, of course, but it happens more often than not, that when people ask for a review, they mean they only want to hear the positive parts.

It’s natural, I don’t blame anyone, all I’m saying is you need the ability to make a distinction between the request and the actual request (they’re different, as similar as they can appear).

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Finding models

Jesus Christ - a fictional movie Last Days in the Desert (2015) - IMDb 2017.01.27 A lie hurts the person who tells it

I try to listen to new people, to get different perspectives.

On the other hand, if I am to follow someone on various channels, they need to give me good ideas – it’s rare to find someone to reach this single criterion.

Notice, I didn’t say the person I listen to needs to be smart. I met some speakers who gave me ideas, but, at the same time, I don’t consider all of their ideas valid.

Also, you can be a good mathematician, but you need some presentation skills to get the message across.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a broad knowledge on the world, or the ability to connect ideas. But they’re not mandatory.

So, when listening to a presentation, I try to put a single criterion – „The speaker gives me ideas”.

Two types of focus:

  • Listen to as many new people as possible.
  • Listen, again and again, on repeat, to the people that give me ideas.

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Watching movies

Ashok Boghani - Abnormal growth

It’s quite easy to go and watch a movie. Also, watching sports. Also, browsing the Internet.

It’s hard to get to work – create a script, do a review of a movie, make a comparison between movies. Doing sport, coaching others, create a team strategy. Writing things for the Internet, composing music, creating videos, or writing blog posts.

You need to read in order to be a good writer. Watching other people play sports can improve your skills in that sport. Browsing online may give you some ideas on what the trends are.

But if you never stop consuming, and avoid creating, you might find you’ll grow slower.

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