Change Happens - Vol. 123 - by William

And Change Happens

Change Happens - Vol. 123

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-8:58

Change Happens - Vol. 123

Have a great day, find your way

William

Apr 06, 2025

Transcript

from the walls of the digital cave

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

When is away the direction to run?

fight or flight 
or stay out of sight
does it bite
it's your right
to know
when it might
with no invite
without the light
in the dark of night
grow

into

the rhythm of the run, the beat  
and music of the getting away,
the monster found you hiding,
and it's too big to stay and slay

 so
into the day
have your say 
without delay
it's okay 
to go
away

Everything and Nothing
Lao Tzu only wrote a single sentence about Yin and Yang, but it changed philosophy forever

" No person is one thing. The kindest person you know has a tiny recess of cruelty in them. The happiest person you have ever met will have their depressive moments. The gentlest person you can think of can be filled with rage by one particular thing. There is no purity of any kind; life is a messy cocktail of things.

This is the truth behind one of the most famous symbols (and tattoos) in the world: the Yin and Yang. "

Yin and Yang, the single greatest simplification of existence ever. So I say. In this, there is a bit of that. In that, there is a bit of this.
Both duality and non-duality, neatly illustrated by a perfect little symbol. Not only for your hippie cousins; something also for the curmudgeon who is forced to smile on occasion.
It’s good to consider that everything whole contains good and bad, right and wrong, this and that. That we aren’t in error when we find no easy answers.

Stretch for life
Ways to improve your mobility

" From 2002 to 2011, Brazilian researchers tracked 2,000 people aged 51 to 80 who had taken part in a test requiring them to sit on the floor from standing, then get back up, all without using their hands, knees or arms. Over the following nine years, those who failed this 'sitting-rising test', whatever their age, were five to six times more likely to die earlier. "

A while back there was a viral mobility challenge, or so I’m told. I find viral challenges easy to ignore. It was a sitting/rising test, and it’s quite difficult to do.
This is a nice article that lays out a path to being able to complete this test. But more importantly, it gives you some very basic, easy to accomplish, exercises presented in a manner that’s not daunting or makes you feel like, well, I’m never going to be able to do that. Exercises that will benefit you greatly, whether you can do the surprisingly difficult sit/stand or not.
It’s a gentle way to improve your mobility, which will no question improve your quality of life as you meander along.

Not guessing
When I lost my intuition

" Yet, it is when professionals lose their intuition that its mystical value shines through. For, in tough cases, when facts are lacking and the path forward is unclear, intuition arrives like a revelation. Intuition is an article of faith we assent to when reason has reached its limits. Belief in that revelation is what puts intuition on an altogether different plane of cognitive experience. There can be no relation between intuition and reason, not because they work through different sides of the brain. Instead, it is like the difference between the infinite and the finite; the infinite is out of all proportion to the finite, so that no comparison or analogy can be established between them. "

This was a great article, I really enjoyed it. It’s this week’s journey into the Nerd forest.
An interesting article written by an anaesthesiologist who’s discussing how he lost his intuition. He discusses the role he feels intuition plays in activities that require high level cognition.
He looks at the history of the study of intuition. How we have tried to take it away from a place of hocus-pocus voodoo flashes of inspiration and create a science of certainty around it.
His take on it is that intuition is actually a revelation. It’s a moment where preparation and understanding meet, and you know what you need to do.

April 4, 1975
Microsoft
The main reason Linux was needed is founded

Wiki Rabbit Hole

" Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. It rose to dominate the personal computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by Windows. During the 41 years from 1980 to 2021 Microsoft released 9 versions of MS-DOS with a median frequency of 2 years, and 13 versions of Windows with a median frequency of 3 years. The company's 1986 initial public offering (IPO) and subsequent rise in its share price created three billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires among Microsoft employees. "

Competing diversions
A Brief History of Sports

" The documented history of sports goes back at least 3,000 years. Sports originated in ancient Greece. The world's first sports often involved the preparation for war or training as a hunter, which explains why so many early games involved the throwing of spears, stakes, and rocks, and sparring one-on-one with opponents. "

A fun article giving a little synopsis of all the major sports in the world and their origins. It’s kind of interesting to see when and how they all began.
For anyone with a passing interest in our endless desire to measure ourselves physically against one another.
And for anyone who likes to blurt out an obscure factoid to counter those awkward silences in a pub.

Spies among
Historical Figures You Probably Didn’t Know Were Spies

" What do Julia Child, Paul Revere, and Harriet Tubman all have in common? Each played a crucial role in the clandestine world of espionage and intelligence. Though we might know them for their shows, fashion, or fiction, each of these famous figures on our list once led double lives in the shadowy world of espionage. "

Anytime I get a chance to include Harriet Tubman in Change Happens, I most certainly do.
This week, she is found on a list of people that you may not have known were spies.
So it’s kind of a fun tour through some famous people and the roles that they played in the various wars and global machinations.

Ape strong
How Strong is a Gorilla?

" Gorillas, the largest members of the great ape family, are renowned for their immense strength and powerful physiques. Sharing approximately 98% of their DNA with humans, they represent a fascinating blend of similarities and striking differences. Their muscular build and unique adaptations make them one of nature’s strongest animals, capable of feats that far surpass human capabilities. "

This week in the animal kingdom: How strong is a gorilla. Very strong.
It’s an entertaining look at these incredibly powerful beasts. Their herbivore diets should give any wannabe he-man or woman pause to rethink the input needed to become lord or lady of the gym.