Come out to Fiction Night Club in Kingston, Jamaica this Wednesday for BNM – Ready, Set, Go! Brand New Machine, the hosts of this event are official sponsors of my Race Around Jamaica 2012 Campaign. As part of the Campaign I will be entering Dexterity events around the island starting April 22nd to win the National Championship. More Details to come after the Launch.

FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/312374395502600/

I won’t continue rambling into who knows what, I will just share what I realised on the beach:

Sometimes we complicate things. It’s always unnecessary. Sometimes people do it to add self worth, or to feel important. Some do it because they are bored with life. Who knows how many reasons there are. Fact is people need to stop doing it.

The struggle is real, but not that real. I find I do this alot, constantly put myself in positions to push harder. Not to say we must not always try to achieve more, but sometimes mentally we get so used to this push push, that we just make things hard for ourselves. Sometimes it is ok to take it easy, to not worry, to just be at rest. We all need it at some point. My uncle calls this the sufferer mentality, my mother calls it madness. The point is, break free from your cycle.

Finally, focus on the value of life, not what you do in life. I think that’s pretty self explanatory.

Until next time…….

BTW I know this is a pretty boring read without pictures. Hush.

What’s new?

Well several things. This should probably be broken into several posts but……. well maybe I will do that later.

In January we successfully had Slash Roots Developers Conference, which is also the Developing Caribbean Open Data Conference. This was held simultaneously in Jamaica, Trinidad and The Dominican Republic. Check the details at http://developingcaribbean.org Much props to the organising team and MSB for pulling off this event.

February brought many challenges. In the space of one month I lost my Grand Aunt and Grandfather. Very difficult time. I think I will have to do several posts on this. Both of them achieved great things technically and introduced technology to Jamaica. But most importantly they are family and friends.

During this process I was also reminded of the lesson to keep the balls juggling. I nearly lost a major customer due to things falling behind during this difficult time. Lesson learned. No man is an island, we all need help and we all need to appreciate those who help us. Also communication with customers is key.

March so far has been very busy, not much I can speak about due to NDA’s. However I can tell you I was invited to lecture at UTech on March 5 and 8 on innovation and how it promotes entrepreneurship. Much thanks to Lisa Shaw for inviting me, I had a blast interfacing with the third and final year students. So many students planned to start their own business and some even shared their ideas with me. Really cool stuff, right here in Jamaica. Look out world!

Big event for March so far was rolling during a rally on March 4. I was co-driving for Thomas Hall in his Toyota Starlet. Basically we went around the corner sliding a little wide, the back tyre caught a rock and we started the tumble. Thankfully we are both fine with no injuries. Thomas is trying to get the car repaired for the next event. In the mean time we have to buy new safety gear. Photo below:

Sorry about the long read. I have installed the WordPress app on my tablet. Will try doing some shorter, more frequent updates for the rest of the year. In the mean time, live long and prosper!

I read this interesting study on whether talent or hard work counts for the most in achieving success. of course, hard work won out over talent. Here are some excerpts:

People of great accomplishment tend to be highly intelligent. Yet, the view that creative geniuses accomplish more on account of their inherent ability does not stand up. When intellectually gifted children were followed up in middle age, their creative achievements were astonishingly small according to a celebrated study by Lewis Terman. High intelligence may be necessary for creative accomplishment but it is clearly not sufficient. Achievement in most creative fields calls for a lot of work and effort. Mastery requires many years of single-minded pursuit. Music and performance arts are something of an exception where child stars emerge much more quickly thanks, presumably, to specialized talents with which they may indeed be born given that musical ability runs in families. For most other endeavors, achievement is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.

The concept of genius is nothing but comforting fiction. For it helps explain why most of us do not achieve at the highest level in our chosen field: we are not geniuses. The trouble is that there is little compelling evidence in psychology for any such latent superiority. The concept of the genius may be comforting to the rest of us. Yet, it remains a fiction. 

But the following excerpts on IQ and financial success were also very interesting:

An interesting article by the economist Garett Jones of George Mason University on “National IQ and National Productivity,” essentially shows that a nation’s intelligence level is associated with a number of important economic outcomes. (Me: hence what is happening in Ja. with our educational abyss within the general population.) In the article, Jones stresses that “policymakers should include measures of national average IQ when reporting a nation’s level of human development” as at present no nation appears to do so. He also points out that one way of raising a nation’s IQ level is to allow smarter immigrants into the country. (Me: This is not a new concept, for years company’s have sought the brightest employees that they can get to increase their growth and profitability. Look at Apple. Or even IBM, worldwide as here in Ja., which has kept IBM relevant.)

Now psychologists Heiner Rindermann of Chemnitz University of Technology and James Thompson of University College London have published a paper in the journal Psychological Science on the concept of “Cognitive Capitalism: The Effect of Cognitive Ability on Wealth, as Mediated Through Scientific Achievement and Economic Freedom.” The authors examined cognitive ability datasets from over 90 countries to show that average IQ is essentially the decisive factor of human capital and that it is really the top 5% of a country’s population – or the smart fraction - that largely impacts a nation’s wealth. The authors write that “Cognitive ability influences wealth through its effects on high achievement …” (Me: that is high achievers are generally smarter people. As the first paragraph says: People of great accomplishment tend to be highly intelligent.)

Dr. Rindermann told me that because the modern cognitive demands of work and everyday life are growing, essentially “wealth has become cognitive wealth,” and in particular “high ability wealth” or the smart fraction of the population is what matters.  It is the absolute ability level of this fraction of the population that makes the difference (to a country’s wealth).

The article then goes on to speak of China — with a larger ‘smart fraction’ of people — as compared to the USA and the inevitable outcome.

Do you agree?

http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/15/12-dozen-places-to-self-educate-yourself-online/

It features 12 dozen places to educate yourself online. Personally I am a fine of MIT’s Open Courseware, but the link lists several other sources covering:

• Science and health
• Business and money
• History and world culture
• Law
• Computer science and engineering
• Mathematics
• English and communication
• Foreign and sign languages
• Plus More

Hope you enjoy!

Debit and Credit Card Spending Data

Customer Address Data

Customer Cash Flow Data

Customer Salary Data and Company Payroll Uploads

Merchant Machines

Customer Loan Data

ATM Locations and transaction data

Most people bank with a single bank, so do most companies. Regardless of that fact, thanks to ATM’s, merchant machines and loans, banks have some access to other bank’s client info. I am not sure if banks already do this, but say you want a small business loan to open a business in an area. You provide a business plan to the bank outlining your target market and projections. The bank could run a report detailing similar businesses that their customers have bought from in the area, how many of their customers in the area match your target market and the spending power of people in the area based on ATM withdrawals.

Ever heard of Foursquare? It allows businesses to see who checked into their venue, great for customer service, but suppose the bank could provide you with a report on where your customers came from based on addresses linked to credit and debit cards? That info requires no user input besides their normal purchase. It could also show how often they come, how much they spend etc. This data is so valuable and can be shared without infringing on an individual’s privacy (as long as names and exact areas are not shared).

Currently some stores keep customer accounts which partially gives them this information, but what is the incentive for users to sign up? The more user input needed the lower the success rate of collecting the data. I also think individuals should be able to run reports on their spending habits. I try to carry cash as little as possible, so most transactions are done using plastic. Why can’t I run a report on where I spent the cash by category (food, auto, utilities) and where in the island or overseas (online vs. local). I should even see ads on my online banking showing me similar stores closer to my home (so I can save money and time travelling).

Overall Banks can provide reports based on industries and cash flow across the country based on their customer data. It’s what they use to decide where to install an ATM or new branches, it would just be nice to use it for other things as well.

I like it because it captures the street hustle mentality in Jamaica. Which brings me to my idea. While waiting  by Pavilion Mall in Half Way Tree, Kingston, Jamaica yesterday I saw trends. I was intrigued at the diversity of people walking around and as usual thought to myself what would I sell to suit the different groups. So then came up with an idea for a website or fb app for people to input data (their personal preferences) and an algorithm would decide what they would sell based on what products they use and their personality.

Personality questions would decide how much risk a person is willing to take and if they are looking for a long term or short term hustle. The products they use determine what they would sell preferably, because why would you sell a product that you wouldn’t use or endorse?

So if you use a lot of phone cards and drink soda, the app should recommend you sell soda and phone cards in HWT. However if you believe in health foods and need a hustle you can sell callaloo, banana chips and bag juices. Alternatively if you want to get rich quick then it may suggest you run a “cash fi gold” scheme. I think it would be fun, hilarious and share friendly once the algorithm and interface is well designed. No two people should get the same result once you include a wide range of products. Don’t forget to include social media share buttons!

I get ideas all the time and most I don’t have time to develop. Ideally I would like to give away an idea once a week for others to develop. It should be a crime for a “good” idea to go to waste. Good idea of course is based on opinion. If you use it please let me know!

….The question soon came up: What do we do about his Facebook profile? We had never really thought about this before in such a personal way. Obviously, we wanted to be able to model people’s relationships on Facebook, but how do you deal with an interaction with someone who is no longer able to log on? When someone leaves us, they don’t leave our memories or our social network. To reflect that reality, we created the idea of “memorialized” profiles as a place where people can save and share their memories of those who’ve passed. We understand how difficult it can be for people to be reminded of those who are no longer with them, which is why it’s important when someone passes away that their friends or family contact Facebook to request that a profile be memorialized. For instance, just last week, we introduced new types of Suggestions that appear on the right-hand side of the home page and remind people to take actions with friends who need help on Facebook. By memorializing the account of someone who has passed away, people will no longer see that person appear in their Suggestions. When an account is memorialized, we also set privacy so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search. We try to protect the deceased’s privacy by removing sensitive information such as contact information and status updates. Memorializing an account also prevents anyone from logging into it in the future, while still enabling friends and family to leave posts on the profile Wall in remembrance……

The form for reporting a deceased friend on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=deceased Twitter handles it similarly by requesting that you email them, but they close down the account:

If we are notified that a Twitter user has passed away, we can remove their account or assist family members in saving a backup of their public Tweets. Please contact us with the following information:

1. Your full name, contact information (including email address), and your relationship to the deceased user.
2. The username of the Twitter account, or a link to the profile page of the Twitter account.
3. A link to a public obituary or news article.

You can contact us at privacy@twitter.com, or by mail or fax: Twitter Inc., c/o: Trust & Safety 795 Folsom Street, Suite 600 San Francisco, CA 94107 Fax: 415-222-9958 We will respond by email with any additional information we might need. Please note that we cannot allow access to the account or disclose other non-public information regarding the account.

Now that I know what I need to do, I just need to face the music and submit as necessary R.I.P.

This is a photo story of my father’s 1958 BMW R50:
Boy meets girl, gets married, buys motorcycle. Rides it for 60,000 miles and has accident when wife is pregnant with 3rd child. (me) Wife orders motorcycle to be taken off road until all her children are grown and on their own. One day when bike is moved to a different storage location, son sits on bike and dreams of being a Jedi Master like his father. Couple grows old together and bike is not ridden for 40 years. Husband is now a grandfather of 7 and married for 50 years, when he dies of a stroke at age 71.
Son looks over the old rotting machine and finds note attached to it from his father to him. Son decides to restore the old 1958 BMW R-50 as a tribute to his father. With the help of many friends, especially Peter Nettesheim, world renowned BMW collector, bike is restored to look even better than it did when it was built in Germany.
Watch it at 720p in full screen for best quality.

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This is an open letter to everyone with a dream. If there was one thing I learned about 2010, it is that all time is relevant and precious. Never before has time been such a limiting factor in my activities. It points out that if you want to get something done, then do it and if it works get a team to help manage it!

As time goes by don’t forget to learn something new every day. I have learned more this year than a combination of years before. Most of all, remember to learn from past mistakes

Don’t coast through life, live it! Without passion there is no life, if you have no passion then I encourage you to find it ASAP!

Stay disciplined! I am talking about sticking to the plan, making the effort to get it done. I used to cringe at my mother always saying I have to keep all the balls juggling, but it truly is the only way, it is the only way to get it done, but as I mentioned above, you don’t have to do it all by yourself, build a framework for support before you need it. Also remember there are always exceptions to the rule, when you see opportunity, grasp it!

Appreciate your friends and family. This year I lost a close friend, it was a huge shock and very unexpected. I have also had very little contact with my father. Tell those close to you that you appreciate them and show it as much as possible. Never take a person for granted, be a help not a bother.

Nothing in life comes easy, someone had to work for it. If it came easy for you then thank those who made it easy for you and if the road is hard thank God for strengthening you. Remember perseverance is key, don’t give up! Also don’t make life complicated for yourself, avoid drama and keep it as stress-free as possible.

Give back as much as possible, not necessarily money, but time and even common courtesy, remember we are all human regardless of background. All the best for 2011, to you and yours.

Dmitri

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