A Jeepney Driver's Perspective on the Shift to Electric Jeepneys

I had the opportunity to interview a jeepney driver on the topic of Electric Jeepneys or E-Jeeps. I asked him what percentage of jeepney drivers are against the shift to E-Jeeps. He estimates that about 25% of jeepney drivers are for and 75% are against the shift. One reason why drivers are against it is the exorbitant price of an E-Jeep. He said that an E-Jeep would cost about 1.7 million pesos. Contrast that to a diesel powered jeep that would cost about 0.6 million. So an E-Jeep is about three times the price of a regular jeepney. He said that even after government's offer to help out by giving drivers a loan (which he says isn't really any help since they still have to pay the loan), it is estimated that a driver would have to save about 900 pesos per day to pay for the E-Jeep. Manong driver says that the average jeepney driver is only making about 1000 pesos per day. How can he live off just 100 pesos to feed his family? At 365 days a year, it would probably take about 6 years to pay for the E-Jeep, assuming a low interest rate on the loan.

But manong driver says that the estimated life of a Chinese made product is only about two years. Contrast this to Japanese made engines which they have proven to last about six years. And Japanese engines can be overhauled even after the six year period is over. But he is hesitant about Chinese made engines because he isn't sure if these can even be fixed if they conk out. This perception arose from his experience with Chinese made products like cellphone chargers which fail in a week while japanese chargers last about a year. So, if he's still paying for the original E-Jeep in a six-year period, and it conks out after two years, he's still left with a big debt, and has to invest in possibly another purchase just to keep on making a living.

Another issue that manong driver raised was the possibility of batteries running out of energy during the trip. The country still hasn't established a network of charging stations for E-vehicles unlike an established network of gas stations. So, if his batteries run out, he still has to either have the vehicle towed, or call for a battery replacement.

I asked him about the perceived advantages of the new technologies in E-jeeps such as having swipe cards for payment and having wifi and security cameras. I asked if the daily losses among passengers who don't pay was significant. He said it wasn't. So even if swipe cards guarantee a 100% passenger payment, you still have to worry about an additional technology failing - the card reader. If it fails, then it's another reason for you not to be able to earn anything on that day. He believes that cash is still better for transactions. We weren't able to discuss whether or not a driver's attention would be improved since he doesn't need to keep track of which among his passengers have paid anymore. But he raised issues about the E-Jeep doors not opening immediately if the passenger is swiping it for payment. For him, passengers are better off if they can get in and out of the vehicle quickly. He doesn't want to be penalized with obstruction by a traffic constable just because his passengers weren't able to ride immediately. Perhaps having designated jeepney stop points would address this concern, but not all routes traveled by jeepneys have these.

Wifi, for him wasn't an important feature for passengers. He said that passengers will only become more distracted with their phones, and this gives potential snatchers or holdapers an easier advantage. But the security cameras would probably deter these types of crimes or allow for the quick capture of perpetrators, assuming they don't destroy the cameras or the hard drive data records during the crime. Otherwise, these added techs mean added maintenance costs which probably means less profit for the driver or operator. Government agencies might also use these technologies as additional measures for compliance. Non-compliance means more penalty fees.

I asked him about the environmental impact of an E-Jeep compared to a diesel engine. All he knows is that an E-Jeep no longer has smoke emissions so it should be better for the environment. But I think shifting passenger vehicles to electric tech means putting an added strain on our electric companies that would impact the cost of electricity. As a country, we already have one of the most expensive electricity rates in Asia. Now, when E-Jeeps start consuming part of the energy allotment for households, that will quickly diminish capacity and reserves. But you can't build power plants in a day. So, brownouts or electrical outages might happen more, and electric bills will probably be more expensive.

There's also the matter of shifting a driver from a boundary payment scheme to a fixed salary. Manong feels that if they shift to a fixed salary scheme, there wouldn't be any incentive for a driver to work harder. And their take-home pay would end up being lower. But one of the reasons why manong decided to become a jeepney driver was the take-home pay. He used to be a salaried employee, working as a surveyor for one of the biggest engineering and construction firms in the country. But it turns out, as a jeepney driver, his earnings were about twice what he was getting when he was in the construction company. At the end of the day, the money he takes home to feed his family is more important than a job title or prestige of working for a big named company.

So, as of this moment, manong driver feels that the costs outweigh the benefits of the shift to E-Jeeps. Hopefully, the government will listen to their ideas before requiring mandatory compliance. Their experience in their trade is also valuable and important. While it is important to maintain good business relationships with one of our biggest neighboring countries, let us put the needs and plight of our countrymen at the forefront of our decision-making.

23 Qualities Of A Woman Worth Dating

23 Qualities Of A Woman Worth Dating

By Jarrid Wilson

Searching for “the one” can be a daunting task. And while there may be hundreds of qualities to look for in a woman, my wife and I have come up with 23 that I believe every man should seek after. This post is quite similar to the previous one, but don’t let that keep you from digesting its truth. Don’t tread lightly when it comes to the idea of a relationship. You can be as picky as you want, and I discourage you from ever just settling. Everyone is looking for something different, but I hope these 23 qualities will help you on your journey, keep you from dating the wrong people, and encourage you to not ever sell yourself short. God didn’t create you to settle.

1. She loves God.
2. She is supportive.
3. She is goal oriented.
4. She is kind.
5. She encourages you.
6. She is honest.
7. She respects her parents.
8. She respects her/your purity.
9. She is modest.
10. She puts God first.
11. She is friendly.
12. She laughs at your jokes.
13. She is someone you are attracted to.
14. She is always willing to lend a helping hand.
15. She will pray for you.
16. She is a hard worker.
17. She is responsible.
18. She doesn’t gossip.
19. She doesn’t make hasty decisions.
20. She doesn’t have a foul mouth.
21. She has good manners.
22. She is appreciative of the things you do for her.
23. She is always thinking on the bright side.

There is a high chance you will not be able to find a woman who reaches each of these qualities perfectly, but I’m sure you get the point I am trying to make. There is a perfect woman out there for you, so I pray you take the time needed before moving into any type of relationship. Don't settle. I’m not a relationship expert, but I’d like to think these qualities are pretty informative for anyone looking to have one that lasts.

Google Glass: A Step Closer to an Omniscient AI

For those watching Person of Interest and those who believe that in the future, an artificial intelligence (AI) will try to destroy mankind, a product like Google Glass is a scary proposition. It is adding or rather improving one of the "five senses" that the AI already possesses. 

If the AI was already existing, and I believe that the Internet is its primitive form, sight is the sense that is already well developed, with the existence of both government and private web cameras, and cameras on smart phones. 

Sound or hearing is probably the second sense that is in its early development stage, with conversations over the phone and the internet being recorded in telecommunication companies servers. 

Touch is also another technology that may be in development. We already know that robotic arms are used in industrial plants to perform various mechanical tasks. Will an AI need to feel an object? Not if it simply wants to crush or destroy it. And if the AI were to chase after an enemy, locomotion or movement will be of higher priority, something already achieved by today's robots and drones.

Smell and Taste will probably be the senses developed last. Smell, so that the AI can determine if what it is hunting is human or not. As if heat and motion sensors were not practical enough for "the hunt". 

And even if speaking is not one of the five senses, the ability to talk is already demonstrated by technologies like Siri in the Apple iPhone. Will the AI need to communicate with its prey? Perhaps if it were to explain why it was about to kill its prey, then this ability would be useful.

While Google Glass might seem like an additional product Google sales will benefit from, it is also a way for them to gather more data for Google Maps. So instead of spending on vehicles to gather their map data and update their databases, consumers of Google Glass will potentially be doing it for free. Sure, privacy laws will probably be incorporated, but who can ensure that these laws will be implemented when the control of the technology is no longer in the hands of government. And even those in government probably abuse their privileges on privacy. Knowledge is power.

Can't help but wonder if technologies like this will result in a more restrictive society, rather than opening doors to connecting and exploring.

I would like to see a future where Lt. Commander Data helped man attain his fullest potential. And to reach a stage where an AI is sentient, I believe it's senses must be fully developed for it to explore its environment, then learn, infer, and later on theorize and make decisions. But while technology always has the potential to be used for good, there is also the potential for it to be used for evil. And beyond that door, the Terminator awaits. Asta la vista, baby!!!

Did Jesus ever say that He is God?

Some religious groups who claim to know the Bible say that Jesus was only a great prophet, and was not God. If that were the case, why are the terms he, him, my, myself, capitalized into He, Him, My, Myselfwhenever Jesus is speaking or referred to in the middle of a sentence, a privilege in the Bible only for God. Prophets like Moses for example were great Bible prophets and yet they do not enjoy the capitalization privilege in the Bible.

Take a look at some verses from Exodus chapter 3:

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.

Now, contrast this with a Bible passage where Jesus is speaking, say in John chapter 8:

19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Menor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”

Now, some people might say that this is merely a matter of formatting that differs in each Bible version. Let us then look at some verses where Jesus Himself implied that He was God.

Let us look at John chapter 8 once again.

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

In this passage, Jesus says that before Abraham was born, I am. Jesus is saying that He existed before Abraham. People who deny Jesus as God will logically question His age. Only God is Eternal, He is the Alpha and the Omega, He has no beginning and no end. Jesus is therefore God since He says He existed before Abraham.

This was also the reason why the Jews wanted to stone Jesus. They understood that right there and then, Jesus was claiming to be God, which according to Jewish law, was blasphemy.

This can be found in Leviticus chapter 24:

16 Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

So either the Jews were right or Jesus was right. Either Jesus was only a mere man as the Jews claim, or Jesus is indeed God.

Let's look at another verse from John chapter 8.

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”

Can any mere man guarantee exemption from death or eternal life? And why does Jesus say My word, instead of God's word or My Father's word. Surely, a mere man's word is not equal with God, who alone can promise eternal life.

The Bible is filled with many more verses that prove the Jesus Christ is God. And if you are searching for answers, pray to Him for guidance as you read the Bible, that He may reveal the truth to you.

My friend, if you do not believe that Jesus is God, I hope that you seek Him with all your heart that He may reveal the truth to you. Only He can convince you. May the Lord bless you.

Cancer is so limited...

An enthusiastic believer in Christ, Dan Richardson, lost his battle with cancer. But his life demonstrated that even though the physical body may be destroyed by disease, the spirit can remain triumphant. This poem was distributed at his memorial service:

Cancer is so limited…

It cannot cripple love, 

It cannot shatter hope, 

It cannot corrode faith, 

It cannot eat away peace, 

It cannot destroy confidence, 

It cannot kill friendship, 

It cannot shut out memories, 

It cannot silence courage, 

It cannot invade the soul, 

It cannot reduce eternal life, 

It cannot quench the Spirit, 

It cannot lessen the power of the Resurrection.

Ezekiel 18

For those who are fearful of the sins of their ancestors, or for the sins their children will commit...

New International Version (NIV)

The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

³ “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. ⁴ For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.

⁵ “Suppose there is a righteous man
    who does what is just and right.
⁶ He does not eat at the mountain shrines
    or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
    or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.
⁷ He does not oppress anyone,
    but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
    but gives his food to the hungry
    and provides clothing for the naked.
⁸ He does not lend to them at interest
    or take a profit from them.
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
    and judges fairly between two parties.
⁹ He follows my decrees
    and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;
    he will surely live,
declares the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁰ “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things^[a]11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
¹² He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.
¹³ He lends at interest and takes a profit.

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

¹⁴ “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

¹⁵ “He does not eat at the mountain shrines
    or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
¹⁶ He does not oppress anyone
    or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
    but gives his food to the hungry
    and provides clothing for the naked.
¹⁷ He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
    and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. ¹⁸ But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

¹⁹ “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. ²⁰ The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
²¹ “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.²² None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. ²³ Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
²⁴ “But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? ²⁶ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die.²⁷ But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. ²⁸ Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. ²⁹ Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. ³¹ Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Why Can Banks Get Away With It?

I just checked the data from PS Bank's website. As of December 26, 2011, 7:01 PM, the savings deposit rate (what a regular person will earn on a savings account in a year) is 0.5 percent. So if I deposit 1000 pesos in the bank today, I will have 1005 pesos in the bank a year from now.

Meanwhile, the bank's auto loan rate (what the bank will earn from a borrower in one year) is 6.5 percent. That is 13 times the savings deposit rate. That means that if a person borrowed 1000 pesos from the bank, that person will have to pay the bank 1065 pesos at the end of the year. That's a net income of 60 pesos for the bank, for every 1000 peso transaction between a borrower and a lender.

The bank's profit for a housing loan is even higher, since the bank's housing loan rate (what the bank will earn from a borrower in one year) is 8.5 percent. That is 17 times the savings deposit rate. That means that if a person borrowed 1000 pesos from the bank, that person will have to pay the bank 1085 pesos at the end of the year. That's a net income of 80 pesos for the bank, for every 1000 peso transaction between a borrower and a lender.

Why can banks get away with it? Shouldn't the depositors be well compensated by the bank? Without depositors, banks wouldn't have any money to lend. Shouldn't the central bank be placing a cap on the minimum amount of interest savings deposits should earn. 0.5 percent interest is way too low. A single ATM transaction's charges and fees wipes away any interest earned for an entire year since ATM transactions are pegged at around 10 pesos per transaction.

Depositors should become wiser, and look for alternative ways they can invest their money in, aside from banks (is a thought that might have crossed your mind by now). And while that is true, other investments are seen as riskier compared to a bank deposit. So the fear of losing the principal amount is what drives depositors through bank doors. And that in my opinion is why banks can get away with outrageous discrepancies between borrowing and lending rates.

But there are also many other reasons why people continue to use banking services. Employers force their workforce to bank with their preferred partner instead of paying the employee outright under the guise of convenience. But this creates earning opportunities for banks through inter-bank transactions. I sometimes think that there is a conspiracy or unwritten agreements between banks during pay-day. The ATM of the bank you're supposed to withdraw your money from always seems to be off-line during payday. This forces the regular Joe to withdraw his money from a competing bank's ATM, incurring inter-bank transactions, and wiping any potential savings on his salary.

Zero sum game theory might also be at work. Instead of people banding together and pulling out all their deposits from banks, forcing banks to increase interest rates to entice more depositors, people will place their money in the bank as long as it earns an interest (no matter how small) since they will be better off than the people who refrain from using the services of the bank and who's money doesn't grow at all. By not working as a group, lenders are out-witted by banks.

And government policy is also an issue. If the heads at central bank are in the pockets of bankers, then they can continue to peg interest rates at ridiculously low levels, justifying that increasing rates will slow down the recovering economy. But the only benefactors from low interest rates are banks. And banks will continue to invest the money they have in risky ventures knowing that they can be bailed out but the government in case they make a mess.

Banks like to crow about increased earnings despite tough economic times. But these earnings again are a result of the outrageous discrepancy between the borrowing and lending rates. And if this continues in the future, people might someday wake up and realize that the banking system is obsolete, and will place their money elsewhere or create an entirely new system for financial transactions. But by that time, the current banking heads will have made their fortune and retire comfortably. Institutional change is a slow process, and will only benefit those in power. Perhaps I should aspire to be a banker.

Here are some Bible verses to think about related to the topic of lending.

Psalm 15:5
Who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Exodus 22:25
If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.

Deuteronomy 23:19 
You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest.

Additional 1% Change in Win Percentage

I have been wondering how many consecutive wins (from here on represented as N) I would need in order to add an additional 1% to my win percentage. N as it turns out is dependent on the current number of wins that I have (represented as W) and the total number of games I have played (represented as T).

And the equation is as follows:

N=((0.01)*(T^2))/((0.99*T)-W)

where N is the additional consecutive wins (not games, and hence means no losses) that I would need to raise my win percentage by 1%.

The formula can actually be extended to represent any desired win percentage.

N=((%ChangeWin)*(T^2))/((100%-%ChangeWin)*T-W)

So if you are win conscious, this might help in setting your goals. Gambate kudasai.

NBI Clearance Quality Control

• A Third Trip to the NBI
  • When you are applying for an NBI clearance, it is possible that there are other people with the same name as yours might have committed a crime. If such a person exists, you will automatically get flagged, which is what the NBI refer to as a "hit". I've had an NBI "hit" before, but after a week, I usually just come back to the NBI satellite office and pick up my NBI clearance from their Releasing Department without any trouble at all.
  • But this was the first time I've been asked to come back a third time for an appointment with the NBI. And instead of simply going to their satellite office, they asked me to go to their Quality Control Department in Victory Center Mall, Caloocan City.
• Getting to Victory Central Mall - Caloocan
  • If you are from the Quezon City area, you can take either a bus from Trinoma going to Monumento. From the Monumento Rotunda, the one with Bonifacio's statue, you can talk a long walk going to Victory Central Mall. The NBI offices are located at the 5th level and you might have to take the escalators, or 5 flights of stairs, since elevators are only operational during mall hours. (You typically want to come early so that you can finish early.)
  • An alternative to going there would be by MRT, but from Trinoma, you might have to take a short bus ride to the area after SM North Annex / near Wal-Mart, where the first MRT station with a train going to Monumento is located. The station at Monumento is nearer Victory Center Mall.
• The Quality Control Area - Bring A Lot of Patience
  • If you are not they type of person who likes to read instructions, and instead, asks questions immediately, then prepare to face the wrath of the NBI Quality Control Area. They really dislike being asked questions since they are the ones who are supposed to do the interviewing and questioning. So just follow the instructions on the walls (like writing your full name on the receipt and dropping it in the drop box, then wait for your name to be called).
  • I was fortunate enough to have a "wrong IC" case, wherein the name that was associated with the crime was very different from my name. Even the address and other info about the criminal hardly matched any of mine. So instead of being grilled by the interviewer, I was asked to go to a different area to sort out the misunderstanding.
• Natty Abibas - an example of excellent Government Service
  • Despite the stereotypical perception of Philippine government employees as impatient and corrupt, once in a while, you will find a diamond in the rough. I am fortunate enough to have been helped by Miss Natty Abibas who immediately recognized the NBI's mistake and gave me clear cut instructions on how to resolve the problem so that I could obtain my clearance the same day. She was very patient and had a friendly personality. Contrast this to another employee who was outright mean (one shouted "Matuto po kayong mag-basa!!!" - translated as "Learn to read!!!") and showed you that they were only on the job for the pay, not to serve.
  • Perhaps Miss Abibas was also trying to save face for the NBI, since my having to go there was their mistake. She explained that system errors have a statistical occurrence of roughly 1%. The system matched my surname with the criminal's. I wonder if the NBI's computer system's should be modified so that a full name, age, and address match has to occur before a person is flagged. This can prevent people from experiencing additional hassles in order to clear their name.
• At Least The NBI Caloocan Office Seems to be Less Corrupt
  • Contrast this with the NBI Quezon City office were fixers still hover about despite the Anti-Fixer Streamers posted on the walls. And which fixer in his right mind would give you his name and personal information. He would probably lie and deny outright that he approached you. Maybe Mr. Tulfo should do an expose to catch these crooks and the government employees aiding or benefiting from them.
  • Another NBI Quezon City "racket" is asking for 3 pesos to process your receipt at the releasing window. This is a "finding fee" to locate whether or not your clearance had no problems. There was no "finding fee" in Caloocan. Why didn't the NBI simply add this fee to the receipt if it were a proper fee? Whoever imposed this fee is earning big non-taxable revenue. If 10,000 people were processed in a day, that's a daily revenue of 30,000 pesos, or a monthly revenue of about 660,000 pesos.
  • Alas, there is a business practice in Caloocan similar to one in Quezon City. In Caloocan, there is a vendor selling envelopes for your NBI clearance priced at 5 pesos. Again, a non-taxable revenue stream potentially backed by NBI officials. Considering that the price of a typical short brown envelope is only 2 pesos, then something half as small should not be outrageously priced simply because of a geographic monopoly. Quezon City has tissue paper / wet naps priced at 5 pesos - used to wipe your thumb after they apply the fingerprint on your NBI clearance. Again, this amounts to about 660,000 pesos in monthly revenue if we assume that the cost of the wet nap is about 2 pesos per piece. The person applying your finger print makes you feel that buying the wet nap is mandatory if you are to avail of his supposedly "free" service. Who needs assistance in finger-printing anyway? If they left the ink on the tables, people would do just fine applying their own fingerprints on their own clearance.

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Job Type Affinity

Back when I was in school, our teachers loved to use frameworks like Michael Porter's Value Chain or the Boston Consulting Group Matrix. Frameworks are used to try to understand things, the why's and the how's, and if you're lucky, perhaps you can deduce the where and when.

So I've been doing a lot of thinking on my current state of being "in-between" jobs. And in the process, I've developed what I call the Job Type Affinity Framework. Jobs are classified as Easy or Difficult and Repetitive or Sporadic. The definition of easy or difficult will probably depend on the person making the distinction. Mozart probably considers what he did as easy, but composing music for me would be difficult. The same thing goes for categorization of what is repetitive and what is sporadic. I've heard some people say that they hate doing the same thing day in and day out, so to them that task is probably repetitive. Others might only do a task once a month but still feel that it is repetitive.

The idea is that each person is fit for certain types of jobs and will only find longevity in fields (I, II, III, IV) where they find the most satisfaction. And satisfaction is attained through a combination of Growth (Personal and Professional, Recognition), Salary (or Rewards), Free Time (or Freedom), and Lack of Stress. Some value their free time more than their growth. Others may not mind being overstressed as long as they are well paid.

Each field or region (I, II, III, IV) has certain trade-offs between the sources of satisfaction. A computer programmer who may be doing difficult repetitive tasks of putting up websites will most likely be paid more than a baggage boy in a supermarket. But that baggage boy will most likely have more free time on his hands since he usually works between 9 to 5, while the programmer may need to "camp" in the office until the project is done. The stress levels are usually greater in tasks that are more difficult. Some people can't stand the stress that comes with the job so they opt to do something else.

I also believe that Growth or Learning is affected by the environment. Repetition ingrains something on our minds but having too much stress can also take away from the learning. Also, if you've been doing the same thing for say 10 years, the added learning diminishes over time. But if you take on entirely different tasks, then the added learning is improved. This is the reason why some people might opt for job rotation or lateral movement than being promoted to a higher level doing more of the same.

So if you find yourself not lasting in the jobs that you've been doing, try to analyze which region the job falls in. Are the amounts of sources of satisfaction enough for your appetite? If not, then you really might not last long in that type of work. It is best to find the area which complements your needs for satisfaction.

Note: Frameworks are to be used as tools to try to understand things so if you feel that something is "wrong" with this framework, then let's discuss and see what can be revised and what can be retained =D

A Significant Lack of Trek

I miss Star Trek. I was looking for a show to replace my sci-fi craving but couldn't seem to find any. I googled and came up with a list of the top 50 sci-fi shows of all time and was surprised that Star Trek: The Next Generation wasn't number one. Perhaps because a lot of votes for that list came from the original Star Trek fans.

But comparing the Shatner star trek to TNG is like comparing Adam West's Batman with the Michael Keaton's version. The first is more of a comedic fantasy feel, but the latter has a realism to it, you'ld know that it could be possible in real life.

Now, now, before you jump to the impossibility of warp theory, food replication, and transporters, try to look at modern day inventions that no doubt have some influence because of Star Trek TNG. Data is probably the ultimate aspiration of modern day inventors of robots and artificial intelligence. The computer camera which allows video communications and transmission remind me of Captain Picard saying "Onscreen" everytime they are hailed by a starship. And PDA's are not far from PADDs and Tricorders. I saw a "holographic" soccer ball being kicked around in a mall about a month ago and perhaprs soon, holodecks can become a reality.

These inventions are just a part of what I miss about Star Trek. I wish a new Star Trek show could replace the TNG cast, but rarely can one find a balanced and intriguing crew. I can't really say I know the Shatner-Spock team since I've watched very few episodes of the original series. Sisko's team had too many aliens while Bacula's team had too few. I guess the team that come's second to Picard's team is Janeway's crew.  Too bad, a Star Trek series has a maximum of 7 seasons. I really wonder why the people behind Trek can't come up with a good replacement. This drought has allowed shows like Battlestar Gallactica and Firefly to replace the void. Not that I have anything against those shows, they too have their own merits, but if any Sci-fi TV series should reign the airwaves, it should be a Star Trek show.

You'ld think that with the more advanced special effects we have these days, it would be easier to create a show like this, with stranger less humanoid looking aliens, cooler looking starships, and more advanced technology ... have people finally run out of ideas for what tomorrow's world might look like? Then perhaps the universe isn't so unexplorable as it seems. Writers have exhausted all possibilities of time travel, alternate realities, and human interaction and exploration that there appears to be no stories left to tell. Have we as audiences become so difficult to please?

So until then, I will have to settle for Star Trek: TNG, DS9, and Voyager re-runs. I may even try Battlestar Gallactica if I exhaust those. I don't really think going back to the original series for the 2008 movie will inspire audiences to clamor for more Trek. Going back to the past was the idea behind Enterprise, something counter-intuitive to a franchise that's supposed to challenge people to think about the future. And that is where people want to go because the unknown ideas of the future are what we really explore when we go where no one has gone before.

Superhero

With all the superhero shows that are around like Smallville, Heroes, and Kyle XY and the popularity of movies like Spiderman, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four, people might begin to take the Bible for granted. People who see powers of telepathy, super strength, and regeneration might soon see the Lord Jesus Christ's miracles as nothing compared to these. All He did was heal the sick, multiply food, and rise from the dead. A lot of other heroes have done way  cooler stuff than He has. What better way for the enemy to discredit the works of God than to make the extra-ordinary seem ordinary.

The heroes of today probably have been influenced by characters from the Bible. Samson is a basis for comic characters with super-human strength. Elijah was probably the basis for comic heroes with super-speed or flame based powers. Look on to David's mighty men when it comes to heroes with expertise in archery and other projectiles. And Moses was probably the basis for wizards and magicians. God's omniscience, and ability to read other people's thoughts, a trait that He alone possesses and not even angelic beings have, has been given to telepaths in the comic world.

But let us not forget that everything written in the Bible is true and real, and has either occurred or will occur. Comic books on the other hand are mere fiction. Some heroes like Thor may be sons of fictional gods. But Jesus Christ is the real son of God. Some heroes like Superman claim to be the savior of mankind. Jesus came into the world to save us from our sins and offer us everlasting life. Characters like Linderman have the abililty to give life but cannot save their own life, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and He has risen from the grave and has over come death.

Let us not forget our true and real hero. Jesus Christ. He rescues us not only from physical pain, but from emotional and spiritual anguish. And entrusting your life to him is a safer choice than entrusting it to a fictional hero. Jesus is my Superhero.