101–110 of 118 posts
“35) Give no second chances to anyone who shows disrespect“ This is one of the worst rules I have ever read. Taken literally it can squander a life otherwise well lived.
I could relate to it only for one reason: I was treated disrespectfully at a restaurant recently. I do not plan on returning there ever.
“35) Give no second chances to anyone who shows disrespect“ This is one of the worst rules I have ever read. Taken literally it can squander a life otherwise well lived.
I've always like Ben Franklin's 13 virtues. It's a short list. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to…
"Not to elevation"? Let me direct you to the Finnish language. It contains two tightly related concepts: "nousuhumala" (ascending alcohol buzz) and the subsequent & corresponding "laskuhumala" (descending alcohol buzz).
If you recall the course of an evening of overindulgence, you may notice that these two concepts do describe the terrain.
I've always like Ben Franklin's 13 virtues. It's a short list. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to…
That sounds like a very boring and miserable way to live. To respond with one of my own: --- When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells And run my stick a…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's fair to have principles and still have an interesting an active life. The best example of this would have to be, well, Ben Franklin.
I find the list hilarious, because Ben Franklin was a notorious player, and his time in France (as American ambassador) was legendary - if documented today, it would make the Wolf of Wallstreet jealous. In modern parlance, ‘coke and hookers’ galore. He also, by all accounts, was instrumental in getting France to support the US war of independence, without which the war would likely have gone an entirely different way…
Considering he didn’t have any embassy bureaucracy beyond a few staff helping him, and that any reply from washington would be many weeks away… it seems extremely unlikely he would have had much free time at all in Paris.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find the list hilarious, because Ben Franklin was a notorious player, and his time in France (as American ambassador) was legendary - if documented today, it would make the Wolf of Wallstreet jealous. In modern parlance, ‘coke and hookers’ galore. He also, by all accounts, was instrumental in getting France to support the US war of independence, without which the war would likely have gone an entirely different way…
Can you link the source for these claims? Considering he didn’t have any embassy bureaucracy beyond a few staff helping him, and that any reply from washington would be many weeks away… it seems extremely unlikely he would have had much free time at all in Paris.
There was no electronic communication of any sort (electricity was barely understood at the time), and best case transit time was around 6 weeks each way, often 8-12 if possible at all. It was also highly seasonal, and still very dangerous.
So the absolute fastest turn around time was 12 weeks/3 months, and more realistically 4-6 months. With some decent odds that one of the legs of the trip might sink, losing all hands.
It’s why a literal founding father (and one of the most influential ones) was the ambassador. No one else could be trusted.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you link the source for these claims? Considering he didn’t have any embassy bureaucracy beyond a few staff helping him, and that any reply from washington would be many weeks away… it seems extremely unlikely he would have had much free time at all in Paris.
which part? your timelines seem pretty off if you think ‘weeks’ was a remotely possible timeline at the time either. There was no electronic communication of any sort (electricity was barely understood at the time), and best case transit time was around 6 weeks each way, often 8-12 if possible at all. It was also highly seasonal, and still very dangerous. So the absolute fastest turn around time was 12 weeks/3 months…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
which part? your timelines seem pretty off if you think ‘weeks’ was a remotely possible timeline at the time either. There was no electronic communication of any sort (electricity was barely understood at the time), and best case transit time was around 6 weeks each way, often 8-12 if possible at all. It was also highly seasonal, and still very dangerous. So the absolute fastest turn around time was 12 weeks/3 months…
Are you confused about what “many weeks” means? it means >>few weeks