What's Most Important to You?

I try and think about the big picture in life. Often times I view it as a game or a linear program where there's a distinct objective function. Minimize or maximize this objective and you've 'won'.

It's a strange way of thinking of things, but it's been molded by two major factors - my education, namely in operations research, and me playing a lot of games.

In games and linear programs there are rules or constraints that govern what you can and cannot do. At the same time there's (usually) a score which is calculated based on any number of factors.

To achieve the highest score you must determine:
1. What factors are the most important or highly weighted
2. How to maximize those most important factors

The problem with life is that the objective function is not clearly defined. It may differ for each person and even for the same person, change many times. My dream would be to determine what my true objective function is. Knowing exactly what the ultimate goal is would allow me to focus my efforts on activities that would help me reach that goal.

So what's the objective function? I'm not sure. In general people tend to go with 'Be happy'. That's a pretty good objective, although it's rather broad. The concept of happiness is hard to define, but I won't go into that here.

Other people have an objective function that looks like:

max(dollars accumulated)

I'm not saying this is what life should be about, but from a OR standpoint, it's much easier to define. Money is quantifiable, so it's perfectly clear how well you're doing at all times. In the case of gaining money, there are hardly any constraints, provided you don't view laws as binding.

While I can't say for sure what the true objective function of life is, I can define some constraints which I feel are universal. I feel the most important constraint is that one must be healthy. Without health, one cannot enjoy anything or accomplish much of anything. Think about it - even when you have a cold, you're useless. All you want to do is lie around and sleep. I've heard people say they've gotten hangovers so bad that suicide seems like a reasonable option. And these aren't even SERIOUS health problems! I can only imagine what it's like to have far more debilitating conditions such as cancer.

Without your health, nothing else matters. Perhaps a worthy objective function would be to maximize your body's healthiness...

We can't all be the best

No matter how good you are at something, there are always a hundred people better than you. The opposite is probably true too.

"Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."

- H. Simpson

Palin as President?

It's fully interactive, chock full of soundbytes, and updated daily up until election day! It's...Palin as President!

A Neat Commercial

David Fincher directs the life-long journey of pro football players LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu as their destinies collide in an NFL football game.

Song - "The Ecstasy of Gold" by Ennio Morricone, originally written for the film "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

McCain/Palin Interview with Katie Couric - Choice Nuggets

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/30/eveningnews/main4490788.shtml

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Palin feels news coverage of her has not been sexist

Couric: Do you think the coverage of you been sexist?

Palin: No. I don’t. It's obvious there are some double standards here. You know, in terms of what the media has been doing. But I think that's more attributable to the Washington media elite not knowing who I am and just asking a whole lot of questions. Not so much based on gender, though. But based on just the fact that I’m not part of the Washington herd.

Couric: Having said that, do you think it would be sexist not to question your credentials and your policy positions.

Palin: It would be sexist if the media were to hold back and not ask me about my experience, my vision, my principles, my values. You're right.

***

Apparently McCain thinks 'gotcha journalism' is a pizza place.

Couric: Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, "stop the terrorists from coming any further in." Now, that's almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?

Palin: We had a great discussion with President Zardari as we talked about what it is that America can and should be doing together to make sure that the terrorists do not cross borders and do not ultimately put themselves in a position of attacking America again or her allies. And we will do what we have to do to secure the United States of America and her allies.

Couric: Is that something you shouldn't say out loud, Sen. McCain?

John McCain: Of course not. But, look, I understand this day and age of "gotcha" journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear … the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country …

***

Palin does believe global warming is due at least in part to man, but she doesn't feel it's important to determine the cause of global warming.

Couric: Is it [global warming] manmade in your opinion?

Palin: You know … there are man's activities that can be contributed to … the issues that we're dealing with now with these impacts. I'm not going to solely blame all of man's activities on changes in climate. Because the world's weather patterns … are cyclical. And over history we have seen changes there. But kind of doesn't matter at this point, as we debate what caused it. The point is it's real, we need to do something about it. And like … Tony Blair had said … when he was in leadership position, he said, "Let's all consider the fact that it is real." So instead of pointing fingers … at different sides of the argument as to who is to blame, and if nature just to blame, let's do something about it. Let's clean up our world. Let's reduce emissions. And let's go with reality.

***

Palin believes abortion should be illegal but those who have abortions should not be jailed.

Couric: But, ideally, you think it [abortion] should be illegal …

Palin: If you …

Couric: …for a girl who was raped or the victim of incest to get an abortion?

Palin: I'm saying that, personally, I would counsel the person to choose life, despite horrific, horrific circumstances that this person would find themselves in. And, um, if you're asking, though, kind of foundationally here, should anyone end up in jail for having an … abortion, absolutely not. That's nothing I would ever support.


***

Palin was not/is not a member of any church:

Couric: Your church sponsored a conference that claimed to be able to convert gays into heterosexuals through prayer. Do you think that gays can be converted, governor?

Palin: Well, you're absolutely wrong, again, on the facts. My church, I don't have a church, I'm not a member of any church. I get to visit a couple of churches in Alaska when I'm home, including one, Wasilla Bible Church, and that's the one that you're talking about.

***

Palin believes homosexuality is a choice:

Palin: But you are talking about, I think, a value here, what my position is on homosexuality and can you pray it away 'cause I think that was the title that was listed in that bulletin. And, you know, I don't know what prayers are worthy of being prayed. And I don't know what prayers are gonna be answered or not answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships.

I have, one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years who happens to be gay. And I love her dearly. And she is not my "gay friend." She is one of my best friends who happens to have made a choice that isn't a choice that I have made. But I am not gonna judge people. And I love America where we are more tolerant than other countries are. And are more accepting of some of these choices that sometimes people want to believe reflects solely on an individual's values or not. Homosexuality, I am not gonna judge people.