The Frugal Mind

Most neuroscientists believe that the cognitive capacities of our minds emanate from the neural complexity of our brains. It is often claimed that the number of neural connections in the human brain outnumber the number of stars in the known universe. The human brain is estimated to have roughly 100 to 500 trillion synapses. This vast […]

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Australia’s Renewable Energy Dilemma

Just as Anthony Albanese was touring the Great Wall of China, kowtowing to President Xi and walking away from our military alliance with the United States, Chris Bowen was in Germany seeking to bolster his case for green hydrogen and other green energy boondoggles to foist upon the long-suffering energy consumers of Australia. But the […]

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Of Time and Mind

As I have written before, time seems to be the greatest paradox our minds have to grapple with. The great Western interpreter of Eastern wisdom, Alan Watts, once remarked: Paradox is just the truth standing on its head to gain attention! Well I don’t know about you, but I can certainly affirm that the paradox […]

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Augustus and the Prince

Augustus and the Prince “What cannot be seen with the eye, but that whereby the eye can see: know that alone to be Brahman, the Spirit, and not what people here adore. What cannot be heard with the ear but that whereby the ear can hear: know that alone to be Brahman, the Spirit, and […]

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Considerators, Dogmatics and Fanatics


I remember reading a quotation from someone eminent many years ago (my aging brain can’t quite grasp at this moment who) to the effect that it is a sign of psychological maturity to be able to hold two conflicting ideas in the mind at the same time. I know, myself, many times in my life […]

April 14, 2012

The Road to Xanadu


Last November, I visited Beijing and whilst there went to visit the “Forbidden City”. The Forbidden City was the residence of the Emperor except for some of the summer months when he went to his Summer Palace. The Forbidden City was a very luxurious place where the Chinese Emperor and his court and his concubines […]

April 6, 2012

Being Un-Australian


I read recently a little commentary piece where someone was sick of hearing the pejorative “un-Australian”. It is something we read quite often in the press and although I confess its use grated with me I hadn’t given it much thought. But when I come to think of it, it is a real cop-out! I […]

April 4, 2012

What’s Happening to Our Democracy?


In previous blogs I have bemoaned the fact that many public debates are being stifled by the fact that some minority groups with particular vested interests seek to have their particular points of view from being challenged by indulging in pseudo acts of self-suffering which they term “taking offense”. That in itself is a curb, […]

March 25, 2012

In Praise of Women


We have recently, on Thursday 8 March, celebrated International Women’s Day. This event apparently has been celebrated since 1909. Many countries have public holidays in recognition of their women folk. Some of you might occasionally suspect that I am a misogynist, sexist, chauvinist. But even I can find substantive reasons to celebrate the accomplishments and […]

March 21, 2012

The Tyranny of the In-Tray


It is one of the paradoxes that I encounter when coaching executives that those who seem to want help with time management are invariably those who are best at it! It seems to be that if time management is something you care about you probably have already done more than most to ensure you are […]

March 10, 2012

Who Has Got The Problem?


I suppose I am going to go to great lengths to bore you this week. I seem predestined to go over material I have already given you. You might criticise me for insulting your intelligence! But I am moved to talk again about the cowardly tactic of taking offense and the demeaning practice of acting […]

March 4, 2012

The Beginning of a Classical Tragedy


Part 1 – The Journey to ETS The old captain and his crew had been retired. They had sailed many journeys and brought back great tribute. But he had been succeeded by Maximus Rudderless the young-faced commander so popular with the people. The citizens waited in great expectation. This commander had a new crew, although […]

February 25, 2012

Fuzzy Logic


My blog essay comes this week with a warning attached. Engineers, economist and accountants are advised that this material may cause offence. (To tell the truth I will probably be disappointed if it doesn’t!) As my writings will demonstrate there are many areas where my knowledge is deficient. For some time now I have been […]

February 18, 2012

Getting over Racism


In recent weeks there have been discussions about racism in Australia, particularly with respect to indigenous Australians as a consequence of the committee report on proposed changes to the constitution and then as a result of the appalling incident in Canberra where dissidents from the so-called aboriginal tent embassy confronted the prime minister and the […]

February 4, 2012