Posted by Timothy Ross on October 26, 2023 at 10:24pm
I came across this story on facebook a couple day's ago, wonderful story, made me almost shed a tear. Enjoy, Reflect
TLR
Today someone asked about my fork tattoo (which most of the time I forget I have) but I’m glad they did. I needed the reminder of what it symbolized. I have a couple friends that are going through tough times right now. I hope they find peace in this message. For those who don’t know what it means, I’ll share the story below.
“There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things ‘in order,’ she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
‘There’s one more thing,’ she said excitedly. ‘What’s that?’ came the Pastor’s reply.
‘This is very important,’ the young woman continued. ‘I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.’
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
‘That surprises you, doesn’t it?’ the young woman asked.
‘Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,’ said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. ‘My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!’
‘So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ‘What’s with the fork?!’ Then I want you to tell them: ‘Keep your fork. The best is yet to come.’
The Pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman’s casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, ‘What’s with the fork?’ And over and over again he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died.
He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.”
So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.
Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share
. Being friends with someone is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility
Posted by Timothy Ross on February 9, 2021 at 6:29am
I was sent this list last night, most of the stuff they send is typically unsettling, and so slanted that it is deleted, I considered unsubscribing several times, but it's important to know what others think, even if it's in your face, but that is power for the course, and a wise mind listens to both sides and makes a decison after weighing the information and facts. So every once in a while you get something that you can shake some of the grit off from the sand box. This is one of them, still a few gooey pieces here, hold gently. ~ TLR
Somewhat related, click on this talk, Jen Psaki is front and centre on the world stage now
Monday, February 08, 2021 The world President Joe Biden inherits looks vastly different from when he left the vice presidency four years ago — and not just among the leaders he will rub shoulders with at international summits. The world’s fast-shifting political currents are driven by powerful change-makers within administrations, dynamic rebels, shadowy leaders and more. With Myanmar thrown into crisis with a military coup last week, and Haiti President Jovenel Moïse clinging to power after staging more than 20 arrests as his term was supposed to end on Sunday, Biden’s early days are already seeing that upheaval. Consider today’s Daily Dose your diplomatic world tour.
Isabelle Lee, Reporter
change-makers in power
1. Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand
In 2016, Mahuta became the first female member of Parliament in New Zealand to have a “moko kauae,” a Maori chin tattoo. Now, in another historic first, the 50-year-old has become the country’s first female Indigenous foreign minister. Mahuta is drawing on her heritage to inform environmental policy and present a global image of New Zealand as a progressive bastion willing to stand up to China, even though Beijing is its largest trading partner.
2. Sun Chunlan, China The Lunar New Year will look a little different this year, largely due to the efforts of Sun, 70. The only woman in the Chinese Communist Party’s politburo, she’s in charge of the country’s COVID-19 response. The vice premier’s relative success has made her a key player to watch as she tries to rectify China’s reputation for poor handling of public health crises, by, among other measures, cracking down on Lunar New Year celebrations and encouraging provinces to learn from the mistakes made early in the pandemic.
3. Martín Guzmán, Argentina While pursuing his Ph.D. at Brown University, Guzmán continued to play an intramural soccer game with a fractured foot. Now he’s navigating Argentina through an economy injured by COVID-19 and a debt crisis. The 38-year-old economy minister has led the country’s successful deal for debt restructuring, avoiding a crisis that seemed inevitable. Guzmán anticipates 5 percent growth in 2021 for Argentina after helping lead aggressive government interventions in the bond market under leftist president Alberto Fernández.
4. Judit Varga, Hungary Before serving as Hungary’s justice minister, the immaculately polished Varga, 40, rose to prominence for defending conservative Christian values in Parliament. She is known as President Viktor Orbán’s “charm cannon” — often finding a way to communicate his agenda where he cannot in an international arena hostile to his authoritarian tendencies. Now Varga has managed to find common ground with the EU, traditionally the Hungarian regime’s biggest bugbear. This year, she plans to bring regulations and sanctions against social media giants for free speech abuses. READ MORE ON OZY
5. Kamissa Camara, Mali The 35-year-old powerhouse is the first woman and youngest person to become foreign minister in Mali. Since her appointment in 2018, Camara has worked in various government positions and is now a young global leader with the World Economic Forum. While her rise to prominence is significant for her age and gender, how she got noticed is also a wild tale: Camara openly challenged then-President Ibrahim Keita to backtrack from a 2017 decision to give himself more powers. But in a region where political criticism is usually unwelcome, she was hired by Keita, kickstarting her political career.
surprising challengers
1. Jagmeet Singh, Canada
The jiujitsu-practicing Singh, 42 (above left), is the first nonwhite leader of a major national Canadian party. And the Sikh leader of the New Democratic Party won’t hesitate to pick a fight when it’s about something close to his heart. He was ejected from Parliament after accusing a fellow MP of racism (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau backed Singh during the row). Singh identifies with many of the key themes of U.S. progressives — on legalizing narcotics and raising minimum wages, for example — but he’s also willing to work with conservatives if it helps bring his party to power.
2. Yani Rosenthal, Honduras In this Central American country, all eyes are on Rosenthal, as the convicted felon is reportedly considering a presidential run. After serving a three-year sentence for money laundering for a drug cartel, Rosenthal has quite a bit of catching up to do in the realm of national politics. Still, insiders see him as the best shot at uniting the opposition Liberal Party ahead of November’s elections. The 55-year-old two-time presidential candidate comes from a wealthy, politically connected family that itself was affiliated with Colombian cartels that use Honduras as a way station to transport drugs to the U.S.
3. Sylvana Simons, the Netherlands Simons’ party, BIJ1 (“together” in Dutch), was founded in 2016 as an anti-racist party. Made up of activists turned politicians, BIJ1 hasn’t enjoyed much electoral success yet. Still, the Surinamese-born Simons, 50, who became famous as a TV presenter and endured racism before turning to politics, says the party is having a substantial cultural impact as traditions like blackface are increasingly condemned. She will be the face of BIJ1’s efforts in the March general elections — with a manifesto that seeks to upend the system with a new constitutional court and Ministry of Equality.
rebels for a cause
1. Stella Nyanzi, Uganda
By now, you’ve probably heard the name Bobi Wine. You’ve probably also heard about the rapper turned politician’s attempt to unseat Uganda’s longtime leader, Yoweri Museveni — which ended last month when Wine was placed under house arrest for 11 days following Museveni’s reelection, widely believed to have been rigged. But you probably haven’t heard of the radical Nyanzi, 46, whose commitment to trolling Museveni has slowly unraveled the complicated knit of his fear-based politics. Nyanzi’s ridicule of Museveni and his policies is not only entertaining but also revolutionary, so much so that she’s had to flee to Kenya in recent days for fear of persecution. READ MORE ON OZY
2. Anon Nampa, Thailand Another individual using unconventional protest methods, the 36-year-old Nampa was arrested following a Harry Potter–themed protest in August. And in November, the so-called rubber duck revolution kicked off with pro-democracy, anti-monarchy protesters using inflatable rubber ducks to shield themselves from water cannons. The protests have continued into 2021, with leaders switching up their tactics in favor of guerilla protesting in smaller groups and waging publicity stunts against the embattled Thai monarchy. Nampa, a civil rights lawyer by training, will be doing more than floating along.
3. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Belarus She did not achieve victory in running for president last year, but Tikhanovskaya’s campaign proved that the end is not far off for Belarus’ longtime dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Tikhanovskaya, 38, stepped in after her husband was arrested for campaigning for president against Lukashenko. Her charm and disarming honesty catapulted her to fame, and Lukashenko’s clearly rigged win led to mass protests. Leading a government-in-exile from Lithuania, Tikhanovskaya continues to organize the opposition, while Lukashenko has vowed to consider reforms at this month’s “people’s assembly.” READ MORE ON OZY
the next dynasts
1. Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Venezuela
The son of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s strongman president, 30-year-old Maduro Guerra began his political career when his father appointed him head of the Corps of Special Inspectors of the Presidency. In addition to sharing a name, Maduro Guerra and his father are very close. The accomplished flutist has made tentative steps into the political arena but now holds an assembly seat, cementing him as a key player in the Maduro government going forward.
2. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Indonesia The son of President Joko Widodo just won the mayorship of Surakarta, the city where his father started his political career — sparking speculation that Widodo might be preparing a dynasty. When Jokowi, as the president is known, took office, he ran as an outsider to the political and military elite that had long transferred power within their own circles. Now, Gibran, 33, is embarking on his own political career as the ultimate insider.
3. Sumeyye Erdoğan, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s youngest child has long been seen as a potential successor to his throne — if her husband, also a close aide to the Turkish leader, doesn’t get there first. Known as Erdoğan’s favorite child, the 35-year-old has a master’s degree from the London School of Economics. There are some signs she’s not her father: In 2019, as a member of the Supreme Electoral Council she was said to have voted against a rerun of the Istanbul mayor’s election, after Erdoğan’s choice lost the first round. Last year, Sumeyye’s conservative women’s organization took an opposing stance from Erdoğan’s party by sticking up for the Istanbul Convention on violence against women.
in the shadows
1. Alfonso Romo, Mexico
In the two years that Romo, 70, served as Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s chief of staff, he attracted plenty of criticism from environmental groups. The former businessman resigned from his post in December, not entirely of his own volition due to controversy over potential conflicts of interest. Perhaps he’s going undercover: He continues to enjoy AMLO’s trust and is his key link with a private sector that’s skeptical of the president.
2. Mikhail Mishustin, Russia Russian prime ministers tend to fade into the shadows of the all-encompassing Vladimir Putin. Mishustin, however, is anything but forgettable. The 54-year-old is quietly consolidating power while the world's attention remains focused on Putin. Mishustin has become the face of Russia’s coronavirus response and is earning kudos for his tech-savvy nature. While Putin isn’t in the market for a successor, Mishutin will be a key player for years to come.
3. Takeshi Niinami, Japan The CEO of Suntory, one of the world’s largest alcohol firms — its holdings include Yamazaki, Jim Beam and more — is also a top economic adviser to Japan’s new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga. The 62-year-old is in favor of higher wages and encouraging Japan to commit to free trade. He recently spoke with authority about the measures Japan needs to pull off to stage the delayed Tokyo Olympics: contain new cases of COVID-19, implement contact tracing, institute widespread vaccinations and stage other successful large events like baseball games. Can this whiskey-maker spike Japan’s economy?
4. Abubacarr Tambadou, Gambia When the United Nations ordered Myanmar to stop the genocide of the Rohingya, a minority-Muslim ethnic group within its borders, it was because of the tenacity of Tambadou. The former justice minister of Gambia, Tambadou, 48, brought the charges of genocide against Myanmar’s leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, after he witnessed the conditions at a displacement camp in Bangladesh filled with refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar. Now, Tambadou, who wishes the international community had stepped in against Gambia’s two-decade dictator, is occupying a larger stage as registrar of International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals with the U.N., helping try war crimes cases involving Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
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SeeTree plants $11.5m in funding to help farmers keep digital tabs on their orchards
SeeTree, a startup that collects data on trees using drones and AI to help farmers manage their orchards, raised an $11.5m Series A yesterday.
Per TechCrunch, this brings the company’s total funding to $15m.
It’s called “precision agriculture,” people!
After decades of barking up the wrong tree trying to perfect precision agriculture, SeeTree has finally developed what it calls “the world’s first intelligence network for trees.”
By using drone imagery, underground sensors, and data samplers on the ground for closer analysis, SeeTree offers “per-tree” data for crop growers to digitally monitor their orchards.
Using the data, farmers can then replace their “underperformers,” AKA trees that suck at being trees.
Step into my office, Tree...
Don’t get your roots in a bunch, it’s not all about ruling greenery with an iron fist.
Farmers can also map out harvest plans based on each tree’s development stage -- and then put those trees on performances improvement plans as needed.
Ford plans to ride into the electric future in an F-150 that’s both fuel efficientandbadass
Yesterday, Ford announcedthat it will create all-electric versions of its classic F-series of trucks, including the best-selling F-150.
After announcing last year that it would stop selling all but 2 US car models, Ford’s announcement proves it also has big plans to restructure its truck biz, which alone is worth $70B.
The F-150 is a big F-in’ deal
This isn’t just any truck: The F-150 just happens to be the best-selling vehicle in the US 4 decades running.
But more importantly, the F-series accounts for more than ⅓ of Ford’s sales -- and an even higher percentage of its profits.
But so far, production of electric trucks hasn’t accelerated as fast as the production of electric cars -- and it’s still unclear how quickly Truck Junkies will follow in the tire tracks of Prius owners.
Will diehard F-150 fans go electric?
Some of the most popular electric cars are sustainable (Prius) and even stylish (Teslas), but they don’t exactly prioritize the powertrain.
But Ford says its electric line will deliver both fuel efficiency and power, claiming it will be able to tow 5k pounds and perform as well as diesel and gas trucks.
Ford isn’t the only company working on an electric pickup: The startup Rivian has raised $450m to do the same and expects to start production by 2020. Tesla also claims to have an EV pickup in the works.
Posted by Timothy Ross on November 26, 2018 at 1:24pm
“Ohio blazes the bitcoin trail
Ohio isn’t known for being on the screaming bleeding edge of technology, but it’s now an early adopter of bitcoin. Yesterday, the 34th largest state in the US became the first to accept the volatile coin for tax payments.
Speaking of crypto… Overstock sets a date to sell off its retail biz
After what feels like a decade of threatening to shelf their current business for crypto, Overstock’s CEO says he will finally shut down its retail business in February. And people are more bullish on blockchain than bed sets: Its stock surged 26% after the news.”
After watching the video in this article a couple things strike me.
In Canada we have the upcoming cap and trade swap of funds which I don’t see helping much. Then in Ontario there was a massive addition to the grid of solar and wind which has been overpriced compared to fossil fuel to encourage development, but too much has been produced vs what is required, so this has beenreally messed up. A good thing has been tarnished. Perhaps I am kind and thinking this is a typical result when governments get involved.
On the positive we have capacity and excess.
However the government has missed the “find efficiencies “ part of the plan.
i heard yesterday how Ontario has to pay billions to get rid of the excess energy generated from our green solar and wind productions.
I am reminded of Jeremie Riffkins book and presentation a number of years ago about the hydrogen economy. How that would all integrate. That advice in the book has not happened to the best of my knowledge, or I have not seen it. If it did and it should we would have a pretty amazing system amen stewardship of our green resources.
Ontario government has just cancelled I believe over 700 new installation contracts as it has too much electricity and no way to store it. https://www.spreaker.com/episode/16149573
Money should have been invested into the storing as part of the Hydrogen Economy. Maybe it is happening someplace. Let’s hope that vision gets resurrected and we move forward in this world.
That part of the production has to be realistically fixed before moving forward with more large scale green energy production in a perfect world. Saying that it should still be expanded. Would be good to find lower cost options for solar and wind as well. We all should be producing our own if and when possible.
This is not my only thought on the matter, a simple observation.
Posted by Timothy Ross on December 15, 2017 at 9:11am
https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/market-talk/these-are-the-biggest-fears-for-the-canadian-economy-235530.aspx Things that keep the govenor awake at night One thing he said was that young people just starting need jobs and without those jobs they can get stuck right from the Get go. I had an idea, stewardship thought moment. The government should make a job for every young person for their first job, give them the experience of having a job, limit it to at least a year, and have a lot of young people with a good first job, launch them into the world with a good foundation, bring the age down for the permanent positions to make room for our young people and redeploy these people into industry and other services. Stabilize, Train, Encourage, Launch A little utopia idea , I think it could have merit and would increase the value for society as a whole - TLR
Read more…
Posted by Timothy Ross on November 27, 2017 at 9:18pm
Why do we say time is money?
1 question, 3 ideas to discuss with your client:
“Smaller, sooner” is better than “larger, later” ...
Due to the way returns compound over many years, it’s more effective (and easier) to start investing small amounts earlier in life rather than trying to catch up later with larger amounts.
The right time to invest is… always
You can never guess when markets are going to rise or fall, so trying to “buy low” and “sell high” is foolhardy. A better strategy is to spread your risk over time by investing regularly, regardless of what the market is doing. This is known as systematic investing.
Investing is inventing your future
To get motivated to start investing, you should first identify the financial goals that are important to you: investing then becomes your way of achieving them.
