Good short overview of world history. Especially good for junior high or early high school students. Also good for adults who do not know much history or have forgotten what they did learn. The author clearly has a broad understanding of world history and his writing style is fun to read. The main flaw in the book is the author’s lack of understanding of economics and the critical role of capitalism in creating prosperity. But if you just focus on the historical aspects that do not relate to economics then it is a very good book.

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Ol' Glory on the Lake

I am now 51 but flatly told the AARP when they called me a year ago, shortly after my 50th birthday, that I am not interested in joining their organization because of their ridiculous and naïve stances on things such as the Obama Health Care legislation and not supporting at least partial privatization of social security.  Truth be told, I am not into joining organizations that try to speak for me politically.  I prefer to maintain my individuality of thought and I think more of us ought to take that approach.

1. Dream and have a major defining goal to what you want to accomplish with your career
2. Do something you like to do.  It is hard to motivate onself from day to day if you hate your line of work.
3. Work hard and challenge yourself
4. Read and continue to learn even after you’ve finished your formal education!
   (Especially books that relate to your line of work but also motivational/ self help books such as Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich“.  View fiction primarily as a form of entertainment and not necessarily helping you to get ahead in your career unless writing novels is your career.  Obviously reading fine literature has some value though.)
5. Exercise
6. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise”
7. Be self directed/autonomous but also be a good follower when that is called for.
8. Be honest with yourself—-look at yourself before blaming others
9. Be polite/respectful but don’t be a suck up and have a mind of your own
10. Know when to be  serious but maintain a sense of humor
11. Give more than is asked for
12. Be patient for success (There will be good and bad days.  Don’t let the bad days get you down. )
13. Be a saver (15% of your take home pay each month if at all possible) 
14. Turn off the TV, radio, I Pod, etc. and get down to work
15. Make entertainment a reward for your hard work and not a constant
16. Understand the concept of delayed gratification
17. Be efficient. Value and make good use of every day—life is short.
18. Drink if you must in moderation
19. Have tricks/methods for motivating yourself
20. Consider creating your own job—entrepreneurship
21. Don’t be too hard on yourself but understand that self confidence comes from achievement and not repeating to yourself that you love yourself
22. Make sure the career you’ve decided on is consistent with your desired standard of living
23. Make sure your friends are good people and that they don’t interfere with your success
24. Be comfortable with being an individual
25. Have one or more hobbies to help you unwind from a hard day at work (“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”)
26. Learn something about economics and business even if these are not your line of work.  Especially have an understanding of supply and demand.  I recommend reading books by Thomas Sowell and Milton Friedman.
27. Make daily “to do lists” and learn how to priortize your activities
28. Don’t “bite off more than you can chew”.  Maintain your focus on your big goal(s).
29. Consider holding off on marriage and having kids until you have had a chance to complete the bulk of your education
30. Don’t have an entitlement attitude.  No one owes you a living.  You have to earn it.
31. Don’t be a know it all.  Realize that other people are smart and capitalize on their advice and expertise.
32. Don’t be a perfectionist.  Life is never perfect and it is not psychologically healthy to expect that it will be.

 If you do many or all of these things then your chances of getting a job and prospering will markedly increase.  Getting a college degree is just a start and is no guarantee of your worth and character.

That is why President Obama’s and the Democratic Congresses plans to solve our economic problems will not be solved but only exacerbated by increasing taxes on the rich.

There are a lot more than this but these were some of the larger more obvious things that came to mind. 

#1 Health Care Reform Bill

#2 TARP

#3 Cash for Clunkers

#4 Auto Bailout

#5 Homeowner’s Bailout

#6 Regulation of energy sector

#7 Desire to forcefully redistribute wealth

#8 College loans

#9 Tax on foods

#10 Cap and Trade

Stop the madness!!!!!

We don’t need all this.  The economy is like a natural ecosystem that works best without a lot of meddling.  It has self healing capabilities. 

Our power hungry politicians take advantage of our ignorance about how an economy works and promise things that may seem like good short term fixes but are actually damaging both to our economy and to our personal liberty.

Almost all of us need to read more Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, Henry Hazlitt, Ayn Rand, and Friedrich Hayek to learn how free markets are the best way of promoting prosperity and liberty.

If you don’t believe me, just wait a few years.Very ironic that a piece of legistlation that is supposed to make health care more available will have the opposite affect. I am farily certain that doctors shortages are on the horizon.

For more on the adverse consequences of this legistlation see “State of Innovation” post.