by Phil Houseal | Nov 24, 2021 | All Articles, Philosophy
Nov 24, 2021–When “official” weather predictions are less accurate than some random rodent’s, why do we keep paying attention to them? It seems to me that the accuracy of weather forecasting has plummeted like a barometer in Portland over the past few years. For those...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 17, 2021 | All Articles, Philosophy
Nov 17, 2021–I’ve stumbled on a phenomenon I call the Fallacy of Averages. Humans like to measure everything by talking about “averages.” The term has become part of our language: -Grade Point Average -Average Daily Requirement -Field Goal Average There’s even a Law...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 10, 2021 | All Articles, Philosophy
Nov 10, 2021–Years ago, when I interviewed the late composer and pianist Mark Hierholzer, one of his tenets was that we need to differentiate between art that is authentic, versus entertainment that is derivative. The former brings joy; the latter delivers...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 3, 2021 | All Articles, Philosophy
Nov 3, 2021–Plateau is a great word. But it’s a frustrating place to find yourself. I’ve gotten stuck on plateaus in many journeys of my life. The most recent is physical, as I recover from several weeks of involuntary immobility. For a guy who has worked out in some...
by Phil Houseal | Oct 27, 2021 | All Articles, Philosophy
Oct 27, 2021–Here’s an idea: For one day, don’t be predictable. Say something different. Better stated: say the same things in a different way. Let’s start with the universal greeting: “How are you?” The next time you are asked that, say anything but “I am fine.” Give...
