Bragging

The dictionary defines “bragging” as to talk or write about oneself in a proud or self-impressed way.

 

However, I've noticed that some forms of bragging are seasonal...or should I say only relevant for a short period of time. Bragging about something today, may not be impressive one or two years from now.

 

Here are some examples I've heard in my life:

 

When the famous crime novel "The Godfather" was published in 1969, it was the talk of the town. Everyone, especially girls in college would say, “Yeah, I'm reading The Godfather. It's my kind of story.” or “I already finished reading GF as I got the book on day one”.

 

~ Gee thanks for sharing that. Even though I didn't ask, don't care, and don't wanna know.

 

Here's another - complaining while bragging (so it's not as blatant and in your FACE).

 

Oh boy, do I have problems. There are sooo many little gadgets and shortcuts that I have to learn...on my new Mercedes Benz SUV. It's so annoying!

 

~ Do you know what's really annoying? YOU! You're annoying me with your back handed bragging. Your car might be kewl (cool)...but the driver is certainly an idiot!

 

Trap bragging.

 

Hey let's grab lunch today?

~Ummm...sure where do you wanna go?

I'm sick of French food so anything but French food.

 

~Ummm...ooookkkkaayyy. French food wasn't even on my list of places to go...but I guess I'm also fine with not going with French food. (now I'm thinking quickly...do I ask WHY this person said "anything but French"? No...no I don't wanna fall into the trap.) Dammit! Too late! Someone overheard us at the office and asked, "Hey why are you sick of Fren"...and before they can finish the sentence...the following answer was given.

 

(Sighs)...because we just spent the long weekend in Paris. It was just a quick getaway trip. Spur of the moment. We just decided to go...just like that...so we went. I'm soooo tired of French food now. (sighs)

 

~Somebody please stab me with a fork and put me out of my misery! The next one hour everything came back to the same topic. French Fries - So when we were in Paris... ... ... French Toast - So this past weekend in Paris... ... ... ~Great... Well you can just kiss my eiffel tower!

 

So why did I write this blog post? I'm wondering if this latest trend is kind of, sort of, in some way... a back handed way of bragging and showing how kewl people are (yes kewl like Cartman).

 

The new phrase is...

 

I'm currently under self imposed quarantine.

 

----Now wait...hear me out.---

 

I've noticed that many politicians, famous athletes, movie stars, and other VIPs say those words. But to me it sounds like they wanna brag and be kewl. Of course, they wanna be cautious and careful (I get that) however...if you are under self-imposed quarantine then why are you announcing it to everyone?

 

Why don't you just quarantine yourself quietly and privately.

 

Why self promote, advertise, and announce to the whole world?

 

This of course is another "time-bound" type of bragging. A front running, I'm ahead of the pack, public bragging. One year from now...NOBODY CARES! Or...maybe I'm overreacting?

 

And if I am...then expect me to announce later this week that after careful consideration, I've decided to place myself on self imposed quarantine (even though I haven't traveled, haven't shown symptoms, and have not come into contact with anyone who has the virus).

 

PS:  I gave a draft of this post to someone for editing.  I usually don't do this.  He completely rewrote in his own "American" style.  He told me I don't have to use his version.  Since I liked his version, I am publishing it.

Primary Election Delegate Awarding Methodology

In USA, primary election to elect the presidential candidate is going on in full swing. There is not much of an election in Republican Party because Donald Trump is running almost unopposed. Among Democrats, it started with more than 24 candidates. Now it is down to 2 – Biden and Sanders.

 

How every state awards delegates to each candidate? Each state has a total number of delegates based on the population. (California has the highest number of delegates.) It is straight forward in the Republican Party. For example, if you win 20% of the votes, you get 20% of the delegates.

 

In the Democratic Party, it is not that straight forward. Their methodology is so complicated it will make even Narendra Karmarkar’s head spin.

 

For each state, 15% of the delegates are reserved for party VIPs. They are called Superdelegates. They are uncommitted and do not announce their support to any candidate until the convention. The rest of the delegates are divided into 2 halves. First half, the delegates will be awarded based on the % of votes each candidate gets on a statewide basis. There is a caveat. If anyone gets less than 15% of the votes, he/she will not get any delegate. It will be divided proportionately among those who got more than 15% of the votes.

 

For example, if there is only one candidate who got 16% of the votes and all others less than 15%, that candidate will get all the delegates.

 

For the second half, the delegates will be awarded based on % of votes each candidate gets in each congressional district (parliamentary constituency) in that state. The same 15% threshold applies.

 

What if no candidate received 15% of the votes? If no candidate meets the 15% threshold, Democratic Party rules state the minimum to receive delegates will be 50% of the vote received by the front-runner. For example, if candidate A wins with 10% of the vote, delegates will be allocated proportionately to anyone that receives 5% or more.

 

Hope you all understood. There will be a quiz tomorrow.

The Genius

The year 1939.  Place: University of California at Berkeley, California.

 

The student was very late to his math class.  Almost half the lecture was over.  He sat down quietly and took notes.  He noticed the professor has written 3 problems on the black board.  Since he was late coming in, he was afraid to ask the professor about them.  He just assumed they were the home work assignment the professor had given to the students.

 

He copied those 3 problems in his note book.  Went home.  Started to work on those 3 math problems.  He found them very very difficult.  Worked whole night solving those 3 math problems.  Finally, during the early morning hour, he solved all those 3 problems.

 

Went to the class next day.  Gave his home work assignment to the professor.  He told the professor how difficult those 3 math problems were and how he worked on them the whole night and solved them finally.

 

The professor immediately jumped out of his chair and asked: WHAT? WHAT DID YOU DO?  The student explained how he worked the whole night and solved those 3 difficult home work assignment.

 

The professor explained that they were not home work assignment.  Since he was late to the class the previous day, the student was not present when the professor put them on the black board.  The professor explained those were the 3 mathematical problems that were unsolved by anyone.  The student mistook them for home work assignment and solved those 3 unsolved math problems.

 

The professor published his "home work" and he was given credit for that.  The professor also recommended a Ph.D for him.

 

That student was George Dantzig.

 

PS: If you Google his name, you can read several versions for this incident.