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Stephen Hawking, who sought to explain the origins of the universe, the mysteries of black holes and the nature of time itself, died on Wednesday, March 14th, aged 76. Here are ten things most people don't know about him:
10. He's funny. He says this about his college courses: “Physics was always the most boring subject school because it was so easy and obvious. Chemistry was much more fun because unexpected things, such as explosions, kept happening.”
9. He likes his work. “To my surprise, I found I liked it (scientific research). Someone once said that scientists and prostitutes get paid for doing what they enjoy.”
8. He doesn't think it's possible to travel back into time. “I don't think time travel will ever be possible. If it were, we would ave been overrun by tourists from the future by now.”
7. His father was a tropical medicine specialist. Frank Hawking studied medicine at Oxford University and spent considerable time studying topical diseases in East Africa.
6. He expresses gratitude easily, naturally. “When I was twenty-one and contracted ALS, I felt it was very unfair....I thought my life was over and I would never realize th potential I felt I had. But now , fifty years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life. I have been married twice and have three beautiful and accomplished children. I have been successful in my scientific career.”
5. His fame comes with burdens and possibilities. “Being well known and easily recognizable has its pluses and minuses. The minuses are that it can be difficult t do ordinary things such as shopping without being besieged by people wanting photographs and that in the past the press has taken an unhealthy interest in my private life. But the minuses are more than outweighed by the pluses. People seem genuinely pleased to see me.”
4. He's positive. “My disability has not been a serious handicap in my scientific wok. In fact, in some ways I guess it has been an asset: I haven't had to lecture or teach undergraduates, and I haven't had to sit on tedious and time consuming committees. So I have been able to devote myself completely to research.”
3. He's stayed in touch with lifelong friends. When he entered his teen years, Hawking had “six or seven close friends, most of whom I'm still in touch with.”
2. His disease added meaning to his life. Prior to the diagnoses, he drifted through university with the feeling “that nothing was worth making an effort for.” After the diagnosis of ALS, Hawking says became motivated: “One result of my illness has been to change all that (drifting). When you are faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes your realize that life is worth living and that there are lots of things you want do do.”
1. He writes children's books. Hawking and his daughter, Lucy, have co-written a series of “George” books for children. Some titles include: George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, George's Secret Key To The Universe, George and the Big Bank.
(feel free to repost or share on your social media)
10. He's funny. He says this about his college courses: “Physics was always the most boring subject school because it was so easy and obvious. Chemistry was much more fun because unexpected things, such as explosions, kept happening.”
9. He likes his work. “To my surprise, I found I liked it (scientific research). Someone once said that scientists and prostitutes get paid for doing what they enjoy.”
8. He doesn't think it's possible to travel back into time. “I don't think time travel will ever be possible. If it were, we would ave been overrun by tourists from the future by now.”
7. His father was a tropical medicine specialist. Frank Hawking studied medicine at Oxford University and spent considerable time studying topical diseases in East Africa.
6. He expresses gratitude easily, naturally. “When I was twenty-one and contracted ALS, I felt it was very unfair....I thought my life was over and I would never realize th potential I felt I had. But now , fifty years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life. I have been married twice and have three beautiful and accomplished children. I have been successful in my scientific career.”
5. His fame comes with burdens and possibilities. “Being well known and easily recognizable has its pluses and minuses. The minuses are that it can be difficult t do ordinary things such as shopping without being besieged by people wanting photographs and that in the past the press has taken an unhealthy interest in my private life. But the minuses are more than outweighed by the pluses. People seem genuinely pleased to see me.”
4. He's positive. “My disability has not been a serious handicap in my scientific wok. In fact, in some ways I guess it has been an asset: I haven't had to lecture or teach undergraduates, and I haven't had to sit on tedious and time consuming committees. So I have been able to devote myself completely to research.”
3. He's stayed in touch with lifelong friends. When he entered his teen years, Hawking had “six or seven close friends, most of whom I'm still in touch with.”
2. His disease added meaning to his life. Prior to the diagnoses, he drifted through university with the feeling “that nothing was worth making an effort for.” After the diagnosis of ALS, Hawking says became motivated: “One result of my illness has been to change all that (drifting). When you are faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes your realize that life is worth living and that there are lots of things you want do do.”
1. He writes children's books. Hawking and his daughter, Lucy, have co-written a series of “George” books for children. Some titles include: George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, George's Secret Key To The Universe, George and the Big Bank.
(feel free to repost or share on your social media)
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Some things are up to us, and others are not. - Epictetus
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To lose heart just because of one or two failures is the height of foolishness. Life is a long, long journey. - Daisaku Ikeda
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Even if you fail in your attempt, do not be discouraged. Every failure is a stepping-stone for success. Make a fresh resolve again with more firm and fiery determination. You are bound to succeed. - Swami Sivananda
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Let courage chaperon your fear;
confidence escort your worry.
When you think courageously
and confidently,
fear and worry
are drained of their power.
- Victor M. Parachin
confidence escort your worry.
When you think courageously
and confidently,
fear and worry
are drained of their power.
- Victor M. Parachin
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Western medicine emphasizes surgery too much. Doctors want to take out the things that are not wanted. When we have something irregular in our body, too often they advise us to have an operation. The same seems to be rue in psychotherapy. Therapists want to help us throw out what is unwanted and keep only what i wanted. But what is left may not be very much. If we try to throw away what we don't' want, we may throw away most of ourselves.
(source: Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh)
(source: Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh)
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If you want to change your life, know that your best and only resource is yourself. - Diana Lu
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As a means of limiting local air pollution, an advertising company is promoting an innovative deal towards its employees.
Advertising agency Make Stuff of Christchurch, New Zealand has just started paying its employees $5 a day to bike to work. If the employee manages to keep up the biking routine for at least half of their annual work days, the company doubles the offer to $10 a day, all of which is payable at the end of the year in the form of a cash bonus.
Since making the offer last week, all but one of the employees started participating in the bike riding.
The biking exchange is not just a more environmentally friendly way of getting to work, either – the employees say that once they have their blood flowing from the bike ride, they are more energized during the work day. Plus, they save money and time by eliminating a gym membership.
Advertising agency Make Stuff of Christchurch, New Zealand has just started paying its employees $5 a day to bike to work. If the employee manages to keep up the biking routine for at least half of their annual work days, the company doubles the offer to $10 a day, all of which is payable at the end of the year in the form of a cash bonus.
Since making the offer last week, all but one of the employees started participating in the bike riding.
The biking exchange is not just a more environmentally friendly way of getting to work, either – the employees say that once they have their blood flowing from the bike ride, they are more energized during the work day. Plus, they save money and time by eliminating a gym membership.
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When it comes to food, nature gets it right and human intervention so often gets it wrong. Whole, real food will always be our greatest source of energy. Processed foods that claim to be energy-boosters are often filled with poor quality substances that put additional pressure on various body systems and in that way can deplete us of energy in the long run.- Libby Weaver
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I am thinking highly and warmly of all my wonderful women friends as yesterday was International Women's Day and March is Women's History Month. Here is a quote from one of my favorite feminists . . .
Whatever women do, they must
do it twice as well as men to
be thought half as good.
Luckily this is not difficult.
- Charlotte Whitton
Charlotte Whitton was a feminist before it became a movement. She was born in 1896 and was the first woman mayor of a major Canadian city - Ottawa, Ontario - Canada's capital city. (from 1951-56 and from 1960 - 64)
(feel free to repost or link to your social media)
Whatever women do, they must
do it twice as well as men to
be thought half as good.
Luckily this is not difficult.
- Charlotte Whitton
Charlotte Whitton was a feminist before it became a movement. She was born in 1896 and was the first woman mayor of a major Canadian city - Ottawa, Ontario - Canada's capital city. (from 1951-56 and from 1960 - 64)
(feel free to repost or link to your social media)