james choice

every time i hear that phrase, i think of soldiers during world war i or world war ii. they were writing letters to their loved ones from the trenches while bullets and shrapnel flew overhead.

how busy are you, really? are you busier than a soldier who's about to take a bullet to the chest?

elon musk’s twitter takeover was one wild ride! it all started back in april 2022 when musk revealed he’d bought a 9.2% stake in twitter, making him the largest shareholder. people were shocked, wondering what his plan was. soon after, twitter’s ceo announced musk would join the board, but then, in true musk fashion, he changed his mind and decided not to join. this left everyone guessing his next move.

not long after, musk dropped a bombshell by offering to buy twitter outright for $54.20 per share, valuing the company at about $44 billion. he said twitter needed to go private to become a true platform for free speech. to fund this massive deal, musk planned to use $21 billion of his own money and got banks to pitch in with $25.5 billion in loans.

twitter’s board wasn’t too keen on this idea initially and put up a “poison pill” defense to stop musk from easily taking over. but as the days went by, they eventually caved in and accepted his offer, probably because the shareholders liked the 38% premium on their shares.

then things started getting messy. musk suddenly announced that the deal was “on hold” because he was worried about the number of fake accounts on twitter. this threw the whole deal into doubt, and some people thought musk was just looking for an excuse to get out or lower the price.

things escalated when musk said he wanted to pull out of the deal, claiming twitter wasn’t being transparent about the number of bots. twitter wasn’t having any of it and took him to court in delaware to force him to go through with the buyout.

just as they were gearing up for a big court battle in october, musk did another 180. he decided to go ahead with the purchase at the original price. by the end of october 2022, the deal was done. musk took over twitter, fired top execs like the ceo and cfo, and immediately started making big changes. he laid off about half the workforce, relaxed some content moderation rules, and even hinted at turning twitter into an “everything app” called x.

now, with a massive debt to handle and some big changes to twitter’s direction, the platform is in a pretty uncertain spot. musk’s moves have made waves, and it’s still unclear where he’ll take twitter (now x) next. it’s been a rollercoaster, and the ride isn’t over yet!

ernest shackleton was a prominent british polar explorer renowned for his leadership in the heroic age of antarctic exploration. born in 1874 in county kildare, ireland, shackleton moved to london at a young age. his adventurous spirit led him to join the merchant navy, where he quickly climbed the ranks and developed a fascination with exploration.

shackleton's legacy is largely defined by his leadership in the 1901 discovery expedition and, more notably, the 1907-1909 nimrod expedition, where he and his team set a new record by reaching the latitude of 88 degrees south, just 97 nautical miles from the south pole. this expedition was notable not only for its near success in reaching the pole but also for the spirit of endurance and courage that shackleton instilled in his crew.

however, it is his 1914-1916 imperial trans-antarctic expedition aboard the ship endurance for which shackleton is most remembered. this expedition aimed to achieve the first land crossing of antarctica. the endurance became trapped in pack ice and was eventually crushed, leading shackleton and his crew on a harrowing saga of survival. displaying extraordinary leadership, shackleton led all 28 of his men on a perilous journey over ice and open sea to safety. notably, he managed to keep his crew motivated and alive for over 500 days in the brutal conditions of the antarctic, a testament to his remarkable skills in crisis management and leadership.

shackleton's approach to leadership, characterized by his commitment to his crew's welfare and morale, his capacity to adapt to changing circumstances, and his unyielding perseverance, has become a model in both leadership studies and popular culture. his ability to foster deep loyalty and optimism among his men under the most adverse conditions is often cited as a benchmark of great leadership.

despite his financial troubles and less successful later ventures, shackleton's exploits during the heroic age of exploration have immortalized him as a model of courage and endurance against overwhelming odds. his final expedition, the quest, ended with his death in 1922 from a heart attack while his ship was moored in south georgia. yet, ernest shackleton's legacy lives on, inspiring not only future explorers but also leaders in all fields who seek to embody his indomitable spirit.

the 48 laws of power is a book written by robert greene that outlines 48 strategies for gaining and maintaining power in relationships, organizations, and society. the laws cover a wide range of topics including self-promotion, manipulation, deception, and the acquisition of power through the manipulation of perception and image. some of the most well-known laws include: "never outshine the master," "play a suckers to catch a sucker," and "conceal your intentions." the book is written in a historical context, with examples from figures such as machiavelli, sun tzu, and julius caesar. it is intended as a guide for individuals seeking to gain power, but has also been criticized for promoting unethical behavior.

to avoid falling into fallacies, it's important to be mindful of the logical structure of your arguments and the evidence that you use to support your claims. here are some tips for constructing arguments and engaging in discussions without falling into fallacies:

clearly state your position: make sure you know exactly what you want to argue and that you can clearly articulate it. this will help you stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked.

use evidence to support your claims: don't rely on unsupported assertions or personal beliefs. instead, provide evidence to back up your arguments. this could include citing relevant research, providing examples, or using logical reasoning.

consider alternative perspectives: it's important to be open to the possibility that your perspective may not be the only one. make an effort to understand the perspectives of others and consider whether they may have valid points.

avoid ad hominem attacks: don't attack the person making the argument, rather focus on the argument itself. personal attacks are a sign of a weak argument and only serve to derail the discussion.

be aware of common fallacies: familiarize yourself with common fallacies such as the ad hominem, straw man, and slippery slope. this will help you spot them in your own arguments and in the arguments of others.

by following these tips, you can help ensure that your discussions and arguments are well-reasoned and free from fallacies.