Today's Statistical Analysis:
People who love themselves also love hot dogs! (Source: the American Kosher Beef Frank Council, c. 1972) While trying to find the scientific data for this claim (which I was ultimately unable to do), I ran into some controversy.

While the case of the 'hot dog' is fairly well researched and free from the slap-fights that so often accompany academic discussion, 'self-esteem' is a large enough concern for Americans that the only thing more important than it on a random 'Google' search is Self Magazine.

This is a 'Professional Self-Esteem diamond', as it appears on the LaBelle Foundation's website. As I am sure you've noticed, there is no specific mention of food attained through advanced meat recovery, but be patient: I believe we're getting there.

'Self-Esteem' is defined there as:
"...an on-going process that comes from connecting with our soul and spiritual potential through self-acceptance, meditation, prayer, release, communing with nature and/or requesting strength from our higher power, source, spirit or god. It is a process of balancing our lives by consciously attending to our Soul—personality, Mind—performance and our Body—presentation."

So, "communing with nature"= eating of the 'hot dog'.

Or is it? I recommend a short video . (I see that the link will just take you back to the page. Please go down to 'Video', and click on 'a short video'. You will thank me.)

Most of the images associated with 'low self-esteem' do not feature a hot dog. At least one of the images associated with 'high self-esteem' does. So while self-esteem is "awesome", and hot dogs self-identify as "awesome", may we still take it on faith that
to love one's self is to love a hot dog?

Well, let us go to the National Association for Self-Esteem's website, which has something to say, certainly:

"Unfortunately, efforts to convey the significance and critical nature of self-esteem have been hampered by misconceptions and confusion over what is meant by the term �self-esteem.� Some have referred to self-esteem as merely �feeling good� or having positive feelings about oneself. Others have gone so far as to equate self-esteem with egotism, arrogance, conceit, narcissism, a sense of superiority, a trait leading to violence."

Oh. So 'self-love', 'self-esteem' and 'feeling good' are not all the same thing. Oh. Furthermore, this self-esteem-inducing recipe guide on kidshealth.org utterly excludes the hot dog.

So as much as it pains me to conclude so, my findings in the matter must remain inconclusive. However, the hot dog who thinks he's awesome does make a fairly compelling case, and since he seems to provide the only categorical statement on the subject, I will tentatively say that the original assertion is 90% true!



"Individuals with defensive or low self-esteem typically focus on trying to prove themselves or impress others," writes...Some Guy on the National Association for Self-Esteem website. This brings me to today's personal note.

I believe last time I published, I revealed a fast-growing friendship with a fellow scientistic. Mr. Hude came to my attention with an ad on Craigslist in which he asked for help with his blog. I looked at it, and realized that 'help' was something he desperately needed.

Having said so, I realize that myself and others in the academic community can oftentimes come off as high-handed and so on when dealing with the emotional needs of the common folk. I perhaps made myself seem like a bully when I said:

Charles,

Here are some thoughts regarding your most recent blog entry:

"Many businesses today work hard at customer service." Why is 'today' in there? Did businesses in the past not work hard at customer service?

"They are constantly telling their employees how they want their customers treated." The 'constantly' (like 'today' above) is a meaningless modifier. Lose it.

"They want the customer to feel welcome and valuable when they come into their business." Is this something that your desired readership does not know?

"How do your employees feel when the walk in?" In a world with Spell Check, there is no excuse for misspelling the word 'they'

And so on. Well...


" Most business owner feels they treat their employee’s fine." Another unacceptable sentence. 'Owner' receives an 's' in this case, and 'feel' does not. You don't need an apostrophe to show the plural of 'employee'. Furthermore, the sentence starts with another unprovable assertion: how do you know how 'most' business owners feel?


Actually, beyond there it just got worse...

I ask this not to be derisive but just for information; is English not your first language? The title of the blog post itself has a misspelled word ('basd'). If you are setting yourself up in the consulting business, a professional writing style is absolutely necessary at the very least. From there, you need to ask yourself, "exactly who is my audience?", and "how can I get my point across without being redundant?" You also might find ultimately that your business does not need a blog. It would seem that conventional wisdom holds that everyone with a website needs one, but think about it: do you go and read the blog of -say- a carpet cleaning company?

In any case, I wish you luck. And I impart a warning: as a rule, people who read Craigslist are idiots.

Best,
Dr. Frank Bobb


So, my careful concern for this man's well-being went entirely unnoticed. Indeed, he seemed to think that the proper response was to engage in some bargain-basement stand up comedy!

(And yes, he was shouting the whole time.)

Frank,

Well your response was certainly unique. So, I appreciate your review of my blog. What I was looking for was a writer. Yes, I would say if I am looking for a writer, I understand it is not where my talent is.

English is my first language. As far as the “derisive” attitude, well seriously when a total stranger says everything you said in your email I think mockingly scornful, ridicule, or showing contempt is a mild understatement. Usually when someone start a sentence with “I ask this not to be derisive” it is exactly the opposite and exactly what they mean.

May I ask what you PHD is in because I am sure it is not in people skills or tactfulness. I mean seriously I do not know you from Adam and you right me a email without one positive thing in it. If you understood people you would understand starting with something positive and then giving examples of improvements you would get a better response.

Do you answer and talk to everyone like this. I also do not understand your comment people who read craigslist are “idiots”. If that were true and you read my post it would make you a idiot.

I do believe we learn from all of all experience and I see where I do need to proof read or get a copy editor for my articles before I post them. You also had some really good point.

Best,

Charles

Well, I think that two men...Two professional men could do better than the lukewarm 'best's we each appended to our missives. I see you got my little self-referential joke about Craigslist, though. Good show!
I do happen to carry a double PhD, and yes, one of them is in People Skills or Tactfulness (Cornell, class of 1959). I struggle with my inner need to help the world, sometimes, and that leads to me performing invasive, painful surgery when a mere outpatient procedure would have sufficed.

However, how am I supposed to start off with positive comments then slyly move on to the suggested corrections when all there were were mistakes? I suppose I could have commented on his pleasing blog template. I don't know.

In any case, let us move on to the scientisticism. We can scarcely stay here.
Oh, damn it! I cannot let categorical assertions such as "Coach is an expert in busness that can help with problem areas of your business" stand unchallenged!

For the purposes of this survey, we need to find:

• Who is 'Coach'?
• Can we prove this person (or entity's) expertise in business?

(And for that matter, is there a sinister "fine print" difference between 'busness' and 'business'? Ala, "Oh, I never said that I was a business expert. If you'll look, you'll see that right there I describe myself as a bus-ness expert!')

(He also said that one of the 'advantages of hiring a coach' is "give you a competitive advantage", which is a piece of logic pleasing in its circularity.)

Well, most of us know who 'Coach' is: Craig T. Nelson!
When he was last sighted, he was telling Glenn Beck that he thought he might stop paying taxes, as the government ought to go bankrupt just like any other company that had failed.

It does show some sort of rudimentary understanding of economics, and certainly that sort of tough-talk appeals to your average business owner...
Well, now there I go. For confirmation of this, I went yet again to the office of Donn Carroll, president of the Greater Area Most Business Owners Association, and he said, "Hell no I don't think I should go bankrupt! I think what I do should be protected, and if some Hollywood crybaby doesn't want to pay his taxes, maybe we should tax the hell out of the big Hollywood studios until they either have to go bankrupt, or stop making anything with Craig T. goddamn Nelson in it! Now leave me alone!"

So no. Most Business Owners actually don't like that sort of tough-talk, at least when applied to their own business.


So then we may safely conclude that coach is not expert in bus(i)ness. Please make a note of it.