The definition of Trust – is it definable?

January 22, 2013January 22, 2013 JoJo Bayvel1 Comment

TRUST

Noun
Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
Verb
Believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of.
Synonyms
noun. confidence – faith – credit – reliance – belief
verb. believe – confide – rely – credit – hope – entrust

traversing the internet recently, I stumbled upon an interesting definition of trust in this paper. The paper focuses on security and cryptography, but its definition applies to a wide variety of activities. The authors reason that “the local trust depends on the gap between behavior and expected behavior of an ideal agent in that role.”

In terms of a person, this means that someone is trustworthy if his or her actions are almost always what you expect an ideal person to do. Someone who isn’t trustworthy will frequently deviate from your expectations. In short, trust is your ability to predict accurately another person’s behavior.

Let’s say you have a cousin who you have seen steal cookies from the cookie jar many times, breaking a promise to his mother. If today your cousin says he won’t steal any cookies, you probably will expect him to steal them anyway. His actual behavior—stealing cookies—is not the same as the ideal, promised behavior—not stealing cookies—so he is less likely to be considered trustworthy.

In simple situations, evaluating trustworthiness is easy. However, trust becomes much more difficult in new situations when you’re interacting with new people because it’s hard to predict the behavior of a stranger.

People don’t always think rationally when evaluating trust. Since trust is your judgment of how well you can predict someone else’s behavior, evaluating trustworthiness depends on your own thoughts and feelings. For example, if you repeatedly witness your cousin stealing cookies, you may be predisposed not to trust another person with cookies, even though your cousin’s stealing history has nothing to do with the other person.

At the end of the day, trust is subjective. It’s nearly impossible to predict human behavior, so people have developed their own methods to determine whether a person can be trusted.

Colgate’s ingenious advertising campaign

January 22, 2013January 22, 2013 JoJo Bayvel2 Comments

Colgate have created a very ingenious advertising campaign to promote their dental floss, but before I explain to you the main detail of these images, I will let you appreciate them quietly~

Alright, now that you had time to quietly observe the images, in the first one you will now notice that she has one finger too many in her hand, in the second one a phantom arm is floating there, and in the third one the man has only one ear…
The campaign attained its purpose, because it proved that food remains on your teeth draw more attention than any physical defect…

I’ve learned

January 20, 2013January 20, 2013 JoJo Bayvel2 Comments

I’ve learned…

I’ve learned… that having a mom and sisters as best friends is one of life’s best gifts.

I’ve learned…that only when I love someone with the same unconditional love I have for my dog, will I marry them.

I’ve leaned…that money doesn’t make you happy but it sure makes the sad times easier.

I’ve learned… that the only way I can control my anxiety is with God.

I’ve learned…that you can say what you want but how you behave is how you will be judged.

I’ve learned…that girls are too willing to be with someone they don’t love, for money, as opposed to being with someone they love who has ambition. I’ve also learned… that these relationships don’t work by looking at girls I know and they are left poor and with no dignity.

I’ve learned… that I will always be seen as a blonde Barbie with three brain cells.

I’ve learned…not to let this bother me as I have the IQ of a genius and can outsmart most brunettes and ladies my age.

I’ve learned…that class is everything not celebrity.

I’ve learned…that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned…that when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned…that just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve learned…that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned…that being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned…that you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned…that I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned…that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned…that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned…that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned…that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned…that we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned…that money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned…that it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned…that under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned…that the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve learned…that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned…that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned…that love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned…that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned…that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned…that there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve learned…that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned…that life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned…that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned…that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned…that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned…that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned…that I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve learned…that when your newly born nephew holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned…that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned…that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I’ve learned…that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Live Life… A Poem

January 18, 2013 JoJo BayvelLeave a comment

Life is crazy,
and totally unpredictable…
It’s going to push you over,
kick you while you’re down
and hit you when you try to get back up.
Not everything can beat you.
Things are going to change you,
But you get to choose which ones you let change you.
Listen to your heart,
Follow your dreams,
And let no one tell you what you’re capable of.
Push the limits,
Bend the rules,
And enjoy every minute of it.
Laugh at everything,
Live for as long as you can.
Love all,
But trust none.
Believe in yourself,
And never lose faith in others
Settle for nothing but only the best,
And give 110% in everything you do.
Take risks,
Live on the edge,
Yet stay safe,
And cherish every moment of it.
Life is a gift,
Appreciate all the rewards,
And jump on every opportunity.
Not everyone’s going to love you
But who needs them anyways.
Challenge everything,
And fight for what you believe.
Back down to nothing,
But give in to the little things in life,
After all, that is what makes you.
Forget the unnecessary,
But remember everything,
Bring it with you everywhere you go.
Learn something new,
And appreciate criticism.
Hate nothing,
But dislike what you want.
Never forget where you came from,
And always remember where you are going.
Live Life to its fullest,
And have a reason for everything,
Even if it’s totally insane.
Find Your purpose in life,
and Live it!

The stories of eight amazing dogs

January 18, 2013 JoJo BayvelLeave a comment

Here are the stories of eight amazing doggies….

1. CAIRO THE SEAL DOG

Cairo the military dog was born and bred for the job. He is a Belgian Malinois, a shepherd breed that few were familiar with, until Cairo’s story became news. After Cairo trained to be a Military Working Dog at a young age, he advanced to Navy SEAL training. Cairo was the only dog to accompany Navy SEAL Team 6 as they raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Cairo was strapped to his handler as they were lowered from a helicopter, and wore special body armor while bursting into the compound. The dog is the only member of SEAL Team 6 to be publicly named.

2. DOZER THE MARATHON DOG

Dozer, a three-year-old “goldendoodle,” saw a bunch of people run by his home in Fulton, Maryland. He became so excited that he crossed his invisible fence and started running with them. Seven miles later, Dozer crossed the finish line of the Maryland Half Marathon, a fundraising event for the University of Maryland’s Greenebaum Cancer Center. The runners did not know Dozer was alone. He returned home the next day, looking so tired that his owners took him to the vet. Word got around, and they realized Dozer was the dog on the marathon’s TV coverage. Marathon organizers gave Dozer a special award. Now he has his own runner’s page and Facebook fan page -and he’s raised $21,000 for the cancer center!

3. LADA THE LOYAL BABYSITTER

Olga, a 22-year-old woman in Saratov, Russia took her dog and her baby son Vadim to a park and met up with friends. After a few drinks, Olga went home and left her baby behind! Luckily, her dog Lada was with the baby. Olga woke the next morning and realized the child was missing. She thought Vadim had been abducted, but her father went to the park and found the baby in his pram, with Lada still beside him. The rottweiler had stood guard over him all night long. Vadim was wet and hungry, but unharmed, and was placed in the care of his grandmother.

4. BELLE CALLS 911

Kevin Weaver has diabetes. He also has a specially-trained beagle named Belle who can sense when his blood sugar levels are off. She licks his nose, and then paws at him to signal that he should take a reading. In the summer of 2006, Belle put another skill to work. Weaver suffered a seizure and collapsed. Belle grabbed the man’s cell phone and bit down on the number 9, just like she had been trained. The number was programmed to dial 911, and emergency workers soon arrived. Belle was later given the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award for those who use cell phones to save lives. Belle was the first dog to ever win the award.

5. DORADO THE BRAVE GUIDE

Omar Eduardo Rivera is a blind computer technician who uses a guide dog. On September 11, 2001, Rivera was working on the 71st floor of the World Trade Center when a plane hit the building above him. His dog Dorado was under Rivera’s desk, as usual. As the building evacuation began, Rivera smelled the smoke and heard the chaos in the stairwell. He took the Labrador retriever’s leash off, so the dog could escape. Dorado ignored Rivera’s order to go ahead, and escorted his master down 70 flights of stairs. They were separated by the rush of the crowd for a few minutes, but Dorado found his way back to Rivera and continued down the stairs. They reached the ground about an hour after they began the descent, only a few minutes before the building collapsed.

6. CHASER THE DOG OF MANY WORDS

Border collies are known for their intelligence. Chaser is a border collie that belongs to a retired psychology professor. John W. Pilley read about a dog who learned to recognize 200 German nouns, and decided to see if Chaser could learn words as well. Working with the dog for around five hours a day, Chaser learned to recognize the names of a couple of new objects every day, to a current total of 1,022 nouns! Along the way, Chaser got the idea that learning words is her job, so now the 82-year-old Pilley has a hard time taking it easy, as Chaser demands her lessons! Pilley is now teaching Chaser verbs and basic grammar.

7. ROWAN THE ECHOLOCATOR

A German spitz named Rowan was born without eyes, but gets around almost as well as a sighted dog. Rowan learned to use the reverberations of his bark to determine where objects are in the great outdoors. This is a version of echolocation, in which a blind person (or dog, in this case) creates a mental map by comparing the way sound bounces back in an echo. Rowan was not taught to “see” this way, but his owners noticed how his behavior outside changed when the trees filled out with leaves. Most people who meet Rowan don’t even realize he is blind -they just wonder why he keeps his eyes shut.

8. DEXTER THE WAR HERO

Dexter’s full name is Military Working Dog Dexter CO67, but he is now retired after service in Afghanistan. Dexter served for six years, during which time he detected a garbage truck filled with explosives and saved at least a thousand military personnel and civilians. After his tour, he was scheduled to be euthanized because of hip problems and the fact that military dogs are hard to place for adoption because of their aggressiveness. His handler, Kathleen Ellison, went to work to save Dexter through the organization Military Working Dog Adoptions. Veteran Danny Scheurer, who worked with dogs during his military service, agreed to adopt Dexter and bring him home to Spring Grove, Illinois. Dexter also became the first canine member of the American Legion when he was accepted as a full member by Fox Lake American Legion Post 703.