When did Noah build the ark?

Ankesh,

Thanks for mentioning Sacrifice.

I don't like that word. It has been too intricately linked with Religion - in all guises.

I prefer, instead, to think of...

Future Value - or even Having A Future.

If I do not think I have a future, I will NOT dig a well, build a building, invest time and money and effort into anything. I will, by default, be an Instant Gratification person.

Take the Israel/Palestine thing. The Israelis think they have a future and act accordingly. The Palestinians do Not think they have a future which is observable by the way they act - a person who thinks they have a future does not blow themselves up, as just one example.

Those who think they have a future are more productive, by default, than those ne'er-do-wells who do not think of having a future and thus join the ranks of the welfare brigade.

First, Ram and Shyam and the rest of the people in that town are idiots for living so far away from the nearest water supply.

Second, Ram might be out of business now the pipeline is built, but because he was Smart with the money he made for all those years, he owns the land the pipeline is built on (as well as all other land around the village) and the Water Source and leases it to Shyam. Ram took action now and made something of himself, while Shyam Gambled his time, effort and other people's money, on a venture that could have sent them bust and resulted him being strangled in a hotel room in the Carribean by someone linked to the investors who lost a lot of money.

Action Summary:

=> Make Money Now and Invest Wisely instead of relying on a future crap shoot.

Michael Ross