“Snakes in Suits”… are everywhere!

Snakes in Suits... are in education, tooFor a long time, many people have followed the corporate disasters of “Eron” and the many ‘lapses in judgment’ in the corporate arena and wondered — not always silently — why these folks weren’t behind bars?

Publisher’s Weekly offers a candid review of the effort… and here is an excerpt:

“Psychopaths are described as incapable of empathy, guilt, or loyalty to anyone but themselves; still, spotting a psychopath isn’t easy. Babiak, an industrial and organizational psychologist, and Hare (Without Conscience), creator of the standard tool for diagnosing psychopathology, present a study of the psychopath in the corporate landscape. A common description of psychopathology states that subjects “know the words but not the music;” Babiak and Hare state that “a clever psychopath can present such a well-rounded picture of a perfect job candidate that even seasoned interviewers” can be fooled.”

 You can purchase a copy rather inexpensively on  Amazon.com.

Personally, I have noticed that psychopaths tend to be attracted to money, power and the control over other lives to benefit themselves. This covers a lot of ground — an in my humble opinion — the corporate environs are not the only hallowed halls that are infected with self serving psychopaths. One only has to look into academia itself… following the university president who takes his entire staff on a holiday cruise to the Mediterranean and there is much much more… but then I am sure that would be a subject of another book.

worth reading,

 Roger Freberg

PS. other interesting books on related topics : the Sociopath next door, Psychopath: emotion and the brain; Emotional Vampires

“Rainbow Cuisine” Cookbook from South Africa — Yummy!

Karen sent me on a nice journey to find this cookbook!

In our family, we all share an appreciation for the wonders of good food. That is the curse for what my  psychologist wife  refers to as  “super tasters”…  a physiological distinction where some people just experience more from their taste of food. I wouldn’t want to be any different.

This is why “Jenny Craig” comes in so handy at times!

However, during those times of planned indulgence, the right food can be fully appreciated! South African recipes and portions are quite in line with a healthy lifestyle. A particular  South African recipe book  was recommended to my daughter “Chef” Karen that — unfortunately — she couldn’t find anywhere in South Africa and was out of print, so she asked me to find one! Finally, after a bit of searching, I found one (and only one) in England and it’s on it’s way to me! I can’t wait! 

It all looks so good!

Roger Freberg

Karen has blogged about another one of the  author’s cook books  and here is a  LINK to Karen’s blog  on the subject.

Have you Fangangoed Harry Potter, yet?

Harry Potter is MINE!!!

This may not mean anything … except to us kids, but I am very pleased to have “FANDANGOED” a couple of tickets to the New  “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”  coming out MIDNIGHT July 10th, 2007!

I know this is a work night for many folks… but it should be wonderful if it stays true to the book. I am rather curious why the last of  “Joe’s” books  is being released AFTER the movie. Hopefully, this is not an ominous sign. I have the new books ordered,too!

Looks like fun!

Roger Freberg

Karen’s  “dinner theater”  activity looks like fun too!

Harry Potter’s Trunk… now for sale!

a trunk full of magic and imagination!Okay, this will sound like an advertisement to some … but it is really a note from one of the many fans of the six Harry Potter books by ‘Joe’ Rowling….waiting… it seems… like so many others to read Book 7.

As so many others have speculated, will the seventh book attempt to appeal to the critics by providing an ‘ending’ that is truly depressing, sad and hopeless? OR… will the ending provide hope and encourage the best in all of us?

Certainly, the series has had a generous dose of reality. Cruelty is not overdone, but it is present. Generousity and self sacrifice are virtues displayed throughout the pages… which lead me to be optimistic about the final chapter of the Potter series.

However, whatever the outcome… the final chapter will be what people remember and embrace… or dismiss.

In the meantime, I recieved this note from Amazon.com offering a Harry Potter Trunk and books… seems like a great deal.

Can’t wait for Book 7.

Roger Freberg

the Professor wears “Prada”

Books to inform the mind... fashion to please the soul

Who doesn’t like nice things? Laura’s ‘QuelQues Fleurs’ has always mesmerized me.
For an early mother’s day present we went out and bought Laura some nice sunglasses… not just any sunglasses, but some from Neiman Marcus… Prada’s. They were perfect. The right amount of protection from the wind ( we live in a very windy place where the wind reaches an average of 40 mph every afternoon) and sun.

Jan Moran has done a nice job with making perfumes undestandable… with her Fabulous Fragrances and Fabulous Fragrances II books. Although with all of the recent additions and offerings over the last 7 years, she should really come out with a third book.

I am looking forward to Luca Turin’s new book coming out sometime in 2008… check it out.

Roger Freberg