Gouldenomics

Silicon Valley Top 100

2012-02-02T15:27:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-silicon-valley-100-2012-1#100-jason-shellen-1

Hamamatsu Is the New Gyoza (Dumpling) Capital of the World

2012-02-02T14:31:00.002-06:00

http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/94480.php

How Doctors Die

2012-02-01T12:06:00.001-06:00

http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/read/nexus/

Are We Stagnating Aesthetically?

2012-02-01T12:02:00.000-06:00

http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/12/are-we-stagnating-aesthetically.html

How Much Do Top Chess Players Earn?

2012-02-01T11:56:00.001-06:00

http://www.chess.com/article/view/making-money-in-chess

Why Aren't The Chinese Better at Soccer?

2012-02-01T11:45:00.000-06:00

"The first problem is the method of identifying young talent. The sport system selects children with particular attributes, such as long limbs, which could pay off in athletics, rowing, swimming, diving or gymnastics. These youngsters are the genetic wheat. But football’s legends can emerge from the seeming chaff of human physiques: think of stocky Diego Maradona, perhaps the greatest ever player, or his Argentine successor, the tiny genius Lionel Messi...Then there is the matter of gold medals and opportunity costs. China pursues gold by funnelling athletes into obscure individual sports that can reap multiple medals in competitions. Football can only yield one medal or World Cup...But the contradictions and weaknesses of Chinese capitalism have also played a part in the country’s footballing ignominy."

http://www.economist.com/node/21541716

Map of the Day: Where US Terrorist Attacks Occur

2012-02-01T11:33:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/map-of-the-day-hot-spots-of-terrorist-attacks-in-america-2012-2

On Fugu in Washington

2012-02-01T10:58:00.000-06:00

"Only one known Washington-area restaurant currently serves fugu: Kaz Sushi Bistro in DC's Foggy Bottom. Kazukhiro 'Kaz' Okochi orders the fish from Wako International Corp. in New York City, the only fugu importer approved by the Food and Druge Administration. Only a select group of restaurnats are certified by Wako to buy the fish, and Wako lobbied for years to get approval; all of the company's fish comes from Shimonoseki, Japan...the fish doesn't come cheap: Okochi paid Wako $90 a pound for farm-raised fugu in 2011."

February 2012 Washingtonina

Which Celebrity Chef-Branded Restaurants Are Better Than Others?

2012-01-31T12:04:00.002-06:00

http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/01/which-celebrity-chef-branded-restaurants-are-better-than-others.html

Is It Counterproductive to Recommend Restaurants in Tokyo?

2012-01-31T11:59:00.002-06:00

http://blog.sethroberts.net/2012/01/07/tokyo-restaurant-recommendations-and-why-they-might-be-a-bad-idea/

Do We Become More Conservative As We Age?

2012-01-31T11:47:00.001-06:00

"In fact, research shows that seniors become more tolerant and more open-minded in their later years."

Do People Become More Conservative As They Age?
by Emily Sohn
http://news.discovery.com/human/voter-conservative-aging-liberal-120119.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Drink of the Day: Chicha

2012-01-30T16:23:00.000-06:00

"...A batch of chicha, a traditional Latin American corn beer...In order to follow an authentic Peruvian method as closely as possible, the corn would be milled and moistened in the chicha maker's mouth. In other words, they spit in the beer."

Chew It Up, Spit It Out, Then Brew It. Cheers!
by Joyce Wadler
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/dining/09beer.html?pagewanted=all

Chart:: Top 1% - What Jobs Do They Have?

2012-01-24T15:46:00.002-06:00

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/newsgraphics/2012/0115-one-percent-occupations/index.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1

Don't Mess With Food in Hong Kong

2012-01-20T12:51:00.000-06:00

"In the city that created the dim sum bond, where food and money are two overriding passions, the biggest battle in the financial community isn't about job cuts or billion-dollar IPOs. It's about lunch...at issue is the length of the lunch hour at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The exchange...wants to reduce its lunchtime trading break from 90 minutes to one hour..."

For Brokers in Hong Kong, This New Policy Is Out to Lunch
by Kate O'Keefe & Isabella Steger
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203735304577166561256968008.html

21 Facts About the Corrupt Olive Oil Industry

2012-01-20T12:47:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/fake-olive-oil-2012-1

Analysis of the Week: Stress

2012-01-12T14:01:00.001-06:00

"Takeaway 1: Life involves money, work and relationships.
Takeaway 2: Money, work and relationships cause stress.
Takeaway 3: Stress causes chronic illness
Takeaway 4: Chronic illness causes death

Therefore, one might conclude, life causes death."

Too much Stress? See, That is What Worries US
by Dan Zak
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-american-psychological-association-survey-22-percent-report-extreme-stress/2012/01/11/gIQAooatrP_story.html

Is Stradivarius Overrated?

2012-01-12T09:44:00.000-06:00

"In short head-to-head tests, five instruments were preferred at roughly equal rates and one wad distinctly disfavored: a Stradivarius. In a more unstructured comparison, the same Stradivarius was again voted the worst, and four got equal ratings."

Is Stradivarius Overrated?
by Christopher Shea
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203471004577141042369472890.html

Question of the Day: Biking

2012-01-12T09:41:00.000-06:00

Q: We all know that one should work or run in the opposite direction of street traffic. But can you explain the rationale for riding a bicycle with the traffic instead of against it? It feels wrong to me.

A: A bicycle is a vehicle, and if all vehicles did not abide by the same rules, conflicts and confusion would occur too often, resulting in accidents. To convince yourself, look at it this way: Would you ask the same question about riding a motorcycle? Of course not. Well, all of the underlying reasons for motorcycles to follow vehicle rules also apply to bicycles. Still a holdout? Studies do show that wrong-way cyclists are much more likely to get hit by cars.

-Ask Marilyn

Food of the Day: Casu Marzu

2012-01-10T09:18:00.002-06:00

This cheese from Sardinia contains live insect larvae.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu

On Anxiety

2012-01-06T08:45:00.000-06:00

"If you find you have a fear, how can you cope? Accept the anxiety. Tell yourself that this is a normal reaction and it will go away shortly. Don't bury the thought. That will only make it worse, thanks to a phenomenon called 'ironic processes.' Your emotional brain is programmed to resist when you try to suppress an emotional thought, particularly about a danger."

Insight Into Recent Elevator Anxiety
by Elizabeth Bernstein

On Finding a Parking Spot During Busy Times

2011-12-19T13:27:00.001-06:00

"Wait in a place where you can see 20 parking spots in front...assume that the average person's amll trip is roughly three hours (180 minutes). Divide by those 20 cars, and probability factors indicate that one of the cars will leave in nine minutes or less...the more cars you can watch, teh shorter the wait. Lingering in a place with 25 parked cars could shorten the wait time to about seven minutes."

Quick, Find a Parking Space
by Kelli Grant
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204026804577098451316357124.html

Most Influential Cities in the World

2011-12-12T13:54:00.000-06:00

The November 2011 National Geographic has an article/infograph of "The Most Influential Cities" in the world. A.T. Kearney launched the Global Cities Index in 2008 and issued an update in 2010. The rankings are based on political engagement, information exchange, human capital, cultural experience, and business activity Here is the rank:

1. New York City
2. London
3. Tokyo
4. Paris
5. Hong Kong
6. Chicago
7. Los Angeles
8. Singapore
9. Sydney
10. Seoul
11. Brussels
12. San Francisco
13. Washington, DC
14. Toronto
15. Beijing

http://twitpic.com/7jdcqa

US Presidents Live Long?

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

Aging in Office: US Presidents Often Outlive Peers
by Julie Steenhuysen
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/06/us-usa-presidents-aging-idUSTRE7B52EY20111206

FP's Top 100 Global Thinkers

2011-12-09T15:00:00.001-06:00

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/11/28/the_fp_top_100_global_thinkers?page=full

Which TV Shows Do Republicans & Democrats Like?

2011-12-09T14:50:00.001-06:00

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/06/republican-vs-democrat-tv/

Fact of the Day: Twelve Days of Christmas

2011-12-05T17:11:00.000-06:00

This is the first time the cost of all 364 items named in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, estimated by PNC Wealth Management, is more than $100,000. The cost is now $101,120.

-Time Magazine; December 2011

Burma vs. Myanmar

2011-12-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

Find out which one is "correct" to use...

For Clinton, A Quandary By Any Name
by William Wan
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/burma-or-myanmar-for-clinton-no-easy-answer/2011/11/30/gIQAIl8rCO_blog.html

Are Dentists Overtreating Your Teeth?

2011-11-29T14:00:00.001-06:00

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/are-dentists-overtreating-your-teeth/?ref=healthupdate&nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb2

Quote of the Day: Rudeness

2011-11-29T10:45:00.001-06:00

"I'd rather be rude than bored."

-Barney Frank

Selling Stock Funds

2011-11-28T16:28:00.001-06:00

BRICs: Brazil, Russia, India, China
CARBS: Canada, Australia, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa
MINTS: Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Singapore
CIVETS: Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa
MIST: Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey
CASSH: Canada, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, and Hong Kong

"Academic research has shown that catchy monikers help sell investments. A 2006 study found that stocks with ticker symbols that conjure common words - such as LUV, BID and RIG - out-performed others by about 8.5 percentage points on their first day of trading from 1990 through 2004. The reason: When dealing with complicated subjects - like investing - people seem to prefer shortcuts that simplify matters."

What's In a Name
by Ben Levisohn
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203710704577054722530665042.html

Question of the Day: Sweat

2011-11-28T16:06:00.000-06:00

I've always wondered if you sweat a lot via one part of your body if that body part loses more weight. For instance, if you sweat a lot through your head, is it your head that is losing that water-content weight?

How Much Should You Spend on a Car?

2011-11-28T14:01:00.000-06:00

"The 1/10th rule is a general rule of thumb that states that you should spend no more than 1/10th of your gross annual income on a car."

http://www.calculatorpro.com/car-purchase-calculator

Video: Epic Meal Time

2011-11-28T13:44:00.001-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xc5wIpUenQ

Mac vs. PC Usuers

2011-11-28T13:40:00.001-06:00

It still appears that there are overwhelmingly more PC users than Mac users...But through its strong advertising, you would think the opposite...

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_percentage_of_Mac_users_to_PC_users._Worldwide_or_otherwise.

Daniel Kahneman on Human Blindness, & Overconfidence

2011-11-23T08:42:00.000-06:00

"We are normally blind about our own blindness. We're generally overconfident in our opinions and our impressions and judgments. We exaggerate how knowable the world is...There are domains in which expertise is not possible. Stock picking is a good example. And in long-term political strategic forecasting, it's been shown that experts are just not better than a dice-throwing monkey."

-Time Magazine Interview; 11/28/11

Twitter-Based Hedge Funds

2011-11-23T08:29:00.001-06:00

I still want to see how effective it is over the long-term. Anyone can beat the market for a few months or a few years, but can they do it consistently?

"The stock market is moddy. So is Twitter. Harness teh emotions flowing through both and you could beat the market. Indiana University professor Johan Bollen found that Twitter's collective mood predicted a market shift three days in advance. London hedge fund Derwent Capital took that info to the bank, growing 1.85% last July. The same month, the S&P dropped 2.2%. Derwent scans 10% of the more than 200 million daily tweets, parsing terms like 'calm' or 'alert'."

-Time Magazine, November 2011

Americans vs. Europeans

2011-11-21T15:29:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-fundamental-differences-between-americans-and-europeans-2011-11

The Most Relaxing Song In The World

2011-11-21T11:17:00.000-06:00

"British ambient band Marconi Union has drummed up the world's most realxing song: 'Weightless' in 8 min. 10 sec. of aural bliss, proved to reduce anxiety by 65% and slow heart rates by 35% as teh listener's body rhythm syncs with the song's. Indeed, Weightless is so successful at inducing somnolence that scientists caution drivers not to listen to it while behind the wheel."

On the US Senate

2011-11-17T14:04:00.000-06:00

A comedic look at the Senate...

"All senators look good: They're groomed like putting greens."

A Barrel Full of Senators
by Joel Achenbach
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013001315.html

Pain & The Brain

2011-11-16T15:14:00.000-06:00

"How you think about pain can have a major impact on how it feels...When subjects focused on something disracting instead of the pain, they had mor activity in the higher-thinking parts of their brain...and they were able to ease their own pain significantly. Motivation also play a huge role - and helps explain why a gravely wounded soldier can ignore his own pain to save his buddies whle someone who is depressed may feel incapacitated by a minor sprain...people who are anxious are more likely to experience pain after surgery or develop lingering nerve pain after a case of shingles...one technique is attention distraction, simply directing your mind away from the pain...guided imagery, in which a patient imagines, say, floating on a cloud, also works in part by diverting attention away from pain. So does mindfulness meditation..."

Rewiring The Brain to Ease Pain
by Melinda Beck
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204323904577038041207168300.html

On Timing the Stock Market

2011-11-15T10:33:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the only stock investing advice one ever needs...

"Most mortals can't time the markets consistently well enough to make the strategy worthwhile. And because of the vagaries of human emotions, the act of trying to time the stock market often produces far worse results than just buying a diversified bundle of stocks and holding them for the long haul. People tend to sell in a panic at the bottom and buy in a flush of confidence at the top...the reason is that markets are efficient...in an efficient market at any point in time the actual price of a security will be a good estimate of its intrinsic value...As a result, the best stock-buying strategy is to find great companies, buy them now and hold them for a long time."

Time The Market? Try Roulette Instead
by James Glassman
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/the-best-time-to-buy-or-sell-stocks/2011/11/09/gIQAEb86FN_story.html

Are Cookbooks Obsolete?

2011-11-10T14:57:00.002-06:00

Are Cookbooks Obsolete
by Julia Moskin
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/dining/are-apps-making-cookbooks-obsolete.html?pagewanted=all

The 17 Jobs That Make the Most in Tips

2011-11-10T12:27:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/jobs-earn-most-tips-2011-11

What Are America's Quirks?

2011-11-09T08:34:00.001-06:00

http://ask.metafilter.com/200224/What-are-Americas-quirks

Facebook Friends vs. Real Friends

2011-11-08T14:08:00.000-06:00

"On average, participants listed 2.03 close friends in the survey. That number was down from about three in a 1985 study. Forty-eight percent of participants listed one close friend when asked, 18 percent listed two and 29 percent listed more. A little more than 4 percent didn't list anyone."

More Facebook Friends, Fewer Real Ones, Says Cornell Study
by Ned Potter
http://news.yahoo.com/more-facebook-friends-fewer-real-ones-says-cornell-154709141.html

Idea of the Week: The Ultimate Online School

2011-11-08T11:41:00.001-06:00

I wonder if anyone has put all the most amazing online videos (TED, college courses, etc...) together and created the "ultimate" online classroom that is free to the public.

Coolest College Courses

2011-11-08T10:10:00.012-06:00

Following is a brief list I put together. There will be more additions later...

Also, here is a good list of 30 cool science-related labs/courses:
http://www.popsci.com/awesomelabs

*Culinary physics taught by Ferran Adria and Jose Andres: Harvard University
*Cyberporn & Society: State University of New York at Buffalo (surveys Internet porn sites)
*Anthropology of the Unconscious: NYU (discusses x-rated Japanese comic books)
*Cinema and the Sex Act: University of California, Berkeley (view clips of NC17 releases like Showgirls and underground stag reels)
*Pornography in Popular Culture: University of Iowa
*Sociology of Hip-Hop - Urban Theodicy of Jay-Z: Georgetown University
*Philosophy & Star Trek: Georgetown University
*The Joy of Garbage: Santa Clara University
*Learning From YouTube: Pitzer College
*Underwater Basket Weaving: Reed College
*Tree Climbing: Cornell University
*Queer Musicology: University of California, Los Angeles
*Maple Syrup, the Real Thing: Alfred University
*The Science of Harry Potter: Frostberg State University
*The Art of Walking: Centre College
*iPhone Application Programming: Standford University
*The American Vacation: University of Iowa
*White Collar and Corporate Crime: University of California, Irvine
*Airline Emergency Cabin Training: Lynn University
*Biology of AIDS & STDs: Northeastern College
*Disney in America: University of Iowa
*Rock Music From 1970 to Present: University of Minnessota
*Psychology of Facebook: Standford
*From Elvis to Lady Gaga: American Pop Culture 1950-2010: Saint Leo University
*Video Games: History, Theory, & Social Impact: Lebanon Valley College
*Beyond Hollwood - The Sundance Film Festival: Eckerd College
*Perception: Meredith College
*The 1960s in Fiction, Film, & Song: Birmingham-Southern College
*Baseball Statisitcs: Birmingham-Southern College
*End Times: Lebanon Valley College (doomsday predictions)
*Creating Sustainable Societies: Saint Leo University
*Food Science 550 - Food Fermentations: University of Wisconsin, Madison (brew beer)
*History 107 - Pornography & Prostitution in History: Vanderbilt
*Psychology 445 - Psychology of Video Games and Entertainment: UMD
*Arts & Science E105 - Read My Lips: Indiana University
*History of Electronic Dance Music - UCLA
*Eco-Shakespeare: Brown
*Bad in a Good Way: Brown
*Financial Panic 2007-2009: Yale
*Monstrosity & Otherness: Kenyon
*Ghosts & Machines: Harvey Mudd
*Consuming Drug Foods: Chocolates, Sugar, and Coffee: Georgetown
*Ecology of Eating: Wesleyan
*Techniques of Surveillance: Brown
*The Twiligh of the Gods: Ragnarok and the Apocalytic Traditions: Harvard
*Total Noise: Going Deaf in the Information Age: Smith
*Theory of Comedy: Kenyon
*Sexuality: Columbia
*Consuming Passions: Harvard
*Practical Malting & Brewing: University of California, Davis
*Exceptional Children: William & Mary
*The Broadcast Commercial: Marist
*Alien Sex: University of Rochester
*American Pro Wrestling: MIT
*Beer Appreciation: Wellesly; University of Washington
*Brothel Management: UNLV
*Dirty Pictures: RISD
*Find Dates Worth Keeping: University of Sioux Falls
*History of Surfing: UCSB
*How to Watch TV: Montclair State University
*Invented Languages Klingon & Beyond: UT Austin
*Looking at Animals: Evergreen State University
*Mail Order Brides: Johns Hopkins University
*Muppet Magic Jim Henson's Art: UC Santa Cruz
*Naked & Nude: University of Chicago
*Philosophy of Time Travel: University of Delaware
*Stupidity: MIT
*The Future is Lost: Tufts
*The Lucifer Effect - Understanding How Good People Turn Evil: MIT (I think)
*The Science of Superheroes: UC Irvine
*Arguing with Judge Judy - Popular Logic of TV Judge Shows: UC Berkeley
*Science of Harry Potter: Frostburg State
*Simpsons & Philosophy: UC Berkeley
* Far Side Entomology: Oregon State
*History298 - Oprah Windfrey the Tycoon: University of Illinois
*Getting Dressed: Princeton
*The Colbert Report - American Satire: Boston University
*Puppetry: Emerson College
*The Supernatural in Music, Literature, and Culture: MIT
*The Universe: Massachusetts College of Art and Design
*Down, Dirty & Dimensional: Museum School of Fine Arts
*Broadway Musicals: Suffolk University
*Soul, Funk, and Civil Rights - Simmons College
*Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Chaka Khan: Berkeley College of Music
*Sociology of Fame & Lady Gaga: University of South Carolina
*Wordplay: A Wry Plod from Babel to Scrabble: Princeton (play games)
*Oh Look, a Chicken! Embracing Distraction as a Way of Knowing: Belmont U.
*Things That Go Bump in the Night: Hampshire College
*Fly Fishing: Montana State U.
*Physics for Future Presidents: UC Berkeley
*Cyborg Anthropology: Lews & Clark
*Popular Flops: Bad Movies
*Tightwaddery or the Good Life on a Dollar a Day: Alfred U.
*Biology of Jurassic Park: Hood College
*The Phallus: Occidental College
*The Textual Appeal of Tupac Shakur: University of Washington
*California Culture: San Franscisco State
*Restaurant Entreprenuership: Cornell University
*Spine, Sweat Experience: Indiana University

Shopping on the Right Day Can Lead to Savings

2011-11-07T08:49:00.001-06:00

Best to go for shopping for:

*Groceries: Sunday
*Appliances: Sunday
*New book: Saturday
*Clothes: Thursdays
*Cars: Monday
*TV, digital camera, or computer online: Mondays
*Plane tickets: Tuesday

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=675&sid=2622377

Spending vs. Saving

2011-11-07T08:26:00.000-06:00

A Politico interview with Erin Burnett:

Q: What do you know now that you wish someone had told you 10 years ago?

A: Saving money if you are able isn't always the smartest move. Currently our money is worth less every day, so all tha tsacrifice isn't going to buy me as much retirement. Sometimes spending the little extra - not borrowing - is OK.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67449.html

On "Experts"

2011-11-07T08:06:00.000-06:00

Recently I've been thinking about how bad people are at making predictions. The WSJ article below takes aim at weathermen, economists, sports experts, and political experts. But one could probably pick almost any profession and find that many (most?) predictions are wrong in that field. Yet somehow, everyone still gets paid. Will online prediction markets take over where humans fail? Will people still get paid generously to make many less-than-accurate predictions? When will more people take notice of this?

Some Expert Advice: Get a Clue
by Joe Queenan
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204528204577011842524257440.html

World's Most Powerful People

2011-11-02T14:42:00.001-06:00

The 2011 list was just released from Forbes...Here are the Top 10:

1. Barack Obama
2. Vladimir Putin
3. Hu Jintao
4. Angela Merkel
5. Bill Gates
6. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud
7. Pope Benedict XVI
8. Ben Bernanke
9. Mark Zuckerberg
10. David Cameron

http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/

How Fed Policymakers Affect The Economy

2011-11-02T14:33:00.002-06:00

http://news.yahoo.com/fed-policymakers-affect-economy-184506215.html

Advertisement: Durex Condoms

2011-11-02T09:25:00.002-06:00

A very clever ad...

http://sharefwemails.blogspot.com/2010/04/cap-estel-tunnel.html

Chef Masaharu Morimoto on Kitchen Knives

2011-11-01T15:30:00.000-06:00

"Three core knives are versatile enough for most purposes...he [Morimoto] relies on three basic Japanese-style knives: the butcher's knife known as a deba, in two sizes, and a yanagi, which is designed for slicing sashimi."

For a Cutting Edge, Care For Your Knives
by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203633104576625312068011704.html

World Power Swings Back to America

2011-11-01T12:56:00.002-06:00

World Power Swings Back to America
by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8844646/World-power-swings-back-to-America.html

How Much Do You Have so Spend to Get a Free Room in Vegas?

2011-10-31T14:16:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/free-room-las-vegas-2011-10

Who Controls the Price of Commodities?

2011-10-31T14:10:00.001-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/presenting-the-worlds-16-largest-commodity-traders-2011-10

On How to Look Like a Hard Worker

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-06:00

"Studies show that people think you'll work 30 percent harder if you carry a briefcase."

-WPost jobs section October 30, 2011

Fear of Flying

2011-10-27T15:16:00.000-06:00

"Psychologists say phobias often take root when people are in their late 20s and typically affect those with above-average intelligence."

Flying With The Greatest of Ease
by Scott McCartney
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303970604576401860548340494.html

Porn is Ruining the Sex Lives of an Entire Generation

2011-10-27T09:52:00.002-06:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/porn-ruining-sex-life-2011-10

Think Tank Spies

2011-10-12T11:43:00.000-06:00

Chinese Think Tank Also Serves as Spy Arm
by Bill Gertz
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/sep/28/chinese-think-tank-also-serves-as-spy-arm/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

On How to Have a Good Meal at a Bad Restaurant

2011-10-12T11:13:00.002-06:00

Can You Eat Decently in an Indecent Restaurant?
by Tyler Cowen
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/02/magazine/29mag-food-issue.html#/restaurants

Why Do Sandwiches Taste Better When Someone Else Makes Them?

2011-10-12T11:11:00.000-06:00

When you make your own sandwich, you anticipate its taste as you’re working on it. And when you think of a particular food for a while, you become less hungry for it later. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, for example, found that imagining eating M&Ms makes you eat fewer of them. It’s a kind of specific satiation, just as most people find room for dessert when they couldn’t have another bite of their steak. The sandwich that another person prepares is not “preconsumed” in the same way.

http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/10/why-do-sandwiches-taste-better-when-someone-else-makes-them.html

Which US States are the Most/Least Promiscuous?

2011-10-12T10:22:00.000-06:00

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/which-us-states-are-the-most-promiscuous

Is May the Best Month to Sell Your Stocks?

2011-10-12T10:08:00.002-06:00

My colleague says sell June-August and buy November-January...

Is May the best month to sell your stocks?
http://www.bakadesuyo.com/all-other-things-being-equal-is-may-the-best

Does More Money Make You Fat?

2011-10-12T10:03:00.000-06:00

"The relationship between obesity and economic development follows that is knows as the 'Kuznets curve,' the inverted U-shape relationship between development and inequality. As people become richer, obesity will first increase, and then decrease, over time."

http://mitsloan.mit.edu/neudc/papers/paper_286.pdf

Txokos

2011-10-12T09:32:00.002-06:00

On all-male cooking clubs in Spain called Txokos (CHOKE-ohs)...

Members Only (Most of the Time)
by J.S. Marcus
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204138204576603010494659344.html

5 Steps To Becoming an Expert

2011-10-12T09:21:00.000-06:00

"Malcolm Gladwell popularized the concept of the 10,000 hour rule -- it takes about 10,000 hours of 'deliberate practice' to become an expert in a field."

Based on that figure, if one were to practice 24 hours a day, it would take about 416 days to master something, or a little over one year. If one were to practice for 8 hours a day for five days a week for 50 weeks, it would take about 5 years to master something.

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/5-steps-to-becoming-an-expert

Quote of the Day: Economics

2011-10-12T09:10:00.000-06:00

"Economics is common sense made difficult."

-Unkown

50 Ways to Leave Your Lawyer

2011-10-11T14:45:00.000-06:00

On "unconventional" or "alternative" law firms...

Bargain Briefs; Economist Magazine
http://www.economist.com/node/21525907

Best Age for Making a Financial Decision?

2011-10-11T14:33:00.002-06:00

"People seeking investment advice probably should be suspicious of anyone under 50. A study titled 'What is the Age of Reason?' conclused that middle-aged people make fewer mistakes with finances than those who are younger or older. The study even pegged the optimal point in life for handling money-related decisions: 53...anyone between 43 and 63 is really in their cognitive sweet spot."

Older but Wiser: Middle Age is a Prime Time for Finance
by Jonathan Burton
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204831304576594713008754264.html

But this article kind of disproves some of the points made:
http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-older-investors-make-better-investment-dec

Also, here is an interesting and somewhat related article on choosing a surgeon/doctor based on age...

"Surgeons in their first five years of practice had a higher-than-average incidence of complications - but so did surgeons over 50. The sweet spot of performance was ages 35 to 50."

How Old Is Your Surgeon
by Christopher Shea
http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2012/01/12/aging-surgeons-rising-error-rates/

On Possessions

2011-10-11T14:30:00.000-06:00

"Billionaire Nicolas Berggruen harbors a distaste for baggage, real and emotional. At 50, Berggruen is without a house, a car or even a wristwatch. He never married, nor does he have any children. He hopscotches around the globe living out of hotels. As Berggruen's wealth grew, he became disillusioend with what it could buy. A decade ago, he began paring down his lifestyle, selling an island estate in Florida and an apartment in New York. His somewhat limited wardrobe is now scattered across the world, stored at his favorite hotels. He loaned his art collection to museums - a move that left him free to drift from one city to the next aboard his private jet, the one item he deems too 'practical' to discard."

Man Without a Country
by Stacy Meichtry
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904836104576556982258399652.html

Quote of the Day: Life Advice From Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T08:22:00.002-06:00

"Stay hungry and stay foolish."

-Steve Jobs

Question of the Day: Think Tanks & the Executive Branch

2011-10-04T07:52:00.001-06:00

Can someone who just left the executive branch and now works for a think tank have contact with the agency they just left? Can they raise funds and gather information using those connections? If they were a registered lobbyist, they'd have to wait two years, but as a non lobbyist at a think tank, are there any written rules? What if the think tank is considered an advocacy group and actively lobbies the Hill on the executive branch?

Is Distance the Key to a Happy Marriage?

2011-09-28T16:19:00.001-06:00

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/is-distance-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-2570243/

What Value Do You Put on Your Digital Assets?

2011-09-28T11:00:00.000-06:00

McAfee values them at around $37,000. That figure includes music libraries, family photos, and personal information.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=256&sid=2566816

Why is There More Polygnmy in West Africa?

2011-09-26T15:10:00.001-06:00

http://www.wfu.edu/~daltonjt/PolygynySlaveTrade.pdf

Tenkara Fishing - Japanese Style

2011-09-26T14:17:00.001-06:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenkara_fishing

Who Will be the First Trillionaire?

2011-09-26T09:23:00.000-06:00

Based on her brief predictions, the first trillionaire could come as early as 50 years from now.

As Rich Flourish, Who'll be the First Trillionaire?
by Annie Lowrey
http://www.slate.com/id/2304124/

The Ethic Dining Scene in Washington, DC

2011-09-26T09:21:00.003-06:00

Ethnic Goes Exurban
by Tyler Cowen
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090101416.html

Don't Always Buy on Down Days in the Market

2011-09-25T18:56:00.003-06:00

On why to not always buy on down days/weeks in the market.

Think Twice Before You Buy on the Dips
By Jason Zweig
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904563904576589134168081092.html?mod=ITP_businessandfinance_0

World's Best Matzoh Ball Soup

2011-09-25T17:56:00.000-06:00

Where is the world's best matzoh ball soup? My guess is that it is somewhere on either on the East Coast or West Coast of the US.

Reading Speed

2011-09-23T13:50:00.000-06:00

What should be read slowly and what should be read quickly?

Perhpaps books, which often take longer to write (and thus are presumably more thought out) should be read more slowly to enjoy the diction as opposed to newspapers, magazines, and online articles which are often writen quickly and to sell as much as possible.

More specifically on books, perhaps poetry and classics should be read more slowly than things such as romance novels, travel tales and other types of books where comprehensive absoprtion and lingering is not necessary.

Any thoughts?

On Masskrugstemmen

2011-09-15T13:03:00.000-06:00

"Masskrugstemmen is an enduance competition in which athletes try to hold onto an enormous beer for as long as they can. Contestants line up, extend one arm parallel to the ground, grip a one-liter beer, and try not to pill. Drop any brew, and you're eliminated."

A Toast to a Real Strongman
Jason Gay
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904060604576570882341095292.html

Are Alpha Males Healthy?

2011-09-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

"...While alpha males got the best food and the most mates, they experienced far more stress than the beta males just beneath them in the hierarchy, based on the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in fecal samples. The beta males had almost as many mates and got just as much grooming from others, but they didn't have to spend as much time fighting or following females around to keep other males away."

Are Alpha Males Healthy?
By Melinda Beck
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903532804576566553268698820.html

Maximize Happiness

2011-09-13T13:46:00.003-06:00

Should the goal of everything be to maximize happiness? (Without infringing on other people's happiness)

The Myth of Japan's Lost Decade

2011-09-13T13:45:00.002-06:00

"If the average living Japanese person is better off now than 20 years ago (as measured by GDP per capita), then why fixate on the aggregate output of the Japanese economy? Asking the Japanese economy to produce goods at a rate that keeps pace with economies of growing populations seems unnecessary and even impossible."

http://seekingalpha.com/article/288071-the-myth-of-japan-s-lost-decade

Measuring a Storm's Fury: The Waffle House Index

2011-09-06T15:38:00.000-06:00

"When a hurricane makes landfall, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on a couple of metrics to assess its destructive power..one of them is the Waffle House Index. Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, a signal that damage in an area is limited and the lights are on. Yellow means a limited menu, indicating power from a generator, at best, and low food supplies. Red means the restaurant is closed, a sign of severe damage in the area or unsafe conditions...Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants stetching from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, leaving it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes."

Hose to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time
by Valerie Bauerlein
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364.html

Post Vacation Syndrome (PVS)

2011-09-06T15:19:00.000-06:00

Sounds a bit like leisure sickness...

"Post Vacation Syndrome is characterized by a combination of irritability, anxiety, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and a feeling of emptiness that lasts up to a few weeks after returning to work. Some people get a mild version every Sunday night after getting the weekend off. Surveys suggest that 35% to 75% of workers in Spain, where many businesses close for the month of August, suffer from PVS."

The Post-Labor Day Letdown
by Melinda Beck
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903648204576552652359497910.html

Dumpling Consumption in Japan

2011-09-06T13:57:00.002-06:00

"Utsunomiya has the highest per capita gyoza-consumption rate in Japan and spends the most on the dumplings. Government data show the average city household spent 479 yen on ready-to-eat gyoza bought at supermarkets in December 2010. Tokyoites spent less than half that. Utsunomiya's unofficial mascot is a version of Botticelli's Venus, emerging not from a seashell but from a gyoza wrapper. Last fall, the city's annual gyoza festival drew 120,000 people from around Japan."

City in Japan Tires New Tack on Old Problem
by Mariko Sanchanta
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576315324222775488.html

Spying on Embassies

2011-09-06T12:57:00.001-06:00

"Former counterintelligence officials describe Israeli intelligence operations in the United States as quite extensive, ranking just below those of China and Russia, and F.B.I. counterintelligence agents have long kept an eye on Israeli spying."

Leak Offers Look at Efforts by the US to Spy on Israel
by Scott Shane
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/us/06leak.html?_r=1&hp

Monthly Parking Rates Worldwide

2011-08-23T14:00:00.001-06:00

http://urbandemographics.blogspot.com/2011/07/parking-rates-worldwide.html

You Are What You Eat

2011-08-23T13:58:00.001-06:00

Photographs of the insides of refrigerators...great idea...
http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/07/you-are-what-you-eat.html

Food to Try: Whole "Dancing" Squid

2011-08-23T13:37:00.002-06:00

Video: http://kottke.org/11/07/super-freaky-dancing-squid-dish

Data From Match.com

2011-08-23T13:33:00.001-06:00

"That is, when it comes to looking for love, conservatives are more open-minded than liberals."

http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/08/data-from-match-com.html

On Tejo

2011-08-19T12:36:00.000-06:00

"Generations of Colombia men have played tejo, the country's curious national sport, in which competitors, often drunkenly, lob disks at boxes filled with mud, hoping to strike a paper triangle stuffed with gunpowder 60 feet away."

The National Sport, Macho Tejo Becomes a Pastime for Women
by Adam Liebendorfer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/tejo-colombias-macho-game-becomes-a-pastime-for-women/2011/08/11/gIQANNRoIJ_story.html

Most Beautiful Place in America

2011-08-17T18:55:00.000-06:00

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/most-beautiful-place-in-america-revealed-26314500.html

Vid: 7 Most Annoying Ways to Order at a Restaurant

2011-08-11T13:09:00.001-06:00

http://www.zagat.com/buzz/the-7-most-annoying-ways-to-order-at-a-restaurant?zagatbuzzid=aug11week2&utm_source=buzz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=buzz20110810

The 7 Most Debated Tipping Issues

2011-08-11T13:01:00.001-06:00

http://www.zagat.com/buzz/the-7-most-debated-tipping-issues-0?zagatbuzzid=aug11week2&utm_source=buzz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=buzz20110810

How The Average US Consumer Spends Their Income

2011-08-10T15:20:00.000-06:00

I've always wondered how much one "should" spend on travel and food. As income goes up, I assume much more is spent on those items, but I wondered if the chart levels off or it it is directly proportional to income.

According to this (BLS stats), the average person spends about 10% of their income on food and 4.4% of their income on "entertainment." (Which I believe includes travel)

http://www.billshrink.com/blog/1204/consumer-income-spending/