The 8 "World Crisis" Markets
*Germany Recession in 09: 92.0%
*Japan Recession in 09: 88.5%
*US -10% Depression in 09: 10.0%
*Russian Debt Default in 09: 39.0%
*China Growth Below 7.5% Q4 08: 62.0%
*Unemployment in the US above 9% Q4 09: 45.5%
*New Dow low in 09 from Nov 08 low: 69.0%
*Airstrike against Iran by US and/or Israel by end 09: 28.0%
Index Value as at 2:00pm GMT, Frid 30 Jan 2009: 50.2%
http://www.intrade.com/widgets/crisis/WorldCrisisIndex.html
Friday, January 30, 2009
Geopolitical Predictions: Strafor
Here are the interested points:
*North America has replaced Europe as the center of gravity in the world, and whoever dominates North America is virtually assured of being the dominant global power. For the 21st century at least, that will be the US.
*The US doesn't need to win wars. It needs to simply disrupt things so the other side can't build up sufficient strength to challenge it.
*The 21st century will see even more war than the 20th century, but the wars will be much less catastrophic.
*The US-Islamist war is already ending and the next conflict is in sight. Russia is re-creating its old sphere of influence, and that sphere will inevitably challenge the US. But in the end Russia can't win and in the end Russia will collapse.
*China is not the next challenger to the US because it is very isolated physically. Also, China has not been a major naval power for centuries and building a navy requires a long time. Finally, China is inherently unstable.
*Far from being a challenger, China is a country the US will be trying to bolster and hold together as a counterweight to the Russians.
*In the middle of this century, at least three countries will become more powerful and assertive: Japan, Turkey, and Poland. This will ultimately lead to the next global war.
*The end of the population explosion will occur this century. Countries will go so far as to pay people to move there.
*As the Europeans slip out, the Mexicans, like the Turks, will rise in the rankings until by the late 21st century they will be one of the major economic powers in the world.
*By 2080 there will be a serious confrontation between the US and an increasingly powerful and assertive Mexico.
An Introduction to the American Age
http://www.stratfor.com/
*North America has replaced Europe as the center of gravity in the world, and whoever dominates North America is virtually assured of being the dominant global power. For the 21st century at least, that will be the US.
*The US doesn't need to win wars. It needs to simply disrupt things so the other side can't build up sufficient strength to challenge it.
*The 21st century will see even more war than the 20th century, but the wars will be much less catastrophic.
*The US-Islamist war is already ending and the next conflict is in sight. Russia is re-creating its old sphere of influence, and that sphere will inevitably challenge the US. But in the end Russia can't win and in the end Russia will collapse.
*China is not the next challenger to the US because it is very isolated physically. Also, China has not been a major naval power for centuries and building a navy requires a long time. Finally, China is inherently unstable.
*Far from being a challenger, China is a country the US will be trying to bolster and hold together as a counterweight to the Russians.
*In the middle of this century, at least three countries will become more powerful and assertive: Japan, Turkey, and Poland. This will ultimately lead to the next global war.
*The end of the population explosion will occur this century. Countries will go so far as to pay people to move there.
*As the Europeans slip out, the Mexicans, like the Turks, will rise in the rankings until by the late 21st century they will be one of the major economic powers in the world.
*By 2080 there will be a serious confrontation between the US and an increasingly powerful and assertive Mexico.
An Introduction to the American Age
http://www.stratfor.com/
On Intelligence
"As much as technical intelligence from unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites is useful, human intelligence is the only effective long-term solution to defeating an insurgency...the search for al Qaeda and other Islamist groups is an intelligence matter best left to the covert capabilities of US intelligence and Special Operations Command. Defeating al Qaeda does not require tens of thousands of troops - it requires excellent intelligence and a special operations capability."
Strategic Divergence: The War Against the Taliban and the War Against Al Qaeda
January 26, 2009; George Friedman
http://www.stratfor.com/
Strategic Divergence: The War Against the Taliban and the War Against Al Qaeda
January 26, 2009; George Friedman
http://www.stratfor.com/
Thursday, January 29, 2009
"Karaoke Rage"
Why has there been so much violence associated with karaoke lately?
"One explanation for this uptick in karaoke rage is that karaoke bars bring together several socially combustible elements. Fill a room with 30 or so exhibitionists, ply them with alcohol and wireless microphones, and it's only a matter of time before all the forced interaction results in conflict. Indeed, when the first karaoke machines were exported from Japan in the late '70s and early '80s, many communities in Asia and India shunned the devices, fearing they'd attract undesirables...What's interesting about these karaoke attacks is that they sometimes come down to little more than song choice: The attacker either hates the song to the point of physical rage or loves the song with such fervor that he or she will lash out in its defense. So the reasons why karaoke performances sometimes work up to a violent crescendo have less to do with how we interact with one another and more with how we interact with music."
Karaoka Rage
by Brian Raftery
http://www.slate.com/id/2209818/
"One explanation for this uptick in karaoke rage is that karaoke bars bring together several socially combustible elements. Fill a room with 30 or so exhibitionists, ply them with alcohol and wireless microphones, and it's only a matter of time before all the forced interaction results in conflict. Indeed, when the first karaoke machines were exported from Japan in the late '70s and early '80s, many communities in Asia and India shunned the devices, fearing they'd attract undesirables...What's interesting about these karaoke attacks is that they sometimes come down to little more than song choice: The attacker either hates the song to the point of physical rage or loves the song with such fervor that he or she will lash out in its defense. So the reasons why karaoke performances sometimes work up to a violent crescendo have less to do with how we interact with one another and more with how we interact with music."
Karaoka Rage
by Brian Raftery
http://www.slate.com/id/2209818/
How Does DC Get Voting Rights?
"If the current D.C. voting rights law is indeed unconstitutional, then the only way to get D.C. a full House member is the way that gave district residents the right to vote for president: a constitutional amendment that would either make D.C. a state, give it a member of Congress (and possibly two senators) without making it a state, or merge D.C. back into a neighboring state, such as Maryland. But constitutional amendments are extremely difficult to pass, requiring a vote of two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states."
Let Them Into the House
by Richard Hasen
http://www.slate.com/id/2209979/pagenum/2
Let Them Into the House
by Richard Hasen
http://www.slate.com/id/2209979/pagenum/2
Worry Less About Releasing Terrorists
Wise words from Tyler...
"The total population of terrorists ebbs and flows all the time. When the number goes up by one hundred, no one much notices. If the number goes up by one hundred because we release some previously identified terrorists, there is or will be a public outcry. But it's the same consequence."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/dont-worry-about-releasing-terrorists.html
"The total population of terrorists ebbs and flows all the time. When the number goes up by one hundred, no one much notices. If the number goes up by one hundred because we release some previously identified terrorists, there is or will be a public outcry. But it's the same consequence."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/dont-worry-about-releasing-terrorists.html
The Power of "Because"
"Back in the 70's, a classic study showed that people using a photocopier were just as likely to give way to a line-pusher who gave the nonsense excuse 'because I need to make copies', as they were to one who gave the more sensible excuse 'because I'm in a rush'. Ellen Langer and colleagues interpreted their finding as showing how mindless we often are. As soon as we hear the word 'because', we assume the excuse that follows is justified and respond accordingly."
http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/01/would-you-give-way-at-photocopier.html
http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/01/would-you-give-way-at-photocopier.html
Half of Americans Want to Live Elsewhere
A new Pew study says that nearly half of Americans want to live in a different kind of place...
Other interesting points about the study:
*More people want to live in DC than NY, Chicago, LA, or Las Vegas
*By a ratio of more than three-to-one, Americans prefer living where the pace of life is slow, not fast.
*By about two-to-one, they prefer to live in a hot-weather place over a cold-weather place.
*On the food-and-drink front, a slight plurality would rather live in a place with more McDonald's (43%) than one with more Starbucks (35%).
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1096/community-satisfaction-top-cities
Other interesting points about the study:
*More people want to live in DC than NY, Chicago, LA, or Las Vegas
*By a ratio of more than three-to-one, Americans prefer living where the pace of life is slow, not fast.
*By about two-to-one, they prefer to live in a hot-weather place over a cold-weather place.
*On the food-and-drink front, a slight plurality would rather live in a place with more McDonald's (43%) than one with more Starbucks (35%).
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1096/community-satisfaction-top-cities
The War on Roquefort
"The US has declared war on Roquefort cheese. In the final days, the Bush Administration imposed a 300 percent duty on Roquefort, in effect closing off the US market...the measure was designed as retaliation for a European Union ban on imports of US beef containing hormones...Besides, Roquefort is only one of dozones of European luxury products that were attached with high tariffs. The list includes, among other things, French truffles, Irish oatmeal, Italian sparking water and foie gras."
Bush War on Roquefort Raises a Stink in France
by Edward Cody
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012804071.html
Bush War on Roquefort Raises a Stink in France
by Edward Cody
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012804071.html
On Left-Handedness
*There have been eight left-handed US Presidents (including Obama; and James Garfield who was ambidextrous). With 43 different Presidents, that means nearly 19% have been left-handed. That compares to out 10% of the general population which is left-handed.
*Every president since 1974 with the exception of Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush has been left-handed, as is Obama's former Republican opponent Sen. John McCain. Al Gore is too.
*Despite its long history, left-handedness is a uniquely human trait.
*Though a specific left-handed gene has yet to be found, the trait to choose one hand over the other is likely inherited, agree scientists.
*Right-handed people usually process language exclusively in the left side of their brain, lefties process language mostly in the right but partly on the left as well.
Ancient Lefties: The History of Obama's Handedness
by Heather Whipps
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090129/sc_livescience/ancientleftiesthehistoryofobamashandedness
*Every president since 1974 with the exception of Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush has been left-handed, as is Obama's former Republican opponent Sen. John McCain. Al Gore is too.
*Despite its long history, left-handedness is a uniquely human trait.
*Though a specific left-handed gene has yet to be found, the trait to choose one hand over the other is likely inherited, agree scientists.
*Right-handed people usually process language exclusively in the left side of their brain, lefties process language mostly in the right but partly on the left as well.
Ancient Lefties: The History of Obama's Handedness
by Heather Whipps
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090129/sc_livescience/ancientleftiesthehistoryofobamashandedness
Only Five Republican States Left?
From Gallup...
Four are solidly Republican: Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Alaska
One leans Republican: Nebraska
http://www.gallup.com/poll/114016/State-States-Political-Party-Affiliation.aspx
Four are solidly Republican: Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Alaska
One leans Republican: Nebraska
http://www.gallup.com/poll/114016/State-States-Political-Party-Affiliation.aspx
Inauguration Day Photo - Amazing
Zoom in to see a high quality image of nearly everyone who had a nearbye seat to the President...
http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c
http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Which TV is the Most Environmentally Friendly?
Which TV is the most environmentally friendly? It seems that there are tons of factors involved... My philosophy is that if you get a TV that is big enough so you don't feel like you have to take transport (air/car) to view a ball game or Inauguration in person, then you are making a good decision.
Green Screens
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2209788/
Green Screens
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2209788/
Global Warming Battle: Idea of the Day - TP
"Poetry in the loo can cut down on paper use too, says a Japanese group campaigning to save toilet paper as part of the country's battle against global warming. Simply pasting a 'toilet poem' at the eye level of a person seated in the cubicle can help cut toilet paper use by up to 20 percent, a study by the research center Japan Toilet Labo showed."
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE50Q1IT20090127
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE50Q1IT20090127
Monday, January 26, 2009
Quote of the Day
"The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has."
-Will Rogers
-Will Rogers
R.I.P. Iceland
Iceland just collapsed. Which country will be the next to fail?
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/economic-crisis-collapses-icelands-coalition/story.aspx?guid=%7BE9587D8A-DCCD-4637-B7B2-143A925B5E78%7D&dist=msr_1
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/economic-crisis-collapses-icelands-coalition/story.aspx?guid=%7BE9587D8A-DCCD-4637-B7B2-143A925B5E78%7D&dist=msr_1
The First Nonsmoking Nation
Who would have thought that Bhutan would be so progressive...
"The tiny, trendy Himalayan kingdom recently became the world's first nonsmoking nation. Since Dec. 17, 2008, it has been illegal to smoke in public or sell tobacco...So, how has Bhutan managed to pull off a nationwide smoking ban while other nations dither? Bhutan is a Buddhist nation, and many Buddhists believe smoking is bad for their karma. Then again, Sri Lanka and Thailand are also predominantly Buddhist, and plenty of people smoke there. The answer lies not in Bhutan's religion but in its famous quirkiness. This is a country that has elevated contrariness to a national trait."
The First Nonsmoking Nation
by Eric Weiner
http://slate.msn.com/id/2112449/
"The tiny, trendy Himalayan kingdom recently became the world's first nonsmoking nation. Since Dec. 17, 2008, it has been illegal to smoke in public or sell tobacco...So, how has Bhutan managed to pull off a nationwide smoking ban while other nations dither? Bhutan is a Buddhist nation, and many Buddhists believe smoking is bad for their karma. Then again, Sri Lanka and Thailand are also predominantly Buddhist, and plenty of people smoke there. The answer lies not in Bhutan's religion but in its famous quirkiness. This is a country that has elevated contrariness to a national trait."
The First Nonsmoking Nation
by Eric Weiner
http://slate.msn.com/id/2112449/
Internet Population
The Internet population has just topped one billion...Looks like India has the most room for growth...
1. China: 179.7 million
2. US: 163.3 million
3. Japan: 60 million
4. Germany: 37 million
5. UK: 36.7 million
6. France: 34 million
7. India: 32.1 million
8. Russia: 29 million
9. Brazil: 27.7 million
10. South Korea: 27.3
Top 15 Most Wired Countries
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/23/comscore-internet-population-passes-one-billion-top-15-countries/
1. China: 179.7 million
2. US: 163.3 million
3. Japan: 60 million
4. Germany: 37 million
5. UK: 36.7 million
6. France: 34 million
7. India: 32.1 million
8. Russia: 29 million
9. Brazil: 27.7 million
10. South Korea: 27.3
Top 15 Most Wired Countries
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/23/comscore-internet-population-passes-one-billion-top-15-countries/
America's Most Wired Cities
From Forbes...quite a few surprises...
1. Atlanta
2. Seattle
3. Raleigh
4. San Francisco
5. Baltimore
5. Orlando (tied)
The Article
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/09/wired-cities-wifi-tech-wireless-cx_ew_0110wired.html
The List
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/09/wired-cities-wifi-tech-wireless-cx_ew_0110wired_slide_2.html
1. Atlanta
2. Seattle
3. Raleigh
4. San Francisco
5. Baltimore
5. Orlando (tied)
The Article
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/09/wired-cities-wifi-tech-wireless-cx_ew_0110wired.html
The List
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/09/wired-cities-wifi-tech-wireless-cx_ew_0110wired_slide_2.html
Friday, January 23, 2009
Asking the Artist for a Do-Over
If I bought a peice of art and it starts falling part or deteriorating in a year or two, I would be pretty upset and I might try to work out some type of compensation. I would feel more comfortable approaching the entity who sold me a peice rather than the artist himself. However, I do think there should be a statute of limitations on art - three years perhaps?
"An artist's sense of obligation to his or her work sometimes may be time-limited, contracturally -- public art commissions usually contain a clause in the agreement stipulating the artist's responsibility for 'patent or latent defects in workmanship' for between one and three years -- or because of evolutionary changes in the artist's life and work."
Asking the Artist for a Do-Over
by Daniel Grant
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123259183958404999.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
"An artist's sense of obligation to his or her work sometimes may be time-limited, contracturally -- public art commissions usually contain a clause in the agreement stipulating the artist's responsibility for 'patent or latent defects in workmanship' for between one and three years -- or because of evolutionary changes in the artist's life and work."
Asking the Artist for a Do-Over
by Daniel Grant
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123259183958404999.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
Intel Agenices to (Finally) Get Linked
Better late than never...
"Today, an analyst's query might scan only 5% of the total intelligence data in the U.S. government, said a senior intelligence official. Even when analysts find documents, they sometimes can't read them without protracted negotiations to gain access. Under the new system, an analyst would likely search about 95% of the data, the official said."
Intelligence Agencies' Databases Set to be Linked
by Siobhan Gorman
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258232280204323.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
"Today, an analyst's query might scan only 5% of the total intelligence data in the U.S. government, said a senior intelligence official. Even when analysts find documents, they sometimes can't read them without protracted negotiations to gain access. Under the new system, an analyst would likely search about 95% of the data, the official said."
Intelligence Agencies' Databases Set to be Linked
by Siobhan Gorman
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258232280204323.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Shanzhai
An interesting view - it is clever to steal... To an extent "intellectual" theft might be considered "clever" by some, but does it have any negative consequences for society?
"It marks a new high point for China's 'shanzhai' culture. Shanzhai, which literally means 'mountain fortress' and implies banditry and lack of state control, refers to China's vast array of name-brand knockoffs. Once a term used to suggest something cheap or inferior, shanzhai now suggests to many a certain Chinese cleverness and ingenuity."
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Rebellion in China
by Sky Canvas and Juliet Ye
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123257138952903561.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
"It marks a new high point for China's 'shanzhai' culture. Shanzhai, which literally means 'mountain fortress' and implies banditry and lack of state control, refers to China's vast array of name-brand knockoffs. Once a term used to suggest something cheap or inferior, shanzhai now suggests to many a certain Chinese cleverness and ingenuity."
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Rebellion in China
by Sky Canvas and Juliet Ye
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123257138952903561.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Death of the Restaurant Industry?
Based on the figures, an average of 240 to 360 restaurants will close is each state...Does this mean that only the best tasting food will survive? Or the cheapest?
"Over the past 10 years, the total number of restaurants in the U.S. -- which is currently 570,000, according to an estimate from Technomic -- grew by 1% to 2% annually. This year, 12,000 to 18,000 restaurants are expected to close, sending the net total down by 2% to 3%, says Mr. Pawlak. The National Restaurant Association reported its lowest numbers on record for its Restaurant Performance Index, a complex formula that incorporates restaurateurs' reports of their traffic, sales, labor and investment expenditures as well as their expectations for coming months. A record 47% of all restaurateurs say the economy is their current top worry, the trade groups says."
What's Not Cooking
by Katy McLaughlin
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123266832459008071.html?mod=todays_us_weekend_journal
"Over the past 10 years, the total number of restaurants in the U.S. -- which is currently 570,000, according to an estimate from Technomic -- grew by 1% to 2% annually. This year, 12,000 to 18,000 restaurants are expected to close, sending the net total down by 2% to 3%, says Mr. Pawlak. The National Restaurant Association reported its lowest numbers on record for its Restaurant Performance Index, a complex formula that incorporates restaurateurs' reports of their traffic, sales, labor and investment expenditures as well as their expectations for coming months. A record 47% of all restaurateurs say the economy is their current top worry, the trade groups says."
What's Not Cooking
by Katy McLaughlin
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123266832459008071.html?mod=todays_us_weekend_journal
Shift in Financial Capitals
"New York, once the financial capital of the world, is no longer even the financial capital of the U.S. That honor falls on Washington, where lawmakers are now injecting populist politics into economics decisions. Companies and sectors that should be left to drown are being floated lifeboats. This drama is also playing out across Europe and Asia. As engines of economic growth, Shanghai is losing ground to Beijing, Mumbai to Delhi, and Dubai to Abu Dhabi."
Expect the World Economy to Suffer Through 2009
by Ian Bremmer and Nouriel Roubini
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123267029592108287.html?mod=todays_us_opinion
Expect the World Economy to Suffer Through 2009
by Ian Bremmer and Nouriel Roubini
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123267029592108287.html?mod=todays_us_opinion
Obama and Bullet-Resistant Clothing
I wonder how often Presidents wear bullet-resistant clothing...
"Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president on Tuesday under tight security. He rode to the Capitol in an armored Cadillac limo, spoke behind a protective glass shield, and wore "bullet-resistant clothing."
Does the Kevlar Number Come in a French Cuff?
by Juliet Lapidos
http://www.slate.com/id/2209274/
"Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president on Tuesday under tight security. He rode to the Capitol in an armored Cadillac limo, spoke behind a protective glass shield, and wore "bullet-resistant clothing."
Does the Kevlar Number Come in a French Cuff?
by Juliet Lapidos
http://www.slate.com/id/2209274/
Will President Obama Have a PC?
"Probably not, if recent history is a guide—neither Bill Clinton nor George W. Bush had a dedicated office computer...Even if he doesn't have a desktop computer, Obama will still be able to go online now and again while he's on the job. The president has a fleet of computer-equipped staffers sitting directly outside his office doors. President Bush sometimes used the computers of these personal aides to check news reports or sports scores."
Microsoft Oval Office
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2209523/
Microsoft Oval Office
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2209523/
An Economists View of Friendship
"When economists look at friendship and social networks, what they see is people trading favors—you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. A friendship's value is determined by the benefits of favors you receive weighed against the cost of the favors you'll need to do in return. A friendship built on cold economic foundations can be sustained only as long as the gains of the long-term trading of favors exceed the benefit of taking one last back scratch before putting an end to the relationship... Trust among friends is a source of vulnerability well-recognized by hustlers and conmen. It proved to be the undoing of the Jewish and Palm Beach communities that were victimized in the $50 billion pyramid scheme concocted by Bernie Madoff, one of their own. With friends like these, maybe Blanche was onto something after all."
You Can't Put a Price on Friendship
by Ray Fisman
http://www.slate.com/id/2209490/
You Can't Put a Price on Friendship
by Ray Fisman
http://www.slate.com/id/2209490/
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Surf Mafia
The "Wolfpak"...
Rough Waves, Tough Beaches
by Matt Higgins
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/sports/othersports/23surfing.html?_r=1&hp
Rough Waves, Tough Beaches
by Matt Higgins
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/sports/othersports/23surfing.html?_r=1&hp
Tyler on Netflix
"Tyler, I just finished reading your Inner Economist book and in there you said you stopping doing Netflix because you felt that the waiting Netflix discs sometimes felt like a burden to you. Have you changed your mind on this?"
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/why-i-resumed-netflix.html
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/why-i-resumed-netflix.html
"Endowment Effect"
"A new study suggests that just fingering an item on a store shelf can create an attachment that makes you willing to pay more for it."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/dont-touch-when-you-are-shopping.html
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/dont-touch-when-you-are-shopping.html
"Hotness" of Professors
Check out the cool chart...
"There’s been a serious debate at the other place where I blog over whether academia in general, and political science in particular is a sexy profession. I’m glad to say that we actually have real social scientific data that we can bring to bear on this topic."
http://crookedtimber.org/2009/01/22/hotties-and-notties/
"There’s been a serious debate at the other place where I blog over whether academia in general, and political science in particular is a sexy profession. I’m glad to say that we actually have real social scientific data that we can bring to bear on this topic."
http://crookedtimber.org/2009/01/22/hotties-and-notties/
On Global Research
Spending on scientific research & development, 2007:
*North America: $393 billion
*Asia: $320 billion
*Europe: $290 billion
"India's medieval mathematicians invented the zero and modern numerals around 500 AD. Engineers in neighboring China dreamed up paper, explosives, the compass, and movable type. But the 17th-century Scientific Revolution came not in Asia but the west, and so did the 20th century's medicines, airplanes, radio, computers, spacecraft, TV sets, and telecom gear.
Why?"
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?contentID=254884&knlgAreaID=108&subsecID=127&FREM=Y&sid=1&mid=28101
*North America: $393 billion
*Asia: $320 billion
*Europe: $290 billion
"India's medieval mathematicians invented the zero and modern numerals around 500 AD. Engineers in neighboring China dreamed up paper, explosives, the compass, and movable type. But the 17th-century Scientific Revolution came not in Asia but the west, and so did the 20th century's medicines, airplanes, radio, computers, spacecraft, TV sets, and telecom gear.
Why?"
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?contentID=254884&knlgAreaID=108&subsecID=127&FREM=Y&sid=1&mid=28101
2008 Think Tank Rankings
Facts:
*There are 5465 think tanks in the world.
*North America has 34.25% of the world's think tanks (1872).
*There are 1777 think tanks in the US.
*About 1/5 of US think tanks (around 350) are located in Washington, DC
*More than 1/2 of US think tanks are university affiliated
*Massachusetts has 175 think tanks, the largest number of any state besides DC.
Top 10 US Think Tanks in 2008:
1. Brookings
2. CFR
3. CEIP
4. RAND
5. Heritage
6. Wilson Center
7. CSIS
8. AEI
9. CATO
10. Hoover
10. Human Rights Watch (tied for 10th)
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/files/2008_Global_Go_To_Think_Tanks.pdf
*There are 5465 think tanks in the world.
*North America has 34.25% of the world's think tanks (1872).
*There are 1777 think tanks in the US.
*About 1/5 of US think tanks (around 350) are located in Washington, DC
*More than 1/2 of US think tanks are university affiliated
*Massachusetts has 175 think tanks, the largest number of any state besides DC.
Top 10 US Think Tanks in 2008:
1. Brookings
2. CFR
3. CEIP
4. RAND
5. Heritage
6. Wilson Center
7. CSIS
8. AEI
9. CATO
10. Hoover
10. Human Rights Watch (tied for 10th)
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/files/2008_Global_Go_To_Think_Tanks.pdf
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Why Don't Indonesians Know How to Swim?
"Because its primary ethnic group never took to the seas."
Why Don't Indonesians Know How to Swim
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2208442/
Why Don't Indonesians Know How to Swim
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2208442/
Gaza: The Basics
A guide to help you through a very complicated subject...
Gaza: The Basics
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2208444/
Gaza: The Basics
by Nina Shen Rastogi
http://www.slate.com/id/2208444/
No Facebook Friends
It is almost as if the person who wrote this works at Facebook...I highly disagree with much of what is said. Is Facebook really that useful. The article did not mention how it was becoming popular to actually de-friend people because people had too many "friends."
"There is no longer any good reason to avoid Facebook. The site has crossed a threshold—it is now so widely trafficked that it's fast becoming a routine aide to social interaction, like e-mail and antiperspirant."
You Have No Friends
by Farhad Manjoo
http://www.slate.com/id/2208678/pagenum/2
"There is no longer any good reason to avoid Facebook. The site has crossed a threshold—it is now so widely trafficked that it's fast becoming a routine aide to social interaction, like e-mail and antiperspirant."
You Have No Friends
by Farhad Manjoo
http://www.slate.com/id/2208678/pagenum/2
How Biggie Changed Hip Hop
"B.I.G. never quite equaled Snoop's sales figures. But his dreams of Lear jets and coupes transformed hip-hop. Upward mobility was Biggie's great theme...The Notorious B.I.G. didn't live long enough to party with Puffy in the Hamptons and St. Tropez. But more than anyone else, he gave hip-hop its bling...The Notorious B.I.G. kept it real in the literal sense: He was a dedicated chronicler of everyday stuff, and the world as he observed it survives, vividly, in his songs. That's about as much life after death as anyone could hope for."
It Was All a Dream
by Jody Rosen
http://www.slate.com/id/2208766/
It Was All a Dream
by Jody Rosen
http://www.slate.com/id/2208766/
Quote of the Day
"Everything should have a price because prices are rational and without that you can't make a rational decision."
-Deborah Gordon, 1/13/09 at World Affairs Council event, Author of 2 Billion Cars
-Deborah Gordon, 1/13/09 at World Affairs Council event, Author of 2 Billion Cars
Forecast for the Next 25 Years
*Forecast #1: The world will have a billion millionaires by 2025
*Forecast #2: Fashion will go wired as technologies and tastes converge to revolutionize the textile industry.
*Forecast #3: The threat of another cold war with China, Russia, or both could replace terrorism as the chief foreign-policy concern of the United States.
*Forecast #4: Counterfeiting of currency will proliferate, driving the move toward a cashless society.
*Forecast #5: The earth is on the verge of a significant extinction event.
*Forecast #6: Water will be in the twenty-first century what oil was in the twentieth century.
*Forecast #7: World population by 2050 may grow larger than previously expected, due in part to healthier, longer-living people.
*Forecast #8: The number of Africans imperiled by floods will grow 70-fold by 2080.
*Forecast #9: Rising prices for natural resources could lead to a full-scale rush to develop the Arctic.
*Forecast #10: More decisions will be made by nonhuman entities.
http://www.wfs.org/tomorrow/index.htm
*Forecast #2: Fashion will go wired as technologies and tastes converge to revolutionize the textile industry.
*Forecast #3: The threat of another cold war with China, Russia, or both could replace terrorism as the chief foreign-policy concern of the United States.
*Forecast #4: Counterfeiting of currency will proliferate, driving the move toward a cashless society.
*Forecast #5: The earth is on the verge of a significant extinction event.
*Forecast #6: Water will be in the twenty-first century what oil was in the twentieth century.
*Forecast #7: World population by 2050 may grow larger than previously expected, due in part to healthier, longer-living people.
*Forecast #8: The number of Africans imperiled by floods will grow 70-fold by 2080.
*Forecast #9: Rising prices for natural resources could lead to a full-scale rush to develop the Arctic.
*Forecast #10: More decisions will be made by nonhuman entities.
http://www.wfs.org/tomorrow/index.htm
What IS a "half smoke?"
Yeah, you always hear the term thrown around, and it looks/tastes like a hotdog, so what is the difference?
*City Paper insight:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=561
*Here is what Wikipedia has to say:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-smoke
*City Paper insight:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=561
*Here is what Wikipedia has to say:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-smoke
Mexico & Pakistan to Collapse?
According to the US Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, VA they could...
"Mexico is one of two countries that 'bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse,' according to a report by the U.S. Joint Forces Command on worldwide security threats.
The command's 'Joint Operating Environment (JOE 2008)' report, which contains projections of global threats and potential next wars, puts Pakistan on the same level as Mexico."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354
"Mexico is one of two countries that 'bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse,' according to a report by the U.S. Joint Forces Command on worldwide security threats.
The command's 'Joint Operating Environment (JOE 2008)' report, which contains projections of global threats and potential next wars, puts Pakistan on the same level as Mexico."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354
The Kindleberger Spiral
Neat little diagram for those studying "Depression" politics/economics...
"The diagram (you have to scroll to the end to see it) graphically illustrates the implosion of world trade which occurred between 1929-1933, as countries (including the US) pursued the 'beggar-thy-neighbor' policies of protection and competitive currency devaluation. The point is not that 1998 is 1929. Rather, the lessons are that there are links between trade and finance, and policy can have an enormous impact on outcomes."
http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=304#kindle
"The diagram (you have to scroll to the end to see it) graphically illustrates the implosion of world trade which occurred between 1929-1933, as countries (including the US) pursued the 'beggar-thy-neighbor' policies of protection and competitive currency devaluation. The point is not that 1998 is 1929. Rather, the lessons are that there are links between trade and finance, and policy can have an enormous impact on outcomes."
http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=304#kindle
"Japonism"
I wonder if the abrupt end of "sakoku" in Japan helped spread Japanese art around the world. If there was no sakoku, would Japanese art be as influential globally? Was the end of sakoku right around the time when impressionism was booming in Europe the key to Japonism?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japonism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japonism
Demand for "Best Job in the World" Crashes Website
If you could choose any job in the world to have, what would it be?
"The chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia has sparked so much interest around the world that a rush of applications crashed the website advertising the post.
The job, which offers a salary of $105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton, has been inundated with hundreds of thousands of prospective candidates."
Demand for "Best Job in the World" Crashes Website
http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE50D15K20090114?rpc=64
"The chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia has sparked so much interest around the world that a rush of applications crashed the website advertising the post.
The job, which offers a salary of $105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton, has been inundated with hundreds of thousands of prospective candidates."
Demand for "Best Job in the World" Crashes Website
http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE50D15K20090114?rpc=64
Hamburger Bed
I wonder if this helps someone get better sleep. Does something associated with relaxation/deliciousness help?
http://www.geekologie.com/2009/01/mmmm_delicious_sleep_the_hambu.php
http://www.geekologie.com/2009/01/mmmm_delicious_sleep_the_hambu.php
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Inauguration Dining: Thoughts
Dining on or around Inauguration in DC likely will be a bad idea. Besides the crowds, there is the problem of food. Since many of the roads will be blocked, it will be very difficult for many restaurants to get fresh supplies. My suggestion? Leave that special DC meal for a post-Inauguration dining feast.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
How To Read 462 In One Year
That means she reads about one and a quarter books every single day for a year. Wow.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/01/how-to-read-462.html
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/01/how-to-read-462.html
The "End" of California?
"Why are so many looking for an exit? Among other things: California's unemployment rate hit 8.4 percent in November, the third-highest in the nation, and it is expected to get worse...With state government facing a $41.6 billion budget hole over 18 months, residents are bracing for higher taxes, cuts in education and postponed tax rebates...A state board halted lending for about 2,000 public works projects in California worth more than $16 billion because the state could not afford them."
Go East Young Man? Californians Look For the Exit.
by Michael Blood
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090112/ap_on_re_us/fleeing_california_3
Go East Young Man? Californians Look For the Exit.
by Michael Blood
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090112/ap_on_re_us/fleeing_california_3
Monday, January 12, 2009
What Does a $100,000 Tuna Taste Like?
"The Tokyo restaurant world was shocked this week when a 128 kilogram Japanese bluefin tuna fetched 9.63 million yen, or $104,800 -- the highest price paid for a bluefin tuna in eight years. Two restaurants with distinctly different styles bid jointly at Tokyo's first fish auction of the year, splitting both the cost and the fish...Half the trophy tuna went to Kyubey...The tuna's other half went to Itamae Sushi, a Tokyo outpost of a casual, Hong-Kong restaurant chain that has been expanding recently."
Tasting the $100,000 Tuna
by Yumiko Ono
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123154398110769541-lMyQjAxMDI5MzExMTUxNDEzWj.html
Tasting the $100,000 Tuna
by Yumiko Ono
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123154398110769541-lMyQjAxMDI5MzExMTUxNDEzWj.html
Sunday, January 11, 2009
On Hybrids
Buying a hybrid doesn't much make economic sense now...
"It's hard to blame buyers when the 2009 Altima hybrid costs about $5,900 more than the standard version. The Altima hybrid improves combined city-highway fuel economy to 34 miles per gallon from 26 mpg in the standard four-cylinder. Even with gas at $4.11, where the national average peaked in July, a driver has to log nearly 159,000 miles to recoup the upfront cost. For someone who drives 15,000 miles annually, the gas savings is $558 a year. That's more than 10 1/2 years of driving -- assuming the car lasts that long. With gas at current prices, get ready for a 364,000 mile road trip to get your money back."
48 MPG is Nice, But Hybrids Don't Add Up Right Now
by Dan Strumpf
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090111/auto_show_hybrids.html
"It's hard to blame buyers when the 2009 Altima hybrid costs about $5,900 more than the standard version. The Altima hybrid improves combined city-highway fuel economy to 34 miles per gallon from 26 mpg in the standard four-cylinder. Even with gas at $4.11, where the national average peaked in July, a driver has to log nearly 159,000 miles to recoup the upfront cost. For someone who drives 15,000 miles annually, the gas savings is $558 a year. That's more than 10 1/2 years of driving -- assuming the car lasts that long. With gas at current prices, get ready for a 364,000 mile road trip to get your money back."
48 MPG is Nice, But Hybrids Don't Add Up Right Now
by Dan Strumpf
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090111/auto_show_hybrids.html
Friday, January 9, 2009
"New Day"
This seems like a great idea to refresh the mind/body, especially if you are stuck in a rut...
"Sometime in the next week I suggest you hold a New Day, where you don't do anything old.
Don't read any book you've read before. Don't read any author you've read before. Don't visit any website you've visited before. Don't play any game you've played before. Don't listen to familiar music that you already know you'll like."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/a-new-day.html
"Sometime in the next week I suggest you hold a New Day, where you don't do anything old.
Don't read any book you've read before. Don't read any author you've read before. Don't visit any website you've visited before. Don't play any game you've played before. Don't listen to familiar music that you already know you'll like."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/a-new-day.html
Choping
"Choping, it seems, is a practice in Singapore when you reserve a table while you are getting your food at public eating areas."
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/choping.html
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/01/choping.html
First Chinese Chef with 3 Michelin Stars
"...Chan Yan-tak, the first Chinese chef to earn, last month, a top ranking of three stars. His restaurant, in one of Hong Kong’s many plush harborside hotels, goes by the name Lung King Heen, or View of the Dragon."
A Chinese Chef's Long, Diverted Path to 3 Stars
by Joyce Hor-Chung Lau
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/asia/03chef.html?_r=2&hp
A Chinese Chef's Long, Diverted Path to 3 Stars
by Joyce Hor-Chung Lau
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/asia/03chef.html?_r=2&hp
"Gourmand Syndrome"
This is one disorder I wouldn't mind having...
"We present a new benign eating disorder associated with lesions involving parts of the right anterior cerebral hemisphere."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9153440
"We present a new benign eating disorder associated with lesions involving parts of the right anterior cerebral hemisphere."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9153440
Cheating to Get a Retail Job
Very interesting article...This is why one should not base most of my hiring decision on one test alone...
Test for Dwindling Retail Jobs Spawns a Culture of Cheating
by Vanessa O'Connell
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123129220146959621.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Test for Dwindling Retail Jobs Spawns a Culture of Cheating
by Vanessa O'Connell
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123129220146959621.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
On Toilets and Crowds
"The Park Service recommends, but doesn't require, one portable toilet for every 300 people...A Washington state Department of Transportation study of rest-area restrooms conducted in 1987, in part by then-Cornell undergraduate Anh Tran, found that men spent an average of 47 seconds in stalls, and women 79 seconds, for an average of about a minute...And University of New Mexico urologist Anthony Smith says a typical person urinates up to eight times per day -- more when it's cold outside...One toilet for every 100 people is conservative, compared with other standards. The New York City Marathon last November had one toilet for every 17 runners. The U.S. Army's standard is one commode for every 25 males and one for every 17 females, according to Albin Majewski of the Army's material systems directorate. And the International Code Council requires one toilet for every 40 people at nightclubs, and more than one for every 50 people in an office building."
The Madness of Estimating Crowds and Commodes
by Carl Bialik
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123145851449666169.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
The Madness of Estimating Crowds and Commodes
by Carl Bialik
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123145851449666169.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Europe & Sick Leave
"Europe has long suffered from sick-day disease, and many European governments are trying to fix the problem. The average European worker took off 11.3 days in 2005, compared with 4.5 days for the average American, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in Paris. The cost of those lost workdays to Europe's economy is sometimes as much as 1.3% of gross domestic product annually, says OECD senior economist Christopher Prinz."
Belgians Take a Lot of Sick Leave, And Why Not, They're Depressed
by John Miller
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123145414405365887.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Belgians Take a Lot of Sick Leave, And Why Not, They're Depressed
by John Miller
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123145414405365887.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Love Affairs With US Debt Ending?
The question is can the US find anyone else to love its debt? The Middle East perhaps?
"China has bought more than $1 trillion of American debt, but as the global downturn has intensified, Beijing is starting to keep more of its money at home, a move that could have painful effects for American borrowers."
China Losing Taste for Debt From US
by Keith Bradsher
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/business/worldbusiness/08yuan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
"China has bought more than $1 trillion of American debt, but as the global downturn has intensified, Beijing is starting to keep more of its money at home, a move that could have painful effects for American borrowers."
China Losing Taste for Debt From US
by Keith Bradsher
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/business/worldbusiness/08yuan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Sinking Yen Brings Japan to US
"More recently, the popularity of high-end design and funky pop culture from the Land of the Rising Sun and the Sinking Yen has brought a variety of Japanese-based retailers to town."
In NY, a Yen for Japanese Shops
by JoAnn Greco
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/06/AR2009010603015.html?hpid=artsliving
In NY, a Yen for Japanese Shops
by JoAnn Greco
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/06/AR2009010603015.html?hpid=artsliving
US's Most Powerful Economic Policymaker?
Who is US's most powerful economic policymaker? According to Robert Samuelson it is Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Although he doesn't do a great job of arguing the point, he is probably correct.
"Amid the hoopla over Barack Obama's economic team, it's worth remembering that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is America's most powerful economic policymaker and will probably remain so after Obama's inauguration."
Bernanke's Burden
by Robert Samuelson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/07/ST2008120702045.html
"Amid the hoopla over Barack Obama's economic team, it's worth remembering that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is America's most powerful economic policymaker and will probably remain so after Obama's inauguration."
Bernanke's Burden
by Robert Samuelson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/07/ST2008120702045.html
How Many Restaurant Visits for a Michelin?
I've always wondered how many trips to a restaurant it takes before Michelin stars are doled out. This WSJ article gives us a hint... But I wonder over what period of time those visits took place. Was it within a two or three week period, two or three months, or much longer?
"Whether or not the Michelin inspectors are evaluating Mr. Leung's cooking from a European point of view, they gave themselves ample opportunity to discover any flaws. Mr. Naret, the Michelin director, says that in addition to his own four visits, the Michelin team made six or eight anonymous visits to Bo."
Science + Dumplings = Sensation
by Stan Sesser
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093538915950063.html
"Whether or not the Michelin inspectors are evaluating Mr. Leung's cooking from a European point of view, they gave themselves ample opportunity to discover any flaws. Mr. Naret, the Michelin director, says that in addition to his own four visits, the Michelin team made six or eight anonymous visits to Bo."
Science + Dumplings = Sensation
by Stan Sesser
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093538915950063.html
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Best and Worst Jobs
"The study, to be released Tuesday from CareerCast.com, a new job site, evaluates 200 professions to determine the best and worst according to five criteria inherent to every job: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress."
The Best
1. Mathematician
2. Actuary
3. Statistician
4. Biologist
5. Software Engineer
6. Computer Systems Analyst
7. Historian
8. Sociologist
9. Industrial Designer
10. Accountant
11. Economist
12. Philosopher
13. Physicist
14. Parole Officer
15. Meteorologist
16. Medical Laboratory Technician
17. Paralegal Assistant
18. Computer Programmer
19. Motion Picture Editor
20. Astronomer
The Worst
200. Lumberjack
199. Dairy Farmer
198. Taxi Driver
197. Seaman
196. EMT
195. Garbage Collector
194. Welder
193. Roustabout
192. Ironworker
191. Construction Worker
190. Mail Carrier
189. Sheet Metal Worker
188. Auto Mechanic
187. Butcher
186. Nuclear Decontamination Tech
185. Nurse (LN)
184. Painter
183. Child Care Worker
182. Firefighter
181. Brick Layer
Doing the Math to Find the Good Jobs
by Sarah Needleman
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123119236117055127.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
The Best
1. Mathematician
2. Actuary
3. Statistician
4. Biologist
5. Software Engineer
6. Computer Systems Analyst
7. Historian
8. Sociologist
9. Industrial Designer
10. Accountant
11. Economist
12. Philosopher
13. Physicist
14. Parole Officer
15. Meteorologist
16. Medical Laboratory Technician
17. Paralegal Assistant
18. Computer Programmer
19. Motion Picture Editor
20. Astronomer
The Worst
200. Lumberjack
199. Dairy Farmer
198. Taxi Driver
197. Seaman
196. EMT
195. Garbage Collector
194. Welder
193. Roustabout
192. Ironworker
191. Construction Worker
190. Mail Carrier
189. Sheet Metal Worker
188. Auto Mechanic
187. Butcher
186. Nuclear Decontamination Tech
185. Nurse (LN)
184. Painter
183. Child Care Worker
182. Firefighter
181. Brick Layer
Doing the Math to Find the Good Jobs
by Sarah Needleman
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123119236117055127.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
The Paradox of Thrift
Do we have the "paradox of thrift" because the US is focused too much on consumption? Are we too rich?
"Usually, frugality is good for individuals and for the economy. Savings serve as a reservoir of capital that can be used to finance investment, which helps raise a nation's standard of living. But in a recession, increased saving -- or its flip side, decreased spending -- can exacerbate the economy's woes. It's what economists call the 'paradox of thrift.'"
Hard-Hit Families Finally Start Saving, Aggravating Nation's Economic Woes
by Kelly Evans
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120525879656021.html
"Usually, frugality is good for individuals and for the economy. Savings serve as a reservoir of capital that can be used to finance investment, which helps raise a nation's standard of living. But in a recession, increased saving -- or its flip side, decreased spending -- can exacerbate the economy's woes. It's what economists call the 'paradox of thrift.'"
Hard-Hit Families Finally Start Saving, Aggravating Nation's Economic Woes
by Kelly Evans
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120525879656021.html
Monday, January 5, 2009
Do As Experts Say, Not As They Do
"It is easy to make a resolution to research your investments more, trade less, cut your costs, sell your underperformers, put your money into index funds or take no risk you don't understand. But intention is a lot easier than implementation. To turn a resolution into resolve, write down exactly what you plan to do, along with the time and place when you will implement that intention ("next Sunday morning at 10:30, at the desk in my study, right after we get home from church"). Include a mental "packing list" of any information or resources you will need to implement your plan of action. Finally, make a point of telling someone else what you have resolved and when and how you will enact it. Going public makes going through with it easier."
Investing Experts Urge "Do as I Say, Not as I Do"
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093692433550093.html?mod=todays_us_money_and_investing
Investing Experts Urge "Do as I Say, Not as I Do"
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093692433550093.html?mod=todays_us_money_and_investing
One Fund in 1,700 Made Money in '08
"Granted, his [Tom Forestor's Forestor Value] fund, with $50.2 million in assets, advanced just 0.4%."
One Fund in 1,700 Made Money in '08
by Suzanne McGee
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111184761652361.html?mod=todays_us_the_journal_report
One Fund in 1,700 Made Money in '08
by Suzanne McGee
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111184761652361.html?mod=todays_us_the_journal_report
Mass Suffeirng & Why We Look the Other Way
It appears that poor math skills are to blame...
"The central reason teh US has not responed forcefully and quickly to crises ranging from the Holocaust to the Rwandan genocide, is not that presidents are uncaring, or that Americans only value American lives, but that the human mind has been unintentionally designed to respond in perverse ways to large-scale suffering. When a tragedy claims many lives, we often care less than if a tragedy claims only a few lives. When there are many victims, we find it easier to look the other way...People often respond not to the number of lives saved but the percentage of lives saved. Failing to save only half the victims in a tragedy seems less dreadful than failing to save 93 percent of the victims of another tragedy...our analytical side isn't usually in charge."
Mass Suffering and Why We Look the Other Way
by Shankar Vedantam
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/04/AR2009010401307.html
"The central reason teh US has not responed forcefully and quickly to crises ranging from the Holocaust to the Rwandan genocide, is not that presidents are uncaring, or that Americans only value American lives, but that the human mind has been unintentionally designed to respond in perverse ways to large-scale suffering. When a tragedy claims many lives, we often care less than if a tragedy claims only a few lives. When there are many victims, we find it easier to look the other way...People often respond not to the number of lives saved but the percentage of lives saved. Failing to save only half the victims in a tragedy seems less dreadful than failing to save 93 percent of the victims of another tragedy...our analytical side isn't usually in charge."
Mass Suffering and Why We Look the Other Way
by Shankar Vedantam
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/04/AR2009010401307.html
Why do Housing Taxes Rise When Home Values Fall?
"Taxes can go up when prices decline because assessed values lag behind market realities. The values that cities and towns use to calculate tax bills are often based on house sales a year or more before the bills are issued. That means that many recent bills don't take into account the meltdown of 2008, when house prices fell by an average of about 20% across the country."
Calls Grow to Cap Property Taxes
by Jennifer Levitz
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111472983052521.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Calls Grow to Cap Property Taxes
by Jennifer Levitz
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111472983052521.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
Georgia to Become Fishing Capital of US
"The administration recently began construction on a $14 million 'Go Fish Georgia Center,' featuring a fish hatchery, visitor's center, and public fishing ponds about 12 miles from Mr. Perdue's hometown of Bonaire. The 15,000-square-foot building will feature interactive exhibits, including fishing simulators where visitors in a fake boat can struggle against computer-controlled fish."
In Washed-Up Economy, Governor Defends Plan for Anglers' Paradise
by Alex Roth and Paulo Prada
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111025702052253.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
In Washed-Up Economy, Governor Defends Plan for Anglers' Paradise
by Alex Roth and Paulo Prada
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111025702052253.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
"Third Hand" Smoke
"That’s the term being used to describe the invisible yet toxic brew of gases and particles clinging to smokers’ hair and clothing, not to mention cushions and carpeting, that lingers long after second-hand smoke has cleared from a room. The residue includes heavy metals, carcinogens and even radioactive materials that young children can get on their hands and ingest, especially if they’re crawling or playing on the floor."
A New Cigarette Hazard: "Third Hand Smoke"
by Roni Caryn Rabin
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/health/research/03smoke.html?em
A New Cigarette Hazard: "Third Hand Smoke"
by Roni Caryn Rabin
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/health/research/03smoke.html?em
TechCast Project
TechCast Project, a virtual think tank comprised of 100 experts, predicts the technological and scientific breakthroughts to come...
*Space Tourism: 2012 (+/- 2 years)
*Intelligent Cars: 2014 (+/- 4 years)
*Telemedicine: 2015 (+/- 4 years)
*Thought Power: 2020 (+/- 9 years)
*Artificial Intelligence: 2021 (+/- 7 years)
*Smart robots: 2022 (+/- 7 years)
*Alternative energy: 2022 (+/- 9 years)
*Cancer cure: 2024 (+/- 8 years)
The Next Next Things
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/outlook/nextthings/
TechCast Project
http://www.techcast.org/Default.aspx
*Space Tourism: 2012 (+/- 2 years)
*Intelligent Cars: 2014 (+/- 4 years)
*Telemedicine: 2015 (+/- 4 years)
*Thought Power: 2020 (+/- 9 years)
*Artificial Intelligence: 2021 (+/- 7 years)
*Smart robots: 2022 (+/- 7 years)
*Alternative energy: 2022 (+/- 9 years)
*Cancer cure: 2024 (+/- 8 years)
The Next Next Things
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/outlook/nextthings/
TechCast Project
http://www.techcast.org/Default.aspx
White vs. Brown Egg
Q: What's the difference between white and brown chicken eggs?
A: There's none, really. The breed of hen is what determines the shell color. Because chickens that lay brown eggs are a bit larger than white-egg layers, brown eggs often cost a little more.
-From WPost, Ask Marilyn, 1/4/09
A: There's none, really. The breed of hen is what determines the shell color. Because chickens that lay brown eggs are a bit larger than white-egg layers, brown eggs often cost a little more.
-From WPost, Ask Marilyn, 1/4/09
Subliminal Advertising
"Store owners know that playing music with a tempo faster than the human heartbeat causes shoppers to shop quickly - and therefore buy less. The slower the beat, the more time shoppers will take, and the greater the chances are that they'll buy something. Music can also direct us to certain products. For example, it can determine what kind of wine we pick up from the shelves. In one experiment over a two-week period, British researchers played either accordion-heavy French music or a German brass band over the speakers of the wine section inside a large supermarket. On French music days, 77% of consumers brought French wine, whereas on German music days, the vast majority of consumers picked up a German selection."
How Subliminal Advertising Works
by Martin Lindstrom
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/01/how-subliminal-advertising-works.html
How Subliminal Advertising Works
by Martin Lindstrom
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/01/how-subliminal-advertising-works.html
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