Some days it’s hard to tell if your glass is half empty or half full. (Politicians can get pretty creative when they describe the state-of-the-glass, but that’s why they take get the big bucks.) But for me today is a really good day. I am proclaiming my “glass at least half full”. In fact it’s exactly … Continue reading
As tempting as it is, I’m not going to pile on JP Morgan for their $4 Billion write-off. Really. I have to give Jamie Dimon credit (sic) for his candid review of the situation: The bank’s strategy was flawed, complex, poorly reviewed, poorly executed and poorly monitored, Mr. Dimon said … He called the mistake … Continue reading
I received this offer from AT&T today. As Julia Roberts said to Rufus (The Thief) in “Notting Hill” when he asked for a date, Tempting, but no. Since I had recently experienced AT&T’s “Troubleshoot and Resolve” up close and personal, I know first-hand that I get better answers from Siri when she ‘can’t connect’ to her … Continue reading
I have a modest proposal for the health care debate. Only those of us who have actually shopped for an Individual Health Insurance Policy would be allowed to get up on their soapbox and let fly with their opinions. This leaves out all current member of Congress; any retired members of Congress who served more … Continue reading
I usually don’t mind waiting to get my hair cut. But today was a little out of the ordinary. The fellow ahead of me, who I’ll call Randy, felt called upon to deliver a lecture on Obamacare and how the President is directing the government to take over our lives. It was quite a rant, and Randy clearly … Continue reading
With the release of the iPad this month, and Apple’s market cap now above half a trillion dollars, it’s natural to kick yourself for not investing with them a year ago. But, there are stocks that have delivered even better returns than Apple.
What do you do when you hear a great new song by one of your favorite artists that reminds you of all the mistakes and compromises you’ve made in your life. And, is full of hope. You try to write a blog post about it.
[Disclaimer: Since starting up the blog again, my goal has been to avoid posts that ranted against the daily insanity visited upon us by our institutions. But after filing my 2011 taxes that goal has been set aside for today.] This from my inbox, where I am being Congratufuckinglated for having the IRS Accept my … Continue reading
During the greatest transfer of wealth from savers to borrowers in history, my banker has a better idea. Instead of depositing my savings in their institutions (for which I get essentially zero interest), they are steering me towards the bank’s common stock, promising several percentage points of yield and price appreciation.
Why would a recluse turn out to be a better citizen than your typical politician? Aside from what’s obvious about politicians, the answer is in the Dunbar Number. Dunbar’s number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships … It has been proposed to lie between 100 … Continue reading
… and when to start over.