Not A Mystery
News
Strategic Defaults And Altruism Can Only Take You So Far
Normally what would make an interesting blog post is the connection of two seemingly unrelated events. But that’s not happening today. Instead we have two non-intuitive findings that remain just that … non-intuitive. Our first discovery is a conundrum. Why don’t more people who are ‘underwater’ on their mortgages, and can’t get their lender to negotiate … Continue reading
It’s Always Nice To Be At The Top Of The Charts
It’s alway nice to be Number 1. For example, I’m terrifically proud that I purchased my current home at the absolute peak of the real estate bubble. And I feel equally puffed up over this chart from the Economist showing that we in the US are supporting Big Pharma in their quest for profits. Shame on those Health … Continue reading
Is Big Mac 2010 Still The Gold Standard?
Time flies. It’s the Economist Big Mac Index for 2010. That’s pronounced “Twenty-Ten” F2u Rio Linda. Just to review, The Economist has been publishing their (not so tongue-in-cheek) Big Mac Index since 1986. It’s a reality check on world-wide currency exchange rates, based on the concept of Purchasing-Power Parity. Purchasing-Power Parity (PPP) says that exchange rates are … Continue reading
And When Pigs Can Fly, Multi-Tasking Will Be Safer Than Driving
Question: What has Big Auto learned from Big Tobacco? Answer: Nothing. We now know that Big Tobacco knew of the addictive and harmful medical properties of cigarettes for years but kept that knowledge secret, while publicly denying the facts. That story didn’t have a happy ending for either the Tobacco Industry or their customers. The only … Continue reading
Yes Mr. Galassi, There WAS More To Publishing Than Met The Eye
I try not to beat dead horses. But in this case I will make an exception. Once again we have a book publisher railing against the rising tide of electronic editions. Yesterday’s Op-Ed page in the NY Times featured a column by Jonathan Galassi titled “There’s More to Publishing Than Meets the Screen” in which … Continue reading
How About A Start-Up In A $Trillion Market With No Competition
These days there’s no shortage of opinion regarding the size and role of government. But one thing everyone can agree on; corruption has no place in any government. In the USA we are lucky in this regard, but many (usually poor) people in developing countries don’t have that luxury. I’m not talking about the stupidity … Continue reading
Betting Against The House Is Never Smart
Just when it looked like the financial system is coming back under control I discover that the term “Large Sophisticated Investor” is an oxymoron. When you gamble with the Big Dogs, normal practice is that you have to show your stake and throw some money into the pot before each hand. It’s exactly the same thing … Continue reading
It’s Never Too Late To Be Googled: A Procrastinator’s Delight
I thought that “The End of The World as We Know It” had already taken place earlier this year. And I was right of course, but for the wrong reason. Silly me. “Googled” by Ken Auletta, does describe the end of the world as we know it. But it’s not a financial meltdown, it’s a media … Continue reading
COP15, Compromise, Christmas And…Romance
Here a world conference, there a world conference. Whenever one of these big-time global confabs takes place, like COP15, I get the urge to watch “Girl In The Cafe” again. Released a few years ago, it is still strikingly relevant today. So right now would be a great time to rent, watch or purchase this DVD. … Continue reading
What’s Better Than Music Subscriptions? Coming soon, iCloud
What’s in a word? If the word is Cloud then the assumption is that it’s newer and better. Last week Apple bought the music service Lala. Without going into the gory details, Lala’s product allows you to access the music you already purchased from their cloud computers, no matter where you are located. The technology … Continue reading
Brits Ready The Ultimate Re-Cycle Scheme
Since the Great Recession started in 2008 the Brits have been at the leading edge of economic engineering. For a while it looked like Gordon Brown was going to get a Nobel Prize in economics, but he peaked too soon. No matter, there’s a second chance for Gordon and it looks promising. In that popular phrase … Continue reading
Just Another Mystery
- Weaving A Different Kind of Necklace
- Jumping into Spring
- The Art of Using Natures Bounty to Dye Cloth
- A Shibori Stitched and Felted Wrap
- Faux Fur, Vogue and Verve
- The Perfect Dance, Part 2
- The Perfect Dance
- The Vest That Mysteriously Turned Into A Purse
- Vintage Kimono Baby Booties
- Zipper, Keys, and a Linen Belt Buckle
Sterling Jewelry & Gifts
Not A Mystery 