July 2009
52 posts
The Hidden Risks of Cloud Computing →
A good reminder of the problems with computing in the cloud.
Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible To Most Loyal... →
Oh man, I can’t believe there wasn’t a line for this. So much better than the 3GS. Fast connection speed, powerful apps, video support, and voice control too. Plus, with GPS installed, I can finally make it back home!
I wonder if that guy that sold it to me knew what he was giving up! It only costed $800 for the phone, and then of course, a few extra dollas for those Apple in-ear...
Read This If You Hate Meetings →
Now it’s time for the pre-meeting meeting on setting up the convention ….
Smell Like Star Trek →
Beam me up to the nearest Space Sephora, Scottie!
We'll Never Lose the Blues →
Ain’t got no blues for the Blues. Looks like it’s goin’ down slow.
Personal favorites include:
Guitar Slim
T-Bone Walker
Lightning Hopkins
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
Howlin’ Wolf
Jimmy Dawkins
Champion Jack Dupree
Muddy Waters
Microsoft confirms leaked retail store plans are... →
IMO, a bad idea and waste of perfectly good commercial space. C’mon, Microsoft. Do you think you can win this war amidst your first fiscal year without a profit? It doesn’t take a Genius (hah!) to figure out it’s Game Over against Apple …
The Case For A Four-Day Workweek →
Works for Utah … but can it work for other places too? Probably not, but it’s a nice thought regardless.
Impact of Raising the Federal Minimum Wage →
According to Gary Burtless: “…A common complaint that you sometimes hear from businessmen who have to pay the minimum wage is it’s going to raise their costs and hurt them. I think they sometimes forget that, well, the same increase in costs is being faced by all of their competitors and so the competitive situation of these employers is not as bad as they suggest. The second thing to...
Hubble Snaps Sharpest Image Yet of Jupiter Impact →
Hubble’s 3D IMAX site is amazing! One of my life goals is to see this. Spring 2010, it’s got to happen.
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we...”
– Adam Smith
Is this thing working?
Tangerine: Knock, knock.
Orange: Who's there?
Tangerine: Woo.
Orange: Woo, who?
Tangerine: Don't get so excited, it's just a joke.
“Piano
Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the...”
– D.H. Lawrence (1918)
The Japanese love pillow →
According to this NYT article, popular anime characters in Japan are printed on life-sized pillows for the squeezing pleasure of adoring fanatics. What better way to snuggle up to your love? Hey, at least she won’t sleep diagonal.
My first thought: Wow, I hope there are pictures. (Answer: yes)
Second thought: Do these come in dude form?
Here’s some eye candy for you*:
*...
YouTube enters the cavernous, chromatic world of... →
Please tell me this is a joke …
El Vez at the Ballard SeafoodFest. Cool as shit! →
Don’t miss your chance to see the one and only El Vez at the Ballard Seafood Fest this weekend.
Yes! This is the same superstar that released the popular albums:
- El Vez Calling
- Graciasland
- NoElVezSí
- Pure Aztec Gold
- Sno-Way José
He’s set to perform at 3:15pm on Saturday, 7/25. Check it!
Joy ride on Light Rail →
Crosscut published this looong post about the grand opening of the light rail station that (almost) connects downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac airport. Nothing like that new light rail smell! Can’t wait to test it out this weekend. Too bad I have to bike 2 miles to the station … doh! Shame the Capitol Hill station won’t be open for another Eight (8) years … double doh! Time to...
The Great Economist Carl Menger →
Carl Menger was the founder of the Austrian School of economics, famous for contributing to the development of the theory of marginal utility. What is marginal utility, you ask?
First off, utility represents the satisfaction or benefit that an individual gains from consuming a given amount of goods or services. The amount of a person’s total utility corresponds to the person’s level...
C'mon Seattle, say 'No' to the bag tax on August... →
This bag tax business is bad public policy.
In Seattle, the bag tax only applies to grocery, drug, and convenience stores— boutique stores such as Nordstrom or Macy’s are exempt. If revenues are over $1M, the store keeps 5 cents of the 20 cent fee. If revenues are under $1M, the retailer keeps the entire 20 cents. The problem with this model is that there is absolutely no evidence...
1 tag
So long, and thanks for all the fish →
Bluefin tuna is considered a delicacy and are used in sushi and sashimi. Nom, nom, nom.
This tasty treat is sadly over fished and prices have consistently skyrocketed to make up for the short supply.
I know what you’re thinking: how can I get ahold of some tasty fishies on my own? Well, look no further —- follow these simple steps from this website.
“Catching a bluefin can...
Have chip, will travel →
Explains why chips in passports and ID cards are a stupid idea.
Props.
Insanely expensive unopened 1967 Star Trek... →
Isn’t the paint dried out by now? Hah.
Financial economics: Efficiency and beyond →
Another article by the Economist that outlines suggestions to fix current loopholes in the system.
Organized crime: Making a killing →
In these times, it’s no wonder the black market is booming.
The Big Mac index: Cheesed off →
The most delicious way to judge the currency market.
The Big Mac Index is published by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity (PPP) between two currencies and provides a test of the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing the same in different countries. It “seeks to make exchange-rate theory a bit more digestible
Economics: What went wrong with economics →
A good overview of the financial crisis as done by the Economist.
Obama’s Computerized Hospital Vision May Have... →
EHRs are a good solution to preserving the medical history of an individual that may switch doctors often. Instead of writing a hard copy of known medical ailments and faxing it over, the use of electronic records allows for such records to be conveniently sent via email. However, I remain concerned about patient confidentiality and hope that EHRs have a sound financial backing to support superior...
UnitedHealth, Cisco Team Up →
UnitedHealth is at it again … looking for ways to cut costs. Within the next decade, we will likely be receiving health consultation via video chat in doctors in India. I wonder what effect this will have on the quality of healthcare and cost. (ie: will treatment received online and overseas vary in price?) Only time will tell…
Those interested in electronic medical records can read...
Petition Calls for Fed Autonomy →
“The petition has been signed by three winners of the Nobel Prize in economics — Daniel McFadden, Robert Merton and Eric Maskin — and five former presidents of the American Economics Association as well as the current president, Angus Deaton of Princeton University, and the president-elect, Robert Hall of Stanford University. The president of the American Finance Association,...
China bans electro-shock for treating Internet... →
The government may reconsider this ban on electro-shocking gamers once Starcraft II hits the gaming stands … if it ever does. Anyone know if Blizzard announced a release date?
Speaking of Asians and electro-shock, check this weird shit out -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLAma-lrJRM
Microsoft sets 'cloud' computing launch →
Oh Microsoft, don’t you know you’re over two years behind the game? I’m interested to see how the cloud computing software will hold up against Google. Let’s hope it doesn’t crash and burn like Bing.
Obama Plans New Funds for Colleges →
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”
-Henry Ford
Microsoft in free software assault on Google →
Good luck, Microsoft. You’ll need it!
TV Networks Fight Drug-Ad Measure →
I support this measure. Drug advertising has changed the traditional system of patients going to a doctor who prescribes a drug for the patient. With the clever placement of TV ads, it is now the patient that demands a drug from the doctor. Although some may argue that patients are now more informed about the different options of pharmaceuticals at their disposal, it is undisputed that the...
Can We Register Voters Better? Yes. →
In the state of Washington there are over 3.6 million registered voters and roughly 84% of these cast valid ballots. Interest in judicial races, especially among young votes, remains low and more often than not, voters select judicial candidates at random or leave the ballot blank. In 2008, 35%, or 1 of 3 million voters did not vote for a Supreme Court justice. Similarly, 640,000 of 930,000 voters...
Jack White's Third Act →
Cool supergraphic. Wish I could make one of these!
For those show-loving Seattleites, Dead Weather will be playing at the Paramount Theatre on August 20th. Get your tickets early … looks like a sure sell-out.
IMF Boosts '10 Economic Outlook →
A snapshot of the world economy through the lens of the International Monetary Fund. Be sure to visit the IMF’s website often— it contains very interesting articles and data sets that are constantly being updated.
Obama Sets $15 Billion Plan for Food Security →
“President Obama has enlisted the world’s leading powers to contribute $15 billion to help millions of the world’s poorest farmers grow enough food to feed themselves … With the ranks of the hungry expected to exceed a billion people this year, the undertaking has great urgency for the bulk of the world’s poor who still live in rural areas.”
On a similar note, I strongly...
U.S. to Tighten Food-Safety Standards →
“The food-safety system in our country needs a significant update.”
-Joe Biden
I agree!
Boost in Food Stamps Helps Economy →
Progress!
According to the USDA:
“While other stimulus money has been slow to circulate, the food-stamp boost is almost immediate, with 80% of the benefits being redeemed within two weeks of receipt and 97% within a month.”
Credit Expansion, Crisis, and the Myth of the... →
One of the better overviews of our financial meltdown. Props!
Health Co-op Offers Model for Overhaul →
A well-written article on electronic health records, praising Seattle’s own Group Health Cooperative. Interestingly, it is not a cooperative at all — at least in the traditional sense. Hmm…
Oil 'Speculation' Foes Bridge Atlantic →
This is the only thing running through the minds of those pesky speculators:
Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high. Buy low, sell high....
Would you like to prevent the destruction of the... →
For those of you who acknowledge that Capitol Hill does not need any more unsightly, mod-style condominiums, please read this and send an email, in the next couple days, to the City staff person as…