Melinda Gates saves lives using birth control. Huh?

I literally laughed out loud when I read the headline "Melinda Gates Will Saves Thousands of Lives With Birth Control".

Yes, the best way to save lives is to prevent them from being created.

Munger says banks should be bailed out and bankers are like heroin addicts

Back in September,2010 Charlie Munger, the Vice Chairman of Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, stated that "You should thank God" for bank bailouts.  In regards to the bailouts he said "You shouldn't be bitching about a little bailout.  You should have been thinking it should have been bigger."  His most famous line from this address was when he said Americans should "suck it in and cope".

What is surprising is in a recent interview on CNBC the same Munger says bankers can't be trusted.  He said they are like "heroin addicts".

In the first article Munger talks about how the bailouts where required to "...save civilization".  So let me get this straight: we must bail out banks because they are the basis of civilization.  Banks? The basis of civilization?  The same banks that are run by heroin-like addicts?  This is what our civilization is based on?

It doesn't occur to Mr. Munger that banks might behave like heroin addicts BECAUSE they get bailed out.

I'm coping Mr. Munger but I no longer "suck it in"....especially your drivel.

Does Google Glass have a chance?

Does Google Glass have a chance?  I don't think so.

Several articles have appeared recently stating Google Glass will be the wave of the future.  I'm not so sure.  Google Glass is an indication to me that Google is ran by engineers instead of a product designer who understands the desire for attractive products.  Engineers are typically terrible at product design since they place very heavy emphasis of function over form.  When making a purchase a typical engineer will construct a spreadsheet comparing all the features of different models of a product in an attempt to determine which model provides the most "bang for the buck".  The engineer rarely takes into consideration the form or attractiveness of the product.  I have quite a few spreadsheets as proof of this behavior.

Most people want to look nice.  See the substantial size of the fashion, makeup and plastic surgery industries as proof of this.  In fact, people are willing to shoot lasers into their eye balls in an effort to rid them self of unsightly glasses.

Google glasses are not attractive and I believe this will be a major hindrance to their adoption.  I was skeptical of 3D TVs that also required glasses.  Who wants to put on glasses to watch TV?  Google Glass could meet the same fate as 3D glasses.

Targeting innocent civilians is terrorism

In this clip regarding the Boston marathon bombings Obama states:

Any time bombs are used to target innocent civilians it is an act of terror.

Drone attacks under the Obama administration have killed over 150 innocent children.  But the killing of innocent children by government personnel is not terrorism?  Of course not.  The term terrorism never applies to government killing.  The killing of innocent people by government is called "collateral damage" making it sound like it couldn't be prevented.

Reminds me of a quote: "The terrorist is the one with the small bomb."

Fidelity executive is concerned about Americans' savings rate....sure

In this article a Fidelity executive argues that Americans should be saving more for retirement.  He seems so concerned for Americans and their future.  Sure.

In 2006 congress passed the Pension Protection Act which allows employers to automatically enroll employees in retirement plans.  Employers can enroll employees at a maximum rate of 3% under the act.  The Fidelity executive states that rate should be increased to 6%.  He says Americans aren't saving  enough.

He seems so concerned with my well being.  I'm sure he couldn't have an ulterior motive, right?

Guess which company is the largest administrator of 401K plans?  You guessed it: Fidelity.

Confiscation of savings accounts proposed in US

The Cyprus President, in cahoots with the EU, proposed a one-time tax on money in savings and deposit accounts.  The tax would range from 6% to 10% depending on the amount in the account.  If the proposal was approved the government of Cyprus would take the funds from peoples’ bank accounts.

How fantastically efficient and simple?  For some reason this has outraged many people who are correctly calling this action robbery.  Strange that taking money from peoples’ bank accounts is theft but taking it from their paychecks is just fine.

Why have other governments not thought of this approach?

They have.

Michael Arrington upset about Homeland Security taking his boat

Mr. Arrington ordered a boat from Canada.  Upon the boat's arrival in the US a Homeland Security official needed Mr. Arrington's signature on a form.  Mr. Arrington noticed a discrepancy in some of the financial information reported on the form so he refused to sign the form at which point the Department of Homeland Security seized Mr. Arrington's new boat.  Arrington complains about the "bastards" on his blog as well as "...how screwed up our government bureaucracy has become".

I agree with his assessment of the government however I find it hard to sympathize with his condition.

Let me explain.

Obama the gun salesman

Obama may be one of the best salesmen for guns.  The chart below shows the number of background checks conducted by the FBI.  At this rate it won't take long before the FBI has done a background check on every person in the US.

Penelope Soto offends a tyrant, goes to jail

Imagine being dragged in front of a dress wearing man who is attempting to set the bond amount that you must fork over so that you return to his lair at which point he'll determine how to properly punish you for possessing a dangerous substance.  Your only crime was the possession of a substance a group of politicians deemed dangerous.  No one was harmed by your possession of this substance.  Absolutely no one.  This is the illogical craziness of the war on drugs.

Well, some are amused by the silliness of it all.  Witness one Penelope Soto.

America has low taxes

Henry Blodget at Business Insider posted an article essentially stating that Americans shouldn't complain about high taxes.

NYPD Drones

Essam Attia is the artist who mocked the NYPD and its use of drones.  He placed images, in public areas, which criticized the NYPD's use of drones.  The NYPD was able to track him down and have charged him with 56 criminal counts as a way to make an example of anyone who dare make a mockery of the NYPD's oppression.  Thou shall worship oppression and praise its glory.

More gun control

The recent massacre of school children in Newton Connecticut has led to a vocal outcry for more gun control.  Apparently the killing of innocent people by civilians is appalling to many.  So appalling that many are now clamoring for more gun control to prevent this type of massacre from happening again.

As I've pointed out in a previous post, it makes no sense to believe the most savage organization in history will be any help in preventing murder.

How are short sales tracked?

If an investor believes the price of a stock is heading down, that investor can short the stock.

Beer Reviews

As a gift for a recent milestone birthday, my lovely children gave me an amazing gift.  They purchased one beer for each year I have inhabited this planet.  Each beer was a different type which allowed me to try a bunch of different beers I probably would have never purchased on my own.

My wife suggested that I write down a little review for each one so I'll remember which ones I liked.  Below are my reviews of the different beers.

Evil pirate banks

This yahoo article talks about people stashing their money into "pirate" banks so as to avoid their money being confiscated by the professional criminal class - government.

Oh dear!  The nerve of some people to believe they should keep what they earn.