Random Thoughts

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -Plato

If you're inclined to follow print media, and live in the Sacramento area, and came down on the side of Sacramento Magazine in the great SacMag/SacTown (1) War, you might be interested to know they did a profile of us in their July issue. There's no online version, which would seem to be a strategic error.    Local company+1 million readers = bonus traffic.    Maybe they have it on some sort of delay.  Anyway, I can't put a link here because there is no link yet but here is a screenshot snippet I assume is okay under fair use.    An hour and a half…

Let’s examine the demand side of the equation a bit more and explore the impact that credit has on an economy. There is no question that credit can provide a smoother flow of money through an economy to ensure that periodic starts and stops aren’t affected by variations in the cash flow. This is particularly important to ensure smooth operation in many companies as well as for individuals. Equally there is no question regarding the usefulness of credit for large capital expenditures that would otherwise be impossible to obtain, typically housing, cars, etc. However, when it comes to…

Or at least, they should, according to WSJ's Melinda Beck. There are more than 5,200 scientific journals, Beck says in Health Blog, so do we need more? Well, two more couldn't hurt. "I think there should be two more scholarly periodicals: I’d call them Duh!, for findings that never seemed to be in doubt in the first place, and Huh?, for those whose usefulness remains obscure, at least to lay readers." Examples of possible articles for Duh!'s first issue: Toddlers become irritable when prevented from napping.Cats make humans do what they want by purring.TV crime dramas inaccurately portray…

Simos beach is one of the best beaches of Greece, and arguably of the whole European continent. It is located at the southern tip of the small island of Elafonissos, a four-mile-wide rock dangling off the eastern of the three fingers shaping the Peloponnese. I chose this place for three weeks of sun, snorkeling, and rest with my family; and to rearrange my thoughts in view of September, when several interesting occupations await me: a conference in Japan, a couple of articles to produce, a course of Subnuclear Physics to hold. I am blogging tonight from the terrace of the apartment we have…

This topic requires many considerations that may be more political than economic, but to try and retain focus, the point is primarily to examine how economic principles (like supply and demand) are dealt with in this arena. There are two ways in which multi-national businesses may manifest. In one case, a company maintains operations to provide goods and services in another country and is completely self-contained. In other words, the goods/services provided are provided by individuals in that country for individuals in that country. This is simply another closed system(1), albeit with a…

In another post the general discussion regarding free will seemed to teeter on the edge of a definition that recognized the significant role that our genes and indoctrination played, while allowing some "wiggle" room for something like free will to emerge. However this also lead me to wonder about the role of determinism in this, because ultimately the argument against free will is based on the idea that we are defined by our genes and teachings, so whatever we do is inevitable. It has been argued that we simply respond to pain/reward chemistry in the brain, and that individuals don't really…

Tangential Science: it's not necessarily science, but it's still funny. Is the flag left behind from Apollo 11 still standing?   In a three-day period  NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) camera was able to image five of the six Apollo sites.   Not Apollo 11, though.    Coupled with the fact that NASA confirmed that it doesn't have tapes from the original moon landing (something known in 2006, if you read Moon Landing Footage “Missing”, Replaced With Episode Of Futurama) it only adds fuel to the fire for conspiracy theorists who believe the whole thing was faked…

I imagine moths jamming bats' sonar looks like one of the two following scenarios: Calvin and Hobbes Spaceballs

In the 1980s, Michael Milken went to jail for selling "junk bonds", which were risky debt.  His crime?  Offering to absorb all of the losses if he could have half the profits.   Some of the bonds he sold yielded 18%.   Like I said, risky.   He made a lofty set of claims, vague threats and some questionable promises to get people to buy them. California state Treasurer Bill Lockyer is also selling junk bonds and using vague threats and questionable promises, but these ones only yield 6%.   Chances of him going to jail?   Not high, because he's exempt unless…