Yesterday was the celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbolic event in the dissolution of the Cold War stasis that had divided Europe since the end of World War II. Many countries of Central and Eastern Europe have emerged from that past to adapt well to market economics and prosper. There have [...]
Category Archives: Misc.
Sanity Saturday: The Real King of Late Night
November 7, 2009 – 1:45 pm
It’s Craig Ferguson.
Really, that’s all I have to say.
Oh, why?
Well, there are many reasons.
Nidal Hasan, Specious Reporting, And Islam
November 6, 2009 – 1:34 pm
The murders at Ft Hood yesterday were horrible. The subsequent coverage by major newspapers was deplorable.
I did not hear about the killings until later in the evening. When I went around the the web checking the major news outlets, one thing stuck out for me. Most, in having found some information about the shooter, had [...]
The American Dream of Home Ownership A Young Concept
October 22, 2009 – 1:46 pm
Or at least that is what is revealed in this excellent summary of the 20th century history of home ownership in America at the WSJ.
The Writer’s New Marketing Plan
October 15, 2009 – 7:04 am
The publishing industry is doomed. Or, at least, that’s what we hear on a daily basis from ‘leaders’ in the industry. Before the big takeoff of the internet, e-books, Kindles and Swiss Army knife-like mobile phones, the ‘leaders’ in the publishing industry decried another mass-media phenomenon, the television. Transitions are hard, especially when you have [...]
Five ways banks rip you off
October 11, 2009 – 7:55 pm
Careless consumers share the blame for forking over $24 billion to banks in overdraft fees last year, but, as the NY Times points out, bank policies encourage these penalties.
(If you have over drafted with Wachovia/Wells Fargo, call customer service and ask them to waive your fees.)
Since 45% of U.S. banks rely on these funds to [...]
Fight Wachovia overdraft fees
October 10, 2009 – 11:27 am
Last year, American banks collected $24 billion from their customers in overdraft fees – up 35% from 2007. About 51 million Americans overdrew their accounts, incurring penalties averaging $34 per transaction. Financial analysts expect these numbers to increase for 2009.
Without the money they raked in from overdraft penalties, 45% of U.S. banks would not have [...]
NPR To Be Saviour Of Journalism
October 6, 2009 – 4:34 pm
Ok, so the title is a bit far-fetched yet there are some experiments going on in that sphere as public issues and accountability journalism is newspapers and the general mass media goes on the decline.
A Borderless World
October 5, 2009 – 12:17 pm
Excellent talk by Parag Khanna about the true nature and value of borders in our world today. About 19 minutes but well worth it (as is any at TEDTalk). Additional TED interview here.