What is special about economists?

Academic Economists To Consider Ethics Code - NYTimes.com

Nothing. When someone receives advice the sources incentive and conflicts of interested should be considered. Whether a sociologist or climate scientist is being hired, follow the money trail.

Yes, Journals should require funding sources be disclosed to uphold their reputations.

The AEA should not set a list of guidelines because they will either have one catch all or will be used as a defense. Fact is, economists are experts in incentives, so if we can't tell when a deal is shady who can? If not sure, just ask your mom.

Skype outage compensation and communication 2

Maybe Skype listened to me.  Just kidding.  But they are adding a week to all subscriptions, meaning for the U.S. and Canada plan giving about $0.75.  At least it is provided automatically so I don't have to login and there is some logic to just saying a week rather that having dynamic emails based on plan that adjust the amount and currency based on country.  That would be wasted engineering effort I'd rather have them use improving their service, that I like a good deal already.  Latest email text below.

To our valued customers:

As 2010 draws to a close, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for your patience, understanding, and support during Skype’s recent outage.

We know how important your Skype conversations are to you and we take any disruption to our service very seriously. We are pleased to confirm that Skype is back to normal allowing you to connect with friends, co-workers, family and loved ones.

As a valued customer of Skype, we would like to offer you a sincere apology and credit you with an extra 7 days to your current Subscription at your next renewal date.

This will be added automatically so you don’t need to do anything. Thank you for allowing us at Skype to be a part of your life. May your holidays and the New Year be a time of joy, peace, and health for you and your family.

If you require any additional information please visithttp://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/12/.

Kind regards, 

Tony Bates
CEO
Skype

On google like Shaq

Google is best a search, but Bing is not far behind. I am would be willing to bet that if user interfaces were exchanged with results less than 5% of users would notice. So Google is profiting on a combination of preset search settings and familiarity. Their other area of homegrown excellence is Adwords. The auction mechanism of placing ads according to expected revenue as opposed to highest bid, like yahoo, was a relatively obvious but huge innovation and diferentiator so far as revenue per page view is concerned.

Kudos Google.

But at what else are they the best rather than the simply the cheapest?

I love gmail. But the developer is no longer at Google.

Youtube.com was bought as the front runner and they did not Yahoo! it. (mmm tasty)

Docs is good for simple stuff sharing, but for a complicated sheet or pretty document it can't hold a prayer against Office.

A bunch of hobbies are cool. I like scholar.google.com, but doubt it is positive net present value.

Wave=dead

Orkut=dyeing

Voice=I like but niche and no revenue model yet.

Bottom line, as Shaq is a very good dunker who grabbed rebounds and dunked those too, Google Combines search and Adwords. Shaq has rapped, acted, and participated in reality shows, etc. Did he make much money or was it simply fun? I'm guessing fun, and that's good for Shaq. But for a company who's fiduciary duty it is to maximize shareholders' value their hobbies are occasionally hard to defend. In their defense Android is a sucess so far as market share and likely search revenue are concerned, but again, how does Google make money. Adwords. Oh and Doubleclick makes money. So what. Another acquisition. Ironically googles search is no longer their most secure business. Adwords is their claim to fame, but Facebook and others are threats. Other than their ad networks and search loyalty on what else will Google make money?

Microsoft has Windows, Office, Server, SQL, CRM, Sharpoint, Exchange, Officelive, MSN.com, ect. Phone 7 is also a winner according to all reviews. MS has the framework and need only iterate and exploit existing enterprise relationships.

2010-2020 is MS over Google. Apple will hold their niche but Jobs has no intention of being an open enough platform to be the market leader. History repeats...

Skype outage compensation and communication

Skype was down for a day causing many users major pain.  Shit happens, especially with software.  100% uptime is still a dream, I accept it.  But the response I received today was annoying for a few reasons.  Maybe I a being particularly aspergian about this; let me know.

1. If you are giving users a credit, just give it to us.  Don't make us follow a link, enter our user name and password, and finally enter a secret code.

2. Don't tell use in the initial email that you are giving us a "voucher worth a call of more than 30 minutes to a landline in some of our most popular countries, such as USA, UK, Germany, China, Japan. Or spend it however you like on Skype."  You are offering us $1.  Just say it so I don't waste any more time entering codes etc.  

I understand the communications gurus message/PR planning, I think.

1. We have to send something so we can say we did.

2. We don't want it to cost very much, so it wont be very valuable.

3. Because it's not very valuable we don't want people to see how much it actually is worth, so hide the value from most people.

4. We want redemption slippage and true value slippage so force code entry for redemption rather than just crediting accounts.

5. An alternative is that they are fooling to think the users will consider Skype generous for giving us $1, so want to make the experience more memorable by forcing code entry, but I doubt they are this foolish.

See email and post code entry text below.

To our valued customers:

As 2010 draws to a close, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for your patience, understanding, and support during Skype’s recent outage.

We know how important your Skype conversations are to you and we take any disruption to our service very seriously. We are pleased to confirm that Skype is back to normal allowing you to connect with friends, co-workers, family and loved ones.

As a valued customer of Skype, we would like to offer you a sincere apology and offer you our gratitude with a credit voucher worth a call of more than 30 minutes to a landline in some of our most popular countries, such as USA, UK, Germany, China, Japan. Or spend it however you like on Skype.

To redeem your voucher:

1. Go to skype.com/go/voucher
2. Enter your Skype username and password
3. Enter your unique voucher code and click redeem


Voucher code V94BB3HYUPKTBFT8

Thank you for allowing us at Skype to be a part of your life. May your holidays and the New Year be a time of joy, peace, and health for you and your family.

If you require any additional information please visithttp://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/12/.

Kind regards,

Tony Bates
CEO
Skype

Upon redemption

Your voucher or prepaid card was succesfully redeemed, and we are now activating the following services:

$1.00 Skype Telephony Voucher for $1.00 

On many women

This situation is well captured by the following quote of Demosthenes, a Greek philosopher: "We have prostitutes for our pleasure, concubines for our health, and wives to bear us lawful offspring"

Didn't Bill Clinton say this? Ha ha...

By way of

by way of marginalrevolution.com

Cali Pot

The Crime Report » Archive » Oakland Pot Commercialization In Limbo After U.S. Threats

http://truthonthemarket.com/2010/09/26/beer-v-pot/

There has to be so much more irony available. Someone please write a recent economic history or case study on the pot legalization in California.

One might think that the small time growers and users are on the same side of this one, for legalization, but no.

In an amusing conversation with my dad, who is against legalization, I leaned that he did not know that pot was more easily available than beer to high school students. He might have been pandering to me, but appeared to the considering the similarities to prohibition, the failure of which he recognizes.

Are there facts, if they were accepted as such, that would turn the swing voters toward legalization? What are these facts?

TechCrunch Surges To Lead In UCSF Challenge, Crushes Hopes Of Twelve Year Old

TechCrunch Surges To Lead In UCSF Challenge, Crushes Hopes Of Twelve Year Old

Think Zynga will name the room "Save Paddy", pay paddy for the Trademark and to be the spokes model for the new game "Save Paddy", and pay 1% of game revenue to SF Children's Hospital. Facebook Bucks will feed the game, so they can donate for good press also. One wins the game by getting others to donate to the hospital. If anyone person in a group fails to donate enough their group's paddy dies and they are the scape goat.

Obama is USA's most-admired man, Clinton most-admired woman - USATODAY.com

Obama is USA's most-admired man, Clinton most-admired woman - USATODAY.com

This list is pretty funny if you consider the extraordinary amount of prevarication, entertainment, and manipulation included.

Notable absences are Steve Jobs, maybe meaning that Gates is admired more for what he is doing with his wealth than how he earned it.

Most of the others are professional symbols of political perspectives.

Please explain why the Bush women are there? Nothing against them, but I'd put Reese Witherspoon above them in a heartbeat, not to mention a few supreme court justices, regardless of whether I approve of their philosophies.

Most amazing:
"Evangelist Billy Graham, tied for sixth, has made the top 10 every year the survey has been taken since 1955."

AFP: Anal cancer vaccine approved

AFP: Anal cancer vaccine approved

If you don't find this at all funny, then I feel sorry for you.

But given the affected demographics and implied health risks real privacy risks emerge.

Will the patient lists be public?

Can it be performed anonymously?

How much will it cost?

Will insurance cover it?

Will insurance companies be able to use knowledge of receiving the vaccine to discriminate against recipients?

How 50 Cent scored a half-billion

How 50 Cent scored a half-billion

In my first and only undergrad marketing classes first exam a question read approximately:

True/False Commodities cannot be branded.

My answer, "No" was marked wrong. Once a product is effectively branded it is not a commodity is the mind of the consumer. So what is the definition of commodity? Most of what people buy are commodities and commodities associated with status. I often marvel at the mens wristwatch market. Who with a watch doesn't have a cell phone? Why not be a bit honest and just get a bracelet? If no cell phone is owned then $11 will buy a perfectly good digital. http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004822.php

Many of Proctor and Gamble's products are commodity chemicals, but I challenge you convince my mom to use anything but Tide.

That people can brand sugar water with some vitamins does not shock but does amuse. To me, beer is a highly differentiated product while wine is less so, so maybe I just haven't acquired the required human capital.

As technology improves products are becoming more commoditised, hedonically. For example, almost all new cars now provide pretty reliable transportation and accelerate plenty fast. Style and branding determines an increasing percentage of purchases.

Humorously, the phone that doesn't work well as a phone, the iPhone (yes I had one and calls dropped far more than on my other ATT phone) has potentially the strongest brand.

Blatent ad for Teeth Whitening in Miami Beach

Yes, this is a friends company, so I'm giving a link.
Newhite.com

Tracking trends verbally

Cell phone

Smart phone

Desktop computer

Laptop computer

tablet computer

Soccer

Basketball

Golf

Doom

Video games

Madden

Asperger Update

I still think that my father, brother, and I all suffer from the syndrome.  My father thinks not, that instead we just have the symptoms.  Whatever makes you feel better, I guess.  I have not brought it up to my brother, because we don't have much of a relationship, so I'll just follow the prime directive.

The main change accepting my affliction has caused is greater humility regarding estimates of how others will respond to stimuli, such as advertising messages.  Oddly, I am involved in marketing for my company.  I also write columns with financial advisors as the primary audience.  An aspergian is not likely to be a successful advisor because managing clients' emotions is the primary duty.  Overall I'm glad to have finally figured it out, maybe.

Knowing has removed my incentive to write because I am unable to "know my audience" thus my performance is limited to conveying dry information, which is rather disheartening.  In the sense that I used to see fewer limits to my performance, ignorance was bliss.  Writing clearly and concisely used to be a point of pride and I thought stylistically preferable to wordy pros clogged with unsubstantiated adjectives.  It still is to me, but I am not my audience.  How so normal people perceive words on a page, redundant conversation, facial expressions, body language, etc. differently.  Any suggestions for how I might understand?  Analogies, simulations, anything is welcome.

YouTube - WATCH THIS YOU WILL LAUGH TO DEATH

YouTube - WATCH THIS YOU WILL LAUGH TO DEATH

Who sends money?

Under what conditions do people send money?

How dumb or desperate do they have to be. The question is not whether there is a god (though I am not a believer), but why would sending these guys money get anything accomplished?

To the extent this guys thinks he's pulling it off, he probably sends what little he has.

I am currently ashamed to be human and am looking into species-change options.

Nexus S: Will it Overcome the iPhone? | ThirdAge

Nexus S: Will it Overcome the iPhone? | ThirdAge

Are these commentators stupid? No single Android phone is likely to suppliant the iPhone, especially as a cultural icon. Android phones are software first hardware second, as PCs are Windows OS first and the HP, Asus, or Lenovo second. That's the point. PC users are not tied to a comprehensive system than locks us in but can choose from many options. The iPhone provides fewer options but is very polished. Which option is preferred is more a matter of taste than an objective evaluation. But as we see with personal computers Apples guided tour with training wheels won early but after people learned the basics most preferred more freedom to find their own way at a lower price. History is repeating itself. I question whether Android or MS Phone 7 will be the most prevalent platform. I think MS will win again because Android is constantly customized in negative ways by carriers trying to create iPhone type lock-in with customized user interfaces and revenue with pre-installed un-removable applications. MS is imposing more restrictions on hardware manufactures and carriers meaning that users will know more of what to expect. In addition, software designers have a trade-off between usability and revenue generation, for example through ads. Sequential development as is sequential monopolistic pricing will decrease the android user experience on all but the stock Android OS phones such as the Nexus series. T-Mobiles G2 is a prime example of good hardware with indelible software bloat. I bet on MS coming from behind to win. MS's inroads and trust of enterprises provides a significant marketing and integration advantage also.

Trustee reaches settlement with Madoff investor Picower - Dec. 17, 2010

Trustee reaches settlement with Madoff investor Picower - Dec. 17, 2010

Surely she will not suffer due to lack of funds, but one still has to applaud her. Under what conditions would you give the money back? How about most people. I would give it back also if for no other reason I would not want to waste my life in a lawsuit fighting for money I would never spend, not to mention the feelings of guilt and social approval versus disapproval based on my decision.

Man admits conning baby sitters by posing as autistic and wearing diapers | NewsOK.com

"Prosecutors allege Richardson found his victims from baby-sitting ads placed online at Craigslist. “This bizarre crime is yet another example of the dangers of letting individuals who we meet online into our homes,” Oklahoma County Assistant District Attorney Jimmy Harmon said Friday."

I love it when people act is if meeting people online is dangerous by taking someone off the street is different in kind. Maybe the correct understanding is, some people are crazy and most people suck. Take them into you home at your own risk. The article is amusing and the scheme is actually pretty clever.

Read more: http://newsok.com/man-admits-conning-baby-sitters-by-posing-as-autistic-and-wearing-diapers/article/3522850#ixzz18O5NoyHb

Yao could be leaving behind legacy of promise and potential | NBA.com

Yao could be leaving behind legacy of promise and potential | NBA.com

Very sad news. I've never heard a bad thing about him and surely enjoyed watching him play. Luck is clearly on my side as rebounds, points, and assists pile up on the public courts at 39 years old. My friends tell me to quit, because my ankles are sore and face catches some elbows, but such is the price of fun and fortune.

What game is life?

Chess, Poker, or a Lottery?
Why?

WSVN-TV - Residents evicted from condemned building

WSVN-TV - Residents evicted from condemned building

What do you want to bet that either the owner is allowing this to happen to get all of the low budget resident out prior to rehabbing the building or that the city is going to seize it, sell it as a sweet heart price to a friend of the mayor's. Either way, this building will be upgraded and the residents are out on their asses with only three days notice. Is it really that urgent for structural reasons after the building has stood for almost 90 years, or urgent simply to limit the time available to file a lawsuit. Pro bono lawyer wanted! By the way, I live three blocks from this building.

Groupon etc.

The deal sights typically take 50% gross and make the merchant pay credit card fees and taxes.   Knowing this, I am considering calling a merchant and offering 75% of the Groupon price.  We both save at least 20%.  Do you think merchants will take my offer?  Why or why not?

Marginal Revolution: What's the best predictor of sex partners?

Marginal Revolution: What's the best predictor of sex partners?: "How about a portfolio approach. Friends of mine have been quite successful despite one being only 5' 7.5' but nice facial features, no athletic talent, very skinny, extremely bright, and a good talker. Another is 6' 2', college quarterback, nice facial features, nice guy, bright (not brilliant) but not super smooth. Both have obvious but very different attributes (other than reasonably attractive faces). I am kind of in between the two in most ways, and can't complain about my luck. Consider a hedonic model of the obvious attributes with a eye towards reproductive fitness. If your average is high enough and higher than her other options, you score."

Pfizer CEO Kindler Quits After Stock Underperforms 97% of S&P - Bloomberg

Pfizer CEO Kindler Quits After Stock Underperforms 97% of S&P - Bloomberg

It looks to me like the CEO might have had bad timing rather than have done a bad job. That the next big drug is shows no benefits soon after he takes control is clearly not his fault. That that patent protection is running out of their most profitable drugs is surely not his fault. Both will tend towards low stock returns. The claim that the CEO is quitting for under-performing 97% of the S&P 500 is also stupid. If returns is a valid method for evaluating performance, then why not compare to an industry index of leading competitors?

I suggest reading The Drunkards Walk for more insight into randomness and mis-attribution.

Iran says it's now fully self-sufficient at producing uranium - latimes.com

Iran says it's now fully self-sufficient at producing uranium - latimes.com:

Why not blow up Iran's nuclear assets? Even their fellow Muslim's want it according to the leaked cables.

I have nothing against the majority of Iranians, but their government is loco.

"'Iran is searching for more uranium mines across the country,' a Tehran nuclear physicist, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Los Angeles Times. 'Therefore, the fuel cycle from A to Z is complete.'"

It this quote supposed to be coherent? It closes the article and just makes me wonder whether the trust what came before because causality implied but unapparent.

Power Up Your Wix , Get Free Domain and More

Power Up Your Wix , Get Free Domain and More

How to make your pricing page annoying and scare away business:

1. Use "-" signs and check marks to indicate whether services are included.

2. Show irrelevant crossed out pricing. Does anyone actually buy this ploy?

3. Have first 6 months and after 6 months pricing as on the eCommerce plan, your highest priced, and thus likely your most valuable clients. Yeh, their the ones that aren't going to calculate the long term cost. So now clients know that you are expecting lock-in and to take full advantage.

4 In the annual plan don't show the amount due annually which is what ones credit card would be charged if they signed up.

5. Say the % you are saving, but not say relative to what. Oh, what do you know, is relative to the irrelevant crossed out price. Thanks, so your telling me that I save 45% compared to an inflated fake price. In fact, one of their plans real monthly price is $9.90/month and $8.25 per month if bought annually, a respectable 16.67% savings. So just say this you assjacks and stop discrediting yourselves.

I was going to test the product, but don't even want to get started with a firm so full a chicanery.

Optimal shelter for children?

I was very sheltered young with the veil progressively pulled back and I aged and moved.  Most parents make a point of sheltering their children as though doing so is an unambiguous benefit.  I think that wisdom is at least as valuable as knowledge and that wisdom is primarily acquired via experience.  If parents want their children to be successful in the real world, define as you wish, shouldn't they allow their children to get a head start on experience beyond reading and math.  How about summer camps specializing in persuasion, public speaking, negotiation, and lie detection?  Let a rich kid spend a summer in the hood and see how much wiser he returns.  If/when I have a kids, I don't think that I will try to protect them from reality, but that is the rational me speaking and surely as a parent I will be more emotionally involved and protective.

God only cares that you do what he says

Q: How to reconcile multiple religions with different requirements for entry to heaven (or the equivalent) with their only being one god?

A: God does not care what you do so long as you do what she says.  Ever have a girlfriend want to pick a different restaurant or movie just to see whether you love her enough to make the sacrifice?  That's god for you.  She doesn't need a sacrificial goat but enjoys the ego gratification.  

No, I don't really believe this, because I find it very unlikely that there is a conscious god, but this silly rationalization popped into my head as I awoke this morning and make me chuckle.  Hope it did the same for you.