Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How many of these people are admired for work they accomplished directly versus what they inspired others to do?

How many didn't to much of anything, other that be married to another on this list?

How many were American citizens?

How many are white?

How many are East Asian?

Billy Graham is the most amusing to me.

How many are politicians or at least political?

Mark Wahlberg is Fat

Mark Wahlberg is Fat : Chizmizan with Chuva

I don't get how guys let this happen to themselves. Maybe it is for a role. This he would not pass a wall test is bad - belly would be first to hit.

Beer Gardens Growing Steadily in New York - NYTimes.com

Beer Gardens Growing Steadily in New York - NYTimes.com

I love beer. Drinking outside is cool. Having to sit and make smalltalk with random strangers, not so pleasant. This comes as no surprise to those of you who have followed my self realization. If they put in a pool table, eliminating the need for small talk and providing an objective task on which to focus my clouded attention I'm in with both feet.

Raiding a Brothel in India - NYTimes.com

Raiding a Brothel in India - NYTimes.com: "It seemed that the brothel had purchased Raya just a week earlier, after her own brother-in-law tricked her and trafficked her. If the raid had been delayed by a few hours, she might have faced the first of many rapes."

Yuck, yuck, yuck! What can motivate on to do this, let alone to family. I wonder how his wife felt about it? Not really.

1 Dead, 7 Injured in Miami Beach Shootings | NBC Miami

1 Dead, 7 Injured in Miami Beach Shootings | NBC Miami

I live very close to the epicenter of Miami Beach nightlife and experienced this weekend first hand. I was initially hesitant but then went out my regular spots. Club Duece, a dive bar with a pool table, was less busy than usual likely because the 30 and up patrons had left town or stayed in. Then I went to hip hop club, also with pool tables. The like was longer than usual, but inside was less crowded because management likely understood that keeping space to move would reduce conflict. I shot a couple games of pool. Tried to dance a bit. Got some high fives after, as usually a black girl tests my mojo and exceed expectations, at least for humor and enthusiasm. Then I left with no hassles.

Urban weekend is more complicated than most people make it and deserves some analysis beyond "shut it down" or "shutting it down is racist." I might be engaging in some wishful thinking, but think an effort should be made toward making this event positive expression of fun and responsibility. I heard no voices respected by the hip hop community calling for making this weekend an example of how clean, considerate, and well mannered hip hop fans ARE. Russell Simmons, the Heat's big three, President Obama could all have an impact. I was not able to find anything on Million Man March violence nor arrests, leading me to believe they were not a major problem. So I think peace is possible. Hip hop fans should take the opportunity to create a positive image, but nobody appears to be taking initiative. I suggest the Miami Beach government start planning now by contacting people to make the call for responsibility.

Great sentence

Rosebud: "The other day we were in Las Vegas, in a hotel that like all of Vegas stank of cigarettes and losers, which by definition included us for being there."

Lakers' Jim Buss Regrets Not Contacting Kobe Bryant Before Hiring Mike Brown - SBNation.com

Lakers' Jim Buss Regrets Not Contacting Kobe Bryant Before Hiring Mike Brown - SBNation.com

Something's up. Nobody could be stupid enough not to consult with their mature, workaholic, franchise player prior to hiring a new head coach, especially after poor chemistry broke up the nearly unstoppable nucleus of Kobe and Shaq. My guess is that management knows that Jackson's shoes will be hard to fill and whoever they choose is likely to fail. Because Kobe was not part if the decision, they have an easily available scapegoat for quickly firing Brown - Kobe doesn't like him. This explanation protects their egos by providing the explanation that the made a good decision for coach, but damn picky, irrational, Kobe just isn't happy. I think this spin if used will backfire because they should have discussed the hiring with Kobe and not doing so is a more obvious error than hiring any qualified coach, such as Brown.

Hangover Tattoo Lawsuit: Can You Copyright Flesh? | Threat Level | Wired.com

Hangover Tattoo Lawsuit: Can You Copyright Flesh? | Threat Level | Wired.com

What restrictions can the owner of a copyright or trademark place of application of that mark? Many guys I play basketball with has a Jordan Jump Man tat. Can Nike force them to pay royalties or enforce a cease and desist order preventing display, or force removal? If the IP owner has no recourse, then is the body off limits for regulation. Is libel in a tattoo punishable?

Lego fan creates 250,000 brick 'Garrison of Moriah' (Wired UK)

Lego fan creates 250,000 brick 'Garrison of Moriah' (Wired UK)

Legos were my favorite at a kid. Some might say this guy is wasting his time, but he clearly enjoys it and has give me a bit of pleasure - hopefully you to.

Four Loko: A Drink too Awesome to Last - Miami Beach 411

Four Loko: A Drink too Awesome to Last - Miami Beach 411: "Caffeine+Taurine+Ginseng+12.5% Malt Beverage,  equal The Best Night You’ve Ever Had Drinking Vodka and Doing Blow at a VIP Table. Except it cost about 1/100th the price.  Basically, it got you drunk and amped at the same time. So all the stupid shit you think about doing when you’re wasted you actually have the energy to do."

I never had it, but this is a funny article.

How Credit Card Data Is Stolen and Sold - NYTimes.com

How Credit Card Data Is Stolen and Sold - NYTimes.com: "Kevin Mahaffey, the chief technology officer at Lookout Mobile Security, said companies needed to stop collecting so much personal information. “Data has a new lever of value in society,” he said in an interview. “We now have robust economies that have grown around personal information and credit cards.”"

Am I missing something? If companies don't collect this information, how are they supposed to verify your identification. The SS# system is clearly broken, as too many people learn it and it is typically never changed and difficult to change even if desired.

Might it be nice having Kirk come in for a cold D. Rose?

Bulls trade Hinrich to Washington | Bulls

I did not get this trade when I happened, but it now looks really costly and the Bulls only have one ball handler who is a questionable passer and shooter. Given Rose's incredible ability to penetrate and amount of attention this attracts, and the minutes played 7.7 assists per game is not impressive. Playing a two point guard set should be considered by the bulls, or at least getting a pass first play-maker when 1 on 5 isn't working.

Red D Rose, I concur

Why do people say D Rose is the best Point Guard in the League? - Yahoo! Answers

Coolest Technology is a while.

Imaginary Phone turns your hand into a touchscreen - NDTVGadgets.com

this video is great.

If investing I would also want to know...

David Lee and Ron Conway Bust Entrepreneur Myths on Stage at Disrupt

They give the %s of entrepreneurs who have big exits who are under thirty. solo vs. co-founders, and repeat. How is one to judge with whom to invest if we don't know the number of attempts by each kind of founder(s)? I don't think they overlooked this but rather did not want to share it.

No oil, no problem

Jordan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Jordan ranked as having the 11th highest standard of living in the developing world and the second highest standard of living in the Arab and Muslim World as measured by the Human Poverty Index-2. Jordan is a noticeably clean country with an extremely low crime rate.["

Jordan has few natural resources but is apparently a much nicer county than the majority of its oil rich neighbors. I think that natural resource wealth is more often an curse than a blessing because is forms the basis for a cleptocracy.

Average people might be tire of paying high salaries

Frustrated with Democrats, some large unions cut back on donations - The Washington Post

Most people are likely figuring out that they are never going to be fortunate enough to get a union job and thus see no reason to pay for their high salaries, health insurance, and retirement programs. The median voter is not a union worker but rather someone with an income and job security far below a union worker with no hope of getting a union job. Thus the unions workers are no longer the little guys but rather the fat cats, who are not even perceived as particularly deserving. Most Americans still think those that make it big based on hard work deserve their riches. But a average Joe making twice what average Bob is making just because he's at GM rather than Toyota. Americans aren't down with that.

Thunder vs. Mavericks | Western Conference Finals | 2011 NBA Playoffs | NBA.com

Thunder vs. Mavericks | Western Conference Finals | 2011 NBA Playoffs | NBA.com

Harden's play was the difference. 23 points on 13 shots (including on those that he was fouled), 7 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, no turnovers.

Dallas got about 9 more shots (including those with fouls), 5 more offensive boards, and 3 fewer turnovers. OKC won by shooting so well, period. 55.7% from two, 38.9% from three, and 80.8% from the line. Many of their shots were tough, especially Harden's. Plus Perkin's made a long two, not his forte.

Game one stats were much more even. Dirks shooting just put Dallas over the top, plus more threes at a % greater than .66 the opponent's two point shooting %.

WTF--why raise a meager $5m if you sold for $350m

Google Reader (1000+): "Brighter is part of a new class DIY healthcare startups just now beginning to emerge. These work outside the traditional health insurance industry. “Our mission is to provide affordable dental care to people without dental insurance,” says Winebaum, who is best known for starting Business.com in 1999 and eventually selling it for $350 million. He founded Brighter last year, and raised $5 million from Mayfield in January."

I know he did not get all $350m but why get investors up your ass? I would do anything but (pun intended).

Men who fuck subordinates are pathetic

NYT: Sexual 'pirates' prowled IMF for women - Business - US business - The New York Times - msnbc.com

A "real" alpha male or Don Juan does not have to exercise power in the workplace to get laid. If you are such a "man" then you should be able to get it in the wild. Shame rather than pride associated with workplace conquests can be a force for ending sexual pressures within the workplace. If a boss does his secretary the response should not be a high five but a "that's the only way you can get some". Doing ones secretary should establish less credibility than using a prostitute. The prostitute knows what she is being paid for when she shows up. The secretary most likely wants her job to be limited to its formal description. Real studs don't need to apply financial pressure for pussy.  The same goes for professors who fuck students.

Any antitrust concerns here

In Berkeley, a venerable grocery market comes under fire | Berkeleyside

I bet this reporter also calls Microsoft and evil monopolist but types his articles on a Mac.

Skype vs. Linedin

Microsoft bought Skype for 8.5 bil.

Linkedin has a market cap gyrating at about the same amount?

Which would you rather own?

Linkedin has 100 mil users and 8 mil a year in profit.

Skype had 663 million user accounts (I have 2) in 2009 and surely more now.  

"Skype made a net loss of $7 million last year on revenue of $860 million, even as its user base grew nearly 40 percent to 145 million.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said the deal would add to the company's profits from the first year, preferring to focus on the $264 million Skype made last year, excluding interest, tax, depreciation and amortization."  I don't understand the user base number.

I'd rather own Skype: more users, more revenue, more profit, unique technology.  LInkedin does have a valuable social graph of professional contacts.  Skypes social graph is much broader, but less clearly defined.  Skype connections are rather information and semi-anonymous and this might be MS's advantage.  Put everyone logged into Skype who wants to chat on a searchable map and you suddenly have a great tool for gathering local info.  Integration of Skype with geolocation into Windows Phone would make hyperlocal updates a reality.  For example: find someone in front of a nightclub and ask them to share via video the line so you can see the people and length.  Allow payments and you have a quick means of collecting local photos and video for mapping programs.   Skype could help MS leapfrog Google for real time street view.

Heat vs. Bulls | Heat get lucky

Heat vs. Bulls | Eastern Conference Finals | 2011 NBA Playoffs | NBA.com

Bulls could not shoot.

The Bulls won every other aspect of the game. 14 more shots. 10 more free throws, 7 more offensive boards, five fewer turnovers.

But 3 of 20 form three is hard to overcome. So is 34% from the floor. Rose missed more layups than I could have imagined.

James deserves credit for closing strong, and playing a well rounded game. Why does Miller, a shooter, only take 2 shots in 18 minutes?

Strauss-Kahn's Womanizing: Why France Was Silent About It

Strauss-Kahn's Womanizing: Why France Was Silent About It - TIME: "If I try transposing the situation in New York on Sunday to France, I just can't do it,' says Diallo. 'Not only because the woman is black and apparently an immigrant. But also because she's a housekeeper. Perhaps even more than her race, her station in society would probably prevent authorities [in France] from taking her accusations against a rich and powerful man seriously. Racism is on the rise here again, but class discrimination has never gone away.'"

How will France try to take the moral high ground from the US on this issue?

Tupac. Tyson, and Strauss-Kahn

Maid in IMF rape case under siege

If he gets off it will really look bad. The accusers of T & T both came to their rooms socially and both T & T has girls waiting to screw them. No incentive at all to rape. SK was an old, unrecognizable politician/bureaucrat who has to flash cash or pull a "do you know who I am line" to get a young lady. Let's wait for the double standard. At least Kobe got off.

See this from 1:35 on. Really funny and true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GykCwGCFYg&feature=related

Oprah Winfrey's NOT Changing Looks

Oprah Winfrey's Changing Looks : Video : People.com

It is amazing how little she has aged.

Kids know more than you think

Parenting: How to talk to kids about Arnold Schwarzenegger's infidelity | L.A. at Home | Los Angeles Times

You don't have to explain anything. Your kids are on Internet. This is nothing. They have probably seen humans and a variety of other species in the act, TOGETHER. That a man messes around these days is NORMAL. Kids know this. Realities a bitch. We're not in Kansas anymore.

Sperminator--I know probably the 1000th person to say this

Arnold Schwarzenegger Maria Shriver adultery | News Briefs | EW.com

It takes balls to get into politics with this skeleton in the closet.

Wrong but funny video

Critics say Obama abandons science in forest rule - Travel - msnbc.com

Critics say Obama abandons science in forest rule - Travel - msnbc.com

Maybe, Obama is taking a scientific approach. BA is showing to be more and more of a blue collar populist rather than an ivory tower elitist. I like this and the selling of unused federally owned buildings/non-park-land.

Buump

Buump

1. I will not use them.

2. Before the colors convey information to many others the colors must be understood.

3. The colors and their meanings seam random which undermines 2.

4. Why do they show people wearing five bracelets or more? Are people going to put their life stories on their wrist?

5. Do people's cloths, mannerisms, and facial expressions not tell more than a couple plastic bands?

I predict a fail.

If I were to market these I would have two colors:

1. Blue: I'm the man, looking for a woman

2. Pink: I'm the woman, looking for a man

Wear both if you like both. Yes, women can wear blue and men can wear pink. Tops, wear two blues if you want to get explicit.

If you don't want sex, why wear any at all. Not like most guys are going to not talk to a girl because she's wearing a orange bracelet.

Closet thing to a criminal is a cop

San Diego police: San Diego grapples with an atypical police scandal - latimes.com

Apply a bit to Road to Serfdom to policing and there you have it. Those who look most forward to abusing the power will seek it most.

Bad Ass Killers Wanted: Big Bucks

Former owner of Blackwater 'training private foreign legion' - Telegraph

Who's the recruiter? I'd like to see the help wanted ad.

"No Muslims have been recruited, for fear that they would be unwilling to kill fellow Muslims,..."

This is particularly odd give the frequency that Muslim' s DO kill other Muslims. Shiites kill Suni's, governments kill citizens, car bombs kill everyone. I don't think killing is the problem. I think the concern is controlling who they kill and limiting the number of kills, for PR purposes if nothing else. At least in the last 10 years, you want killing, Muslims are the way to go.

Feminists: another reason to protest Iran

Iran to blind criminal with acid in 'eye for an eye' justice | World news | The Guardian: "Iranian media have reported that Movahedi will be blinded in both eyes but Bahrami, in an interview in 2009, said that the man would be blinded only in one eye because 'each man is worth two women' under Iranian law."

Why foreign investors should be weary of China and why VCs demand control.

Yahoo shares sink on worries about Alibaba stake - Technology - BradentonHerald.com

Management selling assets to themselves or friends for under market value is  danger not to be underestimated, especially where the rule of law is weak.

Just another chance to show a know it all "expert wrong

Trading for Zach Randolph a New Low for Memphis Grizzlies | Empty the Bench

The Griz won their first playoff series ever by upsetting the #1 seed Spurs and play game 7 against the Thunder.  Zach has been their star.

Most unique 10 minute of entertainment

BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU on Vimeo

Wow!

What all US citizens should agree on

Obama's immigration reform plan: He should admit lots of super-immigrants, the highly educated, future entrepreneurs. - By Annie Lowrey - Slate Magazine Big brains beget wealth for all of us. Let in anyone with an MD, computer science, or math degree from an approved university. Maybe even allow people in who get over a 750 of so on their mast SAT. These are just ideas, but smart, hard working people are what make the economy grow.

Ever hear of JIT inventory

Britain taps wine cellar for funding boost - USATODAY.com

How about keep a months worth in the pantry with some emergency fancies and otherwise order what's needed when needed. There likely paying six to seven figures in salary to maintain wine. By the way, those have to be some of the cushiest jobs on the planet.

Why so many rents to fight over?

Miami Beach commissioners weigh in on towing feud - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com

Maybe the Miami Beach government should separate towing and storage. Hold a competitive bid for the storage and open up towing to other firms who will then provide per two prices based on mileage etc. The city then assigns a tow to the tower who is most cost effective based on their rate schedule. All easily programed into Google maps.

He's still ruling Yemen

Protesters killed as Yemen president defies critics - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The good thing is that the protesters know not to trust him.

What do you know? No transfer of power in Yemen..

Yemeni forces fire on protest march in capital | Reuters: "n the industrial center Taiz, snipers killed two protesters and dozens were injured by gunfire, tear gas and bat-wielding plainclothes security men."

The prospect the Taiz is and industrial center is pretty funny given the Wikipedia entry.

I think he said "That cold hearted"

"That's Retarded": LeBron's Latest Flub - Miami News - Riptide 2.0

That's should be his story and he should stick to it.

At least he has a grasp on game theory

Ally of Assad Says Syria Will Fight Protests Till ‘the End’ - NYTimes.com

As opposed to so many US congress people who want to reveal a schedule for withdrawal from engagements. "Just wait until 2012 and we will leave." What a way to motive the opposition not to quit. Syria is smart enough to say. F U, we will wait in our castles as you impoverish yourselves. Let us know when you want to calm down and then we'll help you get something to eat.

No, I am not in favor of Syria's regime.

In which century are we?

Ahmadinejad allies charged with sorcery | World news | The Guardian: "Several people said to be close to the president and his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, have been arrested in recent days and charged with being 'magicians' and invoking djinns (spirits)."

I heard Miss Cleo is his chief of staff.

Is Jobs out a Job?

Is your iPhone obsolete? Meet PaperPhone | Crave - CNET

No, but his minimalist iPhone and iPad designs with 1 button allow people to understand how a screen only, no button sheet of touch sensitive plastic could be the perfect phone or computer. Stick to a wall and Wifi connect to a keyboard, mouse, touch-pad, speakers etc. The ultimately flexible 2 dimensional input/output devise does not appear to involve a great deal of hardware design, where Apple excels.

By Government Real Estate: Excess Federal Properties Interactive Map

Excess Federal Properties Interactive Map | The White House

This is a great idea. Turn costs into sale and tax revenue while increasing our useful stock of private sector assets.

Who is going to oppose it?

National association of real estate brokers might get up in arms if the properties are auctioned without paying a commission to one of their members.

Whether the auction or broker model brings in more net revenue for the government is an open questions and might depend on the type of property. I suggest John List get involved and run a field experiment using a subset of the properties and use these results to guide how subsequent properties are sold.

Break up the Lakers, NOT!

Mavericks vs. Lakers | Western Conference Semi-Finals | 2011 NBA Playoffs | NBA.com

People are saying that this game shows they are washed up. Nonsense. Just at the Hawks shot the lights out in game one against the bulls, the Mavs shot over 60% from both 2s and 3s this game. If both teams shot about 33%, then the Mavs would have been 11 rather that 20 of 32 and the Lakers would have been 8 of 24 rather than merely 5, being a difference of 33 points, just about eliminating the 36 point loss. The Lakers could bounce back with the same squad. If Bynum would stay healthy and Brown develops to spell Kobe's minutes they could come right back to the top.

Please NO!!!! Facebook Wants To Buy Skype

Facebook Wants To Buy Skype - Slashdot

I use Skype every day for business and personal.

I loath the prospect of having a social network profile that could open my contacts and network to the word.

If I have to login to Skype using Facebook connect, I will find an alternative; Google voice maybe.

From Facebook's perspective it could make a lot a sense. Voice and video communication between members would be solved and from a defensive perspective, one of the few comparatively sized social networks is removed from the competition.

Prison Guard Dog Gets Titanium Teeth - Under what conditions?

Prison Guard Dog Gets Titanium Teeth - Slashdot

"So much is spent on training working dogs that it ends up much cheaper to repair a dental problem than retire the dog. Prison dogs, police dogs, hunting, quarantine and customs dogs often suffer injuries in the course of their job."

Very good. When people own things they take care of them to maximize expected net present value. The dog is privately owned, their is no likelihood that it will be confiscated, and thus it is cared for. Why is this logic either so hard for "environmentalists" understand or why are they so unwilling to take advantage of such a convenient truth. More are seeing the benefits of property rights, so I'll just be happy that were moving in the correct direction.

Robert Vamosi: Gadgets degrade our common sense - Slashdot

Robert Vamosi: Gadgets degrade our common sense - Slashdot

Why do so many authors conclude that because we have to think less about one aspect of our lives that our total quantity or quality of our thought has declined. Are not the lowest level of calculations, most easily codified, and thus outsourced to devices? Human minds are then able to concentrate on creative pursuits. So long as some people are behind the tech curve or are being hurt by advances the Luddites will have an audience who wants to read a salve for their angst.

Any privacy concerns

Draft Proposal Would Create Agency To Tax Cars By the Mile - Slashdot

I can imagine the feds requiring geo-tracking on every auto. Big brother in your phone, car, credit cards, ATM cards... What's next? How far are we from all being a reality TV shows. I can only imagine www.whatetheyaredoing.com. Enter a name, Facebook ID, Linked in ID, SS#, or any other identifying information and our biometric identifiers will get the person you want's precise location and likely with images and sound. Imagine with history. Enter two IDs and find out when they were in the same location, or within X meters of each other. Scary to me.

What can stop the adoption of autoclave

Students Develop Device That Uses Sun Power to Sterilize Instruments | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

I wish them success but worry that it is too slow for poor doctors who might only have one set of instruments and can't wait for it so work. Might a busy doctor or clinic need several based on the ratio of patients to instruments.

I'm confused by the negativity

See the comments

The Stanford Class That Built Apps and Made Fortunes - Slashdot

Students actually create product the people want, and this is bad?

Do people not understand that learning how to launch any operation a lemonade stand or a Facebook app is a set of skills that will translate to larger ventures. Does they think that these ambitions MBSa are satisfied with their 6 figure exit and are going to retire in Thailand or rather use it to seed their next venture.

I judge the class a resounding success.

To the haters: sour grapes?

Why professors are absent minded?

Easily Distracted People May Have 'Too Much Brain' - Slashdot

I don't even drive anymore because I don't like having to focus on the mundane for long stretches with serious consequences for failure. When in college, my friends and I joked/knew that the faster I drove the safer we were, because screeching around corners on the way to Stinson beach required my full attention; we never crashed. In contrast I have rear-ended countess people, once as a read a newspaper and did not look up in time after getting engaged in a story.

Another obit

Jerry A. Griffin Obituary: View Jerry A. Griffin's Obituary by The Anniston Star: "Mr. Griffin has been employed by A&P Grocery, Loves Supermarket, Lea and Mikes Grocery, and Pickett's Grocery. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church since 1971 and served as a Deacon."

This must be a obit writing algorithm. Both are too similar. Sports stories are now written in the same way.

Sad obituary

Charlie Wayne Grizzard Obituary: View Charlie Wayne Grizzard's Obituary by The Anniston Star: "A native of Alabama, Mr. Grizzard retired from Warrior Tractor Company and was a member of Cheaha Baptist Church."

"Mr. Grizzard was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was loved and respected by everyone who knew him, and touched lives wherever he went."

This is all they had to say about the guy. The rest is all about services, pre-decedents, and survivors.

My guess this that this obit is close to the median.

The risk and return of venture capital

I confirm the robustness of the estimates in a variety of ways. I also find that the smallest Nasdaq stocks have similar large means, volatilities, and arithmetic alphas in this time period, confirming that the remaining puzzles are not special to venture capital.Link to abstract

For all of you who think that VCs are genius's or gods who can tell the future and make great returns, what the above means is that very small NASDAQ stocks has similar risks and returns.  VC's charge their 2% and stomp around like gods.  In fact, they have similar efficacy as active mutual fund managers, which have lost respect as statistical analysis has dissected their performance.  Same will eventually happen to VCs.  Another knock on the efficacy of VCs is the small sample size or success because the majority of returns come from a few big wins, Yahoo, Ebay, Google, Ebay, Facebook, Twitter, Zygna.  If a VC gets in early, he's golden.  Misses it.  Sorry Charley.  Anyone can be right a couple of times, especially when in the loop.   Of course being in the loop and investing accordingly will draw you toward the mean, but the mean is OK much of the time.  I'm a big fan of essentially indexing in public markets.  Why not VC?  So, here is a fund idea.  Hire a bunch of hot chicks to hang out with the big VCs and invest along side.  Only charge 1%/10% rather than 2%/20% because you are paying strippers to gather research rather than Harvard MBAs.  I know this won't work.  Investing in the plum deals required "membership", and my girls and I won't have the pedigrees.  I know how to hire to gain access!   

Is this VC dumb or attempting to be manipulative

The Next 10 Years Will Be Great For Both Founders And VCs

It costs less now to create and server a service. Good.

The majority of the article disuses how much of a companies eventual value goes to founders, investors in pre-IP) shares, and investors in post IPO shares, arguing that founders and early investors are better off because IPOs are not happening now until a company has a multi-$billion valuation. He essentially assumes that all post IPO gains go to public share investors without ever mentioning the percentage float. He never mentions that founders desire liquidity for some of their share to ensure their lifestyles. He does not mention that onerous regulation, i.e. Sarbanes/Oxley has increased the initial and ongoing costs associated with going public making raising additional, ever larger rounds privately preferable. So who are the real winners when Facebook stays private? The later stage investors and financial innovators and deal makers such as Goldman Sachs.

This is a wonderful example of his nuanced analysis.

"To put it another way, the rewards for building a truly great business – say, the world’s biggest etailer or the largest online auction site – accrued mainly to the public shareholders. That’s right. The ones who went through all the hard work of logging into their E*Trade accounts and clicking the “Buy” button. They participated in over 99% (literally) of the value created from these brilliant entrepreneurs and their wonderful companies."

What was the float? These investors shouldn't be rewarded for taking risk? If so easy, why did you not put all your money in Google when in IPO'd?

He went from USC (university of spoiled children), to Harvard, to Disney, to VC. Bet hes never done anything other than BS people based on his credentials, last name, and shit eating grin.

I now go to his quiglyreport.com, May 2011 article,

"Venture capital was one of the best asset classes in the world before the dot-com bubble burst." Really, returns were good during the blowing up of a bubble?

"So today, the venture capital community finds itself at a cross roads. While the asset class has been largely abandoned by institutional investors, this disinterest will paradoxically lead to superior returns in the future."

This is essentially the opposite of reality, Angles and VC are complaining the valuations are too high to allow for profitability.

It's good to be born rich. If my analysis is incorrect, please let me know.

Really? Nutritional supplements don't prevent cancer!

Supplements don't prevent prostate cancer: study | Reuters

Why would someone even expect these to work?

An why soy? Modern medicine would predict that one or two chemicals within soy might help, but not the precise combination of the entire been.

Scary concepts...

Hamas breaks up Salafist bin Laden rally in Gaza | Reuters: "Hamas's head in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh had denounced bin Laden's killing as an assassination 'of an Arab holy warrior.'

Analysts said he was trying to cool tensions with Salafist groups who consider Hamas too moderate and call for a fundamentalist version of Islam based on the faith followed by its founders."

Hamas too moderate? These people need some weed or booze to help chill out. Seriously though, to be this extreme required a great deal of frustration which is looking for an outlet. Maybe we just need send over a bunch of hookers, Two Live Crue, a pool, and of course a hot tub.

"I'm a Mac" counter commercial

Microsoft should have countered with a commercial saying,

"Public service announcement: Apparently our competitor Apple, maker of the Mac, is turning their customers into "Macs", which resemble mid twenties too cool for school, know it all, hipsters. PC users, have no fear. Despite Apple's claims that we are turning you all into an actor they hired to portray us as boring, we have no intention of changing you in any way. Our goal it to allow you to do more of whatever your want do, just better and faster. Be who you want to be, choose a PC."

Macs are just more secure?

Skype's Dangerous Exploit: What You Need to Know | PCWorld

Or maybe, we just more ignored for a while. I know almost nothing about software security, but I find it hard to believe that Apple write much more secure code than Microsoft, considering there relative R&D budgets $1.1 billion to $8.6 billion.

Why does MS spend so much more? I think it is because Apple is more of a design and fashion company rather than a technology company and they only have a few products that have to be designed and polished to perfection. Microsoft has Windows, Windows Server, Office, MS SQL, Sharepoint, Exchange Server, Azure, Phone 7... See Quora link for other explanations.

Who thinks this?

China is perceived to be the most closed, censured, , un-self-expressive country on the planet, ...."

Come on Sarah, you must not have ever heard of, um, North Korea. China's neighbor.  You never even saw Team America, by the South Park boys, Trey and Matt, which shows bad taste, otherwise this goof could have never occurred.  I like the book, but convenient use of obvious falsehoods that your editor (or Paul Carr, LOL) should have caught is a bit disappointing in a piece of serious work, with entertainment value.

For the first time, I now think we might loose to China...

Whatever that means.

From Sarah Lacy's "Brilliant, Crazy, Cocky: How the Top 1% of Entrepreneurs Profit from Global Chaos.  Page 82.

Summary: Shenzhen has a small company stock exchange on which the standards are lower the major exchanges for listing.  The US government has refused repeated requests for allowing small listing with reduced red tape for the stated purpose of protecting investors.

Easier to exit by going public in China.  What?  Go go paternalistic government.  First seat belts laws, then helmet laws, now mandatory purchase of health insurance.  Even kid's playgrounds have to made so safe that I would not have found them fund.  Oh yeah, video game playgrounds are safe, and fun.  I'm so out of touch with reality.

Topic for a public choice economic case study

Guaifenesin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Although previously deemed 'Generally Regarded as Safe' in its original approval, the drug received a New Drug Application for the extended-release version, which won approval on July 12, 2002. Because of this, the FDA then issued letters to other manufacturers of timed-release guaifenesin to stop marketing their unapproved versions, leaving Adams Respiratory Therapeutics in control of the market."

How unimaginative can the rich be?

The $300,000 Watch That Doesn’t Tell Time - The Wealth Report - WSJ

So you have extra money and want to show off. I know, by a non-watch. Or, hold a contest. Here are some suggestions:

1. Most absurd conspicuous perminant tattoo of your name on their body. $100,000 paid each of first 3 years.

2. Biggest ball if lint brought to a specific location, likely the street in front of an enemies home.

3. Randomly assigned all male Harly with Vespa owner bare chested hug duration competition. No time outs. Interference with other huggers permitted. If chests part no restart.

Stop or I'll say stop again

Frontline Taliban promise revenge attacks after bin Laden | Reuters

Let me get this straight. For the last ten years you've Bin Laden devotees have been maybe an 7 or 8 out of 10 anti US, but NOW by god your at about 9.2, making you significantly more dangerous, BUT you better not kill any more of us or else, guess what, well get REALLY, REALLY, REALLY angry and go to 9.6. At about this time we should all expect an explanation that their scale has thin tails so we have not idea what to expect.

At this point, after 10 years with no significant homeland damage, we should remain vigilant, but start quietly removing the inconvenience we impose on ourselves in the name of safety. Some airport security measures come to mind. I just want to bring tweezers in my carry on.

Some secrets are still kept

Attack on Bin Laden Used Special Radar-Evading Helicopter - NYTimes.com

Something avoided Wikileaks. I am generally for government openness, but when is comes to generally good governments battling generally bad organizations I prefer some secrets being kept. And yes, I am willing to make value judgments that the U.S. is good relative to Al Qaeda, Syrian's rulers, Iranian's ruler, Yemeni's rulers, South Korean's rulers, etc. A good test is which direction people are migrating. When the U.S. has open immigration and emigration and net emigration then it's rulers will also most likely classify as bad.

Yum!

Fun With Pee. Interesting and funny information about urine.: "The drink is being created by a Hindu nationalist group called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (or RSS). Their Cow Protection Department is responsible for this savory souding urine beverage. They promise it won't actually smell like urine and will be a healthy alternative to those toxin-laden sodas... altough that may not be comforting enough to tempt some people into drinking cow pee."

Just what we need, another costly way to convey faith.

Ebay vs Amazon

Which of this companies had a great idea, good execution, and little further innovation?
Which had an OK idea, great execution, and continuous innovation?
Ten years ago, who could have guess which would lead the cloud computing offerings?
Amazon innovates with cloud computing, cloud music, e-books...
Ebay adds yet another fee...
At which is the founder still active as opposed to "managers".

Anyone have an efficiency of government explanation?

Miami Beach towing wars drag city into political mess - Miami Beach - MiamiHerald.com: "Tremont’s troubles began two years ago when owner Edwin “Junior” Gonzalez sold his lot to developer Scott Robins, who’d just brokered a deal with city commissioners to build a 458-space garage with $13 million in public funds — $8.5 million of which was allocated to buying out Tremont."

Public choice economics must have a role in the interpretation of government action. One implication of the dueling towing companies is tow trucks regularly race down residential streets at I guess 50 MPH. The tows must be on a first come first serve basis where a call comes out from the police who find a car with unpaid tickets, parked in a residential zone etc. and the trucks of the two companies race to it.

What is the ideal institutional structure for identification of cars to be towed, towing, and storing the cars?

What should the government do?

Can ID cars to be towed, but might allow towing with verifiable photo evidence and a quick, fair appeal process (likely too much to hope for).

How many private firms should be involved? I'm guessing no limit. Allow companies to submit rates and choose the cheapest controlling for damage and safety performance.

How should prices be determined? Towing can be by auction as explained above. The city could also arrange for storage at multiple tow accessible lots and tell trucks to leave the car at the closest. Prepayment prior to taking the car could be made by voice or internet. Keys could be left with the attendant.

Why can't we all just get along?

Southeast Asia Islamists hail bin Laden a martyr | Reuters:

"At one point during the gathering, a speaker shouted 'America' and hundreds of people, most of them men wearing white skull caps, cried back: 'Destroy!'"

Could we ever get along? What would it take?

Wonder if their on Facebook? Who do they follow on Twitter?

Maybe we should "friend" and "follow" them and flood them with kindness. I would like to see their responses.

UWC Hawks over Bulls?

Hawks vs. Bulls | Eastern Conference Semi-Finals | 2011 NBA Playoffs | NBA.com

When they hit a bunch of hard shots. They hit a least 4 floaters high off the glass and finished over 50% from both 2 and 3. This shooting will not continue and the Bulls will prevail.

Allysia Finley: California Prison Academy—Better Than a Harvard Degree - WSJ.com

Allysia Finley: California Prison Academy—Better Than a Harvard Degree - WSJ.com

How might this system be efficient?

Maybe, it takes a very specific type of person (lots of applicants required) and significant incentives to stay (high pay) in order to retain guards.

Call me crazy, but I'd still take the life of the average Harvard grad. I imagine the Harvard grads tend to have less contact with dangerous felons, a lower probability of battery, and higher status.

Why do Americans still dislike atheists? - The Washington Post

Why do Americans still dislike atheists? - The Washington Post

The simple answer is believers believe what their leaders tell them and losing their flock to atheism is a threat to the leaders power and income. Of course the leaders are going to say the competition sucks.

Osama bin Laden: will the $25m bounty be paid? - Telegraph

Osama bin Laden: will the $25m bounty be paid? - Telegraph

Clearly, for the government, $25 million is irrelevant. The question is how paying or not paying it to the armed forces members who killed him will affect incentives and future behavior. The entire bounty should not be paid exclusively to the individual who fired the lethal shot, because if it was teamwork among the unit would be undermined as each tried to get the winning shot in. But is the "team" is rewarded, who is a member of the team? Just the guys on the ground, air support, logistics...I have no idea how many people are involved in an operation such as this or how one draws the line. My guess it that the bounty will not be paid, because the soldiers were doing a job for which they are paid. Bounties are typically used to motivate freelancers. The government then allows the freelances to determine the split.

Osama bin Laden: will the $25m bounty be paid? - Telegraph

Osama bin Laden: will the $25m bounty be paid? - Telegraph

Clearly, for the government, $25 million is irrelevant. The question is how paying or not paying it to the armed forces members who killed him will affect incentives and future behavior. The entire bounty should not be paid exclusively to the individual who fired the lethal shot, because if it was teamwork among the unit would be undermined as each tried to get the winning shot in. But is the "team" is rewarded, who is a member of the team? Just the guys on the ground, air support, logistics...I have no idea how many people are involved in an operation such as this or how one draws the line. My guess it that the bounty will not be paid, because the soldiers were doing a job for which they are paid. Bounties are typically used to motivate freelancers. The government then allows the freelances to determine the split.

Predictable...

BBC News - Yemen unrest: Deal postponed as Saleh refuses to sign