Random Articles

• Auto Insurance Companies Gamble Double or Nothing This morning, NPR reported on a study finding auto insurance rates in No-Fault states 20% higher and rising more quickly than in “Fault” states. In a No-Fault state, each driver’s insurance pays for their claim. Elsewhere the accident-causing driver’s insurance pays for both claim. This means insurance companies prefer the double-or-nothing gamble over having to always pay
• Is Closed a Cultural Benefit? This weekend, I caught up with a college friend in central Wisconsin. Starbucks recently opened their first storefront in Wausau. Given Starbucks’ consistency and my lack of knowledge of other options, I suggested we meet there. “How about something local, like Jeannie’s Cafe?”, Tom asked. I’m always up for tasting the local flavor and we planned to
• China Restates Earnings  “…with the corrected China [Purchasing Power Parity] statistics, the whole question is moot. China is just not that big now and will not get that big any time soon.” - Albert Kiedel of the Carnegie Endowment Kiedel’s article put a number of things into perspective for me - namely why I hear ‘China, China, China’ everywhere
• The Economics of Podcasting First off, this post defines podcasting is an effective way to deliver highly niche audio to a very enthusiastic audience (the World English Bible translated into Klingon or Tips for Triathletes in the Southwestern US for example). Secondly, the numbers used here are rough and make for easy math. Let’s say you’re making one show a week
• Only Do “We are not good at knowing, we are not good at planning, we are not good at forecasting, we are only good at doing.” - Nassim Taleb, author The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable