Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Hobby Lobby Comes Home to Roost as States Consider "Religious Freedom" Legislation | Elliot Mincberg
Hobby Lobby Comes Home to Roost as States Consider "Religious Freedom" Legislation | Elliot Mincberg
Even better, rhetoric directed at outsiders could be cloaked in general language about protecting religious freedom, not attacking LGBT rights. Supporters could even invoke Democratic supporters of RFRA like President Clinton and claim that neither RFRA nor its state counterparts had been interpreted to allow discrimination, as Indiana Gov. Pence has tried to do. These claims ignore the fact that it wasn't until last year that the Supreme Court effectively rewrote the language in RFRA so that it was transformed from a shield for religious liberty into a sword against anti-discrimination protections. And previous supporters like President Clinton have made clear their opposition to this year's state RFRA proposals.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge available April 10: It's all about the base | ZDNet
Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge available April 10: It's all about the base | ZDNet
"Fortunately for both Apple and Samsung they only need to keep the base happy and upgrading"Seems like a large part of that Samsung's base find the S6 to be too much a departure from the S5 and S4, S3. No more removable battery, no more SD card, no more water resistant, no more plastic is superior, now we have glass back fingerprint magnet, design over function. And still expensive. Sounds like all the criticism they had for the iPhones can now be applied to S6 to me.With Apple, survey shows 20% of iPhone 6 users came from Android platform. In China, that number is 30%. Apple is not only catering to their base but seem to be getting a huge chuck of Android's base as well.
Amazon blasts FAA on drone approvals, regulations | ITworld
Amazon blasts FAA on drone approvals, regulations | ITworld
Outside of the U.S., no country had taken longer than two months to approve any Amazon drone tests, said Misener, whereas the recent FAA approval took about six months to approve.“We’re allowed to innovate in other countries in ways that we cannot in the U.S.,” he said.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Coaster Challenge | Six Flags Great America
Coaster Challenge | Six Flags Great America
Ride coasters for a great cause!
Six Flags Great America and Special Olympics have teamed up for the Coaster Challenge on Sunday, September 27! Simply register, fundraise, and ride the distance of a 5K, 10K, or Marathon (26.2 Miles) on Six Flags Great America's world-class roller coasters.
Fundraise $100 and ride a total of a 5k (16,405ft), or about six rides depending on which ones you choose, it is as simple as that. If you have the heart of a GOLIATH and want to do a little more you can raise $250 and ride a total of a 10k (32,810ft). For those of you that have the DEMON in you, go for the Marathon! Fundraising a minimum of $1,000 and riding a full 26.2 miles! Have your scorecard stamped as you exit each ride, and we will tally your total distance when you check in at the scoring table upon completion.
Visit CoasterChallenge.com for more information. Registration begins April 1.
First Lawsuits Challenging FCC's New Net Neutrality Rules Arrive - Slashdot
First Lawsuits Challenging FCC's New Net Neutrality Rules Arrive - Slashdot
You don't understand our new post-captialist economy. In post-capitalism, entrenched special interest have a right to make money and the basic purpose of government is to enact laws that insure profit. That is the law of the land manifest in the DCMA. So, for example, Kurig [techdirt.com] is using DRM to eliminate competition on refills for their machines.Post-capitalism also conveniently eliminates pesky constitutional guarantees enforcing the rule of law. Contractual language can now eliminate search warrants and right of privacy when Stingray cellphone technology [wikipedia.org] is used for mass surveillance. Both government and private enterprise benefit in post-capitalism.Broadband providers have just as much right as any other business to run an entrenched monopolistic enterprise and make vast amounts of money. I fully expect that the current court system will correct the loopholes that threaten their guaranteed profitability, and give them the same protection under the law that other corrupt special interests enjoy in our post-capitalist system.Why is this so hard to understand? It's obviously the American Way.-----------------------------Simple, it has become a political thing. Despite my warnings ( as loud as I could make them but OK not that loud ), to keep arguing it as a nonpartisan issue. THe opponents of net neutrality have an advantage that we who support it do not. Once net neutrality is gone, it will be hard to bring back. The ISP cartel knew this and were fighting very hard for politicization to happen.Instead of, for example, arguing that this action swaps in one set of regulations for another, ( In fact the old set gave all the power to the ISP cartels, and they took us from #1 internet service to middle of the rtoad. ) some proponents let the ISP cartels make it a political issue. The fact is that some people would rather have Title II as a political argument instead of actually having the ISPs be controlled by Title II.So here is what will happen, the ISP cartel will tie up the implementation for the next two years in court. Then who becomes President? Hillary? Seems to be imploding right in front of us. John Kerry? The guy who helped bring back the cold war. and Al Queda in the form of ISIS and who couldn't win before? Joe Biden. The guy whose interactions with women is so creepy he makes BIll Clinton seem normal.here is an interesting fact for you , since World War II there has only been one person elected as President that came from the same party as the sitting President-- Bush (41) (following Reagan).So we have a Republican, who when the next seat on the FCC comes up names a Republican FCC member who replaces a Democrat. The new Chairman becomes Ajit Pai. Bye bye net neutrality.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Tax returns exiting U.K., but don’t expect it in U.S. - MarketWatch
Tax returns exiting U.K., but don’t expect it in U.S. - MarketWatch
Ummm, no shit, if I had to write a $5k+ check to the gov at the end of every year, you bet your ass I'd be fighting every tax increase that came up.
“Withholding, I think, has enabled much higher tax burdens and much bigger government,” he said.
Ummm, no shit, if I had to write a $5k+ check to the gov at the end of every year, you bet your ass I'd be fighting every tax increase that came up.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Investing with the Automatic Pilot | The Escape Artist
Investing with the Automatic Pilot | The Escape Artist
The pilot analogy even works for the active versus passive debate. A Vanguard index fund is like catching a scheduled flight on a Boeing 747 guided by autopilot – its a cost effective and rational choice. A bit boring, but you’ll get to the destination safely. Picking individual stocks is more like flying your own private jet – only sensible for the minority of people with the resources to do this safely.
Mortgages…and the Banker’s Jar | The Escape Artist
Mortgages…and the Banker’s Jar | The Escape Artist
“If ever in your life you get the urge to do something risky, exciting, different or adventurous, chances are you will not because you won’t have the balls to do it. Somehow, to be a free man, you have to escape this trap.”“You could live in the country where houses cost less. You could stop competing with your neighbours and drive the oldest car in your street. You could give your children more of your time, instead of a private school education…Even reducing this, claiming back some of your money and time, you can be a freer man“.This captures the essence of what I am talking about on this blog.When I bought my first house, aged 26, the “logic” went something like this:1. My girlfriend said we should buy a house (and I want to impress her)2. Everyone says you can’t go wrong with bricks and mortar…and prices seem to be going up…best get in quick!3. Am I not an upwardly mobile, tycoon of the future? Yes, indeed I am! I will therefore need a house that is befitting of my status4. I therefore want to own the “best” (read most expensive) house possible5. To buy the most expensive house, I’ll borrow as much as the bank will lend me6. I will then be happier…because everyone knows that having more shit makes us happier.Please note here the absence of any original thought, logic or financial analysis to back up one of the most important financial decisions of my entire life. Lemmings have jumped off cliffs with more analysis to back up their decisions than this.
The pyramid and the oxygen mask | The Escape Artist
The pyramid and the oxygen mask | The Escape Artist
Level 5 : Plain brokeHere people lurch from one personal financial crisis to the next, tided over by borrowing. Think Wonga customers. These people typically spend over 100% of their income, being helpfully accomodated by finance companies who are always very friendly….until they’re not. They are either actually bankrupt or always teetering on the edge.Level 4: Consumer suckerThis is where most of the population are. Someone in this category might be watching QVC, see a fantastic designer toilet seat and get straight on their smartphone app and buy it using a credit card. They only stop spending when they go overdrawn at the end of each month. Typical savings rate: 0 – 5%. Net worth is very low: usually just some cash in a jar and a sliver of home equity.Level 3: Sensible saverAt this level, people are following basic financial advice. They are still wasting much of their money on consumer shit but at least they are using comparison websites to get a discount on the shit. They’re saving 5 – 25% of post-tax income into a cash ISA or maybe even some popular (aka high cost) equity income funds. They may even use a budget.Level 2: Financial IndependencePeople at this level are either on the path to financial independence or have achieved it. Savings rates vary from 25% -75% for those building to FI. These people understand the power of money and have mastered some of their emotional weaknesses re money. Paradoxically, they are seeking to get to a point (see level 1 below) where they think much less about money.Level 1 : Zen warriorThe top of the pyramid. These people never worry about money because they know it can’t buy happiness. Their spending needs are tiny and they are smart, resourceful and productive. They do not need money other than to buy some rice and beans for food. Examples in this category would include : Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bear Grylls, Gandhi, Martin Luther-King, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, the old bloke out of Kung Fu who trained grasshopper and the androgynous bald kid from Monkey (see clip below). These people spend most of their life trying to help others. In doing so, they find happiness and meaning for themselves.
Discussing the Escape Plan with your Significant Other | The Escape Artist
Discussing the Escape Plan with your Significant Other | The Escape Artist
Explain the higher purpose One of the (many) mistakes I made was not communicating clearly enough the purpose of saving and my frugality. My wife used to ask…what is the point of all this saving? This is not an unreasonable question. For many years I didn’t have a clear enough answer for her. I hadn’t seen anyone else around me achieve FI so I wasn’t sure it was even possible and I didn’t want to sound like an unrealistic idiot.
That sounds like me...
Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? | The Escape Artist
Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? | The Escape Artist
If my husband and I had not had the touchy “rock” conversation, I’d probably have a pretty naturally-sourced stone on my finger that looks exactly like the one I have, minus an absolutely amazing honeymoon in Jamaica. Now that was a $6,000 we feel was well spent on a truly unique and memorable experience.*The average cost of a diamond engagement ring is $4,000. If a 25-year-old couple were to invest that sum in the stock market instead, based on an illustrative assumed equity market return of 9% they would have over $125,000 at age 65. That sounds more like a “happily ever after” than does a tiny gem that’s not likely to appreciate in value.
Prison camp? What prison camp? | The Escape Artist
Prison camp? What prison camp? | The Escape Artist
That seems like a good savings goal.
You could not take a year off work without defaulting on your debt.
That seems like a good savings goal.
We all need a mountain to climb | The Escape Artist
happiness comes from the pursuit of achievable goals.
We all need a mountain to climb | The Escape Artist
We all need a mountain to climb | The Escape Artist
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
The Company You Work For Is Not Your Friend
Interesting idea:
The Company You Work For Is Not Your Friend
Several years ago, at a cliché "motivational event", I listened to a forgettable personality explain how we should stay driven to succeed—you know, the standard "rah rah work harder" kind of stuff. One thing stood out, however: In his time as a manager, he found that employees with another job offer in their pockets were the ones that did the best work. They were the ones most satisfied, most assertive, and happiest at the end of the day. Why? Simple: They felt wanted. They felt like their skills were in demand, that they had options, and that they had control over their careers. He suggested that all of us do the same.
The Company You Work For Is Not Your Friend
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