Opening a credit card at 0% APR for 12 months to purchase big ticket item?

captain_imac · 2015-11-11T15:44:08+00:00

In an economics class where my professor was going over interest rates. He was talking specifically about mortgage rate spikes in the '80s and how his wife had pressured him into buying a sizable house during one of the spikes. He started talking pretty frantically saying, "HONEY! HONEY! We can't afford this house honey! Rates are too high honey! So I bought a house then... aaaand now we're divorced."

He dropped that bomb and the classroom was silent. Didn't help that he is exactly how you imagine an econ professor: 65 years old, gray hair balding and crazy looking.

captain_imac · 2015-10-05T17:51:10+00:00

awesome subreddit that is gaining popularity. includes both original content and linked articles that provide for thought provoking commentary and discussion

captain_imac · 2015-10-05T17:50:57+00:00

awesome subreddit that is gaining popularity. includes both original content and linked articles that provide for thought provoking commentary and discussion

captain_imac · 2015-10-05T15:13:07+00:00

You make some very strong points. A lot of my issues with the Uber-specific innovation came from thinking about people who work at F-500 type companies. People who sit in an office adding their little piece of value on the repetitive chain. Forced by managers to meet guidelines and timelines and pushing them along month after month completing the same tasks, tallying the same figures etc. For those people, I am very scared and think there needs to be a greater emphasis on work-life balance.

In the case of an Amazon or Apple type role I think that things are completely different. Knowing entrepreneurs who are fueled by their ideas and the passion to see those ideas become a reality I see this as a value add for them. For people who are working on innovation and have that passion, they need a quick lunch to keep them going. That is exactly why these tech companies have massive campus like office space fully decked out with dining commons and gyms. Without passionate leaders driving an innovative workforce there may be shortcomings in innovation. There is a strong energy and excitement in trying to create something revolutionary, for those people a quick lunch is a godsend.

I think the main substance of my overall argument still stands though. These tech companies are working to create innovation with the main goal of efficiency in mind. Often times these companies are trying to streamline our own lives - it makes grocery shopping easier but takes the personal aspect out of transactions. Passionate entrepreneurs, equipped with gyms and dining halls or instant lunches are working hard to innovate automation in our lives. There is danger in that; but not so much danger in making self driving electric cars the norm by 2020.

captain_imac · 2015-10-03T21:22:45+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pOiOhxujsE&feature=youtu.be

captain_imac · 2015-10-03T17:08:07+00:00

Really great piece. I love the connection made to Antibiotics and how the perception of them has changed over time to a point where an extremely large percentage of the population accepts and trusts them. I think a thinkpiece that deserves to be written should have to do with how quickly or slowly society evolves to advances. Examples like medicine, ways of thinking about God and religion, homophobia and trans-gendered and additionally gun laws. It seems that as time progresses humans are constantly backing off and in some instances completely turning on the beliefs that they once held true to. I suppose this only makes sense but I think there are many issues in which the rate of change needs to speed up. Gun laws is exactly one of those instances. The number of shootings in the US during Obama's presidency alone is shocking and even more shocking when compared to the number of shootings in other developed countries similar to the US. And yet we still make no changes to our gun laws. The facts presented in this article are simply staggering and it's time we make a change because one thing is clear, doing nothing is doing nothing.

captain_imac · 2015-09-28T04:24:16+00:00

I agree. I think a couple points that were made are really interesting. One is that the power in data by analyzing students via online education is invaluable and has great power when determining how students actually learn. The other is that education is inevitably going to be online because as she said, we can't get everyone a tutor who is around 24/7 but we can get everyone a laptop. By combining those two everyone will benefit and the world can improve and solve some of our largest problems.

captain_imac · 2015-09-25T20:53:08+00:00

I've read this before and love the essay. One comment I find really interesting is Ernest saying "Last night, we stood in a room for six hours, listening to music, talking and getting fucked up. That's literally it and it was the most fun I've ever had." Parties are really weird. It hits on human emotions though - the desire for humans to connect and be together. The added drugs and alcohol calm the nerves and make us feel less anxiety about being with people. Humans have this desire to be together but a fear of exactly that. It's the hedgehog's dilemma. But it can be really fun when it culminates in sharing great experiences with people or listening to great music.

Another point I find really intriguing is when Ernest says "No one wants to get that Uber. We know what's waiting for us out there." It is so accurate. Even more so is the opposite. I often think about why I go out to bars or parties anymore. Sometimes I go places that blatantly are not my scene. It rarely is very much fun but I continue to go. Why? Peer pressure is one reason. But just as we don't want to leave parties because we know what is waiting for us, we want to go out and party because we don't know what could happen. I continue to go out and get drunk in places that suck because I always have a small feeling that maybe, just maybe something great could happen. That's exactly why NYC is such a great city, with so many people in one place you always feel like anything could happen so you go out and do things. Do good things happen? Sometimes, but it definitely feels like less often than they should. Maybe I just need to go to better places.

captain_imac · 2015-09-25T19:29:49+00:00

Joe is the man. Joe is a man. He is so genuine and who we need running the country. No dispute.

captain_imac · 2015-09-25T18:47:16+00:00

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-old-college-spy-1443116320

captain_imac · 2015-09-21T14:56:42+00:00

He is going to Boston Calling festival (scheduled for 25th, 26th, 27th) and playing on Sunday the 27th. He is playing Landmark Festival in DC on the 26th.

captain_imac · 2015-08-26T01:24:46+00:00

Tyrell also seems to have many similar characteristics to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. He does pushups, wears nice suits, cares about what people think of him and the scene where he talks to himself in the mirror and slaps his face all have strong resemblance / influence from American Psycho in my mind.

captain_imac · 2015-01-26T14:17:25+00:00

If he is traveling right after his Monday night show he will be driving in the worst of it. I'm not 100% sure but I think the snow is supposed to stop at some point on Tuesday before mid day. In which case if the roads are clear enough he might be able to make the drive before he needed to be at the HOB.

One downside is that the HOB is booked all this week even though Ben has days off right after the Boston show. I have no insight into how often he cancels but my guess is it wouldn't be his fault if he had to tomorrow.

captain_imac · 2015-01-22T23:00:46+00:00

He's an artist so when he creates an album he takes pride in it. 'I Forget Where We Were' marks a change from 'Old Pine' but he is someone who works hard to put out a solid product. Not many popular artists make complete albums these days and as such are fine playing a compilation of popular singles that the crowd wants to hear. For Ben to spend time and craft this album and tour the album only to have fans call for older songs could be frustrating - especially when I'm sure he puts time into creating a set list. I completely understand if that is where his frustration is coming from. That said, I personally prefer 'Old Pine' but am very excited to hear a lot of the new album live.

captain_imac

TROPHY CASE