LC

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2018/08/22/verizon-throttled-unlimited-data-calif-fire-department-during-wildfire/1059486002/ Verizon throttled 'unlimited' data of Calif. fire department during Mendocino wildfire Bowden said in the declaration, first reported by "Ars Technica", that the Santa Clara County Fire Department had an unlimited data plan with Verizon but internet service slowed to 1/200th normal speed after the SCCFD reached 25 gigabytes of data usage. Verizon refused to lift the restrictions on data speeds until the fire department upgraded to a more expensive service plan, Bowden said

100% agree.

Less information almost never ends well. Bad idea.

Looking forward to it, thanks for posting. Lewis did a piece for the NYT I believe about the staff changeover at the DOE. Good read if anyone wants a taste.

Children are expected to sit still for hours upon hours; to control their impulses; to focus on boring, repetitive tasks; to move from place to place when a bell rings; and even to ask for permission before going to the bathroom (think about that for a second). Teachers systematically reward children for being docile. . . . In fact, teachers reward discipline independent of its effect on learning, and in ways that tamp down on student creativity. Children are also trained to accept being measured, graded, and ranked, often in front of others. This enterprise, which typically lasts well over a decade, serves as a systematic exercise in human domestication.

Anyone want to buy some CRE in silicon valley? Apparently its being valued cheaper than an iphone: https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-trying-to-reduce-cupertino-tax-bill-2018-8 Apple is reportedly arguing that buildings at its headquarters are worth just $200 so that it can reduce its tax bill

https://www.athenahealth.com/insight/expert-forum-rise-and-rise-healthcare-administrator Here's some food for thought: The number of physicians in the United States grew 150 percent between 1975 and 2010, roughly in keeping with population growth, while the number of healthcare administrators increased 3,200 percent for the same time period.

The statement is accurate. Income does accrue tax free in these accounts. When that income is eventually withdrawn, it is taxed. There is a difference between accrued and earned income. Regardless the main point is the large decline in taxable accounts, and the implications on tax revenue and budgets

Interesting article: https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/only-about-one-quarter-corporate-stock-owned-taxable-shareholders

I hear where you're coming from, but sometimes this just isn't right. Maybe not "debunking" - but sometimes an anecdote tells the full story. Statistics and historical data can tell you some things, but a story can tell you a lot more and in a way you can understand the underlying reasons. I'll give you an example: people on this website talk about brands and brand power and all that Coke Charlie Munger stuff. Take Disney. You can look at the financials, and say, "wow they've got a real strong business - strong brand". But you don't really know why. This is where an anecdote helps. You read something like this ( ) and you suddenly know exactly WHY Disney has a brand and a great business.

I was referring to this comment: Kraft/Heinz may do ok by buying perennial underachievers like Kraft and Campbells and cutting costs to the bone (firing their managment teams and cutting back on R&D and marketing). Crappy is the wrong word. Old? Diminishing? Not sure the right term - but the point is these brands are no longer the powerhouses they were in the late 20th century.

I agree. I don't think there's a turnaround story here. The retail pipeline and consumer tastes have both changed, and it's a generational thing. Buying crappy brands, slashing costs, and smoking the last puff of that cigar butt can only work for so long.

Not sure I agree. I don't view quarterly guidance as a measure to price the stock - but rather to "price" management. How accurate are management's estimates? If they're regularly inaccurate, why is that? Is the business very volatile and even management cannot get much clarity? Is management just dumb, or at worse, dishonest? I think the more communication between management and shareholders, the better - even if it just management's estimate. It's the shareholder's job to manage that information.

Idiocracy is a pretty good movie especially in today's day and age, give it a watch some time!

Agreed. Have you seen the new AgTech research coming out? Could really turn the industry on its head:

LOL. If someone who isn't rich does this you probably just saw my grandmother. Hahaha ;D

I finally got around to watching this - thanks Liberty. For anyone outside the NY tri-state area in the 80s/90s, this presents the "Real" Donald Trump (namely, the idiot we all grew to love) .

One thing buffett hates is being front-run. So if we're just talking about now, he's probably already doing it.

A young woman alone in New York... Was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the ocean. She went down to the docks and was about to leap into the frigid water when a handsome young sailor saw her tottering on the edge of the pier, crying. He took pity on her and said, "Look, you have so much to live for. I'm off to Europe in the morning, and if you like, I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take good care of you and bring you food every day." Moving closer, he slipped his arm around her shoulder and added, "I'll keep you happy, and you'll keep me happy." The girl nodded yes. After all, what did she have to lose? Perhaps a fresh start in Europe would give her life new meaning. That night, the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he brought her three sandwiches and a piece of fruit, and they made passionate love until dawn. Three weeks later, during a routine inspection, she was discovered by the captain. "What are you doing here?" the captain asked. "I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she explained. "I get food and a trip to Europe, and he's screwing me." "He certainly is," the captain said. "This is the Staten Island Ferry."

I don;'t think so. S&P includes them based on market cap. Only way to do so would be to de-list.

Re-bumping this thread because, despite the thread name and valid criticism in this thread, scientific progress really is spectacular to watch, and is by far one of the greatest contributors to improvements in human life: https://www.sciencealert.com/lab-grown-lungs-pigs-success-2018

For passive investing there are two options: Berkshire or Index funds.

It's not just you. It's only natural to be curious...when I was a child I used to ask my uncle every year if he would tell me his war stories. I didn't see him for about 10 years, and then when I did I realized - damn if he wanted to tell me, he would. For him, he didn't want it to be a part of his identity, or how other people viewed him, especially his family.

Trauma is incredibly difficult to address. In terms of wars, Vietnam was especially difficult on returning soldiers. Pushing or forcing a discussion is not going to be helpful.

https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers/answerspennyhtm.html