Quotation of the Day

           Quotation of the Day

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
*****Will Rogers

investing | nifty fifty | wsj

Some recent analysis has shown the strong case for a 50/50 equity/bond mix in a portfolio of low-cost index funds or ETFs. Example approach: 35% Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE and 50% Barclays Capital US Aggregate Bond Index. Here's the article along with some potential fund approaches and the results of the analysis. 

jargon | jargon to avoid | MoneyWatch

Here's the latest list of buzzwords to avoid. A particular favorite of mine is the use of the word "space" in place of the former term "industry". Many of my cohorts in crime work in the space space. Or we handled space management in the space space. Even better, we worked in the space management sub-space in the space space. Having fun yet?

Money | Time to Refi | Mortgage Professor

Record low rates on mortgages. Is it time to refi? Here's a reliable refi calculator that will help you hone in on the answer. Other useful information on mortgages at this site - a good reference to bookmark.

Valuation | What's It Worth? | WSJ

If Antiques Roadshow has skipped your neighborhood, maybe you can find the value of Aunt Thelma's antique butter dish on one of these sites. I used Worthpoint to get an appraisal of an antique settee we had and was pleased with the thoroughness of the evaluation.

Management | The end of ... ? | WSJ

Is bureaucracy obsolete? Is this the end of management as developed in the 20th century? Does Scott Adams need to find a new career? Read on!

tech | blessed silence | amazon

You're sitting in a restaurant with your friends. The TV in the corner is blaring. You realize that none of you are actually talking to each other. Instead, you're all staring at a piece of furniture!

Now there's a solution: the TV-B-Gone. This small keychain wonder is designed to turn off virtually any television. 

 

education | teacher effectiveness | la times

Unions hate it, administrators seem clueless, Michelle Ree used it to weed-out ineffective teachers in Washington, DC. What is this mystery? Quantitative assessment of teacher performance. Hint: it's not all about teacher education level or seniority. Read on for more.

photos | america '39-'43 | denver post

America in photos 1939-1943 - you can see both the grinding poverty and the infrastructure/industrial build-up preceding and into WWII. 

tech | swype keyboard | wsj

If you remember the old Palm PDA then you remember Graffiti. Made entering characters a lot faster (after the learning curve). Swype may do the same thing for on-screen smartphone keyboards.

Relationship | Fighting Right | WSJ

If you're half of a couple then you need to recognize the right way to argue. Here's one perspective.
 

Facilities | Wöhr Parking Systems |

now here's a car park ...

ComicCon | Pix of Some Amaxing Attendees | LATimes

Who says creativity is dead? Check-out some of these amazing costumes.

Tech | iPhone Rivals | Mossberg

I'm no Apple fanboy so I'm pleased to see what may be the beginnings of real rivals to the iPhone. Check out Mossberg's review of new smartphones from Samsung ... and they're available on four wireless networks.

Tech | Fixes from Afar | WSJ

Not exactly workable for hardware issues or an unbootable or unconnectable pc. But, an affordable and, it seems, often effective approach to fixing pc problems.

Travel | Golden Age of Flight | WSJ

Was there a Golden Age of Flight? Gold service maybe with golden prices and not-so-golden safety record. The service may be mediocre today but at least it's cheap, safe and available.

Economy | Jobless Numbers | WSJ

The unemployment rate is an outdated statistic. This source has an alternative approach, that paints a darker picture during this recession.

Old Dogs | Boeing Old Dogs - Barking! | WSJ

Enjoy!

Business | Data Mining Tool | Palantir

Here is a pretty cool video demonstration of a data mining tool used to analyze half-a-billion mortgages to filter-out potential predatory lending.

weapons | nukes |

http://www.ctbto.org/specials/1945-1998-by-isao-hashimoto/

humor | politics | bizarro

climbing | el caminito del rey | wimp.com

care to go for a stroll?

space | mug in the void | nasa

tired of that disneyland caricature you bought last year? here's a new way to frame the ol' face.

Quotation of the Day

Lottery:  A tax on people who are bad at math

tech | screensaver | realsimple

fairly cool screen saver, for those of you who still use one ... give it a try

Money | Max Social Security | USN&WR

fairly simple but thorough article on ways for retirees to maximize their social security benefits.

Magic | CCTV | Coin Tricks

The dialogue is Chinese, but the magic is amazing ... check-out this video

Money | Buy Wood! | Kedrosky

Check this out ... maybe you should trade your "paper" investments for something with a bit more fiber?

Info | Background Check | Consumerist

I haven't tried these yet, would be interested to hear from any of you who give this a try. Could consume a good week or so. Amazing what's out there ... probably being data mined as I type!

Just a little telephony