Archive for October, 2007
China regulates reincarnation
Sometimes Beijing goes a little too far:
Chinese authorities issued a new regulation in July 2007 that requires all reincarnations - including the Dalai Lama - to be approved by the government.
Read the rest here.
Filed under Beijing, culture, politics : Comments (3) : Oct 17th, 2007
Break Through
I’m reading a really fantastic book right now:Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility
This novel really stands apart from similar studies in the way it draws upon the rich context of progressive movements in America to explain the failures of today’s environmentalists. Shellenberger and Nordhaus do a great job of reducing the complex socio-economic forces into understandable pieces. What I like best is the way they provide answers and solutions where most see only problems.
I strongly encourage all of you to go out and read this. It will challenge the way you think about politics and environmentalism in America.
[Bonus points if you buy the book through the link above. I'm trying a new referral program with Amazon. But seriously, even if you get it from the library like I do, read the book.]
Filed under culture, economics, environment, politics : Comments (0) : Oct 16th, 2007
Easy eco-frugal tip : bags
Ever go to the grocery store? Ever hesitate at the question “paper or plastic”? Do you like free money? Do you like the earth?
Great! Me too!
Here’s a painfully simple way to be green and save some green when buying groceries: bring your own bags. Most [all?] stores will happily accept used bags and give you a discount to boot! (My local store gives me $0.10 per bag)
Both plastic and paper bags require energy inputs for manufacturing and transport, carry groceries once, then end up in a landfill. Of course, even the flimsy plastic bags can be reused multiple times. Paper bags hold up even better. Canvas or Tyvek is the best option, as these will last years.
Here’s my challenge to you: put a few extra bags in your car and bring them in next time you buy groceries. Take the $0.50 you saved and buy some candy. Smile as you contemplate the energy you’re saving. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Filed under environment, frugal : Comments (5) : Oct 15th, 2007
More Ron Paul
Here is the single best response regarding the Iraq war by any politician on either side of the aisle:
I really like this guy. Especially because he makes his fellow Republicans (especially Giuliani) extremely nervous.
Filed under politics, war : Comments (0) : Oct 14th, 2007
Good Copy Bad Copy
I just watched a documentary about the state of copyright law called Good Copy Bad Copy. You can watch it online or download using BitTorrent. (I suggest the later for a higher resolution)
The film makers do a good job of getting a global perspective and do a good job of limiting their own editorial. Suggested viewing for anyone who enjoys music, film, and culture in general.
Filed under culture, economics, technology : Comments (0) : Oct 14th, 2007
Thank you, Ron Paul
One of the only voices in politics today who is willing to say what’s right, even if unpopular.
Say it, Ron!
Filed under politics, war : Comments (2) : Oct 13th, 2007
Jobs! Wind! Jobs! Wind!
Consider the following two facts:
1) Wind energy is a mature, proven, clean technology that is now cost-competitive with fossil fuel power plants.
2) The world is sold out of wind turbines for at least two years.
What conclusion could you draw from the above statements? I would suggest that there is a great opportunity for developing the wind energy industry in the U.S. With American auto makers in a slow downward spiral and many manufacturing jobs moving overseas, it would be a real boon to ramp up turbine and related equipment production right here in the USA. This would create jobs! And lots of them!
In addition to the manufacturing jobs, increased wind installation creates the derivative jobs for maintenance and repairs. Once a region has a critical mass of installed wind capacity, the need emerges for permanent local maintenance workers. Again, this would create jobs!
Obviously, I’ve significantly oversimplified the equations. But the logic should hold true so long as there is wind to be captured and demand for electricity (which I feel is a safe assumption). So what’s holding back this economic development? In a word, subsidies. And no, I am not advocating additional subsidies for wind energy. Instead, I would like to see our national government show some backbone to the moneyed interests of Big Coal and refuse to extend any more subsidies to the coal industry.
Limiting coal subsidies would have compounding positive effects: first off, it would bring us a few dollars closer to a balanced budget. More importantly, it would give tacit discouragement to expanding the pollution-heavy coal industry. By extension, it would encourage development of alternatives. Like wind!
Here’s the breakdown in one sentence:
Stop government subsidies of coal, build up the wind industry in the U.S., and smile as we improve the job market, economy, and environment all in one fell swoop!
Filed under economics, energy, politics : Comments (0) : Oct 13th, 2007
Take notes, children
Filed under Uncategorized : Comments (3) : Oct 12th, 2007
Target sells you trash!
I found this product at Target tonight:
That’s right, Target is selling paper “to-go” cups with plastic lids. So you can create excess trash from the comfort of your own home! Fabulous!
Seriously, something is broken here. Reusable coffee mug technology is pretty advanced these days. Is anyone else a little shocked/saddened by this?
Filed under culture, environment, suburbs : Comments (5) : Oct 11th, 2007
The Importance of Expense Ratios
As a young investor, I know it’s important to make wise choices now so I can allow my retirements savings to grow to its maximum potential. Fortunately, I had a great investing mentor in my father and I’ve continued to educate myself in these matters. As I’ve written here before, I think we do a great disservice to young people everywhere by not teaching them the basic principles of banking, investing, and finance in high school. Especially as we drift away from publicly funded Social Security towards self-directed 401(k)s and IRAs, we need to empower everyone with the knowledge to make smart decisions.
One subtle detail in the world of mutual fund investing is the expense ratio. This little number (usually around 1%) can have a dramatic impact to your earnings over the course of a long term investment. Conceptually, the expense ratio is simple: the mutual fund company deducts the percentage from the fund assets each year to pay salaries, administrative, and overhead costs. This is fair and honest, as they are providing you a service and deserve to be paid. The problem is that many investors fail to recognize the impact of the expense ratio.
For example, consider an index fund that tries to mimic the S&P 500. I own one such fund from Fidelity that charges only 0.1% for expenses. Actively managed funds, and especially exotic funds with a narrow focus, sometimes charge upwards of 1.5%. This means that the fancy fund has to out-perform the S&P 500 by 1.4% every year just to break even with the index. Not an easy task.
And here is the rub: when comparing returns between two funds, the investor will often ignore the expense ratio. In the example above, you might find a fancy fund that beats the market by 1% every year. Great! Except it’s not. With a higher expense ratio, you’re actually worse off than if you held the boring, vanilla, S&P 500 index fund.
Here’s the bottom line: if you’re investing for the long haul, pay close attention to the expense ratio. It’s often a better choice to choose the low-cost, boring index over a high-cost fund.
Filed under economics, frugal, work : Comments (0) : Oct 11th, 2007
