January 2012
5 posts
“In 2012, I’m not going to buy anything except what I’ve used up or...”
– Make It Do - Guidelines
Meg Hourihan is trying the “don’t buy anything in 2012” pledge that I also took. So far, I’m in good shape, and have even found some ways to cut my spending. It’ll be interesting to follow this throughout the year.
3 tags
Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory →
Stunning piece on This American Life this week that examines the source of all of our gadgets - particularly Apple. As a family that’s bought more than our fair share of Apple gadgets over the past five years, this was especially sobering.
It made me think a lot about Mr. Money Mustache, one of my favorite personal finance bloggers, who wrote about the virtues of buying used items thusly:
...
1 tag
“The E-Reader, as we know it, is doomed” →
Marco Arment hits the nail on the head with his defense of the e-reader:
I don’t think the e-reader is “doomed” at all. It may just be relegated to a fringe device for reading nerds, but that’s what it’s been for most of its lifespan as a category and it’s been fine.
I bought myself the $79 Kindle a few weeks ago - largely because of Marco’s own recommendation - and have been astonished...
2 tags
White Noise →
I downloaded White Noise yesterday on Dan Benjamin’s recommendation, and haven’t stopped listening to it since. It’s an excellent way to block out distractions at work - just put your headphones on, crank up a non-distracting sound (I prefer Brown Noise), and get to work. I also have it on my iPhone and use it to drown out the noises on the train, all the better to lose myself in...
1 tag
No personal spending in 2012
I have a few big goals for 2012 (one of which, incidentally, is to spend less time reading blogs and more time writing blogs, so you’ll hopefully see much more content from me around these parts). But there’s one in particular that I’d like to write about today:
Spending $0 on discretionary personal purchases for all of 2012
Now before you freak out, please realize that I do...
December 2011
5 posts
3 tags
A Step-by-Step Guide to Transfer Domains Out Of... →
jeffepstein:
Follow these step-by-step directions to transfer all of your domains from GoDaddy to NameCheap.
Just did this, and it was super easy. I’ve been unhappy with GoDaddy for a while now - mostly because I think their Super Bowl commercials are tacky, and I was put off by the whole CEO hunting elephants thing. The whole SOPA thing is icing on the cake.
If anyone out there is...
2 tags
Why aren't Amazon's gift recommendations better?
About 99% of the stuff I buy comes from Amazon. The same applies to my wife. So Amazon is able to recommend a lot of products that I would enjoy - and generally their recommendations are pretty accurate.
But why can’t they recommend things that my wife would like? Ostensibly, there are some privacy implications to this, because it’s probably not cool for Amazon to broadcast my product...
5 tags
Forgetting the Milk
One of the reasons I was so excited to get the iPhone 4S (see my review here) was the prospect of integrating its reminder service with Remember the Milk, which is the bible of my productivity system (GTD). RTM’s website touts the service, and I have to admit it works great for basic reminders - for example, saying “Remind me to empty the garbage tomorrow at 9pm” puts a task on...
1 tag
“It’s not a frequent topic of discussion, but doctors die, too. And they don’t...”
– How Doctors Die « Zócalo Public Square
Amazing article.
3 tags
Initial thoughts on the iPhone 4S
I have been a longtime iPhone user, having owned all of them since the first one in November 2007. Last week, as a result of my early upgrade eligibility on AT&T, I upgraded to the iPhone 4S. Here are a few of my initial thoughts:
It’s a little bit faster than the iPhone 4, but not much. I can notice that the performance is a bit snappier when switching between apps, and big apps (like...
November 2011
12 posts
“Thanksgiving is a one of our better ideas. We, theoretically, reflect on how...”
– → Black Friday
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
“One lawyer for the trustee returned from his honeymoon and worked a 21-hour day....”
– With MF Global Money Still Missing, Suspicions Grow - NYTimes.com
Sounds like fun.
It’s Not Just About the Millionaires →
Adam Davidson:
It’s tempting to look to our millionaires and demand they pay more in taxes, but the same inconvenient truth applies. When you add up all the money made by all the people who earn more than $1 million a year, it amounts to around $700 billion. But since the millionaires already pay close to $200 billion in taxes, the government would have to increase rates to nearly 100 percent —...
Giants Edge Patriots With Late Touchdown →
Great game.
2 tags
Cutting your own hair is a bad idea
Worst case scenario, I can always make it look like that. Image via Wikipedia
Inspired by this post from one of my favorite blogs, I decided to buy a fancy-pants Wahl Multi-Cup Clipper and start cutting my own hair. This morning, steeled with a few cups of coffee, I gave it a shot. Standing over my sink, I watched in the mirror as I scraped hair from my scalp, all while expertly following the...
Groupon's No Bargain →
Dan Lyon:
Really, seriously, please do not buy this stock, no matter what your friend tells you, because Groupon might look like a lovely place from the outside, with its kooky, clever email offers and its attractive website, but behind the scenes this company is a mess, and the stock carries loads of hidden risks.
4 tags
Why You Should Be Drinking Cheap Wine →
Brian Palmer:
Finally, rest assured that cheap wine in the United States is good, to the extent that the term has any objective meaning. Falling market share over the last 15 years has forced discount vintners to compete with upmarket brands, and modern technology has enabled them to crank out consistent wines, case after case. So, if you win your $3 gamble on the first bottle, you know you’ll...
October 2011
8 posts
3 tags
“These majorities are focused on the fundamentals. They say that repairing the...”
– The Great Restoration - NYTimes.com
“Instead of just showing Liked articles from online friends who use Instapaper,...”
– Amazing. Well done, Marco.
Introducing Instapaper 4.0 for iPad and iPhone – Marco.org
“As soon as the movie ended, I thought to myself, ‘I have to do something...”
– Fan says movie inspired to throw hot dog at Tiger Woods - ESPN
“Steve devoted his professional life to giving us (you, me and a billion other...”
– Seth’s Blog: A eulogy of action
3 tags
Debunking the home heating oil cap budget program...
I was just on the phone with my heating company, discussing budget billing options for the upcoming winter. One of the options that was offered to me is to join the “capped budget program,” which means that I’ll pay $100 upfront, as well as an extra $10/month to guarantee that the price I pay for home heating oil will never exceed $3.99/gallon. Sounds like it might be a good...
September 2011
6 posts
“There are basically no companies that have good slow decisions,” Mr. Page said...”
– Google’s Biggest Threat Is Google - NYTimes.com
“Think about how much you wish you could have more real experiences and realize...”
– Awesome post.
Are You Living an Active or Passive Life? | Mark’s Daily Apple
“For DVDs, Netflix’s rights are unlimited and its costs are constrained. For...”
– Excellent analysis on Netflix/Qwikster http://t.co/2zp35UjN
August 2011
7 posts
2 tags
Clever Commute →
As a NJ-NY commuter, I have grown accustomed to the injustices of NJ Transit. I expect a certain level of chaos in my commute, whether it be from derailments, signal problems, police activity, or lightning bolts.
I can’t believe what a genius idea Clever Commute is. It’s basically a glorified e-mail list. Once you’ve been granted access, you get the right to e-mail (subject...
“Ben Collins, who won the men’s race in 1 hour 48 minutes 11 seconds, spent an...”
– Man Dies During New York City Triathlon - NYTimes.com
Here’s a new rule: if you have to receive IV fluids in an ice bath after winning an athletic event, maybe the human body wasn’t meant to be doing said athletic event?
“For God and country—Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo.” After a pause, he added,...”
– Planning & Executing the Mission to Get Bin Laden : The New Yorker
Goosebumps.
“In the future, the vast majority of phone and tablet users will probably use...”
– Why Google is a Better Apple Friend than Enemy | Cult of Mac
July 2011
4 posts
“There’s no doubt that the Paleo approach is a powerful meme, but as advice...”
– The Paleo Diet: Caveman Cure-All or Unhealthy Fad? - Alesh Houdek - Life - The Atlantic
1 tag
“Not everyone wants a Facebook experience; default private, mutual follow, best...”
– A VC: Why I’m Rooting for Google+
Fred nails it on why I think Google+ has something special here. It’s not going to replace anything - it’s going to enhance online sharing.
I plan on using it to replace the private sharing of photos of the kids that I currently do with my...
June 2011
19 posts
3 tags
The call for waterproof Vibram Five Fingers
Not to get all Crunchgear, but Vibram Five Fingers are the greatest shoes in the world. Sure, they look wacky, but I’ve bought into the whole barefoot phenomenon hook, line, and sinker. After a brief transition period, I run exclusively in my Five Fingers – I have a pair of Bikila for running – and wear brown leather KSO treks as much as possible on evenings and weekends.
I have...
“I don’t really see what Google’s alternative is,” says Smarr. “People are going...”
– Inside Google+ — How the Search Giant Plans to Go Social | Epicenter | Wired.com
“There is a fundamental imbalance in the social dynamic,” Harj Taggar, the...”
– Looking for Someone: Sex, Love and Loneliness on the Internet | The New Yorker | Jul. 4, 2011 | 41 Minutes (10,251 words)