Why writing with our
hands is still important: perhaps when it comes to productivity, we need
more than apps. Writing stimulates a bunch of cells at the base of the brain
called the reticular activating system (RAS). The RAS acts as a filter for
everything your brain needs to process, giving more importance to the stuff
that you're actively focusing on at the moment—something that the physical act
of writing brings to the forefront. [Note: smells like pseudo-science to me;
but I agree to some extent—I do focus better reading paper material and writing
things down]…Source: http://readwrite.com/2013/01/11/why-writing-with-our-hands-is-still-important
When a kg is no
longer a kilogram: Back in the days, the British gained control of time
(that’s why hour, minute, and second are calibrated through Greenwich), and the
French annexed length and mass—where meter was distance between 2 scratches on
a bar composed of a special alloy of platinum and iridium, and kg was the
weight of a lump of similar alloy. Time moved on to caesium atom clocks and
light-meter-measured distances, but the name convention remained. What’s odd,
is that over the years the standard kg has put on weight, or possibly lost it—and
the scientific community is seeking a more accurate way of measurement. [Note: The
unit of weight in the metric system is not ONLY relative to the lump of metal
sitting in the Parisian museum. It is also relative to water. 1 cubic metre of
pure fresh water at sea level weighs 1000kg. Stripping this down, 1 liter
weighs 1 kilogram. You can try this on your kitchen scales]…Source: http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21569417-kilogram-it-seems-no-longer-kilogram-paris-worth-mass/comments#comments
Wads of cash squeeze
bank margins: Typically with loan-to-deposit ratio close to 90%+, many
banks now have it linger at around 70%. Mostly due to lack of credit-worthy
borrowers at a time of soft employment growth and stagnant income. [Note: And they
can afford to be cautious thanks to low interest rates]…Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324581504578233650100037048.html
Oacktree’s 2013 memo
to its clients: (1) a cycle is a chain reaction through a sequence of
positive and negative events; (2) much of the risk in investing comes from
behavior of investors, and the riskiest thing is the belief that there is no
risk; (3) chase yield consciously with full recognition of the risks involved;
(4) The investors’ scramble for return has brought elements of pre-crisis
behavior very much back to life. [Note: it is indeed remarkable that the
average HY bond offers only about 6% today]…Source: http://www.oaktreecapital.com/MemoTree/Ditto.pdf
How Airlines extract
$6 billion in fees from Americans: (1)
Delta and US Airways are the worst. Maybe you knew that already. (2) But don't
be too hard on them. Generally speaking, the airlines that fly the furthest
have the most fees, since people are much more likely to check bags and pay
more per ticket for international flights. (3) Airlines with mostly domestic
routes have the fewest fees, for the same reason. [Note: Southwest is probably
the most profitable with the least fees.hmm]…Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/thats-how-they-getcha-airlines-extract-6-billion-in-fees-from-americans/267034/
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