Archive for December, 2008

Cuba’s Prosperity Secret

Cuba became dependent on tourism after the end of Soviet subsidies in 1991 triggered savage austerity and a need for foreign currency. With a casual tip dwarfing state wages, scientists, teachers and other professionals quit their jobs to become waiters, chambermaids and taxi drivers. “Our most brilliant minds – serving coffee,” lamented Alvaro, a university lecturer turned tour guide.

As hard times bite, Cubans show little appetite for celebration – The Guardian

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 Emerging Markets, Featured, Philosophy, Politics No Comments

A Plague

In a speech at Harvard last November, Harvard physicist John Holden, President-elect Obama’s choice to be his science adviser as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, presented a “top 10″ list of warming solutions.

Topping the list was “limiting population,” as if man was a plague upon the earth. This is a major tenet of green dogma that bemoans the fact that the pestilence called mankind comes with cars, factories and overconsumption of fossil fuels and other resources.

Perhaps Responsible Population is coming to public policy sooner than we thought.

The Warm Turns – IBD

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 Featured, Politics, Responsible Population No Comments

Housing Prices Graphed

(click to enlarge)
case-shiller-chart-sm

We still have some room to fall.

Classic Case Shiller Housing Price Chart, Updated – The Big Picture

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 Economics No Comments

BBlessing Fall/Winter 2008.

I dig this sportcoat’s color/material/cut, as well as the shoes:

bblessingfw08

Via Kanye West.

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 Fashion No Comments

Quest for Innovation

Science is the quest to know, to evolve the communal intelligence of mankind. When we dislike the dark, we invent a light bulb to see. When we dislike too much light from light bulbs (or the sun), we develop sunglasses. When our sunglasses don’t make us look trendy enough, we invent ironic trucker hats. When trucker hats do not fully express the extent to which we are devoid of class and taste, we invent frufru dogs. And so on. That is science.

Science Will Consume Us All, Literally – LoSC

Monday, December 29th, 2008 Humor, Quotes No Comments

Raisin Brahms

Feed your kids audible art.

Monday, December 29th, 2008 Humor, Music No Comments

Danil Kryvoruchko

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Danil resides in Moscow.

Via Kanye West.

Sunday, December 28th, 2008 Design No Comments

Common ft. Pharrell- Universal Mind Control

Love the beat on this record:


Common – Universal Mind Control [DVDRIP] from Taz on Vimeo.

Via Kanye West.

Saturday, December 27th, 2008 Music No Comments

GLC – I Ain’t Even On Yet

Interesting beat…a little electro in there. Vocals are nothing to write home about.

Via Kanye West.

Friday, December 26th, 2008 Music No Comments

Jazmine Sullivan – Bust Your Windows

Love the strings and the bassoon. The beat makes this record.

I discovered this song over at Kanye West’s blog.

Thursday, December 25th, 2008 Music No Comments

Under New Management

I might wear this shirt to the George W. Bush’s Last Day In Office Party I’m going to:

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Via Kanye West.

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 Must. Have. 1 Comment

Fresh Kids

This kid is better dressed than I am, by far:

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Via Kanye West.

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 Europe, Fashion, No F***ing Way No Comments

Nas ft. Keri Hilson – Hero

This is the most mind-blowing track I’ve heard all year:

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It’s off Nas and DJ Green Lantern’s The Nigger Tape. (Mixtape download link here.)

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 Featured, Gotham, Music, Must. Have. 2 Comments

This could be useful

Especially during the holidays and/or cocktail party season:

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The James plate, by Sternform.

Via Kanye West.

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 Design, Featured, Must. Have. 4 Comments

Consequence ft. Kanye West – Gone

The track is allright until 1:20 or 1:30 in, when Consequence raps over orchestral strings and breaks it out:

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 Music No Comments