I'm Very Curious
How the world will respond to this: China Is Treating Islam Like a Mental Illness.
It pits two favorites of liberal intelligentsia against each other - Communist Chinese vs. Aggrieved Muslims. But since neither are white males, who will they root against?
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Monday, August 27, 2018
Interesting Take
That I suspect is correct: immigration.
That I suspect is correct: immigration.
PPS. I don’t believe that immigration will make America more diverse, nor do I think it will make the electorate vote more Democratic. That’s because immigration from Asia and Latin America has made earlier immigrants from southern and eastern Europe seem less different, more “white” than they seemed in 1924, when immigration was restricted because America seemed to be becoming extremely diverse. By the 1950s, that same ethnic mix was viewed as homogeneous. Intermarriage rates are now so high that the day will come when both Asians and middle class Hispanics will be viewed as culturally “white”. Fifty years from now America will still be about 75% “white”, in terms of people’s perceptions. (The black population will stay around 13%) Diversity is a state of mind.
And as immigration brings in people who don’t vote Republican, it makes existing residents more likely to vote Republican. Thus each party will continue to win roughly half of the vote.
Logging
Film: Mission Impossible Fallout
Screenwriting lessons:
What doesn't matter: Logic/motive. MacGuffin originality.
What does matter: awesomeness, nods toward emotionality even if false. Tom Cruise doing real stunts.
In sum, an inoffensive summertime action film with one awesome set piece a handful of side characters actors who command the screen rather well.
Film: Mission Impossible Fallout
Screenwriting lessons:
What doesn't matter: Logic/motive. MacGuffin originality.
What does matter: awesomeness, nods toward emotionality even if false. Tom Cruise doing real stunts.
In sum, an inoffensive summertime action film with one awesome set piece a handful of side characters actors who command the screen rather well.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Quote
"The world needs better parents, not a better f***ing phone."
You wouldn't know it by our collective actions.
Strange detail in the NY Times article - the Atlantic is owned by the Emerson Collective, an organization that pursues liberal political activism. I've noticed what used to be my favorite magazine just become a progressive mouthpiece. This is a place where Christopher Hitchens used to write for crissake.
So how am I supposed to feel when Donald Trump attacks the media? I'm supposed to be offended and disgusted by his lies? But what...I'm supposed to embrace media outlets being officially owned by ideologues who are trying to sell me their political agenda funded by Steve Jobs billions of dollars? Mmmm...k.
"The world needs better parents, not a better f***ing phone."
You wouldn't know it by our collective actions.
Strange detail in the NY Times article - the Atlantic is owned by the Emerson Collective, an organization that pursues liberal political activism. I've noticed what used to be my favorite magazine just become a progressive mouthpiece. This is a place where Christopher Hitchens used to write for crissake.
So how am I supposed to feel when Donald Trump attacks the media? I'm supposed to be offended and disgusted by his lies? But what...I'm supposed to embrace media outlets being officially owned by ideologues who are trying to sell me their political agenda funded by Steve Jobs billions of dollars? Mmmm...k.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Crazy Rich Asians
"Unprecedented," "Hollywood Can't Ignore," etc. So you're telling me a poppy New York Times bestseller got turned into a successful movie...wow...this is really going to turn the industry upside down. Please. The only way to view this film as unique is if all you see is race and somehow missed Joy Luck Club or Better Luck Tomorrow.
"Unprecedented," "Hollywood Can't Ignore," etc. So you're telling me a poppy New York Times bestseller got turned into a successful movie...wow...this is really going to turn the industry upside down. Please. The only way to view this film as unique is if all you see is race and somehow missed Joy Luck Club or Better Luck Tomorrow.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Videogames, Netflix, Smartphones to Blame...
The services are facing a dwindling pool of largely obese, uneducated delinquents. Why?
The services are facing a dwindling pool of largely obese, uneducated delinquents. Why?
Logging
Film: Crazy Rich Asians
Unsure how to feel about it. On the one hand, I want to admire/appreciate the poppy-ness of the movie and how it pleased the crowd. On the other hand, the acting for the most part is terrible, the directing off in several key moments, and there were more hatable than great moments (although there is one great moment). Awkwafina and the dude from Silicon Valley were the best parts and completely outshined the two leads.
Restaurant: Osteria Mozza
Never been before. Overflavored, I prefer the Pizzeria.
TV: Gomorroh thru S. 2
Lost me in the final episode. First real binge for me in a long time. Loved up until that point, although it got a little sloppy in the storytelling at times.
Film: Crazy Rich Asians
Unsure how to feel about it. On the one hand, I want to admire/appreciate the poppy-ness of the movie and how it pleased the crowd. On the other hand, the acting for the most part is terrible, the directing off in several key moments, and there were more hatable than great moments (although there is one great moment). Awkwafina and the dude from Silicon Valley were the best parts and completely outshined the two leads.
Restaurant: Osteria Mozza
Never been before. Overflavored, I prefer the Pizzeria.
TV: Gomorroh thru S. 2
Lost me in the final episode. First real binge for me in a long time. Loved up until that point, although it got a little sloppy in the storytelling at times.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Not Good
Chaos and economic collapse in Turkey would be considerably worse than any the Iraq war, the Syrian Civil War, or pretty much any geopolitical event in recent memory, I imagine.
Just look at the map, and it becomes clear why Turkey is a critical ally and buffer between the West and the Middle East.
Chaos and economic collapse in Turkey would be considerably worse than any the Iraq war, the Syrian Civil War, or pretty much any geopolitical event in recent memory, I imagine.
Just look at the map, and it becomes clear why Turkey is a critical ally and buffer between the West and the Middle East.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Unite the Right
Media: Trump is normalizing the alt-right! The alt-right is taking over!
What happened today: 30 people showed up to the "Unite the Right" rally. That's right. 30 people. There were more maniacs at my nieces birthday party at the same time, yet not a peep from the national news.
These alt-righters are clowns and have ZERO support and yet the mainstream liberals seem to think we're on the verge of the Handmaids Tale. Now, who are the crazy ones?
Media: Trump is normalizing the alt-right! The alt-right is taking over!
What happened today: 30 people showed up to the "Unite the Right" rally. That's right. 30 people. There were more maniacs at my nieces birthday party at the same time, yet not a peep from the national news.
These alt-righters are clowns and have ZERO support and yet the mainstream liberals seem to think we're on the verge of the Handmaids Tale. Now, who are the crazy ones?
Buying A Car
I've only bought three cars in my life. Before yesterday, the last one was in 2001. Some observations...
1) I used Costco Auto club and Truecar to get initial quotes. This was a smart way to get close to the true price. In fact, the initial Costco price ended up being about $900 more than what I finally paid.
2) The way it works: you enter the car you want on Costco and Truecar websites and local dealers contact you with their prices.
3) I settled on wanting a Subaru Outback rather quick because of space limitations in my driveway/garage and having two young kids. A lot of my time was spent weighing the different options on the Subaru and our family preferences, but this also provided leverage in dealing with the various dealers.
4) I also contacted several auto brokers. One guy was able to beat the Costco price (working in conjunction with the Costco program), which gave me the idea that it was possible. But this guy and others tried to push leasing as a better value.
5) A lot of friends, etc promoted leasing because you can "write it off" as a business expense. I remain unclear about this idea. Even if you bought the car, you could still write off the business driving expense, so it's unclear to me why leasing is better. Also, you are not supposed to "write off" personal use of the car -- OR -- if the car is owned by your "business" and you drive for personal use, that is considered income and thus taxable anyway. So...I'm not clear what is going on here, either people are a) misreporting the amount of car usage for personal use or b) allowed themselves to get talked into leasing by autobroker/financiers who make money by maximizing lease transactions or c) know something I do not.
6) I ended up phoning around to just about every dealer in the area to compare availability and price. One place quoted me an option package $1200 cheaper than anyone else, but in a color scheme I didn't love. I tried to leverage this into the color scheme I wanted, but no one else would match and seemed genuinely surprised by how low they would go. It did get one guy to give his "bottom" price on that package which was still $900 more than the lowest price.
7) So I set out to buy that option package, but could not get the dealer to confirm the price via email because the woman who quoted it to me wasn't there. I figured she was lying to get me down there or made a mistake because she was in their internet sales. Still, that "mistake" helped me see that I was getting near bottom.
8) I found the car I wanted from a kinda far away dealer and thankfully they had another car with the better option package I would've also been happy with. I called them and refused to get off the phone until the manager matched the lowest price I had in writing on the big option package. He suggested I go buy at the other place and the only way he could give me that price was if I paid cash (which was $900 lower than Costco). I got him to agree to give that $900 lower on a different car as well, which is the car I ended up buying. He would not email me the offer either for fear I would leverage with another dealer. This low price matched the lowest price an autobroker offered me and seemed close enough to the bottom for my meager negotiating skills.
9) They still put me through the finance folks to try and sell extended warranties, etc, which I turned down. But I did ask the guy about the 0% financing over 48 months which seemed too good to be true. He said, I could do it, but would have to pay the $1500 more sticker price. A ha! That's how they get you.
10) I spoke to a few people who regretted leasing their cars because if anything goes wrong, ie a little extra damage, a little extra mileage, etc, you end up paying for it. I also think you pay a higher sticker price.
11) Costco does a deal if you want accessories that is incredible - 50% off after your purchase.
12) Conclusion: Use Costco or a similar service to get down near the true price. Get an additional discount for paying cash -- you can always get a better deal paying cash, so do it if you can. Leverage dealerships against each other. Don't settle, but be flexible. Find the car you want and pay a fair price. Have a backup you'd be perfectly happy with.
I've only bought three cars in my life. Before yesterday, the last one was in 2001. Some observations...
1) I used Costco Auto club and Truecar to get initial quotes. This was a smart way to get close to the true price. In fact, the initial Costco price ended up being about $900 more than what I finally paid.
2) The way it works: you enter the car you want on Costco and Truecar websites and local dealers contact you with their prices.
3) I settled on wanting a Subaru Outback rather quick because of space limitations in my driveway/garage and having two young kids. A lot of my time was spent weighing the different options on the Subaru and our family preferences, but this also provided leverage in dealing with the various dealers.
4) I also contacted several auto brokers. One guy was able to beat the Costco price (working in conjunction with the Costco program), which gave me the idea that it was possible. But this guy and others tried to push leasing as a better value.
5) A lot of friends, etc promoted leasing because you can "write it off" as a business expense. I remain unclear about this idea. Even if you bought the car, you could still write off the business driving expense, so it's unclear to me why leasing is better. Also, you are not supposed to "write off" personal use of the car -- OR -- if the car is owned by your "business" and you drive for personal use, that is considered income and thus taxable anyway. So...I'm not clear what is going on here, either people are a) misreporting the amount of car usage for personal use or b) allowed themselves to get talked into leasing by autobroker/financiers who make money by maximizing lease transactions or c) know something I do not.
6) I ended up phoning around to just about every dealer in the area to compare availability and price. One place quoted me an option package $1200 cheaper than anyone else, but in a color scheme I didn't love. I tried to leverage this into the color scheme I wanted, but no one else would match and seemed genuinely surprised by how low they would go. It did get one guy to give his "bottom" price on that package which was still $900 more than the lowest price.
7) So I set out to buy that option package, but could not get the dealer to confirm the price via email because the woman who quoted it to me wasn't there. I figured she was lying to get me down there or made a mistake because she was in their internet sales. Still, that "mistake" helped me see that I was getting near bottom.
8) I found the car I wanted from a kinda far away dealer and thankfully they had another car with the better option package I would've also been happy with. I called them and refused to get off the phone until the manager matched the lowest price I had in writing on the big option package. He suggested I go buy at the other place and the only way he could give me that price was if I paid cash (which was $900 lower than Costco). I got him to agree to give that $900 lower on a different car as well, which is the car I ended up buying. He would not email me the offer either for fear I would leverage with another dealer. This low price matched the lowest price an autobroker offered me and seemed close enough to the bottom for my meager negotiating skills.
9) They still put me through the finance folks to try and sell extended warranties, etc, which I turned down. But I did ask the guy about the 0% financing over 48 months which seemed too good to be true. He said, I could do it, but would have to pay the $1500 more sticker price. A ha! That's how they get you.
10) I spoke to a few people who regretted leasing their cars because if anything goes wrong, ie a little extra damage, a little extra mileage, etc, you end up paying for it. I also think you pay a higher sticker price.
11) Costco does a deal if you want accessories that is incredible - 50% off after your purchase.
12) Conclusion: Use Costco or a similar service to get down near the true price. Get an additional discount for paying cash -- you can always get a better deal paying cash, so do it if you can. Leverage dealerships against each other. Don't settle, but be flexible. Find the car you want and pay a fair price. Have a backup you'd be perfectly happy with.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Wednesday, August 08, 2018
How Facebook Targets Teens
Growth at any cost is Facebook's credo.
Scum.
Sheryl Sandberg would do better for the world by leaning out.
Growth at any cost is Facebook's credo.
Scum.
Sheryl Sandberg would do better for the world by leaning out.
Logging
Restaurants: Mian and Lao Sze Chuan
Mian is a noodle place by the Chengdu Taste chef. Quite good and reasonable, but maybe not worth the drive. Chengdu Taste is special, Mian would be a great go-to regular lunch spot if nearby.
Lao Sze Chuan is somehow Michilin rated which seems absurd to me. Still, good in a pinch. The Glendale block where it resides also is home to a Tsujita, an Egg Slut, a Shake Shack, a Philz, a Ding Tai Fun, and Raffi's Place which arguably makes it the best restaurant block in Los Angeles although all of these places are not the original spots (except maybe Raffi's).
Restaurants: Mian and Lao Sze Chuan
Mian is a noodle place by the Chengdu Taste chef. Quite good and reasonable, but maybe not worth the drive. Chengdu Taste is special, Mian would be a great go-to regular lunch spot if nearby.
Lao Sze Chuan is somehow Michilin rated which seems absurd to me. Still, good in a pinch. The Glendale block where it resides also is home to a Tsujita, an Egg Slut, a Shake Shack, a Philz, a Ding Tai Fun, and Raffi's Place which arguably makes it the best restaurant block in Los Angeles although all of these places are not the original spots (except maybe Raffi's).
Pumpkin Spice Latte
The only great item at Starbucks will be back soon.
You must order with one pump.
The only great item at Starbucks will be back soon.
You must order with one pump.
Tuesday, August 07, 2018
Sorkin Was Right
About the internet.
I give it a 25% chance that when the history is written, the internet, we realized turned out to be a very bad thing. And I give it an additional 25% chance the very history that will be written will be false propaganda foisted upon us by the trolls who managed to seize power. (Hint: they already have)
About the internet.
I give it a 25% chance that when the history is written, the internet, we realized turned out to be a very bad thing. And I give it an additional 25% chance the very history that will be written will be false propaganda foisted upon us by the trolls who managed to seize power. (Hint: they already have)
Sunday, August 05, 2018
The Right
Much of my blog time is spent criticizing the Left, but here a thoughts for the Right.
The increasing appeal of socialism to some Americans should be viewed as a warning signal. I personally find the ideology repugnant, but the pragmatist inside asks: what is going on here? Why are these foolish and bankrupt ideas getting traction?
And it strikes me the most obvious answer is economic instability. The appeal of socialism is it promises a solution to instability: get the rich to pay for the basics - some basic income, some basic healthcare, some basic housing. These are bad ideas, but are they worse than "you're on your own?" Because what is the right saying? Sure...the social conservatives have an answer: get yourself to church, find a community, etc...and this isn't a BAD answer. But many on the right are not social conservatives - so what is the libertarian response to declining wages, increase costs of education, healthcare, rent, housing, etc?
I don't hear any ideas and if the Right can't come up with any beyond "deregulation" or cutting taxes, then I imagine socialism is only going to get more popular.
Much of my blog time is spent criticizing the Left, but here a thoughts for the Right.
The increasing appeal of socialism to some Americans should be viewed as a warning signal. I personally find the ideology repugnant, but the pragmatist inside asks: what is going on here? Why are these foolish and bankrupt ideas getting traction?
And it strikes me the most obvious answer is economic instability. The appeal of socialism is it promises a solution to instability: get the rich to pay for the basics - some basic income, some basic healthcare, some basic housing. These are bad ideas, but are they worse than "you're on your own?" Because what is the right saying? Sure...the social conservatives have an answer: get yourself to church, find a community, etc...and this isn't a BAD answer. But many on the right are not social conservatives - so what is the libertarian response to declining wages, increase costs of education, healthcare, rent, housing, etc?
I don't hear any ideas and if the Right can't come up with any beyond "deregulation" or cutting taxes, then I imagine socialism is only going to get more popular.
Twitter
A thing I like about it is the ability to discover new POVs and do a quick deep dive on their thoughts.
Rather like this thinker: Scott Galloway.
A thing I like about it is the ability to discover new POVs and do a quick deep dive on their thoughts.
Rather like this thinker: Scott Galloway.
Misstep
Trump going after LeBron building a school in his hometown is one of the dumbest things he's done in his Presidency. Most of his other antagonistic and insulting tweets have a strategic purpose, regardless of how you feel about them. Were he smarter, he'd be praising LeBron, but maybe a leopard cannot change his spots.
Trump going after LeBron building a school in his hometown is one of the dumbest things he's done in his Presidency. Most of his other antagonistic and insulting tweets have a strategic purpose, regardless of how you feel about them. Were he smarter, he'd be praising LeBron, but maybe a leopard cannot change his spots.
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