Author Archives: Mark

Will Finland Bail Out Nokia?

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Mark

The Wall Street Cheat Sheet asks, Does Nokia Need a Bailout? The company is as important to the Finnish economy as the big banks are to the economies of Europe and the USA, and the Finnish government participates in the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Education, Government and Law | Leave a comment

A Sacrifice Before the Hunger Games

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Mark

I enjoy stories like The Lottery and The Hunger Games because they remind me of Nietzsche’s insight, “In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.” British band XTC wrote Sacrificial Bonfire using … Continue reading →

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Posted in Music, Society and Culture | Leave a comment

Software Legal Angels of Creative Destruction

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Mark

Kenneth Anderson of the Volokh Conspiracy discusses the automation of boring legal tasks, spurred by a judge allowing the “use of predictive coding, a computer-assisted document review that turns much of the legal grunt work currently done by underemployed attorneys … Continue reading →

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Posted in Education, Government and Law, United States | Leave a comment

Intolerance in Rural Arizona

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Mark

I passed the sign pictured at left yesterday while riding my bike in Show Low, a small rural town in east central Arizona. The USA is a great place to travel in a recreational vehicle, but like a parent abusing … Continue reading →

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Posted in Government and Law, Society and Culture, United States | Leave a comment

Chile Subsidizing Argentine Incubator

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Mark

According to SmartPlanet, Chile is subsidizing Argentine technology business incubator Nxtp.Labs. The Argentines operate a conventional incubator where the investors expect to profit by taking equity in return for mentorship and capital. Start-Up Chile, in contrast, invests without receiving equity … Continue reading →

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Posted in Argentina, Business, Chile, Government and Law, Start-Up Chile | 2 Comments

What Professors Refuse to Teach in Engineering and Business Schools

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Mark

Engineering and business schools are a waste not only because they squander the time and money of students on subjects with little or no value, but also because they refuse to allow students access to essential knowledge necessary. Venkatesh Rao … Continue reading →

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Posted in Education, United States | Leave a comment

Transforming an iPad into a Laptop

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Mark

According to Business Insider, a company is using Kickstarter to fund development of a keyboard to transform an iPad into a laptop: Entrepreneurs are working on Brydge, a keyboard case and speakers for an iPad. It’s seeking $90,000 in funding … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business | Leave a comment

Chile Articles, Chapter 4

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Mark

Reactions to an earthquake in northern Chile What did the local Chileans do? Probably just looked up at the swinging light for a moment just to double check it was in fact a quake and then went back to reading … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Chile, Society and Culture | Leave a comment

Chile Articles, Chapter 3

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Mark

At the End of the Earth, Seeking Clues to the Universe The same conditions that make the Atacama, Earth’s driest desert, so inhospitable make it beguiling for astronomy. In northern Chile, it is far from big cities, with little light … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Chile | Leave a comment

It’s Time to Pay the Most Evil Tax

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Mark

If you live in the USA, today is the customary deadline for filing income tax forms, although it is extended a couple of days this year because it falls on Sunday. I call it the most evil tax because it … Continue reading →

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Posted in Economics, United States | Leave a comment