Moving Back

I am moving my writing back to The Nappy Cat with one of my best friends and colleagues, Will.

My feedburner RSS feed will direct you to the content that I write from there, so don’t worry about having to update that.

My reason for moving back is really just the fact that I wanted to start writing with my friend Will again. Especially now because he has started writing more again.

As much as I try, Will has a better way of showing the absolute farces that our media and the portrayal of our political system are. I’m hoping that by writing with him again, we can wake up some people to see the world for what it really is when it is at its worst and best.

My blogspot here will still remain up, so the archive will always be available.

Just a Little Something

One of the items I’ve added recently is on the side of this blog. Through the many news and blog feeds that I read, I will denote a certain few that I would like to share. Those items will appear on the side of this blog.

As well, there is a separate feed for those news items in case you use a reader and don’t visit the actual blog page very often, but would like to see my shared news items.

One of the reasons why I do not wish to post every little news story that I come across is because I would like to keep my posts towards an op-ed path, and not get caught up in the mini-posts that are there just to link to something else.

Spotting the Trend of Online Social Networking

This past week I have been quite busy in my day job, and the trend looks to continue this coming week most certainly.

Although, speaking of trends, I would like to use one of my more favorite segments from The Daily Show to further what I feel are the intricate issues of online social networking. What better way to make a point, other than satire?

Demetri Martin explains:



I'll get back with another column later next week.

Blog Format

Because I never stated my format before, I thought I would let readers know that they should expect my posts to come about once or twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for my near 500 word op-eds. Other smaller posts and simple links will be thrown in sporadically. As usual, I will try to let you know when I take breaks.

Lost iPod

Is this your iPod? David Berlind is doing something cool on his blog, and I’m using my blog (and the two people who read it) to help out.

If this isn't a test for how the blogosphere can get things done, I'm not sure what is. As a part of this test, if you happen to read this blog entry and you have a blog, please spread the word and let's see if the viral nature of the blogosphere can help this iPod find its owner.

If any of this means something to you and you've recently lost your iPod, contact me at david.berlind@cnet.com. The photos on this device clearly have some sentimental value. So, it would be great if we (the blogosphere) can help it find its way home. Of course, you'll need to prove to me that it's yours which shouldn't be too difficult.

Why we Blog

My inspiration for starting a new blog was about trying to emulate one of my new personal heroes, Greg Mankiw. Mankiw’s blog has become for me an inspiration that what I studied for so long has so many real world applications. Obviously, economics is a study of the world and the trade-offs we make in this world.

Today I took a walk back to all the time I spent becoming educated on these various topics that encompass finance and economics. I took time off from my job so I could visit a professor at the University of Delaware. On the walk to his office, I saw something that illustrated to me the unique environment that a school provides (fortunately or unfortunately depending on anyone’s personal experience).

On Main Street I saw a car parked with its hazards – or four-way flashers if you prefer – parked in a metered area. Right as the “meter maid” (in my last six years I have never seen this lady do any other sort of “police work”) was starting to give a ticket, the owner of the vehicle came rushing out, as he was ready to leave. The meter maid coerced the owner of the vehicle to stay in order so she could write the ticket out and give it to him. Now, realize, the owner was going to move the car, but was forced to wait in order to receive his ticket. But wait, there’s more. In giving the ticket, the meter maid parked her vehicle beside the vehicle getting ticketed, which if you know Main Street in Newark, DE, you realize that she double parked and blocked an entire lane of traffic. So, please someone, tell me the efficiency in that.

Why I blog, why many other people blog, and why economists like Greg Mankiw blog I believe is an answer that can be described in the unique environments or situations that people find themselves in. For me – and possibly others – it’s a reaction to the questions that come up in our observations. And in my opinion, because universities and colleges are such unique environments, it’s no wonder that academics have so many things to blog about.

Subaru Responds

Subaru responded, and it seems as though they are completely in the clear – literally and figuratively.

Dear Mr. Katsimbris:

Thank you for visiting the Subaru web site and for your message!

The Subaru STI models do not come with window tint from the factory. We do not install a 39% window tint on this model. Only the Subaru B9 Tribeca comes with tinted windows from the factory, and only the rear windows are tinted, not the front side windows.

The STI model, like all other Subaru's. has a very light, UV reduction tint. It may have a faint blue-ish hue to it, but is not usually noticeable. If the vehicle you purchased has a 39% tint on it, it was installed at some point after the production, either by dealer or previous owner.

If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to reply to this email!

Best wishes,

(Name Withheld, although I wish they allowed me to post the name because this person had excellent etiquette)
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer/Dealer Services Department

I then replied because I just had some further inquiries in his email, but nevertheless, Subaru is in the clear, and with the help of my dealer, so will be my car's windows.

Rock on Subaru.

An Open Letter to Subaru

Greetings, I am the owner of a 2005 Impreza WRX STI. I would like to ask a few questions. First, am I correct in assuming that many of your vehicles (including a 2005 STI) come from the factory with tint on all windows – except the windshield?

Second, as I purchased the vehicle pre-owned (it was a lease turn-in), I had to go to the DMV to have a VIN check performed where they made me take it through inspection knowing that they could fail me for the window tint (apparently, even though only for a VIN check, they have the right to inspect vehicles on call if they’re in the lane). 70% light is required to go through the windows (Delaware State Law) and the Subaru’s tint only allowed 39%. What is Subaru’s official statement on their use of window tint in vehicles? Is there any comment on this situation (or prior similar situations)?

Please know that I am in no way mad at Subaru, or my dealer. Both my vehicle and Matt Slap Subaru are excellent, however I believe I am deserving of some official statement in what is an apparent incongruence between Delaware State Law and one specific manufacturing standard (window tint) of Subaru.

websites that don't work

This is not the first time this has happened to me with the direct loan service site, and I doubt that it will be the last. Nevertheless, the point is that I want to pay them back, but sometimes they don’t make it easy. I’d like to take a page out of Scott Adams’ blog, and go through a hypothetical scenario.

Rule of thumb for many free market economists is that the government has a horrible habit of running things inefficiently. So, even though I loved my direct loan for college, what if these loans were all carried out in a competitive private sector market? Of course I would have to hope that they don’t try to run a cartel or oligopoly in the student loan market. Nevertheless, would I be able to get what I want (a functional website)? I know my credit card’s website is always operational. The credit card company makes it so easy to get my money through the web.

But there in lies the problem, the company’s website that works charges some of its customers 18% APR. So, with that in mind let me just keep praying that the government decides to improve its website rather than giving my loan to a credit card company.

Does anyone else out there know of some websites that they wish worked better?

great place to work

As an example of how I enjoy my work environment and the congenial relationship I have with my boss, this is an email I wrote to my boss after I received a request to “please complete the attached forms,” for an assignment I had never done before. I thought that I could provide some insight back to my boss in considering the lack of directions that I received.

_________________________

I would be happy to, but I will not forego this opportunity to shed on you some economics questions. Firstly, with efficiency in mind, why would someone (namely here, you) request completion of tasks from someone who has never completed said tasks. Even if an argument of “applied learning” is implemented, several questions remain. Do I have the resources to complete these tasks? Do I know where to acquire the information and proprietary knowledge to complete the forms in the task?

What are the chances of me coming back to the same person who assigned the task (again, namely you)? Is it then truly efficient that I were given the task? Even if completed entirely on my own, would the documents be sufficient? In my personal expertise, I might describe the property as, “Three lots barely larger than the area between elbow and forearm, which are located somewhere in Delaware.” Even then, you might still come back to me with requests for revision, which would restart this entire scenario.

In the words of (a co-worker and friend of mine at another division), (boss’ name), think smarter, not harder. I’ll see you soon.

-Mike K.

__________________

Needless to say we all had a good laugh, and the job was done.

great minds

Wow, I just now started reading Freakonomics, and have realized that the authors, whose blog I subscribe to, use the same study that I mentioned yesterday.

As much as I like to think that great minds think alike, we came to the same study for different reasons. But I still love the coincidence. Has anything like this ever happened to you?

nature v. nurture

Greg Mankiw blogs about the nature-nurture debate using a previously written research paper and another working paper that was recently released. Personally, I loved thinking that anyone could nurture a child into a new life, but I may not be as right as I thought I was. As Mankiw states,

“In both papers, nature is stronger than nurture for determining the educational attainment of adopted children, although both nature and nurture have some role. And in both papers, nature completely dominates over nurture for determining income.”

Well, even though I’m not adopted, I’m scared to death that my parents weren’t college graduates. Hopefully this means that if I have a child, he/she will be better off than I or my parents. Unless, of course, I adopt them.

human competition

In a much needed break from working; I had a great weekend with my friend Josh, and our mutual cohorts. While I did well within groups for a time, in the recent past (after graduating from the University of Delaware in 2004) I have found that my role within normal group dynamics has become awkward again.

This is a natural anxiety that stems from an over-zealous eagerness to see old friends. One of the problems that surfaces from my social anxiety and desperate need to impress friends is that I talk WAY TOO much. And, in the end, I forget to do the important thing that Scott is always mentioning, which is to ask the questions and reach a “common point of interest.”

Talking too much and not asking questions though is a cyclical self-inflicted wound. In my mind, the incentive to talking is to show people my prowess in different arenas of culture and politics. Unfortunately, there are two bad externalities from this. 1) I monopolize the conversation and risk alienating others from it. And 2) When in a drinking environment (and I not being a person who particularly likes alcohol), all around nerdy type topics are not exactly going to get people interested in you, or have the laughs come rolling.

The question -- that Scott Ginsberg asks -- is, "how am I unique?" What makes my product (simply put, me) palpable? But I think an important underlying principal is to not be different for the sole sake of being different. Rather, to find what interests I and other people have in common, and to explore those interests.

Regrettably, I find myself at a competitive disadvantage. While at Klondike Kate’s (pictured above in Newark, DE) during the weekend, I remember only one friend finding it in any way amusing that I could remember -- at such a “party down” time of the night –- Senator Ted Stevens (R) – Alaska comments about the internet being a “series of tubes” humorous. Not to mention that I don’t wear ankle socks.

So, I have a few questions. How do you interact personally (sans internet) with people who have similar interests when you don’t live in a largely metropolitan area? What do you do in order to remind yourself that you may be talking too much? Also, how do you recover in the conversation in order to try and bring in the other voices? And ultimately, apart from people who have bad social skills (and crazy or racist beliefs), do you think that there are people out there with certain interests (eg. my love of Formula 1 racing) that will never find other friends of similar interests without help from the internet?

character

A friend of mine who works in Thailand for Wycliffe just sent me some correspondence. She definitely has my prayers and support, and I am really thankful that I’m witness to the kind of personality that’s needed to take oneself out of your comfort zone in order to travel to the other side of the world to translate The Bible so other people just have the chance to read it.

It’s also that kind of bravery that makes me such a huge admirer of Glenn Greenwald. He stands up to criticism day in and day out.

A move

Well, many thanks to those of you who either came here of my asking you, or followed the link from Blogicology. Currently, I’m not completely sure if I’ll post as much as I did on Blogicology, but I do know that I have outlived my usefulness there. As has been the case in the past, William has simply gone far above and beyond in publishing his own site. It’s a lot of hard work that I feel unworthy in being a part of. Of course, if Will every once and a while wants to link to me, I’ll more than welcome it. Nevertheless, he’s more in touch with what people want to read. And I, personally, want to follow in the footsteps of my hero, Greg Mankiw, which is why I’m on blogspot anyway.