When you beat up someone physically, you get excercise and stress relief; when you assault him verbally on the Internet, you just harm yourself.

People are much less interested in what you are trying to show them than what you are trying to hide.

Rationalism crashes in the tails.

Realism is punishing. Probabilistic skepticism is worse.

A good rule of thumb is as follows: If the numbers come from somebody wearing a tie (Wall Street economist or analyst, industry public relations department, captive think tank academic and so on), you ought to be very skeptical. By design messages from these people are intended to move markets, move merchandise and/or move public policy and are not a comment on the state of the physical universe.

I'm a capitalist but one who is smallist and localist, and who favours businesses where owners are still in charge.

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg didn't finish college. Too much emphasis is placed on formal education - I told my children not to worry about their grades but to enjoy learning.