Every now and then I come a cross some programmer’s personal blog in which they describe themselves with outrageous language. Without giving it away, I just came across one that says, under their little picture, “Passionate about Python and Javascript”. Bonus points if they throw in something about loving dogs, or cheesecake. JKLOLZ OMG! Passion! […]
Category: Economics
Knowledge and Specialization
The Colorado stay-at-home order is shaking some things up in my life, and some of this is for the better, I think. Almost everything that was making me busy before has been put on hold, and I’m having to ask myself some really tough questions about what needs to change in my life. I write […]
Stay Out of the Store!
Companies that advertise themselves the most usually have the least to offer. Heavy advertising is merely a strategy, and it is most often employed by businesses that lack a substantial product. So while the marketing and advertising department may receive a massively larger slice of the budget, the goal is to have a product that […]
Reflections on Programming
There are four general types of people who become programmers: There are those who enter the fray by their inherent tendency to tinker, who tinker so much that they suddenly realize they are qualified for jobs. Then there are the money chasers who hear that “coding pays well” and who either put themselves through a […]
Coupons
I’m not convinced that coupons are worth using. This is largely due to the fact that most coupons I receive are not for stores I frequently visit, but they always manage to plant one question in my brain: “Hm, is there anything I need from this store?” This is a dangerous question. It’s like asking, […]
Your Life is Paid for in Time
On the one hand, I want to be a great programmer. I want to be highly skilled and capable in my field, and I want to become a technical go-to person in software. On the other hand, I do not love computers, or programming, or work. They are merely interesting, things that I typically enjoy […]
Thoughts on Cars
There’s one ideal way to own a car: Pay $0 for one that never breaks down. Wouldn’t that be great? Wouldn’t that be one of the best deals ever? Yeah, well, too bad. Every car decision is some combination of risk. You can pay a ridiculous portion of your net worth for a new car, […]
Personal Returns on Education
One clever life strategy is to carefully select your post-secondary education to maximize its ROI in your personal life. I’m not talking so much about monetary earnings as I am about the utility of specific skills in your life when they are used for you. For example, my degree is in Anthropology. This was a […]
The Ubiquity of Cyclical Spending
In a theoretical economy, the wages individuals earn through the value of their labor would be spent on the labor of others. A lawyer would use the wages he earns practicing law to purchase groceries from one who distributes groceries, he may also use part of his wages to make car payments to another who […]
The Power of Cash Position
My cell phone bricked itself this morning. Just completely shat itself out. Coma-inducing diarrhea. One moment it was running just fine, the next it was black-screened, and after several half-successful attempts to turn it back on, the damage seemed final. It even feels slightly lighter now, like its soul has leapt from its fleshly bonds […]