Same education but more than 25 times in cost

台灣的大學費用實在很便宜，尤其台灣稅率和其他比較國家相對低很多。這大概也算是均一教育的一種延伸。(每年學雜費來自2013年學校網站，每戶平均年收入來自各國政府2012年官方資料)

philanthropists or plutocrats? To be or not to be?

Tonight's PBS Charlie Rose program had the interview with Warren Buffett, his son and grandson, all are dedicated philanthropists. His son loves farming and has to pay his dad the rent for the 400 acres (=1.6 km^2) farmland his dad bought him. The three generations of Buffett family almost spent their full time to distribute 99% of Buffett's $46B fortune for philanthropic purposes. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, No. 1 and 2 of US richest, want people to remember them as philanthropists rather than just plutocrats. Western and Eastern cultures have some significant differences!

Any clean Congressmen/women without using PAC money for personal perks?

Feel unfair about coveted 18% interest rate? US Congressmen can also enjoy 18% interest if they loan their own money to their political funds and charge them with 18%. rate. They can use the political fund to hire their children and their mistresses (as in the 2006 John Edwards scandal) and pay them exorbitant salaries. They can use the money for all of their personal expenses such as personal travelling, vacation, dining, football game and so on as long as the money is from their own PAC (political action committee) fund as in tonight's CBS "60 Minutes". Wow, how many politicians are really clean? Power really leads almost everyone to corruptive trajectory simply because very few can resist so many lucrative perks given to them LEGALLY.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57608255/washingtons-open-secret-profitable-pacs/

Inflicted middle classes migrate to Texas

ince 2008, 58% of job increases in the U.S. are for incomes lower than $28,000 which signifies a well-known fact, i.e., the thinning of middle-class. Th era of low-income and high cost-of-living drives many migrants to Sun Belt, especially Texas, as in the cover story of TIME, "Why Texas Is Our Future". Interesting chart of state-by-state actual average income comparison (after adjustment of cost-of-living and state tax) shows that Texas stands at a coveted No. 3 (California lags far behind at No. 47)

A frugal company with P/E as high as 2767

Just read the BusinessWeek cover story of "The secrets of Bezos", a very interesting story about the amazing Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos. It always beats me with one question: "Why Amazon can be so successful?" Apple's one-quarter profit is more than 2.5 times of Amazon's total profit in the last 10 years. Apple's P/E is only 13 while Amazon's is a mind-boggling 2767 (July, 2013). Amazon's employees don't have fancy office desk, rather, they have door-desks (see photo). It is still hard to imagine the working ethos in this mammoth but extremely frugal company.

a young brainiac may save 40K people in the U.S. every year

Pancreatic cancer has been known as a "humbling" cancer since it is impossible to detect it in early stage; when it is found, patient is at death's door. (Steve Jobs died of pancreatic cancer and it is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death). Now, it may change, thanks to a 16-year high-school student, Jack Andraka as in tonight's CBS "60 Minutes". 
He is a brainiac but hardly a genius. During his interview, what it tugs my heartstrings is his quote: "You can be a genius but if you don't have the creativity to put that knowledge to use, then you just have a bunch of knowledge and nothing else." Creativity and dedication are what made him stand out and probably will save the lives of 40K people every year in the U.S.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57606924/teen-scientist-may-have-invented-cancer-test/

Gloomy future of income inequality

Recent documentary film, "Inequality for all", gives a sobering reminder of the worsening income inequality. Famous Koch brothers earn $3M USD per hour (yes, per hour). Income increases a lot in the last 25 years for top 20% but stagnant for bottom 50% after adjusted by inflation. Income inequality started to go up in 1975, the year computer started to emerge. It is so scary that income inequality will be worse in the future since the whole world has started to become skill- and capital-centralized (just imagine that robots now cost $3.5 USD per hour!)

Disability benefit with close to 100% approval rate

I always wonder "For able-bodied poor people with low skill and no intention to take minimum wage jobs, how do they survive after unemployment benefits run out?" Now, I have answer, at least partially, after watching tonight CBS "60 Minutes": "Get the disability benefit". That government benefit almost has a 100% approval rate even you just have, e.g., headache or muscle pain. The number of enrollees in disability program shot up after 2008 financial tsunami. Disability entitlement program is expected to run out of money three years from now and since no legislators want to be labelled as "cold-blood politicians", be prepared to embrace for the next round of payroll tax increase.

Steinfeld Shutdown

The TV news tonight came up an interesting term, "Steinfeld Shutdown", about the recent U.S. government shutdown. It stumps me since I have no idea what it means. Later, I realize it is about the famous TV episode of "a show of nothing" by Jerry Steinfeld. Every TV show must have "something" but Steinfeld wants a show of "nothing". Probably the recent Taiwan political strife is also a "Steinfeld strife". 
a show of nothing

cut-and-thrust interview with Netanyahu

Just finished watching PBS's "Charlie Rose" program with an exciting cut-and-thrust interview with Israel prime minister Netanyahu. Netanyahu's English is always powerful and pungent. I always admire Netanyahu's formidable resoluteness as much as Bill Gates' shrewd insightfulness and Obama's intonational articulation.