Has Jim Cramer ever given a good recommendation? I’m just curious. Anyway, I just stumbled across this from last June:
Beating Cramer’s Meat
Slope of Hope Blog Posts
Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.
Into the Wild
I was recently on an extremely lengthy plane ride, so I decided to watch a movie. They had over 100 different choices, and nothing really grabbed me. However, as I was glancing at the list a second time, I decided to see what I thought of Into the Wild, which I vaguely remembered was about a young man who trekked to Alaska and perished there.
One of my older brothers, just after high school, decided to hitchhike his way to Alaska. This is from Louisiana, remember, and it was during the mid 1970s. In other words, this was insane. At the time, I didn’t really give it a second thought, but as a parent myself now, I can hardly believe he got out of the house with such plans. My kids are just about fully grown, and I still wait outside the bathroom door for them at restaurants, so I can’t imagine just sending a kid off for the entire summer and hoping maybe he’d return in a couple of months.
(more…)Parasite
There is probably no non-investing topic I’ve written more about on Slope than wealth distribution. It’s a subject of great fascination to me, particularly since I am surrounded on all sides by both billionaires and the working poor. The Silicon Valley is a strange place.
I’ve been in the grand houses of many zillionaires, and I always think to myself how easy it would be for an unruly mob to take over not just the house, but the entire town (of, say, Atherton, which is exclusively inhabited by the well-to-do). I’ve heard the social fabric tears more easily than one might think, and I’m inclined to believe it.
(more…)A Favorite Interview
This is from nearly half a century ago, but it is the full interview of the legendary Marlon Brando with Dick Cavett. I find it fascinating, and frankly enjoy watching his behavior and mannerisms in real life even more than the characters he portrays. He is clearly an intelligent man with deeply-held values, and it’s a pleasure watching him with this rare openness.
Bad. Sad. Brilliant.
One of my (many) weaknesses is that I’m kind of set in my ways. I’m into certain music, certain movies, certain comics, and I rarely try anything new. For a while, though, one of my kids tried to turn me on to the comic Bill Burr, and once I finally started listening, I really started getting into him. So much so, that I’ve appointed him the Junior Patron Saint of the Slope of Hope (just behind the late, great George Carlin).
I highly recommend you watch his latest Netflix special, Paper Tiger. One of the best parts is a bit about Koko the Gorilla. The video below only shows the first half of the bit, but it integrates the actual footage he’s talking about (this isn’t part of the special; some YouTuber did it on his own). You’ll particularly appreciate it if you actually watch the whole special. Enjoy:
(more…)Gates
There is a new three part documentary on Netflix about Bill Gates. It is a beautifully-crafted pastiche of his achievements and his philanthropic efforts. I cannot recommend it more strongly. If you have Netflix, watch it.
Oil’s Fall Was Obvious
It couldn’t be simpler. If the media is going ape about some given event, and particularly if ZH is clutching its pearls about how such-and-so is going to go to price thus-and-such, you can count on the exact opposite taking place. I offer you Exhibit A:
