Search Results for: palo alto

Slope Highlights 2014 (Part 3 of 3)

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Here is the third and final part of my retrospective with links to what I believe are the best posts of 2014 at Slope of Hope:

  • Technical Tools Tale – my “pre-Prophet” job experience was at a little startup in Los Altos called Technical Tools, which included a stint with a famed market wizard.
  • Mojave’s Story – I have three dogs now, and this is the story about how I found my third dog, Mojave, during the summer and adopted him into the family.
  • The King of Sooth – explaining my obsession with the deceased art instructor Bob Ross
  • My Town’s Transformation – what’s happened to my little college town of Palo Alto?
  • A Change in Tone – in which I pledge to try to be more balanced and less permabearish (ummm, it didn’t work)
  • Pity the Sub-Genius – definitely one of my favorite posts of the year, if not the entire history of the blog. It’s hard to explain; just read the damned thing.
  • Zachary – the tale of a severely-deformed man who spends his time on University Avenue here in Palo Alto
  • Shifting Sands – a post that predicted oil would follow the same stumbling tumble as gold and silver had, which it did.
  • In Perpetuity – the shock and awe from the surprise Abe announcement in late October
  • Revisiting Truth’s Moment – comparing the pickup in volatility from 2007 to what we’re seeing today
  • My MarketMax Tale – a dream job becomes a disaster for me, and I’m ultimately kicked to the curb
  • Clinkle is New Color – some high-tech startups are really stupid. Like, say, this one.

That’s it, my friends! The best of 2014! Be safe tonight, and unless you work for the Fed, please make sure you’re sober behind the wheel.

Remember Bitcoin?

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I seriously hadn’t thought of this “currency” for ages, but this article (which notes that Bitcoin was the worst performing currency in the world, even worse than the Russian ruble) reminded me of it. The hype around bitcoin a year ago was absolutely comic, and even here in Palo Alto, there’s still only one place (Coupa Cafe coffee house) that accepts bitcoin………..I suppose as some kind of gimmick. Anyway, put a fork in it. This thing is toast.

1229-bitcoin

Why Tony Robbins Is Asking The Wrong Questions

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First off let me make this statement plain and simple before one reads any further. This is not a hit piece, nor an effort to take swipes at Tony Robbins or worse, some feeble attempt at click-baiting.

I have been a true fan since he first hit the motivational stage decades ago. However, just as I am what many would call an Apple™ “fan-boy” (which I am) it doesn’t stop me from pointing out issues where I see a compelling reason to do so.

As I’ve stated before, I mean it in a manner the same way one would criticize a family member when they are either doing something that doesn’t make sense, or something other. Nothing more, nothing less. (more…)

Repulsive Attractant

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Indulge me in a bit of a thought experiment.

Let’s say there was a fellow here in Palo Alto named Brad. He told me that he had invented the world’s perfect tiger repellant. He simply sprayed it on, and voila, no tigers would bother him.

This was intriguing to me, because I had, in turn, created a tiger attractant. My claim was that this invisible spray would attract tigers from several miles away.

The trouble was, my spray just didn’t seem to work. Try as I might, no tigers ever appeared. Not even once. Back when I was roaming around Indonesia and Sumatra, tigers would show up all the time. But here in Palo Alto, it just didn’t work anymore. (more…)