decimation: greenspun thinks that if starbucks went 'full coke machine' and got rid of the employees, they wouldn't be able to charge the rates they do, because 'not hand crafted'

decimation: how did greenspun put it: http://philip.greenspun.com/materialism/early-retirement/investing " Note that Harvard's total is 105 percent because of leverage, i.e., situations in which they've borrowed money to purchase investments. Conspicuously absent from these portfolios are heavy investments in American companies run by Harvard and Yale graduates. "Domestic Equity" are publicly traded stocks such as GE and Microsoft. Harvard and Ya

decimation: Greenspun was just making the side point that the aircraft is relatively expensive to operate compared to others in its class

decimation: greenspun: "(compare to about $25,000 per flight hour to charter (source)). If American Airlines spent this much during the 7-hour flight from London to Boston it would cost $1.44 million for the trip in operating cost (i.e., not including the capital cost of the aircraft) or about $3500 per passenger (i.e., a round-trip coach ticket couldn?t be sold for less than about $7000 plus taxes and fees)."

decimation: greenspun has a continual rant on the divorce racket

decimation: yeah the best comment on greenspun's article: "This is a subject and comparison that has been written about at length. German roads last longer because they are built substantially better than most U.S. roads. The German system of road construction relies on large long-term contracts with national companies that must build and maintain the roadway and are responsible for repairing any design and engineering defects. There is a powerfu

decimation: heh maybe greenspun reads you

decimation: re: small plane safety: http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/safety " If you don't want to die like JFK, Jr., who became disoriented on a dark and hazy night over water, don't fly at night or don't fly at night unless you're absolutely sure that it will be clear with a bright moon. If you don't want to die when a 25-year-old part fails in mid-air, get a new airplane. "

decimation: greenspun agrees that the sr-20 has challenging flight dynamics: http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/cirrus-sr20 " In terms of avoiding an accident, one problem with the Cirrus is its unforgiving handling compared to other basic four-seaters. For pilots accustomed to learning about an impending stall by feeling reduced airloads on the flight controls, the Cirrus provides much less stall warning. This is due to spring cartridges that

decimation: hehe yeah. as one commentator put it (on greenspun's site): "I doubt that Obama (or Bush in his day) even thinks about what kind of travel arrangements are being made on his behalf. It’s the lackeys around them who like to be part of a grand spectacle, compounded by unfettered risk aversion in the federal and MA security apparatus."

decimation: heh one of the links in greenspun's blog: http://archive.delawareonline.com/article/20060614/NEWS/60614001/Air-Force-blames-crew-C-5-crash

decimation: Yeah I do see how that throws a wrench in the model. Here's a real-world example: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2014/08/09/obama-and-new-england-aviation-businesses-start-their-vacation/ << greenspun details how Obama travels with an enormous entourage, which usg can't afford - this fact doesn't occur to anyone 'in the loop'

decimation: yeah, I was reading greenspun last night and I thought of you - his post about the low quality of rentals available to citizens