Born into pessimism

By rickColosimo / April 8, 2011 /

Sometimes, life is too fatalistic for my tastes. It’s a fundamentally anti-American thing to say that we are too molded by the past, that our destinies are rough-hewn before we have control of our own lives. Sad, too, to learn too late that this is also true of those around us. Certainly, this isn’t determinism;…

How not to give investing advice

By rickColosimo / March 13, 2011 / Comments Off on How not to give investing advice

Having complained about non-lawyers giving legal advice, I’ll briefly rant about non-finance people giving investment advice. A quote I won’t attribute to the author: Common advice for personal finance is to invest in “blue chip” shares such as BHP or the banks. Often overlooked is what “investing” actually means. It is giving a company your…

Burning: flags vs books

By rickColosimo / February 18, 2011 / Comments Off on Burning: flags vs books

I recently saw a question asking “Which is worse: flag burning or book burning?” My answer is definitely books, as in not even close for me. My thoughts on the flag go back to some Army experiences — one in basic training where the guy who bunked next to me got nearly apoplectic when a…

Eating the elephant, not the fries

By rickColosimo / January 25, 2011 / Comments Off on Eating the elephant, not the fries

Peter Shankman is on a quest to move himself to 10% bodyfat this year. He’s already thinking about his remodeling his diet with some serious changes. In switching my diet, I’ve tried to make only one firm change, and even that one has a relevant (and enjoyable) exception. The most significant changes I’ve made have…