soapbox

In keeping with tradition, I propose this Wednesday evening.  I’m happy to host, if people can make it, but I don’t have DVR so we might want to go with G-Money’s setup.

Wow, thanks for the intro, Ethan! I confess that I’ve been keeping tabs on soapbox for a few months now, but haven’t taken the initiative to get in touch with Nathaniel and learn how to log on. Thanks to Mike’s thesis defense, I had the opportunity to introduce myself to Nathaniel, which I did with remarkable poise and grace.

Anyway, I look forward to posting frequently and commenting regularly. I can’t wait to choose my categories! Also, I had a fabulous time at Brian’s wedding, and if you want to hear more about it you should talk to Tim (totally sober), to me (mostly sober), to Joel (OK!?!), or to Chris (…).

Seriously, this is too much.

Good grief. As if there weren’t already enough ways to become a fat-ass in Vegas.

And yes, this was filed under the proper categories: “animals” and “poker”. Deducing the reasoning behind these choices is an exercie left to the reader.

How to Know Your Lady Has Reached “Girlfriend Status”
They reach “girlfriend status” the moment they leave something at your house and it isn’t an accident. During those first few weeks, they always try to leave things and pretend it’s an accident, like a dog marking its territory … but once things progress and you have a conversation that includes the sentences “I thought I’d leave a couple of things here for when I sleep over” and “OK, that sounds like a good idea,” then you have a girlfriend. That’s the bottom line.

General Guy Code (second question down)
Three No-Brainer Rules: There are certain codes that guys live by. I’ve mentioned many of them in this space over the years — stuff like “If you’re sharing a bed with someone in Vegas, make sure you remain at least two feet apart at all times,” and “If your buddy’s team loses an especially tough game, you can’t call him to make fun of him under any circumstances.” But there are three codes that supercede all others. Here they are:

1.) You can’t be attracted to your buddy’s sister.
2.) You can’t be attracted to your buddy’s girlfriend.
3.) You can’t be attracted to your buddy’s ex-girlfriend if he had genuine feelings for her.

That’s the shocking result of a survey of people with an average net worth of $89 million, and who make more than $9 million per year.

“The majority of men and women credit their private wealth with achieving a better sex life. When viewed separately, a larger percentage of women agree with the statement, perhaps indicating that females derive a greater degree of empowerment from their financial independence than their male counterparts,” according to Hannah Shaw Grove and Russ Alan Prince, two well-known researchers on the habits of the rich and famous.

(They have middle names so they must be very knowledgeable when it comes to rich people.)

More surprising (or not) items (after the break):

(more…)

This afternoon I found an article that does a good job (better than I could) of explaining what I meant about how Warren Buffett is no saint. Yes his donation is staggering, and out-does Rockefeller/etc even when scaled for inflation, but he’s also screwed more rich guys than Paris Hilton.

But let’s be honest: Warren Buffett is not making the sacrifice, say, that one does who devotes his or her life to work in the slums of Calcutta, or becomes an aid worker in Liberia as a colleague in the prime of his life recently did where I work… Those are the people who should be celebrated rather than ignored by a culture that holds wealth and fame above compassion and duty.  Buffett simply is a businessman and investor — perhaps the best at both. Neither is an entirely noble profession, having, as both do, greed at the core. But few professions are completely free of the deadly sins.