Author Archives: konkin
The real real-estate roller coaster
A mezmerizing video of a virtual roller coaster designed with gradients from US home prices since 1890.  You have to watch this to the end when you get to see a view all the way down to the ground (~4 minutes)...  http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-2757699799528285056
Portfolio theory explained from the ground up
I've long admired the lifestyle of university professors, and this site just stokes my desire for such perks of the occupation. Campbell R. Harvey, Ph.D., is a professor of finance at Duke University who has posted a series of video lectures on asset management. From portfolio theory to short selling to option pricing, the material … Continue reading
Lake Superior: The worlds largest fresh water hot tub
A story today in the globe about Lake Superior getting warmer. Apparently the temperature of the world's largest fresh water lake is rising at a yearly rate faster than the environment around it. Yes, this is happening because of Global Warming, and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration - a US government organization that did … Continue reading
Annual spring snow is here
OK, every April we get a nice hit of warm weather here in Toronto, and every April I always warn everybody that every year it always snows at least once before the end of the month. It looks like this year is no exception. According to theweathernetwork.com we have a snow fall on the horizon … Continue reading
Water is the new oil.
If you're old enough to remember the 70's, you will probably recall a decade of both cheap and abundant gasoline, except for one year that saw an 'oil shortage' that produced long lineups at gas stations and inflated prices. While stronger geopolitical American ties can be thanked for keeping the taps open (along with a … Continue reading
High gas prices: inconvenient for some of us, good for all of us
Torontonians are in a moral dilemma. They all think there are too many cars on the road, but they shudder at the thought of giving up their own car to save the environment. Too much of their prosperity is riding on their tires for them to bear giving up their automobiles. So why spend a … Continue reading
The pressure cooker approach to building wealth
A good friend of mine and I share a similar value - the ongoing search for value. We both hate overpaying for anything, and cherish those moments when we find or negotiate a good deal. For us it's all about the repect and appreciation for our hard earned assets. This week he told me about … Continue reading
Hello, I'm Progress. You can't stop me.
Riding home one night I was captivated by this scene on Temperance Street: Tearing down the big concrete wall - along with a charming turn of the century building - to build the Bay/Adelaide Centre. Shot by me in 3 separate photos and stitched together January 16, 2007, 9:26:32 PM. (click the image for a … Continue reading
What baboons can teach us about stress
An absolutely fascinating video by Robert Saplosky - an anthropologist who spent over a decade studying wildlife in Kenya. In this lecture he connects the behaviour of baboons to how us modern day societal humans treat each other. It really explains why we do the things we do in life and in business as a … Continue reading
In the discount airline industry, everything's an extra
Recently my mother flew into town on Tango for some routine surgery. She recovered for a day, then I drove her to the airport for her trip back. I parked the car, escorted her over to the Air Canada counter and made sure she got a wheel chair and special assistance on to the flight. … Continue reading