When emailing, I often need to reference information from messages either sent or received, and currently gmail requires me to save a draft of the message I’m writing, and then search for the email I need to reference and then open the draft again, and there is no way I know of to toggle between one or two or more messages easily, so sometimes I have to save a draft again and repeat this process a couple times. An easy fix for this would be to have tabs, so I can easily search for and select emails I need to reference, and toggle between different emails, while writing an email.

[update: it’s been ages since I’ve used Outlook - doesn’t it have this ability? Yahoo Mail does.]

Does anybody else share this frustration?

I really like the way a Cross or Montblanc rollerball pen writes - it is actually a significantly better writing experience than Dr. Grip or other inexpensive rollerball pens. However, the actual Montblanc or Cross refill writing cartridge only costs a few dollars, but the pen container costs over $100. Why isn’t there a pen container that costs maybe $10 and uses high quality refills a la Cross, so I don’t have to worry about losing a $100 + pen, and will still have a comparable writing experience?

Does anybody else have the same frustration?

Fox News profile here (video link)

Imagine when this technology advances to the extent that an entire computing user interface and applications are controlled simply with brain thoughts.

[previous post about this here.] 

1981: Microsoft clones 86 DOS by Seattle Computer Products and markets MS DOS.

1985: Microsoft releases Windows, a graphical operating system attempting to clone Macintosh (released in 1984).

1989: Microsoft clones Word Perfect (first release in 1982) and Lotus 1-2-3 (first release in 1983), and releases Microsoft Office.

1997: Microsoft releases Internet Explorer for Windows and Macintosh, a clone of Netscape’s browser (first release in 1994).

2001: Microsoft releases XBOX, a clone of the Sony Playstation (PS1 released in 1994 and PS2 released in 2000).

2006: Microsoft releases Zune, a clone of Apple’s iPod (first release in 2001).

1997-present: Microsoft’s internet initiatives (MSN) are trounced by Google, and therefore makes a play for Yahoo!

And, Microsoft is considered an innovative company?

Ok, this is not the type of thing I typically cover on sharkride, but I’ve discovered something related to municipal bond insurance I think should be publicly disclosed, and potentially regulated.

My interest in this started with this article about Buffett entering the municipal bond insurance business.

Also, here’s an International Herald Tribune report about Berkshire Hathaway’s $5 billion play to insure $800 billion of municpal bonds. 

Basically, there’s a reasonable argument, which says that in most cases municipal bonds should be rated AAA, even without insurance, because municipalities almost never default.  From 1970-2006 only .1 % of all municipal bonds defaulted, and if rated with the same criteria as corporate bonds, 2/3 of municipal bonds would be AAA rated.  So, basically, municipal bond insurance seems to be screwing municipalities, and therefore taxpayers.

So, in investigating why municipal bonds are unfairly rated, I discovered something that has not been reported, as far as I know:

Berkshire Hathaway owns 48 million shares of Moody’s, the very bond ratings company enabling the insurance companies (and now none other than Berkshire Hathaway) to make billions of dollars at taxpayers’ expense!

The amount of trash I generate simply from grocery store food and drink consumption is extraordinary. The plastic containers, and cardboard packaging of my frozen dinners, empty cereal boxes, empty snack boxes, empty milk containers etc. really add up (and even recycling is a wasteful process).

Imagine a new retail experience, where negative externalities from consumption are minimized, and mitigated by labeling and pricing. For example, instead of individually packaged 1/2 and one gallon milk containers, there could be big milk dispensers, where you can fill up your own plastic milk container over and over and over again. Ditto with cereal dispensers, where you use the same packaging week after week, and any other individually packaged product, for that matter.

Also, the carbon emissions from the production and transportation of products from the factories to the store are estimated, printed on the packaging, and a carbon offset is calculated into the purchase price.

Imagine all the possibilities!

Check this out: http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Check out the cords under my desk - before and after my solution.

BEFORE

AFTER

When the ingenious Sumerian who invented writing first carved those cuneiform symbols in stone along the Tigris River some 6000 years ago, a skeptic standing nearby predicted with concerned countenance that people would stop talking to each other.

(Slack, 2000 via Marks, Cavanagh and Gega, 2007)

We’re hearing a lot about alternative energy these days. But ethanol, wind and wave energy, and fuel cells, so far have many negative externalities. Solar power is still inefficient and expensive. Why don’t we hear more about the potential of free energy, the energy that exists freely in air, and is available to all nations equally? Check out this link to see all the potential technologies that can tap free energy.

I’ve also been thinking about the fresh water problem. At least one-third of the planet faces severe water shortages. More than one billion people worldwide lack access to safe and sufficient water for their household needs, subsistence and livelihoods.

Now, here’s a wild thought - what if free energy could power atmospheric water generators, a developing technology that can produce water from the humidity in air (link)?

TechCruch has profiled Taigate, a London-based company developing e-commerce functional banner ads (link here).

Tailgate link here.

This is an intriguing concept. Imagine if the banners offered really compelling e-commerce offerings - not simply in terms of serving product offerings that can target segmented users, but also through innovative, engaging ecommerce methods such as a reverse auction, or a countdown clock with a deal so good, it’s only available for 45 seconds, and then a different product selection is served, and the countdown starts again.

In addition, think of the implications of this idea in the emerging Widget economies - if widgets develop fully functional ecommerce solutions, which offer one click shopping, without leaving the host platform, that could be incredibly powerful.