Monthly Archives: March 2011

A free $2 Trillion

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“The Fed has kept short-term interest rates near zero since December 2008 and has bought more than $2 trillion in long-term securities to push borrowing costs down further and boost recovery from the 2007-2009 recession.”  (Fed unlikely to extend QE2, officials say by Ann Saphir (Reuters – 03/25/11)

The Federal Reserve was able to buy $2 trillion in long-term securities.  This is amazing consider that GDP is right around $14 trillion (Google) and the 2010 US Federal Government is $2 trillion (wikipedia.org).  Where does the Federal Reserve get that $2 trillion from?  (From what I’ve read, it seems it just gets it out of thin air.) The ability to pump this amount of money into the economy is just extraordinary. 

Winning the Lottery can make you less of what you already are

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With just a bit of luck $1 could have become $312 Million in last Friday’s Mega Millions lottery.  Think of it, just pick 6 numbers correctly and all of your financial needs could be met, or could they?

It is my belief that giving people in financial distress a large sum of money actually makes the problem worse.  The distress financial situation is often caused by not matching expectations and expenditures with means and ability to earn.  Many of these situations start out slowly of earning just a little less than one spends, and then as the amount of difference (debt) accumulates, more desperate action is required that exasperates the condition.

A recent news article points to a related trend Why Lottery Winners Go Bankrupt by Jack Hough (Smart Money 3/28/11). 

My belief is that if you want to have a happy life, learn how to live within your means.  And constantly push yourself to increase your means.

The Last Text

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Next time you are driving and you hear that beep from your cell phone indicating you got a text message, consider this video.  Also, consider where the person you texting is.  If you know they are driving, then don’t text.   

Hindi lessons reviews and Hindi resources

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Beginner Hindi #005 – Consonants – Part 4 (July 5, 2007)

Beginner Hindi #006 – Consonants – Part 5 (July 6, 2007)

Removed the “off to Japan” post..  Made sense at the time, but doesn’t make sense to keep it now..

List of Hindi resources (July 25, 2007)

Reviewing ISpeakHindi Lesson from the first part of July and planning the future…

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Beginner Hindi #001 – Vowels (July 1, 2007) (sound level needs to be increased)

Beginner Hindi #002 – Consonants – Part 1 (July 2, 2007) (sound level needs to be increased)

Deleted “Links” episode (July 3, 2007).. It had no recording and no written content.

Discussion Groups for Hindi Learners (July 3, 2007)  List of links to other resources on the internet

 

Beginner Hindi #003 – Consonants – Part 2 (July 3, 2007) (sound level needs to be increased)

Beginner Hindi #004 – Consonants – Part 3 (July 4, 2007) (sound level needs to be increased)

 

This reminds me of a project that I started on last year, but have not completed.  A Hindi letter and sound quiz program.  It randomly chooses between 6 vowels and three different speakers.  It shows the speaker and plays the sound,  the learner has to choose from among the 6 letters.

www.ispeakhindi.com/quiz/flashcards/sounds/sound_symbol_quiz.php?group_id=2

image

 

What I want to do is to create a library of speakers saying each of these 6 vowels:

अ आ इ ई उ ऊ

The program should introduce the first two: अ and आ.

Then quiz the user on these two.  When the user can get each one right 5 times in a row without getting it wrong, then introduce the next two:

इ ई

Quiz on these two by themselves.  After they get them right 5 times in a row without getting it wrong, then quiz them a few times on a combination of these four.

Continue likewise with उ ऊ

Then introduce the first two consonants क  and ख.  Have the user get each of these right 5 times in a row.  Then introduce how the letters go together with the vowels.  क् + आ = का, etc.  I think this should be a top priority getting this functionality on the site.  Once people understand all the letters, then it will be much easier for them to learn.

Listening to all the episodes on ISpeakHindi.com

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Today I am starting a project that will probably take me several months to finish. I am going to listen to all the episodes on ISpeakHindi.com. In many cases, I plan to improve them and respond to the comments. Some I might leave but redo. and others might have to come down. Here is where I need to pick up tomorrow:
www.ispeakhindi.com/2007/07/01/beginner-hindi-001-vowels/