Saturday, September 24, 2011

Weekend Reading

Just a couple of interesting pieces for your weekend enjoyment:

I first watched this in 2005, but recently watched it with my girls. It is Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement address delivered at Stanford University. This was about a year after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At that time he was only given a few months to live. It's simply amazing to look back over the last six years at whats he's accomplished.

I especially liked the following:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
Watch the entire address, and share it with your children...Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 - YouTube

The next is an article from today's WSJ, an interview with Nobel-winning economist Robert Lucas. Here's a taste:

For the best explanation of what happened in Europe and Japan, he points to research by fellow Nobelist Ed Prescott. In Europe, governments typically commandeer 50% of GDP. The burden to pay for all this largess falls on workers in the form of high marginal tax rates, and in particular on married women who might otherwise think of going to work as second earners in their households. "The welfare state is so expensive, it just breaks the link between work effort and what you get out of it, your living standard," says Mr. Lucas. "And it's really hurting them."

And lastly a little humor from Stephen Colbert:


Have a great weekend.

Be careful out there, and keep the lights on,

Chris Wiles, CFA
412-260-7917


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This article contains the current opinions of the author but not necessarily those of the Rockhaven Capital Management.  The author’s opinions are subject to change without notice. This article is distributed for informational purposes only. Forecasts, estimates, and certain information contained herein are based upon proprietary research and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.

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