Friday, October 14, 2016

This much is true: Death, taxes - and a few good one-liners

Surveys about our fears commonly show fear of public speaking at the top of the list.  Our fear of standing up in front of a group and talking is so great that we fear it more than death, in surveys at least.  On one hand I understand, having sweated myself about getting up in front of a group.  On the other hand, it seems odd that we’re so afraid — what are we afraid of, anyway?  What do we think will happen to us?  We’re unlikely to suffer any real or lasting harm — or are we?  The answer seems to lie in our remote past, in our evolution as social animals. Few Living Souls Enjoy Death as Much as MEdia Dragons DO...

3 Low-Tech Speaking Tips That Still Work In 2016 – “…The most memorable presenters keep things simple. They tell stories about successful initiatives. They inspire others to be better and bolder. They avoid dumping heaps of data on listeners…”

ATO Twitter Supervision circa 1955 ...


Why are there some people who simply pay no attention to facts and fact-checking? A California mental health expert explains that our ancestors, lions, fear-mongering, and a body part called the amygdala all have something to do with it. Read this and impress your friends at happy hour.

We Use Words to Talk. Why Do We Need Them to Think? New York Magazine

Yablon, a partner at the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman law firm, has appeared in my column before, thanks to his book “As Certain as Death: Quotations About Taxes,” which is episodically published by Tax Notes and just keeps growing, not unlike the tax code.

Foreword to Ed Thorp’s Memoirs (A Man for All Markets) –  Medium
Thorp and Kelly’s ideas were rejected by economists — in spite of their practical appeal — because of their love of general theories for all asset prices, dynamics of the world, etc. The famous patriarch of modern economics, Paul Samuelson, was supposedly on a vendetta against Thorp. Not a single one of the works of these economists will eventually survive: your strategy to survive isn’t the same as ability to impress colleagues

The Wells Fargo fake account scandal, first uncovered by the Los Angeles Times in 2013, is growing. Perhaps that is not surprising, given how egregious the scheme was and the tepid response from the bank. In creating a boiler-room sales environment, the bank failed its investors and front-line employees, but it also failed its customers and communities….However, Wells Fargo has not had a new CRA rating released since 2008, even though its last CRA exam occurred in 2012. The absence of a recent CRA rating for Wells Fargo raises questions about enforcement of the CRA, including accountability for harmful practices.”


As a writer and director, Oliver Stone has never shied away from the big subjects. War. Political corruption. Greed and criminality. The hidden conspiracies they don’t teach you about in history class. Aging provocateur: 'Snowden' director Oliver Stone walks us through his storied filmography


“I am a tax lawyer who has always loved and collected quotes, especially those that are cynically funny,” Yablon said. He added, “Nothing lends itself to cynical humor more than politicians, elections and taxes.” Indeed.
This much is true: Death, taxes - and a few good one-liners



Over the past eight years, President Barack Obama has boosted diversity on the federal bench with his judicial picks. This month he added a name to his list of barrier-busting nominees: Abid Qureshi, believed to be the first Muslim tapped for a federal judgeship. ...

[A]sk judges if their faith factors in their work and most provide a two-part response. They say they don’t apply religious doctrine to cases. However, they acknowledge that religion can inform their sense of justice, empathy and values. Studies have shown a correlation between judges’ religious affiliations and decisions on abortion, gay rights, religious freedom and other hot-button issues. ...


Buffett Just Released His Own Tax Data to Hammer Trump Bloomberg


When I got my first computer, I had a lousy chair and within a few weeks suffered from agonizing back pain. Just picking up a cup of coffee hurt like hell. Then I got a proper chair and was better in short order. Now I have a proper chair, and do squats, and I’m still fine.
* Why not combine your love for liquor with your love for the law? Be a beer and wine attorney! Raise your glass, because these are the three coolest job listings this week in that field, and two of them are in-house! Cheers! [Greedy Associates / FindLaw]

Germany: Berlin’s war on gentrification Financial Times. J-LS: ” Examines Berlin’s attempt to craft policy to address the housing needs of the majority of its population (contrast this to London). Important policy alternative to market über alles thinking.