Rich Barrett

Steve Jobs published his thoughts on DRM a few months ago, suggesting that the record companies should allow Apple to offer DRM free music.  It looks like his suggestion was taken seriously.  

A few days ago, Apple announced that they would start offering songs on iTunes without DRM (Digital Rights Management).  EMI records is the first company to offer the DRM-free music.  The DRM free songs will cost $1.29, rather than $.99, and they will have double the quality, 256 kbps instead of 128kbps.  iTunes users will be given the option to upgrade their DRM songs to DRM free songs for $.30 per song.  Steve Jobs had said previously that he wanted to do away with DRM.  If all goes to plan other record companies will follow EMI’s lead.

Additional reading:

Thoughts On Music by Steve Jobs – February 6, 2007
Apple Announcement on DRM music – April 2, 2007
Fast Company Article – April 3, 2007

2003 Corvette Z06 Brake Rotor and Pad Replacement
Pictures

Parts from the Tire Rack:

• Brembo replacement rotors (no coating)
• Hawk HP Plus brake pads

Tools:

• 15mm socket and ratchet
• 18mm open ended wrench (front caliper)
• 16mm open ended wrench (rear caliper)
• 21mm 6 point 1/2 inch drive socket (for caliper mount removal)
• 1/2 drive breaker bar
• 1/2 drive torque wrench
• Locktite – Red

How do you calculate the average share price?

What is the average share price?

There are several ways to calculate the average or mean.  

The Arithmetic mean is the “Sum of the samples divided by the number of samples”.

Arithmetic Mean = (X1 +  .. + Xn) / n

1. The arithmetic mean of the share price, with each transaction (rate) treated as a sample:  

There were two transactions (rates), one at $10 per share, and one at $5 per share.

Arithmetic Mean = (10 + 5) / 2 = $7.5 / share (WRONG)

2. The arithmetic mean of the share price, with each share price treated as a sample:

There were 30 shares purchased, 10 shares at $10 per share, and 20 shares at $5 per share.

Arithmetic Mean = (10 * 10 + 5 * 20) / 30 = $6.67 / share (CORRECT)

The Harmonic mean is the “Number of samples divided by the sum of the samples reciprocals”.

Harmonic Mean = n / (1/X1 + … + 1/Xn)

3. The harmonic mean, with each transaction (rate) treated as a sample:There were two transactions (rates), one at $10 per share, and one at $5 per share.

Harmonic Mean = 2 / (1/10 + 1/5) = $6.67 / share (CORRECT)

In finance, the harmonic mean is used to calculate the average cost of shares purchased over a period of time. For example, an investor purchases shares at a rate of $1000 per month for three months. If the spot prices at execution time are as follows:  

• $8
• $9
• $10

Then the average price the investor paid is $8.926 per share. However, if the investor purchased 1000 shares per month, the arithmetic mean would be used.

The harmonic mean is used to calculate of the average of several rates.

The BMW winter karting league races 6.5 HP karts at an indoor road course at AllSports GP in Sterling Virginia.  I attended the 9th and final event of the season today. At the start of this event, I was 5th in the points. At the end of this event, I was 3rd in the points.

Pictures

I attended the Learning Annex Real Estate and Wealth Expo Scam in Atlanta on February 24-25 2007.  The keynote speakers included Donald Trump, David Bach, and Tony Robbins.  The keynote speakers were reasonably good, but David Bach only spoke for a half hour. 

The majority of the other seminars consisted of an introduction to the topic followed by a sales pitch for some program that cost either $995 or $1995.  Many of the speakers spent half of the time on stage selling their product.  Tables were setup to collect order forms for their programs.  It was amazing how many suckers took the bait and ran to the tables to spend $995 to $1999 on the programs offered by the “teacher” turned salesman on stage.  It seems like the scam does pay well.

The fraudulent learning annex marketing material stated we would learn many techniques during the seminars.  The speakers spent their time on stage selling books, CDs, and programs, that they claimed would teach the items that we were told we would learn during the seminar. 

I will never attend another Learning Annex event. 

The keynote speakers should be ashamed of their association with this Learning Annex scam.  I made the mistake of assuming that the keynote speakers would not tarnish their reputations and integrity by speaking at an event that is designed to rip people off.

Donald Trump was asked if the best deals were “win-win”.  He said the best deals were when you stuck it to the other side, and took them to the cleaners.  That is a good summary of the approach taken by the Learning Annex.

Additional reading:

Should you waste your money on the learning annex real estate wealth expo

We paid $ to get nothing but sales pitches

Economics
in One Lesson
By Henry Hazlitt
First
printed July, 1946  

There are many types of taxes:

1. Income Tax
2. Property Tax
3. Sales Tax
4. Social Security Tax
5. Estate Tax
6. Gift Tax
7. Corporate Income Tax
8. Excise Tax
9. Alcohol Tax
10. Gasoline Tax
11. Cigarette Tax
12. Lottery and Gambling Tax

What is an Ememy Combatant?

A combatant is a person who takes a direct part in the hostilities of an armed conflict who upon capture qualifies for prisoner of war under the Third Geneva Convention (GCIII). An unlawful combatant is someone, such as a mercenary, who take a direct part in the hostilities but who upon capture does not qualify for prisoner of war status.^[1]

Unlawful combatants are likewise subject to capture and detention, but in addition they are subject to trial and punishment by military tribunals for acts which render their belligerency unlawful. The spy who secretly and without uniform passes the military lines of a belligerent in time of war, seeking to gather military information and communicate it to the enemy, or an enemy combatant who without uniform comes secretly through the lines for the purpose of waging war by destruction of life or property, are familiar examples of belligerents who are generally deemed not to be entitled to the status of prisoners of war, but to be offenders against the law of war subject to trial and punishment by military tribunals.

Most combatants who do not qualify for protection under the Third Geneva Convention do so under the Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV), which concerns civilians, until they have had a “fair and regular trial”. If found guilty at a regular trial, they can be punished under the civilian laws of the detaining power.

Reference:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawful_combatant