Gongol.com Archives: January 2006
Brian Gongol



Business and Finance (2006.01.12)
Huge Bonus Year for Wall Street
On one hand, the bonuses are market-driven. But on the other hand, $21.5 billion for Wall Street brokers seems like a misallocation of resources, especially when it's concentrated in piles like $38 million for the chief at Goldman Sachs. Assuming diminished marginal utility of additional income, what's so much better about a $38 million bonus than a $16 million bonus? In turn, are there better ways of using that $16 million? If the profits came mainly from trading, as reported, then what was rewarded seems to be more speculation than innovation. Certainly not to say government should confiscate it, but something seems inefficient about the whole thing.

Socialism Doesn't Work (2006.01.12)
Hong Kong Won't Be Liberalizing for a While

Science and Technology (2006.01.12)
Taiwan Claims to Have Invented Glow-in-the-Dark Pigs
Something about the report just doesn't seem quite right (from eDodo.org)

News (2006.01.12)
Stampede Kills Hundreds in Mecca

The United States of America (2006.01.12)
American Pilot Who Stopped My Lai Massacre Dies

Business and Finance (2006.01.12)
Who Owns the Las Vegas Strip
Tallies ownership of the hotel rooms on the strip

The United States of America (2006.01.12)
For Those Who Love Las Vegas a Little Too Much
(Background music plays on opening) MGM Grand includes condominiums. Why anyone would actually want to live on the Strip year-round is confounding. Great place to visit, but why would anyone want to live there?