Hiking (nothing crazy like the guy in "Into the Wild"). When I am stuck in a rut or feeling down, I always escape to the wilderness for some scenic hiking. There is just something about being surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, trees, and rivers that puts me at ease and has a calming effect on me. It always…

Amen! I read a lot of financial advice that focuses on whether one should wait or buy only after savings are built up but rarely is the question asked whether said purchase is necessary in the first place. Something that helped me avoid impulse buying (especially on the interwebs) was not storing any credit card info…

That is considered child abuse in 17 states

The tears of Skip Bayless shall be flowing and they shall be sweet!

He is obviously a smart and gifted young man and for that he should be commended. I wish him all of the best in his endeavor to conquest the chess world. Having said that, calling him an athlete is a stretch of Herculean proportions.

I am guessing it is some combination of click bait and a genuine concern about the heavy-handed police tactics and the increasing militarization of the police force and their disturbing tendency to shoot first and ask questions later. As for their motives, let's hope that they adhere to the Kantian view of morality…

To avoid fraud (i.e charge backs), I always sell old electronics on Craiglist. As long as you specify cash only and only meet in public places, you will get more money for your items and don't have to deal with shipping and/or returns.

I love road trips and try to take at least one of them every other month. Part of the fun is the spontaneity of the experience. Don't get me wrong, having the right supplies is important (especially for desert driving) but it's also nice to play it by ear and visit attractions that may be on the way that are not in…

Incomplete without the huge stash of credit cards and/or checks to pay back all of the student loans.

I am a freelancer and I am contemplating renting a work station or a work space in order to have a more professional setting to meet with clients and get work related things done. Do you recommend this and if so, what types of things should I be looking for in an office rental site? Cheers!

Poor guy. I have not seen that much spinning since reading comments from Ron Paul supporters trying to rationalize his going to the UN to get the domain of a website name returned to him.

Do police chiefs and department heads really put that much pressure on beat cops to write a bunch of tickets to fill quotas or is this an urban myth?

Barter economy. Find a reliable and reputable home repair person and offer them a trade for your services or goods. I have a buddy who is a home repair/construction guy who was able to upgrade my kitchen (new tiles, replace cabinets) and I did not pay a cent. I offered him my week in a timeshare that I own. It's a win…

Every few weeks I do a Google search for beach houses in Mexico and visualize myself there and think about how nice it will be when I save up enough coin to buy one one of them and spending my days relaxing with a Margarita in one hand and a book in the other.

As long as it does not come with any religious preaching or promises of salvation. I would rather be broke than deal with that tomfoolery.

Same here. Right by the UC Berkeley campus on Telegraph. We were probably hit up by the same guys. Didn't work on me though

The CD scam is also in the Bay Area (around the UC Berkeley campus). Usually two or three guys will be handing out their music on CDs in an attempt to get you to take it. Usually, they try to just tell you to take it to listen to it but once you do, a few other guys will approach and insist that since you took it, you…

Donate blood, plasma, body parts, etc etc

Ding ding ding. We have a winner!

I would argue that strategic pessimism is indeed healthy, especially juxtaposed to the new-age "Secret" garbage being peddled in bookstores these days. Granted, being optimistic in certain circumstances is beneficial but it can also lead to burying one's head in the sand when shit gets real bad (to use the parlance of…