Geek Walking

Based on a just released Brooking Institution report and this CNBC report . To be exact, they are comparing per-capita GDP and changes in employment data from 2010 to 2011 among the 200 largest metropolitan areas of the world. Please download the full report here (5MB) , it's very good. These are the metro areas that surprised me in a nice way: Hartford and Buffalo. Both cities are a little bit run-down. But I guess the surrounding wealthy towns more than make up for it. Didn't know Chinese political powerhouse Beijing is almost at the bottom (187/200) still. Indian outsourcing capital of the world Mumbai is second to the bottom, and Cairo, knowing it's poor, is at the very bottom? 

Fannie Mae will offer up nearly 2,500 distressed properties in eight locations to investors who are willing to buy them in bulk and rent them out for a set number of years. Does Uncle Sam favor the rich? Why not just release the distressed properties into the open market, and let the little investors like you and me to "share the prosperity"? This reminds me of President Obama's big tax break for big companies but actually raising tax for small business owners (so-called the rich who makes $200K a year) Talking about Crony Capitalism!

"WASHINGTON—The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking to curb high-frequency traders' huge influence on stock trading and is considering charging fees for the myriad buy and sell orders that are later canceled, among other options." from WSJ Seriously? What's Next? You cannot put on a pretty dresses, as they might give you an unfair advantage in the "dating game"? How about you are not allowed to read extra books, do extra exercise, as they might give you an edge on test-taking, and sport events? What's wrong with paying extra money or effort, or starting earlier than your peers, to gain an edge? Enough already!