10 Thoughts for March 4, 2014

1. Best quote so far, on Bitcoin fans: "The Bitcoin masses, judging by their behavior on forums, have no actual interest in science, technology or even objective reality when it interferes with their market position.  They believe that holding a Bitcoin somehow makes them an active participant in a bold new future, even as they passively get fleeced in the bolder current present."
2. That (faux) leather wrapped Chromebook from Samsung became official.  It sure looks like it's a $20 premium for that leathery texture.  It's a competitive market, though.  They won't have much time before the others catch up with similar specs.
3. I find it perplexing that, if Russia wants to be seen as the good guys in Ukraine, why are they running around in full military garb, armed, but without their IDs?  No country patch, no name patch.  Heroes don't go running around trying to obfuscate who they are.  Heroes also don't go around throwing stun grenades to injure people, then run away.
4. Along these same lines, if Russia is the hero, why are they trying to control the message by completely blocking others from broadcasting their views?  In democratically-run nations, we allow dialog regardless of whether or not we agree with it.  The US government may want to control the message, but they do not censor those who speak out against it.
5. Will Crimea end up as Russia's Afghanistan, redux?  I don't think so.  Deaths must be incurred first, and Crimeans must be unified against Russian intervention -- which they're not.
6. I'm not saying, "I told you so," but hey, analysts got it wrong again, expecting iPad to dominate far longer than what history has taught us about the fight between closed and open platforms.  Instead, Android now has 62% of the tablet market.  Apple has 36% and Microsoft a measly 2%.
7. Stephen Cohen was on PBS News Hour again (Monday night) to talk about the Ukrainian crisis.  And again, he demonstrated cold-war-informed thinking and critically, his distaste for American foreign policy.  Unlike last night, tonight he unleashed all of his bias.  Allow me to provide a synopsis of his commentary over the last two nights: The US has no option left; it's the US' fault anyway; the current US actions are creating a cold war.
8. Forget that PBS News Hour interview with Stephen Cohen.  Watch Charlie Rose instead.  Last night he had a group of people to talk about the Ukrainian situation, providing realistic ideas about what's driving Putin and where things stand.  Watch last Monday's show, and note that, contrary to what conservatives have been saying, everyone had been warning Russia against intervening in Ukraine.
9. Like I said earlier, I think the US should push a UN Security Council vote on a declaration regarding Russia's intervention in Ukraine, to see how China votes.  I think they'll abstain, but they are probably not happy if Russia continues, because it gives others such as Japan leverage against China over the Senkakus.  Maybe the Chinese could step in and negotiate a peaceful settlement?
10. What's this?  The WSJ has an article citing positive Obamacare effects on the economy: "Taken together, the Obamacare provisions are responsible for about three-quarters of January’s overall rise in Americans’ incomes."