Author Archives: Jason

About Jason

Jason R. Koepke is Founder and Data Strategist at GNT LLC, a risk-analysis and data strategy firm that provides analytical and technical services to the public and private sectors. His work and research has been featured in the academic, financial, and technical industries.

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* Unmarried Lithuanian women have last names that end in “aite”. Married Lithuanian women take their husbands’ last names but add a “iene” to it. (Courtesy: JS via ZS, confirmed by RS).

* Bosoms wrinkle. (Courtesy: NYT)

* I noticed a few companies no longer allowing customers to add tips to the credit card charge. The reason is because the company, rather than the employee being tipped, is held liable for taxes on tips. (Courtesy: SK)

* It is easier to buy season tickets for the Kennedy Center than The Met. (Courtesy: Kennedy Center and The Met)

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* Despite the Beastie Boys’ suggestion, Jamaica is not a significant producer of mangoes. (Courtesy: FAOSTAT, nicely displayed on Mongabay.com, and University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)

* Physiocracy. (Courtesy: Car Talk reference; Wikipedia)

* “Package store” is Northern slang for liquor store. (Courtesy: HD)

* Bitrates of various streaming services:
– Spotify: Vorbis 160kbps with some at 320kbps if a Premium subscriber
– Amazon Cloud Player: MP3 at the rate the file was saved
– Pandora: AAC 64kbps and up to 192kbps, depending on subscription
– Google Music: play back at the quality of the file, except for FLAC, which is played back as mp3 320kpbs

* Lord of the Rings is “fundamentally religious and Catholic work”, according to Tolkien. (Courtesy: Wikipedia and follow up readings).

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* A significant number of music videos from Russian artists have Soviet- or tsarist-era imagery and symbolism. (Courtesy: Music Box)

* I live as well (better, really) as Kim Jong Il, based on the brands of “luxury” goods he has imported. (Courtesy: North Korean Economy Watch)

* Jazz, or at least open jazz clubs, do not exist in Athens during the summer. (Courtesy: Athens)

* Pigeon houses (for more, see this description and this photo) are a serious deal in Tinos and directly connected to its arts/sculpture tradition. (Courtesy: Tinos)

* Bootlegging in the US is often dominated by immigrant populations. I suspect this is because of the high capital costs of creating a legal distillery and emigres’ limited access to capital and credit. (Courtesy: NYT)