Our system still needs some fixing Oct 4, 2009
Diminishing returns to retail financial advisers may reduce the quality of advice, and prominent plain-English disclosure of planners' remuneration, including identification of product commissions, may achieve most of the desired ends. Some straightforward additional disclosures would also be simple but effective. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Caps top Southeast Sep 30, 2009
But there have to be concerns about diminishing returns. Captain Rod Brind'Amour looked like he was on his last legs for much of the season before a strong finishing kick afforded him a veneer of respectability. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- NHL)
Entertainment Sep 25, 2009
" "They Were Expendable" was filmed in 1945 at the end of World War II and set the precedent for today's war films. Jay-Z's newest "The Blueprint 3" fails to live up to original "Blueprint" by Sequels suck. Not always, of course - think "The Godfather Part II" - but the general trend in art seems to be that any artist returning to the same source material well will find his inspiration run dry. Blame creative exhaustion, or maybe the law of diminishing returns, or maybe complacency. Peter... (The Villanovan, PA)
Men do too have insecurities! Sep 22, 2009
And we have been doing this since time immemorial with diminishing returns. Our swagger has gotten us trampled while chasing bigger Wooly Mammoths, or splattered by limestone blocks while designing taller pyramids, or shot in the face while vaingloriously galloping mighty white steeds into machine gun nests. (CNN)
New Families and Work Institute Study Reveals Declines in the Health of American Workforce Sep 22, 2009
"Few would disagree that the health care path we are on represents an untenable route to increasing costs and diminishing returns," said Ellen Galinsky, co-founder and president of FWI. "This new report is replete with evidence that several key measures of employee health are declining, and that employer policies fostering employee engagement and satisfaction are also associated with better employee health. The message is clear that beyond any reform measures on the table in Washington, it is... (PR Newswire)
THE ELEMENTS OF TASTE: Food scientist recalls years behind the beakers (37) Sep 20, 2009
"We would get hit with some enormous targets on productivity. Every year, we would have to find ways to cut costs. They would give us a goal of saving $10 million one year, and then the next, they would double it. Pretty soon, you would reach the point of diminishing returns.". Epps says the personal connections he made at Kraft continue to enrich him and S.C. State. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Variety Trade Newspaper to Charge for Online Site Sep 19, 2009
"The more traffic you get, the lower (rates) an ad buyer can demand and it's diminishing returns," he said. 2009 Associated Press. (Newsmax)
Clean coal consortium tackles impact Sep 14, 2009
Youre going to reach a point of diminishing returns where you could invest more money into better technologies, but theyre not going to give you the same overall impacts, he said. If you had a billion dollars to spend on minimizing the impacts of clean coal, would you go for the perfect power plant or would you go for making a lot of power plants better and making sure they all have state of the art technologies. (Washington University Student Life, MO)
Held large graphic anti-abortion signs... Sep 12, 2009
Interestingly enough these are the same folks that want to ration care to the elderly due to diminishing returns. But austintx24 is completely correct. (The Drudge Report)
Faster broadband is the next infrastructure debacle Sep 11, 2009
Demand growth for broadband speed is subject to the law of diminishing returns: the jump from dial-up to broadband was huge, while the step from ADSL to ADSL2+ gave us a better performance but really didn't change our applications. Will the average user pay $140 a month more for fibre-to-the-node - for an email to arrive half a second faster or to cut banking time by a few seconds. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
The Final Destination Aug 29, 2009
This is the fourth film in a series of increasingly diminishing returns. While the first film had an original concept that was executed (no pun intended) with some pizazz, the newest incarnation is really just 80 minutes of watching people die in variously ridiculous and implausible ways. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Rough Cuts: a critics' club for filmmakers Aug 29, 2009
"At a certain point you get diminishing returns. So the idea is to create a space where filmmakers who are trying to finish their films can come and receive helpful, constructive, almost always thoughtful feedback from filmmakers and film lovers who are looking at a film for the first time.". Among those here as a viewer is Brandon Katcher, 25, of San Rafael. (San Francisco Chronicle)
State park overseers brace for likely upcoming budget cuts (1) Aug 24, 2009
"The parks department has studied many options to avoid closure."You can raise camping fees but there is a point of diminishing returns," Verardo-Torres said. "Fees of 30 to 40 a night for camping are expensive for most people. At the end of the day, people should be able to afford to visit their parks. (Malibu Times, CA)
A Perfect Setup Aug 21, 2009
History shows that Japanese pitchers tend to offer diminishing returns as the league becomes familiar with their stuff and their often-funky deliveries. Indeed, Hideki Okajima's ERA has shot up over his three seasons in Boston's 'pen from 2. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Health Care Hypocrisy Aug 20, 2009
I think the nutcase-shouting at these town halls reached the point a few days ago at which the law of diminishing returns is applying. How many people are still even paying attention to them. (Slate)
Aimee Mann goes through the emotions Aug 17, 2009
That song, the emotional centrepiece of Paul Thomas Anderson's astonishing sprawling epic, Magnolia, is sung by each cast member, from Tom Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman to Jason Robards and Julianne Moore, in a devastating, heart cracking scene which turns on the lines It's not going to stop/till you wise up/no it's not going to stop/so just give up". You might think this kind of attitude would be depressing, a defeatist's mantra. You might especially think this if you knew that Mann, who... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Why Twitter is today's Burma-Shave Aug 17, 2009
By 1963, it was clear the roadside signs were providing diminishing returns as an ad medium. Society and highways were changing. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
NASA's mission about to change Aug 16, 2009
The United States has reached the point of diminishing returns on solar system exploration. We should think about other, higher-priority tasks for NASA. The continued exploration of the solar system can and should be carried on with robotic missions at a fraction of the NASA budget. (Juneau Empire)
Great news for Cameron Diaz Aug 16, 2009
Nevertheless, they found, the terror attacks had diminishing returns. And too much terrorism in one area was counter-productive, turning the population against the causes the terrorists sought to further. (Boston Globe)
Our Iraq Strategy is Now a Tale of "Diminishing Returns" Aug 15, 2009
In it, Reese urgently argues that the United States has "reached the point of diminishing returns" in Iraq due, among many other things, to endemic corruption ("the stuff of legend"), laziness, weakness and culture of "political violence and intimidation.". Reese considers Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) "good enough" -- just -- to keep the Iraqi government from toppling. (Townhall.com)
* Knowing when to change can keep tech firms alive Aug 14, 2009
By 1902, with the building of the Thomas W. Lawson, the largest sailing ship ever, with seven masts and 25 sails, sailing technology had reached a point of diminishing returns, and the competition with steamships had already been lost. Ultimately, its all about balance. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
A closer look Aug 11, 2009
And now the law of diminishing returns is setting in and there doesn t appear that Woodson has an effective plan B. ... Ill, diminishing returns ... Geez, the team just was assigned 7 prime time games, where are these diminishing returns. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
Dream of D.C. bipartisanship shrivels Aug 7, 2009
But the landscape has changed dramatically for Obama after his first half-year in office, with his efforts to reach out to Republicans having diminishing returns. A recent pattern of partisan warfare over Supreme Court nominees continued yesterday. (Boston Globe)
Wishful Inking Aug 6, 2009
We are now completely in the grips of the deadly diminishing returns of information technology. The more information comes to us about How Things Are, especially from TV, the more confused or wrong the conventional view gets it. (The American Conservative)
* Odierno reaffirms US role in Iraq Aug 6, 2009
Reese argued that the US effort to train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces has reached a point of rapidly diminishing returns and the US should go home next summer, 16 months ahead of schedule. The memo was intended for limited distribution among US officers in Baghdad but ended up being circulated on the Internet last Thursday. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Odierno Disputes Memo Urging Early Pullout Aug 5, 2009
Col. Timothy R. Reese, a U.S. Army adviser to the Iraqi military in Baghdad, wrote in a memo (first revealed by The New York Times last week) that the effort to train Iraqi forces has reached a point of rapidly diminishing returns and that. Asked about the memo, a military spokesman told the Times that the memo "reflects one person's personal view at the time we were first implementing the Security Agreement post-30 June. It does not reflect the official views of 00004000 U.S. Forces in Iraq.". (CBS News -- World)
Top US general in Iraq calls American role crucial Aug 5, 2009
Reese argued that the American effort to train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces has reached a point of rapidly diminishing returns and the U.S. should go home next summer, 16 months ahead of schedule. The memo was intended for limited distribution among U.S. officers in Baghdad but ended up being circulated on the Internet last Thursday. (Lompoc Record, CA)
City Department Heads Defend Budgets At City Meeting Aug 5, 2009
"I think it's a case of diminishing returns. What we should do is replace a third of our active fleet every year. We've never come close to that number.". Fire Chief Mike McDonnell was in the hot seat over personnel and staffing. (7 KETV Omaha)
U.S. general in Iraq nixes early pullout plan Aug 5, 2009
Col. Timothy R. Reese, a U.S. Army adviser to the Iraqi military in Baghdad, wrote in his memo that the years-long American effort to train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces has reached a point of rapidly diminishing returns and the U.S. should go home next year, 16 months ahead of schedule. Reese also wrote that Iraqi forces already are good enough to defend the government against the weakened terrorist and insurgent forces that remain active. (MSNBC -- International)
LeT, Jaish biding time for fresh attacks? Aug 4, 2009
With US now engaged in a high-stakes operation in Afghanistan following the review ordered by the Obama administration and Indias diplomatic options also affected by the law of diminishing returns, the traction for New Delhis concerns was limited. Related Articles. (India Times, India)
U.S. hopeful about Iraq exit after a quiet July Jul 31, 2009
Point of diminishing returnsReese wrote that the years-long American effort to train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces has reached a point of rapidly diminishing returns, and that Iraqi forces already are good enough to defend the government against the weakened terrorist and insurgent forces that remain. He concluded that Iraq's Shiite-dominated security forces are capable of defending their country despite corruption, poor management and the inability to resist political pressure. (MSNBC -- International)
Pensioner poverty 'unacceptable' Jul 30, 2009
Committee chairman Terry Rooney said: "The government has committed to eradicating child poverty, now they need to commit to eradicating pensioner poverty. "Many government strategies have worked well in the past, but are now showing diminishing returns. " Mr Rooney said people planning for retirement needed "far more advice" on "everything from how much they need to save, life styling, annuities, and how to change their electricity supplier". Therefore, the government's proposed "one stop shop"... (BBC News -- UK)
Call for 'smarter' drugs policy Jul 30, 2009
"Where drug markets are established in this country you are going to suffer from diminishing returns," he said. Therefore it could be better not to focus on eradicating the markets altogether, but on making sure they take the least harmful form possible, he said. (BBC News)
News from DAC: DFM debated as a weapon Jul 30, 2009
"It's a band aid with diminishing returns," said Kimon Michaels, VP Design and co-founder at PDF Solutions. "At the leading edge of chip design, new materials and reduced line width margins require that manufacturing be considered as part of the design cycle.". (EETimes)
Sharp replies issued Jul 29, 2009
At some point there s a level of diminishing returns ... There s a point of diminishing returns when you pile on volume. (Boston Globe)
Americans Get Big Dose of Obama Jul 23, 2009
"There are diminishing returns if you see the president too much. ... Part of this is just because hes fascinating and popular right now. Inevitably, theyre going to hit some potholes, and theyre going to have to adjust their strategy.". One troubling sign for the White House: TV networks were slow to sign on to Wednesdays prime-time news conference. (CBS News -- Politics)
Newsom Stumping In San Diego Jul 19, 2009
" To solve the current state budget crisis, Newsom said an oil severance tax and an increase in the tobacco tax "need to be on the table," but he does not believe that increasing taxes is the best long-term solution. "My foundational principle is I don't think we're in a position to advocate for a higher income tax in this state," Newsom said. "We're at a point that has diminishing returns. " Newsom said in his campaign travels throughout the state, he has experienced a "growing debate" over a... (TheSanDiegoChannel.com, CA)
With Tests now off the itinerary, fragile Flintoff might have a runwith the Bulls Jul 17, 2009
"Players value playing for their countries but like anything there is a law of diminishing returns and a lot of them who have been on the road, away from their families for a long time, something has to give," he said. "We're seeing more and more players opting out of international cricket in one form or other in preference to keeping their bodies in shape for the IPL. For the first time players are getting what they are worth in the market place and they will go where their services are valued... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
10 years for TV's favorite sponge Jul 15, 2009
"I don't think there will be a point of diminishing returns.". Since the "SpongeBob" movie in 2004, Hillenburg has stepped back into an executive producer's role. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
What Happened to the Suicide Bombers of Jerusalem? Jul 14, 2009
Another possible reason for the slump in suicide is that those who were orchestrating it came to find that the tactic was becoming subject to diminishing returns. Despair must have meant a roughly constant stream of potential volunteers, but the immediate needs of Hamas and Islamic Jihad may not have always required the tap of despair to be left turned on. (Slate)
State needs cure for doctor shortage - Sunday, July 12, 2009 Jul 12, 2009
As Missoulian State Bureau reporter Mike Dennison reported last week, private family doctors are being driven from their profession by financial concerns or retiring, and fewer medical students are willing to commit themselves to a career with such long hours and diminishing returns. It takes a lot of money to run a private practice, and a lot of energy to spend a day seeing patients, and then turn around and deal with insurance and liability issues. (Missoulian, MT)
Risky Business: Stressed Men, But Not Stressed Women, More Likely To Gamble And Takes Risks Jul 2, 2009
"Some risk taking was necessary to make gains, but excessive risk was associated with diminishing returns. If you always clicked and never cashed out, you would lose every time.". The balloon task has been previously used to assess tolerance for risky behavior among inner-city adolescents and substance abusers, among others. (Science Daily)
Without funding, Mich. law will boost DNA backlog Jul 1, 2009
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the Michigan law, with lobbyist Shelli Weisberg warning it "not only poses a great threat to the privacy and civil liberties of innocent individuals, but also is responsible for increased backlogs in crime labs and diminishing returns to law enforcement.". Partly because of those concerns, Michigan's law allows a DNA sample and profile to be destroyed if the suspect is cleared after the arrest. (Ionia Sentinel-Standard, MI)
LETTER: Free carnival rides could help the county fair Jun 29, 2009
"As Rohn so aptly points out, neither does Martinsville, and it would call for a contractual agreement. The way it works is that all food vendors contract with the owner of the rides. He decides who can and who cannot set up a food vending operation. Of course he works on a percentage of what they take in. If what so many are saying is a good idea, then he should make up lost revenue from free rides from his increased profit form the food vendors.The point is that if Martinsville has been doing... (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
TrentGreenSPECIAL MONDAY MORNING QB What it's really like to retire; how NFL should handle concussions. Jun 29, 2009
I can hear people now say, "As much as players are paid ..." True, players are well compensated, but there becomes a point of diminishing returns. Players need to take care of themselves year round and teams/coaches need to look into training/practice variables that will maintain high production for a lengthened season. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Hawaii to stop restocking catfish, trout fishing sites in budget cut Jun 28, 2009
And while catfish tend to live longer, he said, "like anything, there is a point of diminishing returns if you keep fishing without restocking.". Last year, the Anuenue Fisheries received $121,600 in general funds plus an additional $364,800 in matching federal money. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Quiz tests knowledge about our government Jun 24, 2009
Newswatcher wrote on Jun 22, 2009 11:02 PM:" Phil,Democrats don't want others becoming rich, it's called diminishing returns via higher taxes - Democrats never met a tax increase they didn't like.Interesting how Ayers was just another guy in the neighborhood when Obama's political career was launched from his home. You think those two never met and conversed? Did you even read Obama's book? He was fascinated by US opponents and Socialism. If you fall for Obama's denial comments about Ayers and... (Waterloo Courier, IO)
Khamenei rides a storm in a tea cup Jun 18, 2009
But then, most European countries would probably seldom fail the chance to be Tehran's bete noire, but will, true to a pattern, swiftly fall back the moment they estimate that the law of diminishing returns is at work and continued tirades might jeopardize lucrative commercial interests in Iran. Tens of thousands of supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi planned to keep up their street protests in Tehran on Wednesday, even though the authorities have promised a partial... (Asia Times Online)
Another VIew: State's made most of tax dollars Jun 6, 2009
Despite the strides we have made to do more with less, there comes a tipping point of diminishing returns where it literally becomes less with less. The decisions we have made have not been taken lightly. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Pike needs money, but how? Jun 4, 2009
Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, has been yielding diminishing returns. What once brought in $35 million for every penny it was raised now yields $23 million to $25 million, she said. (Hopkinton Town Crier, MA)
Hawks need a superstar Jun 2, 2009
diminishing returns is a mug, ninjas. Rufus1. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
ONE MORE YEAR: Ironman Runyan still has hunger to play May 28, 2009
Isn't there a point when continuing to play reaps some very diminishing returns. "I think about it when I can't go out in the driveway to play hoops or move at all when they are playing lacrosse," he said. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Memo to Goodell: NFL ain't broke, don't fix it May 24, 2009
The league doesn't need to worry about diminishing returns anytime soon. The point is, the NFL has proved it can command the attention of sports fans all the time. (MSNBC -- Sports)
M J Akbar: Nothing personal May 24, 2009
Old allies may be tolerated during transition, but on a basis of diminishing returns. The feast of 2004 was egalitarian. (India Times, India)
Q&A with Soderbergh | May 22, 2009
At a certain point, you certainly begin to wonder when that becomes a case of diminishing returns. I certainly feel I'm on the backside of how much further I can move. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
EDIT: Rebooting BJP May 21, 2009
The old ploy of provoking communal riots in order to polarise the electorate, a formula that BJP appears to have stuck to as late as 2008 in case of anti-Christian riots in Orissa, is subject to diminishing returns at the ballot box. If identity politics has played itself out by now, how can the BJP reorient itself. (India Times, India)
Spend now, see returns later May 21, 2009
Only about half the $1 billion in uncollected taxes is collectible, so there is a point of diminishing returns. Still, this move by Joint Finance to collect what the state is owed is a step in the right direction. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
ADIOS, NEW YORK May 20, 2009
Faced with escalating costs and diminishing returns, Albany and its allies -- that is, the health-care unions (SEIU Local 1199 has more than 300,000 members, many of whom are politically active) -- have only one answer: increase taxes. PAGE 1 > lect. (New York Post -- Opinions)
The stars may leave, but sequels keep coming May 19, 2009
It was the robot shark who sold tickets for those movies, although the series diminishing returns had more to do with what was happening on the other side of the camera. If Steven Spielberg had decided to come back for the Jaws sequels (the way he did for Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark), the grosses wouldnt have dipped so severely from film to film. (MSNBC -- Movies)
BACK IN THE POOL: Phelps shakes off rust, tries new stroke May 19, 2009
Apart from the fact that he has to acclimate himself to the strain it puts on his body, especially his shoulders, Phelps found that if he stayed with the stroke for too many meters at once, he would start to lose form and hit a point of diminishing returns. In particular, his head would either bob from side to side or come up too high in the water when he tried to maintain his form for a long stretch. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
10-Week Workout: 6 Ways to Get Motivated May 17, 2009
Doing the same routine every time gets boring--and, because your body gets used to it, produces diminishing returns. I wrote a few weeks ago about ; you can do the same with aerobic exercise. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
David Attenborough worries about overpopulation (9.1 billion by 2050) May 16, 2009
anymore won't make difference because of diminishing returns. Human Population Crisis. (Harper's Magazine)
Favre needs to say 'no' for good May 8, 2009
History indicates that the law of diminishing returns can be hard on quarterbacks as they approach the end of their careers. Consider the Hall of Fame and the huddle of men Favre will join in a few years. (Waterloo Courier, IO)
SPOCK + AWE! May 7, 2009
After the diminishing returns from all those TV series and movies over 43 years, Abrams has restored order to the increasingly convoluted "Star Trek" universe -- and, more importantly, crafted the first movie accessible to non-Trekkies since my beloved "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" -- by essentially blowing it up. Abrams has respectfully turned the series' history and dynamics on their heads with an alternate history made possible by a black hole. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Nielsens: Friday reality finales fail May 7, 2009
By Gary Levin, USA TODAY Diminishing returns. President Obama's third news conference in as many months claimed 28. (USA Today -- Life)
