PBS re-aired an awesome Nature special last night called "Christmas in Yosemite" and I was miraculously able to find my favorite segment, "Outfoxed", on YouTube. It is below.
Apparently he is hunting for mice under the snow, and he identifies their locations only by sound, without the benefit of sight. He's pretty good at it, too, as you can see at the end ("mmm mouse, munchmunchmunch" -fox). Awwwww... circle of life.
BTW, I already submitted it to CuteOverload, so don't even try it!
23 December 2008
17 December 2008
Brrrr it's cold out here...
...there must be a network of pipes containing coolant in the at-mos-phere!
Hmmmm, okay that one was a stretch. But seriously, you could be saying this exact phrase in the future if you find yourself massively wealthy and staying at the new Palazzo Versace in Dubai.
Versace, the renowned fashion house, is to create the world’s first refrigerated beach so that hotel guests can walk comfortably across the sand on scorching days.
The beach will be next to the the new Palazzo Versace hotel which is being built in Dubai where summer temperatures average 40C and can reach 50C.
The beach will have a network of pipes beneath the sand containing a coolant that will absorb heat from the surface.
The swimming pool will be refrigerated and there are also proposals to install giant blowers to waft a gentle breeze over the beach.
FINALLY rich people can control the weather directly, rather than just spritzing themselves with Evian from an aerosol can and relying on the unreliable cooling effects of evaporation. Although I have to admit this new revolution seems a bit poorly timed, what with the recent increase in focus on environmentalism and the recent decline in numbers of rich people (Madoff, I'm looking at you). Oh well, F it, pass me the tanning oil and a sweater, I'm off to the UAE! Thanks, Times Online!
Hmmmm, okay that one was a stretch. But seriously, you could be saying this exact phrase in the future if you find yourself massively wealthy and staying at the new Palazzo Versace in Dubai.
Versace, the renowned fashion house, is to create the world’s first refrigerated beach so that hotel guests can walk comfortably across the sand on scorching days.
The beach will be next to the the new Palazzo Versace hotel which is being built in Dubai where summer temperatures average 40C and can reach 50C.
The beach will have a network of pipes beneath the sand containing a coolant that will absorb heat from the surface.
The swimming pool will be refrigerated and there are also proposals to install giant blowers to waft a gentle breeze over the beach.
FINALLY rich people can control the weather directly, rather than just spritzing themselves with Evian from an aerosol can and relying on the unreliable cooling effects of evaporation. Although I have to admit this new revolution seems a bit poorly timed, what with the recent increase in focus on environmentalism and the recent decline in numbers of rich people (Madoff, I'm looking at you). Oh well, F it, pass me the tanning oil and a sweater, I'm off to the UAE! Thanks, Times Online!
16 December 2008
George Bush shoe-dodging video
I usually try not to post about things you've already seen a gabajillion times, but the George Bush shoe-throwing incident really warrants a comment. When I first read about this story on Monday, I cycled through a full range of emotions and opinions.
One: haha, awesome.
Two: hey actually, that's pretty disrespectful, bad move.
Three: okay perhaps it was disrespectful, but it was a non-violent way to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq and get the media to pay attention for once.
And finally, Four (after watching the actual video, posted below): holy shit, he throw that shoe hard! Non-violent, my ass! It would've broken Bush's nose if he hadn't ducked with the reflexes of a wack-a-mole! Haha, awesome.
One: haha, awesome.
Two: hey actually, that's pretty disrespectful, bad move.
Three: okay perhaps it was disrespectful, but it was a non-violent way to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq and get the media to pay attention for once.
And finally, Four (after watching the actual video, posted below): holy shit, he throw that shoe hard! Non-violent, my ass! It would've broken Bush's nose if he hadn't ducked with the reflexes of a wack-a-mole! Haha, awesome.
12 December 2008
New widget added
Fuck you, stock ticker. All you bring is bad news and shame. You are formally replaced as my top right-hand widget. Loyal blog-readers, I bring you: the Daily Puppy widget!!!
Now say it with me: "aaaawwwww!!!!!"
Now say it with me: "aaaawwwww!!!!!"
10 December 2008
WSJ now peddling schadenfreude
Not to overuse the term, which has gotten more than enough play in the past few months, but a new, front-page column in the WSJ is practically screaming schadenfreude.
It's called "The Fallen", and it's described by the paper as a series highlighting, "the declining fortunes of leading business figures." And in case you're more of a visual learner, it is accompanied by a little picture of a red arrow zig-zagging upwards before dropping precipitously to zero.
I mean, this is a paper that carries advertisements for 50-year old scotch and hundred-thousand dollar watches. Its target audience doesn't typically like to read about how many rich businessmen are failing these days. These people are those rich businessmen. Or should I say, were...
It's called "The Fallen", and it's described by the paper as a series highlighting, "the declining fortunes of leading business figures." And in case you're more of a visual learner, it is accompanied by a little picture of a red arrow zig-zagging upwards before dropping precipitously to zero.
I mean, this is a paper that carries advertisements for 50-year old scotch and hundred-thousand dollar watches. Its target audience doesn't typically like to read about how many rich businessmen are failing these days. These people are those rich businessmen. Or should I say, were...
09 December 2008
Treasury yields go negative
For years to come, municipal bond traders and other industry followers will tell their children and grandchildren the harrowing tale of The Day Treasury Yields Turned Negative.
Four-week notes traded at a yield of zero while three-month notes went for 99 cents on the dollar. For you non-finance types, that means that investors bought billions of dollars of bonds today that were guaranteed to lose them money. As the NYTimes puts it:
The news sends a sobering signal: in this environment, losing only a small amount of money on an investment is tantamount to coming out ahead.
Four-week notes traded at a yield of zero while three-month notes went for 99 cents on the dollar. For you non-finance types, that means that investors bought billions of dollars of bonds today that were guaranteed to lose them money. As the NYTimes puts it:
The news sends a sobering signal: in this environment, losing only a small amount of money on an investment is tantamount to coming out ahead.
Hello, Tuesday afternoon
Well I haven't posted in a while (four days, that's a long time for me). Basically it's because nothing interesting is happening. Please note that the below things do not interest me:
- Riots in Greece
- Illinois governor in corruption scandal
- Auto bailout approved
- 9/11 terrorists plead guilty
- Dow up above 9k
- Julian Schnabel on 60 Minutes (okay I did watch this, but I didn't feel the need to post about it since I assumed everyone already knew)
However! Today I discovered that some real news has in fact been happening, and it's been going on right under my nose (or, rather, under some really good lighting and ampere waists)! Oprah is fat again!
In the [January issue of "O"] magazine, out Tuesday, the talk-show queen says she now weighs 200 pounds and has fallen off the wagon when it comes to healthy living.
This weight gives Oprah a BMI of 31.8, making her technically obese. That's what you get for discontinuing "O at Home"!! Karma's a bitch, baby!!
- Riots in Greece
- Illinois governor in corruption scandal
- Auto bailout approved
- 9/11 terrorists plead guilty
- Dow up above 9k
- Julian Schnabel on 60 Minutes (okay I did watch this, but I didn't feel the need to post about it since I assumed everyone already knew)
However! Today I discovered that some real news has in fact been happening, and it's been going on right under my nose (or, rather, under some really good lighting and ampere waists)! Oprah is fat again!
In the [January issue of "O"] magazine, out Tuesday, the talk-show queen says she now weighs 200 pounds and has fallen off the wagon when it comes to healthy living.
This weight gives Oprah a BMI of 31.8, making her technically obese. That's what you get for discontinuing "O at Home"!! Karma's a bitch, baby!!
05 December 2008
Back to the future
Flashback alert! It's 1995 again and O.J.'s back, but this time with a twist:
A Las Vegas judge sentenced fallen gridiron great O.J. Simpson to at least 15 years in prison for leading an armed confrontation last year at a Las Vegas hotel room over sports memorabilia.
Simpson could become eligible for parole in about nine years. Grimacing, Simpson was escorted from the courtroom in shackles.
Judge Jackie Glass gave Simpson a tongue-lashing before passing sentence.
"Earlier in this case, at a bail hearing, I said to Mr. Simpson I didn't know if he was arrogant, ignorant or both," Glass said. "During the trial and through this proceeding I got the answer, and it was both."
She stressed that the sentence was not "payback for anything else," apparently referring to Simpson's acquittal 13 years ago in the slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Snap, Judge Jackie Glass. He's already been convicted and sentenced to at leaset 15 years jail, but why don't you just rub it in a little? I've always thought it was funny how judges get to just dis on the defendant like that for no reason. If I ever wanted to become a judge, that would definitely be the reason why.
A Las Vegas judge sentenced fallen gridiron great O.J. Simpson to at least 15 years in prison for leading an armed confrontation last year at a Las Vegas hotel room over sports memorabilia.
Simpson could become eligible for parole in about nine years. Grimacing, Simpson was escorted from the courtroom in shackles.
Judge Jackie Glass gave Simpson a tongue-lashing before passing sentence.
"Earlier in this case, at a bail hearing, I said to Mr. Simpson I didn't know if he was arrogant, ignorant or both," Glass said. "During the trial and through this proceeding I got the answer, and it was both."
She stressed that the sentence was not "payback for anything else," apparently referring to Simpson's acquittal 13 years ago in the slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Snap, Judge Jackie Glass. He's already been convicted and sentenced to at leaset 15 years jail, but why don't you just rub it in a little? I've always thought it was funny how judges get to just dis on the defendant like that for no reason. If I ever wanted to become a judge, that would definitely be the reason why.
03 December 2008
Brace yourself for a great blog post!
CNN, you slay me. Where do you find this shit, seriously? Today we learn of high school teacher Tom Farber, who has begun selling ads on his calculus exams in an effort to raise extra cash for school expenses. An example:
You'd think Mr. Farber would get a lot of flack for diluting the purity of the educational process, bargaining his students' future for a buck, etc. etc., but parents and school officials have actually been very supportive. Personally, my ire lies not with Farber but with Stephen P. Henry D.M.D. "Brace yourself"? Could you be any lamer???
Detroit sucks so bad even Detroit thinks so
Yesterday the Big Three automakers returned to Congress to plead their cases once again for federal aid. In case you didn't already realize how much they suck:
GM said it needs an immediate injection of $4 billion to stay afloat until the end of the year, a fact it hadn't before disclosed. In total, the company said it needs $18 billion in loans -- $6 billion more than it said it would need just two weeks ago...
In a conference call with reporters, GM President Frederick "Fritz" Henderson said bankruptcy is not a viable option and the company is focusing solely on securing help from Washington. "There is not a Plan B," he said.
So, basically, the company needs $4 billion just to survive a single month. That must be some sort of record. And if for some crazy reason the government decides to put that money to better use, like say, by burning it, then GM's brilliant management team is out of ideas.
So what do regular ole Detroiters think of this plan? Apparently, they think it sucks, too:
John Raterink, a tool and machine maker who works at a small shop in Grand Rapids that supplies parts to the auto industry, opposes a bailout even though his livelihood is tethered to the car makers. Mr. Raterink, 46, points a finger at the Big Three for a lot of economic misery: "If I have to pull myself up by my own bootstraps, I hope G.M. faces that same reality."
In all fairness that dude is probably in the minority, but still. When even you think that you suck, it's time to move on.
GM said it needs an immediate injection of $4 billion to stay afloat until the end of the year, a fact it hadn't before disclosed. In total, the company said it needs $18 billion in loans -- $6 billion more than it said it would need just two weeks ago...
In a conference call with reporters, GM President Frederick "Fritz" Henderson said bankruptcy is not a viable option and the company is focusing solely on securing help from Washington. "There is not a Plan B," he said.
So, basically, the company needs $4 billion just to survive a single month. That must be some sort of record. And if for some crazy reason the government decides to put that money to better use, like say, by burning it, then GM's brilliant management team is out of ideas.
So what do regular ole Detroiters think of this plan? Apparently, they think it sucks, too:
John Raterink, a tool and machine maker who works at a small shop in Grand Rapids that supplies parts to the auto industry, opposes a bailout even though his livelihood is tethered to the car makers. Mr. Raterink, 46, points a finger at the Big Three for a lot of economic misery: "If I have to pull myself up by my own bootstraps, I hope G.M. faces that same reality."
In all fairness that dude is probably in the minority, but still. When even you think that you suck, it's time to move on.
02 December 2008
Tina Fey in Vanity Fair
I don't get Vanity Fair, because I don't pay for stuff, but I do read blogs that occassionally give me snippets of its content. Tina Fey is the subject of this month's cover story, which includes an interview with her husband and an explanation of that scar on her left cheek:
[A] stranger slashed Fey's face when she was 5 years old...the incident occurred in the front yard of her house.
She said it felt like someone marking her face with a pen. That's one tough-ass five-year-old, I tell you what.
[A] stranger slashed Fey's face when she was 5 years old...the incident occurred in the front yard of her house.
She said it felt like someone marking her face with a pen. That's one tough-ass five-year-old, I tell you what.
01 December 2008
Save Venice
Venice is totally fucked. Sorry, guys, but look at it:
That is the Piazza San Marco, a tourist- and pigeon-favorite, covered in knee-high (disgusting) seawater. The tide peaked at 61 inches (over 5 feet!), the fourth highest on record. They couldn't even put out those little walkways because the water was so high they would have floated away. Well, Venetians, you better start praying that all this global warming is followed by another Ice Age. Free skating, woooo!!!
That is the Piazza San Marco, a tourist- and pigeon-favorite, covered in knee-high (disgusting) seawater. The tide peaked at 61 inches (over 5 feet!), the fourth highest on record. They couldn't even put out those little walkways because the water was so high they would have floated away. Well, Venetians, you better start praying that all this global warming is followed by another Ice Age. Free skating, woooo!!!
Success!
Woohoo! Hillary has accepted the Secretary of State offer! So all my research into the voodoo practices of the African diaspora wasn't in vain!
He shoots... he scores!!
I love when I first read a story in the NYTimes, and I'm like, "okay, whatever," but then I read the same story in the NYPost and it suddenly takes on a whole new dimension. Example: while it was the NYTimes that officially informed me of Giants star Plaxico Burress' arrest, it was the NYPost that gave me the juicy (and hilarious) details:
- The incident occurred at midtown club Latin Quarter, "where workers allowed Burress inside with the gun, let him leave without calling authorities, and even had an employee place the gun in the glove compartment of Pierce's Cadillac Escalade"
- Burress was treated at "New York-Cornell Hospital, where he gave his name as Harris Smith, saying he'd been shot at an Applebee's restaurant. Nonetheless, hospital workers recognized him as Plaxico Burress, sources said, and the gunshot was not reported, as required by law."
- Burress "will be slapped with a felony gun charge and plead not guilty"
How do you plead not guilty to gun possession after you shoot yourself?!?! Is he going to use an existential defense??? "I didn't possess the gun, I was possessed by it." Oooooh. Deep.
- The incident occurred at midtown club Latin Quarter, "where workers allowed Burress inside with the gun, let him leave without calling authorities, and even had an employee place the gun in the glove compartment of Pierce's Cadillac Escalade"
- Burress was treated at "New York-Cornell Hospital, where he gave his name as Harris Smith, saying he'd been shot at an Applebee's restaurant. Nonetheless, hospital workers recognized him as Plaxico Burress, sources said, and the gunshot was not reported, as required by law."
- Burress "will be slapped with a felony gun charge and plead not guilty"
How do you plead not guilty to gun possession after you shoot yourself?!?! Is he going to use an existential defense??? "I didn't possess the gun, I was possessed by it." Oooooh. Deep.
24 November 2008
21 November 2008
Dancing Lizard
Teehee, animals are funny. Check out this rockin' lizardo:
Thanks for the tip, Cute Overload! Oh and I read a fun factoid in the comments that may interest you lizard luvahs: these guys are biologically "programmed" to dance like that; it tricks predators (because it makes them look like a leaf flowing in the wind). Cool!
Thanks for the tip, Cute Overload! Oh and I read a fun factoid in the comments that may interest you lizard luvahs: these guys are biologically "programmed" to dance like that; it tricks predators (because it makes them look like a leaf flowing in the wind). Cool!
20 November 2008
Adieu, W
Breaking: the MTA has just announced its crazy-ridiculous service cuts and fare hikes that are sure to have all NY commuters in a tizzy. Yipes.
Faced with its most severe financial crisis since the 1970s, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced plans on Thursday to drastically cut service on its subways, buses and commuter railroads starting in the spring and to impose a 23 percent increase in fare and toll revenue beginning June 1 and another 5 percent increase in 2011.
For New York City Transit, the biggest component of the authority, the deficit-closing plan would eliminate the W and Z subway lines; eliminate service on the M line to Bay Parkway in Brooklyn; shorten the route of the G line, which will permanently stop at Court Square in Long Island City, Queens, instead of 71st and Continental Avenues in Forest Hills, Queens; lower the frequency of most letter-line trains to every 10 minutes from every 8 minutes on weekends; lower the frequency of all trains to every 30 minutes from every 20 minutes from 2 to 5 a.m.; eliminate overnight bus service on 25 routes; and eliminate the X27 and X28 express-bus lines.
Mr. Sander said the route alterations “will result in extra transfers, longer travel times, longer wait times and longer walking time.” Trains would be more crowded. Subway cars would be cleaned less frequently. Station booths would be closed. Bus service would be cut back on weekends and at nights. The express-bus fare would rise to $7.50 from $5. The cost of the Access-a-Ride paratransit service for disabled riders would rise.
Not the W!! But I love the W! It is the train that transformed the boring N/R into the snappy N/R/W! What will fill that void now??
Faced with its most severe financial crisis since the 1970s, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced plans on Thursday to drastically cut service on its subways, buses and commuter railroads starting in the spring and to impose a 23 percent increase in fare and toll revenue beginning June 1 and another 5 percent increase in 2011.
For New York City Transit, the biggest component of the authority, the deficit-closing plan would eliminate the W and Z subway lines; eliminate service on the M line to Bay Parkway in Brooklyn; shorten the route of the G line, which will permanently stop at Court Square in Long Island City, Queens, instead of 71st and Continental Avenues in Forest Hills, Queens; lower the frequency of most letter-line trains to every 10 minutes from every 8 minutes on weekends; lower the frequency of all trains to every 30 minutes from every 20 minutes from 2 to 5 a.m.; eliminate overnight bus service on 25 routes; and eliminate the X27 and X28 express-bus lines.
Mr. Sander said the route alterations “will result in extra transfers, longer travel times, longer wait times and longer walking time.” Trains would be more crowded. Subway cars would be cleaned less frequently. Station booths would be closed. Bus service would be cut back on weekends and at nights. The express-bus fare would rise to $7.50 from $5. The cost of the Access-a-Ride paratransit service for disabled riders would rise.
Not the W!! But I love the W! It is the train that transformed the boring N/R into the snappy N/R/W! What will fill that void now??
A bit of levity, courtesy of Bentley
I seriously have to stop reading the Wall Street Journal. It is just too depressing. What I should be reading is the NY Daily News. Now there's a paper with real reporting. Like today's top story about Bentley, the car-driving dog:Awwww. This story has everything: adventure, danger, fur! And the best part: no one even cared that he wrecked the coffee shop! Because it was just sooooo cute. Too bad Paulson's not a dog--it could really soften the blow of that bailout thing.
19 November 2008
#1 Threat to America: PIRATES!!!!
Editor's note: In no way do I condone piracy or other forms of violence. That being said, arrrr!!! Shiver me timbers!! This post be about the skyrocketing number of pirate attacks happening recently. Avast, I'm totally serious.
I'd heard about a few earlier in the year, most recently the well-publicized hijacking of a Saudi oil ship, but it wasn't until today that I learned the full extent of the epidemic. The WSJ has a little graph showing the number of attacks Jan-Sept of this year vs last year, and the 2008 number is SEVEN TIMES greater than the 2007 one (31 vs. 199).
I'd heard about a few earlier in the year, most recently the well-publicized hijacking of a Saudi oil ship, but it wasn't until today that I learned the full extent of the epidemic. The WSJ has a little graph showing the number of attacks Jan-Sept of this year vs last year, and the 2008 number is SEVEN TIMES greater than the 2007 one (31 vs. 199).
Ahoy, mateys! We must band together to fight the scourge o' these ne'er-do-well cads! Yo-ho!
Kudos to India for getting the ball rolling.
18 November 2008
Mouse Patrol
Guess what! My webcam came in the mail yesterday! Yay!!!!
I had completely forgotten that I had even bought it, since it was kind of an impulse buy and I tend to lose interest in things like that very quickly, but receiving the package yesterday totally reignited my passion for lifecasting. You can view our channel below; it's called "Mouse Patrol":
Watch live video from Three's Company on Justin.tv
I describe it thusly: imagine if Modest Mouse and Snow Patrol came together, and then pointed a webcam at my stove. Kinda like that!
I had completely forgotten that I had even bought it, since it was kind of an impulse buy and I tend to lose interest in things like that very quickly, but receiving the package yesterday totally reignited my passion for lifecasting. You can view our channel below; it's called "Mouse Patrol":
Watch live video from Three's Company on Justin.tv
I describe it thusly: imagine if Modest Mouse and Snow Patrol came together, and then pointed a webcam at my stove. Kinda like that!
My crush on Joel McHale continues...
Clips like this are why I love Joel McHale. He knows that you don't watch TRL (it's not 1999 anymore) and so you probably missed this fan reprising his 2000 dancing debut in honor of TRL's last episode. So he brings it to you, in the form of the Clip of the Week:
Thanks, Joel! What gym does he go to????
Thanks, Joel! What gym does he go to????
A friendly gift? Or something more?
Tyra "kiss my fat ass" Banks has given the gift of true femininity to Isis King, whom you may remember as Top Model's very first publicity stunt--I mean, transgendered contestant. The penis-ectomy normally costs between 20 and 35K, but Tyra has arranged for it to be performed pro-bono (but I thought it was anti-bono! Hahahaha, okay I'm done).
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/11/17/2008-11-17_tyra_banks_gives_top_model_contestant_is.html
Now she can ace those pool photo shoots! Just like Tyra...
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/11/17/2008-11-17_tyra_banks_gives_top_model_contestant_is.html
Now she can ace those pool photo shoots! Just like Tyra...
14 November 2008
Nebraska hates children
I read about this story a couple of days/weeks back in the WSJ, but I didn't take it quite seriously. I mean the WSJ always has that weird column about like the Olive Garden and snowmobiling and random shit like that, so I kinda figured it was just another one of those. Oh, but I was wrong!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/14/nebraska.safe.haven/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
So apparently Nebraska really has had a rash of child abandonments since passing a "safe haven" law intended for babies, and it really is stuck with a whole mess o' kids it doesn't know what to do with. Note that we're not talking about two or three here: the state has now received thirty-four abandoned children, most of which are teenagers, coming from as far away as Florida.
Jeez. Imagine the confusion of the fourteen-year-old from Miami upon realizing that dad's surprise trip to Nebraska really wasn't about showing him the new "Omaha Disney". Sorta funny... but also really, really f'ed up...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/14/nebraska.safe.haven/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
So apparently Nebraska really has had a rash of child abandonments since passing a "safe haven" law intended for babies, and it really is stuck with a whole mess o' kids it doesn't know what to do with. Note that we're not talking about two or three here: the state has now received thirty-four abandoned children, most of which are teenagers, coming from as far away as Florida.
Jeez. Imagine the confusion of the fourteen-year-old from Miami upon realizing that dad's surprise trip to Nebraska really wasn't about showing him the new "Omaha Disney". Sorta funny... but also really, really f'ed up...
You go girl!
Hill's back, bitches! Almost-President-elect Hillary Clinton is reportedly being considered for the top job, Secretary of State, in Actual-President-elect Obama's administration.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/14/transition.wrap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
After a short review of the order of presidential succession on Wikipedia, I learned that if Hill is selected, she will be, as they say, just "three heartbeats away" from the highest office in our nation. Although that's pretty darn close, it's still behind the President pro tempore of the Senate, and who has any idea what the fuck that is?
While I conduct some further Wikipedia research, I encourage you all to light your ceremonial Hillary Clinton candles, join the hands of your Hillary and Barack voodoo dolls, and sing your pro-Hillary chants (Hiiiiiiillary, humanumhumanumhumanumhumanum, Hiiiiiillary....)--I think we've got a real shot this time!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/14/transition.wrap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
After a short review of the order of presidential succession on Wikipedia, I learned that if Hill is selected, she will be, as they say, just "three heartbeats away" from the highest office in our nation. Although that's pretty darn close, it's still behind the President pro tempore of the Senate, and who has any idea what the fuck that is?
While I conduct some further Wikipedia research, I encourage you all to light your ceremonial Hillary Clinton candles, join the hands of your Hillary and Barack voodoo dolls, and sing your pro-Hillary chants (Hiiiiiiillary, humanumhumanumhumanumhumanum, Hiiiiiillary....)--I think we've got a real shot this time!
13 November 2008
Martin Eisenstadt: "I am not a hoax" [Nixon-esque jowl jiggle]
We all knew that Sarah Palin wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, or the sharpest tool in the shed, or even the shiniest marble in the marble bag, but not knowing that Africa was a continent? Come on. That almost unbelievable claim raised more than a few eyebrows, and as it turns out, for good reason.
Martin Eisenstadt, the supposed McCain advisor and senior fellow at the Harding Institute who leaked this and other "inside information" to the press, is today revealed by the NYTimes to be nothing more than a publicity hoax. The story is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.html?em
Interestingly, however, Mr. Eisenstadt has a blog, on which he asserts his existence and claims that he is emphatically NOT a hoax. Huh????
http://www.eisenstadtgroup.com/
What is this world coming to. If we can't believe in blogs, what can we believe in???
Martin Eisenstadt, the supposed McCain advisor and senior fellow at the Harding Institute who leaked this and other "inside information" to the press, is today revealed by the NYTimes to be nothing more than a publicity hoax. The story is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.html?em
Interestingly, however, Mr. Eisenstadt has a blog, on which he asserts his existence and claims that he is emphatically NOT a hoax. Huh????
http://www.eisenstadtgroup.com/
What is this world coming to. If we can't believe in blogs, what can we believe in???
Puppies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aaaawwwwwwwww look at zee leetle furballs. Woof woof, snarl, bite, sleeeeeeep....
12 November 2008
Jeb is short for... ?? ...Jebremy?
Daily Intel today introduces us to the newest hunk of Treasury eye candy.. and his name is Jeb!
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/11/well_hello_mr_treasury-man.html
Well, Jeb, I'd say the country is safe in your strong, rough hands. Looks like Paulson is going to have some competition in this year's Treasury's Sexiest Man contest...
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/09/breaking_secretary_hank_paulso.html
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/11/well_hello_mr_treasury-man.html
Well, Jeb, I'd say the country is safe in your strong, rough hands. Looks like Paulson is going to have some competition in this year's Treasury's Sexiest Man contest...
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/09/breaking_secretary_hank_paulso.html
11 November 2008
Today's WSJ opinion page
If you get the WSJ, definitely check out their opinion page today. It's a real hoot.
Note that when I say "check out", by no means am I suggesting you actually read it. Oh no; that would be a complete waste of time. Just look at it. And laugh.
All the pieces are organized under the heading "What Does the GOP Do Next?" and clearly show the confusion and disorganization of the current Republican party. Even the page is laid out poorly. It looks like a tetris board of conservative whining.
You can check out the articles, without the funky positioning, here:
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-opinion-commentary.html
I'm having trouble picking a favorite, but it's definitely between the one claiming that Republicans "speak to people's hopes and aspirations" (hahahahahahhahahah oh god I think I'm choking ahahahahsdklfja;sldkfja;sdf) and "What Would Reagan Do".
Note that when I say "check out", by no means am I suggesting you actually read it. Oh no; that would be a complete waste of time. Just look at it. And laugh.
All the pieces are organized under the heading "What Does the GOP Do Next?" and clearly show the confusion and disorganization of the current Republican party. Even the page is laid out poorly. It looks like a tetris board of conservative whining.
You can check out the articles, without the funky positioning, here:
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-opinion-commentary.html
I'm having trouble picking a favorite, but it's definitely between the one claiming that Republicans "speak to people's hopes and aspirations" (hahahahahahhahahah oh god I think I'm choking ahahahahsdklfja;sldkfja;sdf) and "What Would Reagan Do".
The ironing is delicious
Goldman Sachs, a major underwriter of bonds for the state of California, is now advising some of its trading partners to short those bonds which it previously sold. An excerpt from an article in the LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-goldman11-2008nov11,0,1943014.story?dbk
Goldman, Sachs & Co. urged some of its big clients to place investment bets against California bonds this year despite having collected millions of dollars in fees to help the state sell some of those same bonds...
Some experts said the investment bank's actions, while not illegal, might be inappropriate. "That's not a good way to do business," said Geoffrey M. Heal, professor of public policy and business responsibility at Columbia University. "They've got a conflict of interest and they're acting against the interest of their customers. . . . You act in the interests of your clients. You don't screw them, to put it bluntly."
OOOOOHHHHH. No he di'nt!! NO. HE. DI'. NT. "Screw"?! HA. Give 'em Hell, Heal!http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-goldman11-2008nov11,0,1943014.story?dbk
Samantha to CNN: Stop publishing weird fucking stories
WTF, CNN? Is it not enough that every time I open my browser I have to see a stock chart and, by implication, a reminder of how worthless my savings are; now I have to read your ridiculous headlines, too? Today's top story:
Holocaust survivors to Mormons: Stop baptisms of dead Jews
I mean, really. Who needs that?
Although.. I guess it is interesting.. in a bizarre and scary kind of way. Fine, CNN. Fine. You win this round. Touche. Assholes.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/11/baptizing.dead.jews.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Holocaust survivors to Mormons: Stop baptisms of dead Jews
I mean, really. Who needs that?
Although.. I guess it is interesting.. in a bizarre and scary kind of way. Fine, CNN. Fine. You win this round. Touche. Assholes.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/11/baptizing.dead.jews.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
10 November 2008
Poll: Americans [still] hate President Bush [but now even more than before]
Speaks for itself...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/bush.transition.poll/index.html
The all-time low on the public's mood may have something to do with the poll's finding that President Bush is the most unpopular president since approval ratings were first sought more than six decades ago. Seventy-six percent of those questioned in the poll disapprove of how he is handling his job.
That's an all-time high in CNN polling and in Gallup polling dating back to World War II.
"No other president's disapproval rating has gone higher than 70 percent. Bush has managed to do that three times so far this year," Holland said. "That means that Bush is now more unpopular than Richard Nixon was when he resigned from office during Watergate with a 66 percent disapproval rating."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/bush.transition.poll/index.html
The all-time low on the public's mood may have something to do with the poll's finding that President Bush is the most unpopular president since approval ratings were first sought more than six decades ago. Seventy-six percent of those questioned in the poll disapprove of how he is handling his job.
That's an all-time high in CNN polling and in Gallup polling dating back to World War II.
"No other president's disapproval rating has gone higher than 70 percent. Bush has managed to do that three times so far this year," Holland said. "That means that Bush is now more unpopular than Richard Nixon was when he resigned from office during Watergate with a 66 percent disapproval rating."
Hahahahaha
Today, Deutsche Bank equity analyst Rod Lache cut his 12-month price target for GM stock to zero, causing shares to plummet to a 59-year low.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aF2FlgNCR5jg&refer=home
Shit... ZERO? I didn't even know you could do that! GM sure does suck. They just plain suck. I've seen companies suck before, but they are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked!
Barclays Capital and Buckingham Research, ever the glass-half-full optimists, only cut their price targets to $1.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aF2FlgNCR5jg&refer=home
Shit... ZERO? I didn't even know you could do that! GM sure does suck. They just plain suck. I've seen companies suck before, but they are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked!
Barclays Capital and Buckingham Research, ever the glass-half-full optimists, only cut their price targets to $1.
07 November 2008
Out of the frying pan into the fryer / rock and a hard place / damned if you do, damned if you don't / etc.
Shit just keeps getting worse. GM disclosed today (Friday) that it has suspended merger talks with Chrysler indefinitely, due to its deteriorating cash position. Chrysler, owned by Cerberus, is still single-and-looking, but the likelihood of it finding a suitor is unclear.
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/gm-suspends-merger-talks-with-chrysler/
We've all heard this tale before. It's the classic love story. Boy meets girl, boy proposes to girl, boy drops out of merger talks due to deteriorating cash position... poor Chrysler. Don't worry, hun; you keep your head up. You'll find him eventually!
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/gm-suspends-merger-talks-with-chrysler/
We've all heard this tale before. It's the classic love story. Boy meets girl, boy proposes to girl, boy drops out of merger talks due to deteriorating cash position... poor Chrysler. Don't worry, hun; you keep your head up. You'll find him eventually!
How to make money in the stock market without really trying
A funny thing happened on the way to the NYSE trading floor. The United States had its worse two-month job loss since 2001. A sign of an impending recession? Perhaps one that has already begun? No, apparently. Not according to equity traders, at least, who are, in the words of the NYTimes, "not letting a barrage of grim economic news get them down."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/business/08markets.html?hp
Awwww. Well isn't that nice? The economy may suck shit, but the equity values of the companies that operate in that economy are rising because if they didn't traders would be sad. :( :( :( And we've all seen enough photos of distressed traders to know what an awful tragedy that would be. (At least I have, but if you just can't ever get enough then I recommend this blog: http://sadguysontradingfloors.tumblr.com/)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/business/08markets.html?hp
Awwww. Well isn't that nice? The economy may suck shit, but the equity values of the companies that operate in that economy are rising because if they didn't traders would be sad. :( :( :( And we've all seen enough photos of distressed traders to know what an awful tragedy that would be. (At least I have, but if you just can't ever get enough then I recommend this blog: http://sadguysontradingfloors.tumblr.com/)
06 November 2008
You want 'em, I got 'em
Apparently, despite its boring, Schnabel-free coverage, NYTimes issues from November 5, 2008 are a hot commodity these days.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/06/obama.newspapers.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Well, guess what: I've got TWO of 'em. Muahahahaha! I'm rich! Rich, I tell you!!!!
I plan to use my new windfall to quit my job and buy a tropical island, perhaps Puerto Rico or that nice archipelago in the Pacific.. what's it called.. ah yes, Hawaii. Now accepting applications for monkey butlers.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/06/obama.newspapers.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Well, guess what: I've got TWO of 'em. Muahahahaha! I'm rich! Rich, I tell you!!!!
I plan to use my new windfall to quit my job and buy a tropical island, perhaps Puerto Rico or that nice archipelago in the Pacific.. what's it called.. ah yes, Hawaii. Now accepting applications for monkey butlers.
It's easy to miss Russia, all tucked away down there...
Evidently the NYTimes' Page Six isn't *quite* the same as the NYPost's. It just doesn't have the same cache, if you know what I mean. That's why they stick all the boring stories there. Like this one, from today's paper.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/world/europe/06russia.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
It's called "Russia Warns of Missile Deployment". Booooooring. Russia? Russia who? Who gives a fuck about that washed-up oligarchy? I want to hear about today's nuclear divas--Pakistan, North Korea, Iran--you know, the real celebrities.
And Schnabel. You can never have too much Schnabel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/world/europe/06russia.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
It's called "Russia Warns of Missile Deployment". Booooooring. Russia? Russia who? Who gives a fuck about that washed-up oligarchy? I want to hear about today's nuclear divas--Pakistan, North Korea, Iran--you know, the real celebrities.
And Schnabel. You can never have too much Schnabel.
05 November 2008
Obama wins in least climactic election night in recent history
Well, Obama won last night. No big surprise there. And although watching the election results was uniquely boring, since Obama's win was basically a foregone conclusion, I have to say that, frankly, I'm pretty excited about it.
I am most encouraged by Obama's background as a community organizer in inner-city Chicago. The political discourse in this country almost never touches America's cities, with their high crime rates, failing schools and, oh yeah, btw, most of the population. Now we finally have a president who understands the problems plagueing our metropolitan areas and may actually pay a small amount of attention to them (not that you'd know it from the shots of flowing grain and suburban streets that graced his infomercial, but whatev). So I'm hopeful about that.
I'm also happy for black people because, come on, they don't usually get a break in this country and they deserve it. Throw them a bone; let them have one president. We've had oodles of them and we'll probably have oodles more--we can spare it.
And although from a personal perspective a Democratic president probably isn't in my "best interest", I really do think that the liberal ideology is best-suited for the country as a whole. While listening to the selfish idiots who make 60K a year rant about how their taxes are going to go up, I was reminded of an interview Stephen Colbert did about a week ago with Sherman Alexie. Below please find a video and a choice quote from Mr. Alexie. It's very JFK-Ask not what your country can do for you-esque. Enjoy... and celebrate... after eight years, we've earned it.
McCain is great for Indians...but he's bad for the country. Unlike other groups of people...we Indians vote for the good of everybody and not just for the good of our little group.
I am most encouraged by Obama's background as a community organizer in inner-city Chicago. The political discourse in this country almost never touches America's cities, with their high crime rates, failing schools and, oh yeah, btw, most of the population. Now we finally have a president who understands the problems plagueing our metropolitan areas and may actually pay a small amount of attention to them (not that you'd know it from the shots of flowing grain and suburban streets that graced his infomercial, but whatev). So I'm hopeful about that.
I'm also happy for black people because, come on, they don't usually get a break in this country and they deserve it. Throw them a bone; let them have one president. We've had oodles of them and we'll probably have oodles more--we can spare it.
And although from a personal perspective a Democratic president probably isn't in my "best interest", I really do think that the liberal ideology is best-suited for the country as a whole. While listening to the selfish idiots who make 60K a year rant about how their taxes are going to go up, I was reminded of an interview Stephen Colbert did about a week ago with Sherman Alexie. Below please find a video and a choice quote from Mr. Alexie. It's very JFK-Ask not what your country can do for you-esque. Enjoy... and celebrate... after eight years, we've earned it.
McCain is great for Indians...but he's bad for the country. Unlike other groups of people...we Indians vote for the good of everybody and not just for the good of our little group.
04 November 2008
Affleck's hilarious Olbermann impression
This clip will definitely resonate with anyone who watches Countdown. No matter how liberal you may be, you've gotta admit that Keith Olbermann is kind of a nut job. I mean, let's just be real here, if he weren't involved in politics he really would spend the entire show railing on his neighbors and on that guy who works at the deli in the grocery store who charged him for a whole pound of turkey but only gave him 0.97 lbs. THE BASTARD!!!
Good humor on Olbermann's part for showing it on last night's show, although by conspicuously mentioning Affleck's "apology" letter immediately afterwards he basically confirmed the accuracy of whole skit. And congrats to Ben Affleck for an awesome and impressively long impersonation (no teleprompter, cue cards only, wow).
Good humor on Olbermann's part for showing it on last night's show, although by conspicuously mentioning Affleck's "apology" letter immediately afterwards he basically confirmed the accuracy of whole skit. And congrats to Ben Affleck for an awesome and impressively long impersonation (no teleprompter, cue cards only, wow).
Election Day
GO VOTE, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!
And when you're done, make sure to party up with ironically-themed drinks and snackums. I've compiled a list of suggestions, some original and some stolen from more clever people.
1. "Fundamentally strong" drinks
a. McCain Campaign on the rocks
b. Joe the Plummer (plum-favored)
2. Mav-ritz crackers
3. Pigs in a blanket, with "lipstick" dipping sauce
4. Nachos (okay, these aren't really themed, but so so tasty)
And when you're done, make sure to party up with ironically-themed drinks and snackums. I've compiled a list of suggestions, some original and some stolen from more clever people.1. "Fundamentally strong" drinks
a. McCain Campaign on the rocks
b. Joe the Plummer (plum-favored)
2. Mav-ritz crackers
3. Pigs in a blanket, with "lipstick" dipping sauce
4. Nachos (okay, these aren't really themed, but so so tasty)
31 October 2008
"Well, I mean... specifically?"
Oh, Jeebus. When Fox News starts turning against white, bigoted, middle-Americans, you KNOW something big is happening. Thanks to the Daily Show for the tip...
Now I vowed to never say this, but desperate times call for desperate measures: Fox News, I agree!!
Now I vowed to never say this, but desperate times call for desperate measures: Fox News, I agree!!
30 October 2008
Sinewy, Human-Shaped Agglomerations of Muscle Overtake NYC Streets!
Aaaaahhh! They're here! And they've got spandex!!!! No, this isn't some terrifying Halloween prank. It's the 50th Annual New York City Marathon! Yayayayayay!
If you've never watched it before, in person or on television, I highly recommend tuning in this Sunday, November 2nd, at 9AM. Although it might sound boring to watch people run for 2+ hours, it's actually an incredible sight. Not only are they going so fucking fast, but they're going so fucking fast for TWENTY-SIX MILES. You can check out the marathon's homepage here:
http://www.nycmarathon.org/
And, for your viewing pleasure, the final moments of the 2005 marathon, which just happened to have been the closest marathon in history. Notice how the second-place finisher collapses at the end. Ouch.
If you've never watched it before, in person or on television, I highly recommend tuning in this Sunday, November 2nd, at 9AM. Although it might sound boring to watch people run for 2+ hours, it's actually an incredible sight. Not only are they going so fucking fast, but they're going so fucking fast for TWENTY-SIX MILES. You can check out the marathon's homepage here:
http://www.nycmarathon.org/
And, for your viewing pleasure, the final moments of the 2005 marathon, which just happened to have been the closest marathon in history. Notice how the second-place finisher collapses at the end. Ouch.
"90 days, and the marriage is over"
Props to Stephen Colbert for sharing this glorious clip with the world. Without his help (and CNN's) this gem of a story would be languishing in Tennessee's cesspool of local news. Umm.. I mean, I assume it's a cesspool. I guess I don't really know. What's a cesspool, anyway? Sounds gross though, right? Yeah, okay then. Carry on.
29 October 2008
Fed cuts benchmark rate; I go, "huh?"
So everyone was expecting the Fed to cut the Fed Funds rate today, and surprise! It did, by half a percentage-point, to the bargain-basement level of one percent. I mean it's nice and all that the Dow went up a bajillion points yesterday, but I wonder if cutting interest rates is really the solution to this problem. First off, is it really going to do anything? The Fed has been lowering rates for the past 18 months and so far, nothin'. Why would it make a difference now?
Secondly, if easy credit was what contributed to the housing bubble in the first place, then isn't lowering rates back to the levels of '03 and '04 just history repeating itself? If this rate cut did actually work, which nobody really thinks it will, then wouldn't that be a bad thing?
And what's the deal with today's WSJ front-page article raising the specter of deflation? DE-flation? Weren't we talking about rapidly rising commodities and food prices like.. two weeks ago? I know oil has come down from its nausea-inducing heights, but it still costs over twice as much a barrel than it did only five short years ago. And don't even get me started on eggs.
Sometimes I think that Ben and the Maiden Lane Boys (my cute new nickname for the Fed, good right?) have just gotten lazy and are falling back on a tried and true, although unfortunately useless, tactic. Remember what happened to Japan, Ben!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/economy/30fed.html?hp
Secondly, if easy credit was what contributed to the housing bubble in the first place, then isn't lowering rates back to the levels of '03 and '04 just history repeating itself? If this rate cut did actually work, which nobody really thinks it will, then wouldn't that be a bad thing?
And what's the deal with today's WSJ front-page article raising the specter of deflation? DE-flation? Weren't we talking about rapidly rising commodities and food prices like.. two weeks ago? I know oil has come down from its nausea-inducing heights, but it still costs over twice as much a barrel than it did only five short years ago. And don't even get me started on eggs.
Sometimes I think that Ben and the Maiden Lane Boys (my cute new nickname for the Fed, good right?) have just gotten lazy and are falling back on a tried and true, although unfortunately useless, tactic. Remember what happened to Japan, Ben!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/economy/30fed.html?hp
28 October 2008
Well, it depends on how you define "legacy"...
Today's New York Times contains an insightful piece about our legal system and its increasingly conservative character. And surprisingly, this discussion focuses not on the Supreme Court (which actually doesn't decide that many cases--who knew?) but rather on the Courts of Appeals scattered throughout the country. These judges, too, are presidential appointees and serve for LIFE. And you thought Bush's "legacy" was the Iraq war! Ha! Wrong again, sucka!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/29judges.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/29judges.html?hp
27 October 2008
Triumph on the Weather
A friend sent me this link today.. it's a little outdated but still hilarious. Also, it got me thinking: what has Triumph the Insult Comic Dog been up to lately? I have neither seen nor heard from him in months. Is he even on Conan anymore?? Maybe, but I don't remember the last weeknight I stayed up past 11PM so how would I know. Anyway, without further ado... Triumph Does the Weather:
Triumph Weather Dog - These bloopers are hilarious
Introducing... Barack O' Lantern
24 October 2008
Extra! Extra! Bush endorses McCain!
You should def watch this clip of George Bush (Will Ferrell) endorsing John McCain (Darrell Hammond) and Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) on Saturday Night Live. It sorta, you know, makes comedy history. Or whatever.
The markets are falling! The markets are falling!
From CNNMoney:
Markets were so jittery early Friday that the New York Stock Exchange felt it was necessary to post a statement on its blog confirming that trading would open as normal at 9:30 a.m. ET, saying it felt it was necessary to answer widespread rumors that the open would be delayed.
The NYSE also posted updated details of so-called circuit breakers, which would halt trading for certain periods of time if the Dow Jones industrial average falls 1,100 points during the trading day. It said it was posting that information with "the fervent hope we won't need them."
Now wait just a minute. This is crazy! The New York Stock Exchange has a BLOG?!?!
http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/24/markets/stockswatch/index.htm?postversion=2008102406&eref=rss_topstories
Markets were so jittery early Friday that the New York Stock Exchange felt it was necessary to post a statement on its blog confirming that trading would open as normal at 9:30 a.m. ET, saying it felt it was necessary to answer widespread rumors that the open would be delayed.
The NYSE also posted updated details of so-called circuit breakers, which would halt trading for certain periods of time if the Dow Jones industrial average falls 1,100 points during the trading day. It said it was posting that information with "the fervent hope we won't need them."
Now wait just a minute. This is crazy! The New York Stock Exchange has a BLOG?!?!
http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/24/markets/stockswatch/index.htm?postversion=2008102406&eref=rss_topstories
23 October 2008
Credit analysts are assholes (but you knew that already)
Check out this article from Bloomberg, describing the soulless employees of Moody's and S&P:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ac8Bkp_7F4Rc&refer=home
Some choice quotes:
Employees at Moody's Investors Service told executives that issuing dubious creditworthy ratings to mortgage-backed securities made it appear they were incompetent or "sold our soul to the devil for revenue,'' according to e-mails obtained by U.S. House investigators.
An e-mail that a S&P employee wrote to a co-worker in 2006, obtained by committee investigators, said, "Let's hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of cards falters.''
A partner at my firm tipped me off, adding that before hitting "send" on an email, one should always ask oneself, "how would this sound in a deposition?" Voicemails, he says, are much harder to track down.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ac8Bkp_7F4Rc&refer=home
Some choice quotes:
Employees at Moody's Investors Service told executives that issuing dubious creditworthy ratings to mortgage-backed securities made it appear they were incompetent or "sold our soul to the devil for revenue,'' according to e-mails obtained by U.S. House investigators.
An e-mail that a S&P employee wrote to a co-worker in 2006, obtained by committee investigators, said, "Let's hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of cards falters.''
A partner at my firm tipped me off, adding that before hitting "send" on an email, one should always ask oneself, "how would this sound in a deposition?" Voicemails, he says, are much harder to track down.
OMGGGGGG
OMG you guys totally have to check out this link. I can't believe I missed this--it's at the park right next to my house! Grrr, I'll never forgive myself.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/istolethetv/sets/72157608198512965/show/
But you can bet I'll be there next year!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/istolethetv/sets/72157608198512965/show/
But you can bet I'll be there next year!
They're obviously pandering to the "Curcibita" lobby...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/23/political.halloween.irpt/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCPhoto
Numbers 2 & 3 are pretty cool; that shit's hard to do. But, #9... "Obampkin"? That's the best you could come up with, Tyler Martin? Lame. Personally, I prefer "Barack-O-Lantern". (We're carving him this weekend... I'll post pics when he's done).
UPDATE: http://www.yeswecarve.com -- Daily Intel, you've gone done and beat me to it again! (You bastards.)
Numbers 2 & 3 are pretty cool; that shit's hard to do. But, #9... "Obampkin"? That's the best you could come up with, Tyler Martin? Lame. Personally, I prefer "Barack-O-Lantern". (We're carving him this weekend... I'll post pics when he's done).
UPDATE: http://www.yeswecarve.com -- Daily Intel, you've gone done and beat me to it again! (You bastards.)
Alan Greenspan: "What I Have Learned"
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/10/23/business/1194827509979/greenspan-discusses-credit-tsunami.html
Your assignment: compare and contrast this speech with Greenspan's address to the Futures Industry Association in '99 (http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/1999/19990319.htm), in which he calls for, "a less burdensome regime for exchange-traded financial derivatives." 5000 word minimum. Go!
Your assignment: compare and contrast this speech with Greenspan's address to the Futures Industry Association in '99 (http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/1999/19990319.htm), in which he calls for, "a less burdensome regime for exchange-traded financial derivatives." 5000 word minimum. Go!
Midget Politics
"Politics makes strange bedfellows," so the saying goes. Witness this YouTube video as evidence.
(Okay, yes I realize this was posted on Friday by the Second-Best Blog Ever, Daily Intel, but in-case-you-missed-it...)
(Okay, yes I realize this was posted on Friday by the Second-Best Blog Ever, Daily Intel, but in-case-you-missed-it...)
18 October 2008
Andy Rooney Is Old (And Doesn't Get Stuff)
Sometimes I watch 60 Minutes, and I catch Andy Rooney's editorial at the end. Andy Rooney is a crotchety old man. Though I suppose he fancies himself a social satirist, I don't think he actually understands the society he comments on. And even when he does, he otherwise makes extremely boring observations.On the other hand, I find his continued employment fascinating. Maybe one of these days he'll do a piece on his own irrelevance and incoherence.
Here's some of Andy's cutting commentary:
"Recently, Merrill Lynch agreed to sell itself to Bank of America for $50 billion. What's that all about? Sell itself? Who gets the $50 billion?"
"In the past few years, I've bought three can openers and none of them work. Look at this. I always end up going back to the old manual opener. Or one of these, semi-automatic."
"Why don't airlines smarten up? They're almost always late according to their own schedules. If they can't get their on time, they should change their schedules. They could add an hour or so to all their scheduled flight times and we'd all feel good about getting there 15 minutes early instead of an hour late."
"We used to climb the mountain and pick these when I was a kid. But we didn’t call them blueberries we called them 'huckleberries.'"
Fan-tastic.
What ho! Andy Rooney is also the target of an online smear-campaign. A chain email has been circulating, purporting to contain sexist and more crotchety views expressed by Andy.
Who wants to smear Andy Rooney? My money's on THIS guy.
15 October 2008
Sit-down Smack-down
Reactions to the final presidential debate? My opinion: waaaay more interesting than all those that preceded it. I didn't fall asleep once!
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