Letterman's Financial Advice

“I want to warn people from Nigeria who might be watching our show, if you get any emails from Washington asking for money, it's a scam. Don't fall for it.”

Got to Love Wall Street

Wall Street Paid Hefty Bonuses

Despite crippling losses, multibillion-dollar bailouts and the passing of some of the most prominent names in the business, employees at financial companies in New York, the now-diminished world capital of capital, collected an estimated $18.4 billion in bonuses for the year.

That was the sixth-largest haul on record, according to a report released Wednesday by the New York State comptroller.

While the payouts paled next to the riches of recent years, Wall Street workers still took home about as much as they did in 2004, when the Dow Jones industrial average was flying above 10,000, on its way to a record high.

UPDATE: Obama Calls Wall Street Bonuses ‘Shameful’

“That is the height of irresponsibility,” Mr. Obama said angrily. “It is shameful, and part of what we’re going to need is for folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and show some discipline and show some sense of responsibility."

Your Tax Dollars At Work

Good up until around 2:00, then it gets a bit old.

Take Bacon. Add Sausage. Blog.

Need some snacks for the Super Bowl?

FOR a nation seeking unity, a recipe has swept the Internet that seems to unite conservatives and liberals, gun owners and foodies, carnivores and ... well, not vegetarians and health fanatics.

Certainly not the vegetarians and health fanatics.

And here's how you make it: Bacon Explosion

More "Flat Stanley"

At the M&M store.

Hope

I just finished watching 11, or maybe it was 13 episodes, anyway I do know it was 5 DVDs worth of the Ken Burn's Civil War documentary series. If you have about 15 hours to spare, it's worth the watch. But what amazes me is that slavery ended in 1864, and then nothing really happened for another 100 years, until around 1964ish when the civil rights movement began. In retrospect, it's mind boggling. It was basically a 100 years of segregation.

Banned: PETA's Super Bowl Ad

PETA's "vegetarians have better sex" Super Bowl ad was rejected by NBC because it "depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards."

No vegetarians were harmed or mistreated during the filming of this ad.

"Flat Stanley" Visits Coney Island & NY Aquarium

"My Day with Flat Stanley"

During our day together, Flat Stanley and I visited Coney Island and the New York Aquarium.

To get there, Flat Stanley and I took the subway. When we first arrived, we visited the Famous Coney Island Amusement Park where the "Cyclone" is located. The "Cyclone" is a wooden roller coaster was built in 1927. It is one of the nation's oldest wooden coasters still in operation. Being winter, however, the amusement park was closed. After visiting the amusement park, Flat Stanley and I visited the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, but we only stayed for a few minutes because it was very cold.

Next to the beach was the New York Aquarium. It was Flat Stanley's first time to visit the New York Aquarium, as well as mine. We both like it a lot. And while we got there late, we didn't see any of the shows, we did get to see many kinds of underwater fish, sharks, turtles and walruses. The underwater sea turtles and sharks were my favorite. I think Flat Stanley like the walrus the best.

After visiting Coney Island and the NY Aquarium, Flat Stanley and I took the subway to Manhattan, NY and visited the M&M store. At the M&M store we took some pictures and ate some M&Ms. The green M&Ms my favorite. After the M&M store we took the subway home, back to Newark, NJ.

Getting Old

My Gym Look:

1) socks are above the ankles
2) shorts are slightly about the knee
3) t-shirt isn’t sleeveless or XXXL
4) my hoodie is a solid color*
5) my flat cap is gray*

The Younger Look:

1) socks, barely visible above the sneaker
2) shorts should cover the knee, possibly a little lower
3) XXXL for sure, or for those with nice bods a muscle tee
4) hoodie, at a minimum with graffiti art on the front, if going all out an entire multi-color design is requisite
5) anything goes here: flat cap, fedora, ski cap, etc.
6) scarf, preferably, black & white.

But what’s even sadder – and a sure sign of age – is that I’m aware of this style shift, but I can’t be bothered purchasing new clothes because my current clothes still fit and are wearable.

*I wear these on the way to the gym, not at the gym (in case, you were wondering).

Bragging

Travel & Leisure published their online poll results.

Top 10 Cities Overall
1 Bangkok
2 Buenos Aires
3 Cape Town
4 Sydney
5 Florence
6 Cuzco, Peru
7 Rome
8 New York
9 Istanbul
10 San Francisco

I've been to all the cities, except Florence (smile).

The Real World: Brooklyn

I'm really to old for this, but they stream the episode online, Wednesday nights, right after they air on MTV. I'm becoming addicted. The last time I watch a Real World series was probably back in 2000 and 2001 during the Nevada and Chicago escapades. Somewhat this season has got my attentions once again: there's: a hot girl with a silicone valley; a gay, latino; a tattooed bi; a trannie; a body builder; a hip-hop dance wanker; a mormon; and an iraq war vet. This in the 20th anniversary of the series.

I Was Bored So I...

...read Obama's inaugural address (after listening to it twice previously). And, dang, Obama dumped on Bush big time. He basically describes the current situation in the country and then points at Bush, making sure Bush is credited appropriately. A few news agencies described how the Bush people were surprised and angered at Obama's harsh remarks as they flew back to Texas. But to Obama's credit he captured the feeling of most Americans.

Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.

And specifically, there were some REAL zingers.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.

We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality...

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

The NY Times reports:

Some analysts said it was the first time since Franklin D. Roosevelt took over from Herbert Hoover in 1933 that an incoming president used his Inaugural Address to so evidently repudiate his predecessor as he headed for the door.

It seem clear Obama cemented the blame of the current state of the nation on Bush with his address. Hopefully, Obama can do a little better.

Photo the Hand

These two are too cute. And the camera of choice appears to be a grape-colored US$150 Kodak EasyShare M893.

Prayers for Bobby: The Story

Bobby Griffith's four-year struggle with being gay and trying to live a Christian life ended on Aug. 27, 1983.

On that day, the twenty-year-old California man backflipped off a freeway overpass in Portland, OR., timing his leap so his body would be struck and killed by an oncoming tractor-trailer.

For four years before his death, his religious mother encouraged him to "cure" his homosexuality through prayer. Bobby also kept an extensive diary during those years, which chronicles his highs and lows.

"Prayers for Bobby" airs January 24th at 9PM ET/PT on Lifetime Channel

Two Little (Huge) Things Obama Said

.... that American politicians, ESPECIALLY Presidents, never mention: Vietnam and atheism.

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.”

“they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sanh.”

“On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recrminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.”

“restore science to its rightful place.”

At Last!

Good Bye NY Times?

...what if The New York Times goes out of business—like, this May?

It’s certainly plausible. Earnings reports released by the New York Times Company in October indicate that drastic measures will have to be taken over the next five months or the paper will default on some $400million in debt. With more than $1billion in debt already on the books, only $46million in cash reserves as of October, and no clear way to tap into the capital markets (the company’s debt was recently reduced to junk status), the paper’s future doesn’t look good.

The paper’s credit crisis comes against a backdrop of ongoing and accelerating drops in circulation, massive cutbacks in advertising revenue, and the worst economic climate in almost 80 years. As of December, its stock had fallen so far that the entire company could theoretically be had for about $1 billion. The former Times executive editor Abe Rosenthal often said he couldn’t imagine a world without The Times. Perhaps we should start.

Another example of the internet crumpling another business model.

(Via The Atlantic )

Wikipedia Stated Objective

Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.

I find this concept amazing. Once encyclopedias, dictionaries, and books were only accessible to those who could afford them or had access to them (e.g. schools, libraries, etc.) and limitations always existed, no school or library had access to all information, materials or knowledge. It's all part of my continuing "love affair" with the internet....

Obama Tests the Phone

First day in the office. Ha, ha.

Warming in Antarctica Looks Certain

While some regions of Antarctica, particularly the peninsula that stretches toward South America, have warmed rapidly in recent decades, weather stations including the one at the South Pole have recorded a cooling trend.

Got to get there before it disappears. (Via Antarctica is warming.)

GetToKnowUsFirst

Stop the hate! To hell with homophobia and bigotry!

The Inauguration for Me

I resisted personal temptation and multiple phone calls from my friend Chad to head to DC for the Inaugural. He offered a place to stay, and had a house full of guess, so there would have been plenty of company, but in the end, I'm kinda glad I didn't go, but only kinda. There were times, when watching the celebrations on the internet, I had regrets, but only fleeting regrets. The inaugural did impressed on me, three things:

1) The last five years (starting 5 months after the Iraq War began when they could not find any WMD) have been horrendous. And clearly Obama pointed this out over and over again in his inaugural address. It's almost as if he didn't want to set people's expectation to high, but to highlight some simple changes he proposes will make a huge difference.

2) Obama has amazing elocution skills. They are truly a natural gift. And, in my opinion one of the most important skills of the POTUS, if not thee most. In the age of mass media, its invaluable. Reagan was a talking head. Clearly, Obama is a talking head, but with great intelligence to boot. A rare combination.

3) Obama's inspiration by example. Obama's story has inspire peopled, not only in the U.S. but all around the world. The son of an African father and Kanas mother, with family spanning the globe, raised by a single mother with very modest means can become the POTUS. It's an incredible story, given this country's history.

... because we have chosen hope over fear...

Cheney: Dr. Strangelove?

REMAKING AMERICA: Mr. Obama declared that it’s time to “begin again the work of remaking America” and “we are ready to lead once more.” He wants to “restore science to its rightful place” and believes that “the nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.” And he issued a stern warning against actions like the invasion of Iraq, saying that the nation’s power does not “entitle us to do as we please.”

Happy Birthday MLK

His Last Speech

Bush Polls Lowest Ever

Bush is leaving office with a 22 percent approval rating, even Jimmy Cater had a 44 percent approval rating.

When asked about Mr. Bush’s performance over the last eight years, 22 percent of respondents said they approved. That matched Mr. Bush’s job-approval rating for much of last fall, the lowest of his presidency. In the current poll, 73 percent disapproved of his performance over the course of his two term.

Disapproval cut across party lines, with Democrats, independents and even 34 percent of Republicans critical of Mr. Bush’s performance.

In contrast, Mr. Bush’s most recent predecessors left office with approval ratings ranging from 68 percent, for both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, to 44 percent, for Jimmy Carter. Mr. Bush’s father left with 54 percent.

Americans’ historically negative assessment of the administration is not limited to the president. Vice President Dick Cheney’s favorability rating in the new poll is 13 percent, the lowest of his time in office.

(Via NY Times)

BMW office chair. Super!

How to make a really stylish piece of office furniture from an old car seat. JC (or James Coville) was my tent mate for my 2005 Ultimate Asia tour. As always James is wisely using his free time.

Ex-Gay Survivor

Peterson Toscano: "I spent years and years trying to de-gay myself through ex-gay ministries and gay reparative therapy. I finally came to my senses and accepted myself as gay. In this video I look at the several reasons why I tried to straighten myself out."

Ryan Seacrest Tries to High Five Blind Contestant

HI FIVE BLI-- Ohh sh**....

Chelsea Clinton... Intern?!

A bit of a Biden moment for Kerry!

I love Rachel Maddow. She's like a breath of fresh air. Or as John Steward said: if MSNBC were the Munsters, she'd be Marilyn.

Grumble

The Rite Aid checkout line was five deep. Finally the guy in front of me approaches the register. The cashier rings him up - three dollars and some odd change for two bottles of flavored water. The guy in front me THEN starts searching for payment. Was he expecting the cashier NOT to ask him for money? He finds his wallet. There's not enough money in his wallet, so he starts searching his pockets. Eventually, he finds two dollars, and then starts searching his pockets AGAIN for CHANGE - finding a quarter here and a dime there. We'll been in queue for a GOOD 10 MINUTES WAITING! People be prepared.

1. When purchasing, you WILL have to interact with the cashier, unless its a self-check out.
2. Either way, you WILL have to make a payment. Determine payment method before approaching checkout.
3. Get payment READY!! It's NOT HARD.

"Our Daily Bread"

About ten minutes into to the doc, I was like holy s*** there is no dialogue. I noted the length, an hour and a half, and I decided, I'll give it a go. Mesmerizing. Parts were a little slow, but it picked up at the end during the industrial slaughter sequence. All done in very good taste, considering the action.

Bypassing the human factor, Nikolaus Geyrhalter's provocative documentary offers an intensely clinical look at the machinery of industrial food production. Geyrhalter focuses his lens on high-tech aspects of agriculture, using a rich mix of film techniques to capture machines in action. Humans, animals and crops appear incidentally, with droning conveyor belts, automated crop dusters and other machinery in starring roles.

Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
"This documentary is an unblinking, often disturbing look at industrial food production from field to factory."

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"The camera simply looks, with unflinching interest, as plants and animals are processed into the food we eat. It's up to the viewer to distinguish tastes of horror, compassion, and awe at the efficiency involved".

I gave it 4 stars (out of 5) on Netflix and noticed the two comments by reviewers above. The NYT reviewer expectantly uses the word "horror" to describe it. Anything to with industrial agriculture the NYT is "horror". At least it seems that way. Why? I don't know, because It's leftist-alternative politically correct to have that view? Without that view Manohla Dargis probably would be an NYT reviewer. And while I love the NYT - I read it daily - it's my home page - but sometimes it get to be too much.

But the other reviewer was right on. The doc leaves it "up to the viewer to distinguish tastes of horror, compassion, and awe". And there was a lot of AWE.

Hallelujah: Stocks Finally Undervalued!!

Stock are finally appropriately valued, after being overvalued for the past 17 years. Time to start buying, almost.

For the past 17 years, according to Professor Shiller, stocks have remained persistently overvalued, sometimes violently so. In the past two months, however, they have finally fallen below their long-term average.

Specifically, the average cyclically-adjusted PE for the past 130 years has been 16X. At the end of December, the S&P 500 was trading at 15X.

So does that mean stocks are going to go straight up from here? Absolutely not. As the last 17 years have shown, the gravitational pull around fair value over the short-term is weak. After past market peaks of this magnitude, prices have usually spent decades below fair value, and we expect we'll likely see the same pattern here.

(Via Cluster Stock)

Joe Plumber: Media Shouldn't Report War

I thought Sarah Palin was "ignorant of her ignorance", but this fake plumber guy takes the samosa.

Said Wurzelbacher: "I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think journalists should be anywhere allowed war. I mean, you guys report where our troops are at. You report what’s happening day to day. You make a big deal out of it. I think it’s asinine. You know, I liked back in World War I and World War II when you’d go to the theater and you’d see your troops on, you know, the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for ’em...I think media should be abolished from, uh, you know, reporting. You know, war is hell. And if you’re gonna sit there and say, 'Well look at this atrocity,' well you don’t know the whole story behind it half the time, so I think the media should have no business in it."

Duh, Joe maybe YOU don't know the "whole story", because YOU didn't research it before hand, but DON'T project your ignorance on the entire media. Before the election you were a want-a-be plumber. Putting one's faith in the government to fight the war is asinine. It's clear from the Iraq War that EVEN the government doesn't knows the "whole story".

See I'm Not the Only One

NYTimes: Those ‘Gap Years’ Aren’t Just for Students

Dr. Sinar took a “gap year,” from July 2007 to June 2008, to explore things like stone masonry, antique restoration, archaeology and traditional Eastern medicine, in locations spanning from Alaska to Nepal to Romania. “I think everyone in his heart of hearts has some things they have always wanted to do but for one reason or other never does,” Dr. Sinar said.

There is even a book: Gap Years for Grown-Ups.

And a website Gap Year for Grown-Ups.

Plant Earth

Twelve hours of amazing photography of earth and animals, I'd highly recommend it, if you have the time. It's 5 DVDs.

The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.

2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes. How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.

3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.

4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.

5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants. How to eat: Just drink it.

6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants. How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.

7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death. How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.

8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins. How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.

9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.

10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies. How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.

11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories. How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Instead of buying lunch tomorrow, I recommend bringing Cabbage, Pumpkin, Sardines, Beets and Frozen Blueberries.

(Via NYTimes)

Little Britain USA - Fat Fighters

Hello Fatties!

Sleepless In Seattle. I've seen it, but I don't remember you in it, but I'll take your word for it.

She must have bought those in Africa!

My illegal friend...

I should have warned you she's Filipino - I'm Mexican - Same thing, innit.

...from the morbidly obsess contingent. Yes, the dangerously fat man.

And eating another woman's vagina isn't?

4 Men and a Baby

Bush, Sr.: Now I understand why some animals eat their young.

Obama: You Idiot!

W.: The people voted for me twice, so they must be idiots, too!

Clinton: Where are the interns?

Carter: If I slowly side step away, maybe everybody will forget I was a President.

"Organic" 100% Natural Green Tea

Organic Righttttt! The tea was grown in China.

Tainted Chinese Imports Common
In Four Months, FDA Refused 298 Shipments

* Dried apples preserved with a cancer-causing chemical.

* Frozen catfish laden with banned antibiotics.

* Scallops and sardines coated with putrefying bacteria.

* Mushrooms laced with illegal pesticides.

These were among the 107 food imports from China that the Food and Drug Administration detained at U.S. ports just last month, agency documents reveal, along with more than 1,000 shipments of tainted Chinese dietary supplements, toxic Chinese cosmetics and counterfeit Chinese medicines.

Kinda makes you wonder what you're actually eating these days.

There's a Frozen Peen in the Sky

Don't you just love public humiliation when it doesn't happen to you? It's truly what makes the world go round.

(Via dlisted.com)

The Bush Legacy

If you voted for Bush and now are worried about losing your job, fretting about a decline in your house value, lost a good portion of your retirement savings, well you're getting what you voted for. Don't complain.

What Next?

The "what next" feeling hovering over the equity markets can basically be summed up in these three charts. Nobody knows what's going to happen. Typically, one bets on how "much the market is going to move", not whether it's going to move "up or down". The economy is in a really bizarre state right now.

If one believes the economy is similar to the S&P tech crash of 2000-02 or the 1973 oil crisis crash then the equities market might have bottomed already in November.

If one believes the economy it not just a recession, but a major correction, like the corrections/depression in the graph, then don't expect the market to be heading north fast.

This graph also suggests little northward movement anytime soon.

(Via dshort.com)

Former Bankers Turn to a Creative Plan B

(Via NYTimes)

With Wall Street hemorrhaging jobs, bonuses disappearing and the financial sector going through a seismic shift, some bankers and lawyers are switching lanes to more creative career paths. They are putting down their Wall Street Journals and picking up Variety as they try their hands at comedy, filmmaking and writing.

It appears, I'm not the only one, but FOR THE RECORD, I started down the path in 2005. Thank you.

Of Montreal

Happy New Years!!

Of Montreal - Wraith Pined to the Mist

"Let's pretend we don't exist. Let's pretend we're in Antarctica"

This band has become an obsession.