Why the change?

In light of the recent bleak macro-economic and political environment, I felt it was best to symbolize my feelings about the world by changing the layout of this page to black. It symbolizes the demise of Bear Stearns, the 20%+ drop in the markets, the record oil prices (oil is black!), and the potential for things to get worse, including - God seriously forbid - another war (with Iran).

Just remember, things always get darkest right before it gets pitch black. So, hang in there.

Hopefully, this will only be a temporary move and we'll be back to happy days again soon. In the meantime, tread carefully!

Gas price stopping you?

From Reuters:

A Nevada brothel is trying to stimulate business by offering free gasoline. ...

"It's rocking along. We're doing quite well. June and July historically are not big months," said [the owner].

Not sure how I should react to this - should I be disturbed about the prostitution aspect, or the fact that we're so easily lured into morally depraving activities? And, students of economics should note that prostitution is a normal and elastic good, at least according to this story.

"Family First" Mortage Corp Irony

As you may know, hundreds of mortgage lenders have had to shut down recently due to the ongoing economic hell / real estate recession.

Here's a voice recording from Family First Mortgage Corp that alerted employees who were terminated. You should listen to it - it's quite horrifying to know that a company will fire you in this manner. (Message courtesy of Implode-O-Meter).

http://ml-implode.com/info/fam-first-orig-message.mp3

So anyway, that's just the dire state of things these days.

Buns and Guns

Would you eat here?

Cool concept, eh?

11 Best Food You Aren't Eating

From the NYTimes:

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.

Any surprises?

Captured Alive

To bring a story that I posted here earlier to a close:

The fugitive hedge fund swindler Samuel Israel III surrendered to law enforcement officials on Wednesday, ending a manhunt that began shortly after he faked his suicide on the day that he was to report to prison.

Source: NYTimes. Continued here.

The man's a fool. He'd probably have gotten a lot less than 20 years had he just served his term. Now, he'll probably be in for at least 20 years. Money isn't the end of it all now, is it?

Madness

Taken from the Washington Post:

The American Family Association obviously didn't foresee the problems that might arise with its strict policy to always replace the word "gay" with "homosexual" on the Web site of its Christian news outlet, OneNewsNow. The group's automated system for changing the forbidden word wound up publishing a story about a world-class sprinter named "Tyson Homosexual" who qualified this week for the Beijing Olympics.

The problem: Tyson's real last name is Gay. Therefore, OneNewsNow's reliable software changed the Associated Press story about Tyson Gay's amazing Olympic qualifying trial to read this way:

Tyson Homosexual was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has....

Source: Washington Post. Continued here.

If anyone can please explain why they'd want to replace the word gay with homosexual, I'd really appreciate it.