How do you feel?

Some days, we simply need to look to others to express ourselves. Today is such a day!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us. -- Charles Dickens

Doomsday: T minus N

Home price drop means $4 trillion in lost capital

The Risk Nightmare - Trillions in CDS markets, nothing to show for?

We have 25-year old 'super-bubble' - According to George Soros

As for the title, 0 < N < infinity.

I can think of nothing else right now, except:

"Dust thou art, and to dust thou wilt return."

My Partial Oil Solution

I have a partial solution to the volatility of oil prices. As you know, oil is priced in US dollars. Over the past several years, as the USD has gotten hammered, oil has continued its upward trajectory. Many so-called 'experts' agree that oil prices have an inverse relationship with the USD. Clearly, this sort of dependence is rather risky, as we're finding out in the current environment.

My solution - and I'm not sure if it's been suggested before, but I'm guessing that it's certainly not a novel idea - is to price oil using a basket of currencies. In other words, we should price oil as follows: 0.25 USD + 0.25 EUR + 0.25 YEN + 0.25 GBP. I've randomly picked YEN and GBP, but any other major currencies can be used. This also doesn't have to be an equal weighted index, but could use a different methodology. Either way, the point is that we need to reduce the volatility of an extremely important commodity like oil and its dependence on a single currency.

You can even take this further and price all commodities like this to avoid ridiculous rice and wheat riots.

Three Wooden Crosses

Continuing to explore the Purpose theme, Randy Travis makes an excellent point. I love this song.

Three Wooden Crosses by Randy Travis

A farmer and a teacher, a hooker and a preacher,
Ridin' on a midnight bus bound for Mexico.
One's headed for vacation, one for higher education,
An' two of them were searchin' for lost souls.
That driver never ever saw the stop sign.
An' eighteen wheelers can't stop on a dime.

There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,
Why there's not four of them, Heaven only knows.
I guess it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you,
It's what you leave behind you when you go.

That farmer left a harvest, a home and eighty acres,
The faith an' love for growin' things in his young son's heart.
An' that teacher left her wisdom in the minds of lots of children:
Did her best to give 'em all a better start.
An' that preacher whispered: "Can't you see the Promised Land?"
As he laid his blood-stained bible in that hooker's hand.

There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,
Why there's not four of them, Heaven only knows.
I guess it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you,
It's what you leave behind you when you go.

That's the story that our preacher told last Sunday.
As he held that blood-stained bible up,
For all of us to see.
He said: "Bless the farmer, and the teacher, an' the preacher;
"Who gave this Bible to my mamma,
"Who read it to me."

There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,
Why there's not four of them, now I guess we know.
It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you,
It's what you leave behind you when you go.

There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway.

For an 'Obamacon,' Communion Denied

An incredible article in the Washington Post about "Douglas Kmiec, a staunch Republican, firm foe of abortion and veteran of the Reagan Justice Department, [who] had been denied Communion."

Access the article here.

My quick take:

This is what you get when you have little people with a little power - the so-called little Napoleon wannabes - who don't think past their first step. The priest's actions, in my opinion, are completely out of line for so many reasons including: 1) Kmiec does not support Obama because of abortion; 2) Kmiec is staunchly against abortion; 3) the priest is clueless on Kmiec's relationship with God... and on and on. I almost want to say that priests like this dude ought to be excommunicated for being the antithesis of Christ's love. But, I won't advocate that.

Thankfully, though, people like this particularly priest are a minority in the Catholic Church. And, even more thankfully, there are priests who understand what it is like to be an individual outside of the confines of a church building.

As always, the Jayhawk's looking to hear your opinions, especially on this particular topic!

"The Same People"

Not sure if you saw this, but a reader posted the following article regarding the gay marriage topic: http://www.newsweek.com/id/139423. It's a quick read and one that's worth your 90 seconds.

"Do You Love the Job, or Just the Paycheck?"

An excellent article in the NYTimes about a topic that has been discussed on Jayhawk's Nest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/jobs/01pre.html

"My sense of professional accomplishment was determined by the size of my bonus checks. I felt that my title and salary were all that I had to show for those long years of hard work, political maneuvering and Dilbertian despair.

"Like many of my co-workers, I thought I could eventually earn enough money to make up for the fact that I dreaded going to work every day. Then I would be happy, I told myself...

"But in fact, my high-paying but soul-draining job was beginning to take a toll on my personal life."

Oh so true, so true, so true, so true... and take away the 'high' from 'high-paying' and you begin to spell life with new letters: "m. i. s. e. r. y!"

Read the article and let me know what you think!

You're Gonna Miss This

A good reminder to those on the fast-track to nowhere...

You're Gonna Miss This

She was staring out the window of their SUV
Complaning, saying "I can't wait to turn 18"
She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her "It's a nice place"
She says "It'll do for now"
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and saysAnd s "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says "They don't bother me.
I've got 2 babies of my own.
One's 36, one's 23.
Huh, it's hard to believe, but...

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this"

--Trace Adkins

A Dilemma

In a suburb of a big town near a big city in a big state in the Midwest, there lived two friends. Their names were Eks and Wye. As their friendship grew over the years, they began to love each other. A lot. So they decided to do what people who love each other do - get married.

Eks and Wye are Pozlots - that's the name of their religion. The Pozlots have a very sacred text called the Winkrut. On page seven, paragraph 3 of the Winkrut, it says: "Any two individuals who decide to commit to each other in a long-term relationship must get married....Furthermore, the couple can be man-man, woman-man, woman-woman, neuter-man, neuter-woman, neuter-neuter. Irrespective, the two must get the blessings of the deity and the yutlutz" (akin to a Catholic priest, Protestant minister, Hindu priest, Jewish rabbi, etc).

So, Eks and Wye went to the Pozlots' sacred house - called a Riszeim - and got married. It made them immensely happy. Two weeks ago, they decided to buy a house, together as a couple. So, they visited a Realtor and looked for houses. Last week, they found a house which they both loved and so they decided to buy it. In the process of completing the paper work and obtaining the mortgage, the bank asked Eks and Wye, "Is this is a tenancy by the entirety purchase?" Eks responded, "Well yes, of course! We're married!" So, as is standard procedure, the bank clerk asked for a formal marriage certificate issued by the US government to prove that the individuals were married for the purpose of property law.

The next day, Eks and Wye went to the county court to obtain a marriage license and the county clerk said to them, "Hi! Welcome to the United States' Most Accepting County Courthouse! How may I help you?" Eks proceeded to ask for a marriage license. He showed the Pozlot religious marriage license which they had received from the yutlutz as proof that vows were exchanged with Wye.

After a brief moment, the clerk said, "Don't mind me asking, but you two look alike. I mean, you know, you both don't look like either girls or boys. Sorry, but what's your gender? I need to write it down so that I know the groom and bride." Eks and Wye respond, in unison, "Well, we're neuter." Wye went on to explain, "We were castrated when we were five and now we're neuter."

So, should the clerk proceed with the process of issuing a marriage license or not?

The Chain of Love

What would an ideal world be like? Clay Walker answers in the following song:

The Chain Of Love

He was driving home one evening,
In his beat up Pontiac
When an old lady flagged him down,
Her Mercedes had a flat
He could see that she was frightened,
Standing out there in the snow
'Til he said I'm here to help you ma'am,
By the way my name is Joe

She said I'm from St. Louis,
And I'm only passing through
I must have seen a hundred cars go by,
This is awful nice of you
When he changed the tire,
And closed her trunk
And was about to drive away,
She said how much do I owe you
Here's what he had to say

You don't owe me a thing, I've been there too
Someone once helped me out,
Just the way I'm helping you
If you really want to pay me back,
Here's what you do
Don't let the chain of love end with you

Well a few miles down the road,
The lady saw a small cafe
She went in to grab a bite to eat,
And then be on her way
But she couldn't help but notice,
How the waitress smiled so sweet
And how she must've been eight months along,
And dead on her feet

And though she didn't know her story,
And she probably never will
When the waitress went to get her change,
From a hundred dollar bill
The lady slipped right out the door,
And on a napkin left a note
There were tears in the waitress's eyes,
When she read what she wrote

You don't owe me a thing,
I've been there too
Someone once helped me out,
Just the way I'm helping you
If you really want to pay me back,
Here's what you do
Don't let the chain of love end with you

That night when she got home from work,
The waitress climbed into bed
She was thinkin' about the money,
And what the lady's note had said
As her husband lay there sleeping,
She whispered soft and low
Everything's gonna be alright, I love you, Joe

Don't Worry

Written By Rebecca St. James and Matt Bronleewe

On the corner of Fifth and Broadway
I was walking to the grocery store on Third
I saw a man up on a box
He seemed a little unorthodox
He was preaching up a storm
As I walked on by he said

Don't worry about your life
Cause if you hold it too close
You'll lose it
Don't worry about your life
So won't you let go
Before it's gone

A little further on I saw a beggar on the street
He asked for change and then gives me his life story
Says he was a millionaire, made some bad decisions there
Now a dollar fifty could feed him for a week
And he said

Don't worry about your life
Cause if you hold it too close you lose it
Don't worry about your life
So won't you let go
Before it's gone

Then I see the birds
I watch them fly
They've got everything they need
They show me why I can be free
Knowing You will care for me

Finally at the grocery store
My mind is filled with many thoughts
As I bump into a girl I knew from high school
She said "What's different about you girl?"
And I smiled and said this is what I know is true
And I'll pass it right along to you

Don't worry about your life
Cause if you hold it too close you lose it
Don't worry about your life
So won't you let go before it's gone

Fed speech comparison

Taken from the Wall Street Journal.

Ducklings...

S&P 500 Forecast: 1170

Late last year, and again earlier this year, I stated - right here on Jayhawk's Nest - that we can expect the S&P 500 index to retrace to 1170. Some of you probably thought that I was delusional.

Well, today, David Kostin, the chief US investment guru for Goldman Sachs, said that he expects a "swath of lowered profit guidance," and as a result "the S&P index to reach 1,160" over the "near term."

Need another opinion?

Scott Anderson, chief economist at Wells Fargo, is equally pessimistic, describing the bullish views of some market players as "bordering on delusional".

You can find the full article here.

It's good to know someone, err... sometwo, agrees with me.

You've been warned.

Rock Chalk Champions!

Roy Forgiven!

Life Inc.: Purpose

I recently had another non-unique question: what exactly is the purpose of my life? We sometimes wander aimlessly, it seems, in an effort to get to a final mission in our lives. We take jobs, get involved in organizations, and participate in events - sometimes, not always - as a means to hopefully get to the end of our greater calling. "This internship will look good on my resume" or "That job would would be great resume candy," etc. We hope to meet someone who will channel us to the correct career path, in the hopes that we will land our dream job. Even within a specific professional career, we're constantly searching for the best and most perfect place for ourselves.

We may read every career self-help book, talk to industry and career experts, and even pray and still be at a loss of where exactly we fit into the grand jigsaw puzzle - career-wise and in life. And, often, not being able to find or see our individual purpose in the general scheme of life can be discouraging. We may begin to doubt our abilities, question the decisions we've made in the past (and even irrationally blame ourselves for them), and begin to simply lose hope of ever striking our 'mission.' It's a dangerous path.

Recently, I was presented with a very powerful image that helped me better - not fully - understand how to think of our purpose in life. Last Sunday, during mass, one of the altar helpers who carried the candle down the isle of the church had Down syndrome. It was incredible to see him walk down the isle very reverently, willingly, and with great purpose, serving a special role in the service.

Many people today write-off children (and adults) with Down syndrome as unproductive members of society. It is easy to do so since most people cannot relate to them. People with Down syndrome are often neglected and their goals in life are never discussed, but only assumed. Yet, this altar helper's actions served as a stark and important reminder that only God knows our grand mission in life. The altar server's presence and actions were vital to the overall service, and his purpose at that point in time served as a microscopic view of our daily purpose in life.

I don't know whether or not he fully comprehended the reasons behind his actions in the service. Similarly, we often do not know the reason(s) why we do what we do - in school, at work, or elsewhere. Instead, we simply continue our quest in hopes to search for our 'purpose in life.' Sometimes aimlessly, sometimes hopelessly.

But, the most important lesson I learned: don't write-off yourself. Our purpose, just like the altar helper's, is to serve God. He did it in a more literal sense: during mass in a church.

In our daily lives, we serve God through our quest to quench our mysterious yearning for a greater purpose - in our actions, our thoughts, and our intentions. In all of these, love is the primary ingredient. Much like the joy and the love that was exhibited by the altar helper while he held the candle, so must we hold our candles with sincere appreciation and love, no matter what the destination or the environment.

Hence, our purpose is indeed to love and to serve God.

Champion Jayhawks Party Videos

Video of crazy partying in Lawrence, Kansas here!!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

http://www2.ljworld.com/videos/sets/2008/apr/08/6news_championship_celebration/

ROCK CHALK CHAMPIONS!

CONGRATULATIONS

2008 NCAA BASKETBALL

CHAMPIONS!!

ROCK CHALK

JAYHAWK!!

PS: The last time KU won the championship (1988), the S&P 500 was up 8% for the year.

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK! GO KU!!

PS: Sorry, Roy.