This is a must-watch. Stewart brings up excellent points and articulates his thoughts extremely well. Cramer's a little sober here.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=220533
Enjoy!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Short circuited
Once upon a time, there was a store called Circuit City...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/After-60-years-Circuit-City-apf-14576739.html
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/After-60-years-Circuit-City-apf-14576739.html
Do you tip?
Ever wondered about the American culture of tipping? Have an opinion yourself? You should share it. Here's an article by a British journalist who looks into our tipping, er, 'tradition.' The comments at the end of the article are especially amusing.
My opinion - tipping has gotten out of control. While I believe that I'm generally very generous because I realize that the people providing the service are not always paid very well, I wonder if it's gotten to the point where employers just exploit the tipping expectation and have deliberately decided to pay minuscule wages. Tipping 15-20% in restaurants is understandable since the wages are absurdly low, but when you have to tip the cab driver (for what?! He simply drove the car like you'd expect!), the delivery guy (generally after paying a heavy sum for delivery!), movers (although their work is really, really hard)... it's getting too much. We should have a 'no tipping' day - I'm guessing no one will show up to work.
What do you think?
My opinion - tipping has gotten out of control. While I believe that I'm generally very generous because I realize that the people providing the service are not always paid very well, I wonder if it's gotten to the point where employers just exploit the tipping expectation and have deliberately decided to pay minuscule wages. Tipping 15-20% in restaurants is understandable since the wages are absurdly low, but when you have to tip the cab driver (for what?! He simply drove the car like you'd expect!), the delivery guy (generally after paying a heavy sum for delivery!), movers (although their work is really, really hard)... it's getting too much. We should have a 'no tipping' day - I'm guessing no one will show up to work.
What do you think?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Bush, Cheney, Darfur
You should read this: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/03/04/darfur.rape/index.html
And then consider that it's happened under Bush and Cheney's watch - they who considered themselves messengers and liberators from God himself and took it in their own hands to go plundering and murdering people in Iraq (which by the way was a fully functioning country), while genocide of the worst kind known to the world was taking place not too far away from the Middle-East. Some day when history is written (and not the revisionist kind of history that Cheney tried so hard to write in his final days as VP), I believe we'll look at the issue of Darfur and we'll look back with great remorse.
It doesn't help that nothing much has been said of Darfur or is being done even today, but at least we don't have a president who believes he is *the* 'axis-of-good.'
And then consider that it's happened under Bush and Cheney's watch - they who considered themselves messengers and liberators from God himself and took it in their own hands to go plundering and murdering people in Iraq (which by the way was a fully functioning country), while genocide of the worst kind known to the world was taking place not too far away from the Middle-East. Some day when history is written (and not the revisionist kind of history that Cheney tried so hard to write in his final days as VP), I believe we'll look at the issue of Darfur and we'll look back with great remorse.
It doesn't help that nothing much has been said of Darfur or is being done even today, but at least we don't have a president who believes he is *the* 'axis-of-good.'
Sunday, March 01, 2009
A New American Paradigm?
WSJ outlines the new realities in corporate America - the massive cutbacks of professionals. Some interesting points:
1. The consumer-led economy of the past few decades created niche markets of people who learned to write, to advertise, etc. These jobs are getting axed - what are these super specialized people to do? They certainly can't build roads and wind turbines.
2. Getting a professional degree has been a way up - is it now going to be a way down, especially after you add up the debt required to get one?
3. Will the cost of professional services as a whole decrease as good talent is laid off and will eventually compete with each other?
4. Have we - as a society - become increasingly dependent on others? Of course, we have. Must there be a revolutionary change in these fundamentals, i.e. should a nuclear engineer also learn how to grow potatoes and tomatoes?
5. Will we finally have fewer ambulance chasers?
6. Did somebody say back to basics...?
7. Should we rename our country NUSA (New United States of America)?
Anyway, the list continues - here's the article.
1. The consumer-led economy of the past few decades created niche markets of people who learned to write, to advertise, etc. These jobs are getting axed - what are these super specialized people to do? They certainly can't build roads and wind turbines.
2. Getting a professional degree has been a way up - is it now going to be a way down, especially after you add up the debt required to get one?
3. Will the cost of professional services as a whole decrease as good talent is laid off and will eventually compete with each other?
4. Have we - as a society - become increasingly dependent on others? Of course, we have. Must there be a revolutionary change in these fundamentals, i.e. should a nuclear engineer also learn how to grow potatoes and tomatoes?
5. Will we finally have fewer ambulance chasers?
6. Did somebody say back to basics...?
7. Should we rename our country NUSA (New United States of America)?
Anyway, the list continues - here's the article.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
See your cell in action!
An absolutely amazing 3D video of our cells by medical illustrator David Bolinsky.
Click here
Simply amazing stuff!
Click here
Simply amazing stuff!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wall Street: A Castle built on Quick Sand?
When you hear stories like this one, amongst a myriad of others, combine it with Madoff and you start wondering if the financial 'American Dream' and Wall Street are simply castles that have been built on quick sand and will no longer stand on their own going forward. The banks and brokers are essentially doomed as indicated in their almost non-existent equity prices that continually approach 0. The idea of the American who could purchase whatever they wanted to on credit is pretty close to a dream these days (or a nightmare?), and the once stalwart investment known as your home or real estate is turning out to be a squishy little bug - as reported here ("Median housing prices in the Fort Myers metropolitan area have plummeted from $322,000 in December 2005 to less than $107,000 in December 2008, the Obama administration notes.") I find it interesting nonetheless that everyone keeps talking about 401Ks, IRAs, blah, blah, blah. We've just had a period of over 10 years where the stock market cleaned us out, yet here we go again: "buy paper so that others can work and you can hopefully become rich." It's absurd. Just because the markets performed exceptionally well between 1980 - 2000, is no indication that they will, yet I think we all want to believe that will be the case. Selective memories? This market will get a lot worse before anything improves. Next in line to go: retailers - one of the largest employers in the country. And, with that, goes jobs - millions more of them. And with that, a much weaker consumer, i.e. significantly weaker sales... am I talking myself into a vortex? It's coming, but man do I hope that I am dead wrong in my pessimism.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Death Sentence for $15 Million Fraud
Perhaps we should enforce this type of punishment in the US... I think all management fraud will cease and we'll be able to get back to business in no time. It's just too bad that I am vehemently opposed to the death penalty.
Former chairman of Chinese company sentenced to death
By V. Phani Kumar
Last update: 8:35 p.m. EST Feb. 10, 2009
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- A Chinese court has handed a death sentence to Li Peiying, a former chairman of Capital Airports Holding Co., for bribery and embezzlement of more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million), according to a state media report. Li was given the sentence by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in Shandong province in eastern China, after he was found guilty of seeking or accepting bribes for 26.61 million yuan while he was in office from 1995 to 2003, Xinhua reported. Li also misappropriated 82.5 million yuan from 2000 to 2003, according to the court, the report added.
Former chairman of Chinese company sentenced to death
By V. Phani Kumar
Last update: 8:35 p.m. EST Feb. 10, 2009
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- A Chinese court has handed a death sentence to Li Peiying, a former chairman of Capital Airports Holding Co., for bribery and embezzlement of more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million), according to a state media report. Li was given the sentence by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in Shandong province in eastern China, after he was found guilty of seeking or accepting bribes for 26.61 million yuan while he was in office from 1995 to 2003, Xinhua reported. Li also misappropriated 82.5 million yuan from 2000 to 2003, according to the court, the report added.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
An amazing gift
Think the world does not have much left in it? Want to see true love in action? Give me fifteen minutes and I'll show you.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
2009!
We're here! 2009 is finally here. One of the most interesting and challenging years is behind us. We can now look ahead, start afresh, think clearly again. A tabula rasa.
There are many changes ahead of us in 2009. For a start, a new president. He has a lot to accomplish, but he is a smart, capable and motivated fellow. The financial system's overhaul will continue. Politicians will continue to flounder. Gas prices may rise or may continue to fall. The financial markets will continue to be their random selves. Black swans will be sighted.
But, you and I enter the last year of the first decade of the twenty-first century. Let's use this opportunity to re-focus our lives to accomplish what is important in creating a better, healthier, happier, kinder, and selfless community. After all, we do have a stated mission as Americans:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union... insure domestic Tranquility... promote the general Welfare... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
So let's do it! Focus on Domestic Tranquility and the promotion of the General Welfare.
On a personal level, there are many new challenges ahead for me. Stay tuned!
And, finally, keep this in mind:
"Keep a clear eye towards life's end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God's creature. What you are in His sight is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received... but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." -- St. Francis of Assisi
There are many changes ahead of us in 2009. For a start, a new president. He has a lot to accomplish, but he is a smart, capable and motivated fellow. The financial system's overhaul will continue. Politicians will continue to flounder. Gas prices may rise or may continue to fall. The financial markets will continue to be their random selves. Black swans will be sighted.
But, you and I enter the last year of the first decade of the twenty-first century. Let's use this opportunity to re-focus our lives to accomplish what is important in creating a better, healthier, happier, kinder, and selfless community. After all, we do have a stated mission as Americans:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union... insure domestic Tranquility... promote the general Welfare... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
So let's do it! Focus on Domestic Tranquility and the promotion of the General Welfare.
On a personal level, there are many new challenges ahead for me. Stay tuned!
And, finally, keep this in mind:
"Keep a clear eye towards life's end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God's creature. What you are in His sight is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received... but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." -- St. Francis of Assisi
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