Say what?

The other day, Politico ran an article noting that Barack Obama had carried the "affluent vote" - those voters making more than $200,000 a year - with 52% of the total and wondering breathlessly if, or more exactly when, his support among such influential people would collapse in the face of Obama daring to do what he said he would do during the campaign, such as raising taxes on those making more than a quarter-million dollars a year.There was a lot of tut-tutting about how "these voters are not being repaid for their support" and hand-wringing about the concerns and feelings of those such as couples making more than $250,000 who won't be able to deduct the sales taxes on new cars they buy this year on their 2009 returns. Amid all that comes this gem:“A person making $250,000 isn’t wealthy,” said Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “They still have to work for a living.”And I have to ask: Who the hell are you people? What world do you live in? Where is this magical kingdom where being able to deduct the sales tax on your new Lexus or Jag is a matter for attention and the the definition of "wealthy" is, apparently, never having to work at all but just clipping coupons?* It sure as hell is no place I've ever been.According to US Census Bureau figures for 2006 (the most recent available), households with incomes of $175,000 or more were in the richest 5% of all American households. Of a little over 116 million total households, only 2.24 million had incomes in excess of $250,000 - that puts them in the richest 1.9% of Americans.And they're griping about how tough they have it? I don't care one whit that most of the households making that quarter-mill-plus are clustered at the lower end of that range. It still means their household income exceeds that of more than 98% of their fellow American households and they are making over five times the median household income. That's not wealthy?Put it another way: The article states that there were 4 million tax returns for earners of more than $200,000 in 2006. It also says that in that same year, there were 92.7 million tax returns filed. That means those $200,000+ earners were the richest 4.3% of filers; they made more than over 95% of the people who filed returns. Add the fact of those who didn't even have to file because they didn't make enough, and the percentage of those who they out-earned grows. That's not wealthy?Put it a third way: Look at this graph. It was from a letter sent out by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in September 2007. It tracks the ratio of earnings of two different sets of income percentiles from 1967 to 2005. The meaning is not immediately obvious, so I'll explain. The dotted line represents the ratio of the 50th percentile income level to the 20th percentile income level. The ratio remained fairly steady at about 2.4:1 over that time: That is, the yearly income at the 50th percentile was roughly 2.4 times that of the 20th percentile and remained so over that 38-year period.The solid line is the ratio of the income of the 95th percentile to the 50th percentile. In 1967, that ratio was 2.6:1. Those at the 95th percentile earned about 2.6 times as much as those at the 50th percentile. But that ratio did not remain even roughly constant; it grew steadily until by 2005 it was 3.6:1. Simply put, in comparison to the rest of us, the rich, those at the 95th percentile, were getting richer. Pulling away. They were not just richer than the vast majority of us, they were getting more richer than the vast majority of us.Yet even the generally progressive Center for Economic and Policy Research is insisting someone making $250,000 a year "isn't wealthy," almost like they were just another working stiff. And that is pathetic nonsense which shows how distorted not only our economy is but our perceptions as well, as people making a quarter-million dollars a year "don't feel rich," apparently because they have costs to meet and bills to pay - without recognizing that the fact they can afford those expenses for things far beyond what most can have is what makes them rich. Yes, the rich "were disproportionately hit" by the banking collapse but they were also the ones who disproportionately gained over the preceding four decades and it never seems to register with them or with those who observe and fret over their condition that what they lost was more than most of their fellow citizens will ever have.Our sense of values is seriously, seriously out of whack.*The phrase "clipping coupons" is old slang for the activities of the idle rich whose income was derived from dividends and thus did not depend on their own work but on the labor of others. In his poem "Advertisement for the Waldorf-Astoria," Langston Hughes had these lines:Have luncheon there this afternoon, all you jobless. Why not?Dine with some of the men and women who got rich off of your labor, who clip coupons with clean white fingers because your hands dug coal, drilled stone, sewed gar- ments, poured steel to let other people draw dividends and live easy.

Summer Dreamin'

'Winter here has seemed forever, and we are so happy that the flowers are blooming and that there are finally signs of spring. Even so, we are missing Texas weather at this time of year, when it's 70 degrees and sunny, versus still a mid-40 degree cloudy weather in Oregon. Furthermore, we keep on dreamin' of sunny warm t-shirt days during the summers ......with fresh produce to bring home from the markets, such as:...ripe sweet red tomatoes...crisp yellow sweet corn...juicy sweet strawberries and blueberries...and juicy ripe mango...all to make wonderful delectable fresh meals, such as:...Fresh Tomato Basil Soup...Homemade Spicy Salsa...Fresh Corn Soup or Corn Chowder (we love Passionate Vegetarian's Corn Soup!)...Corn Chive Pancakes (again, from Passionate Vegetarian)...Creamed Corn...Spicy Tortilla Soup (with fresh tomatoes and corn)...Black Bean and Mango Rice...Strawberry (or Blueberry) Muffins...Mango Crisp with RaspberriesOh, we could go on and on, dreamin' about sunny picnics with fresh salads and sandwiches and fruits and vegetables...All the leaves are bloomin'Yet the sky is greyI went for a walkOn a cool damp dayI'd be safe and warmIf it was sunny MaySummer dreamin'On such a cool damp day.- (Our Version of The Beach Boys' California Dreamin')Smiles! LK

The Car Factory.

How to help your kid not to cry when you leave them in school?

I would not tell her it is not right to cry, just reassure her that mommy will be back to pick her up and that she is going to have so much fun with her new friends. She more than likely stops crying within minutes of you leaving.. Build school up to her, talk about her friends, even have play dates with her friends at your home some. You are doing the right thing by taking here there.

Jam Cruise 8 Lineup Announced

The lineup for Jam Cruise 8 was announced earlier this week, and its really quite impressive as always. Departing Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Jam Cruise 8 will set sail January 3-8, 2010 on board the beautiful MSC Poesia and will visit the tropical ports of Ocho Rios, Jamaica and George Town, Cayman Islands. With 5 days and nights aboard the ship, there is plenty of time to kick back with friends and see an unbelievable amount of music. Whos going? Jam Cruise 8 Lineup STS9 The Word feat. John Medeski North Mississippi Allstars  Robert Randolph Zappa plays Zappa Galactic Karl Densons Tiny Universe Maceo Parker Dark Star Orchestra JJ Grey  Mofro Railroad Earth Steve Kimocks Crazy Engine Lotus Fantastic 4 feat. Robert Walter Adam Deitch Eric Krasno  Cheme Gastelum Toubab Krewe Eric Krasno  Chapter 2 The Motet plays the Talking Heads Trombone Shorty  Orleans Avenue Hot Buttered Rum John Browns Body Kyle Hollingsworth Band Mike Dillons Go Go Jungle The Mother Hips Break Science feat. Adam Deitch Dragon Smoke feat. Robert Mercurio Ivan Neville Stanton Moore  Eric Lindell Johnny Sketch  The Dirty Notes George Porters Super Jam DJ Logic Pretty Lights Special Guests: Col Bruce Hampton Skerik Will Bernard

Free access to Refund Cents.......

Refund Cents - free access to the Refund Cents website with this sign in info....Username: clippingpassword: couponsMay 7th and 8th only!!Here is what I got FREE at KFC yesterday with the printable Oprah coupon! I had no problem using the coupon. In fact, they were very friendly about it. DH was on the road all day yesterday so late last night he ate this for dinner and said it was great! This is normally only $3.99. A great meal at a great price!Kmart $5 off $50 at Kmart with this printable couponalouette cheese - free after rebate with this printable formSkoal® Smokeless Tobacco - Welcome Free Skoal Mud Jug Spittoon

“Chanel's Ford”.

Tempting Tea Tins

I'm fond of both tea and neat storage containers, so of course I'm thrilled to find items that provide both. When you've finished the tea, you've got a container that you can use for many thing - more tea being just one option. It's been a while since I last wrote about tea tins, so it's time for an update.This post got triggered when Uncrate pointed me to Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, shown above.This whimsical tea tin has six compartments; unlike the others, it's designed for tea bags.The Teastack is pretty self-explanatory.Humanithé sells organic (bio) tea and has some interesting tins.And finally, Sunny Caribbee has some cheerful tea tins.

History Nerd

I've mentioned it more than once, I love history. It was my favorite subject in school. I still think it was lucky that I grew up in Oregon because we studied the Oregon Trail extensively in the 4th grade. I also did some reading on my own, of course. The Oregon Trail rules.Mr. O'Donnell was maybe 47 the year he was my AP US History teacher. Rumor was he'd been a therapist before he began teaching high school. He was a quiet but steady guy who laid out his subject in a thoughtful and engaging way. He had a good though subtle sense of humor. And he told me the secret to understanding the world.It's not about names and dates, history is about themes. Basically, the same themes are working themselves out over time. An example; 'race in America' is a theme found throughout the record of our 227 years as a nation. From the minute those Europeans laid eyes on Native Americans, race was an issue. Tragically in 1860 as a nation went to war with itself. One hundred years later, Martin Luther King, Jr. was organizing stand-ins to protest discriminatory voter registration practices. And of course, last week when we elected Barack Obama. A few other common themes: religion, war, technology, immigration, etc. When you think of it this way, knowing that current events are just an unfolding of what was begun a long time ago, the world makes more sense.Better understanding the times in which I live is why I'm still a student even though my school days are long over. So when I had a fantastic 'lifelong learning' project idea last week, I got really excited. How awesome would it be to read one biography of each American president?! Now I know most of you are like "dude, that would not be awesome at all." And I get that. So for you, how awesome would it be if someone else did it and then told you the interesting parts? Now you're feeling it....My free copy (courtesy of Paperback Swap) of Washington: The Indispensable Man should arrive any day now. Though this ambitious curriculum will take years to complete, it won't be long before I'm dazzling people at parties with my unique historical perspective and interesting tidbits. History nerds are always really popular at parties...Nerd Bonus: Scroll through this timeline of Civil Rights action in 1960. It's really inspiring.

A Little Bit of This & That Seasoned Tofu Cutlets

These tofu cutlets are easy to cook up! (We don't really measure spices or amount of time to cook up...)A Little Bit of This & That Seasoned Tofu Cutlets1 block of Tofu, cut into 8-12 cutletsA little spice of Cayenne pepperLots of squirts of Bragg’sLots of sprinkles of Garlic powderLots of shakes of Dried BasilLots of showers of Nutritional yeastLots of love of Creamy avocado 1. Add a little spice, squirt, and sprinkle to each tofu cutlet, then brown tofu on either side in a skillet.2. Tofu is done - now to serve, add lots of love, then on top add more squirts and sprinkles, and lots of shakes and showers! Enjoy with sandwich bread, on crackers, or in a rice bowl. YUM! Our favorite way to have tofu! - LK

On paper, Red Sox are facing Yankees at an inopportune time

In Major League Baseball, over the course of a 162-game season, timing is everything. It's better to catch a team when it is struggling, banged up or both than when it is on a roll at full strength. On paper, at least, this is not an ideal time for the Boston Red Sox to play the New York Yankees.
Sure, the American League East standings show that the Yankees are 34-23 and the Red Sox are 33-24 and just a game out. Yet the Yankees have what so far has been a healthy Alex Rodriguez in their lineup, and Mark Teixeira's April funk has long passed. The Red Sox have David Ortiz, who even with a six-game hitting streak has still not surpassed the Mendoza line, and an ailing Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew (both of whom have shoulder strains). The Yankees are fresh off a series at Yankee Stadium that saw them take two out of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox laid an egg at Fenway Park over the weekend, dropping two out of three against Texas, scoring one run and three runs in the two losses.
That the Red Sox are nine games over .500 and just a game out of first at this point in the season is puzzling. Until recently, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have looked like marginal back of the rotation starting pitchers instead of aces. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a no show all year while Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny are performing their best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act - a good start here and an awful outing there. For most of the season, Ortiz has been an automatic out. The shortstop position - manned by Nick Green and Julio Lugo - has cost Red Sox pitchers a plethora of runs because neither guy has the range to reach grounders that most Major League shortstops would turn into routine outs and both players have a tendency to botch the grounders they do field and uncork a throw nowhere near Kevin Youkilis. And right now, noone in the lineup is delivering a clutch hit, leaving runners on base and squashing potential big innings.
Despite all of this, the Red Sox are one game out of first place. Not a bad spot to be in, if you ask me. The three-game series between the Sox and Yankees that starts tonight at Fenway Park is important. True, it will not be devastating for the losing team if it gets swept, but the momentum from this three-game set can be instrumental. If the Red Sox sweep the Yankees, or grab two out of three, not only will they reclaim first place in the AL East, but perhaps they can regain some fire. In recent weeks, this team has looked sluggish. One game, the offense looks impressive, and then the next game, it is held to a run and four hits. If the Yankees conduct a sweep, or take two out of three, it will reinforce their confidence. They are 0-5 against the Red Sox so far in 2009.
Here is a look at the pitching matchups in the series:
Tonight - Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA) versus A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA). This is an important game for the Sox. Better to be tied for first place with two games left in the series than to fall two games behind. The last time these two pitchers and former teammates opposed one another, the Red Sox clubbed the Yankees, 16-11. It would seem like this would be a pitcher's duel, but as we have learned when the Sox and Yankees clash, you can expect the unexpected.
Wednesday - Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50 ERA) versus Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 14.46 ERA). Why is it that, although Wang has been dreadful in 2009, I don't like this matchup? Perhaps Wakefield's track record against the Yankees is the reason. The knuckleballer is 10-17 with a 5.03 ERA in his career versus the Yankees, which have a habit of using the knuckler for batting practice. Knowing the history of the Sox-Yankees rivalry, the Beckett-Burnett matchup will be a slugfest and the Wakefield-Wang battle will be a 1-0 or 2-1 game.
Thursday - Brad Penny (5-2, 5.85 ERA) versus C.C. Sabathia (5-3, 3.56 ERA). Multiple media reports indicate that the Sox are in a hurry to trade Penny, especially when June 15 arrives and they no longer have to get his permission. Personally, I like the Penny to Philadelphia for Triple-A shortstop Jason Donald rumor, but I digress. Penny has been adequate, aside from his last start. Sabathia is 2-4 with a 3.91 ERA in seven starts against the Sox, so he is definitely hittable.
Notes and observations
Every time ESPN's Buster Olney writes a column about a trade rumor, it should be accompanied with an asterisk. So many times a trade rumor reported by Olney is debunked hours after it is published. The latest example is his golden nugget that the Sox are interested in Oakland's Orlando Cabrera. That was quickly dismissed. According to one AL team's statistical analysis, Cabrera is the worst defensive shortstop in the AL. Thanks, but no, thanks. The Red Sox already have two shortstops with limited range and unreliable fielding and throwing abilities.
Recent reports in Boston media outlets indicate that Theo Epstein will wait for Jed Lowrie to return instead of dealing away prospects for a shortstop. Apparently, the cost in prospects for J.J. Hardy. Jack Wilson and Bobby Crosby is too prohibitive. Since it is evident that Boston will trade Brad Penny as early as June 15, the Sox could get a shortstop in Philadelphia prospect Jason Donald, who is stuck behind Jimmy Rollings and Chase Utley (Donald can also play second base). Donald is a defensive whiz who would be in the majors on many teams. Omar Vizquel is a possibility. The Rangers need relievers, and as we saw last weekend, Vizquel is still a competent defensive shortstop, even at 42. I'm not sure if the Rangers would deal Vizquel, though. He is serving as a mentor to bright young shortstop, Elvis Andrus.
Don't get me wrong. I like Jed Lowrie. I think he will be a productive major league hitter, and he can proficiently play the middle infield spots and third base. For this season, perhaps it is best if he starts at shortstop. In 2010 and beyond, though, maybe he would best serve the Sox in a super utility role. Wouldn't it be nice to have a productive young player who can fill all four infield spots when needed? Yes, Lowrie can also play first base.
If the Sox do not acquire a shortstop, I am comfortable with Nick Green serving as the utility man for the remainder of the season when Lowrie returns. Green has a strong arm, and he has the range to make the routine plays. His problem has been erratic throws, which he has cut down on recently. Until Lowrie gets back in late June or early July, Green should play every day. Julio Lugo is such a liability that he cannot even get to routine grounders. It is clear he has not recovered from knee surgery. What was his main asset - his speed - no longer exists. He is not an offensive threat, either. He thinks he should be playing instead of Green. At this point, the Sox would be better off summoning Gil Velazquez from Pawtucket. Velazquez can't hit major league pitching, but he is defensively sound. When will the Red Sox release Lugo? Obviously, John Henry knows that he has no choice but to eat Lugo's remaining salary (he is signed through 2010 for $9 million a year). Why not do it now instead of when Lowrie returns?
As a Red Sox fan, aren't you sick of the annual talk about the shortstop position? Yesteryear is just that, yesteryear, so we shouldn't dwell in it like Yankees fans, who are immersed in the history books reminiscing when they won World Series titles. Sure, Theo Epstein should have kept Orlando Cabrera, who was still a decent defensive shortstop in 2004. True, Edgar Renteria was a mistake. Yes, Alex Gonzalez was adequate. He hit well enough to justify his spot in the lineup because of his exceptional defense. Maybe, just maybe, Lowrie can provide stability to the position. I just get the feeling that Epstein shares my opinion that, for the long term, Lowrie will best help this team as a utility man who can play all four infield spots. If this is true, the Sox could have yet another shortstop in 2010.

On paper, Red Sox are facing Yankees at an inopportune time

In Major League Baseball, over the course of a 162-game season, timing is everything. It's better to catch a team when it is struggling, banged up or both than when it is on a roll at full strength. On paper, at least, this is not an ideal time for the Boston Red Sox to play the New York Yankees.
Sure, the American League East standings show that the Yankees are 34-23 and the Red Sox are 33-24 and just a game out. Yet the Yankees have what so far has been a healthy Alex Rodriguez in their lineup, and Mark Teixeira's April funk has long passed. The Red Sox have David Ortiz, who even with a six-game hitting streak has still not surpassed the Mendoza line, and an ailing Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew (both of whom have shoulder strains). The Yankees are fresh off a series at Yankee Stadium that saw them take two out of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox laid an egg at Fenway Park over the weekend, dropping two out of three against Texas, scoring one run and three runs in the two losses.
That the Red Sox are nine games over .500 and just a game out of first at this point in the season is puzzling. Until recently, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have looked like marginal back of the rotation starting pitchers instead of aces. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a no show all year while Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny are performing their best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act - a good start here and an awful outing there. For most of the season, Ortiz has been an automatic out. The shortstop position - manned by Nick Green and Julio Lugo - has cost Red Sox pitchers a plethora of runs because neither guy has the range to reach grounders that most Major League shortstops would turn into routine outs and both players have a tendency to botch the grounders they do field and uncork a throw nowhere near Kevin Youkilis. And right now, noone in the lineup is delivering a clutch hit, leaving runners on base and squashing potential big innings.
Despite all of this, the Red Sox are one game out of first place. Not a bad spot to be in, if you ask me. The three-game series between the Sox and Yankees that starts tonight at Fenway Park is important. True, it will not be devastating for the losing team if it gets swept, but the momentum from this three-game set can be instrumental. If the Red Sox sweep the Yankees, or grab two out of three, not only will they reclaim first place in the AL East, but perhaps they can regain some fire. In recent weeks, this team has looked sluggish. One game, the offense looks impressive, and then the next game, it is held to a run and four hits. If the Yankees conduct a sweep, or take two out of three, it will reinforce their confidence. They are 0-5 against the Red Sox so far in 2009.
Here is a look at the pitching matchups in the series:
Tonight - Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA) versus A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA). This is an important game for the Sox. Better to be tied for first place with two games left in the series than to fall two games behind. The last time these two pitchers and former teammates opposed one another, the Red Sox clubbed the Yankees, 16-11. It would seem like this would be a pitcher's duel, but as we have learned when the Sox and Yankees clash, you can expect the unexpected.
Wednesday - Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50 ERA) versus Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 14.46 ERA). Why is it that, although Wang has been dreadful in 2009, I don't like this matchup? Perhaps Wakefield's track record against the Yankees is the reason. The knuckleballer is 10-17 with a 5.03 ERA in his career versus the Yankees, which have a habit of using the knuckler for batting practice. Knowing the history of the Sox-Yankees rivalry, the Beckett-Burnett matchup will be a slugfest and the Wakefield-Wang battle will be a 1-0 or 2-1 game.
Thursday - Brad Penny (5-2, 5.85 ERA) versus C.C. Sabathia (5-3, 3.56 ERA). Multiple media reports indicate that the Sox are in a hurry to trade Penny, especially when June 15 arrives and they no longer have to get his permission. Personally, I like the Penny to Philadelphia for Triple-A shortstop Jason Donald rumor, but I digress. Penny has been adequate, aside from his last start. Sabathia is 2-4 with a 3.91 ERA in seven starts against the Sox, so he is definitely hittable.
Notes and observations
Every time ESPN's Buster Olney writes a column about a trade rumor, it should be accompanied with an asterisk. So many times a trade rumor reported by Olney is debunked hours after it is published. The latest example is his golden nugget that the Sox are interested in Oakland's Orlando Cabrera. That was quickly dismissed. According to one AL team's statistical analysis, Cabrera is the worst defensive shortstop in the AL. Thanks, but no, thanks. The Red Sox already have two shortstops with limited range and unreliable fielding and throwing abilities.
Recent reports in Boston media outlets indicate that Theo Epstein will wait for Jed Lowrie to return instead of dealing away prospects for a shortstop. Apparently, the cost in prospects for J.J. Hardy. Jack Wilson and Bobby Crosby is too prohibitive. Since it is evident that Boston will trade Brad Penny as early as June 15, the Sox could get a shortstop in Philadelphia prospect Jason Donald, who is stuck behind Jimmy Rollings and Chase Utley (Donald can also play second base). Donald is a defensive whiz who would be in the majors on many teams. Omar Vizquel is a possibility. The Rangers need relievers, and as we saw last weekend, Vizquel is still a competent defensive shortstop, even at 42. I'm not sure if the Rangers would deal Vizquel, though. He is serving as a mentor to bright young shortstop, Elvis Andrus.
Don't get me wrong. I like Jed Lowrie. I think he will be a productive major league hitter, and he can proficiently play the middle infield spots and third base. For this season, perhaps it is best if he starts at shortstop. In 2010 and beyond, though, maybe he would best serve the Sox in a super utility role. Wouldn't it be nice to have a productive young player who can fill all four infield spots when needed? Yes, Lowrie can also play first base.
If the Sox do not acquire a shortstop, I am comfortable with Nick Green serving as the utility man for the remainder of the season when Lowrie returns. Green has a strong arm, and he has the range to make the routine plays. His problem has been erratic throws, which he has cut down on recently. Until Lowrie gets back in late June or early July, Green should play every day. Julio Lugo is such a liability that he cannot even get to routine grounders. It is clear he has not recovered from knee surgery. What was his main asset - his speed - no longer exists. He is not an offensive threat, either. He thinks he should be playing instead of Green. At this point, the Sox would be better off summoning Gil Velazquez from Pawtucket. Velazquez can't hit major league pitching, but he is defensively sound. When will the Red Sox release Lugo? Obviously, John Henry knows that he has no choice but to eat Lugo's remaining salary (he is signed through 2010 for $9 million a year). Why not do it now instead of when Lowrie returns?
As a Red Sox fan, aren't you sick of the annual talk about the shortstop position? Yesteryear is just that, yesteryear, so we shouldn't dwell in it like Yankees fans, who are immersed in the history books reminiscing when they won World Series titles. Sure, Theo Epstein should have kept Orlando Cabrera, who was still a decent defensive shortstop in 2004. True, Edgar Renteria was a mistake. Yes, Alex Gonzalez was adequate. He hit well enough to justify his spot in the lineup because of his exceptional defense. Maybe, just maybe, Lowrie can provide stability to the position. I just get the feeling that Epstein shares my opinion that, for the long term, Lowrie will best help this team as a utility man who can play all four infield spots. If this is true, the Sox could have yet another shortstop in 2010.

Sunday, 05/10/09 10:41 PM

I hope you had a nice weekend? I did, a pretty unproductive weekend, but I caught up on sleep, finished Angels & Demons, started Pattern Recognition, discovered Cuco, a Spanish Yecla, and spent quality time with my family and my pool. Doesn't get too much better than that, except my todo list isn't any shorter and I know I will pay for my sins of omission tomorrow... Did I mention? Alexis successfully passed her driving test and is now in proud possession of a learner's permit. Oh no! How exciting for her, and, um, how exciting for me, too... If you live in Ventura County and see a blue Volvo station wagon, you have been warned :) So about that bailout... Bankruptcy 'inevitable' for GM, experts predict. The non-expert experts at TTAC have been predicting that for about three years. Note to all: they are not victims of a bad economy, that was just the last straw. Between their union relationships, their pension funds, and their inability to make cars people want this writing has been on the wall for a long time... If you think the government is immune from the same fate, check out the recent terrible treasury action. "There are two critical consequences to the economy stabilizing. The first is that the massive liquidity injected into credit markets by the Federal Reserve and central banks around the world transforms from economic medicine to inflationary heroin. The second dangerous consequence is that President Obama is on course to double the national debt in just four years." Oh goody, inflation. Good news: US Dept of Energy kills hydrogen vehicle program. Now we won't be wasting time and money on that dumb idea... let's concentrate on electric cars and nuclear power, okay? Actually, I don't think the US government should spend any money on this at all, private industry should make the investments. That way the economics will be sound. The Giro d'Italia is under way, the three week Tour of Italy bike race... favorites for the overall include Levi Leipheiper ably assisted by super-domestique Lance Armstrong... interestingly, Alessandro Petacchi edged Mark Cavendish in the sprint finale to stage 2; wow, I didn't think anyone beat Cavendish in a sprint anymore. Cavendish remains first overall for the moment, but when they start climbing that will change. This is pretty cool: hilarious ad about dirty money... nicely done. This has to be the dumbest idea of all time, amid heavy competition: Twitshirt prints tee-shirts with tweets you like on them. The next time you see a tweet which is worth printing on a shirt, let me know. I haven't even see any worth putting in a blog post; every time a blogger tries that, it flops miserably. Maybe I should tweet about

More Brisconnections train wreckage!

I really love following the BrisConnections debacle. It makes Opes Prime, Storm, and all that sort of stuff look pretty dull in comparision.This week, the Victorian Supreme Court gave its reasons for its ruling on the BrisCon case, and whilst bucketing the BrisCon people, did not say anything nice about Nick Bolton.Well, he is a cyclist, so why should they?More court action has been going on in Queensland as well, and the MacQuarie Bank was hoping to salvage something through a deal which would see retail investors saved from the $2 per share liability. This fell through due to their co-underwriter, Deustche Bank, refusing to come to the party. Obviously, the legal position which is starting to emerge is one where the BrisCon prospectus and other related information failed to adequately inform retail investors as to what their potential liabilities are. Which means, with ASIC and others starting to line up for legal action, that those liabilities could very well get thrown out of court. I sure hope so.BrisCon has now, belatedly, been suspended from trading on the ASX, and the ASX has changed its trading rules so as to protect retail investors better in future from incurring such liabilities.But why so late to act? I think that amongst the various conflicts of interest, BrisCon's chairman Trevor Rowe's position on the ASX board of directors now no longer looks tenable, and he should do the honourable thing and resign from the ASX board.Another interesting development is that Nick Bolton's legal team has indicated that some of the evidence provided by the Mac Bank in their Queensland court case is material which was not disclosed in the float prospectus. Bolton's team is considering using these revelations as the basis for further litigation against the Mac Bank.I hope that happens. I think that the Mac Bank has to wear a lot of the blame for the whole debacle, particularly in the short sighted way they caused the share price to collapse by dumping their holding on the market when they realised belatedly that they were onto a lemon.Which leads me to an interesting aside about the MacQuarie Bank. They underwrote this float, and set up the whole structure of the deal and the company. Could they not have foreseen when they set it up last year that there were all sorts of things which might and could go horribly wrong, and which would cost them big time? After all, unlike me, the MacQuarie Bank pays huge salaries to a lot of economic and financial wizards who should be able to understand these things and forecast market conditions a lot better than any old retail investor.That the Macquarie Bank has failed so miserably in this particular instance seriously casts doubt on the competance of their people and their whole operation. I suspect this is their defining Babcock and Brown moment.

half of my secret revealed!

FIRST THINGS FIRST: I'M ON THE TONIGHT SHOW TONIGHT!!!!!
Now, onto today's blog...
********************************************
That's right, gang!
Today I (with the help of a special lil' blog buddy) reveal HALF of my big secret!
REMINDER - I will continue doing my Tonight Show segments, just as I have for the past 7 years. And, because I know there will be questions from all of you, there has been no discussion yet of me appearing on Jay's new show, which doesn't mean I won't or I will continue doing segment for him once he goes there.
Just fyi... :)
Anyway, let's get to today's TALKY BLOG to find out about ROSS' BIG SECRET PART 1!
Well... what are YOUR thoughts, gang?!? And what do you think Part 2 of my secret will be?!?
Go share YOUR thoughts in our COMMENT SECTION! And go say hi to Lara in there - I know she'll read them! :)
I hope you like our lil' segment on The Insider tonight. And if you do, watch again tomorrow! That's right - I'll be on The Insider again tomorrow night, too! :)
AMAZING, RIGHT?!?!?
More info to come, gang. Don't worry - things may change a bit, but we'll still get to hang out together online every day.
:)

Graffiti complaints, cleanup efforts on rise

Graffiti complaints are on the rise across the USA, and some cities report as much as a doubling in calls about defaced property.Officials in large cities such as Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago, as well as smaller ones such Asheville, N.C., all report increases in graffiti cleanups in the past year or more.Cities aren't necessarily seeing a lot more graffiti, but police, politicians and the public are paying more attention to it, says Conni Kunzler of Keep America Beautiful, a coalition of groups supporting community beautification efforts."These sort of low-level, quality-of-life crimes are the things they see every day and that affect their neighborhoods," Kunzler says. "That awareness can often get the public to call in when they see graffiti."Some of the graffiti comes from gangs, Kunzler says, but as much as 85% comes from "tagging," an outgrowth of hip-hop culture in which the culprit leaves his or her signature. Taggers are trying to rebel or get attention, she says.Among the cities with sizeable increases in complaints and cleanups:Denver. Received more than 29,000 calls about defaced property last year, up 98% from the year before, and cleaned up 41% more graffiti, according to Regina Huerter, executive director of the city's Crime Prevention and Control Commission.Chicago. The city-run Graffiti Blasters finished 172,000 jobs in 2008, up 10% from the year before, sanitation department spokesman Matt Smith says. Cleanups are on pace to increase again this year, he says. Los Angeles. The city's Public Works Department removed graffiti from more than 31 million square feet of surfaces in the 2007-08 fiscal year, up 4% from the previous year and 48% from three years earlier, says Jonathan Powell, spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. This year seems to be keeping pace with recent years, he says.Burlington, Vt. Police Chief Michael Schirling says his city has seen such an increase in graffiti in the past 18 months that it has created a full-time job of removal coordinator and assigned a full-time detective to policing vandals. Asheville. City officials are considering what to do about their mounting problem. Police Capt. Tim Splain says calls related to graffiti increased an estimated 20%-30% in 2008 from the year before."It's starting to look like Mad Max in certain sections of town," says Anthony Cerrato, who owns Fiore's restaurant with his father. Graffiti covers the back door and the back of the building, he says.Not all cities are experiencing an increase.Complaints of graffiti in New York City fell 9% in 2008 from the year before, New York Police Department spokesman John Kelly says. Dallas police Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther says the problem there has diminished the past two years.The technology available to fight graffitists has increased, Kunzler says. Some cities are putting cameras in graffiti hot spots that send an alert and a GPS location to police when they spot someone, she says. Other police departments, she says, are scouring social websites to find culprits bragging about their handiwork.Schrader reports for the Asheville Citizen-Times in North Carolina.

Edward Clive

Continuing through the rest of the month at Holzmarktstrasse 3 in Berlin-Mitte is an installation of new works by Berlin artist Edward Clive entitled In The Future We Will Exercise For Fun. The ambitious suite of works contains several large sculptural display units; complete with shelfs, photographs, and small sculptures, they describe an uncanny, and occasionally monstrous relationship of the body to space. What makes the works so at home in the the large unfinished office space is the base quality of their materials. The works' plastic sheeting, unfinished drywall, and rudimentary armatures, are well-paired with the space's unpainted walls, exposed ventilation system, and raw concrete floor. While the works employs such ubiquitous materials, each work rewards the curious viewer as photographs, notes, and easily overlooked, well-made formal nuances abound. Found squatting behind walls or loitering in the far reaches of the space are a number of small sculptures. One entitled Lump Goddess (2008) is a squat and abstracted mutant figure composed of select found objects. Faceless, it sports four round cylinder legs and a single metallic claw, made from fake nails in their plastic case. Another similar work, Goth Or Hip-Hop (2009), conflates the aesthetics of science fiction with those of mid-century modernist sculpture. With fake nails, mustaches, teeth, and scars in a number of works, the aesthetic of costume cosmetics is central to the sculptures, making biological what would otherwise be inanimate. Along with a saran-wrap labyrinth containing a number of internet-found images relating to the body, Clive's work is both detritus from a grade-school science fair sometime in the far future and an acute description of how form constructs the body and space. Edward Clive (b. 1982) is an artist living and working in Berlin. He received his B.A. in Sculpture from the University of Brighton. His work has been previously exhibited at Keith Talent Gallery in London, BabelKunst in Trondheim, Norway, and ETC Gallery in Prague.

more Autumn pictures

The feijoas inside Poultry Palace. No flowers this season, but they have grown quite a bit since they have been inside the chook run. Come Spring, I think we will move the Palace and see how the feijoas get on then. The rampant garden. This is mostly mint and nasturtiums, but the convulvulus in there is rather less welcome. Chilli peppers. Just starting to turn orange. Probably time to harvest some this weekend. My favourite kale, cavolo nero, also known as tuscan kale and lacinato kale. I first saw this in a gardening magazine, towering over cottage garden flowers and was captivated. The blue-green colour is lovely and the shape quite different to curly kale. I planted this one in early summer and have been killing caterpillars from it as much as possible, saving it for winter use. I learnt after last year not planting my winter brassicas until Autumn. When growth was very limited, I started to see why neighbours had grown their silverbeet all summer and kept huge specimens for winter eating.

Slowly Going Into This

Location: St. Julian's, MaltaWake up at 3:00 PM. Fall out of bed. Drag a comb across my bed.Seeing where I really am.It's weird, now that I am off the grind I almost don't know what to do with myself. Despite all of my railing against normal society I feel most in its grasp. I am dependent on the rush, staying busy, of working all day, to keep me from going insane. If I am not working on something, or toward something, often I just get trapped in my own thoughts. I pace these halls.I'm not depressed anymore. I had problems with depression when I started this poker thing, or hell, adult life thing. Now I'm just kind of apathetic/content/happy. Hopefully working into something more.I feel content most of the time, but other times I wonder what the hell else I'm looking for. I never really feel satisfied. This time, I really have a lot of what I thought I needed, so I know its a personal problem. Always trying to patch holes that aren't there.The days have been lazy here. I wake up at 2:00-3:00ish. Sleeping 9 or 10 hours. I'm waiting for the water to get warm enough so I can swim. Since I can't yet I just do my normal jog, some push-ups. I'm getting skinnier and my arms don't look like twigs, which is nice, but I don't feel physically strong as I used to. I still feel physically stronger and in better shape than the average male but coming off the road and trying to work out every single day its a bit more obvious I've lost strength I used to have.Smoking doesn't help. Probably fucking with my lungs. Fuck it, let's make it clear, I don't smoke cigarettes, and I don't do hard drugs, and I really can't drink worth a shit, but I do enjoy hash and weed. For a long time I never did either, because I figured up till a certain age my brain was still developing, and also because I never really had any desire to do either. When people try to force me to do things it just pisses me off. It wasn't till I was in an environment where I was around it all the time in Seattle and nobody was pressuring me to do anything that I tried it. And yeah, I enjoy it.I always just said "smoking" in here because I thought maybe there might come a time when a site might consider me for a sponsorship and I didn't want it all over my blog, but you know what, fuck it, I don't have a prayer of ever getting a sponsorship from Stars, the only site that would give a shit. I speak only English, I'm white, and I'm American. I have no shot.I see where they are going with their family-friendly image, and its not really their fault society takes this view that me smoking trees up on my balcony to relax before I go back to work is worse than somebody drinking and getting in everybody's face, or being aggressive to some girl, but whatever. The latter behavior just happens, it's expected, but I'm some criminal.I'm sure my family is going to love reading this. Not that most of them don't already know about me, or that the stories of drunken debauchery worldwide weren't enough, but yeah, whatever.The nice thing about poker is I can just be whoever I want, wear what I want, do what I want, and I don't have to listen to anybody's shit. This world is full of people who settled, who want to burn you for not being in their same situation, in their same sinking ship. I got so fed up listening to other people's shit, other people's negativity.It's a huge reason I don't want to go back to the states. I have this expensive storage unit, I should just clear out and give away the things I have in there, because as expensive as they were they can't be worth how much it will cost me to store them for how long I am gone. I want to see my family and enjoy what I love in the states for a couple months then bail again.It's just materialism, and the type of people it breeds, I can't handle them. I love so much about the states but working yourself to death is so glamorized, and so many of the people are just so hollow to me. When I dated girls there it was like I was a commodity, a product, and once I wore off they moved on to the next guy. That was cool, I was doing my own thing too, but if I wanted a real relationship in Seattle forget about it.How much I make comes up so often. People are so fucking rude.I'd tell people I was a professional poker player and I'd get the 'oh, okay' and weird look. Like "you didn't play by the rules I've been taught since I was eight years old mister, if you want to be successful you need to go to school till your mid-twenties then work your ass off for someone else, then you'll get two weeks off a year and it will be grand."Then they'd see my place, and oh my god, suddenly I was this REALLY COOL PERSON. Dude, we should invite him over tonight.People see those interviews I do with Pokernews or whatever online and suddenly I'm someone valid. Zomg, an interview, like my favorite idols do!I'm going to be on TV now for the European Poker Tour! OMG. I must be a real pro now!Malta, if I'm meeting someone, there is a ton of materialism and bullshit here too, but I have to actually be a decent person.I just don't get it. People would come to my house and be like "wow you're doing well", and that was cool to hear, but I've never owned a car, I've never owned a watch. I just got a cell phone here for the first time in half a year. I go back home to the states and my friends working fucking retail jobs are buying Seven jeans and shit.I just want what I need at that moment. I spend too much on food. I spend too much going out. I spent a lot in Seattle on having a house that made me feel really comfortable to be in. Those things make me happy. I don't really buy expensive clothes, fancy electronics, cars, any of that because it doesn't do anything for me.Still, Malta has a ton of this too, materialism. Most places do. It's sad to me, the more I travel, the more I see my own country in everywhere.I could go on forever, just ranting, since I just woke up, but yeah what I meant to say at the beginning of that long-winded sidebar is I've been smoking more since I got back here. Not for any real reason, just because hash is so cheap here, and it's constantly available to me. It's just how I decompress. I sit out on this balcony and watch the boats come in. Unfortunately, I think it does make working out and everything harder. I don't really work less or anything. I don't feel that laziness or lack of motivation that other people talk about. Hell, I don't even get the munchies really.It's just been a weirder life. I really feel like the hard grind is over for now. I almost went broke and worked myself into the ground, because I took another flashy backing deal, where I could go so many places and play so many events. You don't even think about where its all going. The lack of freedom you really have in those deals. Yeah, you get to play everywhere, for millions of dollars, but its years of your life. It's a long term deal. It's not something you can half ass, or you'll become one of the guys who is stuck grinding forever to get out of unbelievable makeup.I'm really robust right now. I'm not one of these poker players who cares about the money incredibly and I think that actually hurts me, well, in regards to how successful I will be as a professional. I think I'm happier as a person. I'm only playing a few hours a day and actually doing really well at 1000 NL down to 200 NL, just 10-16 tabling 6-max, but I listen to some of these guys talk and they are just so into the money. I think I just like having a project that affords me so much freedom.Being backed cut that off from me. I love living in different places. I was going to have to stay pretty much in the United States for the next couple years if I wanted to be a tournament professional. That's all some of my friends want, and I wish them the best, but its so not me, at this time.I've been enjoying what I've been doing here. It's more stable and relaxing than rushing everywhere to play tournaments, but unfortunately not as exciting. I'm getting my 1,000 words a day written. I'm paranoid the book will read like shit but all I can do is keep hammering away and do what I want to do with it, make a book I would want to read.Cash is going really well, but its ridiculous how much of an upswing I'm on currently. Like I'm winning so many pots that could go either way and I'm coolering the shit out of people. I'm not getting cocky while things are going well.Other than that just getting chores done. Got a big list of them, doing one a day. Smoothed things over with the maid. Paid some bills. Got this place cleaned. Got infinity billion loads of laundry done. Called the dentist.Eating out a lot. Daniel and I go out a lot. When I'm not breaking things drunk we have a pretty good time.I think I'm going to start always working harder Sunday through Thursday then just party on Friday and Saturday.At some point, if Stars ever figures out how to make a fucking bank wire, I just may play some tournaments again.Reading a lot. Watching a lot of Samurai Champloo. Watched Cocaine Cowboys last night, and that was incredibly cool.Been doing some thinking about where I'm going after Malta. I've been doing a lot of reading into the Philippines and I'm really interested in living there. I kind of just want to get out of Europe for now. I've seen a ton of countries and lived in a lot of different places for the EPT this season, and I'm just kind of burned out here.There's a lot of culture and fun things to do, but it kind of lacks that insanity. I've had a ton of fun in Europe, but just kind of want a change.I get talked to like I'm a child a lot because I'm American, or just generally viewed as an uncultured ape, when I'm just different. Many Europeans have this belief that they are incredibly intelligent and cultured and I'm just some fucking idiot who has wandered into their space.Most people are cool, and I love how life is a little slower paced here and people take time to have meals and talk, but one person out of maybe 20 will just not like me for being American. They give me the "what a fucking idiot" look whenever I talk, sometimes when I'm just walking, they try to screw me over in clubs, they try to pick fights, they serve me last in restaurants, they just generally disrespect me, for nothing more than an accent.The women here are hot, but you have to have serious game. I botch shit all the time. In Latin America or Asia I can be sleep walking and still will probably get somewhere. Here if I'm not dressed right, move things a notch too slow or too fast, it just falls apart. Some women just love me for being American but a lot don't even give me a chance.That's not to say I haven't had a great time here. There's so much culture and history in Europe. I love the people and all the experiences I've had here. I've learned so much about the world, and had the time of my life. I just want a change.WSOP I'm still not decided on yet. The idea of two months of live poker and dealing with gamblers every day does not motivate me. I still am pretty sure I am going to go see my family though so I might just roll up with 20k and see what happens. If I'm not feeling it might just fly home.I want to go to Amsterdam to mellow out for a while. One of the few places I haven't been to in Europe yet that I want to see before I bail out.Currently Listening To:Lydia - This December; It's One More And I'm FreeThe Gathering - HomeReef The Lost Cauze - A Vicious CycleRammstein

why I'm so tired tonight.

It's hard to believe I received the formal offer letter just five days ago. It seems like a much longer time than that has passed, and it also seems hard to believe that there are still three weeks to go. Until I got the formal offer I refused to write anything down, plan-wise, lest I jinx it. But I was keeping a mental list of things which needed to be done, a list that turns out to have been quite detailed and long because when I actually wrote it down, it took up two pages.I've jumped right into it, paranoid about leaving things till the last minute. Here's what I've done in the last five days:1.) Made appointments for the cats to get current on their rabies shots and get micro-chipped.2.) Bought the cats safety collars (break-away) for the trip so they can wear their rabies tags and new ID tags, which I also got. Because micro-chipping alone isn't enough to assuage Mama Cat's paranoia about one of them getting lost along the way.3.) Bought the cats carriers for the trip. Minx, Morsel and Thundercat all get along well, and will ride together in the gigantic Sof-Krate I bought for them. It's actually a soft-sided dog crate for larger breed dogs, but will nicely accomodate three cats with room to move about and lie down. Miss Lilly, since she is a calico and therefore does not play well with others gets her own crate, also large enough to move around a little. Each cage will hold small food and water dishes. I also found the coolest corner litter pans, meant for ferret cages, which will fit in each. Not, of course, that they will be used but it seemed only polite to provide them. Actually, they may use them -- when Baby Boy was first diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy he spent some time in an oxygen cage, kindly donated by a friend. It's basically a large dog cage, sealed in with plastic sheeting with a hole for a hose that runs to an oxygen concentrator. I used to put a small pan of litter in there for him, and he'd just put his hindquarters in and use it.4.) Made arrangements to return said oxygen cage to said friend. She, like myself, is now caring for a second heart kitty, but like my Lilly, her cat is still asymptomatic as well. So it's been in my storage space for two years. Back it goes!5.) Researched the route to Albuquerque, and found pet friendly hotels for the cats ... okay, there seems to be a cat-related trend going on here. Anyway, while a lot of hotels are pet friendly, we're somewhat restricted because "pet-friendly" usually means "friendly to one or two cats" and I have four. So it's places like Econolodge and Motel 6 and other places which have exterior corridors which make it easier to sneak in additional cats.6.) Got my car lubed, oiled, filtered, had the belts checked, tired balanced and rotated (they're new-ish), the alignment checked, and the A/C recharged. If you live in eastern Massachusetts, go to Hogan Tire for your automotive needs, specifically the North Beverly location. They rock. It needs one more thing, a new catalytic converter -- though I could in theory let this go -- which gets done next Friday.7.) Called my bank and worked out when to get new accounts and all that -- they have a branch in Albuquerque, so no problems there.8.) Packed up my kitchen, sorted for "keep" and "yard sale."9.) Packed up my living room knickknack thingies.10.) Cleaned out one of my storage spaces, sorted things for "keep" and "yard sale."11.) Sorted out my 400+ books, got rid of most that I will not be keeping via donation.12.) With my mother's help (thanks Mom!) took my bed apart and brought it outside for whoever might want it. It's an old wooden platform bed, which would fetch nothing at a yard sale, and this basically emptied out the bedroom, which we cleaned. This way, I can store all the yard sale stuff in there which gives me a lot more room. I put the mattress on my futon, so I'll be sleeping in the living room from now on. I also disassembled and threw out the old cat tree. Which someone picked up right away. Even though it was raining that day and even though it's four years old and the sisal has mostly been ripped away. But I did vacuum off the worst of the cat hair before I chucked it.13.) Got the yard sale permit. They're free, but in a small town with minimal serious crime, the police actually do check to make sure you have the permit and will shut you down if you don't have it.14.) Brought home some boxes from work and two bags of foam packing peanuts which, fortuitously, were in said boxes.15.) Started training the three students in the lab to do all those assays and cells stuff I do now.16.) Brought some stuff to Mom's for temporary (really, I promise) storage. Actually, much of it was hers to start with. She'll send it along after we move into our new apartment.17.) Got a new apartment. Actually, Dancing in Socks Guy did this. His current apartment is a smallish one bedroom, which we might have gotten away with if it had just been us. But, there are of course the six cats to consider, so we wanted a two bedroom. Luckily, thanks to the end-of-semester student exodus, there is a ton of stuff available at the moment, but we really wanted to stay in the area he's in now. It's literally right across the street from the university and less than two miles from where I'll be working. This could have waited till I got there, but school starts up again in August, which means things start getting rented in July. Luckily, a two-bedroom in the complex where he is now opened up which made it so easy -- he's already a tenant there, so there was no fuss, just a small transfer fee. Sweet! Of course, this means we spend three days driving across the country, have one day to recover and then have to move to a new place. But it's literally fifty feet from where he lives now, and his friends will help. They'll have to because I'll be at work that day. Not a full day, just HR stuff. Oh, darn.18.) I also got my signed offer letter and non-disclosure agreements signed and mailed to the new job.19.) I also resigned my per diem home-health aide job. I was actually working Sunday nights for them, on a pretty regular basis, which I guess makes it more of a part-time job. My last day for them is the fifteenth. I will miss them, they're a great agency.20.) Got a copy of my birth certificate -- actually, Mom did (thanks again, Mom!). Although she did ask, "Will they let me get a copy of your certificate?" To which I answered, "Did you give birth to me?" I lose my birth certificates all the time, mainly because replacing it has never been a big deal since I live ten miles from where I was born. This is about to change.21.) Found my social security card and the title to my car! I filed away the loan maturity stuff the finance company mailed me when I paid off my car, and couldn't remember if the title was in there, an issue because I'll need it when I change my registration, and getting a copy of a car title in Massachusetts is a uniquely challenging experience. But there it was.All that. In five days. And there's still so much more to do!Elle

Ackman's desperate Target fightFelix Salmon

There's another of Bill Ackman's song-and-dance shows today: he's waging what the FT calls “one of the largest and most expensive proxy battles in US corporate history” against Target, and eliciting some pretty compelling pushback from Bill George in the process. George is no lightweight: he's the former CEO of Medtronic, is a professor at Harvard Business School, and is a board member of both Exxon Mobil and Goldman Sachs. The Ackman fight is confusing, especially given the very peculiar quote he gave to the FT: “This is not a poorly managed company,” he told the Financial Times in an interview. “This is really just about improving the board.” I really have no idea what this is supposed to mean. No one spends $15 million on a monster proxy battle just because he thinks that one set of independent directors will be marginally better at giving direction to existing management than the current set of independent directors. But Ackman has backed himself into a corner. When he started his fund, Ackman had all manner of bright ideas about how Target could achieve better results through financial engineering. But the world was different then, and much more amenable, in principle, to such suggestions. Today, talk of spin-offs and lease-backs is extremely unfashionable: we're living in a back-to-basics business culture, and that's no bad thing. The problem for Target is that Ackman still has a fund to run, and pushing financial engineering is the only way that he knows to try to justify that fund's existence. The fund might have been a bright idea when it was set up in 2007, but not all bright ideas turn out well, and this is one which turned out badly. So we get mission creep: Ackman is now targeting the board, rather than management, for reasons which are increasingly vague. Most investors, if their investment in a company doesn't work out, sell it and move on. But Ackman can't do that, because he's running a single-stock fund. So he's liable to be an expensive annoyance to Target for the foreseeable future. He has very little choice.

David Bowie 1972 The Year of the Spiders BBC Sessions Various Dates & Location @ 320

THE SOUND OF THE SEVENTIES WITH BOB HARRIS (18th May 1972)[Maida Vale Studios, London, UK]1. Hang Onto Yourself2. Ziggy Stardust3. Waiting For The Man4. Queen Bitch5. Five YearsTOP GEAR TV SHOW WITH JOHN PEEL (16th May 1972)[Maida Vale Studios, London, UK]6. White Light White Heat7. Making Believe8. Hang Onto Yourself9. Suffragette City10. Ziggy StardustTHE JOHNNY WALKER SHOW (22nd May 1972)[The Aeolian Hall, London, UK]11. Starman12. Space Oddity13. Changes14. Oh You Pretty ThingsTHE SOUND OF THE SEVENTIES WITH BOB HARRIS (23rd May 1972)[Maida Vale Studios, London, UK]15. Andy Warhol16. Lady Stardust17. White Light White Heat18. Rock'n'Roll Suicide http://rapidshare.com/files/100792105/Bowie1972p1.rarhttp://rapidshare.com/files/100794648/Bowie1972p2.rar