10/8    Get ready for the great fraud election of 2008
        http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com/2008/10/voting-early-often-indianapolis-bloated.html
        \_ Courtesy ACORN:
           http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=308358130652174
        \_ Of course it is not possible that McCain is going to lose simply
           because his ideas and his party are unpopular. I actually like
           this meme, it guarantees that the GOP will remain out of power
           even longer, as they refuse to admit to their problems.
        \_ the 100 guys the all powerful ACORN have signed up will tilt
           the election!

10/9    "NYC National Debt Clock runs out of digits"
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_re_us/odd_national_debt_clock
        Is it even possible to pay off the national debt, both in theory and in
        practice?
        \_ If we conquer the country we borrow from, we'd have 0 debt.
           \_ we would be unable to fight chinese HUMAN WAVE attack re:
              Korean War.
              \_ Well... technology has improved a lot since the Korean war.
                 The Chinese would do the wave attack at night in Korea
                 because it was difficult to use area attacks like naplam at
                 night then.  This isn't a problem now.  On the other hand,
                 China has better was to tattack now as well.
                 China has better ways to attack now as well.
                 \_ But scary Chinamen already infiltrated United States!
                    Just look at the recent case of Wen Hao(sp)
                    \_ I think they have secretly infiltrated the Federal
                       Reserve
                    \_ I thought you were going to say William Hung.
        \_ not sure.  McCain increasing spending and cutting taxes probably
           won't cut it down much.  Why does he keep complaining about
           earmarks, it's like .05 percent of the total budget.  He just
           mentioned the bridge to nowhere again!
           \_ Same reason pol's like to talk about bank CEOs getting millions
              during the crisis.
        \_ I don't see why not, it is still only $30k/person. I think the
           average American consumer has that much credit card debt at this
           point. The real way we will pay it down is to grow the economy so
           that the debt is a smaller piece of it.
                \_ Why does having credit card debt it easier to pay off the
                   national debt?
                   \_ Do you think people are going to pay off their credit
                      card debt?

10/9    "McCain changes homeowner plan"
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081009/pl_politico/14414
        "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made an overnight change in the homeowner
        bailout he proposed at Tuesday.s presidential debate, making it more
        generous to financial institutions and more costly for taxpayers."

10/9    In a campaign with plenty of gaffes to go around, John McCain added
        one to the mix Wednesday. The Republican vice-presidential candidate
        addressed a crowd in Pennsylvania as “my fellow prisoners.”
        McCain made the slip while discussing his plans for the economy,
        including health care and energy policies. “Across this country, this
        is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners,” he said. The
        prepared remarks, which the campaign distributed during the speech,
        showed he meant to say “citizens.” The Arizona senator was a prisoner
        of war, spending nearly six years in Vietnam. He often talks about his
        experiences on the campaign trail, albeit briefly.

10/8    http://www.scribd.com/doc/4964973/Worst-Captchas-of-All-Time
        Worst captchas of all time. Some stupid, some funny.

10/8    Thinking of going back to Silicon Valley. How's the job market
        right now in the middle of the housing crisis? Are companies
        hiring or laying off in general? Are rent + home prices stable?
        \_ 1 hiring freezes at many large companies
           2 layoffs of bottom 5-10% common
             \_ my company NEVER does big layoffs. Always letting people
                go every few weeks or so
                \_ YHOO, MRVL, EBAY, HPQ
           3 home prices downward slope
           \_ how much downward? 5%? or 10-15% like nationwide?
              \_ all right, seasonally we may be okay.  my impression is that
                 we've entered the "stare-off" part of the cycle.  also,
                 cheaper houses are selling in volume, which is driving down
                 the median home price.
              \_ Home prices are down in less desirable areas and have been
                 flat for about three years in more desirable areas.
                 \_ What is less desirable? San Jose? Milpitas? Sunnyvale?
                    Places like Saratoga and San Mateo keep going up up up.
                    \_ Desirable:  Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Altos, Los Gatos
                    \_ No, San Mateo has come down in price:
                       http://www.redfin.com/city/17490/CA/San-Mateo
                       Looks like about 12% down from Oct 06 to today.
                       San Jose (most of it), Santa Clara and Milpitas all
                       qualify as less desirable. How about "less expensive"
                       and "more expensive" then, is that clear enough to you?
                       \_ Cool chart. Why is there a big gap starting Jan 08
                          between house and condo?

10/9    The behavior modification loop of fail:
        link:preview.tinyurl.com/4s5cd7 [wellingtongrey.net]
        \_ We'll never imprison CEOs and CFOs responsible for
           the financial decisions that led to today's financial crisis.
           They were doing exactly what was CORRECT in the context of
           free-market, where they're maximizing profit. They did everything
           by the free-market book, and were being good Capitalists. You
           simply don't imprison Capitalists in America.
           \_ Michael Milken might have something to say to that.
              \_ That's right: "You imprison patsies!"

10/9    Has anyone gone to UofC, undergrad or grad? Is it still filled with
        smart, conservative, nobel prize winners or has it gone left? I like
        the freakonomics blog and Levitt, and it seems center-left to me.
        \_ I know some people who got their MBAs there.  They went.  They
           graduated.  They got jobs in the banking industry.  They haven't
           been laid off yet.  What more do you want?
        \_ For what major?  Also considering the way the right has drifted
           in this country reality is now center-left.
        \_ selecting your grad school on whether its 'left' or 'right'
           makes you sound silly, unless you're applying to Liberty University.
           \_ It depends on your major, seriously. I have a friend who is
              liberal who went to Tulane for grad school because they offered
              him the best package, even though I recommended he go to UT Austin
              instead. He could not get any advisor to agree to sponser him
              because he wanted to write his thesis on the Wobblies impact
              him the best package, even though I recommended he go to UT
              Austin instead. He could not get any advisor to agree to sponsor
              him because he wanted to write his thesis on the Wobblies impact
              on the Mexican Revolution. He ended up having to drop out with
              a Master's. This was a history major.
        \_ UofC = University of California?
           \_ Univ. of Chicago
        \- The University of Chicago has a reputation of being a "serious"
           school. They send many people back into academia, they have hard
           grading etc. In some ways they are like a private UCB ... except
           they got rid of sports. You may enjoy reading about Robert Maynard
           Hutchings. Example story: UCB undergrad in one of the dumber depts
           here graduated with a good rank in her department ... was quite
           sleazy, for example turned in papers written by friends who took
           the class the year before etc. Went to UChicago in their grad
           program in that area [got $$$], her bullshitting approach [think
           Sarah Palin] couldnt cut it there, so then went to Harvard and
           apparently did fine. I spend several hours recently talking to
           the younger sister of a close friend of mine and her fiance,
           both from UChi, and was very impressed with them as "serious,
           smart people". So along with UCB, MIT, CalTech, UChi is a real
           "no bullshit" school.

10/9    Bacon, strip club, life is good.

10/9    I'm just wondering where all the "peak oil" morons are now that
        oil prices have fallen almost in half. Anyone who looked at
        consumption versus production could plainly see that, peak oil or
        not, the recent spike was mostly speculative.
        \_ the speculation of peak oil fueled it out, though peak oil
           is not an effect that will never happen, but it's really more
           of a question of when. Not now, not in 5-10 years, but some
           day. Not now.                        -!peak oil guy
        \_ Isn't "peak oil" about the amount of oil we can extract per day, not
           the price of oil?
        \_ yeah peak oil is about amount of oil we can extract as a whole.
           if you're focusing on the current price, you are short sighted
           \_ I didn't say there's no such thing as peak oil, just that
              we're apparently not there or prices would have stayed high.
              The number of idiots claiming that demand in China was why
              oil prices doubled in a year was astounding. So what do they
              have to say now? OPEC is talking about reducing production
              to keep prices high!
              \_ Demand in China *is* why prices were up, it is just now that
                 demand drop in the US is outpacing demand increase in China.
                 This is probably temporary, but I would prefer to hope
                 otherwise.
        \_ anti-peak-oil moron: you need to learn about the difference between
           a shift along the demand curve and a shift of the demand curve.
           \_ I think you need to prove that one has happened instead of
              the other.
        \_ Even today oil prices are way above what they were only a few years
           ago.  You need to look at long-term trends, not the movement of
           oil prices over a few months time, which ARE speculative.

10/9    McCain is STILL lieing about the bridge to nowhere?  What the hell?
        http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/09/mccain-bridge-lie
        \_ http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/09/mccain-bridge-lie

10/9    We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger.  Should I
        have your ship standing by?
        \_ http://www.cnbc.com/id/27100099
           \_ so many things are fucked up about equity investment for J6P,
              but that's a discussion for another day
              \_ joe six pack?
                 \_ #t
        \_ Nikkei 225 -10% circuit breaker hit
           Japanese banks have stopped lending to U.S./European counterparties
        \_ RED LEADER:  It's away!

10/9    What's the point of treating animals nicely and then kill them
        for consumption at the end?
        \_ Because some people care about not causing suffering.  Just
           because they are going to be food doesn't mean they need to
           live painful, miserable lives until then.
           \_ So how is the new CA prop going to affect prices at
              Ruth's Chris?                     -animal lover. yummy
           \_ I don't know about this prop myself.  I generally figure
              chicken farmers know more about chickens than I do.  The
              guy I talked to said that chickes seem to prefer
              individual smallish cages, there's no fighting for one thing.
              I'm not sure how small you can go before it's too small though.
              I've noticed that animal right's types tend to over
              anthropromorphize animals.  I haven't fully read the prop yet
              either though.
              \_ I don't know how I'm voting on 2 (I suspect I'm going to
                 vote no on the hate initiatives that are made feel good
                 vote no on the hate initiatives that are made to feel good
                 platform.)  But I do understand giving a shit about how
                 food animals are raised.
        \_ Nicely raised animals probably yeild more/higher quality meat b/c
           they get sufficient nourishment and can better fight off diseases.
           But on a purely philosophical level, there is no point. -vegetarian
        \_ Animals that are stressed do not yield high quality products.
           Kobe beef get a lot of special care and look at the prices
           versus the poor cows made to wallow in their own shit. The Kobe
           beef has a lot of marbling that other beef does not. If you've
           ever raised animals you'd know that you need to take care of
           them or else you will get sick, stressed animals. Maybe you
           want to eat sick animals which are then pumped full of
           antibiotics to 'heal' them but I don't.
        \_ People die too eventually -- why treat them nicely?
           \_ I didn't know there are cannibals on soda.  -- !OP
              \_ Why does it make a difference whether you eat the dead
                 thing or not?

10/9    RED LEADER:  It's away!

10/9    why the hell is AMD going up
        \_ Abu Dhabi buy-in prevented imminent bankruptcy
           \_ thanks motd, i really had no idea.

10/9    wow maybe they shouldnt have let Lehman fail
        \_ COMMUNIST!
        \_ at least i have anti socialist PRINCIPLES i can eat, much
           like food, in the coming Dark Age.

10/9    Bush to roll over on North Korea:
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_re_eu/eu_nuclear_nkorea_11

10/9    Will 2008 be a re-aligning election?
        http://tinyurl.com/3oktaf

10/9    If I were STILL in equities now (let's say a relative said FUCK-O,
        YOU WERE RIGHT! and gave me control of his account), I would liquidate
        50% at the bell, and liquidate the rest of the 50% on any bounce over
        the next month.
        The bounce I am looking for is Treasury participating in the LEH CDS
        auction Friday or announcing imminent injection of capital into a
        couple willing banks, or most likely, some international agreement over
        the weekend.
        \_ All you Chicken Littles are beyond ridiculous. There is no
           fundamental reason for a broad selloff right now. It's just FUD.
           Buy when the market is fearful.
           \_ the market has been calmly selling off on fundamentals.  I don't
              think real panic selling has set in.
              \_ I had a good day today buying MS, GE, and GS near the lows.
                 What about you?
                 \_ expecting a bounce with some international agreement over
                    the weekend -op
                 \_ Already doubled my MS price. Today was a good day.
                    \_ Very nice.  Are you going to dump it soon?
                       \_ In @ 7.78, Out @ 18.00
              \_ "Stocks have finished their worst week ever with an eighth
                  straight day of losses." You don't think that history making
                  losses have anything to do with panic selling?
                  \_ all right, some people are selling in a panic.  but my
                     thesis is:  you haven't seen real panic selling yet, and
                     you just might.  Regardless, you will still see a
                     continuing sell-off on fundamentals over time.
                     \_ Any idea why PCG (PG&E) fell 10% today?
                        \_ At one point it was down 20%.
                     \_ Or why CA Munis paying 6% tax free fell 5% today?
                        \_ CA is bankrupt so I understand that one.
                           \_ No, that is not why they dropped so far on one
                              day. I actually think I do know, and I was kind
                              of wondering if you have figured it out, too.
                              Assuming that you are the same LEH CDS guy who
                              has been calling (correctly, so far) for everyone
                              to pull out. I think we are overdue for a severe
                              correction.
                              to pull out of the market.
                              \_ No idea why. Do tell.
                                 \_ I think this is due to hedge fund margin
                                    calls. They are selling the only good
                                    assets they have on their books.
        \_ Selling at the bell would have been a bad strategy today. What we
           are seeing is called "flushing out the weak hands."
           \_ yep, I was thinking a better idea was to sell into an end of day
              rally, but the idea was that I would have 50% more to get rid of
              on a larger multi-week rally. -op

10/9    damn you all powerful ACORN for creating this economic
        meltdown singlehandedly.
        there are people being wrong on the internet again, I'm never
        going to get to bed now.

10/9    RIP Iceland.  RIP Japan.  Here's on my deathlist:
        Berkshire Hathaway (when Buffett dies)
        Apple craters when Jobs finally admits he's terminally ill.
        Rupert Murdoch cant live forever can he.