Did someone order 100% Awesome Sauce?

Is it possible this could be better than Dark Knight? I don't want to get to far ahead of myself but....



Update 5/2/2009: Ixnay on the awesome sauce. This was X1-3 revisited. Nothing to see here folks move along to Netflix. Dark Knight is safe as the best superhero movie ever.

The Jayhakws + 100

In celebration of O's first 100, here's The Jayhawks. Word is there is reunion tour in the works, but that's just the word. If you don't get the irony it's on you.

"Don't look so sad Marina there's another part to play."

Specter to the D's

Arlen Specter, the Senior Republican Senator from Pennsylvania has decided to switch parties, moving from a republican to a democrat. The initial reaction from the blogosphere was typical. Progressives were excited at the chance for a 60 seat filibuster proof majority and the R's and their talking heads went on the attack (no suprise), calling him a long time RINO (republican in name only) and wishing him good riddance.

David Frum a well respected conservative columnist I very much enjoy points out the folly in thinking of his own party vis-a-vis Specter's defection. Saying in essence they will remain an ever shrinking minority as long as they try to push the "ideologically impure" out of their party in favor for staunch social conservatives.

My thought as a progressive is that Specter's defection is NOT a good thing. I like balance and in truth I like negotiations and trade offs. The ability to push through whatever piece of legislation that you want without having a strong minority party to force you to tap the brakes is not a good thing. For some context I remember thinking how silly Tom Delay and Karl Rove were for thinking back in 2003 at the height of Bush's popularity that they could build a 50 year republican majority. Apparently they didn't realize the fickleness of the American electorate and the variability in things they couldn't realistically control (economy, war, peace, disease, natural disaster, etc). And so with that I offer a tepid "tap the brakes" to all the progressives giddy with the thought of a congressional majority and the chance to build a long term governing consensus. Yes, the R's aren't doing themselves any favor by kowtowing to the social conservatives in their own party but there is too much variability in a future of the unknown to begin planning for a long term governing consensus!

Texas Requests Foreign Aid

Today Texas Republic President Richard "Rick" Perry requested foreign aide from US President Barack Obama to deal with the potential swine flu pandemic.

Perry makes this requests just 1 week after seceding from the United States on the grounds that the federal govt intervened to much in the affairs of a sovereign Texas.

Update: I was confused. Texas Governor Rick Perry in fact didn't secede Texas from the US last week. It turns out his tea party talk about secession was just that...talk. Meant to drum up false outrage against President Obama and the awesomeness known as the US of A.

Fannie Exec Found Dead

I don't know the details and the guy may be the biggest fraudulent exec of all time, but life is too precious. It's too precious. We're all leaving soon enough, there's no hurry, whatever it is it's not that bad.

I've always been convinced that those who commit suicide would choose not to 100% of the time once they realize how much being dead blows, unfortunately all sales are final.

More here

You're not a true patriot if...

You'd rather not march on Washington D.C., the nations capital mind you, with 999,999 other armed men and women in a 'peaceful' protest.

My experience with violence is that guys looking for a fight usually get it, but it's typically with a lesser opponent, which is of course always of their choosing. They wouldn't have it any other way.

Awesome-sauce Credit Crisis Vid

By far the best video outlining the credit crisis I've seen.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Sunday Nigh Hilarity

Watch them both

On Markets

I've been thinking for a couple weeks that we were simply in a bear market rally and we would soon return to what has been a normal status over the last six months - panicked selling. But alas after the first full week of earnings the market finds itself in pretty decent shape (above 800 DOW and 850 S&P) and the banks, at least the majors, are propping up pretty well so I'm ready to declare this bear market over (he says the day before the worst selloff in market history).

I know that the majors are benefiting from wildly usurious arb rates (borrowing money at little costs, selling at at ridiculous costs - see your last credit card bill rate) but nonetheless they are at least reporting better and surprising to the upside or less downside I should say which is a good thing in this milieu.

On a personal note the lack of volatility isn't necessarily a good thing for me, but I've developed a pretty good strategy for trading the markets in a mildly calm phase so we'll see. Unlike most traders, I would rather we have a stable market where people's 401ks are returning to normal than have a volatile market where I'm making out like a bandit but 50 and 60 year old retirees are thinking about eating catfood...guess I could never make it on the real Wall Street.

Links:

The Vix

S&P 500

Somebody ate this food

You can forward to the 2:00 minute mark to watch the raw video. It is totally disgusting but it makes you SERIOUSLY think twice about eating takeout food. This in conjunction with the KFC bath tub incident last year have me reconsidering fast food entirely. Way to go Domino's you've got super quality employees. I leave the NC rejoinder alone for now since I went to school there, but you can draw your own conclusions.

Firms at the corporate and franchise level should really do a better job of quality control, better processes, better procedures and better hiring. Disgusting.

Fomentation

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I have a fear that nothing good will come of all of this fake outrage regarding Obama being a socialist, muslim, black, etc disguised as fake outrage against taxes (for which 95% of the electorate has had theirs lowered btw).

What do you mean nothing good Ryan? This anti-Obama (b/c he's black be real) outrage has been fomenting since the latter stages of the campaign when it became clear that McCain would lose. I thought it was dangerous then and think it's even more dangerous now. Mainly because 3 Police Officers - COPS mind you - were shot dead in cold blood by a man claiming he killed them because Obama was going to take his guns, which was no doubt fomented by talking heads and irresponsible pols.

I'm all for public demonstration and citizen involvement because it makes for a GREAT POLITICAL SYSTEM. But when politicians who lost decide to advocate for the violent overthrow of an elected govt or threaten secession because they simply DON'T LIKE the person who was elected you're asking for trouble.

There are always people out there who are looking for an excuse to use violence. Whether that be the gang banger in South Central or Cletus Jethro in the backwoods. It's irresponsible for any person who has voice with these audiences to advocate violence. It's LUDICROUS and borderline criminal for elected pols and newsies to advocate violence...openly.

I pray and hope that this violent anger quells and cooler heads prevail, but it seems like it's almost strategic in nature by the svengalis calling the shots and I only fear it will get worse.

Yar Matey

I was overjoyed Sunday morning to hear that Richard Phillips the Captain of the Maersk ship that encountered pirates late last week had been rescued. His continuous attempts to escape on his own let me know last week that dude was a fighter and with the NAVY moving in I knew this was going to come to a resolution soon.

I'm a little disheartened though by the woeful display of ignorance, war baiting and politicization of this pirate fracas by some. Ignorance in that the pirates clearly are not terrorist. That is they are taking booty and kidnapping for ransom. Not blowing themselves up or plotting to kill citizens in the name of a deity or nationalism. War baiting in that there is absolutely NO REASON to declare WAR on Somalia, unless that is you're simply a bloodthirsty talking head whose fake I'm-a-tough-guy-and-I-bleed-red-white-and-blue identity rests with other people's families and friends actually doing the bleeding. Politicization in that this pirate dust up in no way buttresses the argument for the same old defense spending playbook, if anything it actually speaks to reassessing the way we 'do business.'

Another W

An Easter morning win is a good way to start out the day. The computer had me on the ropes for a little while but I was able to regain the advantage and tick out a win. I usually increase my chances of winning (v the computer or a human) when I'm able to trade Queen for Queen. Today I figured out why that is. It's because I'm not that smart. Seriously. The Queen with her ability to shapeshift into most pieces on the board presents way to many options for my non algorithmic brain to consider on a per move basis. When I'm able to eliminate or trade her, the game becomes a lot more linear in terms of evaluating all the options. Anyways, my high school hoops coach used to say any win is a good win. I echo those sentiments here. Maybe I'll start learning to play better with her on the board.

Drunk Drivers Are Pretty Douchey

By now you've heard the story of Nick Adenhart, the upstart 22 year old pitcher for the LA Angels, who today undoubtedly lays cold on a slab in LA County due to his untimely death at the hands of a suspected drunk driver.

I try to refrain from showing much anger on this blog, because as a general rule I recognize that nothing much goods comes from being angry, at least for me. But everytime I hear a story of some innocent person dying at the hands of a drunk driver or serial texter or any other idiot who thinks they can pilot a two ton vehicle at speeds in excess of 50mph without complete focus it seriously upsets me.

While I don't forgive serial texters or the other idiots (makeup, fussing with children, etc) there dereliction and negligence is somewhat easier to understand if you assume they didn't start out driving with those impairments. But a drunk. A person who thinks it's cool to go get loaded and then drive knows EXACTLY what they're doing. Exactly. They know they're impaired, as they've undoubtedly been before. They know they shouldn't be driving, as they've undoubtedly done before. And they know that drunk drivers kill people, as they've undoubtedly seen before. But in spite of all of that they drive anyway. In college a friend suggested that my animus towards drunk drivers was guided largely by the fact that I don't drink. I don't know if that is totally true, I have many many friends that drink and some family members too (I suspect), for me the animus comes from drunks crapping in the face of a very simple risk/reward proposition.

Proposition - Don't drive drunk like a little punk would do.

Risk - I have to walk home or call my girl or buddy to come pick me up or call a cab .

Reward - NOBODY DIES AT MY HANDS TONIGHT

As a trader I've trained myself to recognize advantageous risk reward propositions, this one seems to have massive upside and little to no, and by no I literally mean zero, downside. I would take this trade...if I were a drunk douche.

Why any punk takes the other side of this trade is beyond me, I guess they have a burning desire to kill fiances, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, best friends, buddies, girlfriends and boyfriends. I guess in some drunk bizarro world killing these people is considered cool...I guess.

O'Donnell v Buchanan

Good debate on Obama's upcoming visit to Notre Dame...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Ken Blackwell

Ken Blackwell has no debate skills at all, absolutely none. I just saw him get taken apart by Chris Hitchens. He reverted to the usual I'm in way over my head and getting sonned tactics, such as fake laughing, fillibustering, strawmanning and reverting back to ersatz hypotheses that no one is refuting.

Ken Blackwell I salute your gross debate incompetence.

Charlie Norris

The one good thing about day trading is you can make money on your own in a down economy but a necessary and unfortunate precondition to that you have to watch CNBC all day. As such you get incredible free insight from experienced traders and investors such as James Cramer, Karen Finerman, Jeff Macke and one Chuck Norris. What's that? Charlie Norris of Bruce Lee beat down fame you ask? Yes. Apparently banking analyst is among his many talents.

What gets me is not that initiated or sophisticated traders, bloggers, professionals, etc of any stripe or political persuasion will listen to him, it's that those who don't fit that category will. They will take his analysis serious as if he knows what he speaks, which will only encourage him to continue opining nonsensically. My favorite? You guessed it: According to Chuck the government should have stayed out of the mess in September and let the free markets work - surprise!

Way to Go Sparty

Raymar Morgan is the reason that I'm running 38 out of 41 in my pool and losing to chicks who literally pick teams based on mascots, locale and team colors. This has got to stop.

On the other hand I was more than excited to see Sparty get it done last night against Connecticut. Hopefully they can hand the Heels a loss tomorrow night.

Oh yeah...Darrell Summers get it young fella'. Anytime you wham on Stan the Man Robinson you've got hops.

Also was it just me or did it look like Sparty wanted a piece of the Huskies in the end of the half fracas b/t Adrien and Walton?

Final Four Analysis

Michigan State: My brother played in the Big Ten (All Conference Twice) and as such I got a front row view of Raymar Morgan thrice as a freshman. I was very impressed. He came off of pin downs like a pro, had great form on his jumper, could post you, handle and play above the rim. I thought at the time he'd be gone after his sophomore year. I was wrong. In the two subsequent years, I think it's safe to assume Morgan has not lived up to Sparty's expectations. Unfortunately the only way they beat UConn today is if he does. Summers, Allen and Roe are too inexperienced to get it done and Kalin Lucas is good, but not good enough to beat that team by himself.

UConn: When Dyson went out, I thought there was no way UConn was gonna get to the Final Four. AJ Price proved me wrong. This guy has stepped up his game big time and I actually think he is the best point guard in the Final Four (sorry Lawson). This guy has great size, speed and when he's nailing threes forget about it. Thabeet, Adrien and Robinson will be an athletic load up front and I expect them to handle Sparty and give UNC all they can handle in the championship. A championship game b/t UConn and UNC with Dyson would have been awesome. That way Dyson could have completely embarassed the overrated guard aka Wayne Ellington.

UNC: I like Ty Lawson and I like UNC's depth. I think they will beat Villanova but they will get all they can handle from the scappy Cats. I'm always amazed at how Roy Williams is able to get 7-8 All America caliber players to play together. While Lawson is a load offensively I actually think Danny Green will be the key for them coming out of this weekend with a championship. He's actually their 3rd best player (behind Lawson/Hansborough) but their most versatile scorer.

Nova: Scottie Reynolds will give UNC all they can handle. Unfortunately they just lack the size and their perimeter scorers (sans Reynolds) aren't of sufficient quality to put consistent pressure on UNC for 40 minutes. People have compared this team to their 2005 Sweet 16 team that included Randy Foye, Allan Ray and Kyle Lowry but they're not. Allan Ray was a knock down jump shooter and Foye and Lowry could keep anyone on their heels. That is how they were able to stay with Carolina back in 2005 (they actually won, but the ref called a bogus travel instead of foul on Melvin Scott, but I digress.)

I've got Carolina and UConn advancing from tonight with UNC winning Monday night. But it should be a quality Saturday of basketball. As a former player you can always appreciate this event because next to playing in the league it's every schoolboy's dream to play in this event.

$20,000.00

This is how much money I left on the table today with my Research in Motion (RIMM) trade. For those of you who don't know RIMM is owner of the Blackberry and apparently Q1 sales were literally off the charts. Of course being a diligent, well researched trader I knew this yesterday and went long this morning. But when it came time to hedge for the overnights I punked out and cashed in my chips. What a mistake! I just checked the aftermarket price. $60 and change. Up almost $11 from the 4PM close.

I took a $10K hit in February and it has made me seriously gun shy. The saying confidence is everything is never more truer in trading. Maybe tomorrow I can find a trade that brings back my confidence. Maybe.

Really?

Really John McCain? Really? A posthumous pardon of an erstwhile turn of the century boxer? I guess. Not that the conviction of Jack Johnson wasn't flat our wrong in 1913, but this would have meant a lot more coming from you say back in 1980. It just seems like grandstanding now, but I digress (not really, I don't really digress, I just say that to seem more effacing.)

On another note, if we spent time pardoning all the wrongful convictions from 1865 through say 1965 and retrying the wrongful acquittals we would literally waste hundreds of millions of dollars. Probably not the smartest use of funds during a Repression.

Read more in the hometown Strib.