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Showing posts from November, 2008

The Life of a Turkey

(with apologies to Aaron Yonda) Hello. I'm a Turkey. In the beginning, my life was idyllic. Whole grain breakfasts. Congenial friends. Playing in the late Autumn sun. And then they came for me. I ran as fast as I could, but I suddenly realized I had a weight problem. I could barely run at all. They chased me down easily and I could feel their cold hands on my feathers. Soon I was in a metal cage. Where were they taking me? The life I had known was quickly receding. And then.. everything went black.. When I regained consciousness I was standing in front of a man they called "Mister President". He was chuckling and shaking his shoulders together. Would this man be my salvation? The flashes of light from the strange things the people they called "reporters" - had pointed at me - hurt my eyes. Then, a ray of hope. "Mister President" was actually giving me a pardon. Oh joy of joys! My feathers shook with excitement. I could barely keep from co...

8200 Holds

That bounce of 500 points back from 7600 shows you the bottom holds - its not linear, you play the line that runs averaged through it all. The market makers play what they want to play at the end of the day but the std. deviation looks to be about 300 points. That means a run through 7600 that comes down from 8000 and then bounces back to 8300 is pretty much the bottom of the market. Should close around 8300 today. Have a great Thanksgiving colorless green readers! Do You Believe.. In What you See?

The first test of 8200

This move below the 8200 mark is an important statistical measure of the stability of the market. Markets are variable, they have a tendency to go above and below a certain mean. For the past four weeks, the Dow at 8200 has shown resilience in hitting that mark and rebounding. With most of the day trading sideways, we've seen a real trend in the market close to chase the indices down and close negative. At 1:00 today the markets were at or near 8200 and then they crashed down almost 600 points from their mean, to end at 7,600.

Gouge Away (version sixteen)

gouge away (you can gouge away) stay all day if you want to Missing aggravation from sacred questions Pandora's box Opens for you 8200 makes a bottom and holy hedge funds against the law? gouge away you can gouge away stay all day if you want to sleeping on your belly you break my arms you spoon my eyes been rubbing a bad charm with holy fingers gouge away you can gouge away stay all day if you want to chained to the pillars a 3-day party i break the walls and kill us all with holy fingers gouge away you can gouge away stay all day if you want to

A Message to Saxby Chambliss

Dear Mr. Saxby Chambliss, I understand that now your friends are circulating really scary commercials about how Jim Martin is going to take away America's right to a secret ballot. Hmm.. Thats neat. And what else? Oh, just really scary , whiny commercials? Like you did with Max Cleland. What a guy you are. Saxby, I am not sure why you whined so loudly about your "knee injury" when America asked you to serve. You ran away from your duty to serve, and you've done a good job of running away from your chance to stand up to the most corrupt and least effective Administration in American History. Sure are alot of good people out there you want to forget that fact. You'd better run some more scary ads. Oh, but I've found an Ad for you. So here's a message for you, courtesy of Mr. T. Now Saxby, don't get me wrong. Its nice to have good sounding, good looking people like you when folks like Jim Martin, who somehow balanced budgets eight years straigh...

The Former World Trade Center

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Man in Black

I was five I sensed even then why you wore black I fell asleep in my mothers lap I couldn't stay awake for the whole concert I wanted be near you, John I wanted to hear you It sounded like a train and even then I knew poetry was a form of honesty Something passed between us then when I was only five Later, when I was older the glittering darkness was like a light it came for me when my brother died For Johnny Cash

First Images of Planets Outside our Solar System

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Wow! First ever images of a planet outside our solarsystem. This is a star with 3 planets in orbit around it, and for the first time we can see the planets! W00t!!

McCain on Saxby

Saxby ran for Senate in 2002 on a series of negative ads that , as Ralph Reed mentioned helped the People of Georgia " to elect a senator who supports president Bush" - and call out how shameful Max was, for trying to add support for the middle class into homeland security legislation that the Bush/Rove machine was trying to rush into law (he was just trying to get overtime paid) - the ads painted Max Cleland as someone who was in league with the terrorists - it flashed images of Bin Laden and Cleland. And these slick ads were paid for by lobbyists of course. ... McCain, in 2002, was quoted on the record, about Saxby's tactics - by saying: "I'd never seen anything like ( Saxby's political ad ) . Putting pictures of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden next to the picture of a man who left three limbs on the battlefield -- it's worse than disgraceful. It's reprehensible." -- Sen. John McCain McCain will be here in Georgia tomorrow. The goal...

8200

The market will likely bottom at 8200, we are seeing all kinds of patterns here - we visited this zone about a week ago and it bounced up and now were are back in that zone again. The bad news is that damage has been done to the economy. We have to all work twice as hard, for half the pay. Thats just the way it is. Today's an important day for me at work but I wanted to write to you just a fast note that if you want to buy in, its a long ride - you won't buy in at 2, and then suddenly see 5. But you just might see returns in six months. I resisted the temptation to buy in yesterday. Bear in mind that in 1929 the crash preceded the actual depression event, which occurred in the years following. Obama's presidency is a shot in the arm. Historically, Markets have always rallied under Democratic administrations (look it up if you don't believe me). So hope for the best, but plan for the worst. If you can buy in, go ahead.

Talk Radio

The road stretches out before him and as he passes the trees and buildings bright antenna glisten with energy forging the half spoken voices from the sky only to disappear as he passes beneath a bridge The talk show hosts pick their music before they make their debut they listen to the reception, which is always less than perfect and decide what sounds best a clip from a rock opera the beginning of a film score whatever makes them sound like they will take your call a lost world of bass and fade Now comes the inevitable telephone number over the eerie rhythm of an electric motor or the radio call of a power transformer Phone lines are open now They don't tell you they will screen two hundred calls and take only one thats the hidden price you pay for their elegant tirade (does it have to be this way?) The screen glows to speed up, to slow down - control from those who answer the phones, make their opponent sound dumb while captains of industry and pol...

Slumdog Millionaire

The basic idea is a powerful one, and one of simple questions. Is it our destiny to be drawn to the person we love? The director of 28 Days Later has struck upon a nerve with me. This was a perfect monday morning discovery. I am kicking ass and taking names at work - its charged up my energy to go for the gold. This is a big week for me. My wife and I will go to see this movie , this Friday. And if you happen to be unattached, or single, or out there wondering whether fate will turn your way - remember that the depiction of fate on the Ancient roman coin - She held a sheaf of grain in one hand, and the tiller of a ship in the other. The idea is simple - fate can be kind, or she can turn your ship into the sudden storm and sail you straight into the maelstrom. What we know of this film is that it is golden. I guarantee it will win Academy Awards. Guarantee it. And thats not just because my uncle is on the voting committee

My Gun Store Adventure

I went to a shooting range this weekend. The scope was miscalibrated and the gun had shaken itself loose so I was field stripping the weapon and setting zero near a sales counter with some borrowed tools. There was a Bush Republican behind the counter, and he was telling people that "Ever since Tuesday (read: The Election of President Obama), the handguns have been flying off the shelf." I just laughed.

Secretary

Who gets to be secretary of State? In the running right now are John Kerry, and Bill Richardson. Which one do you want to win? I am of course hoping for Bill but hey. Its ok. Either way.

Quantum of Solace

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14 November 2008

Chambliss and Martin Likely in Run-off

Looks like Jim Martin Did it! with 96% of the vote, he's kept Saxby Chambliss under 50 percent, bouncing back from being the 29 point underdog to within 4 points ! Votes still being tallied. 12:04 ESDT. with 97% counted., Saxby at 49.9 percent. Ga. Law Requires 50 percent, plus one vote. What a race! Lets see what the next month brings - Run off Dec. 4th.

The Image for Me

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To everyone who voted, congratulations. You were a part of something greater than yourself. Like Michael Phelps winning the Olympic Gold in the relay, you came to the wall for your country. The highest ever recorded voter turnout. Electoral map at 370-150 for McCain. Obama with 52% of the popular vote. Martin in dead heat (votes still counting) with Chambliss ( in GA-Senate). The kids are alright.

Chambliss to 50%, Vote Count Underway

GA State law requires that the Senator be elected with 50% of the vote, plus one. Jim Martin ran a valiant race, on his own. In the summer, with only 92,000.00 campaign funding - Martin came back from 29 points down, to make the race competitive. As soon as he did that, things got interesting. The votes are still being counted, but they're early votes - advance votes, and absentees. The chance of Martin forcing Chambliss to a run-off exists. Again, remember, Chambliss only needs to win by one vote. But, having said that, he can lose by one vote as well. Very proud of GA that we've sent a message to the biggest Bush Republican in the house that if he wants to keep slandering people and rubber stamping Bush policies, he's going to be out of a job. And , in Other news.. Onion News Network reports that Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job Update: At 7:30 AM, 14 Min. Ago. Martin, 46.8, Chambliss 49.8. AJC Reporting Update : 8:33 AM ESDT - Chambliss now at 51%, vote ...

From the Land of the Conservative White Man..

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Crickets. No lines. The GOP base voters are nowhere to be found. Should be interesting tonight. My prediction: Barack Obama, 51% Popular vote, with 374 EV. Landslide victory for Obama. Ga. Senate Race, Martin forces under the 50% line and the race for the Senate takes a strong turn towards Martin, who will have up-ended a very, very Bush Republican opponent. The video the vote project was a big success. Saxby Chambliss is putting signs on every corner, there's a serious air of desperation from his side of the fence. We worked the polls for two hours, at lunchtime there were people. But by and large, not a huge turnout. Nothing like last week, where in advance voting was like playing "Meet the Obama supporter" in line. I had to leave line, in fact, because it was so long. Did you vote today? Go! You're allowed to take off work. Just do it, even if you're planning on voting for the McCain Palin ticket. Conservative talk radio show hosts will be needing you...

An Independents View of Election Day

Being an Indpendent, my vote is being cast for Barack Obama tomorrow morning. However, my focus usually strays from political issues , on election day - to one of basic electoral fairness. I normally consider the issues early on, and usually I have made up my mind from either the first or second debate. The debates are really important to me, and I am almost always working to keep them fair. How the candidates carry themselves is important. Alot went into the decision, I'm proud of it. In addition, early on, I usually think very carefully about a candidates campaign structure - are they getting money from lobbyists? Are they essentially telling the truth? I can easily check up on any candidates finances, not so much how much they have but rather where its coming from and how they are spending it - I use the center for responsive politics, opensecrets.org . However, what I really get into on election day, is basic fairness. I am leery of touch screens, and I am a technolog...