Well I guess the beatings will continue until morale improves at AOL.
The call was supposed to be Armstrong's attempt to rally the troops.
During
the first minute or so of the recording, Armstrong says things like:
"If you don't believe what I'm about to say, I'm going to ask you to
leave Patch…We have to get Patch into a place where it's going to be
successful."
But then things go suddenly awry.
At exactly two minutes into the recording, Armstrong addresses someone in the room with him.
He says, "Abel, put that camera down, now."
Then, without taking a breath, Armstrong says, "Abel, you're fired. Out."
Yup whoever Abel was he got fired for holding up a camera. Supposedly he was supposed to take pictures for that Patch website but I guess the CEO didn't want that happening. If I was on that board I would look into replacing Armstrong with a decent human being.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Friday, August 09, 2013
Well I Guess It is Time to Get a German Email Address to Avoid the NSA Reading Your Emails
It seems that the two largest German Telecom companies are now providing their customers with encrypted email and will only route e-mail traffic through their domestic servers.
Two of Germany's biggest Internet service providers say they will encrypt customers' emails by default following reports that the U.S. National Security Agency monitors international electronic communications. Deutsche Telekom, Germany's leading telecoms operator, says it will start channeling e-mail traffic exclusively through its domestic servers in response to public outrage over revelations of U.S. spy programs accessing citizens' private messages. The company launched the "E-mail made in Germany" initiative after a month of public indignation over reports on intrusive U.S. snooping based on documents leaked by fugitive former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Two of Germany's biggest Internet service providers say they will encrypt customers' emails by default following reports that the U.S. National Security Agency monitors international electronic communications. Deutsche Telekom, Germany's leading telecoms operator, says it will start channeling e-mail traffic exclusively through its domestic servers in response to public outrage over revelations of U.S. spy programs accessing citizens' private messages. The company launched the "E-mail made in Germany" initiative after a month of public indignation over reports on intrusive U.S. snooping based on documents leaked by fugitive former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Strange "Angelic" Priest Appears and Helps Crash Victim
Now this is an interesting story of the unexplained.
An unidentified allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo., pinning the 19-year-old in the front seat of her convertible. With her vital signs failing fast, she asked rescue crews to pray with her.
That's when first responders say a man who looked like a Catholic priest seemed to appear out of nowhere, despite a 2-mile perimeter blocking the scene.
"He began to pray and use the anointing oil," New London Fire Chief Raymond Reed said. "There was a calmness that, to me, seemed to come over the entire scene."
But that's not the only seemingly divine detail. Firefighters say their equipment kept failing until the mystery man showed up.
"The words were to remain calm, that our tools would now work," Reed said. "Instantaneously, at that moment, our neighboring department arrived with fresh extrication tools."
The young woman is recovering in the hospital with broken legs and
ribs, but some say it could've been worse, if not for the mystery man on
the highway.
It would have been awesome if their extraction tools actually miraculously started to work but it is still a pretty cool story.
An unidentified allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo., pinning the 19-year-old in the front seat of her convertible. With her vital signs failing fast, she asked rescue crews to pray with her.
That's when first responders say a man who looked like a Catholic priest seemed to appear out of nowhere, despite a 2-mile perimeter blocking the scene.
"He began to pray and use the anointing oil," New London Fire Chief Raymond Reed said. "There was a calmness that, to me, seemed to come over the entire scene."
But that's not the only seemingly divine detail. Firefighters say their equipment kept failing until the mystery man showed up.
"The words were to remain calm, that our tools would now work," Reed said. "Instantaneously, at that moment, our neighboring department arrived with fresh extrication tools."
Lentz survived, but the man vanished before crews could thank him.
It would have been awesome if their extraction tools actually miraculously started to work but it is still a pretty cool story.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
The Macklemore Effect: Reason Why Teen Retailers are Doing so Poorly?
Well I sometimes listen to current music and I keep hearing a song which is about a year old called Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. The song is pretty much about a guy with $20 in his pocket and how he is getting that money to stretch when he is buying clothes for the club. One line that I really liked in the song was.
“Oh that Gucci, that’s hella tight”
I’m like “Yo, that’s fifty dollars for a t-shirt”
Limited edition, let’s do some simple addition
Fifty dollars for a t-shirt, that’s just some ignorant bitch shit
I call that getting swindled and pimped, shit
I call that getting tricked by business.
With recent bad comps from teen retailers I wonder if there is some sort of dim and tenuous of correlation between the two.
On Monday, teen retailer American Eagle Outfitters Inc. slashed its second-quarter outlook because of weak traffic and sluggish sales of women's merchandise. The teen retailer cited a highly promotional environment that only got tougher in July.
“Once you find something great,” explains Porter, “you’re hooked.
I’ve always shopped at garage sales and thrift shops. Your money just
goes further.”
In fact, one of her friends was reluctant to shop thrift stores until she scored a $200 pair of designer jeans for just $11. Porter’s biggest coup was finding a Louis Vuitton bag in near mint condition for $10. She estimates it is worth close to $200.
“You can find really good brands,” says Porter. “I found a North Face jacket for $10 on Goodwill’s half price day and a New York & Co dress that I wore to Cotillion and Winter Formal for $15.”
I think young people are just getting more frugal on certain things like clothes and there is no stigma attached to shopping at Goodwill anymore. $50 for a T-shirt is just not something that teens are rushing out to pay anymore.
Also the idea of treasure hunting at a thrift shop might be drawing in some people as well. Getting a Louis Vuitton bag for $10 would make quite a few women very happy if they found such a deal by digging through a bin. The Great Recession plus record student loans might make a much more frugal Gen-Y is we are lucky.
“Oh that Gucci, that’s hella tight”
I’m like “Yo, that’s fifty dollars for a t-shirt”
Limited edition, let’s do some simple addition
Fifty dollars for a t-shirt, that’s just some ignorant bitch shit
I call that getting swindled and pimped, shit
I call that getting tricked by business.
With recent bad comps from teen retailers I wonder if there is some sort of dim and tenuous of correlation between the two.
On Monday, teen retailer American Eagle Outfitters Inc. slashed its second-quarter outlook because of weak traffic and sluggish sales of women's merchandise. The teen retailer cited a highly promotional environment that only got tougher in July.
On Thursday, rival Aeropostale
Inc. warned that it would have a wider loss than expected when it
reports its second-quarter results later this month. It also blamed weak
traffic and lots of discounting.
It would be interesting to see if Thrift Stores are actually picking up sales on deep discounted clothing as young people with only $20 in their pocket make their money stretch. Well it seems to be the case at least in some parts of the country.
In fact, one of her friends was reluctant to shop thrift stores until she scored a $200 pair of designer jeans for just $11. Porter’s biggest coup was finding a Louis Vuitton bag in near mint condition for $10. She estimates it is worth close to $200.
“You can find really good brands,” says Porter. “I found a North Face jacket for $10 on Goodwill’s half price day and a New York & Co dress that I wore to Cotillion and Winter Formal for $15.”
I think young people are just getting more frugal on certain things like clothes and there is no stigma attached to shopping at Goodwill anymore. $50 for a T-shirt is just not something that teens are rushing out to pay anymore.
Also the idea of treasure hunting at a thrift shop might be drawing in some people as well. Getting a Louis Vuitton bag for $10 would make quite a few women very happy if they found such a deal by digging through a bin. The Great Recession plus record student loans might make a much more frugal Gen-Y is we are lucky.
Orbitz Leaps 40% Due to Great Numbers but Teen Clothing Retailers Suck
I have tried Orbitz for my last trip and was pretty happy with the results. It seems that they are doing very well this past quarter.
Before the market opened, Orbitz reported earnings of $561,000, or breakeven on a per-share basis, on revenue of $225 million, compared with a profit of $4.6 million, or 4 cents a share, on $201 million in sales in the same period a year ago. Excluding one-time items, Orbitz would have earned 17 cents a share. Wall Street analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast Orbitz to earn 9 cents a share on $218.9 million in revenue. The company said its results were helped by gains in sales of hotel rooms and vacation packages, which made up 48% of Orbitz's revenue in the quarter. Orbitz also said it now expects revenue for the year to come in between $840 million and $850 million, while analysts had estimated sales of $831.4 million.
I guess this means Americans are starting to travel more and are spending more money. The jump in vacation packages are especially telling since Americans had sworn off vacations for the last few years. What is interesting is that Teen Clothing Retailers are seeing pain at the same time.
Aeropostale slumped after the teen apparel retailer said same-store sales in the second quarter plunged 15 percent and the company now sees a second-quarter loss of between 23 cents a share and 25 cents a share, versus Wall Street estimates for a loss of 17 cents a share. Teen specialty apparel store Zumiez posted a weaker-than-expected 0.8 percent gain in July same-store sales. Roth Capital cut its price target on Zumiez to $32 a share from $36.
And earlier this week, rival teen clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters said its second-quarter profit will likely be less than half of what Wall Street was expecting, citing weak sales and lower margins.
Before the market opened, Orbitz reported earnings of $561,000, or breakeven on a per-share basis, on revenue of $225 million, compared with a profit of $4.6 million, or 4 cents a share, on $201 million in sales in the same period a year ago. Excluding one-time items, Orbitz would have earned 17 cents a share. Wall Street analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast Orbitz to earn 9 cents a share on $218.9 million in revenue. The company said its results were helped by gains in sales of hotel rooms and vacation packages, which made up 48% of Orbitz's revenue in the quarter. Orbitz also said it now expects revenue for the year to come in between $840 million and $850 million, while analysts had estimated sales of $831.4 million.
I guess this means Americans are starting to travel more and are spending more money. The jump in vacation packages are especially telling since Americans had sworn off vacations for the last few years. What is interesting is that Teen Clothing Retailers are seeing pain at the same time.
Aeropostale slumped after the teen apparel retailer said same-store sales in the second quarter plunged 15 percent and the company now sees a second-quarter loss of between 23 cents a share and 25 cents a share, versus Wall Street estimates for a loss of 17 cents a share. Teen specialty apparel store Zumiez posted a weaker-than-expected 0.8 percent gain in July same-store sales. Roth Capital cut its price target on Zumiez to $32 a share from $36.
And earlier this week, rival teen clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters said its second-quarter profit will likely be less than half of what Wall Street was expecting, citing weak sales and lower margins.
NBC Hillary Clinton Miniseries: "Hillary: The Greatest Story Ever Told" or Whatever its called Panned by NBC News Reporter
Well it seems that even the White House Corespondent at NBC Chuck Todd is turning on his handlers.
Todd was on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Thursday morning to discuss the controversy surrounding NBC's miniseries plans. He said there is a definite division between NBC News and NBC Entertainment,
which is responsible for the miniseries, and that the relationship
between the two was often "very bad." That should continue today, as
Todd also snarkily asked the entertainment to "please make some money."
Todd then went on to say that "this is why this miniseries is a total nightmare for NBC News."
"We know there's this giant
firewall, we know we have nothing to do with it. We know that we'd love
probably to be as critical or whatever it is gonna be if it comes out,
but there's nothing we can do about it and we're gonna only own the
negative," Todd said.
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Media Matters Supports Reince Priebus: Is that the 3rd Sign of the Apocalypse?
Well it seems that Reince Priebus (what a goofy name) might be getting support from a very unlikely source.
"You ought not be doing feature
films or documentaries and miniseries about what we know to be a very
likely candidate," Priebus said. "CNN and NBC can do what they want to
do. That's their right. But it's also my right, Erin, as chairman of the
party, to say if you go forward with this then I'm going to choose not
to include you in the debate process and the moderating of our primary
debates in our party. I think this is a reasonable thing for me to be
doing."
Even conservative media watchdog
group Media Matters agreed with GOP, possibly for the first time in
recorded history. On Tuesday, founder David Brock sent letters to CNN and NBC urging them to cancel their Clinton plans.
Yeah having CNN and NBC showing some 15-part mini-series about Hillary out of the clear-blue sky right before she runs of President is so very non-partisan. They should have just come out and endorsed her like a local newspaper endorses a city councilman. CNN and NBC supports Hillary Clinton for President and just leave it there.
I love CNN rolling this out as a defense as well.
CNN has said that its news division has nothing to do with the CNN Films banner the documentary is being produced under.
Oh of course not. They are so separate that CNN will be showing the "The Hillary Clinton Story: Time Has Come for Greatness" or whatever CNN will call its documentary right on CNN. I wonder if it will be hosted by Wolf Blitzer or maybe simply Hillary herself will step in and do the work. Maybe they will just have her Vice Presidential candidate do the honors and save some steps.
Congress Votes to Dodge Obamacare: In Other Words the Plebs are Forced Into Obamacare while the Lords Keep Whats Theirs
Well it seems Congress is all about Obamacare for thee but not for me.
The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.
When Congress passed the health reform law known as "Obamacare" in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
They were afraid of this happening:
This caused fears that staff would suddenly face sharply higher healthcare costs and leave federal service, causing a "brain drain" on Capitol Hill.
The last thing they wanted was to have people in Congress have to fend for themselves in the private sector. I guess they felt that they didn't want to move down the road and become lobbyists and give up the power they have amassed just to hold onto their gold-plated health insurance. Too bad the vast majority of Americans can't vote to keep themselves out of Obamacare or even hold onto the insurance that they have.
I think a good idea is that Obama should go ahead and drop his gold-plated Federal Health Insurance and go into the exchanges in good faith. Then make the rest of his cabinet do the same. If it is good enough for the President it should be good enough for everyone else.
The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.
When Congress passed the health reform law known as "Obamacare" in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
They were afraid of this happening:
This caused fears that staff would suddenly face sharply higher healthcare costs and leave federal service, causing a "brain drain" on Capitol Hill.
The last thing they wanted was to have people in Congress have to fend for themselves in the private sector. I guess they felt that they didn't want to move down the road and become lobbyists and give up the power they have amassed just to hold onto their gold-plated health insurance. Too bad the vast majority of Americans can't vote to keep themselves out of Obamacare or even hold onto the insurance that they have.
I think a good idea is that Obama should go ahead and drop his gold-plated Federal Health Insurance and go into the exchanges in good faith. Then make the rest of his cabinet do the same. If it is good enough for the President it should be good enough for everyone else.
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
Product Review: Muddy Buddy Chex-Mix: Snickerdoodle Flavor
Well I saw these at the local Walgreen (aka the place where strange flavors of things pop up from time to time) and decided to give them a try.
Well I have to say that they are not too bad. Not overly sweet and they have a pleasant cinnamon taste to them. They aren't too waxy in the mouth and they are not powdery like they look on the package. They do taste vaguely like a Snickerdoodle cookie but not too much. When I think of Snickerdoodle cookies I think of the buttery, sugary taste of the cookie mixed with cinnamon. These snacks don't really have that butter taste to them. There is a slightly salty aftertaste from the actual Chex cereal so you have to be aware of that. The salt isn't overpowering like Kettle Corn so I didn't find it too bad.
Verdict: Will buy again and willing to try other Muddy Buddies Chex Mix in the future.
Well I have to say that they are not too bad. Not overly sweet and they have a pleasant cinnamon taste to them. They aren't too waxy in the mouth and they are not powdery like they look on the package. They do taste vaguely like a Snickerdoodle cookie but not too much. When I think of Snickerdoodle cookies I think of the buttery, sugary taste of the cookie mixed with cinnamon. These snacks don't really have that butter taste to them. There is a slightly salty aftertaste from the actual Chex cereal so you have to be aware of that. The salt isn't overpowering like Kettle Corn so I didn't find it too bad.
Verdict: Will buy again and willing to try other Muddy Buddies Chex Mix in the future.
Well Obamacare is Live: You can make a username and password on the Healthcare.gov Site
I guess it is time for the GOP to forget about "repealing" Obamacare and instead try working with the plan in order to help their constituents.
Just eight weeks before the Oct. 1 launch of open enrollment under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, administration officials announced Monday that the Affordable Care Act is a step closer to reality for millions of uninsured Americans.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said consumers can now go online to healthcare.gov and create personal accounts by establishing a username and password.
However, serious shopping will have to wait until sometime in September, when details on insurance plans and premiums offered in local areas will become available through the new online marketplace.
They hope to sign up 7 million uninsured people next year which sounds so pie-in-the-sky that it is laughable. Here is a headline from the future "Total Obamacare Exchange Signups Disappointing." Most people are not going to even sign-up (and might not even know about) these Obamacare accounts until they absolutely have to.
Just eight weeks before the Oct. 1 launch of open enrollment under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, administration officials announced Monday that the Affordable Care Act is a step closer to reality for millions of uninsured Americans.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said consumers can now go online to healthcare.gov and create personal accounts by establishing a username and password.
However, serious shopping will have to wait until sometime in September, when details on insurance plans and premiums offered in local areas will become available through the new online marketplace.
They hope to sign up 7 million uninsured people next year which sounds so pie-in-the-sky that it is laughable. Here is a headline from the future "Total Obamacare Exchange Signups Disappointing." Most people are not going to even sign-up (and might not even know about) these Obamacare accounts until they absolutely have to.
Japan Launches "Destroyer" with a Flat Deck
Well it seems that Japan might be feeling the pressure from the Red Chinese navy.
The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 meters (820 feet) long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defense — particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions — and to bolster the nation's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
It could be turned into a pocket carrier if need be with just the addition of a catapult system. The name of the ship, Izumo, is interesting as well. It was the name of the flagship of the Japanese 2nd fleet commanded by Admiral Baron Kamimura Hikonojō during the Russo-Japanese war. It actually docked in Hawaii for a time on the way to the West Coast to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the founding of San Francisco in 1909. In any case you will probably see the Japanese navy start to build out going forward.
The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 meters (820 feet) long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defense — particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions — and to bolster the nation's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
It could be turned into a pocket carrier if need be with just the addition of a catapult system. The name of the ship, Izumo, is interesting as well. It was the name of the flagship of the Japanese 2nd fleet commanded by Admiral Baron Kamimura Hikonojō during the Russo-Japanese war. It actually docked in Hawaii for a time on the way to the West Coast to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the founding of San Francisco in 1909. In any case you will probably see the Japanese navy start to build out going forward.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Android Flips the Table in the Tablet Wars, Microsoft Surface not as Bad as Before but Still Pretty Bad
Oh what a difference a year makes.
According to IDC, Apple shipped 14.6 million iPads in the second quarter of 2013, a 14% drop from the 17 million tablets it shipped in Q2 2013. Over that same time, Android tablet shipments surged from 10.7 million in Q2 2012 to 28.2 million in Q2 2013, an increase of just under 163%. These reverse trajectories caused iOS and Android’s market shares to essentially flip over the past year: While Apple held a 60.3% market share and Android held a 38% market share in Q2 2012, Android now holds a 62.6% market share and Apple holds a 32.5% market share.
Well I am considering buying a new Nexus once I get my Chromecast in. I want a device that I can browse the Internet with and will allow me to push tabs to my TV. In other words I want to browse the Internet on my TV if I choose to. Microsoft increased its market share from 1% to 4.5% which is really not bad. The bad news is that might be the extent of the growth.
According to IDC, Apple shipped 14.6 million iPads in the second quarter of 2013, a 14% drop from the 17 million tablets it shipped in Q2 2013. Over that same time, Android tablet shipments surged from 10.7 million in Q2 2012 to 28.2 million in Q2 2013, an increase of just under 163%. These reverse trajectories caused iOS and Android’s market shares to essentially flip over the past year: While Apple held a 60.3% market share and Android held a 38% market share in Q2 2012, Android now holds a 62.6% market share and Apple holds a 32.5% market share.
Well I am considering buying a new Nexus once I get my Chromecast in. I want a device that I can browse the Internet with and will allow me to push tabs to my TV. In other words I want to browse the Internet on my TV if I choose to. Microsoft increased its market share from 1% to 4.5% which is really not bad. The bad news is that might be the extent of the growth.
In other news, IDC has found that
Windows-based tablets accounted for 4.5% of all tablets shipped in Q2
2013, a big increase from the 1% share that Windows tablets held in Q2
2012. However, Microsoft can’t be pleased to see that Windows RT tablets
only accounted for 0.5% of all tablets shipped on the quarter and just
barely beat out BlackBerry’s PlayBook, which accounted for 0.3% of all
tablets shipped.
Art Donovan Hall of Fame Colt Passed Away. End of an NFL era
Well I have to agree with this article that Pro Football used to be like Pro Wrestling once and not the slick, multi-billion dollar spectacle it is now. One of the funniest guys from that era Art Donovan died recently and that transition is complete.
When Kusen died, Artie was the executor of his will. This wasn't unusual; all of the Colts -- Fatso (Artie), Mumbles (kicker Steve Myhra), Boulevard (tackle Jim Parker, because of the size of his butt,) Big Daddy (the imposing Eugene Lipscomb), Spats (the natty Lenny Moore) -- would regularly accept invitations from fans in the neighborhoods to kids' birthday parties and cookouts. It was Baltimore. It was family.
I used to watch him when he was on ESPN doing NFL commercials years ago. He used to play a kind of court jester character that was just hilarious. He would do a double-take where his jowls would wobble and the other people on those commercials would poke fun at him. This is a video of him on Letterman from the 80s that got me laughing out loud. He was a real artifact from a bygone era of NFL History.
When Kusen died, Artie was the executor of his will. This wasn't unusual; all of the Colts -- Fatso (Artie), Mumbles (kicker Steve Myhra), Boulevard (tackle Jim Parker, because of the size of his butt,) Big Daddy (the imposing Eugene Lipscomb), Spats (the natty Lenny Moore) -- would regularly accept invitations from fans in the neighborhoods to kids' birthday parties and cookouts. It was Baltimore. It was family.
I used to watch him when he was on ESPN doing NFL commercials years ago. He used to play a kind of court jester character that was just hilarious. He would do a double-take where his jowls would wobble and the other people on those commercials would poke fun at him. This is a video of him on Letterman from the 80s that got me laughing out loud. He was a real artifact from a bygone era of NFL History.
Dividend ETFs Become Really Popular: Stocks Becoming the New Bonds?
As if there was any wonder why they have had pretty large inflows in the past few months. I guess you can call stocks the new bonds
“Many income-starved investors have turned to dividend stocks as bond alternatives. Exchange traded products focused on dividends have rushed to meet this demand,” according to a recent note from BlackRock. The firm manages the $13 billion iShares Select Dividend (DVY), one of the largest ETFs in the group.
“Record low yields have led to the bondification of the equity market. Investors are buying quality companies with predictable earnings and dividend income,” according to BlackRock.
The only problem is that as the economy improves these stocks will probably not appreciate as fast as the cyclical stocks. In any case being paid to hold a stock is almost always a good idea if the companies are strong.
“Many income-starved investors have turned to dividend stocks as bond alternatives. Exchange traded products focused on dividends have rushed to meet this demand,” according to a recent note from BlackRock. The firm manages the $13 billion iShares Select Dividend (DVY), one of the largest ETFs in the group.
“Record low yields have led to the bondification of the equity market. Investors are buying quality companies with predictable earnings and dividend income,” according to BlackRock.
The only problem is that as the economy improves these stocks will probably not appreciate as fast as the cyclical stocks. In any case being paid to hold a stock is almost always a good idea if the companies are strong.
Beer Consumption Down by 20%: Could College Binge Drinking?
It seems America is no longer the beer-guzzling culture that it once was.
Gallup's new alcoholic preferences survey, summed up in the image above, finds that beer's lead over wine has slipped by 20 percentage points since the early 1990s. But the demographic breakdown is even more brutal. Young drinkers and nonwhite drinkers saw the steepest falls in beer preference. In other words, the fastest-growing segments of the country are also running the fastest away from brews.
Well I think part of the change is that many young drinkers have been brought up in a culture where the harder stuff gets them drunk faster and for less so that is what they go for. Their paychecks are stretched pretty thin already (if they even have one) with student loan debt and the Great Recession so they want more drunk for their bucks. They just don't want to drink like 5 Bud Lights anymore to get them the same buzzed as they would a few Vodka and Red Bulls. They are used to shots of Vodka and not cans of Bud Light (the hipster love of .
You also add to the fact that craft beers/European beers taste about10x better than anything that Budweiser makes and you can see beer consumption drop. I could not see someone going back to Bud Light after drinking nearly any German beer.
I have to agree with this article when it says that liquor ads are what is driving some of the move away from beer as well. They usually have an air of the badass for men (Michael Imperioli as the spokesman for 1800 Tequila) or are part of the rap culture (Diddy for Ciroq) which is important to younger drinkers. Most non-craft/non-European beers just don't have the cultural cache of a Jack Daniels or a Patron so that might be part of the decline.
Gallup's new alcoholic preferences survey, summed up in the image above, finds that beer's lead over wine has slipped by 20 percentage points since the early 1990s. But the demographic breakdown is even more brutal. Young drinkers and nonwhite drinkers saw the steepest falls in beer preference. In other words, the fastest-growing segments of the country are also running the fastest away from brews.
Well I think part of the change is that many young drinkers have been brought up in a culture where the harder stuff gets them drunk faster and for less so that is what they go for. Their paychecks are stretched pretty thin already (if they even have one) with student loan debt and the Great Recession so they want more drunk for their bucks. They just don't want to drink like 5 Bud Lights anymore to get them the same buzzed as they would a few Vodka and Red Bulls. They are used to shots of Vodka and not cans of Bud Light (the hipster love of .
You also add to the fact that craft beers/European beers taste about10x better than anything that Budweiser makes and you can see beer consumption drop. I could not see someone going back to Bud Light after drinking nearly any German beer.
I have to agree with this article when it says that liquor ads are what is driving some of the move away from beer as well. They usually have an air of the badass for men (Michael Imperioli as the spokesman for 1800 Tequila) or are part of the rap culture (Diddy for Ciroq) which is important to younger drinkers. Most non-craft/non-European beers just don't have the cultural cache of a Jack Daniels or a Patron so that might be part of the decline.
Friday, August 02, 2013
This is Why the Roots are so Cool: Blurred Lines Played with Kids Instruments
I can't wait for them to make the jump to the Tonight Show when Fallon moves to that earlier spot. Hopefully, many more Americans can see how talented they are.
Watch Fashion Folks go from 0 to Crazy in 10 seconds
This video almost looks staged but from what I hear it is very real. It shows the depth of human depravity when something is given away "free." The price is ones human decency.
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Snowden Given Asylum in Russia: Probably Being Roughed Up By the KGB (err FSB) As We Speak
Well it seems that Putin doesn't care too much about the US or what Obama wants.
The anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks said in a statement that Snowden left the airport with the group’s legal adviser, Sarah Harrison, and “headed to a secure, confidential place.” The statement quoted Snowden as thanking Russia “for granting me asylum in accordance with its laws and international obligations” and accusing the Obama administration of showing “no respect for international or domestic law.”
Maybe Putin will do the interrogation personally. I mean he probably hasn't beaten anyone up or tried to get information out of someone for years and he might be out of practice. In any case it seems Snowden if going to be a problem for the NSA for years.
The anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks said in a statement that Snowden left the airport with the group’s legal adviser, Sarah Harrison, and “headed to a secure, confidential place.” The statement quoted Snowden as thanking Russia “for granting me asylum in accordance with its laws and international obligations” and accusing the Obama administration of showing “no respect for international or domestic law.”
Maybe Putin will do the interrogation personally. I mean he probably hasn't beaten anyone up or tried to get information out of someone for years and he might be out of practice. In any case it seems Snowden if going to be a problem for the NSA for years.
Looks Like I found My New Phone: Moto X; But Google Change the Wallpaper on the Phone it Looks like the Sceen is Damaged
Well it might be time to buy a new phone and this one sounds like a pretty cool device.
This is the signature feature in the Moto X—a way to access the Google Now service without turning on the phone, touching it or even taking it out of your pocket. Google Now not only does pretty much everything that Apple’s Siri does—answers queries, schedules appointments, and plays the song you request—but draws on a vast wealth of data to act as an omniscient personal assistant. (Classic example: It will warn you to end a meeting because it knows that traffic is so snarled, you might not make your next one in time.) It also embodies the grand tradeoff that’s at the core of Google’s ambitions—in exchange for allowing Google to aggregate a bounty of your personal information, drawn from your inputs on multiple services, the company promises to make your life better. By building Google Now into the Moto X front and center, Motorola reveals its potential value to its owner. As Ron says, “This is a great example of Motorola shining a light, via our hardware capabilities, on software and services that Google has.”
Well, I use Gmail, Google Maps, Google Play Music, and Google Drive quite a bit. I will probably be using the phone to change channels and operate my Chromecast once it comes off of back-order.
If they got their Google Finance apps (and Google Finance in general) better I would move my portfolio monitoring to that site there from Yahoo. I will be cool to have individual stock information ready for me to look at every morning while it is still charging.
However, Google seriously needs to change their marketing photo though. I thought the screen was crazed or something from the phone being dropped. I figured this was Wired's way of making the phone look like it has "broken out" or some other graphic design decision. Actually it is a red white and blue painted wooden wall that has suffered weather-damage. I think the little Android robot-guy would work better as a wallpaper.
This is the signature feature in the Moto X—a way to access the Google Now service without turning on the phone, touching it or even taking it out of your pocket. Google Now not only does pretty much everything that Apple’s Siri does—answers queries, schedules appointments, and plays the song you request—but draws on a vast wealth of data to act as an omniscient personal assistant. (Classic example: It will warn you to end a meeting because it knows that traffic is so snarled, you might not make your next one in time.) It also embodies the grand tradeoff that’s at the core of Google’s ambitions—in exchange for allowing Google to aggregate a bounty of your personal information, drawn from your inputs on multiple services, the company promises to make your life better. By building Google Now into the Moto X front and center, Motorola reveals its potential value to its owner. As Ron says, “This is a great example of Motorola shining a light, via our hardware capabilities, on software and services that Google has.”
Well, I use Gmail, Google Maps, Google Play Music, and Google Drive quite a bit. I will probably be using the phone to change channels and operate my Chromecast once it comes off of back-order.
If they got their Google Finance apps (and Google Finance in general) better I would move my portfolio monitoring to that site there from Yahoo. I will be cool to have individual stock information ready for me to look at every morning while it is still charging.
However, Google seriously needs to change their marketing photo though. I thought the screen was crazed or something from the phone being dropped. I figured this was Wired's way of making the phone look like it has "broken out" or some other graphic design decision. Actually it is a red white and blue painted wooden wall that has suffered weather-damage. I think the little Android robot-guy would work better as a wallpaper.
Product Review: Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino from Starbucks
Well I like trying new things so I might as well do reviews whenever I actually get a chance to try stuff. In this case I tried the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino from Starbucks.
It was one of the sweetest drinks I have had in a long time. The sugary taste just coats both sides of my tongue and the caramel leaves a kind of aftertaste as well. I really think it is caramel overload. I normally like the taste of caramel as well so this thing is just too much for my tastebuds. The caramel aftertaste that I talked about earlier makes me want to eat something salty to kill that taste. If you like very sweet drinks then you would probably like it but it just isn't for me.
Verdict: Avoid and buy something else
It was one of the sweetest drinks I have had in a long time. The sugary taste just coats both sides of my tongue and the caramel leaves a kind of aftertaste as well. I really think it is caramel overload. I normally like the taste of caramel as well so this thing is just too much for my tastebuds. The caramel aftertaste that I talked about earlier makes me want to eat something salty to kill that taste. If you like very sweet drinks then you would probably like it but it just isn't for me.
Verdict: Avoid and buy something else
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