Let's have some fun...
1) The hockey mom held her own last night. When she was first announced by McCain as his veep choice, the teeth were gnashing and all just couldn't wait for this match-up, anticipating a Biden romp. Well, it didn't happen. I'm not saying Joe didn't carry the debate in terms of points, but it wasn't the bloodbath that most were predicting. I did have a problem with Palin blaming predatory lenders for the current mortgage mess -- uh, just a dog-gone minute there, sugar britches, it was lack of regulation and ease of guidelines that led to this demise. Get your facts straight -- oh, that's right, she had her own agenda on talking points, whether they pertained to the question directly or not. Palin is starting to lose momentum because her interviews with Couric were not strong, but the novelty still remains. Whether it can be cashed in for legit votes remains to be seen, but I'm beginning to sense a crack in the credibility ice. My favorite line is: "she showed herself to be a tough, down-home governor from an oil-rich state -- and we did so well with the last person who was like that"...DOH!
2) Well, well, Wells -- The Stagecoach is coming to town! Wells Fargo is buying the-former-employer-that-must-not-be-named, lock stock and barrel, for $7/share, all on its own. Not to be confused with the previously announced deal with Citi that was going to split up the bank AND only pay $1/share AND require FDIC assistance. Should be a fun proxy fight. And personally speaking, it's further proof that somebody up there is looking out for me; I'm so glad I'm not going to be a part of any of this, but I will enjoy competing against them. Mark it down as another bullet dodged...
3) My DODGERS are up 2 games to NONE in the best-of-5 against the little bears, winning the first two games in Chicago, and the next two (if necessary) are in L.A. I wonder how my old friend Mark Gordon is doing right now...sorry, buddy, but it's payback for when your Bulls tromped on my Lakers -- I told you we'll get you back for that...
4) I'm shocked...SHOCKED to hear that, per the Fed jobs report this morning, unemployment is up again, for the 6th straight month. And the pundits say it's only gonna get worse. There's lots of talk about a gloomy holiday season: if small business cannot get their credit lines extended or renewed, they have no way to capitalize themselves so that they can hire seasonal workers plus carry their inventory plus cover benefits expenses. Another reason why the bailout plan is sorely needed, but the silver lining to this dark cloud is that we should see more serious fiscal responsibility on all levels, and that's not a bad thing...
5) National Stay at Home Week: what is that?? You gotta be kidding me. I don't know about you, but it's more like Prep The House for the Holidays Week around here. I'm up to my elbows in carpet cleaners, dust rags and lawn equipment, not to mention Girl Scouts, PTO meetings and HOA issues or taxiing the kids to and from the mall or movies. And the only TV I'm watching is either politics or baseball playoffs or football. I'll get caught up tonight (like I do almost every Friday night) when I catch The Soup on E! and The Greatest Week Ever! on VH1, with a big glass of vino and a relaxing heater. Speaking of which:
6) Cigar of the Year: Punch Rare Corojo. Great, smooth smoke with a mellow taste, and burns evenly. Women love to share it, which is never a bad thing. One of the best cigars for its price range.
7) Wine of the Month: Alice White Red Lexia. It's not too sweet like a white zinfandel, but it's also not too dry like a merlot -- works great for all tastes, especially in social gatherings. It's not the best choice for your moment of solitude, but it works well for your special "one-on-ones" with the fair sex. They also make a white version, just called Lexia, which I prefer over the over-rated chardonnay.
8) Best non-mainstream TV show: Rescue Me. Great writing, great interaction, and the action scenes are tense yet realistically candid in conveying human humor during a crisis. Catch it if you can find it. Usually on F/X, but the writer's strike last year really f'ed up its schedule.
9) Previously-read book that I'm re-reading: Dune. I've forgotten how deep it was. Fear is the mind-killer. It can be dry and long in spots, but it projects an interesting concept in human evolution beyond the 25th century...
10) Guilty Pleasure Website of the Month: www.chickipedia.com. It had to be done.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
5 comments:
1. I agree, I think she did well. They both made their errors but she probably connected with a lot of people who are not completely entwined in politics and could understand what she was saying.
Being in the finance industry I too get a little defensive to the stereotype being cast down. However, some of the stories I'm hearing, some first hand, is that there was a lot of shadey things going on in some lending institutes that just makes you mad to hear even working in the same industry. At the end of the day, I do agree with the idea that people need to be more responsible with their money. Live within your means.
2. Its all about the money and Citi just doesn't have enough of it. They'll cry foul all they want but at the end of the day, WF is buying the whole package, junk and all, and as you note paying a better price without the gov't.
3. Remember, don't count your chickens before they've hatched. Ain't that right all you Yankee fans out there!! Go Sox.
4. Its going to be crazy in the markets for a while. The bailout is probably needed but the fundamentals are gone. Hedge fund managers are throwing in the towle everytime the SEC changes the rules. A lot of good company's with healthy balance sheets and good P/E ratios are being sold simply because of the fear factor. Guilt by association. Not good. Not good at all.
7. Wine - One of my fav's for a decent price is Greg Norman's Cab Merlot blend. Just right with almost every meal or just to have for whatever the reason.
I'm going down the NaBlo blogroll to see what everyone is up to.
Thanks for the wine suggestion - I'll take it. A good wine I've had lately is Shiraz from Hundred Tree Hill (Australia).
Good luck with October NaBlo.
Oops...I realized I gave you the wrong wine info. The wine I recommend is the Shiraz from Raydon Esate (Australia), not from Hundred Tree Hill that I wrote in the comment above. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
This weekend I plan to try a carmenere from Chile. Should be fun.
Thanks for the wine tips! Maybe we need to make this a regular "underground" version -- more of a feel-good recommendation review instead of the pressure of what's "socially acceptable". Not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes it's good to just simply enjoy the wine without being encumbered by tannins or bouquets or aftertastes -- save that for the bedroom...I'm just sayin'...
Your idea about the wine is delightful.
I tried honey wine from Ethiopia this week - way too sweet and heavy. I don't recommend it unless you have a sore throat and are out of cough syrup. But of course, the Ethio coffee was top-notch.
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