Sunday, July 25, 2010

Boise July 20th - Burger and Brew Bicycle Ride

Daniel Schorr - Nixon Enemy, CBS Best - NPR - Set the standard - Rest In Peace



Daniel Schoor and Edward R. Murrow - set the standard in Newscasting. Was cast as an Enemy of Richard Nixon - a poor player on the Stage. I'll personally miss his weekly comments on NPR - Remember his last broadcast last week. I am terribly saddened. I feel I lost a relative.



Daniel Schoor Dead at 93 - Where does all that "Brain matter go?"

Saturday, July 24, 2010

So much, for Why I chose Boise, Idaho as my home



Outside Magazine 

August 2010 Issue Best Towns 
Boise, Idaho is # 1 Town in USA
In its best town survey considering using the following
criteria: Quality of of sporting life, cultural vibrancy, 
resiliency of economy and stability of housing market.
Boise was considered Best in the Country. Outside
calls Boise a "multi-sport mecca" and singles out the
North End (where I live) the park system (where I 
live) the Greenbelt - ( live next to it) Bogus Basin
 and dozens of high-tech start up companies.


I guess, I'll add a few of my own:

Best small Town of 200,000 people
Best town for youthful excitement - one of
the hottest college football teams in the country
Boise State University - The BSU Broncos

Best Town that has a "Citizens First" attitude
Best small town supported by Major Airlines
If you are attracted to this town - there are no
major cities in the immediate area.  Yet this town
reaches out to Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake and
the great Northwest - Montana and Wyoming
Finally, an Oasis in the High Desert that is green
called the City of Trees - with a river system
running through it - Whitewater around it and
surrounded by National Forests... Home!


Bicycle Sports, River Sports, Mountain Sports -
Camping, Fishing, Trail systems intertwine the City
and the Mountains.  Winter Sports Skiing incl access
to Sun Valley, Idaho, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Park
City Utah, Bend Oregon. Snake River, Boise River
Salmon River, Payette River. Hells Canyon.



Wildlife: Elk, Big Horn Sheep, Antelope, large variety
of Wolf - Bear, Caribou, Moose, Deer - Salmon, Trout
Birds of Prey lace the river systems.



Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Slapping the Hand of Goldman Sachs

The Securities and Exchange Commission fined, and Goldman Sachs accepted, $1/2 Billion for an act against "The Act" - the amount represented about 16% of Goldman's annual earnings. Goldman was allowed not to admit any wrongdoing.


 Its the Law, Bitches!: First and foremost, this is a legal issue: It is not a philosophical debate, a political question, or a case of ethical transgressions; It is not even an investing question.



Since this is a legal case, what say we actually look at the law?





“It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly to make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact . . . [or to] engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person, in connection with the purchase or sale of any security.”
-Rule 10b-5, Securities Exchange Act of 1934 *
from Barry Ritholtz







Who’ll Stop The Rain?



"Long as I remember The rain been coming down.
Clouds of myst'ry pouring Confusion on the ground.


Good men through the ages, Trying to find the sun;
And I wonder, Still I wonder, Who'll stop the rain.

I went down Virginia, Seeking shelter from the storm.
Caught up in the fable, I watched the tower grow.
Five year plans and new deals, Wrapped in golden chains.
And I wonder, Still I wonder Who'll stop the rain.

Heard the singers playing, How we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together, Trying to keep warm.
Still the rain kept pouring, Falling on my ears.
And I wonder, Still I wonder Who'll stop the rain."
- John Fogerty (Credence)

Friday, July 16, 2010

Who Knew?

Did you know the fresh smell of rain is actually the smell of oil that plants secrete when it is dry. the oil is absorbed into the earth and rocks, but after a rain is released. it is called petrichor. who knew? 


- From Cate Stetson, Albuquerque


Cate Stetson

The sooner the better - When does that time come - When you are ready.

 ‎"There comes a time in life when you walk away from all the pointless drama and people who create it, and surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus on the good. Life is too short to be anything but happy." 


Passed on to me from Karen Hagen, Angels Camp, Ca - a friend and good person
Lucky She is, that Jim Hagen is her partner!!!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Headline News: What Did Steve Jobs Know and When?!


The Majority of the Country thinks Obama has done everything wrong - so far!


The Majority of the Country thinks a recovery is not happening!


The Majority of the country is Fat!


People don't mind paying 20% Interest on their Credit Cards!


A majority of people think the definition of "Truth" is anything that works!


Fear is:  Fantasy Experienced As Reality


WTF!


Talk about One Fucked-Up Country!

“Lobbyists [are] the best bargain in Washington. Capitol Tax Partners, for example, is one of 1,900 firms that house more than 11,000 lobbyists registered to operate in Washington. Last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), firms like Capitol Tax were paid a total of $3.49 billion for unraveling the mysteries of the tax code for a variety of businesses. According to Capitol Tax co-founder Lindsay Hooper, his firm provided “input and technical advice on various tax matters” to such clients as Morgan Stanley, 3M, Goldman Sachs, Chanel, Ford and the Private Equity Council, which is a trade group trying to head off a plan to increase taxes on what’s called carried interest, a form of income enjoyed by the heavy hitters who run venture-capital and other types of private-equity funds.”

The print edition specifically cites Derivative trading banks and Auto Dealers as examples of ROI.Derivatives trading banks spent $28 million, and got to avoid allocating $5 billion to $7 billion to back their trades. The gain in annual profits is about $3 billion — with the risk remaining on the taxpayers.  A pretty nifty return on lobbying investment (minus the lobbyists soul burning in Hell for eternity — but that’s a small price to pay.
Auto Dealers made out even better: They dropped less than $10 million dollars ($6.3 million on lobbying, and an additional $3.4 million in campaign contributions). For their troubles, the dealers get to keep $20 billion each year in undisclosed added interest and fee kickbacks to over-priced loans.

- From Barry Ritholtz - The Big Picture




Saturday, July 3, 2010

Boise - setting up my Home

Here is where my life will flourish - I learned something when I looked for a home (new life) in many places - nothing ever seemed to "come together" - how many times we have struggled in life making decisions that had minor flaws and some larger unknown flaws - This time - this place - this home - everything fell together as though it were directed by "The Force" - I learned a big lesson this late in life - what you need happens when it's time - and it is effortless - trying to make things work is a big energy absorber - and fucksyouup!

here and now... this was as good as it gets - what ever happens from here and now - doesn't matter - just knowing it really does happen and it happened for me.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

I'm on Vacation for a few weeks

setting up my new home has taken over my life - lots of new people very social taking up my nights
The Boise River is preparing for many daily runs by the residents... my son Isaac and grandson Austin are due here in a week we plan to be in water... Jackpot has been cruising the neighborhood visiting new (to him) dogs... Walking over to the small lake (big pond) lots of folks with their dogs swimming - "Roll" practice in their kayaks - the lake is about 500 yards out my door. Bicycling the Greenbelt also near the lake

nothing like a new place to get a different feel not only from where
my "center" is but different people. I have new pillows so my dreams have changed

After Isaac's and Austin's visit, I'll be heading up to the Payette River, as the whitewater should have settled by then...