Greeted as heroes?

Remember when they told you that the Iraqis would greet us as liberators, and throw bouquets of flowers at us? Not quite.

Doubt

I'm talking about the movie, Doubt, although the subject of doubt in general would be a good topic one day too, wouldn't it? Anyway, this new film with Merryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman looks like a riot of fun to me. It's not a comedy and isn't supposed to be funny, but rather a serious, suspenseful drama.

I look at the 2 minute clip here -- http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-28-doubt_N.htm -- and I say, "Wow! I know people just like that! I've had conversations just like those two minutes! And so many issues got brought up in those two minutes!"

Naturally, there's a lot more to the film than those two minutes, but I'd say those two minutes look promising enough to me.

If only I had the time to travel now...

This is too good a deal to pass up! http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/phx/578467547.html

Deepak Chopra to Sean Hannity: Why?

Deepak Chopra publicly asks Sean Hannity of Fox "News" why he so misrepresented Chopra's statements.

It really doesn't matter to me personally whether you agree with me or not. Leaving our debate aside, your habit of taking statements out of context and playing the blaming game is sad. You have a powerful platform that influences many people. Why do you use your influence to monger fear, militancy, divisiveness, and jingoism?

See the full text of Chopra's letter. After you know Chopra's credentials from the above link, you are faced with the question -- if you are a Sean Hannity fan -- How can you pay any attention to him?

Roger Ebert's best 20 films of the year -- most of which you never heard of

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/COMMENTARY/812059997/1023

Makes you feel prouder already, doesn't it?

President elect Obama has announced several plans to really make the U.S. a leader nation in the world again by helping states improve infrastructure and making government buildings more energy efficient, improving schools, and making higher broadband capability widely available. It won't solve all the world's problems, but it will get the U.S. back to work on things that will make life better in the future, and will restore our "can do" attitude. And who can argue with the objectives?

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0545867820081206?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

When it's time to buy new luggage

This looks very cool for business travel -- Zuca. See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvAsNWiowls

Stay Out of the Dog House!

This is a very well done and entertaining ad someone pointed out to me.

http://creativity-online.com/work/view?seed=5e32d548

The Simpsons goes to the (m)Apple Store!

Evil Mad Scientist has lots of suggestions for next halloween.

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/index.php?page=2

How to make an Apple apple pie

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/ApplePie

Instructables

The Instructables Web site has instructions and videos about how to make things -- such as marshmallow shooters, fake roses, a bike light from an Altoids can, various food recipes, piano keyboards, a Mr. Peanut costume, eyeball candy, trickle charged lighted bike helmet, various robots, a wallet from old bike innertubes, a pond water garden, seed starters, compost bins, hanging tomato plants, LED chandelier -- and how to do things -- like start a business, do math, have fun at Disney World without waiting in line, get six-pack abs, make friends, crush a can on your head, resurface scratched CDs.
http://www.instructables.com/

Hear more -- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97350140.

Today's funnies

Stock Market predictions

Some months back, I made a prediction to friends that the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the stock market would drop from the 14,000 range down to 7000 within one year, and then it would take 5 years for it to close above 10,000 again. I am not a professional investor. I am not giving advice. I'm just saying that based on what I heard on a variety of programs on NPR over the past 3 years, I knew long before all this started happening that we were in for a very rough ride. And now, based on what I'm hearing from the experts I hear on National Public Radio programs, I'm not expecting the economy to really "hit bottom" for another two years. That is to say, I expect things will get worse before they get better -- much worse. In fact, we are already so close to my projection of 7000 that I am considering revising the projection downward to 6000.

We must not be fooled by momentary surges like the one we had today during the last few hours of the trading day. The gains of nearly 500 on the Dow were evidently due to the exuberance caused by the announcement of President-elect Obama's choice for Treasury Secretary. There will be these momentary surges into positive territory, especially as professional traders look for any sign of hope to drive up prices and give them short term profits. But alas, all that improved today is trader confidence, not any economic fundamentals.

Yes, it is possible that President Obama may do things differently enough and bring in enough very brave and creative people that they will pull off a miracle and we'll see improvement sooner than two years. But a miracle is indeed what I think it would take, so I'm not betting on it. Things are far too messed up to expect they can be fixed in the short term.

What I did last year before things got bad was to pull out of the market almost entirely. What I'm doing now is taking advantage of higher rate savings accounts for now. Pentagon Federal Credit Union, for instance, is offering CDs at 5%; there are others out there if you look for them. I am also researching to plan -- when the time is right to re-enter the market -- which funds or securities would be right for me. But I don't expect the time to be right for at least two more years -- when I believe the market will really bottom out.

And much of my "education" comes from NPR programs I recommend to your listening:

• http://www.onpointradio.org/tag/economy/
• http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/11/13.php
• http://marketplace.publicradio.org/
  

It is your money, your future, your retirement fund. Be well-informed by objective news reporting.


Disclaimer: I am not a professional. I don't know anything. I don't give advice. Do your own homework. You are responsible for your decisions, not me.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC)

Strange but funny comics. They are much funnier when I realized I needed to scroll down to see the text below the main frame... ;-)
http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=698#comic

Is Bill Ayers an unrepentent terrorist?

John McCain and Sarah Palin made Bill Ayers famous again for a new generation by making him the bogeyman of Barack Obama's campaign. So we might as well know who he really is, what he did, why he did it, and what he says and does now. Hear this interview with him on NPR's Fresh Air -- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97112600.

Roomba Driver

Hear what the rest of the world thinks of us.

Want to see how the rest of the world sees us and our role in Iraq? See this discussion of a British panel and audience telling off John Bolton and making his defense of our role in Iraq look ridiculous. http://www.truveo.com/John-Bolton-Grilled-On-BBC/id/972207001

Where's the change button?

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2994

Dilbert: Crazy Talk