Sad News
When I was in college it was a tough time. The last two years were very long. After my father died we had some family issues and my mother (my parents were long divorced) decided a long trip on the road was in order for her. Sounded good. With limited time to work at night (a biotech degree has tons of lab courses) I had no money. I mean none. I would stop over at my cousins when she got her food stamps and child support from the state and play all nice and grab something to eat. That was good for twice a week. I was at my old boxing weight (136 lbs) without trying to do that.
One night I was out and met up with two brothers who grew up not even 2 miles from me but just over the town line so we never went to the same schools. We hit it off big time. I started hanging out with them all the time and we would go out Thursday night through Sunday night and rip it up at the college bars and clubs. They both worked full time and had plenty of cash. They also never asked me about my situation. We all went out and things got taken care of no questions asked. I might never have seen a bar in college if not for them. It was not about the help though, they became MY brothers. We became very close and still are to this day. When we go out now (and for the last 7 years) I insist on paying for everything we do (they hate it!). Karma, you know.
One of the brothers called me last week and told me how sick his father was. I offered what help I could and all my support. My friend's father died last night. No matter what kind of distance one has from their parent, this is a terrible time and I only wish I could say more than cliches and a mess of "I'm sorry's". I know my adopted brothers can believe I am here for them. Just like they have always been for me.
Wednesday Filler
Assorted stuff for a distraction.
Earnings News
Besides a few names that missed, most firms are ripping the cover off the ball. The Apple (AAPL) train keeps on rolling. Pragmatic Capitalist (and some others) poke fun at the AAPL earnings game:
Only a Wall Street analyst could be shocked by the fact that Apple beat estimates and guided lower. I don’t mean to downplay the enormous quarter by Apple (it’s an outrageously good quarter), but how in the world is anyone still fooled by this guidance game they play? I know, I know…this is every analyst’s pet rock, but when your estimate is a full 20% off the mark you have to seriously consider another line of employment. You can’t be this wrong every single quarter and claim to be “analyzing” anything. The value added here by the analyst community is worse than negative.Too funny.
Long time readers know I hate the cult of Apple but they continue to be a monster profits machine.
20 Questions by Macro Man
You need to swing by Macro Man and read the 20 questions with multiple choice selections, it's epic. Two samples:
3. Is it true that the Chinese reserves of 3 trillion dollars would:Go check out the rest.
(a) Stretch 3 times around the planet.
(b) Take 48 years to withdraw from a ATM in $500 tranches.
(c) Weigh the same in $1 bills as the total number of potatoes processed last year in Belgium?
18. Is it true that the date 19th April 2011 (yesterday) was:
(a) 13/4/7DB in hexadecimal.
(b) The day that the Machines in Terminator became aware as Skynet went active, in preparation for its attack against humanity tomorrow.
(c) Together with (b), why the algos trashed USDs and sent Tech Equities higher this morning.
Robots - American Made
Readers know I am so way out in front of the bubble to be that is robots. Not one single leading writer has even come close to calling this trend, but I have. Reader Anon sends this video post of robots going into the Fukushima Nuclear plants to look around and test. Here is the video:
Robots Search Plant
At the 1:56 mark we learn that Japan got these robots from......The United States! Anon comments:
Are you kidding me? The UNITED FRIGGIN STATES??? COME ON JAPAN - you guys are obsessed with robots, and yet you dont have anything domestic to deal with Fukushima???Indeud. This could start a globalization robot war, which is what Skynet wants!
What do you think Get? Dont you think the japanese people would be up in arms about foreign robots taking "our robots jobs"? I cant believe they would stand for this :)
Magazine Covers
My man David Batista had a post up about magazines and I think the point was to see if people still subscribed to magazines but I got sort of lost at the cover shot of the new issue of Rolling Stone:
For the record, I only subscribe to In-Fisherman Magazine (best in the wold); the rest I read online.
Of course any magazine that has Lil Kim, my favorite, is a sure fire buy. Here is a Maxim Magazine picture:
Now that the restraining order has expired (just a misunderstanding really) maybe Kimmy dear will call me? What do you all think? Call me Kim!
Have a good night.
4 comments:
LOL! @ the restraining order. I am glad to see that Rihanna cover no matter where I see it, tho.
And so sorry to hear about your friend's father. I didn't realize you had it so rough in college. Not that dissimilar to my own experience, except that I was taking easy classes (compared to you, that is) and could "afford" to take on a part-time job on campus. You get much respect from me!
My deepest condolences about your friend's dad. I love that you have adoptive brothers though!
That is some picture of Lil Kim.
It is said that a boy does not become a man until his father dies.
I went through that myself ten years ago. And it was difficult, to say the least.
I went over to visit one day, and my father had just come home from the store. He was standing in the kitchen, panting, sweating, his face red and his eyes bulging. "Dad, are you okay?" It was lung cancer.
I took him to the hospital where they pumped a liter of gunk out of his lungs. He was in and out of intensive care, on a respirator. I watched him shrink from 280 to 150 lbs in less than six weeks. His hair turned white, and his teeth started falling out. It was painful to see.
Two years, that's how long it took for him to die. Two long, stressful years.
I could see that it was also killing my mother. That's why I moved back home, resigned my teaching positions and became a realtor, to help her.
I guess that's what it means to be a man, responsibilities of the first born son and all that.
My condolences to you and your friends. I've been there, and I know how hard these times are.
Gawains,
Sorry for your loss. It is tough. I had never heard that saying before but I would agree that I stopped thinking like a kid when my dad died, wow, 15 years ago.
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