Long Weekend Starts with Friday

What A week! Exciting trades, hot weather, and a 3 day weekend on the way. I have to get up and get cooking tomorrow, meat fest as usual.

On Risk Management
I have covered risk management before but I wanted an excuse to use this picture that freaks me out to the point of feeling ill because I so fear heights:

That maniac is bolting steel beams on the Empire State Building (Chrysler building in background) with no tether!! This is poor risk management.

I am tapped out for market stuff and the slow Friday for the market will be replicated next week too I think. Mini break time!

Friday Night Entertainment
What can I come up with tonight?

The Onion - Makes Fools of Us All Sometimes
I have been fooled by an article from The Onion a few times, but this one is pretty bad (via Geekologie). Click for larger view:

Now when the second girl from the bottom goes for a job interview in the future, she had better hope her Facebook posts are not searchable!

Pictures and Posters
Visual fun.

And then He rested:

see more Historic LOL

ROFL:
href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2011/05/26/classics-now-with-favorite-buttons-180/?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=sharewidget">
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Worth a Look
Some items worth a look.

-Khufu's Ship (Little Bits of History)
-Old Quabbin Reservoir Maps (Menotomy Maps)
-A Sith sword AND a Lightsaber, Vestara Khai is a bad ass and my kind of woman! (Wookiepedia):

I am in love. Sorry Lil Kim.
-The Giant Water Bug is not cool. At all. I think we should eradicate them. (Weird Universe)

Film Clips
For the movie/TV buffs.

My man chessNwine had this clip of from "A Bronx Tale" and it is a classic. "Now, Youz Can't Leave":

Bad!

Before Jeff Bridges finally won the Oscar, he was just another overlooked amazing actor. In films like "Tucker: a Man and His Dream" you could see the mad acting skills. A cool film with Bridges was "Starman" and in this scene the man from the stars brings a deer back to life (skip tp 1:36 mark):

So pretty.

Rock Blogging
It is that time.

A big Happy Birthday shout out to loyal reader Gawains who had his birthday on Tuesday but will be celebrating this weekend. Readers know birthdays are HUGE to me so what can I send Gawains for turning the big 5-0?:

Happy Birthday!

Gawains leads off Rock Blogging with ZZ Top's "La Grange":

OMG!!! I had know idea that tune was from ZZ Top! Great pick.

Ok, not to start a trend, but I LOVE this new song by My Darkest Days called "Pornstar Dancing" (I only heard it on the radio, never saw the maybe NSFW video, be warned):

Yeah!! I mentioned to my wife we have poles in the basement but she did not seem amused!? Some people....geez.

In Antigua I sang Karaoke, and if you know me that is just NOT a thing I would do. I sang Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop the Rain", but only because they did not have "Lodi" which is my favorite because it reminds me of my Dad who was always trying to play in some low rent band:

Excellent.

My man Scharfy may like a little Ronnie James Dio (RIP) and "Rainbow in the Dark". I know I love it, live is better:

YES!

A little Otis Redding? How about "These Arms of Mine"?:

Smooth.

Two tunes left, but I imagine there will be food pics and other content this weekend.

A little Moody Blues and a weird video of "Knights in White Satin":

No, if you are wondering if I am like 60 years old, I am 35 years old but I do love the age when music was good. As in not now.

A little fun? My wife loves this song (I have NO idea) by the Beastie Boys, take a weird run with "Paul Revere":

Best Beastie Boys song, easy, "So Whatcha Want!".

Have a good night.

Wednesday Filler

I am getting a bit stressed out with all the finishing up at work I have to do. Always more than you think. It will be there when I get back I am sure. Two days to go.

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:
(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.

Go check out the rest.

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???
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 :)

Indeud. This could start a globalization robot war, which is what Skynet wants!

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.

Trapped Under Ice Friday

Damn Ice Dams
I was home yet again today after waking up at 5am, going downstairs to find a nice water fountain coming in the living room bay window. The culprit, ice dams! I had to wait for the sun to come up to get after it.

There was huge ice buildup over the window and all on the front of the house (it's a Gambrel style). I took out my 8 foot ladder, a hammer, a crowbar and set off to work. I got most of the ice away from over the window, but the huge ice block on the front of the roof was hard to dislodge. After a few attempts I felt a strange warning in the Force. Seconds later I saw a 75 pound block of ice (yes I weighed it on the bathroom scale!) come flying down the front of the house right at me! I was on the second to last top rung of the ladder! I calmly pivoted my upper body and pushed the ice block off to the side and onto the ground. I can say it was amazingly skillful and quick, like a ninja. Glad that's over for now but I cannot even bribe a roofing firm to remove the snow and ice damns from the roof as they are all too busy. Maybe a mind trick will work?

You Win Some and You Lose Some, and Others You Miss
I was stopped out of my HSY trade this morning at $49.80. In at $46.79 so I pocketed a cool +6.5%. Just missed my $50 target but it was there. If HSY breaks over $51 I may rebuy but it has been turned away from that top quite a few times.

I am still holding AMRC, a small position. Still think a bounce is ready to go, but I am down a bit on the stock (-3%) so I will not let it go much further.

I was shocked that I still held my OMEX shares at $2.90 and today it rolled to $3.60! Not bad for a 2 year hold, LOL! I actually forgot I still had this position until I started trading again. Nice!

The big regret? TRCR which I showed you all in this post on January 24th. What I saw was a repeating higher double high pattern, it is almost fractal like! Here was the chart that night:

After today's 2.8% move up:

Now this may not be the next move up, and I may just be imagining things but I had wanted an entry here but just never got to it. A friend of mine went in after reading that post and is happy so far. Hey bud, your welcome!

As for anything else, I am too tired. While destroying ice with a hammer has it's rewards, something feels very out of place where my right clavicle meets my right shoulder. No it's not just soreness, I probably bent something. Wonderful. Also the Bernanke speech from yesterday still has my furious that such a total apechit clown runs the FED and is not run out of town post haste. As such, macro stuff will have to wait for another post. Off to the fun stuff.

Friday Night Entertainment
I will endure serious pain to bring you the fun we all so richly deserve!

Funny Videos
These two are MUST see video!

A pug dog (not mine sadly) that yells "BATMAN" was around a while ago. Now he has been set to the Batman TV show theme and it is get out funny:

LOVE IT!

This may be the greatest commercial ad of ALL TIME!:

The team that made this ad are brilliant! How the kid captures the perfect moment at the :50 second mark I have no idea. If I was not in love in a weird way with my Infiniti G35X I would visit a VW dealership on this commercial alone. Try the real force kid, hee hee.

Did You Know?
It's that time again to grow neurons with Did you know!

-Ice dam war can be fought by stuffing nylons with Magnesium Chloride and pacing them on trouble spots? Just don't use black fishnet garters or you may get complaints from the neighbors.
-I missed this from January 28th, but did you know EconomicDisconnect stayed home from school to watch the space shuttle Challenger launch way back in 1986? My mother and I just sat there without saying a word, for a long time.
-Io, one of Jupiter's moons, is seriously strange?
-Hadrian's Wall is thought to be the last great work of Rome?

Rock Blogging
Wow, I am running way late! Must be my busted shoulder. On to the tunes.

Loyal reader Gawains, who is suffering in Texas under cold conditions and like 3 inches of snow (WIMP!!!), would like George Thorogood and the Destroyers hit "I Drink Alone", which works out if no one is around. I mean why not drink alone?:

Love this tune.

Ok, if your name is not Josh Brown you may not be into Hip hop. I am not really, but I do adore Lil Kim. Here is Sugar (Gimme Some) by Trick Daddy and crew:

"Lil Kim's eye candy baby!" Indeud. Call me Kimmy darlin.

Ok, after that I need the 80's! How about Europe and "Carrie"?:

MEGA vocals on that guy.

One of my all time favorite songs, and one I will mat the gas pedal to anytime, is Iron Maiden's masterpiece "Hallowed be thy Name". How about on Piano via by Scott Lavender?:

So sick it hurts. What a great job.

Two left! Two left and I am one armed at this point!

In case you missed it, I was best friends with all the future scientists in the band Man Bites Back in college. While they pursued other endeavors than music, I love this song "Ghetto Starlight":

Kick ASS!

Last call and my right shoulder is happy, but I am sad!

In regards to the never ending Bernanke market assault on new highs no matter the cost, take a crowd WILD ride with Rage Against the Machine and "Bulls on Parade". The crowd at this show was so amped:

Bad shoulder and all I want to jump!

Have a good night.

Obstacles

I would think getting a new kitchen would be fun but this week has been a nightmare. I have had about enough and hope the work goes quickly over the next two weeks.

All I wanted to do tonight was write a little financial stuff and get the Friday Night show up and running when the cable and Internet go out for an hour right as I was setting up to write! Obstacles all around it seems. Anyhoo, I will have some commentary this weekend on these topics:
-The Euro zone stress tests (sad joke)
-Ben Bernanke's 18 hour flip flop on policy (total incompetence)
-Philosophical musings on the system as it stands

For now I have limited time and you know I hate to disappoint, so on with the show!

Fun with Pictures
P-A-R-T-Why? Because I've got to mister!

Seems harsh punishment for the crime, yes?:

see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Poor thing!

Another 99 week unemployment collector:

Did I ever mention the times in college I worked at convenience stores and folks in Mercedes and Lexus cars would come in and pay with food stamps? Sad stuff.

Interesting Stuff
Some wild stuff from this week that I came across.

You know you want a set of monster robot arms:

Watch out ladies!

Did you know?:
-The Stepan Company is the only legally operated firm that can process coca leaves yielding both cocaine for the pharma industry and spent coca leaves for the Coca Cola company?
-Rotary engines have less moving parts than regular engines?
-That Muad'Dib means a mouse like shape on a moon?
-Stephen King lists "The Door into Summer" as a major inspiration?

Film Clips
You know you want to rent it now......

Ahhh, the family truckster:

Too funny! And yes that is Eugene Levy!

Not a film but enjoy a great rapier/main gauche duel from the Highlander series episode "Duende":

Wow!

Rock Blogging
It is music time for the masses.

Loyal reader Watchtower wonders if I will play Van Halen when Sammy Hagar is the singer. I will if the tune is good, so here is "There's Only One Way to Rock":

Eddie is hot on the chords in this one! Great pick.

Reader Lurker would like some Kenny Loggins "I'm All Right" from Caddyshack:

Hee-Hee.

A friend of mine requested "Snakeskin Cowboy" by Ted Nugent and I had never heard it before:

Not bad at all!

I love Patty Smyth and thus run with Scandal and "Goodbye to You":

Nice!

You will have to turn this one way up, but I am sure you have heard Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" many times in so many films:

So wonderful.

Two to go! "Two minutes left; perhaps 2 minutes left in Julio Cesar Chavez's historic unbeaten streak"
Famous last words by Jim Lampley!

Let's stick with the instrumentals! Listen to the 30 second mark on to the 1:10 mark and try and remember this scene from "Conan the Barbarian":

I hear that all the time in my head, along with all the voices!

Last call!!!! Grab a girl or a reasonable facsimile thereof and close the show!

I am only putting this on so I can watch Lil Kim in action! Selfish, yes. Eye candy, yes. Can I help it? No:

Call me Kimmy!

Have a good night.