Random Stuff for Fun

It was a tough day at work and I ran out of gas big time after lunch. Still not feeling all that well, but getting better. Only 4 weeks to go until I will be in Antigua for a week getting warm and tan. So soon.

Good Position Day
Had a pretty good day in the markets with some of the positions I took last week:
YGE

TAN

RPM

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

The Robots are Still Marching
I have not had a robot story up for a bit, but here is your regular warning about humans being taken over very soon.

A robotic bird?

THE HORROR! This thing is creepy!

We have talked about the Uncanny Valley here before. Here it is in chart form:

All I know is that as I watched the video I wanted to shoot that abomination out of the sky with a huge shotgun.

Small Crowd
From Geekologie, the countries that do not use the metric system:

Wow, I actually had no idea it was that bad.

Taxes Suck
The accountant called today and told me where we stand tax wise. Seems between raises at work for the wife and I, and the killing I made on the SLV trade last year, we have moved up to the next tax bracket! Well that's just aces really. Wunderful. Anyways, it put me in a mind of a film from way back, Kidco.

I wrote this last year about this time, but it still fits:
Paying taxes on money I made when it is done using after tax money I already paid on reminds me of a scene from an obscure film "Kidco". The set up is the owner of the all kid fertilizer business is taken to court on a charge of not paying sales tax on his product, which is horse manure. The lead kid represents himself and calls as a witness the man that sells hay and oats to his father to feed the horses that make the manure he uses as fertilizer. The exchange goes like this, but it is from memory so I may be off:

Kid: Mr. Jones, does my dad buy all his feed from your store?
Mr. Jones: Yup.
Kid: Does my Dad pay you sales tax on said items?
Mr. Jones: Yup.
Prosecutor: Your honor, the question is not whether the defendants father paid sales tax....(interrupted)
Kid: Good. Good. Your honor, you see all Kidco sells is manure, which used to be hay and oats! Don't you see!? We are getting taxed at both ends!!!
Court erupts with laughter.

A funny film if you can find a copy.

All There Is?
I still cannot believe the only copy of Craig T. Nelson's speech in the film "All the Right Moves" is this cruddy quality one. Must be copyright issues. Ugh.

Have a good night.

Want to Double Your Money? Fold it in Half!

I am feeling a bit better today, but that is not saying much. I probably should have taken today off from work, but I thought it would be better to be up and about. Great idea.

In the Money?
Tonight in the Massachusetts Lotto game Mega Millions, the jackpot is around $315 Million dollars! When lotto jackpots get over $100 Million I always buy 20 quick picks just in case. When I win I will handle it very calmly.

I plan on blowing about a million in Vegas, handing out millions to my close friends (there are not many) and with the rest I would try and get either Josh Brown or chessNwine to manage for me. It's all planned out. Wish me luck.

JP Morgan and Silver - The Story Never Ends
I do not want to get all into this issue, either you believe JPM has silver games going or you don't. I do. For some interesting commentary I would point you to today's post over at The Golden Truth:
The COMEX goes "Extend and Pretend" on JP Morgan's Paper Silver Short
Whatever you think about the JPM/silver connection the move to allow JPM fast track access to silver storage (by the CME) cannot be dismissed as nothing.

Market Operations
I was ill most of the week, but I did open some positions:
-On Tuesday ,after something my wife said
put an idea in my head, I went long SHW (Sherman Williams) and RPM (RPM International). I also bought TAN (solar ETF) but that was a rip off of chessNwine.
-On Thursday as I waited for my doctor's appointment I went long YGE (a solar company) again ripping off sir Chess, and KCG (Knight Capital) which was a chart I liked before and I wonder if all the volatility and trading volume might just make it's way to their next earnings report.

As always, not investment advice. Just telling you what I am up to.

Friday Night Entertainment
Some non-financial related items for a change of pace.

Old but Weird
Somehow I do not think this was the original title for Mary Wollstonecraft's book "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman":

see more Historic LOL

Now I want to bowling after seeing this vintage ad:

see more Very Demotivational
Sometimes I get this feeling that the 1950's were more fun than people think.

Fishing Flu
I may be sick, but it is that time of year to get ready for fishing season! Time to buy a license and do that most sacred of all outdoors man ceremonies; cleaning your gear and buying new stuff!

It may be a bit before I can get out there, all the snow has raised the Merrimack River to dangerous levels for a Kayak and the cold meltwater may delay the fish waking up. Here are a few posts that show EonomicDisconnect out on the water. There is even a post with a real picture of me! I still am able to remain anonymous/mysterious/afraid to show my face:
Quabbin Reservoir 1
The Mighty Merrimack
The Kayak Rigged for War
Quabbin Reservoir 2
Can't wait to get back out there.

Film Clips
Well sort of.

I just got the new Star Wars book "Deceived" by Paul Kemp via Amazon. This novel covers the origins of the upcoming game "Star Wars: The Old Republic". If you have not seen the game trailer, well you should remedy that:

SICK! Better, clearer version here. Second trailer here.

One of my favorite scenes of all time: Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) embeds the mythical sword Excalibur into the stone (skip to 1:50 mark on):

That rocks I don't care who you are.

Rock Blogging
Low on energy, low on concentration, but EconomicDisconnect always delivers on Friday night.

The last time I had "Green River" by Creedence on, I also featured a DNA based puzzle in this post. Check out the puzzle and see if you would like more, and of course check out this tune:

Love that tune.

The yearly appearence of "Libera Me":

So nice.

Ok, for all you "Princess Bride" maniacs out there (I am one of many, 'My name is legion for we are many') here is "My Love is Like a Storybook Story" by Willy Deville:

Mega points for who can source the quote above.

Still going strong, Bon Jovi with "Who Says You Can't Go Home":


Two left and that's it.

Please enjoy Anthrax with "Black Lodge":

HA, you had no idea they could play that kind of tune!

Last call!

Closing up shop with Depeche Mode and "Wrong" with a great live show:

See I can stay off the heavy metal at times!

Have a good night.