Google and China

It has come out that Google intends to pull out of China because the government in China has a habit of eavesdropping on emails and other communications. It's their way of keeping the country safe. The Chinese market, as everyone over the age of 3 knows, is huge. Google will therefore not pull out. Hell might freeze over if that happens. This topless woman might cover up if that happens. The Pope might enter the Boston Marathon if that happens. Please.

Church on Sunday

From Yahoo! News: “VATICAN CITY – The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI is getting his own channel on Google. It says the Vatican TV Center and Vatican Radio are collaborating with Google on the project. The Vatican's press office said Saturday that texts and video of the pope's speeches as well as news about the pontiff would be posted directly onto the channel. It says more information will be given next week. The Vatican began using its Web site widely to publish teachings and pronouncements under the late Pope John Paul II.” This might make it easier for the Church and the State to re-unite. What do I know? Nothing, that’s what. If commerce can be globalized, why not religion?

Convicted

From a Yahoo News story: By Miral Fahmy “The top five most offensive workplace behaviors are not saying hello or good morning, not offering office guests a beverage, speaking loudly across the room, using swear words and taking calls on mobile phones. The use of stationery without permission and asking colleagues about their personal lives are also deemed insulting. Australians are very natural in their business style, perhaps more so than workers in any other country in the world.” The story went on to say that Australians are considered the rudest workplace people on earth because they are guilty of practicing all of the above described behaviors. I would not know. I do remember that Australia was initially colonized by British convicts. That’s all I know. This lady is Australian and she looks very polite to me.

Old Age remedies 2

From an article on Yahoo!: “New research reveals that two of the most boring-sounding personality traits can actually help you live a healthier, happier and longer life. It turns out that people who are ambitious and disciplined live up to four years longer than more impulsive folks. A study from the University of California at Riverside found that conscientious types--the kind of people who have their nose to the grindstone and always pay their bills right on time (or early!)--are more likely to have stable relationships and are less tempted by health-dampening drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors. People who were less conscientious were 50 percent more likely to die at any given age, on average, than those who were highly conscientious. Order and achievement were the top two traits associated with having a long life, but that doesn't mean that you have to be a snooze to reach the ripe old age of 100. "Conscientious does not mean boring or humorless," said lead study author Howard Friedman. Want to boost your conscientiousness? Surround yourself with friends who are good influences and consider investing in a day planner or an online calendar to stay organized.” How about people who take Yahoo! articles seriously? This woman looks like she’ll live to be 99.

He needs the money

From a Yahoo! News story: CHICAGO – "Gov. Rod Blagojevich was out jogging in Chicago as lawmakers in Springfield voted to impeach him. Upon returning from his jog, he likened his situation to long-distance running. Blagojevich refused to answer any specific questions about the 114-1 vote by which the House impeached him Friday. But he said: "Let me simply say I feel like the old Alan Sillitoe short story 'The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.' ... And that's what this is by the way, a long-distance run." He then promised to say more at an afternoon news conference. Earlier Friday, the 52-year-old Democrat emerged from his home in a black jogging suit and berated the media for bothering his neighbors before heading out on a jog. He now faces a Senate trial. If convicted, he'll be removed from office." What if he doesn't want to leave? I'm betting it will take at least a year to get him out. If he had a sense of shame or a good job waiting for him, he would be gone already. Someone please find this man an alternative job. You cannot find him a sense of shame - he is, after all, a politician. This woman is saying something like "What are you looking at?"

Now what?

From a story in Yahoo! this morning: (Although there is not even a slight hint of frustration in the Pope’s message, we can only imagine what he feels as he realizes that the scope of his political authority (he is powerless) is not nearly equivalent to his moral authority (he is powerful). After more than 400 years of church and state separation, perhaps the time has come to unite church and state once again. Dare anyone say it? “VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI warned in his Christmas message Thursday that the world was headed toward ruin if selfishness prevails over solidarity during tough economic times for rich and poor nations. The traditional papal Christmas Day message "Urbi et Orbi" — Latin for "to the City and to the World" — usually covers the globe's hot spots, but this year Benedict also addressed the economic conditions worrying many across the planet amid near-daily news of layoffs, failing companies and people losing homes. Benedict told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square that God's saving grace could "alone transform evil into good" and "change human hearts, making them oases of peace." Benedict dedicated part of his message to Africa, singling out Zimbabwe, where hunger is spreading and deepening. He said that people there were "trapped for too long in a political and social crisis which, sadly, keeps worsening." Millions of Zimbabwe's people need food aid, and a cholera epidemic has sharpened problems in a country once considered Africa's breadbasket. Suffering also continues in the war-ravaged region of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Darfur, the pope added. In Somalia, people are weighed down with "interminable sufferings" as "the tragic consequences of the lack of stability and peace," he said. The girl at left is happy about something but we don't know what.

Getting tipped off

Isn't it cool when you know someone on the inside and you get information about something important that most people cannot possibly know about???? The party girls on the left (I have no clue who they are) are having a good time at some posh party somewhere - it doesn't matter where. They are there because their husbands are there. Trust me on that. Their husbands are investors. They do not appear to be worried about stock market losses. They do not appear to be worried about anything at all. Before the financial collapse of so many large firms (like Bear Stearns and AIG) that caused Wall Street to reel and shake, I think some people got tipped off. As was the custom every six years in Mexico, with the changes in administration came official peso devaluations and people were financially hurt every time. There were some people who were never hurt because they got tipped off. Get to know someone on the inside if you can possibly manage it. You'll be glad you did.

1,000,001

I recently read that one million blog posts are made each day. With that in mind, I figured one more might be the straw that breaks the camel's back, so here it is. Now the number is 1,000,001 - at least for today. It will be interesting to watch what happens. Probably nothing. You might remember who that is on the left. She used to smoke Camels.

Spanish pride

This is a lovely photo of a Spanish market. I borrowed it from a photo site. I hope they don't see it here and then sue me for using it. I asked permission but they never responded. What should I have done? If we ever meet and they make demands, I'll have to take it down. Oh well. Just try to identify some of the goods for sale here. It's impossible. I remember my dad used to take me to the market in Juarez almost every weekend. There was incredible variety and everyone tried to sell you something. He would almost always have a shrimp cocktail and I would get a lemonade made from green limes.

Media Panic

The Dow sits at about 8500 as we speak. By how the media is portraying the market, you would think that the sky is falling. I have already said that 8500 is about the lowest that the market will sink. Yahoo! news is writing something about the Dow "plunging." Is 150 points a plunge???? Give me a break. I strongly suspect they exaggerate (HYPE) everything just to get people to read their news articles. How unprofessional - really!!!! They have become tabloids and nothing more. I don't think they want the economy to improve since they favor a certain candidate for office (the one who wants "change"). If you have any money at all, now is the time to buy - the market can only go up. Buy 100,000 shares of anything that looks conservative and safe and in six months you will be happy you didn't panic like everyone else. Of course, if you don't believe me, get a second opinion.