Breeders Cup Saturday

This is coming from my cell, we cashed a few tickets today, but the @$%& fake dirt destroyed our hero. Oh well, E the horseplayer managed to cash a big enough ticket on Henrythenavigator to make up for blown trifecta. The dog track was...interesting. I doubt I will head back there, but i have to say it may have been better than Laurel. Not having to pay to get in helps with that.

Rendevous was awesome, as anticipated. If I'd been on the ball I'd have put a picture of my meaty crusty deliciousness. On the way home, and, for moment at least Ole Miss is in the lead 13-7.

This is Awesome

Hat Tip: Emily Greene

Seen in New Albany MS

horse show

Currently in New Albany at a local horse show. There are things on the program I would like to see. They aren't coming for quite a while. At the moment this has consisted entirely of horses (mostly ill-bred and under fed, unlike their owners in only one respect) standing around.

What's next?

Lets Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin; an instructional video.

Next for Vlad the Producer, a video on subverting emerging democracies (Vol. I Home, Vol. II Abroad).

AYBBBTH

Or, "All Your Banks Be Belonging to Hank." I mean, running Goldman Sachs must have been fun, now he gets to run the entire financial sector.

When George Cochran begins a sentence, "I once taught a highway patrol class..." you know the story is going to end well. In this

Further, there is apparently something going on West Palm Beach that makes people misbehave. Mark Foley's successor is apparently paying over 100K to his mistress.

HA!

Big Brown was "injured" at Aqueduct this morning. He's out of the Breeder's Cup. Sounds like a ruse to avoid (several) clearly superior horses to me.

EDIT:

He's not just missing a race, he's gone. What would possess anyone to breed those feet I can't imagine. Better find hearty genes on the mare's side if they're going to. Also, Zarkava is retiring to breed. At least she's sound.

FURTHER UNRELATED EDIT: Casino Drive had a good (allowance) race, anyone remember him from the Derby trail? He's the horse that hype can't forget. Could he be a dark horse (figuratively, of course) for the Classic? That race he won, it was only his 3rd CAREER race. I just don't see it but he has great siblings, his dame has threw the 2006 and '07 Belmont winners. He also seems to like the never sufficiently cursed polytrack.

Post-pouri

So beginning Sunday Emily and I will be house/dog sitting for Brian Bell. He's a hydrologist at the Sedimentation lab. The dog in question, Boxie is a (yes you guessed it) a Boxer. She's 2.5 year old, and seems to be a sweetheart. Plus, if Chorni gets out of line, I have no doubt she can discipline him, being 30 lbs heavier and stronger.

I'll probably feel differently about this after a week away from home, but I like living in other people's houses. Mainly, I think that comes from the fact that almost everyone else has either better stuff or a better house, or both. And frankly, getting out of my messy crap filled house, and living someplace with a dishwasher is nice. Unfortunately, Brian lives about 10 minutes north of town, so the commute will take longer, but for 1-1.5 weeks, I think I can live with that.

I'm not sure how I found these pants, but they look pretty cool. The name is stupid, but the design features they talk about sound like they'd solve some problems I have commonly found; poor fit at the waist, waist and front too large, thighs too small, the general run of issues that come from trying to buy pants which have been sized for an overweight population when you yourself are not. Grab there blog here.

While I'm shilling for products I don't own, Multiwinia. This game is the multiplayer version of the superlative single player game Darwinia. I've downloaded the demo, and I have absolutely no idea why I haven't started playing. Just other things going on, I hope to rectify that this weekend. Darwinia was an amazingly fun and unique game. It's hard to explain, but give the download 20 minutes and you'll understand why I love the series so much, and suspect that Multiwinia is also very good. Leave a comment, let me know what you think.

Worth activating; Gmail Googles. Fairly obvious what this does, and not foolproof, but I know I could have used this a time or two.

Political confession here; I want John McCain to lose. Not that I'm looking forward to the Barakolypse, far from it. But McCain/Palin shouldn't be in the White House. I'll try to write more about this later, but for now, I think it's enough to say that Bob Dole's nomination was a bad idea the first time around, and I'm baffled why we chose to do it again.

Financial update; S&P down 5.5%, NASDAQ down 4.5%. The yen, of all currencies, is the recipient of a flight to safety during a banking crises. Who would have seen that coming? Good news; oil almost at $80, exactly where it was a year ago. I seriously want to find those Goldman Sachs analysts who where saying $200 oil this summer. They deserve round mocking.

Doesn't look like I'll be buying that BMW 2002 mentioned earlier. First, the seller is not interested in a trade, so I'd have to unload my Explorer separately. Second, the car is a 1975 model. That was apparently the year (the dreaded) emissions controls arrived. The result; '75 is the "least desirable" year. The price wasn't fantastic to begin with. So I think I'll hold out for a different one, or a lower price. The 1972 Tii would be idea; fuel injected, no big bumpers or pollution gear. Barring that, the '76 was offered in a 49 state (non-neutered) version w/ engine upgrades from the (then) upcoming 320i.

Actually about to have to do something in class, so this post is ending

now

Well, his electric car is a looking a bit vaporish. But at lease Elon's rockets have started working.

For those of you playing the home game; S&P off 32% for the year, NASDAQ off 34%. For the last 10 years, -4.5% for the S&P, -9% for NASDAQ.

Well, it appears that sky has not completely fallen. I was blogging earlier at (apparently) the bottom of the market for the day. We're only down 3.6% on the S&P and the NASDAQ took a 4.3% hit. Those of you on the short side, continue to rejoice.

In honor of the Clarkson/Sebring Bruhahah, here's a little note about one of the funniest part of last season. The final episode of the miniseason (11x6 I believe) included a great segment called "Top Gear v. Zee Germans". Zee Germans in question were the cast of a comparable German auto TV show. That German show, hosted by, among other Sabrina Schmidt ('ring Queen from the Ford Transit episode). If you haven't seen the Top Gear episode the German version won't be as funny.


World War II joke is whole spine that the Top Gear segment is hung off of. Did the Germans mention it, nope. Not once. As an Ole Miss fan, I can appreciate that losing just isn't that funny. Hat tip to Zack Dagneau.

I've been Craigslisting this evening, and I think I've found a car I'd actually plunk down American Dollars for. A 1975 BWM 2002 for $2800, running well, at least according to the seller. It's a classic car, fantastic styling which really defined a great period/style in auto design.

The seller says he needs an automatic for a 15 year old (and a head inspection for having bought that car for a 15 year old to begin with). I wonder if I could trade my Explorer to them (with sweetners, if necessary)? It is automatic, and has enough steel to "protect" junior, assuming that they don't roll it (leaf spring suspension anyone?) in the process.

Emily, if you read this tonight, want to make another stop in Jackson on the way home?

It's just a flesh wound...

Found on Craigslist

"For Sale 1988, 928S Porsche, black, 5 speed, Had a small engine fire. (leaky fuel hose) Car ran and drove great prior to. Will need new clutch cable, hoses, etc... Body in excellent condition, needs new interior. Car to be used for parts or restore. I have to many toys and projects to play with.
home 901-867-0942, cell 901-508-9328"

Isn't that like a small coke problem?

And in this week's cripplefight

I need 6 points out of Adrian Peterson tonight to win this week (currently behind 67-62) . Go Saints, but please let him get a touchdown or two.

Well, at least Oil is down.

At the moment the S&P 500 is down 6.5% and NASDAQ is down 6.7%.

Scary part, those are up from session lows. The really scary part, the S&P was at approximately the same level in 1998. Lost decade anyone?

Silver lining, RBOB Gas is down7.2% at the moment, closing in on $2 per gallon. Additional silver lining, you weren't recently in charge of a now bankrupt investment bank. Although I suppose some of my legions of lurking readers could be failed ibankers. I don't think that's all that likely, but this is the internet, so anything can happen.

It just keeps getting better

I very much enjoy Bond films. Since the latest film, Casino Royale was released the whole series has been reinvigorated from the bloated malaise that was the tail end of the Brosnan era.

So I'm extremely excited about the next film, Quantum of Solace, to be released this November. Yeah, it's got a somewhat silly name, but they've lost how many Astons making it? (Lake, Truck, quarry, although that last was on purpose. Here's a trailer so you can see why I'm so excited;



Which, here's a bit of free advice, don't read jalopnik in a seminar class. You're too close to the professor, they can see you trying hard to stifle laughter. Which doesn't make much sense when he's lecturing on segregation. But I digress. I'm about to digress a bit more, but it will all come together in the end.

I've been thinking I want a watch. I used to wear one all the time, never left home without it. Then my battery in a knockoff Fossil died, I never could figure out how to change it, and there you go, I've been cellphone dependent ever sense. I do have a sports watch, thanks to Emily, which I love. Unfortunately, I've poured so much sweat into it that it reeks in a truly biblical way. But when I have it on, it reminds me why I used to like having a watch on.

So I've been thinking about buying/asking for (birthday coming, 10/24) a new watch. Today, while not paying much attention to a long discussion of now bad constitutional law, I read this blog post. It seems Swatch is offering a collection of "Bond" watches, with a watch based on a villain from each film.

Clicking, I found this particular one. It's a handsome sporty looking watch, reasonably priced ($115, and NO Emily, I don't want you to go out and buy this tomorrow) and based on a villain from the upcoming film, which as I've mentioned, I'm really pumped about. The villain's name? Dominic Greene, I seriously hope he kicks ass, and am even more excited.

Yep, that's a witch doctor

And a VP nominee.