Archive for February, 2008

Now This Is Happening — Lindsay Lohan Photos Trump $100 Oil

$100 Oil! C’mon…say it with me! “$100 OIL!!!” The crude (not refined) stuff ended above $100 per barrel yesterday for the first time ever. $100.10 to be exact. It’s up about 4% so far this year. Looks like Trump put that call into OPEC! “Get those prices down…and I mean now!” (6:01). Stockpile speculation on crude oil for March delivery dropped to $99.11 per barrel in after-hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and traded at $99.30 at 1:50 p.m. in Singapore.

Not Jake Shimabukuro

Eat your heart out, Don Ho (R.I.P.). Jake Shimabukuro is better than you at the ukulele. Be sure to check out his recent performance on Conan O’Brien. It’s like Monte Montgomery at chipmunk speed. Pretty cool!

Lindsay Lohan’s mom, Dina, is ok with “LL”s nude photo shoot. The photos in New York Magazine are photographer Bert Stein’s recreation of his legendary 1962 nude shoot with Marilyn Monroe titled “The Last Sitting”. What a relief! I was waiting for Mrs. Lohan’s blessing before I checked those out. And by “those”, I mean her photos. If you’re at work, you might want to wait until you get home to see “those”.

Shaquille O’Neal will return to the hardwood tonight against his old crew, the Lakers. Shaq wasted no time talking Shmaq…calling out everyone from Kobe (of course) to Phil Jackson to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Shaq questioned Kareem’s lack of conversation and attention with regard to his place in the Lakers organization. Hey, Shaq. Hakim (see Game of Death) owns Kazaam.

Popularity: 21% [?]

A Good Read — Predictably Irrational

I’m not gonna lie…I’m not a huge reader. As Mike Birbiglia would point out, I’m more “magazine smart” than book smart. But every now and then, I enjoy perusing the pages of a book usually on the recommendation of a select group of friends…all of whom I consider to be more intelligent than yours truly. Predictably Irrational is one of those books.

I had the opportunity to sample Predictably Irrational before its release date, which is today I might add. The book, which was written by Dr. Dan Ariely provides a refreshingly entertaining look at how we are fooled by irrational behavior, and how we can make better choices about our day-to-day decisions with simple strategies. Despite his big-ass experience (i.e. “Russell & Tate“), his approach certainly isn’t academic, but rather easy to interpret.

Chapter Three entitled “The Cost of Zero Cost” examines the way “free” items are “incredibly appealing” even though what we really want costs very little to begin with. For instance, standing in line for a couple of hours for a free meal at a new restaurant (I’m ashamed to admit that I did this when Chipotle opened its first franchise in San Antonio a few years ago), or falling victim to the buy two get one free gimmick when all you need is one. I remember while in college the credit card companies used to exploit our penchant for free t-shirts to lure students into applying for credit. These are only a few of the everyday experiences Dan Ariely discusses in the book.

I highly recommend this read. Of course, I got it for free. But that shouldn’t matter as you will find out in Predictably Irrational.

About Dan Ariely
Dr. Dan Ariely is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Behavorial Economics at MIT, where he holds a joint appointment between MIT’s Program in Media Arts and Sciences and the Sloan School of Management. He is also a researcher at the Boston Federal Reserve Bank and a visiting professor at Duke University. Dr. Ariely wrote Predictably Irrational while he was a fellow at the Institute for Advance Study at Princeton.

Popularity: 20% [?]

Bummed About The Foreclosure Crisis?

Numerous buying opportunities have developed in the wake of the recent foreclosure crisis. Websites such as ForclosureRadar.com provide up-to-date information on every foreclosure opportunity available in California, including exclusive daily updates on every auction. However, the real beneficiaries of the increased foreclosure supply are the homeless.

Think about it. A newly foreclosed home may still have running water, electricity, and other working utilities. Finally! A way for the homeless to keep up with the Joneses…a shopping cart in every driveway. The foreclosure supply obviously varies from town to town. I know San Antonio isn’t nearly as bountiful as it is in Cleveland where this phenomena is taking place. There are an estimated 15,000 single-family homes vacant due to foreclosure in Cleveland and suburban Cuyahoga County.

“Many homeless people see the foreclosure crisis as an opportunity to find low-cost housing (FREE!) with some privacy,” Brian Davis, director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, said in the summary of the latest census of homeless sleeping outside in downtown Cleveland.

Unfortunately “privacy” may potentially translate into “crime”…drugs and prostitutes. Sorry, Hugh Grant. You’re about 12 years too late to take advantage of one of these safehouses. Present celebs take note! Cleveland is the place to be!

Courtesy AP via Yahoo! Finance.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Valentine’s Day Hottie — Jesse Preston

You sure are purdy!

Don’t get excited guys. She’s taken. Her fiance wears a gold chain if that tells you anything. But enough about my jealousy.

Jesse Preston (pictured center in front of creepy old man) is a 20-year-old cybermodel making waves online including MySpace. The Hooters waitress and calendar girl has appeared in a number of publications during her short modeling career including four Playboy Special Editions (I wonder if she knows Kyla Ebbert). She most recently appeared in Strobe Magazine…yeah, I’ve never heard of it either…which she touts as a “classy and sexy” rag. After perusing its online pages, I’d have to agree.

I was born in Brooklyn NY and came to FL when I was very young, and I’m glad I did because being here has given me so many opportunities I might not have had anywhere else.

Courtesy StrobeMagazine.com

When you get a chance, stop by Jesse’s MySpace at www.myspace.com/dreamscumtru. Hmm…nice address. Classy and sexy. Kidding, Jesse. You’re beautiful (in a New York accent). Hey, Jesse. I’ve got a few extra RETOX BAR shirts. I’d love for you to have one, and maybe wear it in a photo. Lemme know.

[Hat Tip: HottestGirlsOfMySpace]

Popularity: 55% [?]

Warren To Da Wescue!

Does it look like I’m bluffing, bitch?

While catching my recommended daily allowance of CNBC this morning, Becky Quick (aka. “Summer Teeth”) spoke with Warren Buffett about his offer to rescue bond insurers by providing re-insurance on up to $800 billion in municipal bonds. Via Berkshire Hathaway, the offer was extended to New York Superintendent of Insurance, Eric Dinallo, for his blessing. Subsequently, the offer was made last week to Ambac Financial (NYSE:ABK), MBIA (NYSE:MBI) and Financial Guaranty Insurance Co (FGIC). The plan would ensure that the bond insurer would be backed by Berkshire Hathaway in the event that the municipality and insurer both fail.

Buffett addressed the pricing disparity of these “14% bonds” versus Triple A-rated Treasuries below 4%, and added that the muni bond market appears as if it has “lost their Triple A…they’re trading as if they’re uninsured now.” The Buffett Bailout would certainly free up some capital for these bond insurers to deal with their CDO woes.

Apparently one of these firms has already rejected the plan. So, they’re probably gonna tank. Hey, Warren…I hear Latrell Sprewell is broke. Hook a brotha up!

Popularity: 19% [?]

Latrell Sprewell Is Broke

Does Citizens Bank have to choke a bitch? Apparently so. According to an AP article on USAToday.com, Sprewell has fallen on hard times.

In Milwaukee County Circuit Court, RBS Citizens NA, or Citizens Bank, filed a foreclosure suit last week for the $405,000 home Sprewell bought in River Hills in 1994.

In court documents, the bank alleges Sprewell owes $295,138 in outstanding payments plus interest after failing to make mortgage payments of $2,593 a month from September 2007 to January 2008.

I bet that $21 million extension looks pretty good about now. In addition to the foreclosure suit, Sprewell sold his yacht at auction to help pay off the $1.3 million he owes on his oversized dingy. Next up….liquidation of every set of “Sprewells” he has in the garage. Too bad they’re so 2000.

Maybe the Suns could hook him up. I hear they’re signing old has beens. To read the rest of the article on USAToday.com, click here. In the meantime, maybe you can catch Spree at the local IHOP for free pancakes.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Ford Will Drop 9,000…Then Add 26,000

Ford (NYSE: F) may eliminate another 9,000 U.S. factory jobs via buyouts and early-retirement offers. The company’s initial goal was to cut 8,000 jobs, but according to an article on Bloomberg.com, Ford won’t limit the number who leave if more than the target range of 8,000 to 9,000 opt for the offers. If Ford reaches its goal of eliminating 8,000 jobs, it will have cut 44% of its North American hourly jobs in three years.

Courtesy Autoblog.com

The good news? Ford will turn around and add 26,000 libs to its lineup. What happened to the whole “green” thing? The Alton Manufacturing F-650 XUV features a Caterpillar 7.2L C7 ACERT engine, hardwood floors, a few big screens, and triple train horns. And just to be sure you can make it around the block at least 3 times, it includes a 45-gallon fuel tank…all for about $200k. Somebody call Shaq! For those of you that don’t have $200k in dispoable income, do what my friend, Eddie, did. Buy a diesel Excursion, lift it, throw some 22s on that b!+c#, add some drop screens, and your own train horn (which is alot of fun, BTW)…and voila!

Popularity: 16% [?]

BlogRoll

• Milk Was A Bad Choice
• CrackBerry.com
• Stock Trading 101
• For The Love Of Sports
• Project Spurs
• Busted Coverage
• WallStreetFighter

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