An F-ing Valuable Thing

I continue to be so proud of the leadership from my home state.

Way to go, Rod. I think they managed to catch you dropping the F bomb only 40 times on record.

-10-key princess

Slacker Blogger

So, I've been a slacker blogger (but so have the others). I do have excuses for being such an irresponsible blogger, though.

In the last month, here's what's been going on.

• We have a new President-Elect. A guy I didn't vote for. (Clearly.) I'm less than enthused.
  
• I've gotten into two car accidents. None bad enough to total the car so I can get a new one. So I've had to drive around a loaner, which is just a clever marketing plot by the dealership, I've discovered, since now I desperately *NEED* the newer, nicer, sportier, shinier car with more options.
  
• I had a mini freakout since the market fell more severely than it did in the 1920's. A mini freakout which resulted from getting in on companies that I had assumed hit record lows. But it wasn't the low. So now I'm out - a lot of g's. And I haven't even looked at my 401K. I refuse.
  
• I've been traveling a little bit. Nowhere exotic, but places like Visalia, California. Can anyone say cows?
  
• I've been toying with the idea of going to Africa next May. I've invited all of my close girlfriends to come along, and I have a firm commitment from 2. We need a group of 8 to make the trip worthwhile and get the biggest ROI. Any takers?
• I went to go see Twilight and laughed through the whole thing.
• I've (nerdily) put some time aside to make maps and strategic shopping spreadsheets for Black Friday. Yes, the annual tradition for the 10-kp sisterhood is back in full force for 2008.
  

The good news is, I get to be with family and old friends for Thanksgiving. So I have much to be grateful for. Gobble-gobble. In the meantime, enjoy this blast from the past.



-10-key princess

Classy Gifts

Now that the holidays are just around the corner, I've decided to make a list of great gift ideas that say "class" about a million times more than the standard gift card. And while keeping in mind the present recessionary state of our economy, I've done my best to look for gifts that fit any budget.

For the Gal Pal
Cameo Stationery Set from Kate's Paperie.

This gift, in addition to being classy, is only $30. Blank notes means more flexibility. And you can even monogram or emboss these note cards. Kate's Paperie was one of my most frequented shops while living in New York. But no worries - they ship as well.
Cost: $30 for a set of $25

For the Wannabe Rachael Ray
Culinary Classes in various locations from XperienceDays.com

In addition to being a great resource for that hard-to-please gift recipient, this website offers a variety of "experience" gift options, including culinary classes wherever you are. They're a bit on the pricey side, but if you can find a location that's not quite as touristy (avoid areas like Napa, Sonoma, or New York), you'll have leftover cash for the BART ride home.
Cost: $21 per hour per person ($150 for a 3 1/2 hour session for two)

For the Kids
Local Children's Museum Pass
I have several nieces and nephews, and the quest to find a gift that
a) they don't already have
b) doesn't make annoying sounds that can't be turned off
c) won't get their parents upset with me
d) isn't clutter
is always a challenge. But a year-long membership to a museum is the gift that keeps on giving. (And it forces my nieces and nephews to spend quality time with me whenever I'm around.)
Cost: depends on location, but the average is anywhere from $50-80 per year per family.

For the Demanding Man
Cufflinks in any shape, size, or form at Cufflinks.com
A man in cufflinks automatically oozes class. But men in suits can be boring. Why not help them show their personality with Republican cufflinks or a rhinestone-studded pair for the rocker?
Cost: varies, but there's a link for those starting at under $50 per pair.

For the Entertainer
Table Topics Cubes - in categories like Family Gathering, Right or Wrong, Teen, Couples, Girls Night Out, and Election 2008.
Never again will you be stuck in an uncomfortable situation. I went to a party once where I knew, like, barely one other person. But then the host busted out the Table Topics, and within minutes I 15 new best friends. I've used these in uncomfortable, stuffy executive meetings to break the ice, too.
Cost: $9 for the "to go" topics; $25 for the standard cube set.

Happy shopping!
-10-key princess

". . . We Were Wrong."

"Frankly, I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit that when it comes to Fannie and Freddie we were wrong."
-Representative Arthur Davis, D-AL 9/30/2008

Watch the whole thing. It's only 10 minutes long.



-10-key princess

Obama's Policies "Naive" per Murdoch

I was scouring Drudge report yesterday and found this article stating exactly what I was hoping somebody would say publicly.

Obama's Economic Policies are Naive

It seems like whenever I say anything remotely negative about Obama to anybody remotely liberal, they automatically retort, "Eight more years of the same! WE NEED CHANGE!" (Brainwashing, anyone?) So it's nice to see someone in the media *finally* take the McCain/Palin side.

Oh, and by the way, in the last eight years, I've graduated college (paid for, partially, by federal grants), worked a professional job making $70k a year (decent by Midwest standards), got a 4-9% raise every year for the next four years, got my MBA, and started a consulting business with small business tax shelters. My friends and family have been safe and protected within the borders of our country. So yes, thank you, Bush Administration, for the last eight years.

I certainly hope we're not headed towards the Socialist Obama America so many people are unknowingly touting.

-10-key princess

Wall Street 2008

I have so much to say regarding the Wall Street Crisis of 2008, but I refuse to give my $0.02 until someone else posts something on this blog. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

-10-key princess

Britney, Paris on McCain Ad

I get what he's trying to convey.

Obama = celebrity.

The presidential race should not be about who's more popular or who can put on a better show. Hitler was popular. Mussolini was popular. Mao was popular.

Well done, team McCain.

-10-key princess

Extreme Foreclosure

More bad news for the economy: foreclosures are still on the upswing. Even free houses are going into foreclosure.

The Harper Family of Lake City, GA, had their bacteria-infested house razed and a mini castle built in its place by the good people at ABC - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Beazer Homes (who are amid their own little crisis right now, but that's for another post). Now, it seems they're on the verge of losing it all and going right back to their minivan because of their poor business acumen.

I can't decide whether I feel sorry for them or not. On one hand, theirs was truly a sob story. On the other, well, they're only adding to the "Stupid Americans" stereotype. Hmm... decisions, decisions.

-10-key princess

Breaking News

Despite the rumors, I will not be running for Vice President alongside Barack Obama during the upcoming presidential election. I'm just way too busy. I just wanted to let Mr. Obama know that he should look elsewhere.

Sorry. I figured I'd just follow Al Gore's lead. Last Friday, everyone's favorite environmentalist announced that he will not serve as Barack Obama's running mate. One thing, though - Obama never asked Gore to be his Vice President.


I say we start an online video movement where people film themselves turning down an unsolicited VP-request from Barack Obama. Like, "Barack - You're probably thinking of me to be your Vice President come November, but I'm just telling you now so you have enough notice that my family and I are supposed to be on vacation October 17 - October 30. And then there's Halloween and busy season at work. So I'm going to have to pass on the VP front. Thanks, though. Good luck."

How funny would that be? Hillaryous, if you ask me.

-JT

Starting a Business

I'm starting a new business.

I just met with some business counselors, and here's my "have to find" list for the week:
An attorney.
An accountant.
A graphic designer. check
A web programmer. check
A copywriter. check
A printer.
A dry ingredients supplier.
A perishable ingredients supplier.
A packaging supplier. check
A food permit.
A marketing intern.
A baker. check

Oh, and I have to register my business with every county I'm going to be doing business in. And then I have to submit that to the newspapers and let them run it for three weeks.

I could go on and on, but the list is so long, it's ridiculous.

Thanks for letting me vent.

-SM

Hillary really was under attack when she visited Bosnia

See? And everyone thought she was lying...

-JT

Blame It On the Rain

With gas prices on track to hitting $7/gallon within the next four years (gas prices are hovering around $120/barrel; estimates show $200/barrel by 2012), I thought I'd give a little (totally personal, and totally independent from my job) analysis of what's going on.

OPEC controls only half of the world's supply of oil. So if prices are skyrocketing over there, then theoretically, the world's non-cartel suppliers should step up to fill the void. But this isn't happening. Why? Who's to blame?

The average consumer will blame Big Oil immediately. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "Big Oil is getting tax breaks while they post record profits for 1Q 2008? I'm going to boycott them by not filling up for an entire day at ________ (enter most hated gas station here.)" The fact is, that's just stupid thinking.

Yes, Big Oil is rolling in the profits. Yes, they're getting more tax breaks (with the initial intent to actually promote exploration and alternative energy sources, which isn't immediately realized by the average American consumer.) However, profit margins for Big Oil are only slightly higher than the average for the S&P 500. These companies are pumping back their profits in the way of dividends, capital spending, employment, etc. They're worthy of getting a hit or two from us, but unfortunately, they aren't entirely to blame.

Speculators seem to be the highest source for media and consumer-driven panic right now. Did you know that the first day of trading 2008, some jackass on Wall Street decided - hey, I'm going to go down in the books as being the first person to close trading on a barrel of oil at $100+? That said, ultimately, the traders get burned faster than the consumers.

As I mentioned before, OPEC only controls 50% of the supply in the world. When oil prices go up, other countries with oil supply (England, Norway, Russia, Canada, etc.) open up to take advantage of these high prices. This, economically, should decrease price. But disruptions in supply in all of those countries (by as much as 65%) makes me think that maybe speculators have a reason to . . . well, panic.

Basic economics says that China and India might have something to do with skyrocketing prices. After all, as the middle class grows in these countries, they buy cars. Cars require fuel. Demand sharply increases, supply remains the same (or goes down), and market equilibrium shoots way, way up. That said, China and India's demand for oil is steady. It doesn't explain why, in 2004, we were paying $1.20 for a gallon of gas, and 4 years later we're paying $4.00. The increase in demand and price surge doesn't correlate.

The falling of the value of the dollar is a legitimate potential reason. Oil is priced in USD. Interest rates have been low in recent years, so of course the value of the dollar is low. When the value of the dollar is low, it takes more on our part to buy high-priced oil. We should be more concerned about the credit/mortgage crisis than the oil crisis, because once that's resolved, I anticipate some alleviation to the crunch our budgets are feeling right now.

So, my general conclusion: blame it on the rain. Yeah, yeah.

-10-key princess

The Earth is Round: Part 2

According to the genius writers at MSN (LiveScience.com), the orange incident is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak:

Your marriage is going to get worse, study says; Couples irritate each other more as they age

And among other obvious headlines today:
- Sometimes a good cry is the best medicine; An occasional dose of tears is often better than muting emotions
- Sad, self-absorbed shoppers spend more; Study: Even a temporary bout of the blues can lead to extravagant buys
- Why incest makes us so squeamish
- Happy? It may help keep you healthy; Those with upbeat moods have lower harmful 'stress' hormones, study says
- Bullying harms kids' mental health
- It's tough being a stepdad, study confirms
- Lonely people more likely to believe in God; Study: Those who feel isolated try to create social connections elsewhere

Wow. If these are the headlines in the news world these days, I think we're on our way to accomplishing every Miss Teen USA's dream: world peace.

-SM

Science Saturday III - fuels

Lots of oil and natural gas has been found in the deep oceans.

All natural gas burns cleanly, meaning that the only expected products from natural gas burning are naturally occurring molecules. Energy obtained from natural gas is "greener" than that from coal (which contains sulfur that burns into sulfur dioxide - a component of acid rain) and oil (which burns so rapidly that toxic carbon monoxide is usually formed as a biproduct). Nature has mechanisms to convert CO2 back to O2 with photosynthesis, so natural gas is a means to fuel the planet for many decades until more sustainable and renewable energy sources can be developed. The only problem that exists however, as the 10-key princess will inform you, is economics.

Natural gas (methane) is a gas, and gases are voluminous and expensive to transport. Oil and coal are not, and so they are much more economical to transport. However, it is possible to break one chemical bond in methane (this is called "C-H activation"), and put the remaining molecule onto a metal atom (this is called "functionalization"). Once functionalized, there are processes to replace the metal atom (M) with a hydroxide (OH) to form methanol (the alcohol that makes you blind if you drink it, but an easily transportable liquid!). This is trickier than it looks. Methane is relatively inert, and the energy required to break one C-H bond in methane almost the same amount of energy required to break all of the C-H bonds causing it to burn up. Furthermore, it seems that the fine-tuned experiments that do activation well (breaking only one C-H bond) have great difficulty with functionalization.



If anyone reading this happens to figure this problem out you'll probably win a Nobel Prize the year you do...

Spend-o-Meter

If Billary could enact all of (t)he(i)r campaign proposals, we'd be SOL.

Sorry if I'm asking the obvious, JT, but explain to me how this would hypothetically fly, exactly?

-10-key princess

Wake up, people!

Introducing the world's most effective wake-up call - the SnūzNLūz Wifi Donation Alarm Clock.

The way it works is simple. You connect the alarm clock directly into your bank account via the internet. Every time you hit the snooze button, money is withdrawn from your account and donated. To organizations you loathe. Suddenly, snoozing becomes a little more costly than just causing you to skip your daily exfoliation before heading to work. Oversleep 10 minutes? Forty bucks to Al Qaeda. Snooze till one? Cha ching - $300 to the GOP.

I should buy this for my best friend, who's a notorious oversleeper. And I could set it up to donate to the JT Livelihood Foundation. Hey, don't judge - I too have rent to pay.

-JT

Don't Buy Stuff You CANNOT Afford

Apparently, President Bush's economic stimulus package is near finalization.

Here's the bottom line:
-single, making less than $75,000 = money back
-married, making less than $150,000 = money back
If you fall outside of these guidelines, you should supposedly have enough tucked aside to stimulate the economy out of your own pocket.

While the amount per individual/family will undoubtedly depend on a variety of factors, do YOU think this will prevent the economy from falling into a recession? The sad truth is, probably. Generally speaking, those in lower tax brackets will spend it faster, thus having a greater positive impact on our slowing economy. Those in higher tax brackets will save the meager $300, or use it to pay down some existing debt - which, let's face it - does nothing to stimulate economic growth.

Even Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag agrees:
"For any given pot of money, the more you target the lower-income, credit-constrained households, the bigger the bang for your buck."

Why is this the case? A significant 43% of Americans spend more than they make each year. The average American household has over $9,000 in credit card debt. We buy houses we can't afford or take out second mortgages for things we don't need. We can't control our spending habits. It's the "I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go" mentality. Then what happens? Corporate America "trims the fat" to appease shareholders. The debt-laden American goes on unemployment - possibly filing for Chapter 7 or 11 - draining government resources to pay for things they couldn't afford to begin with, and certainly can't afford now.

In the meantime, that $9,000+ in credit card debt doesn't get paid down, but continues to accrue an average of 20% or more interest - while the typical American just adds more to the balance. Teaser mortgage rates expire and all of a sudden you're stuck with a mortgage payment that's double what you initially were paying. On a whim, you refinance - but only to find that your house is worth LESS than it was 3 or 5 years ago. Or worse yet, you go into foreclosure - but not without putting up a fight and blaming "predatory lenders."

Whatever happened to paying bills on time, only buying things you can afford, taking responsibility to understand your own finances, and living within your means? Even Chris Parnell gets it.

-SM

Why Doesn't This Girl Work at MY Gas Station?

Among other noteworthy news headlines today, the one that caught my eye was this one:

Woman busted for selling gas for a tenth of a cent

Never mind Heath Ledger's untimely passing, chaos on the Gaza-Egypt border, or the group teenager suicide in South Bridgend, Wales. THIS is the stuff a suburban mommy scans the news for: a cheap way to fill the SUV.

-SM