Monday Night Quick Hits: Cool Motorcycle Photo’s Edition

Boy, that didn’t take long, did it? Bus stop gropings start in Tampa Bay, Florida.

The Germans restore fear (in the markets):

In the US, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac created an aura of a riskless housing market. Here in the UK, Gordon Brown said he’d eliminated boom and bust. Major banks around the world were understood, correctly as it turned out, to be too big too fail. Central bank lending rates were lower than justified by any rational measure of risk.

So the money poured into the apparently riskless banks who, in turn, could afford to make riskier loans at inappropriate interest rates. To be sure, the banks shamelessly exploited this opportunity with ever more complex, ill-judged and even shady packaging and re-packaging of debt but their actions were completely rational in an environment that was seemingly bereft of any direct risk.

What the German move does is restore fear to the traditional investment equation of fear and greed, the only two emotions in financial markets. While others natter on about schemes to control greedy bankers, the fastest way to whip them into line is by scaring the hell out of them – with their own money.

FCBZ: ‘Tis the Season for Bashing Christianity

Daley Gator: the Anti-Christmas a**holes are out already!

A great business model: Netflix Stock Hits $200 as Value Tops $10.4 Billion

Two Things Made Flying Safer – The Rest is Security Theater

Your tax dollars at work:

While shopping this past weekend I made sure I shopped green. I purchased lights to decorate my home inside and out. I was on an alert for the Energy Star Label for more reasons than one. Not only were the lights prettier it was safer for the environment. I explained to my girlfriends why I had to have Energy Star products. My girlfriend said it does not matter. Well as she shopped for a TV she asked a few questions and the first thing the salesman said was, “This is an Energy Star television” I laughed and said to her, “I told you so”.

During my shopping experience I was really pleased to find that people are really going green for the holidays.

We are paying for this drivel…

Each North Korean Leader Gets Nuttier than the Last

Hindenblog: The Collective’s Goal Is Submissive Subjects