Still battling the cold so a couple of shorter entries this weekend.
Tough Time to Come Calling for Money - Even the Sports Columnists know we're in a recession. While discussing the 49er's latest quest to get a publicly funded stadium:
Fact is, we know this is a lousy time to ask for money. Cold callers know it, teachers know it, investment bankers know it, potential home buyers know it, collection-plate jockeys know it. In fact, the only thing worse than asking for it is getting it and then using it for something essentially frivolous like a new place to miss the playoffs.
Craigslist's Sexiest Trashman - Best of Craiglist always makes me laugh.
Bush Pushes for More Exploration - It's a good thing he's exhausted every ounce of his credibility before he got to this issue. Here's hoping they don't open up our coasts or Alaska for more drilling. It's not the answer. Substitution technologies are.
Brokers Threatened By Run on Shadow Banking System - the market has started a "slow leak" phase where banks try to push off more write downs and reclassify assets (loans) on their balance sheet to make them look like they are performing. At the same time, the regulators are making noises like the quotes in this article. Should be an interesting rest of the year as regulators start digging into banks and possibly even hedge funds at the exact worst time for these lending entities.