Conservation

Feb 22

Posted by ray in life

I read a really neat article today on a conservation website that reminded me about how much the little animals and insects matter in the grand scheme of global ecology.

Most of these seemingly insignificant insects actually play a vital role in  helping to recycle dead plants and animals back into the earth.  They help break down these organisms into their most pbasic particles and return them back into use in some other form.

It is truly fascinating to seem the complexity and the simplicity behind it all at the same time.

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Market Wants To Sell Off In The Near Future

Jan 7

Posted by ray in Money Stuff

As someone who watches the stock market regularly, I am starting to think that we are going to experience a pretty decent correction in the near future, maybe even in the next week.  I watch CNBC a lot mostly because the women on there have the ultimate combination of brains and beauty.  I am a sucker for women with both qualities.

It seems that every guest that gets interviewed on that station is bullish right now.  Everyone is back in the mode that the market can only go higher.  The problem with this is that if everyone is bullish, there are no sellers left to offer them stock.  The market can’t move substantially higher unless there are sellers to provide liquidity to the buyers.  I think we have been seeing this over the last month or so.

As a result, the market will drift higher ever so slowly until some piece of news catalyst causes a major correction to the downside.  I have a hunch that this very scenario is about to unfold in the near term.

As much as I want the market to resume its reliable upward trend, I fear that the opposite is about to happen.  Depending on how bad of a correction comes, it could be enough to significantly dampen consumer confidence.  That is really bad for the economy and makes people go back into saving mode. 

If people expect to get anywhere near the returns they had last year then I think they are mistaken.  This market and this economy are still severely wounded from the real estate bubble bursting.  It will take a lot longer than this to get back to where we were before it all came crashing down.

Back on the subject of hot women and CNBC.  I really miss Alexis Glick form when she used to be on the station.  She has got to be one of the most beautiful and most articulate smart economist women I have ever seen.  I know she had moved to Fox Business, but I hate to admit that I never watch it.  I read recently that she has left there.  I wonder where she will resurface.  I hope it is back on CNBC so I can see more of her.  I guarantee that Alexis will be a smashing hit no matter where she goes.  Charisma like that is a magnet for success.  It is impossible not to like her.

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I am finding this blogging thing to be a nice way to vent

Dec 6

Posted by ray in life

Once in a while I just feel like saying something and having someone listen.  The fact that I am a loser without many friends makes me fall back on the internet for sharing random thoughts.  Blogs like this one are a perfect way to do that.

I guess I am a little savvier than the typical guy.  That is why I decided to do the blog thing.  I read some other ones that I liked and decided maybe it was for me.  Low and behold RayJohn was born.

I doubt I will ever get any readers because of how unfocussed and wandering my thoughts are, but at least it will give me a chance to say what I have to say.  What other possible use could you have for one of these things?

So I have decided to stick to the every few weeks blog posting just to keep the blog alive.  Maybe some day I will have something important to share with the world.  Then I can be like those blogger guys that get invited to the talk shows on television.  I could dress up like a geek and pretend that I am cool.  Besides, chicks dig geeks right noe don’t they?  That is what everyone says.

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Not Spending As Much On Christmas This Year

Nov 7

Posted by ray in life

I talked it over with my family.  We have collectively decided not to spend as much money this Christmas on presents and gifts.   The decision came after we had a really long talk about how worried everyone still is about the economy.  Nobody knows how long it things are going to stay like they are right now.

Any one of us could lose our jobs at any time.  My one brother is really worried.  He says that the company managers have been holding a lot of unusual meetings lately.  The talk is that they are going to have to shut down.  The company needs operating capitol that they aren’t able to get.  Apparently the ban that they normally have a credit line with, terminated that credit line.

Now the place needs to borrow a few hundred thousand dollars to keep things afloat while they restructure some operations.  Who would have thought that it would come to all of this? 

A couple years ago we were all thinking things were rosy.  We were making plans for a bright future.  It seemed that aside from terrorism, things in the world were starting to become really stable.  Then in the blink of an eye it all changed.

The funny thing is that I have this one friend who was saying that this whole housing thing was a bubble.  He claimed that America was living on borrowed money and that one day it would all end in a massive crash.  I thought he was an alarmist idiot.  Guess I was the real idiot.

So, after much consideration we have decided to minimize our Christmas gifts this year and instead save that money for the inevitable rainy days ahead.  By the looks of it, we are going to be in this mess for a very long time.  Hopefully by next year we can go back to spoiling each other rotten.  Who knows though?  Next year things might be even worse than they are right now.

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2009 Superbowl Prediction

Oct 10

Posted by ray in sports

The 2009-2010 NFL season is underway.  I am ready to make my bold prediction for who is going to win the Superbowl this year.

I think that it is going to be the Greenbay Packers.  This Rogers guy is unbelievably good in my opinion.  Plus they just look like a team that is beginning to put it all together.  I bet by the end of the season they will have put the components in place to make a run at it.

It would be sad to see somebody besides Brett Favre leading this team to another Superbowl though.  IT is only sad though because Favre is still in the league.  Had he actually retired, you would have to welcome the success.  Because I am a Favre fan though, it is going to hurt.

I would rather have seen the Packers hold on to Favre for as long as he still wants to play.  It appears that he isn’t worn out just yet.  He still wants to play and is playing at a pretty high level.  This Minnesota team could be for real.  I just think that they will begin to fall apart later in the season.

Hopefully we get better playoffs this year than last.  I am looking forward to it.

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Not Looking Forward To Winter This Year

Sep 17

Posted by ray in life

To be honest I actually like the snow.  At least I do some of the time.  Like everyone else though I spend plenty of time whining about it too.   Every year when it hits fall I start to think about things like this.

I really need a snow blower.  I have needed one for a long time.  I am sick of having to shovel by hand.  One of these days I might actually break down and buy one.  It won’t be this year though.  Right now I am just too worried about having enough money if things get really tough.

A lot of my friends are still spending money like it is going out of style.  I can’t do that though.  I am too frugal I guess.  Something tells me that we are not out of the woods just yet and that there are plenty of other people who will lose their jobs before this whole economic mess thing is over.

I guess that is why I am dreading the winter this year.  I really wanted a snow blower so that I could clean out the driveway a lot faster and easier than normal.   Maybe I’ll get lucky and  Santa Clause will bring me one.  Yeah right.  I am screwed.  I think you need a functional chimney for Santa to show up.  He would get stuck in the one on our house.  That pipe is way too small for him and it only leads down to a hot water tank.

Watch out Santa.

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Aug 11

Posted by ray in life

General Motors Co. said its new Chevrolet Volt electric car is expected to get 230 miles per gallon in city driving.

Now that is what I call fuel efficiency.  Where have these guys been for the last few years while Toyota was mopping up with the Prius.  With all the great engineers in America it is baffling that one of the big three couldn’t have done this years ago.

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Sarah Palin Steps Down

Jul 27

Posted by ray in life

palinGov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska’s chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010.

I was as surprised as everyone else to hear about this.  You have to wonder why in the world someone so popular would choose to do this right now.  You can’t help but think that maybe she intends to begin raising money to run for president on 2012.

Time will tell whether or not this move was a smart one.  I have a feeling that even though she is not going to be governor of Alasksa anymore, we will still be hearing plenty from her in the years to come.

 

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