09/30/08 02:37 - 62ºF - ID#45860

Gotta Keep posting

Which means another "yinz love da Stillers." Enjoy:

Permalink: Gotta_Keep_posting.html
Words: 17
Location: Buffalo, NY

09/28/08 06:10 - 65ºF - ID#45827

October 17-18

My friend Dan will present his one man show, "It is no desert" at Niagara University. It is a great show. Here is a review from another time it was performed:

Also, in searching I learned that I have a friend with a wikipedia page! I wonder if any of my other friends do? (I don't think so):

Sadly, I cannot attend the show, but I promise it is worth it. For tickets:

Permalink: October_17_18.html
Words: 95
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: cars

09/27/08 11:51 - 65ºF - ID#45814

Scion--a good idea gone bad.

Test drove a Scion today, as part of their promotion on Elmwood.

I'm always happy to drive a different car, and the fact that I got a free coffee card made the deal even sweeter.

When Scion was announced a few years ago, I was thrilled. Why? Because I knew that Toyota made the best cars, but I also knew that they had become expensive and were made more and more for an "older" demographic. Scions were supposed to be cheaper and cooler.

And they started out that way, with small, affordable, efficient cars.

And then they got bigger.

And more expensive.

And less efficient.

And then they decided that the most important thing was being cool.

So there were all kinds of custom paint jobs, and fancy options, and lots of fluff added to what started out as a cool affordable car, from a company that really didn't need the gimmicks at all.

Here's a tip, Toyota. If you want to sell a lot of cars, the options aren't that important. The "accessories" (hats, t-shirts, key-chains, etc.) are even less important.

In fact, you don't even have to work that hard on design. Japanese cars of old are just what we need today. Here's a car you made in the 80s that I would buy in a second if it was still made today. It got great gas milage, was cheap, lasted at least 100k miles, and was still fun to drive. Please see the Toyota Tercel:

Some other cars that would completely sell if anybody bothered to make them anymore:

The car that I knew as metro:

(over 40 mpg on old technology)

Even cooler was the CR-X:

Put a new clean diesel in one of these things, and they would sell even faster!

Stop making cars bigger and more powerful. Stop making them more expensive. Stop trying to be cool. Just make a good, small, car. PLEASE.

Don't believe me? Check out this story:

Permalink: Scion_a_good_idea_gone_bad_.html
Words: 357
Location: Buffalo, NY

09/27/08 01:08 - 68ºF - ID#45805

Free SPoT

If you drive a Scion. Today on Elmwood Ave.

It's a $15 gift card.

My review on Scion will come tonight.

Permalink: Free_SPoT.html
Words: 20
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: 10 things

09/26/08 07:46 - 49ºF - ID#45797

Ten things I like about bank failures

This one might be a challenge. Lets see if I can do it.

1. The "I told you so" factor: I knew adjustable rate mortgages and interest only mortgages were stupid.

2. Bad news for the country can be good news for Buffalo. Economically, we can't get much worse, and when people lose homes elsewhere, they can still afford them here.

3. Some appropriate reforms just might get in place.

4. Greedy people get exposed for who they are (Read 2 Timothy 3).

5. Money market funds might get insured.

6. Drama gets added to the debate.

7. MY bank hasn't failed yet.

8. This is another good reason to establish an alternative economy.

9. Also another good reason to own your own stuff and grow your own food--stuff like that.

10. When we are all poor, my used car and thrift store clothes won't be as unusual.

drew writes at 04:01:52 09/27/08 - Comment #39281: I was thinking about something more like that.

heidi writes at 03:54:45 09/27/08 - Comment #39280: Hmmmm... I thought you meant something like Ithaca Hours, an alternative currently scheme based on labor :::link::: but the Liberty Dollars concept is interesting, too.

metalpeter writes at 03:35:37 09/27/08 - Comment #39279: I didn't know they where illegal. I don't see why the should be. Granted they are not national but if they are really based on silver then why shouldn't they be legal. Well way back in our history there was a battle over if Money would be based on gold or silver, the winner of that battle was gold. But the funny thing is that America Dropped the Gold Standard. I think that is one of the reasons why our dollar isn't worth shit anymore. I do think that in this country their is a movement to go cash less. You get a check that goes to your bank or onto a card and then you pay with a card. If all places of work go to that system then the US won't have a dollar any more. I kinda don't think that will happen cause How would you pay for stripers, hookers, drugs and all that fun stuff. Back to the liberty money for a second. If places except Candain funds why not funds that are supported by someone other then the government.

paul writes at 01:35:04 09/27/08 - Comment #39276: I never heard of Liberty Dollars so I looked ore info up. Looks like they actually are illegal :::link::: Now I want some ;)

metalpeter writes at 06:30:17 09/26/08 - Comment #39274: Well believe it or not there is an alternative money source that not to many people know about and never took off. In fact it made the news when someone in Buffalo tried to use it and when the HSBC Arena wouldn't let them the guy lost it. It is called Liberty Money. It is kinda like a local Currancy someplace.

vincent writes at 09:18:00 09/26/08 - Comment #39269: Well said.

Permalink: Ten_things_I_like_about_bank_failures.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: football

09/18/08 02:30 - 65ºF - ID#45725

Yinz Love Da Stillers

One more great thing from the City of Champions.

Permalink: Yinz_Love_Da_Stillers.html
Words: 16
Location: Buffalo, NY

09/17/08 01:43 - 67ºF - ID#45708

Drew's famous part II

BRO gave us some press for the fundraiser:

PS: Tickets are still available. (E:strip) can prove its superiority to Buffalo Rising by showing up en masse!

(Comment and I will get you tickets)

Permalink: Drew_s_famous_part_II.html
Words: 46
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: finance

09/16/08 02:44 - 63ºF - ID#45698

A response to Vincent and the market

This started out as a comment on (e:Vincent)'s post, but it got long so now it is a post of its own. (My comment grew up!)

Everytime I read (e:Vinvent)'s analysis, it makes sense to me, but I never follow its' advice.

Short selling seems too advanced for a guy who isn't really an "investor." Instead, I have picked a few mutual funds with the long term goal of not cashing in until I retire. (They are socially responsible funds, for the record)

Even though I haven't done anything gutsy like (e:Vincent) reccomends, I have been thinking about swapping my funds for an ETF (to cut my already low expenses, and because they have shown to get better returns.) Still, owning an ETF means owning companies that hurt people, and I don't want to be in that business too much (I say "too much," because as long as I pay taxes, some of my money will go to something evil).

Also, selling short seems like betting against your own team. I don't want to root for the economy to tank so I can make a buck.

Finally, conventional wisdom (which hasn't really helped thus far) says that when things look REALLY bad, then that is the time to buy, because everyone else sees that and prices are super low as a result. I guess I still believe the conventional wisdom, despite experience.

Sometimes, I think the best bet would be to buy a farm and some guns. That way, when it all goes down the tubes, I can grow my own food on my own land and shoot at anybody that tries to take it from me.

But I don't really like farming or shooting people.

I've thought about money more than I want to for one day. It's time to think about something important.