Atlas, Primordial Titan that Supported the Heavens

I'll tell you what... It appears to be my civil duty to stay home and avoid travel at all cost. Trust me, it is for everyone's own good.

Here is why:

January 2010: I went to Hawaii for the month. My travel coincided with one of the coldest, harshest winters in Minnesota in decades and the devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince Haiti.

Spring 2010: I traveled abroad to Scotland for four months. Hellloooo BP oil spill. Not to mention the February earthquake in Chile that killed almost 1,000 people and the Vikings loss to the Super Bowl Champs, the New Orleans Saints.

Summer vacation 2011: I visit my family in Colorado for less than a week and the Twins get swept by the White Sox for the first time in 4 years. Oh, and the United States has its credit downgraded by S&P.

I see a strong correlation. Don't you? Really the only event missing here is the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami that happened on March 11th. I can't recall where I was at this point, but I think that date coincided with my spring break. That spring break I was planning on traveling to Mexico.

WOW. Need I say more?

I have begun to take my role in world balance very seriously and plan to stay home more. Cross your fingers that this works... I don't think investors and the world markets can handle much more.

Just call me 'Atlas': supporter of the heavens

California and California 2.0: 51 States are a Possibility

That last post really took it out of me... whew... For more ridiculousness, read on.

You can split stocks and you can split the bill (for the record, the guy should always pick up the first tab), but can you split a state?

Some California officials would like to split California in to a more politically-manageable California and California 2.0. Unlike me, they came up with a more judicious name for the sister state: Southern California.

There are thirteen counties in California that are mostly conservative that want to break away from the rest of the yahoos. Apparently it is too hard for the politicians to govern California given its size. That's what she said.

Take it from 'the Terminator' two for the price of one doesn't work.

I'm going to follow this story closely because I find it both interesting and innovative. It actually makes me wonder if we can force the secession of the Bronx.

My Letter to the Taliban

There has been the recent release to the press about the discovery of documents that speak of attacking President Barack Obama and General David Petraeus. These documents, among others of great importance, were collected during the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound that resulted the death of that SOB Bin Laden.

Now, as I was reading on CNN.com, some of the documents discovered detail a plan to kill the President along with the General, who was the top US military commander in the region at the time the documents were written.

I just want to give a shout out to the Taliban: The US has enough issues on its plate right now with the debt ceiling, a foreseeable 'double-dip' in the recession as well as the very important US-Japan World Cup soccer championship on Sunday -- We really just have our hands full at the moment, so if you could just hold off or (better yet) drop your plan all together, we would appreciate it. Really, it won't work anyway. You are dealing with the best country in the world in case you haven't noticed by the death of your head honcho.

And no, we won't stop our drone attacks.

Peace out and thanks.

These are my own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of my employer: Ticket King!

United States and the Debt Ceiling

If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling by the August 2nd, it is estimated the the Treasury Department of the United States won't be able to pay at least 40% of its bills.

Ben Bernanke, the head economist of the Federal Reserve, said that if Congress blows it on debt ceiling talks and fails to raise the ceiling, the economic fallout would be catastrophic. He said it before and he has said it again.

Now, I'm young. I don't know if I'm a democrat or a republican. I think of myself as fiscally conservative, but find the 'no-tax' policy of Republicans to be ineffectual. However, I am old enough and educated enough to know that no matter what party you are from, it is imperative that Congress vote to increase the debt ceiling before August 2nd. The United States Treasury security is seen as the most liquid and the safest in the world. When investors compare the interest rates of bonds, they compare to the 'risk-free rate'. That risk free rate is the rate of US Treasury Bonds. That means the failure to raise the debt ceiling would raise interest rates and send shockwaves through the entire world economy.

There have been arguments by the Right saying that if the Government uses whatever incoming cash flows they receive after the Aug 2nd deadline to pay off the interest (totalling in at around $1 bil/day) then the US would keep their pristine credit rating. Not true. Bernanke has said that defaulting on the obligations to even just citizens could potentially cause a rating-downgrade... afterall, try paying only 60% of your bills. The US has never in its history been downgraded.

Like I said... I'm just a young student. Like Bernanke said... raise the debt ceiling. I think in this situation we are both right.

FIFA Women's World Cup

I've been really in to the FIFA Women's World Cup lately, thanks to Mara. Its addicting. Everything from the commercial where the U.S. cites pressure as their driving force to the drama-filled history of the No. 1 goal keeper in the world, Hope Solo. Its addicting.

The US-Brazil game on Sunday was beyond any expectations I ever had for soccer. Now I don't know much, but what I do know is the US came back to defeat the Brazilians 5-3 on penalty kicks after finishing extra time 2-2. The Americans had been reduced to 10 players (soccer plays 11 on the field) in the 66th minute of the 123 minute performance. The elimination of Rachel Buehler came off a controversial red card. When Marta, 5-time Women's Player, scored her second goal in the second minute of extra time, it seemed like the US might just have to fold up shop earlier than they ever have in FIFA Women's World Cup History.

Then cam Abby Wambach. She is one confident and resolute chic. Abby Wambach thumped a header in to the goal in the 122nd minute, bringing the US equal with Brazil and surging the two teams into the penalty shootout. This is where Mara and I both leaped out of our seats screaming. It was very cool.

It was Marta and the Brazilians against Solo and the Americans. Marta, who came second in the penalty kicks scored the second of the PKs by Brazil, making it even 2-2 in PKs for both squads. Solo then delivered an awesome one-handed save from Daiane in the third round, with Ali Krieger slotting the game winner.

The winning shots by the US were made even more impressive given the number of terrible breaks the Americans endured. The US team was leading 1-0 midway through the second half and playing an intense defensive game. In the 66th minute, courtesy of referee Jacqui MelkSHAM (like that emphasis?), the US dominance changed. Buehler was judged to have fouled Marta, who was put forth a particularly strong acting pedigree throughout the match, in the penalty box. The contact looked to be shoulder-to-shoulder, which is acceptable.

Even worse to follow was when Solo saved Cristiane's ensuing penalty kick only for MelkSHAM to indicate the kick should be retaken. TV replays showed that yes, there was an American player who ventured into the box before the kick was taken, but that it was hardly enough to issue a re-kick. Additionally, Solo didn't stray off her line before the incredible block.

The US went on the win 5-3 on PKs. Had the game ended 2 minutes earlier, the US would have suffered its earliest loss ever in the World Cup. Now the tournament, with powerhouses Brazil and Germany absent, is there for the taking. I'm liking our chances.

That is a lot of soccer lingo, I get it... I had to look up most of it just to understand it. But maybe that's the point of this post. I've never been a huge soccer fan. I've even thrown the term 'soccer fairy' around a time or two back in the day. I was soo wrong. Those girls could throw a heavy beat down and deserve the recognition they're missing. Take the time to look them up. US soccer is in my sights; I'm a fan of US soccer.

The next game is Wednesday at 11:30 am CST. Watch it.