And they call it the Sunshine State...

Wow, according to these findings it's not because of the sunny dispositions of our residents. In fact, according to the study, we are downright sad.

Citi Mortgage Backed Securities settlement rejected by judge

In an interesting development, a judge has rejected Citi's proposed settlement with the SEC for $285 million dollars, saying he does not have enough facts to approve it. Many financial institutions have a history of settling with the SEC over alleged wrongdoing without admission or denial of liability. It is akin to paying a substantial sum of money to sweep the finding under the rug as if it never happened. Well, this judge is having none of that and as of now is sending the case to trial.

In its complaint against Citigroup, the SEC said the bank misled investors by selling assets in a $1 billion fund that they projected would lose money while at the same time the bank took a short position in some of those same underlying assets. According to the SEC, investors lost an amount to the tune of $700 million dollars. If this is the case then paying out $258 million seems like a bargain, which is probably one of the reasons the judge didn't go for it.

It's not the first time nor will it be the last that a large financial institution becomes embroiled in some sort of situation resulting from the whole sub-prime mortgage fiasco. This one just happened to run into a judge that doesn't want to let it go away so easily.

Sunday League

Yesterday in our random draw doubles league my partner and I shot 17 under par and won. It was a team effort with both of us contributing to the final score. There were 5 extra holes added, including an interesting and challenging hanging basket. We started the round by reeling off seven straight birdies before we carded our first par. In all we had 5 pars and 17 birdies. It is rare that such a round occurs with such a low score, including not a single bogey to mar the card. It was a beautiful day, a fun round and I am sure it will be a while before I am part of another such feat. I love disc golf!

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. This next manager wants to have his/her cake and eat it too. The problem is that according to him/her, there is never enough cake available.

MOTW: Socialist Manager

By his/her very title one wonders what this type of manager is doing working at any capitalist concern, but he/she is there, arranging gatherings where everyone is invited to comment on the inequalities and injustices of the company they work for. Most of the time Socialist Manager foments unrest and disquiet at these meetings by demanding that all staff be rewarded equally, regardless of their varying contributions to the bottom line. Typically staff members leave these meetings more frustrated than they arrived, not having previously known they were being treated unfairly to begin with. Suffice it to say that Socialist Manager’s contribution to employee morale is not the most beneficent.

Weekend Haiku

The end of spring-
the poet is brooding
about editors.

Buson (1716 - 1783)

Sister Ice

A recording of Archer Prewitt's Sister Ice from his album Three. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all U.S. based readers, happy turkey day to you and yours. Enjoy the day.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means.Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. Has your company ever hired a manager that made you wonder what they were thinking when they hired him/her? This next manager is an example of that.

MOTW: Fish out of Water Manager

This manager is so dramatically unlike the company profile and culture that one wonders how he/she was hired to begin with. Most of the things Fish Out of Water Manager says or does are painful to watch and his/her tenure is marked by an awkward waiting game where the staff usually has a pool going on about how long he/she will last.

Weekend Haiku

Harvest moon-
called at his house,
he was digging potatoes.

Buson (1716 - 1783)

Army of Me

Bjork telling the OWS protesters what to do with themselves in her tune Army of Me. Well, not really. Her song predates the OWS movement by quite a bit, but it actually is a response. If you liked the tune, here is my review of her album Post where this track is from. Enjoy and happy Friday.

National Unfriend Day

Today is National Unfriend Day or NUD as it is known for short. Enjoy this tune by Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker and then head on over to Facebook and do some unfriending of your own.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. Since the political picture is starting to heat up, here is an offering of a manager who can sometimes be considered a political appointee.

MOTW: Figurehead Manager

Just like in the political arena, Figurehead Manager is usually a non-entity who has no real business being in the position he/she is in. Holding no real power, ambivalent in decision making and having nothing important to do or say, Figurehead Manager shuffles about aimlessly and incoherently until the staff can no longer stand it. They then recur to Figurehead Manager’s Chief of Staff, who everyone knows exerts the real managerial control by proxy, said Chief of Staff being a puppet master who deftly pulls the office strings with the precision of a renowned concert violinist.

Weekend Haiku

A cicada shell;
it sang itself
utterly away.

Basho (1644 - 1694)

Honest Work

This song seemed entirely appropriate for the times. A recording of Todd Rundgren's Honest Work from his album A Cappella. I love this tune. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Josh Groban sings Kanye West tweets

If this were real I would buy it, because "Classical music is tight yo."

Andre Agassi and his contribution to the field of education

I recently read Andre Agassi's autobiography Open and it was a highly interesting and entertaining read. From his demanding father, to his marriage and divorce from Brooke Shields, his tennis accomplishments and his ultimate marriage to Steffi Graf, what I found most admirable about him is the very brief mention at the end of his founding of Agassi Prep.

Through his efforts there is a K-12 school in Nevada which during its short existence (they have had 3 graduating classes so far) has sent every single graduating child on to a university. He is now stepping up his already significant efforts to improve the quality of education in his home state and outside of it as well. Here is an interview with Agassi where he is asked about, among other things, his contributions to the education of our youth.

Good grief...shut down Burger King?

These people from the Occupy movement in California are in need of some professional help. If this is the way the 99% behaves then please do not include me. Maybe we can take away another percent and say they are the 98%. That way there could be another 1% who aren't the elite 1% they are railing against, but who also don't storm into businesses and demand they be shut down on a whim simply because they are there. I really do not want to be included in these types of ludicrous actions as part of the 99%. The Whopper may not be my favorite sandwich, but now they are messing with my inalienable right to fast food and if there is one thing I like, it is fast food. All kidding aside, this is way out of line.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. Ah, the mystery of why corporations, or rather the senior management of said corporations, do certain things. This next manager is an example of that eternal question.

MOTW: Token Manager

An odd species, Token Manager has been placed in the position to fill an empty corner office and never really understands why. No one ever pays any attention to him/her and work continues until one day Token Manager mysteriously disappears.

Weekend Haiku

Spring rain
leaking through the roof,
dripping from the wasps' nest.

Basho (1644 - 1694)

One Headlight

The Wallflowers perform One Headlight. Enjoy and happy Friday.

Another example of true sportsmanship

A while back I posted about a runner in high school who came to the aid of an opponent in a cross-country race. I stated that the boy had been raised right, giving up his chance to win to come to the aid of another racer who was injured.

It has happened again, this time in a rowing race. Two high school rowers gave up their promising start and stopped to help capsized opponents who were in trouble in the frigid water.

Both the runner and the rowers finished their races afterward. We need more of this in our society today.

Fined $500,000 for 7 words

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison was fined $500,000.00 by the NBA for a seven word tweet when he responded to a poster on Twitter about the lockout. Arison's response to the poster who claimed the owners/players are greedy and are ruining the game due to the lockout.

"You are barking at the wrong owner."

It's official. The NBA has lost it. Other strikes have proven that fans have short memories, but it will be interesting to see the fan response if the league manages to salvage any part of its season this year.

Python found with deer in its stomach

First a giant Lego man washes ashore in Siesta Key. Now officials have found a 16 foot python that had consumed a deer in the Florida Everglades. That was one very large, very hungry snake. This state never ceases to amaze me.