But What's in it for Me, Elmer Lindstrom?

I was a tad miffed with our President's housing initiative. Rumors had been flying that it would include measures to reduce mortgage interest rates to 4% for all first-time homebuyers - but there was no such provision. Damn! Still, Congressional action is necessary to implement some of the provisions and perhaps some Senate Republicans, whose votes will be needed to get anything passed, can be counted on to make certain the interest rate item is added to benefit folks like me who don't really need it. I will keep my powder dry.

I did a little revamping of the blog yesterday. I think the header looks quite nice if I do say so myself.

The menagerie and I continue to get on famously. I am taking Jasper and Tucson for a walk around the neighborhood every afternoon and they seem to enjoy the fresh air. Poor ol' Tucson isn't good for much more than a half-dozen blocks or so. He's getting pretty lame.

Night before last I went to El Sombrero for supper and last night to the Island Pub with Jerry Fuller and Jon Sherwood from my old office. I kinda feel like I'm on vacation - haven't dined out so much downtown in many a moon.

Well, not much else to report today. But perhaps I will scan some more old pics at home this afternoon so you may get another post tomorrow.

OOPS! Late breaking news. Just tumbled to this article on CNN Money that provides empirical evidence for something I already knew - that most financial advisors don't know shit from shinola.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/17/pf/experts_Tetlock.moneymag/index

My favourite quote:

My research certainly prepared me for widespread forecasting failures. We found that our experts' predictions barely beat random guesses - the statistical equivalent of a dart-throwing chimp - and proved no better than predictions of reasonably well-read nonexperts. Ironically, the more famous the expert, the less accurate his or her predictions tended to be.