Archive for January, 2006

The financial troubles of a billionaire

Tuesday, January 31st, 2006

You gotta love the emails Larry Ellison’s (fifth richest person in the country) accountant sends him [from paul k]:

At the bottom of a document that detailed Ellison’s 2000 debt load, Simon had scrawled a rough accounting of Ellison’s lavish spending, according to deposition testimony:

  1. Life Style — annual $20m
  2. Interest Accrual — annual $75m
  3. Villa in Japan — $25m
  4. New Yacht — $194m — over 3 yrs
  5. America’s Cup — $80m — over 3 yrs
  6. UAD — 12m over 3 yrs.”

I wonder what UAD is… “Ultra Appealing Diamonds”? “Underground Antarctica Dome”? “Underage Agressive Dogs”? Inquiring minds want to know.

Posted in finance, news | 1 Comment »

State of the Union

Tuesday, January 31st, 2006



State of the Union

Originally uploaded by smooth.


Boy if there’s anything that’s bad for my health, it’s watching Bush speak. Apparently “hopeful society” sums up our domestic policy.

And ending a speech with “may god bless america” is not exactly going to help anything in my book.

Don’t get me started on the illegal wiretaps domestic terrorism issue. Oh, and student loans?!

Why don’t we have a party that stands for anything? I’m thinking of frickin basic issues like human rights, civil liberties and preventing world war three. The stoopid dems can’t figure out what they stand for, other than not Bush.

Posted in personal | 2 Comments »

Comment of the month

Saturday, January 21st, 2006

The award for most inciteful insightful comment of the month goes to some dude in Canada commenting on my Domino’s Pizza boycott

OMG just eat the food who cares who is behind it u people r crazy like bam crazy just eat fatties

Posted in personal | 2 Comments »

Shorting Google?

Thursday, January 19th, 2006

Watching Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) stock these days it’s tough for me not to pull the trigger on my first real-money short. Signs the stock is overvalued and peaking:

  • PE is close to 100 vs 32 for Yahoo
  • Analysts are competing for the highest price target for Bloomberg screen space
  • Google products outside the company’s core competancy in targeted ads have largely stalled or failed (GTalk, orkut)

Reasons not to short

  • Google just had a great quarter and shows no signs of slowing
  • Ad money continues to flow from tv, print and radio into online media

< ?php jal_democracy(4) ; ?>

Posted in business, finance | 2 Comments »

Meetings suck

Tuesday, January 17th, 2006

News to nobody: meetings are bad for you [from /..

Posted in business | 2 Comments »

Happy 3 mo. Birthday Niko

Monday, January 16th, 2006



Happy 3 mo. Birthday Niko

Originally uploaded by smooth.


Sorry little buddy, but it’s time to end your cushy lifestyle.

Posted in personal | No Comments »

The Chronic of Narnia Rap

Monday, January 16th, 2006

Another movie rap in an ongoing tingleff.com series… The Chronic of Narnia Rap, an SNL sketch about the Magnolia bakery in NYC. Yummy cupcakes mmmm…

Posted in personal | No Comments »

Juneau, AK

Thursday, January 12th, 2006



Juneau, AK

Originally uploaded by smooth.


I flew into Juneau last night for a two night stay. Not as dark as I expected. Actually it seems to be about as gloomy as Seattle right now. I hear the glacier is only 12 miles away but I don’t think I’ll have time to visit.

Posted in personal | 1 Comment »

Something I never would have guessed about babies until having one myself

Sunday, January 1st, 2006

That it’s easier to fall asleep going 15 mph too fast in the back seat of a taxi driven by a guy speaking Hindi on the phone too loud and too fast, than it is at home in a quiet bedroom with just a nightlight and two parents nearby.

Posted in personal | 1 Comment »