11 February 2009
These are the events that mark a bottom..
SPX close that day 1469
email from my equity salesperson at a firm that no longer exists.
"Three very important things have happened in 3 days: Two major financial players get an equity infusion (Citi and Freddie Mac); and a high profile low quality ABS portfolio gets transfered at a real market price, in this case a $3b ABS portfolio sells for $800m at ETFC. These are the events that mark a bottom.."
Milk for cereal should be purchased directly by employees.
In our continued efforts to reduce spend in this difficult economic environment, BNP Paribas has decided to reduce supplies available in the pantries in NJ and NY. We will no longer be replenishing bowls, plates, utensils, straws, etc and will be reducing the amount of milk available in the refrigerators. By reducing these products, we will save the bank more than $100,000 per year.
Please be advised that the milk in the pantries is intended for use with coffee only. Milk for cereal should be purchased directly by employees.
21 January 2009
06 January 2009
Cruise
from WSJ
CruiseCritic.com offers reviews boat-by-boat and port-by-port, evaluating cruise lines and itineraries and offering recommendations for cruises suited for families or couples or adventurers or mature adults. It has a fairly large database of cruise reviews from travelers, and you can pick up a lot of tips, especially if you aren't an experienced cruiser.
ShoreTrips.com offers links and reviews of shore trips offered by local firms, sometimes a better value than the shore excursions offered by cruise lines. Prices can be cheaper, and the trips may be longer than what the companies linked to the cruise-line offers.
And before you buy a cruise, it's worthwhile to check the sanitary record of the ship you are considering at , the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which posts inspection scores under its Vessel Sanitation Program. On the current "green sheet" of inspection scores, six ships out of 153 failed to achieve acceptable scores: Amadea, Celebrity Infinity, MV Clipper Pacific, Nautilus Explorer, Pride of Aloha and Stad Amsterdam.
31 December 2008
credit score
Problem: You want to apply for new credit, but aren't sure if your credit is good enough. Solution: Get a free credit score. Several Web sites -- Credit.com, CreditKarma.com and Quizzle.com -- allow consumers to check their credit scores free. Although CreditKarma and Quizzle offer scores developed by the credit-reporting companies, including TransUnion and Experian, and not the widely used FICO score developed by Fair Isaac Corp., they can still provide users with a quick snapshot of where they stand. At CreditKarma.com, consumers can estimate how certain actions -- such as applying for a new card, being late on a payment or paying on time -- will change their score.
It's also a good idea to check your detailed credit reports at least once a year, which you can do free of charge at annualcreditreport.com.