CapitalistPundit

November 2006 - car sales stats

2006-12-03T17:54:00.000-05:00

BRANDS
Acura 23.9% at 17,200 (11/05: 13,882)
Audi 16.4% at 9,209 (11/05: 7,909)
BMW –4.5% at 22,602 (11/05: 23,673)
Buick 11.6% at 18,089 (11/05: 16,208)
Cadillac 20.3% at 17,250 (11/05: 14,339)
Chevrolet 3.0% at 171,003 (11/05: 166,087)
Chrysler 5.0% at 52,400 (11/05: 49,917)
Dodge –5.0% at 76,371 (11/05: 80,126)
Ford –12.2% at 147,791 (11/05: 168,386)
GMC 30.1% at 37,440 (11/05: 28,775)
Honda –3.0% at 89,246 (11/05: 91,978)
HUMMER –3.3% at 5,795 (11/05: 5,991)
Hyundai –14.9% at 28,417 (11/05: 33,383)
Infiniti 0.2% at 10,382 (11/05: 10,363)
Isuzu –17.4% at 1,138 (11/05: 1,378)
Jaguar –35.2 at 1,256 (11/05: 1,937)
Jeep 20% at 35,785 (11/05: 29,855)
Kia 10.5% at 22,203 (11/05: 20,091)
Land Rover –7.6% at 4,229 (11/05: 4,579)
Lexus 4.2% at 26,719 (11/05: 25,649)
Lincoln 11.8% at 9,410 (11/05: 8,418)
Mazda 16.7% at 20,792 (11/05: 17,817)
Mercedes 20.8% at 22,079 (11/05: 18,284)
Mercury 0.3% at 10,344 (11/05: 10,315)
MINI 3.7% at 3,287 (11/05: 3,171)
Mitsubishi 4.0% at 9,256 (11/05: 8,902)
Nissan –1.8% at 65,633 (11/05: 66,849)
Pontiac –17.5% at 26,154 (11/05: 31,687)
Porsche –2.0% at 2,611 (11/05: 2,675)
Saab 19.4% at 2,497 (11/05: 2,091)
Saturn 23.8% at 18,190 (11/05: 14,689)
Subaru 9.0% at 15,800 (11/05: 14,521)
Suzuki 12% at 6,395 (11/05: 5,707)
Toyota 18.0% at 169,976 (11/05: 144,016)
Volkswagen –5.3% at 17,082 (11/05: 18,046)
Volvo 14.3% at 9,229 (11/05: 8,076)

COMPANIES
BMW Group –3.6% at 25,889 (11/05: 26,844)
Chrysler Group 3.0% at 164,556 (11/05: 159,898)
Ford Motor Co –9.6% at 182,259 (11/05: 201,711)
General Motors 5.8% at 297,556 (11/05: 281,288)
Honda America 0.6% at 106,446 (11/05: 105,860)
Nissan North America –1.6% at 76,015 (11/05: 77,212)
Toyota Motor Co. 15.9% at 196,695 (11/05: 169,665)

New York Red Bulls - Best Goals 2006

2006-11-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

New York Red Bulls - Best Goals 2006

Nice compilation of NY Red Bulls goals. Enjoy!

'Beckham Rule' could bring mega-stars to MLS

2006-11-13T01:37:00.000-05:00

"In a move that could add a lot more star power to Major League Soccer, the league has passed a new rule that will allow its teams to sign a limited number of international superstars -- a major change that opens the door for world-class players like David Beckham, Ronaldo and Luis Figo to join MLS.

The so-called Designated Player Rule (commonly known as the Beckham Rule) will allow each of the league's 13 teams to sign one player whose salary is not limited in any way by the league's $1.9-million-per-team salary cap. MLS investors approved the rule at the league's Board of Governors meeting here on Saturday.

"This is a major change in our philosophy," says MLS commissioner Don Garber, noting that the 11th-year league has taken a conservative approach to signing top-level international players in hopes of avoiding the demise of previous American soccer leagues like the NASL."

Grant Wahl, SI, Nov. 11, 2006

Houston Dynamo wins the 2006 MLS Cup

2006-11-13T01:29:00.000-05:00

Houston Dynamo claimed the 2006 MLS Cup Championship, topping the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time. The crowd of 22,427 was the largest crowd ever to see a soccer event at Pizza Hut Park. Congratulations to all Dynamo fans!

Youri Djorkaeff caps career with NY Red Bulls

2006-11-04T22:03:00.000-05:00

French legend Youri Djorkaeff who called time on his glittering 22-year soccer career after making 41 appearances for his ninth and final club, Red Bull New York.

The former France international, World Cup and European Championship winner quit after DC United won 2-1 on aggregate in the 2006 MLS Eastern Conference semi final.

In two seasons in MLS, Djorkaeff scored 12 goals and tallied 11 assists in 45 games.

Djorkaeff, nicknamed the Snake, will live in New York City with his wife and children.

2007 United States Grand Prix Tickets On Sale Now!

2006-11-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

There's nothing in motorsports like the wail of a Formula One engine. And the only place you can hear it in person next year in America is at the United States Grand Prix on June 17 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Reserved seats are on sale now, so get your tickets today and prepare for the awesome sound of F1 power!

Pictures are from the 2005 United States Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella during practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Yahoo! and Environmental Defense simplify the green car buying process with Green Ratings

2006-11-04T20:05:00.000-05:00

Yahoo teamed up with Environmental Defense to rank the "greenness" of automobiles.

Check out the top 100 cars by their Green Rating by clicking here. Number 1 isn't the Prius. It's the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Source: Environmental Defense

US Sales of Hybrids in October 2006 Up 11%

2006-11-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

Sales of hybrids in the US in October rose to 18,784 units, up 10.9% from the 16,934 sold in October 2005.

In October, hybrids represented 1.54% of the new car market—an increase from the 1.48% share in October 2005, but a decrease from the 1.72% share in September 2006.

Source: Green Car Congress

October 2006: Auto sales

2006-11-02T17:43:00.000-05:00

Acura 0.7% at 15,877 (10/05: 16,398)
Audi –3.4% at 6,431 (10/05: 6,659)
BMW –7.2% at 20,822 (10/05: 22,432)
Buick 20.1% at 15,541 (10/05: 13,462)
Cadillac 18.9% at 17,052 (10/05: 14,917)
Chevrolet 17.5% at 171,890 (10/05: 152,093)
Chrysler –16% at 41,635 (10/05: 51,766)
Dodge 0.0% at 77,654 (10/05: 80,617)
Ford 10.2% at 183,188 (10/05: 166,266)
GMC 66.2% at 38,776 (10/05: 24,258)
Honda 4.3% at 94,747 (10/05: 94,497)
HUMMER 2.6% at 5,565 (10/05: 5,640)
Hyundai 3.6% 30,479 (10/05: 29,413)
Infiniti –1.8% at 9,406 (10/05: 9,962)
Isuzu 1.4% at 1,097 (10/05: 1,125)
Jaguar –22.3 at 1,366 (10/05: 1,758)
Jeep 29% at 40,297 (10/05: 32,431)
Kia –2.6% at 20,097 (10/05: 20,631)
Land Rover 6.7% at 4,004 (10/05: 3,753)
Lexus 7.0% at 24,006 (10/05: 23,331)
Lincoln 3.4% at 8,766 (10/05: 8,477)
Mazda –3.4% at 18,843 (10/05: 19,495)
Mercedes 12% at 20,598 (10/05: 18,349)
Mercury –5.9% at 10,277 (10/05: 10,922)
MINI 13.7% at 3,642 (10/05: 3,203)
Nissan 9.6% at 65,689 (10/05: 62,317)
Pontiac 6.8% at 29,346 (10/05: 28,565)
Porsche 9.0% at 2,487 (10/05: 2,729)
Saab 112% at 2,731 (10/05: 1,340)
Saturn 24.3% at 19,319 (10/05: 16,167)
Suzuki –5% at 5,950 (10/05: 6,246)
Toyota 14.6% at 165,005 (10/05: 149,754)
Volkswagen –7.4% at 15,942 (10/05: 17,207)
Volvo –3.3% at 8,384 (10/05: 8,671)

Source: Autoblog

Honda Natural Gas Civic GX On Sale in New York State

2006-10-19T22:24:00.000-04:00

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced the availability of the 2007 Honda Civic GX for the New York State market. The Civic GX will be on sale at five Honda dealers on Long Island and fourteen additional dealers throughout the state, marking the first time the Civic GX is available for retail sale outside of California. The Civic GX is the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger car available to retail customers in the United States.

The 2007 Civic GX, which achieves an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 28/39 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent, carries an MSRP of $24,590. Currently natural gas is approximately 30 percent less expensive than gasoline when purchased at a refueling station, and approximately 50 percent cheaper than gasoline when supplied by a 'Phill', the convenient natural gas home refueling appliance.

2007 Civic GX buyers are eligible for a Federal tax credit of $4,000 for the car and an additional $1,000 in tax credits for the purchase and installation of 'Phill'. (The Phill appliance can refuel the sedan overnight, drawing natural gas from an existing home supply line.)

Update on Solar Energy

2006-10-16T22:38:00.000-04:00

Kyocera announced today that it has achieved a new world record of 18.5% energy conversion efficiency for a 15cm x 15cm multicrystalline silicon solar cell. The achievement represents the latest in a series of advances by Kyocera, which in 1985 became the first manufacturer to commercialize multicrystalline silicon solar cell technology. Prior records for energy conversion efficiency in multicrystalline cells of this size were also set by Kyocera, including 14.5% in 1989, 17.1% in 1996, and 17.7% in 2004.

In other solar news:

-- Google will begin installation of 1.6 megawatts of solar photovoltaic panels at their Mountain View campus (or enough to power 1,000 California homes). The world's largest dedicated solar-powered generation station is a 12-megawatt facility in Arnstein, Germany, near Frankfurt. The top U.S. dedicated solar facility generates 4.6 megawatts and sits in the Arizona desert near Tucson.

-- Under a new agreement, Evergreen Solar, Inc. will ship approximately $100 million of photovoltaic (PV) modules to Mainstream Energy over the next four years. This agreement is Evergreen Solar's sixth major contract in the past 12 months. The value of these six contracts totals more than $700 million over the next five years.

-- SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world's highest efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, today announced its newest solar panel, offering significantly higher power output and conversion efficiency than its current products. The new SPR-315 solar panel utilizes the company's newly developed 22-percent-efficient Gen 2 solar cells and carries a rated power output of 315 watts.

Bring on DC United

2006-10-14T23:50:00.000-04:00

In what was essentially a playoff elimination game, the New York Red Bulls beat the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 Saturday night at Giants Stadium to claim the fourth and final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. The Red Bulls will host rival D.C. United next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the opening leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series.

Go ahead, buy your playoff tickets now and let's knock DC United out. Let the Bruce era begin with a trip to the playoff finals.

Liverpool FC fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone"

2006-10-14T23:47:00.000-04:00

You'll Never Walk Alone

One of the best clips I founds of Liverpool FC fans singing "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Sun sets on Djorkaeff's stellar career

2006-10-14T01:17:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, when the Red Bulls will fight for their playoff lives against the Kansas City Wizards where a win, and only a win, will secure the final spot in the postseason, Djorkaeff will be playing the final regular season game of his glorious career.

"I'm really excited not just because it will be my last game for the regular season, but it'll be very important for the team, too, to play for the playoffs," Djorkaeff said.

Djorkaeff's career eventually brought him through top leagues and clubs around Europe including, Monaco, Paris Saint Germain and Inter Milan. He was successful in each place, leading his teams to championships. This success was no different when Djorkaeff suited up for 'Les Blues.' Along with the World Cup win, Djorkaeff was able to help France to a European Championship (2000) and a Confederations Cup (2001).

With New York, which signed him last season after four years in the English Premiership with Bolton and Blackburn, "The Snake," as he is nicknamed, continued to slither through opposing defenses. Djorkaeff was the team's most valuable player, scoring 10 goals and adding seven assists in 24 matches in 2005. He played a key role in the team's race for a playoff spot last season, netting the game-winner vs. D.C. United on Oct. 8 in a 2-1 win at RFK Stadium.

When Djorkaeff decided to hang up his boots earlier this season, he was able to make the choice confidently.

--------------------

Youri, thanks for the memories!

Change a Light Bulb

2006-10-13T12:04:00.000-04:00

If every household in America changed just one traditional light bulb to a energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb at home, combined efforts would save 5.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year or $526 million a year in electric expenses. This would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

CFL light bulbs use 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs and last up to ten times longer. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent with a 13-watt CFL can save consumers at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. CFLs last longer and come in different sizes and shapes to fit almost any fixture. Additionally, CFLs produce about 70% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs, so they are safer to operate.

Take the "Change a Light" Pledge

157,055 people like you have taken this important step. Collectively, they have pledged to change 320,965 bulbs. That means we will avoid using 90,512,130 kWh of energy and prevent 142,829,425 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions.

Mitsubishi to sell electric vehicle in the U.S.

2006-10-13T00:27:00.000-04:00

Tokyo, October 11, 2006 - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has built a new research vehicle, the Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV)*1 for a next-generation EV development project.

Mitsubishi says the electric car has a top speed of 80 mph and can travel 80 to 100 miles on a single charge

Search over $12 Trillion of federal spending for free

2006-10-10T23:59:00.000-04:00

FedSpending.org, a new transparency website created by OMB Watch, lets you search over $12 Trillion of federal spending for free.

-- Top 100 Recipients of Federal Contract Awards for FY 2005

-- Top 100 Recipients of Federal Assistance for FY 2005

Diego Armando Maradona

2006-10-10T22:52:00.000-04:00

maradona

Diego Armando Maradona, the former Argentine soccer player, regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time. During an international career that included 91 caps and 34 goals, he played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments, leading the Argentina national team to victory over West Germany in 1986.

Oh, the good old days :)

MLS Cup montage 1996-2004

2006-10-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

MLS Cup montage 1996-2004

Ready for the 2006 MLS Playoffs? This will get you in the mood.

Enjoy!

Do-or-die: NY Red Bulls face must-win match

2006-10-10T22:30:00.000-04:00

After 31 MLS regular season games, the idea behind the 32nd is simple: Win and you're in.

NY Red Bulls (8-11-12, 36 points) will play the final match of the MLS season this Saturday night against Kansas City (10-13-8, 38) at Giants Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET) . Three points against the Wizards, who are two points ahead of the Red Bulls going into the final weekend of the regular season, and New York is in.

Fans who purchase tickets to that match will be offered the preferred price of $15 per ticket to the Bulls’ potential first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals, which will be held at Giants Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. against D.C. United. The offer is available exclusively by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER and it ends on October 13th at 5:00 P.M. ET.

Here's a nice summary of 10 years of NY regular season finales

Remember, the Red Bulls will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs with a win against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night at Giants Stadium.

Come out and cheer on the Red Bulls!!!!!

E85 Stations Hit the 1,000 Mark

2006-10-09T18:33:00.000-04:00

There are now 1,000 publicly and privately accessed E85 fueling locations throughout the United States according to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC). That number represents about 0.6% of the number of gasoline fueling stations in the US (170,000).

The number of E85 stations has grown significantly in just a short period of time. Below is an approximation of how many E85 outlets were in operation over the past several years:

January 2003: 100
January 2004: 150
January 2005: 285
January 2006: 600

In October of 2005, the station count was 438; the number has more than doubled in 12 months!

Online Searches for Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Decrease with Price of Gas

2006-10-09T18:27:00.000-04:00

US consumer searches for fuel-efficient vehicles have started to decline according to the most recent Cars.com Consumer Search Index report.

Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris and Honda Insight top the list of new and used vehicles with the largest decline in search volume over the past month. While searches for fuel-efficient vehicles have declined, searches for large luxury SUVs have increased significantly. The Hummer H2 and H3, Infiniti QX56, Cadillac Escalade and BMW X5 all made the list of used cars with the largest increase in searches over the past month.

Cramer

2006-10-04T05:58:00.000-04:00

What does Jim Cramer think about oil stocks?

It's hard to say. . .

---------------

1/6/06 - Exxon Mobil (XOM): Here's a company that gets so many undeserved accolades that it makes me sick. It hasn't grown its assets -- crude in the ground, my friends -- for years and has played the role of oil bank all too well. I believe it deserves a lower multiple than almost any oil company.

8/2/06- Cramer says that the Merrill Lynch analyst who downgraded HAL was wrong, and believes that natural gas will be going up. He suggests buying VLO, because he believes that it is on its way up.

8/3/06 - Bullish calls: XOM and COP. Cramer says that COP is the best company in the sector.

8/7/06 - Cramer says that oil is not going back down soon, and that no one seems to be using alternative fuels yet. Cramer likes BHI and CVX.

8/8/06 - Cramer says that ALJ and VLO are good buys to get revenge at the pump. In spite of the fact that many analysts claim that oil will go down, Cramer does not see it happening. "Own an oil stock," he says.

8/10/06 - Bullish calls: VLO and DVN. DVN, 'I regard that as the cheapest energy play in America. BuyBuyBuy!' Also on 8/10, Cramer decries the fall of oil on Thursday as "stupid and wrong" and suggests buying XOM on weakness.

8/15/06 - Bullish calls: BP and XOM.

8/17/06 - ' ...move into Valero.' Consol Energy (CNX):'The prospects are fabulous. ... I say 'mon back.'

8/21/06 - People thought oil was coming down, but it's not.

9/5/06 - A major discovery of oil in the Gulf of Mexico not only means big gains for CVX and DVN, but will bring the entire market up, according to Cramer

9/20/06 - Oil's up. Sell oil. It really is that bad. Now that we are in the home stretch of the quarter, every portfolio manager and his brother wants to sell oil and buy tech -- any oil, any tech.

9/21/06 - Tomorrow sell the oils, with abandon. Today, let them glow.

9/21/06 - Since oil is falling, Cramer is taking a look at CVX which was up 2% on Thursday but warns that Friday is the day to sell since the tide is turning against crude oil.

9/26/06 - Although there are some who believe that the "exquisite moment" to pick up oil again is near Cramer insists that the bottom will not occur in oil until it reaches $56 a barrel. Cramer said that OXY was a '"proxy" and that it "should be somewhere between $35 and here ($46.21). He doesn't recommend the sector.

9/27/06 - This morning, a couple of firms upgraded the refiners, which should begin to put a bottom in the oils themselves.

9/27/06 - Cramer notes the performance of CVX which is up 5% as oil continues to decline and will probably fall below $60.

9/29/06 - "The only oils that I want to own right here are CVX and BP"

10/3/06 - Jim said he would pick up Devon and sell BP.

-----------------------

Hopefully you were able to make "mad money" following his recommendations :)

September 2006 - car sales stats

2006-10-03T20:40:00.000-04:00

Acura –5.64% at 16,323 (9/05: 16,634)
Audi 2% at 8,004 (9/05: 7,854)
BMW –11.31% at 20,339 (9/05: 22,052)
Buick –11.1% at 19,463 (9/05: 21,050)
Cadillac 17.8% at 20,217 (9/05: 16,507)
Chevrolet –10.6% at 190,825 (9/05: 205,238)
Chrysler 0.0% at 47,211 (9/05: 45,546)
Dodge –20.8% at 79,784 (9/05: 96,890)
Ford 3.26% at 204,070 (9/05: 190,012)
GMC 1.1% at 39,141 (9/05: 37,233)
Honda –8.1% at 99,903 (9/05: 104,529)
HUMMER 11.6% at 6,739 (9/05: 5,806)
Hyundai –16% at 33,384 (9/05: 38,214)
Infiniti –9.8% at 10,378 (9/05: 11,062)
Isuzu 16.6% at 1,397 (9/05: 1,152)
Jaguar –47.8% at 1,158 (9/05: 2,135)
Jeep 21.62% at 41,893 (9/05: 33,120)
Land Rover 2.61% at 3,469 (9/05: 3,425)
Lexus 12.1% at 25,700 (9/05: 22,036)
Lincoln –26.91% at 7,362 (9/05: 9,686)
Mazda 2.19% at 20,261 (9/05: 19,918)
Mercedes 8.86% at 19,873 (9/05: 17,552)
Mercury –5.77% at 13,117 (9/05: 13,385)
MINI –5.84% at 2,964 (9/05: 3,027)
Mitsubishi 9.24% at 10,287 (9/05: 9,054)
Nissan –9.1% at 77,962 (9/05: 82,478)
Pontiac –13.6% at 37,376 (9/05: 41,597)
Porsche –.61% at 2,339 (9/05: 2,263)
Saab 48.8% at 3,069 (9/05: 1,983)
Saturn 4.4% at 20,153 (9/05: 18,569)
Subaru –3.67% at 16,128 (9/05: 16,100)
Suzuki 7.0% at 7,940 (9/05: 7,131)
Toyota 21.28% at 197,250 (9/05: 156,381)
Volkswagen –10.79% at 20,082 (9/05: 21,646)
Volvo –2.24% at 9,672 (9/05: 9,514)

BMW Announces Introduction of Hydrogen 7

2006-09-16T01:05:00.000-04:00

BMW announced the market introduction of its 7 Series dual-fuel hydrogen combustion engine luxury sedan, the BMW Hydrogen 7. BMW will build the car in a limited series and deploy it to selected users in the US and other countries in 2007.

Fueled by liquid hydrogen, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is equipped with a 260 hp (191 kW) 12-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-62 mph in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 143 mph (230 kph). The BMW Hydrogen 7 features a dual-mode power unit—controlled at the touch of a button—that can switch from hydrogen to conventional premium gasoline. Engine power and torque remain the same regardless of mode.

Unlike fossil fuels, the combustion of hydrogen generates neither hydrocarbons (HC) nor carbon monoxide (CO).

US Energy Flow in 2005

2006-09-03T17:55:00.000-04:00

Annual Energy Review 2005

Kansas City Wizards Sold by Hunts, Staying in KC

2006-09-02T13:27:00.000-04:00

Lamar Hunt representing the Hunt family announced that the organization has completed the sale of the family's interest in the Kansas City Wizards and their related interest in Soccer United Marketing (SUM) to a six person group of Kansas City area residents led by Cerner Corporation (supplier of healthcare technology with more than $1.5 billion in sales) executives Neal Patterson and Cliff Illig. The purchasing group also includes Pat Curran, David French, Greg Maday and Robb Heineman.

The acquiring entity is OnGoal LLC. The purchase documents were signed yesterday and the new ownership group will take over operation of the Wizards on September 1.

Patterson and Illig live in the Kansas City area and, with their partners, will now set about building soccer-specific stadium in Overland Park, the second-largest city in Kansas with a population of about 167,000. The group wants to build on land located on the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 69 and 159th St. in south Overland Park. The development will include retail, residential and office development plus youth soccer fields. Patterson said the goal is that the new stadium would complete by April 2009, in time for the beginning of the 2009 season.

Going into the 2007 season, MLS has 9 different owners for its 13 teams. Kansas City is the second MLS club sold this season, with the AEG-owned Metrostars sold to Red Bull and becoming Red Bull NY. The Hunt family remains the investor-operators of the Columbus Crew and FC Dallas, both clubs with soccer-specific stadiums. Anschutz Entertainment Group also owns multiple teams: DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston.

2006 MLS Cup Playoff race

2006-09-02T12:53:00.000-04:00

The final stretch of the 2006 MLS regular season has arrived. In about six weeks, four teams will see their season end, while eight clubs will vie for the MLS Cup.

In the Eastern Conference, Columbus, New York and Kansas City have the steepest roads to climb in order to make the playoffs, while in the Western Conference, Colorado has the disadvantage of playing six of its last eight games on the road, but Los Angeles, currently three points behind Colorado and Real Salt Lake, has the most ground to make up.

In their inaugural seasons last year, both Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake finished well out of playoff contention. This year, postseason play lies within reach for both.

Today's schedule:

Saturday, September 2
Columbus Crew	New England Revolution	7:30 p.m.	DK, MLSLIVE.tv
FC Dallas	Houston Dynamo	8:30 p.m.	HDNet
Real Salt Lake	Colorado Rapids	9:00 p.m.	FSC
Los Angeles Galaxy	Kansas City Wizards	10:30 p.m.	DK, MLSLIVE.tv

MLS Cup 2006 will take place live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 12 from Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

August 2006 car sales stats

2006-09-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

BRANDS
Acura –8.5% at 18,263 (August 2005: 19,221)
Audi ????
BMW –12% at 22,421 (August 2005: 25,537)
Buick –4.7% at 22,853 (August 2005: 23,094)
Cadillac 0.2% at 20,036 (August 2005: 19,262)
Chevrolet 1.3% at 210,860 (August 2005: 200,393)
Chrysler 3% at 47,132 (August 2005: 44,279)
Dodge –15% at 89,790 (August 2005: 102,147)
Ford –11.6% at 214,759 (August 2005: 242,849)
GMC 6.1% at 42,262 (August 2005: 38,349)
Honda –6.5% at 132,990 (August 2005: 136,952)
HUMMER 1.5% at 6,711 (August 2005: 6,367)
Hyundai 2% at 44,635 (August 2005: 42,113)
Infiniti –26.4% at 9,429 (August 2005: 12,339)
Isuzu –13.4% at 1,125 (August 2005: 1,251)
Jaguar –35.3% at 1,704 (August 2005: 2,634)
Jeep 0.0% at 42,243 (August 2005: 40,659)
Kia 5.4% at 25,114 (August 2005: 23,820)
Land Rover –19.4% at 3,671 (August 2005: 4,554)
Lexus 6.4% at 31,074 (August 2005: 28,125)
Lincoln –9.5% at 8,979 (August 2005: 9,918)
Mazda 0.8% at 22,311 (August 2005: 22,135)
Mercedes 6.9% at 20,602 (August 2005: 19,272)
Mercury –12.7% at 15,417 (August 2005: 17,668)
MINI –11% at 3,252 (August 2005: 3,342)
Mitsubishi 3.7% at 10,954 (August 2005: 10,945)
Nissan –3.2% at 80,419 (August 2005: 80,026)
Pontiac –12.1% at 39,711 (August 2005: 43,483)
Porsche –12% at 2,554 (August 2005: 2,894)
Saab 11.9% at 3,168 (August 2005: 2,726)
Saturn 5.3% at 22,050 (August 2005: 20,162)
Subaru 2% at 17,809 (August 2005: 17,426)
Suzuki 16% at 8,399 (August 2005: 7,126)
Toyota 13.6% at 209,104 (August 2005: 177,237)
Volkswagen 1.5% at 23,420 (August 2005: 23,083)
Volvo –2.1% at 10,582 (August 2005: 10,806)

COMPANIES
BMW Group –11% at 25,763 (August 2005: 28,879)
Chrysler Group –8% at 179,165 (August 2005: 187,085)
Ford Motor Co –11.6% at 255,112 (August 2005: 288,429)
General Motors 0.0% at 368,776 (August 2005: 355,180)
Honda America –6.7% at 151,253 (August 2005: 156,173)
Nissan North America –6.3% at 89,848 (August 2005: 92,365)
Toyota Motor Co. 12.6% at 240,178 (August 2005: 205,362)

Source: Autoblog

FIA announced the calendar for 2007

2006-08-29T20:10:00.000-04:00

The 2007 calendar counts a total of 17 races. The San Marino and European Grands Prix have been dropped, while Belgium returns, making for a 17-race schedule.

The approved 2007 Formula 1 calendar:

Australia March 18
Malaysia April 08
Bahrain April 15
Spain May 13
Monaco May 27
Canada June 10
United States June 17
France July 01
United Kingdom July 08
Germany July 22
Hungary August 05
Turkey August 26
Italy September 09
Belgium September 16
China September 30
Japan October 07
Brazil October 21

2006-08-28T16:39:00.000-04:00

Tribute 9/11

I just watched United 93 (the movie) and wanted to post this 9/11 tribute.

NEVER FORGET!

Option Trading

2006-08-25T23:13:00.000-04:00

For those interested in options trading, here are a few worthy, free resources:

Alex Jacobson - Volatility for Options Investors

Al Brinkman - Straddles and Strangles - Comparing and Contrasting These Two Volatility Strategies

Steve Meizinger - Covered Call Writing for Options Investors

Save! $14 a Day Could Grow Into More than $1.6 Million in 35 years

2006-08-25T01:49:00.000-04:00

Did you know that if you invested $14 per day (or $200 every two weeks) for 35 years in a retirement account that earned an annual return of 10 percent, you would have $1,678,293.78?

Start saving today!

2006-08-23T22:02:00.000-04:00

MLS 2006 - week 21 goal compilation

Goals: Chris Klein, Christian Gomez, Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Andy Herron, Carey Talley, Sebastian Rozental, Santino Quaranta, Joseph Ngwenya

2006-08-18T22:46:00.000-04:00

Live from the Bridge to Nowhere...

The Ending Earmarks Express tour visited the "Bridge to Nowhere" in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Wow!

Speed camera snaps F1 driver going 202 MPH on public roads

2006-08-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

Early yesterday morning Robert Doornbos, the backup driver for the Red Bull Formula One team, was clocked going 202 mph in his Red Bull F1 car on Dutch public roads by a Dutch Gatsometer speed camera. The company admits an older version of the camera that's still widely in use wouldn't have been able to accurately capture the F1 car. The stunt required a portion of the road that crosses the De Afsluitdijk dam to be closed for obvious safety reasons. You can check out a video of the run on the Doornbos website here.

Credit: Autoblog

2006-08-14T23:51:00.000-04:00

Goals From The FC Barcelona-New York Red Bulls Game

It was clear, based on the number of jerseys sporting the royal blue and burgundy of FC Barcelona, that many of the 79,002 in attendance at a sold-out Giants Stadium on Saturday night were there to see Ronaldinho and his teammates work their magic.

For the first 20 minutes or so of the game, so were the New York Red Bulls, Barcelona's opposition on the night.

After an initial onslaught that resulted in a penalty kick converted by Ronaldinho in the 18th minute, the Red Bulls stopped stargazing and started playing soccer, pulling level with a goal just before halftime through Youri Djorkaeff. While Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola all scored second-half goals for a 4-1 final score, the Red Bulls acquitted themselves well against the reigning European champions in Bruce Arena's first official match as head coach.

http://redbull.newyork.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20060812&content_id=68964&vkey=news_rbn&fext=.jsp&team=rbn

2006-08-14T14:22:00.000-04:00

MLS 2006 - week 19/20 goal compilation

Enjoy!

FC Barcelona vs. NY Red Bulls at Giants Stadium tomorrow

2006-08-11T21:48:00.000-04:00

The two-time defending Spanish league champions and last year's UEFA Champions League titleholders have been on a whirlwind tour of Mexico and the United States for the last week and a half. They complete their preseason journey across North America with a match against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Giants Stadium. The game against Barcelona will also mark the debut of Bruce Arena as Red Bulls coach, who officially took over Monday.

In other team news: NBA MVP Steve Nash trains with team and you, yes, you can train with the NY Red Bulls as well. Midfielders Dema Kovalenko and Shawn Kuykendall became the first acquisitons of the Bruce Arena era with the New York Red Bulls Thursday.

Red Bull Park groundbreaking set

2006-08-11T21:31:00.000-04:00

HARRISON, New Jersey - The official groundbreaking ceremony for Red Bull Park, a 25,000-seat soccer stadium to be developed as a major component of the three-million square foot Harrison MetroCentre, will take place on September 19, 2006 at 11:30 AM it was announced by Nick Sakiewicz, president of AEG New York, developers and managing partners of the outdoor venue. . . The $100 million state-of-the-art stadium will feature a 360 degree 'European"-style roof/canopy covering the majority of the seating area, spacious locker rooms, sound and lighting systems specially tailored to the unique surroundings of Red Bull Park, the finest turf to create soccer's best pitch and well-appointed hospitality areas featuring 63 luxury suites positioned only 12 rows from the playing surface.

Chelsea FC v MLS All-Stars

2006-08-04T20:27:00.000-04:00

2006 SIERRA MIST MLS ALL-STAR GAME
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill.
Saturday, Aug. 5, 2005 (5:30 p.m. CT; ESPN)
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER ALL- STARS v CHELSEA FC

This is the third time the MLS All-Stars have taken on international competition in the All-Star Game. Last year, on a brilliant sun-filled day at Columbus Crew Stadium, the MLS team ran out 4-1 winners against Fulham FC of the English Premier League. All-Star Game MVP Taylor Twellman gave the MLS a 23rd-minute lead, but Claus Jensen converted a penalty kick to pull Fulham level at halftime. Ronnie O'Brien put the MLS in the lead for good in the 56th minute, then Jeff Cunningham scored twice in the final five minutes to salt away the match.

In 2003 at The Home Depot Center, the MLS stars hit for three goals after the halftime break to defeat Chivas of Guadalajara 3-1. Ante Razov gave the MLS the lead in the 57th minute, then just two minutes after Jair Garcia leveled terms for the storied Mexican club, Carlos Ruiz scored in the 68th minute to again give the MLS the lead. DaMarcus Beasley finished off the scoring in the 83rd minute. Ruiz, the then-Los Angeles Galaxy striker playing on his home ground, was named the game's Honda Most Valuable Player.

That was the second consecutive year a single team of MLS All-Stars was selected for the midseason classic, as the year before the MLS All-Stars took on a U.S. national team selection following the USA's historic quarterfinal performance at FIFA World Cup 2002 Korea/Japan. All 18 of the players selected by Bruce Arena for the match plied their trade in MLS. In 1998, an international theme was also used in the MLS All-Star Game as a team of U.S. MLS stars took on a squad comprised of international MLS stars. Each of the other seven All-Star Games has featured an East vs. West format.

Read more: MLSnet

Dan Loney of American Soccer News has an excellent preview. Kristian Dyer posted another preview on ESPN. Lastly, don't miss this chat transcript with Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber.

US Sales of Hybrids Top 25,000 Units in July

2006-08-04T19:19:00.000-04:00

Sales of hybrids in the US hit a new high in July, with 25,626 units sold—a 32% increase from July 2005.

Hybrids represented 1.7% of the total new light-duty vehicle market in July 2006.

Read more at: http://www.greencarcongress.com

NY's Political Pork

2006-08-02T23:17:00.000-04:00

To continue my anti-pork blog campaign (as organized by the Club For Growth), let me turn the attention to the other NY Republican (um, RINO) reps.

One of the reasons that Republicans took congress over in 1994 was the promise of some fiscal sanity. I guess that just isn't happening.

Previously, I've written about Rep. Peter King (Yes 0-19), Rep. Sue Kelly (Yes 3-19). Remember, a “yes” vote is a vote to remove the spending from the appropriations bill.

NY RINO Hall of Shame (These RINOs voted for the pork provisions 19 out of 19 times):

1.) Rep. Sherwood Boehlert - New York District 24, currently serving in his 12th consecutive term representing Upstate New York. Time for a change!

2.) Rep. Randy Kuhl - He makes the shameless claim on his website that "We're all looking to keep more of the money we earn, for less government intrusion, and for more financial freedom." LIAR!! How does voting for a $500,000 swimming pool in Banning, CA help "keep more of the money we earn"?

3.) Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds - He supposedly was called "Hero of the Taxpayer". Can you believe it? How about "Robber of the Taxpayer"? Or "Hero of the Pork Lobby"? He won't post these "awards" on his website.

4.) Rep. John M. McHugh - serving his seventh consecutive term in office. His official website claims that "In addition to lowering taxes, Rep. McHugh believes one of Congress' top priorities is to make our government less intrusive and more efficient". Wow! Centainly he can somehow spin his vote for the $1 million Mystic Aquarium in New London, Conn. as a tax-lowering project. Rep. McHugh, Enron may be looking to hire creative accountants!

5.) Rep. John E. Sweeney - His website boasts that "Since being elected to Congress, Rep. Sweeney has carved out an impressive list of legislative accomplishments." Well, I'm sure the Leonard Wood Research Institute is grateful for the $20 million of taxpayer $$s.

6.) Rep. Jim Walsh - He mentions on his site that Buffalo News has described Walsh as "commonly seen as New York's most powerful House member." He's not powerful enough to say no to the $1 million Juniata Locomotive Demonstration :(

With RINOs like these, who needs Democrats?

F1: Hungarian Grand Prix preview

2006-08-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

Plenty of F1 news this week in preparation for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

1.) The BMW Sauber F1 Team will take their place on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest this coming weekend with a different driver line-up. After his accident at the German Grand Prix last weekend Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve will not be racing. Test and reserve driver Robert Kubica will take his place. He will be the first Pole ever to contest a Formula One Grand Prix.

1 a.) Jacques Villeneuve may not return to F1, according to the Polish press.

2.) WilliamsF1 announced its driver line-up for the 2007 season with Alex Wurz and Nico Rosberg as the team’s race drivers.

3.) The Hungarian GP will be Kimi Raikkonen's 100th Grand Prix start! Kimi won last year in Budapest and I'm sure he'll do his best to celebrate his 100th GP.

4.) Ferrari are on a roll with Michael Schumacher taking the last three Grand prix wins and closing the championship fight to Fernando Alonso and Renault. Shumi won the GP in Hungary 3 times, no doubt he'll push his car to the limit on Sunday.

P.S. Budapest btw is a beatiful city. Check out nice photos in this Flickr group.

2006-08-02T22:22:00.000-04:00

MLS 2006 - week 18 goal compilation

Climbing the Ladder Blog has uploaded the goal compilation for week 18.

Enjoy!

Toyota passes Ford, DaimlerChrysler in U.S. sales

2006-08-02T11:12:00.000-04:00

July marked the first time that Toyota sold more cars in the U.S. than Ford. Toyota has also outsold DaimlerChrysler year to date in the U.S. market.

July was a bad month for US auto sales, however, Toyota and Honda found a way to increase sales and market share.

BRANDS
Acura –4.9% at 18,203 (July 2005: 19,909)
Audi –2.6% at 7,005 (July 2005: 7,190)
BMW –13.4% at 20,083 (July 2005: 23,178)
Buick –34.7% at 23,609 (July 2005: 37,618)
Cadillac –21.8% at 19,124 (July 2005: 25,431)
Chevrolet –17.1% at 244,080 (July 2005: 306,160)
Chrysler –35% at 38,124 (July 2005: 61,193)
Dodge –35% at 76,394 (July 2005: 122,673)
Ford –35.7% at 199,735 (July 2005: 310,757)
GMC –36.5% at 48,085 (July 2005: 78,717)
Honda 12.7% at 133,601 (July 2005: 123,308)
HUMMER –2.7% at 6,991 (July 2005: 7,476)
Hyundai 6.2% at 47,205 (July 2005: 44,431)
Infiniti –18.1% at 10,548 (July 2005: 13,395)
Isuzu 34.2% at 1,336 (July 2005: 1,035)
Jaguar –15.1% at 1,997 (July 2005: 2,353)
Jeep –34% at 35,831 (July 2005: 56,280)
Kia 2.3% at 26,429 (July 2005: 26,052)
Land Rover –30.6% at 3,524 (July 2005: 5,080)
Lexus 5.6% at 26,959 (July 2005: 26,562)
Lincoln –21.5% at 9,125 (July 2005: 11,621)
Mazda 5% at 25,963 (July 2005: 24,820)
Mercedes 3.8% at 21,591 (July 2005: 20,791)
Mercury –34.1% at 16,635 (July 2005: 25,238)
MINI -3.7% at 3,528 (July 2005: 3,662)
Mitsubishi 1.2% at 10,376 (July 2005: 10,376)
Nissan –16% at 75,860 (July 2005: 93,905)
Pontiac .1% at 40,993 (July 2005: 42,541)
Porsche - NOT REPORTED YET
Saab –41.2% at 3,658 (July 2005: 6,469)
Saturn –4.3% at 22,516 (July 2005: 24,471)
Subaru - 5% at 18,923 (July 2005: 17,959)
Suzuki 13% at 8,030 (July 2005: 7,125)
Toyota 17.71% at 214,867 (July 2005: 189,855)
Volkswagen 5% at 22,627 (July 2005: 21,553)
Volvo –10.2% at 10,323 (July 2005: 11,499)

COMPANIES
BMW Group –12% at 23,611 (July 2005: 26,840)
Chrysler Group –35% at 150,349 (July 2005: 240,146)
Ford Motor Co –34.2% at 241,339 (July 2005: 366,548)
General Motors –19.5% at 410,332 (July 2005: 530,027)
Honda America 10.2% at 151,804 (July 2005: 143,217)
Nissan North America –16.2% at 86,408 (July 2005: 107,300)
Toyota Motor Co. 16.21% at 241,826 (July 2005: 216,417)

Percentages are reported as the change in daily sales rate (DSR) since there were only 25 selling days in July 2006 versus 26 selling days in July 2005.

2006-08-01T15:31:00.000-04:00

Microsoft Vista Oops Video

Thanks Microsoft, but I'll continue to type instead :)

Pork Pork Pork - Cartoon

2006-08-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

(HT: CFG) Source: Tom Briscoe

F1: German Grand Prix Preview

2006-07-30T02:39:00.000-04:00

Kimi Raikkonen took a surprise pole position for the German Grand Prix today at Hockenheim, forcing Michael Schumacher to start from the second place.

Fernando Alonso struggled today and will start from a season-worst seventh position (most likely because Reanult could not get their Michelin tyres to work properly).

With seven races remaining, Alonso has a 17-point lead over Shumi and a 53-point lead over Kimi.

American Scott Speed crashed during the first qualifying. Hope he's OK. Btw, Scott has a cool blog on his site with daily updates.

Be sure to watch tomorrow. LIVE on SPEED Channel - SUNDAY: 7:30am ET/4:30 PT
(Re-airs at 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT)

P.S. Post-qualifying press conference.

Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY) loves P-O-R-K :(

2006-07-29T02:18:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly was elected to Congress in 1994 and is now serving her sixth term.

She voted in favor of pork projects 16 out of 19 times!! In other words, she's telling us that our taxes are too low.

I have a national debt clock on this site (lower left side) showing the irresponsible amount of debt our free spending politicians ran up. We continue to run huge deficits each and every year. Enough is enough. Time to take action and throw the borrow-and-spend bums out! Sue, you're officially on notice!

Here are Sue's votes in sequential order. A “yes” vote is a vote to remove the spending from the appropriations bill.

Dairy education in Iowa ($229,000)	Yes
Hydroponic tomato production in Ohio ($180,000)	Yes
National Grape and Wine Initiative ($100,000)	Yes
Virginia Science Museum ($250,000)	No
Juniata Locomotive Demonstration ($1,000,000)	No
Swimming pool in Banning, CA ($500,000)	No
“Facilities” in Weirton, West Virginia ($100,000)	No
Multipurpose facility in Yucaipa, California ($500,000)	No
Strand Theater Arts Center in Plattsburgh, New York ($250,000)	No
Mystic Aquarium in New London, Conn. ($1,000,000)	No
The Jason Foundation in Ashburn, VA ($1,000,000)	No
Northwest Manufacturing Initiative ($2,500,000)	No
Lewis Center for Education Research ($4,000,000)	No
Leonard Wood Research Institute ($20,000,000)	No
Arthur Avenue Retail Market ($150,000)	No
Bronx Council for the Arts in Bronx, N.Y. ($300,000)	No
Johnstown Area Regional Industries ($800,000)	No
Fairmont State University ($900,000)	No
Tourism Development Association in Kentucky ($1,000,000)	No

Yes Votes: 3 of 19, 15.8%
% of Pork Rejected: $509,000 of $34,759,000, only 1.46%

Be sure to contact her and let her know how you feel about her votes for wasteful government spending!

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) loves P-O-R-K :(

2006-07-29T01:45:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I will join the anti-pork blog campaign and plan to analyze how our NY Republican reps voted in Jeff Flake's 19 anti-pork amendments.

Let's start with Congressman Peter T. King. According to his own website, Congressman Peter T. King, a Republican, is serving his seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. First elected to represent New York’s Third District in 1992, Rep. King has received a greater number of votes than any Congressional candidate on Long Island in each of his seven races. In 2004, he won with 63% of the vote. Rep. King is Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and also serves on the International Relations Committee.

So how does Rep. King feel about pork? Well, I was quite surprised to find out that he voted to keep the pork in all 19 of 19 amendments. This ss totally unacceptable! Time to send these "borrow-and-spend" Republicans a clear message in November!

So, how does your rep stack up? Be sure to call your congressman and let him know what you think!

435 Districts - 435 Blogs Against Pork

2006-07-29T01:19:00.000-04:00

The Club For Growth has launched a creative online campaign against wasteful government spending. Andy Roth published a chart that indicates the votes of all 435 voting members of the House on special-interest earmarks in spending bills (a score of 19-for-19 is a perfect, pro-taxpayer record). The data can be viewed by state, rank or last name.

I decided to join their campaign as fiscal conservatism is one of my top issues in every election. I have also contributed to The Club For Growth in the past, although some of their supported candidates turned out to be quite disappointing.

The Pork Scorecard is now listing 64 blogs.

P.S. My favorite anti-pork blog used to be Porkbusters, founded by Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit's owner), but this new 435 Blogs Against Pork campaign will probably be equally educational.

Stock market outlook for the rest of 2006

2006-07-29T00:16:00.000-04:00

I've taken a defensive position in my 401(k) after today's market rally, as my analysis shows that we're in for rougher times ahead.

A few interesting analyst quotes:

"Technicians have been talking about a four-year cycle low which fairly consistently has occurred every four years, dating back to 1962. The market bottomed out in 2002, 1998, 1994, 1990, and all the way back in 1962, with the only misstep being in 1986. That would imply that we need another market low in 2006. . . Historically, the second year of a president's term in office has been, by far, the weakest. There are 16 quarters in a full four-year presidential cycle, only two have declined on average in the past—the second quarter we just finished and the one we're heading toward (third quarter). Investors should be encouraged by the fact that the best-performing quarter of all 16 quarters [in a presidential cycle] is the fourth quarter of the second year [which is later this year]. The second best is the first quarter of the third year [which is next year]." - Sam Stovall, chief market strategist for Standard & Poor's

2006-07-28T18:16:00.000-04:00

German fan looses World Cup Tickets on Highway

(click image above to begin video)
German fan's tickets blow out the window of his Audi on the Autobahn. Ouch.

Rapid E85 growth in Minnesota

2006-07-28T15:28:00.000-04:00

"Some may debate the economic, environmental and national energy security benefits of moving toward wider use of bio-based motor fuels, but Minnesota has forged ahead by adding more than 60 new E85 fueling sites in just seven months. The North Star State is now home to more than 250 E85 stations with another 20 expected by mid-August. On average, two new E85 outlets have opened every week since January."

Source: American Lung Association of Minnesota

Click on this link to find out everything you need to know about E85.

The main reason I support E85 and all other forms of ethanol is not necessarily the environmental benefit (which is debated by some) but the promise of decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. I'd much rather send my weekly $85 to a farmer in Iowa than a terrorist in Iran.

Sports is one of the biggest businesses on earth

2006-07-28T13:45:00.000-04:00

See SI's current year list of the 20 best-compensated athletes who are not U.S. citizens, in addition to the US' top 50.

It's not a surprise that Tiger Woods leads the pack with his jaw-dropping $97.6 million in earnings. He has now exceeded a half-billion in career earnings. F1's Michael Shumacher is second.

While you may not be paid like top atheletes, you at least love what you do :)

Q2 GDP: Up 2.5%

2006-07-28T12:54:00.000-04:00

Econoday chart courtesy of Barron's

Real Madrid sign Dutch striker Van Nistelrooy

2006-07-27T21:08:00.000-04:00

MADRID, July 27 (Reuters) - Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will join Real Madrid from Manchester United on a three-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on Thursday. The deal is reported by Spanish media to be worth around 15 million euros ($19.12 million). 'Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Manchester United for the signing of Ruud van Nistelrooy,' the Spanish club said in a statement. 'The player will take a medical on Friday morning and will be presented in the afternoon at 1700 GMT in the Bernabeu.' The 30-year-old scored 150 goals for United since joining in 2001 for a then British record fee of £19 million ($35.39 million).

NY Red Bulls to take on FC Barcelona (Aug. 12 at Giants Stadium)

2006-07-27T17:54:00.000-04:00

FC Barcelona - USA Tour 2006 Schedule

August 6: Los Angeles, CA vs. Chivas Guadalajara + Chivas USA vs. New England

August 9: Houston, TX vs. Club América + Houston Dynamo vs. L.A. Galaxy

August 12: vs. New York Red Bulls

Tickets still available!

Formula 1: Toyota will power WilliamsF1 in 2007

2006-07-27T17:23:00.000-04:00

Toyota will supply engines to the Williams team after the two parties reached a three-year agreement on Wednesday evening. The much-anticipated deal will commence with the 2007 season.

Other F1 new: Q&A with Frank Williams, German Grand Prix Preview

Exxon Mobil Earns $10.4 Billion in 2Q

2006-07-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

Exxon Mobil Corp. said Thursday it earned $10.36 billion in the April-June period, the second largest quarterly profit ever recorded by a publicly traded U.S. company. Its shares rose 54 cents to $67.14 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange after reaching a new all-time high of $67.65 earlier in the session.

Royal Dutch Shell's second-quarter earnings jumped 40 percent to $7.32 billion. BP reported second quarter profits of $7.3 billion and ConocoPhillips said its earnings rose 65 percent to $5.18 billion. Chevron Corp. will round the field of five majors when it reports its second-quarter performance Friday.

If you owned stock in any of these companies, you are a happy person (and you rejoice in seeing gas prices rise even more).

SEC Issues Rules On Executive Pay Disclosures

2006-07-27T15:39:00.000-04:00

Excerpts from today's Wall Street Journal:

"For the first time since the options-timing scandal mushroomed this year, federal regulators laid out requirements directing companies how to disclose their grants of stock options.
The new rules won't bar corporate boards from giving executives options at propitious times, but would instead shine a spotlight on such practices through increased disclosure. The guidelines are part of a sweeping overhaul to executive-pay disclosure the five-member Securities and Exchange Commission approved yesterday in a unanimous vote.
The rule takes effect in proxies filed by companies whose fiscal years end after Dec. 14. It will force companies to provide a total compensation figure for each of its top five executives. That number can be used to compare compensation across companies and industries."

I like the new disclosure rules. The more information, the better for shareholders. Unfortunately, the SEC dropped the “Katie Couric clause” that would have required compensation disclosures for highly-paid nonexecutive employees as well as the top five executive employees. The SEC took plenty of heat for the proposal, particularly from the entertainment industry, which claimed that the disclosure of such information would bring competitive harm to them in the negotiation for talent, etc. (See Jeffrey Katzenberg’s letter from SKG Dreamworks.)

Link to Chairman Cox’s introductory comments and a link to the SEC’s press release summarizing the new disclosures.

New Jersey's Titanic

2006-07-26T20:34:00.000-04:00

NEW JERSEY
Sales Taxes
State Sales Tax: 7% (food, prescription drugs and non-prescription
drugs, clothing, footwear exempt)
Gasoline Tax: 14.5 cents/gallon
Diesel Fuel Tax: 17.5 cents/gallon
Gasohol Tax: 14.5 cents/gallon
Cigarette Tax: $2.575/pack of 20

Personal Income Taxes
Tax Rate Range: Low - 1.4%; High - 8.97%
Income Brackets: * Lowest - $20,000; Highest - $500,000
Number of Brackets: 6
Personal Exemptions: Single - $1,000; Married - $2,000;
Dependents - $1,500
Additional Exemptions: Taxpayer or spouse 65 or older - $1,000
Standard Deduction: None
Medical/Dental Deduction: Limited to excess of 2% of gross income
Federal Income Tax Deduction: None

2006-07-26T17:12:00.000-04:00

Paris "Hit and Run" Hilton

More YouTube fun: Paris Hilton's paparazzi caught Paris backing out of a parking spot in her Range Rover and hitting a parked Honda Civic. She then drives away and she ignores the stop sign.

Imagine is she was talking on her cell phone as well :)

GM Posts 2nd Quarter Loss of $3.2 Billion

2006-07-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

General Motors Corp. reported a net loss of $3.2 billion for the second quarter, due to special charges related to its employee buyout program and other aspects of its restructuring plan.

The loss of $5.62 per share in the April-June period compared with a loss of $987 million, or $1.75 per share, for the same period last year.

The world's largest automaker is in deep trouble. I wonder how much longer CEO Rick Wagoner can stay in charge given that Kirk Kerkorian is working to get Carlos Ghosn to take over General Motors as well by merging Nissan/Renault with GM.

Honda takes to the air with HondaJet!

2006-07-25T22:17:00.000-04:00

Honda announced plans to enter the verylight jet market. (Watch the promo video.)

Honda will establish a new U.S. company to hold FAA type certification and production certification. Honda’s goal is to complete type certification in about 3-4 years, followed by the start of production in the U.S.

Will Honda make Boeing/Airbus look like GM/Ford?

Stay tuned. This will be interesting.

In other Honda news, Honda’s new Accord 2.2 i-CTDi Sport has this week set no fewer than 19 world speed records and achieved 3.07 litres / 100 km (92 mpg) fuel economy to boot.

For the 1st time, U.S. drivers buy more import brands

2006-07-25T13:42:00.000-04:00

New statistics compiled by R.L. Polk and Co., which counts new car registrations and excludes sales to rental car agencies and other fleet customers, show foreign brands commanded 52.9 percent of the retail auto market in the first five months of 2006, while domestic automakers fell to 47.1 percent.

Bad news for Detroit. Really bad news.

In January, Ford unveiled an overall company restructuring that it named "Way Forward", a six-year plan to idle 14 plants and eliminate 34,000 jobs, among other cost-cutting moves. Obviously, it's not working. At least, not yet.
Last week, Ford reported a $123 million second quarter loss.

GM, Ford and Chrysler executives need to consider some drastic changes if they hope to continue to stay in business and honor the pension obligations to their millions of retired employees.

2006-07-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

MLS 2006 - week 17 goal compilation

Climbing the Ladder Blog has uploaded the goal compilation for week 17.

Enjoy!

NY Red Bulls vs. KC Wizards

2006-07-22T03:28:00.000-04:00

Game Previews: Official MLSnet.com preview, The Kin of Fish, Big Apple Soccer, Matchnight.com, American Soccer News, Yahoo Sports.

Other MLS games today (all times EST):
Columbus v Los Angeles - 4pm on Live ESPN2
Houston v New England - 730pm on Direct Kick
Chicago v DC United - 730pm on Direct Kick
Salt Lake v Dallas - 9pm on Direct Kick

Honda F1 sets land speed records (reaching 400 km/hr)

2006-07-22T01:30:00.000-04:00

On the third day of running at the Bonneville International Speedway in Utah, USA, Honda Racing F1’s Bonneville 400 team achieved its target of a 400kph average across the measured mile as 400.459kph was recorded.

400 kilometers per hour (km/hr) × 0.621 = 248.4 miles per hour (mph)!

Don't ask me how driving on salt compares to driving on pavement.

P.S. In other F1 news, it's now official: there won't be an F1 race in Las Vegas any time soon :( Check out Formula1's official website for the latest F1 news and analysis.

Picture of the earth at night

2006-07-22T00:51:00.000-04:00

This is what the Earth looks like at night, thanks to NASA.

Interesting to note how populations settled over time. For intance, in Russia you can see the main rail line as the lights follow it right along. Also, most of Arfica is dark and most Canadians live close to the US border.

I wonder what a similar composite image will reveal in 25 years.

Apollo 11 Moon Landing Anniversary

2006-07-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

NASA posted an interesting account from the 1st moon landing for the anniversary of this historic mission on 07/20/1969.

Sounds from Apollo 11 - Listen to original recordings of the launch, landing on the moon, and Armstrong's first steps.

"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

I Love New York

2006-07-21T22:14:00.000-04:00

It's Friday night!

See hundreds of New York City pictures (at Flickr's I Love NY group)

Can you read this?

2006-07-21T12:31:00.000-04:00

Olny srmat poeple can.

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Amzanig, huh?

World Cup Marketing Scoreboard

2006-07-21T08:51:00.000-04:00

The FIFA World Cup is not only the world's largest and most popular sporting event, it's also the world's largest televised event and the world's largest marketing extravaganza.

Advertising Age has an interesting article on the winners and losers of the $2.2 billion spent by World Cup partners (image on the right is also from Advertising Age). Adidas is the clear winner and Emirates the uncontested loser. While I tend to support World Cup sponsors (and MLS sponsors in general), I don't think Emirates even has flights in/out of the US. I could be wrong.

In other news, eBay users must be soccer fans. Reuters reports that eBay bids dried up during World Cup soccer matches. Hmm, makes sense. PC sales also dropped significantly during the World Cup.

Germany 2006 in numbers (from FIFA).

Auf Wiedersehen Germany !

2006-07-20T18:28:00.000-04:00

Roo vs Ron

Call me crazy, but thanks to TiVO, I watched all 64 games of the 2006 World Cup (5,910 minutes). In fact, I watched several games more than once :)

I think this video clip of Rooney's red card is one of the top moments of this World Cup. (England's World Cup quarter-final against Portugal) While it's debateable, I think Cristiano Ronaldo encouraged the referee to send him off (despite his denial).

Did Rooney deserve the red card? You decide.

Zidane and Materazzi fined and banned by FIFA

2006-07-20T15:29:00.000-04:00

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP)—Zinedine Zidane was banned by FIFA for three games Thursday for head-butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final. Materazzi was suspended for two matches.

World soccer's governing body also fined Zidane $6,000 and Materazzi $4,000 after a disciplinary committee heard the former France captain's account of what led to the incident. Because Zidane has retired, he agreed to do three days of community service with children as part of FIFA's humanitarian projects.

---------------------------------

There you have it. Zidane gets to keep his Golden Boot Award, will make a few appearances for FIFA and gladly sign the $6K check. He should have gotten a much larger fine and a symbolic suspension of at least 10 games. After all 1.3 billion people watched his deliberate attack. Also, Totti was suspended for 3 games after the last World Cup for spitting.

With that said, Happy Retirement, Zizzou!

Lightning strikes the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas

2006-07-20T15:19:00.000-04:00

Cool picture from YahooNews. Lightning strikes above the Luxor Hotel during a thunderstorm in Las Vegas, Nevada July 17, 2006. The Mandalay Bay Resort is at left.

I stayed at the Luxor for a few nights several years ago so this picture has some sentimental value to me.

AOL Retention Manual Revealed

2006-07-19T17:48:00.000-04:00

Are you an AOL subscriber? Did you ever have AOL? Did you ever try to cancel their service? If so, you know how difficult it can be to cancel AOL.

One unhappy customer recorded and posted his call online. Take a few minutes to listen to this funny yet infuriating call.

Now, AOL's retention manual was leaked and it's on the web for all to see. Wow!

It really shouldn't take someone 45 minutes to cancel a service. If you have a good product at a fair price, people will stay. Once the competition has a better a product or better price, people will leave. No salesperson can make them stay - at least not for long.

Oh, if you do cancel AOL, be sure to check your credit card statement to ensure they stopped charging you :)

Bruce Arena was named Red Bull New York's new GM and head coach

2006-07-19T17:27:00.000-04:00

Bruce Arena is the most successful soccer coach in US history. NY Red Bulls are the least successful team in MLS history (not counting expansion teams).

This is great news for NY Red Bulls fans, for MLS, for Bruce and yes, even for US Soccer.

I have no doubt that this the turning point for the franchise and I'm very optimistic about what the future holds.

Red Bull will pay Bruce a reported $600,000 annual salary.

Nice summary of the press conference by The Kin of Fish More detail on MLSnet.com

S&P 500 falls for 5th straight day

2006-07-18T12:54:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since the S&P 500 dropped for 5 daws in a row. This may be a good time to re-examine your investment allocation.

As always, having a balanced, diversified, global portfolio can smooth out the short-term regional bumps and result in a better long-term overall performance.

2006-07-18T12:51:00.000-04:00

MLS 2006 - week 16 goal compilation

Here is a nice compilation of goals from MLS's 16th week.

See links to all previous weekly compilations at http://usasoccer.blogspot.com/

F1: French Grand Prix tomorrow

2006-07-15T22:09:00.000-04:00

Michael Shumacher took pole position today. Alonso will start from 3rd place. Speed Channel's interview with Shumi makes it clear that he intends to win tomorrow.

It's going to be a great race and lots of fun.

French Grand Prix: LIVE on Speed Channel at 7:30 AM EST (replay on Speed at 1:30 PM EST)

US Sales of Hybrids Stay Strong in June 2006, Up 20% from 2005

2006-07-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

GreenCarCongress reports that hybrid car sales in June 2006 were up 20% with 23,544 units sold.
GreenCarCongress publishes this great chart that shows hybrid sales by model.

Toyota is the clear leader in hybrid technology and sales. Here's hope that more manufacturers will offer hybrid versions of their cars.

New Blog: First Post!

2006-07-15T20:37:00.000-04:00

Well, I decided to jump on the blog bandwagon.

I started this blog to discuss current events, financial markets, politics, sports, travel and just about anything else that captures my attention.

I doubt anyone will find this blog, much less read it :)

Let the fun begin!