Do you think that in 1902, someone made a comment that showed his age, and someone else retorted with "Welcome to the 20th Century, George"? Or did it take 80 years for that joke to catch on like I see in Hollywood movies. Because frankly, the former would have been much more impressive, not to mention timelier.

There's a lot of idiots out there investing in the stock market. And here's the typical business model. You have these online brokerage houses, etrade.com, etc. who charge a flat $8 or so per transaction. That's how they make their money. Here's my idea. BetAgainstYou.com. No transaction charges. Invest for free. But, here's the thing. I'm not really investing your money in the stocks that you want. It's almost like a fantasy stock market. I give you credit for getting in and out when you want, and I am liable to pay you for your earnings based on your actual performance as if you did own them. However, I know I'm smarter than you. I'm not basing my investments on short-term hope, but on long-term financial performance. And I'm using your money to invest in real winners. Pretend we could get around the liability, and this was a big enough company where they were good for the money. The competitive spirit behind the idea. All these people who want to prove that they can beat the "experts". Free transaction costs. What do you think?

Have you ever been in a stadium setting where you have thousands of people singing, and it sounds pretty good? How is this possible? Most of these people aren't good, and yet the whole is much greater than the average of all its parts. There's something profound here. I just can't find it. Help.

(a continuation) #13. Millard Fillmore Always the political pragmatist, Millard Fillmore took office after the death of his predecessor, Zachary Taylor, and quickly ushered in the Compromise of 1850. While the goal of the act was to settle the slave controversy, the Fugitive Slave Act contained in the bill which provided the federal government with legal claim to send freed slaves back to their Southern masters, did nothing of the sort and only stoked flames on the fire of secession.

Unless the viewer is aware that they are witnessing a dream sequence ahead of time, it's just pointless trickery.

Please abandon the dream sequence, Hollywood!

Now, you know what's coming. This is where you give me an example of a successful dream sequence to prove me wrong...Steve?

I was recently laid off. Marketing is not the safest job to have during these down economic times. And I paid the price for having it. I was laid off during my two week study of "faith" on the blog. You can decide for yourself whether that was a sovereign act or simply sleigh track logic that makes me see it as more than mere coincidence. A couple weeks later, after getting some perspective, I am excited about the future. Especially for news I just found out today! My sister-in-law is finishing up her last semester of graphic design school and has decided, for her senior project, to create my book idea, "Why Every President Sucked: America's Endless Pursuit for a Divine Man." If you have been reading this blog for a while, you are probably aware of this series in progress. So, thanks to her, this project will become a fully-designed coffee table book soon, and I am excited about what possibilities that might produce. While it is often hard to see the light in the storm, I reach out anyway.

I don't think that term ever really applies when people give it out as the reason for an unsuccessful suicide. I think the truth is more likely that the person hates life, but they're still afraid of dying.

Let's say the first car you ever owned was a Ford Taurus. And you hated it. It broke down all the time and caused you all sorts of problems. To the point where you have since sworn off Ford for life. You'll never buy one again. Based on one car. Now, what if when you're young, you get beaten up by a black kid...

Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed it. But, The Cosby Show made today possible. I'm serious.

...I don't get how those cloud-making factories are going to survive. I mean, seriously, even in a good market, who's paying for those?