Random Thoughts & Readings

• The Fed minutes show one sure thing - uncertainty


• Will China finally stop tying the renminbi to the dollar, or is a trade war brewing?


• I'm still sitting on my hands at the moment, and frankly, see no reason to change that stance today. But, since you've asked, here are the stocks making "interesting moves" this morning: PARL, PRLS, NURO, FFIV, CMTL, FC, PVH, DECK, GAP, CPN, NGPS, TSA, & ISIS


• Oil trades near $50 amid concern about refinery disruptions


• One astute reader points out: "Something is seriously wrong with Yahoo Finance's new Corporate Governance Quotient. Fannie Mae (FNM) is rated better than 93% of the companies in the S&P 500 and AIG (AIG) is rated better than 82%!"


• Biotechs to watch as ASCO glow fades


• Those who sleep with dogs get up with fleas


• Women prefer safety & affordability while men like power and luxury when choosing a car to buy


• "Google is still perfect, the bubble is floating, and they can do everything." - Bill Gates


• The latest Investor’s Intelligence survey found 46.7% are bullish (up slightly from 46.2% last week) and 26.1% are bearish (down from 28.6%)


• Playboy's Playmate of the Month gives up her modeling career in order to take up real estate investing


• House approves a stem cell research bill opposed by Bush


• Three significant changes in the semiconductor space


• Move over Mall of America, China goes shopping


• Get a doctor by phone?


• Following yesterday's popular post regarding my stock screening, some of you asked how keep on top of which stock screens to run and when. That's easy - I use my personal information manager to do the work for me


• A wise man never knows all, only fools know everything


• Brookings economists argue for wage insurance


• Isn't it nice when things just work


• I don't use Quicken or MS Money to manage my personal finances. Instead, I use AceMoney


• New virus holds computer files hostage for ransom


• Despite the recent rally, some stocks still went down


• Every Fed interest rate increase cycle since 1970 has involved at least one high-profile financial calamity


• TV overload? According to Nielsen Media Research, households that receive about 60 tv channels usually watch only 15 of them


• Play 20 questions


• A fund pro who is heavy on metals


• Home prices rose more quickly over the last year than at any point since 1980


• The blue states fight back by altering their consumer spending patterns


• Trump lash


• "What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight-it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Dwight D. Eisenhower