Total news: 36
Last news: January 1, 1970 00:00:00

crude, yet refined

Total news: 69
Last news: February 19, 2008 08:26:01

I’m not gonna lie…I’m not a huge reader. As Mike Birbiglia would point out, I’m more “magazine smart” than book smart. But every now and then, I enjoy perusing the pages of a book usually on the recommendation of a select group of friends…all of whom I consider to be more intelligent than yours truly. Predictably Irrational is one of those books.

I had the opportunity to sample Predictably Irrational before its release date, which is today I might add. The book, which was written by Dr. Dan Ariely provides a refreshingly entertaining look at how we are fooled by irrational behavior, and how we can make better choices about our day-to-day decisions with simple strategies. Despite his big-ass experience (i.e. “Russell & Tate“), his approach certainly isn’t academic, but rather easy to interpret.

Chapter Three entitled “The Cost of Zero Cost” examines the way “free” items are “incredibly appealing” even though what we really want costs very little to begin with. For instance, standing in line for a couple of hours for a free meal at a new restaurant (I’m ashamed to admit that I did this when Chipotle opened its first franchise in San Antonio a few years ago), or falling victim to the buy two get one free gimmick when all you need is one. I remember while in college the credit card companies used to exploit our penchant for free t-shirts to lure students into applying for credit. These are only a few of the everyday experiences Dan Ariely discusses in the book.

I highly recommend this read. Of course, I got it for free. But that shouldn’t matter as you will find out in Predictably Irrational.

About Dan Ariely
Dr. Dan Ariely is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Behavorial Economics at MIT, where he holds a joint appointment between MIT’s Program in Media Arts and Sciences and the Sloan School of Management. He is also a researcher at the Boston Federal Reserve Bank and a visiting professor at Duke University. Dr. Ariely wrote Predictably Irrational while he was a fellow at the Institute for Advance Study at Princeton.

ShareThis

Numerous buying opportunities have developed in the wake of the recent foreclosure crisis. Websites such as ForclosureRadar.com provide up-to-date information on every foreclosure opportunity available in California, including exclusive daily updates on every auction. However, the real beneficiaries of the increased foreclosure supply are the homeless.

Think about it. A newly foreclosed home may still have running water, electricity, and other working utilities. Finally! A way for the homeless to keep up with the Joneses…a shopping cart in every driveway. The foreclosure supply obviously varies from town to town. I know San Antonio isn’t nearly as bountiful as it is in Cleveland where this phenomena is taking place. There are an estimated 15,000 single-family homes vacant due to foreclosure in Cleveland and suburban Cuyahoga County.

“Many homeless people see the foreclosure crisis as an opportunity to find low-cost housing (FREE!) with some privacy,” Brian Davis, director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, said in the summary of the latest census of homeless sleeping outside in downtown Cleveland.

Unfortunately “privacy” may potentially translate into “crime”…drugs and prostitutes. Sorry, Hugh Grant. You’re about 12 years too late to take advantage of one of these safehouses. Present celebs take note! Cleveland is the place to be!

Courtesy AP via Yahoo! Finance.

ShareThis

You sure are purdy!

Don’t get excited guys. She’s taken. Her fiance wears a gold chain if that tells you anything. But enough about my jealousy.

Jesse Preston (pictured center in front of creepy old man) is a 20-year-old cybermodel making waves online including MySpace. The Hooters waitress and calendar girl has appeared in a number of publications during her short modeling career including four Playboy Special Editions (I wonder if she knows Kyla Ebbert). She most recently appeared in Strobe Magazine…yeah, I’ve never heard of it either…which she touts as a “classy and sexy” rag. After perusing its online pages, I’d have to agree.

I was born in Brooklyn NY and came to FL when I was very young, and I’m glad I did because being here has given me so many opportunities I might not have had anywhere else.

Courtesy StrobeMagazine.com

When you get a chance, stop by Jesse’s MySpace at www.myspace.com/dreamscumtru. Hmm…nice address. Classy and sexy. Kidding, Jesse. You’re beautiful (in a New York accent). Hey, Jesse. I’ve got a few extra RETOX BAR shirts. I’d love for you to have one, and maybe wear it in a photo. Lemme know.

[Hat Tip: HottestGirlsOfMySpace]

ShareThis

Does it look like I’m bluffing, bitch?

While catching my recommended daily allowance of CNBC this morning, Becky Quick (aka. “Summer Teeth”) spoke with Warren Buffett about his offer to rescue bond insurers by providing re-insurance on up to $800 billion in municipal bonds. Via Berkshire Hathaway, the offer was extended to New York Superintendent of Insurance, Eric Dinallo, for his blessing. Subsequently, the offer was made last week to Ambac Financial (NYSE:ABK), MBIA (NYSE:MBI) and Financial Guaranty Insurance Co (FGIC). The plan would ensure that the bond insurer would be backed by Berkshire Hathaway in the event that the municipality and insurer both fail.

Buffett addressed the pricing disparity of these “14% bonds” versus Triple A-rated Treasuries below 4%, and added that the muni bond market appears as if it has “lost their Triple A…they’re trading as if they’re uninsured now.” The Buffett Bailout would certainly free up some capital for these bond insurers to deal with their CDO woes.

Apparently one of these firms has already rejected the plan. So, they’re probably gonna tank. Hey, Warren…I hear Latrell Sprewell is broke. Hook a brotha up!

ShareThis

Does Citizens Bank have to choke a bitch? Apparently so. According to an AP article on USAToday.com, Sprewell has fallen on hard times.

In Milwaukee County Circuit Court, RBS Citizens NA, or Citizens Bank, filed a foreclosure suit last week for the $405,000 home Sprewell bought in River Hills in 1994.

In court documents, the bank alleges Sprewell owes $295,138 in outstanding payments plus interest after failing to make mortgage payments of $2,593 a month from September 2007 to January 2008.

I bet that $21 million extension looks pretty good about now. In addition to the foreclosure suit, Sprewell sold his yacht at auction to help pay off the $1.3 million he owes on his oversized dingy. Next up….liquidation of every set of “Sprewells” he has in the garage. Too bad they’re so 2000.

Maybe the Suns could hook him up. I hear they’re signing old has beens. To read the rest of the article on USAToday.com, click here. In the meantime, maybe you can catch Spree at the local IHOP for free pancakes.

ShareThis

Ford (NYSE: F) may eliminate another 9,000 U.S. factory jobs via buyouts and early-retirement offers. The company’s initial goal was to cut 8,000 jobs, but according to an article on Bloomberg.com, Ford won’t limit the number who leave if more than the target range of 8,000 to 9,000 opt for the offers. If Ford reaches its goal of eliminating 8,000 jobs, it will have cut 44% of its North American hourly jobs in three years.

Courtesy Autoblog.com

The good news? Ford will turn around and add 26,000 libs to its lineup. What happened to the whole “green” thing? The Alton Manufacturing F-650 XUV features a Caterpillar 7.2L C7 ACERT engine, hardwood floors, a few big screens, and triple train horns. And just to be sure you can make it around the block at least 3 times, it includes a 45-gallon fuel tank…all for about $200k. Somebody call Shaq! For those of you that don’t have $200k in dispoable income, do what my friend, Eddie, did. Buy a diesel Excursion, lift it, throw some 22s on that b!+c#, add some drop screens, and your own train horn (which is alot of fun, BTW)…and voila!

ShareThis

Florida Panthers’ forward Richard Zednick was accidentally struck by the skate of teammate Olli Jokinen in the neck. That’s smarts, eh? Best of luck, Richard…and God bless.

Adrian Peterson improved his reputation as the NFLs Official Badass. He became the second rookie to be voted as MVP of the Pro Bowl next to Marshall Faulk. Peterson rushed 16 times for 129 cubits and 2 scores. AP beat out NFC teammate and Cowboys WR Terrell Owens for the award. T.O. had an early case of the dropsies again, but quickly rebounded with 8 catches for 101 yards…and also 2 scores.

In case you don’t have NFL Network or if you missed its coverage of the Pro Bowl practices…well, this video is all you really missed. Courtesy of future Presidential hopeful, Peyton Manning.

There should be no doubt that my NBA allegiance falls with my own San Antonio Spurs. But after today’s 98-90 defeat by the [previously overhyped] Boston Celtics, I’m finally convinced that the Celtics are currently the best team in the NBA, not to mention 16-0 against the West. Hopefully both teams will be healthy by St. Patty’s Day when they rematch in the Alamo City.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

And last, but certainly not least the Grammys were filled with excellent performances — Foo Fighters, Carrie Underwood & SPANK, er STOMP, the Rhapsody In Blue performance…and not Brad Paisley. (Does anyone know how old Tina Turner is?) Kanye’s performance was definitely the coolest. If you missed it, check it out here. Also did anyone keep hearing With or Without You in Alicia Keys’ performance of No One? Amy Winehouse? Really? And Ringo Starr is still the World’s Biggest Dork. That’s all I got.

ShareThis

According to the New York Daily News, Brian McNamee told congressional investigators Thursday that Roger Clemens’ wife took human growth hormone before she appeared along side Rog in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue in 2003. She did look pretty good. While there was no hard evidence presented, the video below definitely portrays Debbie with some semblance of ‘roid rage. Just sayin’.

Seriously, McNamee? Now you’re throwing wives under the bus? To check out the rest of the article, click here.

ShareThis

Jeep needs a turnover as well

Former “big three” cohort Chrysler will try to dodge (pun intended) disaster by carving out about half of its models as well as decrease its network of dealerships.

Shrinking the number of dealers will be difficult, however, because of laws in all the states protecting those businesses, analysts said. If Chrysler, with about 3,600 dealers, wants to move quickly, it likely will have to offer financial incentives.

Over the years, the automaker and its U.S. rivals, General Motors Corp (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F), have tried to shrink their dealer numbers, often facing great resistance. However, analysts said some dealers may be more receptive now, given the weak U.S. economy, if the offers are generous.

Reuters

Forbes recently crowned five Chrysler cars as “Automotive Turkeys” on its list of 10 Poorest Performing Cars for 2007. Those models included Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Caliber, and Dodge Magnum. Factors included number of recalls, high depreciation, and NHTSA ratings below four stars. Not to mention they’re all ugly, so…um…that’s probably why also. In addition to the elimination of models — some of which are ineffectually duplicated and rebadged models — Project Genesis calls for the introduction of new, competitive models. The dealerships will likely be consolidated to include all three nameplates under one roof.

If I was a betting man, I’d go all in on the idea that Kirk Kerkorian and Carlos Ghosn will both be involved in preparing a gameplan that includes Chrysler LLC.

Large popcorn please…no butter.

A “fire sale” may not be enough.

ShareThis

As you can see, DERRICH.com has undergone a facelift. It has been a long time coming, but I finally got around to it. And to do so, I summoned Nate Whitehill and the crew over at Unique Blog Designs. They are refreshingly flexible and accommodating.

The biggest hint of what my focus will be is the logo. It was designed by yours truly. I submitted my idea to Nate; he took it and ran. The final logo is a result of his mad PhotoShop skills. Embedded in the logo, you’ll see sports, pretty ladies, hot cars, the NASDAQ center in Times Square, and a BlackBerry. Embedded in each post…the usual DERRICH.com crude yet refined humor.

I hope you enjoy the new theme. There are still some minor changes to make, but I’d love to hear your feedback. Thank you, Nate and Unique Blog Designs!

ShareThis

…who’s going to win the Super Bowl. He’ll just blow up!

Chris Berman Loses His Cool - Watch more free videos

ShareThis

Remember in grade school…when you, um, used to bet your friends the most ridiculous things? Well, Bodog.com has made them a reality. If you can think of a Super Bowl-related bet, you can put your money where your mouth is. You can even place a wager on what song Tom Petty will perform to end his halftime show at the Super Bowl.

Sam McGuffie

This just in. Sam McGuffie is a douchebag. But he’s still a bad ass runningback. If you have no idea who Sam McGuffie is, watch this video. I’m sure he’s not a douche. I’m just pissed that he doesn’t plan on staying in Texas. Hey, Sam. I hear the Texas State Bobcats are looking for some talent.

Scientists in Britain have created a helmet that when worn at least 10 minutes a day could reverse symptoms such as memory loss and anxiety within four weeks. Unfortunately, the Alzheimer’s Helmet does not fix bad teeth.

So Hitler was a Cowboys fan…

Don’t let all this talk of subprime meltdown get you down about the market. ForeclosureRadar.com claims to be “the first service to track every California foreclosure auction each and every day.” Good thing the “Big Five” will be paying out record bonuses. Maybe they can flip some foreclosed cribs in their spare time. How’s that for economic stimulus?

ShareThis

Just about every Sunday, I hit the theatre (or at least watch a movie at home) to catch the latest flick. While I don’t plan on seeing Rambo in the theatres, I thought this was an interesting chart of death counts for each iteration of the action movie. Maybe a row for “Number of CCs of steroids taken” would have been a nice addition to this chart.

Click on chart for larger image

…and tonight’s movie is U2 3D. I’ve been anxiously awaiting this Real D movie for awhile now.

ShareThis

Baby Scared of Fart — Watch more free videos

ShareThis

So your team didn’t make it to the Super Bowl? “Well, cheer up! There’s plenty to look forward to,” as a bummed Peyton Manning puts it so plainly. How about the NFL Draft? Better yet, how about the Senior Bowl? Thanks to the NFL Network (and RotoWorld), you can watch the progress of college players who are anxious to be noticed by NFL scouts. Practices are aired everday on the NFL Network and are certainly worth a DVR slot.

North
The North arguably has the best QB trio of the two sides. The roster includes John David Booty of USC, Chad Henne of Michigan, and Joe Flacco of Delaware.

While much of the media is focused on the higher profile QBs (yeah I’m talkin’ to you, Mayock), particularly how well Chad Henne has practiced raising his NFL Draft stock, I couldn’t help but notice how impressive Joe Flacco has been. Despite the fact that he is an imposing 6-6, his arm and pocket presence is even more remarkable. I believe it’s called poise, and he’s got plently to go around. If anyone has improved their stock in the draft, it’s certianly been Flacco. He throws the long ball effortlessly, and he has been effective with the infamous out route. Lack of consistency is his downfall. He’s definitely got the best upside of all the QBs. Here’s a little sample of what he did at Delaware this season.

Other North players that have made a positive impact on their draft status include Kansas State WR Jordy Nelson, Lavelle Hawkins (WR) from Cal, and East Carolina RB Chris Johnson. And USC DT Sedrick Ellis is a beast. I can’t wait to see him throw down on Saturday.

South
The South squad features three QBs that are trying to gain some attention coming out of the Senior Bowl headed into the combine season. Kentucky’s Andre Woodson is the favorite of the group according to most NFL [over]analysts, but he has the ugliest throw ever. Regardless of my opinion of his motion, he boasts a strong arm and good size. The other two “question mark” QBs are Erik Ainge of Tennessee and Colt Brennan of Hawaii.

Colt seemed to be the “coaches pet” on Wednesday as Mike Martz ran a QB clinic and then some (if only I were still playing, I might be a better QB after watching Coach Martz for an hour). He’s certainly the most athletic QB of the bunch. However, he seemed aloof at times as Martz was yelling his name to “get over here, Colt” and to “hurry up and get some more snaps, Colt”…and to “stop wearing that ghey-ass visor, Colt”. All kidding aside, Colt will undoubtedly be the most watched QB on Saturday simply because he’s under the most pressure. Ceteris Paribus…both sides of the football will feature big-time talent…can he perform at that level or better?

Other notable players from the South were Appalachian State WR Dexter Jackson (that boy good..and fast), LSU RB Jacob Hester, and OL Heath Benedict from Newberry College. Heath was cheered by coaches numerous times during the practice. He not only resembles Goldberg or some World’s Strongest Man contestant, but also a brick wall.

NFL or UFC?
Defensive Tackle Red Bryant of Texas A&M may want to reconsider a career in the NFL for one as a UFC fighter…or WWE. At yesterday’s practice, he blew up at Vanderbilt OL Chris Williams landing every hand slap he threw to Williams’ grill. As if the Aggies needed more bad press.

The Senior Bowl rosters are available at SeniorBowl.com. The 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2008, in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Ball meets toe at 3:00pm.

ShareThis

Jonah Hill won’t get his wish to see a Jake Gyllenhaal with a mouthful of Ledger. Austrailian-born actor Heath Ledger was found dead in a Manhattan apartment. He was discovered by a masseuse with sleeping pills nearby. All joking aside, I thought Heath was a tremendous actor. It’s sad that he left behind a 2-year old daughter, and a promising acting career. Heath is set to appear in the latest iteration of Batman — The Dark Knight. Click here to see the Batman trailer.

Ben Bernanke’s tendency to slowly react to emerging economic threats has rubbed off on investors. Even after The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 75 basis points (0.75%), markets proceeded to take a plunge. It’s safe to say we can expect another rate cut in the next Fed meeting.

It looks like the Washington Redskins are going to trade a fossil for a Fassel. Former Giants head coach Jim Fassel gets a second interview with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Based on Fassel’s coaching record, the ‘Skins will make to the playoffs and then lose. Ata boy, Snyder.

Fox Business News threw a sucker punch at CNBC by providing live coverage on Monday while CNBC aired ghey reruns of American Greed. All they did was make CNBC mad. Let’s face it. It’s tough to take ratings from a team that includes a couple of street brawlers — Charlie Gasparino & Jim Cramer — and a bevy of CNBC beauties.

ShareThis

Since most of us had the day off on Monday for Martin Luther King Day, Finkel is Einhorn…um, sorry…Tuesday is Monday. So, while you’re sitting at your desk wondering “what website should I visit first”, look no further. Chickipedia.com will do just fine.

Chickipedia is the world’s largest web-based, women-based, wiki-based database of hot chicks on the planet. It is entirely user-generated, making it the first female-only encyclopedia of the people, by the people, and for the people. All you have to do is have access to the internet, log on, go to our “Add New Chick” link, and voila—you can create a new article, or revise an existing one. Just be sure to do so within our guidelines or risk being spanked. Hard.

There are a handful of “chicks” already donning a profile, but there are some that need updating. Chickipedia profiles include the usual vitals including the ol’ measurements, photos (of course), related videos, and a résumé. Tonight, I happened to see Cloverfield (bring your barfbag…Blair Witch-tography). One of hotties in the flick is Odette Yustman, who plays the part of Beth.

“Odette who” you ask? Just check out Odette’s Chickipedia profile and see for yourself. Hey, Odette. Hit me up…if not for the dij at least for an interview. Huge fan.

ShareThis

Monkey Needs A Drink - Watch more free videos

ShareThis

“Hi, I’m the worst attempt at humor ever.” The guy at 0:40 sums it up beautifully. [Hat Tip: BustedCoverage]

ShareThis

In his interview with Neil Cavuto yesterday, The Donald reacts firmly to Ben Bernanke’s suggestion for a fiscal stimulus package. I almost became enraged at Trump’s arrogance until I saw Cavuto’s mug. Have you ever seen someone…a total stranger…and thought to yourself “I hate that guy” based solely on looks? Hey, Trump. Please get Cavuto on the next Celebrity Apprentice so can fire his ass. Sorry. Here’s the vid.

ShareThis