U2 - Lemon

See through in the sunlight

She wore lemon But never in the daylight

She's gonna make you cry

She's gonna make you whisper and moan

And when you're dry She draws her water from the stone

And I feel Like I'm slowly, slowly, slowly slipping under

And I feel Like I'm holding onto nothing

She wore lemon

To colour in the cold grey night

She had heaven

And she held on so tight

A man makes a picture

A moving picture

Through the light projected

He can see himself up close

A man captures colour

A man likes to stare

He turns his money into light to look for her

And I feel Like I'm drifting, drifting, drifting from the shore

And I feel Like I'm swimming out to her

Midnight is where the day begins

Midnight is where the day begins

Midnight is where the day begins

Lemon See through in the sunlight

A man builds a city

With banks and cathedrals

A man melts the sand so he can See the world outside

You're gonna meet her there

A man makes a car

She's your destination

And builds roads to run them on

You gotta get to her

A man dreams of leaving

She's imagination

But he always stays behind

And these are the days

When our work has come assunder

And these are the days when we look for something other

Midnight is where the day begins [Repeat 4 times] [Instrumental]

Midnight is where the day begins [Repeat 4 times]

A man makes a picture

A moving picture

Through the light projected

He can see himself up close

You're gonna meet her there

A man captures colour

She's your destination A man likes to stare

There's no sleeping there

He turns his money into light

She's imagination

To look for her

Lemon

She is the dreamer

She's imagination

She had heaven

Through the light projected

He can see himself up close

She wore lemon

Yet another gloomy Monday

I am running badly in poker. I got nothing going for me this weekend (No flush, no set, and no full house). I am just glad that I only dropped a few bills. I just need to alter my game a little bit; again you can’t do a whole lot if the deck is not helping.

I am glad that I could take Tracy out for her birthday. She enjoyed her dinner at the Fish place. I am glad that she liked her gifts.

DOW is on the fall again this morning. It’s not a good feeling when you see the market drop by 200 points in the early morning. I just hope that it gets better during the week.

Stocks slide as investors dump financials:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Investors are having doubts about banks' profit reports, and wondering whether their better-than-expected performance mask larger problems with bad debt. Stocks fell sharply early Monday as investors sold financial stocks and looked to lock in profits after a six-week rally. The major indexes slid about 2 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which fell 175 points.
Worries about the financial industry overshadowed Oracle Corp.'s announcement that it would acquire Sun Microsystems Inc. for $7.4 billion and a $6 billion bid by PepsiCo Inc. to acquire its two biggest bottlers.

I am hoping that we will get out of this by the middle of the week.
Good luck to everyone.

5-Minute Meals That Melt Off Pounds

BODY-SLIMMING BREAKFASTSRICOTTA WRAP (350 calories): 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp nonfat ricotta, 2 tbsp slivered almonds, 1/2 cup berries and 2 tsp honey in 1 whole-grain wrap such as Flatout multigrain flatbread

YOGURT CRUNCH (350 calories): 5 oz plain yogurt, 4 walnut halves, 3 tbsp All-Bran, 1/4 cup granola and 3/4 cup cubed melon

BACON, EGG AND CHEESE MUFFIN (500 calories): Scramble 1 large egg in 1 tsp margarine and place on a toasted whole-grain English muffin spread with 1 tsp margarine. Top with 1 slice cooked turkey bacon and 2 tbsp shredded reduced-fat cheddar. Serve with 3/4 cup berries, 1/4 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt and 12 oz skim latte. Try this blogger's tips to cut the cooking time.

LEAN AND LUSCIOUS LUNCHESSHRIMP SALAD (400 calories): 10 cooked shrimp, 1/3 avocado, sliced, 1 tbsp slivered almonds, 2 tbsp each diced red onion and carrot, 1 tbsp prepared sesame dressing, tossed with 2 cups greens; 3 whole-grain crispbreads

TANGY TURKEY PITA (550 calories): 3 oz turkey breast, 5 olives, 3 tbsp feta, 2 tbsp each diced cucumber and tomato, 6 spinach leaves, 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp balsamic vinegar in 1 whole-wheat pita; 1 large orangePEAR ‘WICH (650 calories): 3 tbsp almond butter, 1/2 large pear, sliced, 1/8 tsp cinnamon on 2 slices whole-wheat bread. Serve with the other half of the pear.

DELICIOUS, TRIM-DOWN DINNERSFISH AND FRIES (400 calories): 4 oz cod rubbed with 1 tsp olive oil, seared (2 to 3 minutes per side); 12 Alexia Sweet Potato Fries, baked as directed on package; 1 1/2 cups sliced cabbage tossed with 2 tbsp reduced-fat dressing

CHICKPEA PASTA (550 calories): 1/3 cup chopped onion, 2 cups chopped zucchini, 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped, and 1/2 cup chickpeas sautéed in 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix with 1 cup cooked ziti, 2 tbsp Parmesan.

CHICKEN PILAF (600 calories): 3/4 cup cubed, cooked, skinless chicken mixed with 1 1/2 cups cooked Near East Whole Grain Wheat Pilaf drizzled with 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup steamed cauliflower with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp fresh parsley

SATISFYING SNACKSTurkey and cheese roll-up (100 calories): 1 oz sliced turkey breast, 1 oz sliced reduced-fat cheddar rolled upChocolate milk with nuts (150 calories): 1 cup light chocolate soymilk, 13 pistachiosOrange spritzer and almonds (150 calories): 8 oz orange juice mixed with 4 oz sparkling water; 7 almonds

Go OPTI Go

This is a better start of a day. DOW is on the rise this morning. Ford lost a bit of ground this morning but I am not worried about F anymore, I think we are on the right track.
OPC is up to 2.38 this morning. I don’t know if I should sell half of my shares and put myself in a better position. I was worried about OPTI all along.

I had dinner with an old friend of mine last night at Moxie’s. She is still a very sweet person. She is still very wise and quite. It was nice to see her.

I am optimistic that we are on the road to recovery but worried that another slide might occur some where down the road and I will regret. I just hope that we are out of the woods and on the road to prosperity.

Another gloomy Monday

It was not as prosperous weekend as I thought it would be. As soon as I landed in Edmonton, Steve picked me up and we headed to River Cree, it was a long session of poker. The longest session I have ever done, 28 hours straight. I played really bad for the first 12 hours and dug myself in a hole for 8 bills. Thanks to a few good hands in a row which got me right back into the game. I had KK when 3 people were all in and the pot was about 2K. I got lucky that it held up.

At the end, I came out with 8 bills plus, I am not too unhappy.

DOW looks gloomy as the weather around here this morning. I am glad that F, AIG, HIG and FNM are doing moderately well, also good to see OPC is still gaining ground.


Here are some highlights from today:

- NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street is retreating as investors await a flurry of earnings reports and data that could provide insight into the direction of the economy.
- Several big banks are bucking the market's slide Monday as investors buy their shares ahead of quarterly results due this week. But traders were uneasy about a New York Times report saying the Treasury has directed General Motors Corp. to lay the groundwork for a potential bankruptcy filing by June 1.
- DETROIT (Reuters) - Shares of General Motors Corp plunged 16 percent on Monday as traders shed positions out of fear the U.S. government will push the automaker into a bankruptcy that could wipe out existing equity.
- GM, which is operating under $13.4 billion of emergency government loans, has until June 1 to win sweeping concessions from bondholders and the United Auto Workers union.
- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Oil prices fell below $49 a barrel before recovering some Monday, as investors reacted to slipping stock markets and an International Energy Agency forecast for a drop in global crude demand.

No good news to share today. I am hoping for some positive news that will shine toward the middle of the week. I am hoping for some sparks. I hope that we all have a good week.

Long weekend starts today

Tomorrow is long weekend. I am excited that I am going to Edmonton tomorrow.
I am planning to have a prosperous weekend.

Dow looks great today as it surged to 8085. This market is so funny, any good news can drive the numbers up by 200 points and it can drop so quickly too. I guess no one can figure out this market.
Ford is up today. I am really happy that my wait is paying off. I am hoping that this stock will quadruple within a few months.

The news:

- NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are ending at their highest level in two months after banking giant Wells Fargo & Co. surprised the market with an early profit report that blew past analysts' expectations. Investors have been grasping at any sign of improvement in the crippled banking industry, and Wells Fargo's report Thursday that it expects first-quarter earnings of $3 billion provided an encouraging sign that a deep freeze in borrowing activity may finally be thawing.
- NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices rose sharply Thursday despite more hints that energy use is way down, with traders focusing instead on a rising stock market and surprising news from retailers that suggests Americans are spending money.

If you are reading this, I wish you a very happy Easter and a great weekend.

OPC on the rise

This was not one of my best weekends.
I was not too happy about my poker game.
I did not do too well. I did not make my quota.
Anyway, I just have to play better.

OPC is doing so well this morning. I really don’t know what is happening. I just hope that it goes over $ 3 / share so I can sell half of my shares.
Dow is on the down slide as I predicted. This is just a gloomy Monday.

Here are some highlights:

- NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street pulled back in early trading Monday as investors paused from a four-week rally to take profits ahead of first-quarter earnings reports.

- SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Shares of Sun Microsystems Inc. fell in pre market trading Monday on news that IBM Corp. withdrew an acquisition offer.
- Oil prices retreated to below $52 a barrel Monday, tracking a downturn in stock markets, as investors worried about the upcoming U.S. corporate earnings season and the failure of a major takeover deal.

L'AQUILA, Italy – A powerful earthquake in mountainous central Italy knocked down whole blocks of buildings early Monday as residents slept, killing more than 70 people in the country's deadliest quake in nearly three decades, officials said. Tens of thousands were homeless and 1,500 were injured.

Here is some glimpse of hope:

- WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Treasury Department is trying to ensure broader participation from hedge funds and other private investors in its bad asset purchase program by loosening the criteria for those who want to take part.
Treasury on Monday relaxed a requirement that companies have at least $10 billion in capital under management in order to participate, and emphasized that the program is open to small and women- and minority-owned firms.

- DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F - News) has reduced its automotive debt by 38 percent, or $9.9 billion, part of a series of moves to bolster its finances amid the global automotive downturn, the company said on Monday.

If you are reading read, I just hope that you have a great week.

Traders put market rally on hold after steep gains

It's Friday again. It seems like a good start of the weekend for me. Several news are not that great.

- Stocks fluctuated in quiet trading Friday as investors looked past a report that unemployment jumped last month to its highest rate since 1983 and braced for a rush of potentially bloody corporate earnings.

- Oil prices dipped Friday after the government reported that the U.S. unemployment rate rose to the highest rate since late 1983 as employers eliminated 663,000 jobs.
Benchmark crude for May delivery fell 53 cents to $52.36 barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

- BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – A gunman opened fire at an immigration services center in downtown Binghamton on Friday, killing as many as 13 people before authorities found him dead, officials said.

- WASHINGTON – The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 8.5 percent in March, the highest since late 1983, as a wide swath of employers eliminated 663,000 jobs. It's fresh evidence of the toll the recession has inflicted on America's workers, and economists say there's no relief in sight.

- OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada still faces big job losses but it is well poised to emerge quickly and strongly from recession when recovery begins, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Friday. "We all know that we have a massive and growing employment problem," he told Business News Network in an interview in London. "We've seen dramatic drops in output, dramatic rises in unemployment in the last four months... We anticipate more big job losses."

Last night I had dinner with an old friend at KEG. It was nice to see her after years.
She is a very kind person. I wish her all the best.

I sold AGU today. I made a little profit but it was nice to get rid of such high priced stock.
I will be looking forward to some good news next week.

If you are reading this, have a great weekend.

This is really sad

Food stamp list swells to record 32.2 million

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A record 32.2 million people -- one in every 10 Americans -- received food stamps at latest count, the government said on Thursday, a reflection of the recession now in its 16th month.
Food stamps are the major U.S. antihunger program and help poor people buy groceries. The average benefit was $112.82 per person in January.
The January figure marks the third time in five months that enrollment set a record.
"A weakened economy means that many more individuals are turning to SNAP/Food Stamps," said the Food Research and Action Center, an antihunger group, using the acronym for the renamed food stamp program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in February, the highest in 25 years. Weekly claims for jobless benefits totaled 669,000 last week, the highest in 26 years, the government said on Thursday.

Dow jumps above 8,000 for first time in 2 months

Investors are buying up stocks again, sending the Dow Jones industrials above the 8,000 mark for the first time in nearly two months.

All the major indexes soared about 4 percent on Thursday as optimism grew following more signs that the economy is on the mend.
Financial stocks led the rally, getting a big boost after the Financial Accounting Standards Board relaxed accounting rules forcing banks to value their assets at current prices. The change should help banks reduce losses.

The market's advance came as the world's finance leaders met in London to discuss efforts to fix the global economy. The G-20 ministers plan to give the International Monetary Fund $500 billion, and create stricter rules for hedge funds.
In midday trading, the Dow rose 308.24, or 4.0 percent, to 8,069.84.

These are all the great news.

I think this rally is not a permanent one. This jump will last for this week and next week might be on the down slide. I have to sell AGU and get out of that. I have to keep an close eye on AIG and FNM.

Global Economic Summit

On the eve of a global economic summit, President Barack Obama promised world leaders he would listen, not lecture, as they seek a common fix to the financial crisis. "We can only meet this challenge together," he said Wednesday as the U.S. and Russia spoke on the summit sidelines about nuclear warhead reduction.

Wall Street began the second quarter on solid footing Wednesday, moving higher as investors took better-than-expected economic data as a reason to buy up financial, technology and energy stocks.
Pending home sales rebounded in February from a record low, the National Association of Realtors reported, while the Institute for Supply Management's index of manufacturing activity contracted in March but by a bit less than anticipated.
Construction spending dropped in February for the fifth straight month, but at a slower pace than in January.

I hope that this is the beginning of a long prosperous road.
I am excited about many things:

- We are all aware
- We want to come out of it as winners
- We want to work together
- We are all taking steps