It’s about time, or it will be next year when Microsoft release a “FREE” included antivirus product to be available. At this time the product is code named Morro.
Not too many details are available but we all know this is long overdue. Regardless this move will shake things up in the antivirus space. Expect Symantec, McAfee, etc to release new versions launch new major ad campaigns. In the end will Microsoft come out ahead? Perhaps, but it is hard to predict. We will see.
More details on Morro to be released soon.
There’s a blog posting on the Microsoft site with some more details on how the transition and release will work.
If history is any guide, recessions tend to last on average between 8 and 16 months. At least that has been the case since 1937. The last quarter our GDP shrunk, though many believe we entered a recession much earlier in the year. If for the sake of argument we were to assume that the U.S. economy entered recession at the end of June, that would make a recession based on historic precedent end somewhere between February and December of 2009. Historically, markets have recovered halfway through a recession; that would translate to a bottom somewhere between now and February. I have no knowledge as to when stocks will no longer be on sale, but this is the time to be bargain hunting, especially in the green space. These prices won’t last forever.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, President (elect) Obama, and many politicians, thought leaders, and business people all seem to agree that the green economy will be the road to renewed prosperity. If that is the case, it certainly is not reflected in the stock prices. Solar stocks are off somewhere in the 60-90% range year-to-date, The WilderShares Clean Energy Index is down over 70%, and such is the picture for virtually the entire clean tech and alternative energy space. If ever the future was not priced into the current stock prices…!
If you want to invest in the sustainable economy, but are hesitant due to the stomach turning markets, stick with some of the larger, more liquid names; green companies that are industry leaders and have scale and cash. To give you an example, in the wind industry that would be Vestas, which makes almost a third of all turbines worldwide and has over $600 million in cash. This company will survive yet is 60% down year-to-date.
One of the reasons I am not subscribing to the gloom of today’s financial news, is the fact that my recent trips to the SRI in the Rockies conference in Whistler, the year’s largest conference on environmentally and socially responsible investing, and the Green Business Conference in San Francisco, followed by the Green Festival (50,000 attendees), all have reinforced my belief that the opportunities in the green space loom large and the people pursuing them are united in purpose and energy. No matter how dark the present or the past may seem, the future is oh so bright.
On December 9th, at 11:30 am, I am hosting a WebEx conference call on the State of the Markets and the Green Economy. This will be an opportunity to address investment concerns and explore opportunities. Please RSVP via email to jschalk@jpsglobalinvest.com, should you be interested and I will send you the dial-in information.
I invite you to contact us, should you want to discuss any of the topics in this newsletter or if you are interested in learning more about how you can participate in sustainable investing. I always look forward to speaking with you.
Jan Schalkwijk, CFA
JPS Global Investments
(619) 269-0329
ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950
February 19 through August 9, 2009 at the Skirball Cultural Center
Through never-before exhibited art and objects culled from private and institutional
collections, ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950
explores the genesis of cultural icons such as Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Wonder
Woman, and Captain America, and the ways that those figures shaped popular opinion. ZAP!
POW! BAM! includes vintage artwork and books, multi-media presentations and colorful
interactive displays.
The exhibition examines the creative processes and influences that drove young Jewish artists
to express their talents through the story lines and art of graphic novels. Guest Curator Jerry
Robinson brings a long history as a comic book industry insider to the exhibition. Working
with Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Robinson named Robin, Batman’s young
protégé. Robinson also co-created The Joker, Batman’s nemesis and one of the first supervillains.
Rare early comic books, superhero memorabilia, selected artifacts from creators and
publishers and original art on loan from major individual and institutional collectors bring
these superheroes to life.
The Skirball Cultural Center will add an exclusive new element to ZAP! POW! BAM!—“The
Hollywood Connection.” Reflecting the Skirball’s location in Los Angeles, “The Hollywood
Connection” includes the original BatCycle from the Batman television series of the 1960s on
loan from the Peterson Automotive Museum, vintage movie posters on loan from the
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, other movie and television memorabilia, and
original comic books on loan from the University of California, Riverside.
As an institution dedicated to exploring the long and rich history of the Jewish people and the
intersection of Jewish values and American democratic ideals, the Skirball Cultural Center
maintains a particular commitment to the transmission of this heritage through the work of
Jewish artists and writers. ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books,
1938-1950 highlights the work of young Jewish illustrators, writers, publishers, and editors
who faced discrimination yet created a thriving comic book industry. The Skirball Cultural
Center celebrates the universal concepts of respect for humanity and responsible citizenship
that these comic books demonstrate by depicting how ordinary people doing the right thing
can become heroes.
Jennifer Caballero
Marketing Director
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 North Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 440-4524 phone
(310) 440-4595 fax
www.skirball.org
Wick water away from your clean car effortlessly with this Cham Easy Squeegee Style Chamois. The specially contoured foam allows you to easily follow the lines of your car without wrestling with a chamois cloth or lint-filled towel. Simple press the soft foam edge against the car using the lightest of pressure and watch the water disappear! Also removes pet hair and lint from furniture!
Cham Easy Squeegee Style Chamois Features:
* Incredibly quick and easy
* Pliable foam construction – flexible edges that conform to the shape of your car
* Easy grip contoured edge gives you a firm grasp and positive control
* Renewable edges can be resharpened when needed
* To remove pet hair or lint, simply brush clothing or furniture with quick strokes
* Measures approx. 10-1/2″L x 3-2/3″W x 1-1/4″H
* Made of foam
* Clean surface of squeegee with water and mild detergent
* Made in USA
* Comes with a manufacturer’s 90-day warranty
It’s that time of the year again. If you live in Pasadena, you can win tickets to the Rose Parade in a lottery.
Just go to www.cityofpasadena.net and click on the Mayor/Council link on the left and then select your district.
The click on the button/icon at the top and enter your info. You can also buy tickets to the Rose Bowl. Kind of risky, because sometimes the teams that are going to play nobody really cares about, and they are $145 each.
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| Army,
We have an exciting opportunity over the next couple weeks to tell Honda and Toyota that we want them to produce and sell far more natural gas vehicles in the United States –- and we want them now! The LA Auto Show is taking place November 21-30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Honda will be displaying its Civic GX (the cleanest production car in the world!) and Toyota will be displaying its new concept Camry Hybrid — both of which run on natural gas. All the manufacturers pay a lot of attention to the reaction they’re getting from the crowds at these shows, and it is a large factor in determining which cars they will produce and sell for the United States market. We would like as many people as possible to attend the show, learn what all of the manufactures are planning in terms of natural gas vehicles –- not just Honda and Toyota –- and encourage them all to bring natural gas vehicles to the U.S. market. Click here if you are able to attend. As you know, natural gas is cleaner, cheaper, and most importantly – it’s ours. Now we just need the cars. We hope you’ll be able to attend the show. We need to let Honda and Toyota and the others know that we support them and want to see their cars on our roads ASAP! Thanks! Team Pickens |
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Nova – Channel 28 – KCET
“The Bible’s Buried Secrets” – Scholars and researches discuss the Old Testament and how the concept of one God emerged.
11/18/08
KCET 2 hours
Acts of kindness at a Colorado Starbucks in the drive thru a customer paid for coffee for the person behind him.
And apparently this is not an isolated act, there are reports of customers at WalMart paying part of a customer behind them bill.
Has someone done something nice for you. Let us know.