Depression 101: We Gotta Farm and We Gotta FIght

I just traded in my tech fund for this:

Growth of Hypothetical $10,0004 Chart Details Time Frame YTD 1yr 3yr 5yr 10yr Compare Funds Symbol Lookup Composition (FCYIX) Strategy Investing primarily in companies engaged in the research, development, manufacture, distribution, supply, or sale of industrial products, services, or equipment. Normally investing at least 80% of assets in securities of companies principally engaged in these activities. Normally investing primarily in common stocks. See Fidelity Fund Picks (top performing funds from Fidelity and other companies) Fund Manager Fund Manager(s): Tobias Welo Top Ten Holdings 5 as of 09/30/2008 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC CL B UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP HONEYWELL INTL INC UNION PACIFIC CORP RAYTHEON CO LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP DANAHER CORP NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP CATERPILLAR INC

Time's Top 10 to Everything

Really, why ever buy a magazine? Everything is online for free.

Here's link to Time's top 10 to everything. Dr. Horrible Sing Along Blog made it!

And my favorite story, not favorite in a happy way but in an interesting way. I think I'm going to go to the Stop n Go and take pictures of all the guys in the parking lot looking for work. Woops, they changed their name to Valero. Wonder why?:

Rodrigo Abd / AP

Amid all the talk this election season about tightening security along the U.S.-Mexico border, legions of Mexican immigrants have been exiting the U.S. because of the economic crisis. For instance, municipal officials in Mexico City predict that 20,000 to 30,000 of the city's former residents will move back this Christmas alone. That may be due in part to rising unemployment among Mexican immigrants, which, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, is now higher than the jobless rate for the general workforce in the U.S. Mexicans also sent home 12% less cash in August than they did in the same month last year, the biggest decline in over a decade. All of which is bad news for Mexico, since remittances are its second-largest source of foreign income after oil exports.

Am I an Evil Person?

I just went to Walgreen's to get some Coke Zero. There was a homeless / begger / bum female hanging out front. I went in and came out.

Her: Can you help me?

Me: Do you have a home? Where do you live?

Her: 25th street (which means she probably wasn't lying)

Me: What do you need?

Her? 2 dollars.

Me: Okay I'm going to cut this short. I said what do you need 2 dollars for and she said 2 hot dogs. I said where do you buy 2 hot dogs? And she couldn't form the next sentence. She kept pointing, and I said HEB? And she looked confused.

I said, Sorry I can't help you. Yes, I am evil. I had 2 dollars in my pocket. But I didn't believe her story about 2 hot dogs.

Maybe I'll go back in an hour and buy her 2 hot dogs. It is the season. I was going to post a sad pic of a homeless female, but that would just make me cold cold cold.

The Doctor Delivers

Yes, I registered at Dr. Pepper when the GnR album came out. I just got my coupon in the mail for a free soda! Nice job, Dr. Pepper. And it is addressed to Helen Brakewater! That's me!

Obligatory Cat Post

My cute Xena

Lone Star Comics and Science Fiction

I was just thinking about one of the first jobs I had. Not counting the vets. I was just a kid who liked comic books and I asked for a job. I think I was 17, because I was still in high school. I had been shopping there for 5 years.

I worked there a couple of summers (in between the Vet Clinic) and had a great time. We played Warren Zevon on LPs and sold Dungeons and Dragons dice.

I was just a kid and they hired me. Guess I was lucky. I remember taking a test in the back room - I think it was a personality test or make sure you are not a thief test. Why did they hire me? I wasn't the only geek who shopped at the store. But they did and it was fun. I wonder how the guy from Chicago made out. He told me on my lunch hour - take an hour for lunch and don't count the time it takes you to get there or back. I thought that was cool.

I just read every book in the store and sold comic books. When people payed with credit card we had to call the company and make sure it was ok. How much have things changed?

The first Michael Keaton Batman movie came out and I made a killing on some of the Frank Miller comics I had. Also I had first dibs on the Watchmen comics, which I still have.

I think 20 years later it is time to profit from those, no?

I remember eating lunch at Dickey's next store. The store was at the end of Valley View Park at Forest, by the medical center. I Think I rode my bike to work. Here it is now: http://www.mycomicshop.com/ourstores/dallas

Cowboys Suck; Life Goes On

At least we lost in the last game in the season instead of the first game of the playoffs. I don't know, but I prefer that. And I prefer a blowout than a nailbiter, I was able to enjoy my afternoon of entertaining friends without being obsessive of the television.

I have Guitar Hero on PC. Yay, me!

Dear CEO of Chrysler: Resign Already!

Found this on blogmaverick. Chrysler took a full page add out in the Wall Street Journal thanking America. That add cost $100K. That's at least 2 jobs at Chrysler. Jobs lost. Come on!

Slumdog Millionaire

I love this movie. My favorite was the Bollywood style dancing at the end. I just found this gif:

Merry Christmas Everyone! Glad to Report only One Near Miss and One Safety Incident During the Days!

I had a great Christmas. I schooled my nephew in Guitar Hero, had a great steak meal that actually caught on fire it was so good, and spent good time with family. The photos are the little I could do to payback: Rudy's Barbeque for day after Christmas lunch.

Seriously we had what we call a "safety near miss" with the steaks that literally caught fire along with the grill, but no harm done and they were perfectly crisp on the outside and medium on the inside. Maybe they should invest in a fire extinguisher just in case...

And another family member had an actual safety incident, she was mauled by a world class bred long hair dachshund and had to get 14 stitches in her hand. And a splint that will take some time to heal. They say ER visits spike during the holidays....now we know why. Here is a sketch of the culprit:


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Love you! (Send me pictures, mauled hand, I want to post! And no pics of the fired due to the, you know, action of rescuing the steaks and making sure the porch wouldn't burn down)

Arrested Development Movie: Come On!

Arrested Development movie talks are still happening....Merry Christmas!

Track Santa!

Google and NORAD have teamed up to track Santa! Click here for more!

Close to End

Tomorrow is my last day of work for the year! Yippee! I promised you some year end lists and I will do a couple with this post. You will see more posts after the holiday.

Doom and Gloom portended for next year. Do you think we can see riots in the U.S? Do you think the "depression" will be as bad as 1930? Have you bailed from the stock market yet?

Spin best songs / videos / albums of 2008. They cheated because they had M.I.A. Paper Planes as number 1, and everyone knows it came out in 2007. Come On!

EW Best of everything, including Best Cast How I Met your Mother!. I heard they may shut down their magazine and only be online...one less magazine for me. I already dropped SI, why when everything is online everywhere the week before the issue comes out?

There will be more.....

Helen's Movie Reviews

i have been lucky to see a lot of movies this holiday season. Well, not lucky, but I found a website that plays movies still in the theaters. Wow, really? Yes. Really.

First, seen in theaters:

Slumdog Millionaire: Awesome, feel good movie of year. Like Billy Elliot, this just makes you smile. See it see it see it!

Milk: I went reluctantly, I am not a fan of biopics, like Ray, or whatever other name movie is made to showcase the actor. This movie is great. I caught myself crying like 3 times before the movie even ended. Fantastic. Yes, guys kiss, get over it. In 1978 a city councilman shot dead Harvey Milk and the San Francisco Mayor. He got 5 years manslaughter, the infamous "twinkie defense". Wow. go see it now.

Rachel Getting Married: A showpiece for the actress Anne Hathoway. No other reason to see it. Don't go. Uncomfortable. Like watching a home movie of people you don't know or care about. boo.

Movies I have seen via magic:

Frost/Nixon: Great. worth seeing.

7 Pounds: Worst movie ever made. And I am not the only one who says so.

That's two different links there to click if you don't trust me.

Gran Torino: Fun flick. Eastwood may win the pity Oscar for this one. But Sean Penn deserves it.

Hoping to see Benjamin Button soon. It looks great.

PS, Cowboys and Texans suck.

Can I come to Austin for Christmas day? I'll bring a roast or something. I wanna play more Guitar Hero.

ETA: If the Cowboys beat Philly next week they are in the playoffs. Wow.

Beyonce: Single Ladies

I am enthralled with this song and video. So is EW, who just named it one of the great performances of the year. I had no idea it was based on the following video, known as "Walk it out Fosse":



And the AMA performance:



hot!

Helen's Been Posting for a Year! Coinstar Post

Or almost. Not bad.

Have I told you about Coinstar? You know, that machine in the grocery stores that take 8.9 cents per dollar for every coin you put in (Also called 8.9%, aka price gouging, and it takes dollar bills! Give it a dollar and it will give you 89 cents back!).

Anyway, it also has ecertificates at selective stores. When you pick this option you get 100% of your money back in a code / giftcard you can spend. That is turning your change into real, tangible money on something you would buy anyway (Starbucks, JCPenney, Lowe's, Amazon).

So tonight I drove to the Foodarama with a sock full of change, I was hoping for around $30. I got $47 - it is always more than you think especially with not many pennies. So I bought what I was going to buy from Amazon, with change to spare for a gift next year!

Bad Brakewater

I am sorry I haven't posted in a while. I went to LA for a quick 4 day weekend and am burning off the rest of the work days until Christmas, then I have the week off. I have been furiously catching up on my favorite time of year, the Best Of lists.

EW comes out next week. Pitchfork and Saidthegramaphone ( and here) already has their song/album choices up. And really, I don't know that many (I discovered Pitchfork when they had Since You Been Gone in the top 10, now I don't recognize any in the top 10). I am sticking with the posts throughout the year of my best songs. I have a couple that I will add, they are growing on me:

Keep Yourself Warm - Frightened Rabbit

I saw these guys on Letterman and they all played drums but one guy on guitar. Catchy chorus

Skinny Love - Bon Iver

I can't remember if I posted this:

Stay Away - The Honorary Title

I will link the best of's this weekend.......GM and Ford are shutting down for a month. Good for them!

Ribbet: Frog Post of The Night

My Mom decided I collect frogs.

New Cat Toy

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa - Xena

It took some coaxing but she is into it. It will be great for her when I'm gone. I just have to remember not to leave it in my bedroom when I'm sleeping - she will keep me up all night!

Seriously she is stepping in all the holes and chasing the balls! I threw a ponytail holder inthere because that's her favorite, and that's what got her going!

It's Snowing in Houston

Wheee! Seriously, 76 degrees yesterday and 35 today on the drive home and snowing???? I should have taken pictures before dark, but the snow won't stick until dark! It's not going to stick anywhere but the table and stuff, no worries about driving.

I'm going on vacation tomorrow for a few days to my usual hotspot, LA. Will hit Burbank, Santa Monica, Hollywood, and who knows where else. I hope to see a few movies that aren't open here yet.

Funny or Die: Prop 8 the Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

You can be on whatever side you want for Prop 8, but this is a pretty funny video featuring lots of famous faces from Funny or Die website. And with a touch of Neal Patrick Harris at the end.....(safe for work)