Before we get started just a quick Happy Birthday to Debbie S.  Reader from Arizona.

Hey I did not mean to scare you. I got quite a few notes from people asking if they were going to be pruned. No, If you are reading this, you will not be pruned. Again, this is not me being arrogant or conceited (I know a few af you are busting out laughing right about now.), its just that I know what its like to get a bunch of e-mails from someone and I don't have the interest to open or read them, but there is no polite way to stop them. We figure if someone has not opened one of these in a month, they probably have chose that it is not a priority. We just suspend our use of their e-mail. I can activate it (and I have on many occasions) when they notice it is not there anymore. I really do appreciate the time you all take to follow this silly drivel and hope you find it entertaining and occasionally informative.

I also got a couple of notes about the comments about President Obama. If I offended anyone I apologize, but I was just quoting from a Washington Post (Not the most conservative media outlet in the world)/WSJ article. Even my assumptions as a result of his speech are influenced from those articles. It may have been a big political faux pas to encourage the class war fare tide in this country. When asked if the Republicans have anyone I think could do a better job, I would have to say yes, but I am not impressed with any in the parade of GOP candidates we have at this moment in time. There was a reason the Republicans have a large slate of second stringers at this time and that is because, until this speech in Kansas, there was a only a glimmer of hope that the republicans could win. Now that the President has clearly abandoned the white middle class (Washington Post's/WSJ words not mine) in the coming election, he may have "jumped the shark".

(A few asked what "jump the shark" meant. In 1977, in the very popular TV show Happy Day's, the cool Fonzie actually water skied over a shark. They say it was the beginning of the end of the show. Hence forth, reference to the beginning of the end has been referred to as "Jumping the Shark". The term was solidified when Bruce Willis broke the sexual tension on the show Moonlighting by consummating his relationship with Cybil Shepard. The show was canceled about 4 weeks later as they had "jumped the shark". But I Really Really Digress)

Now that I have reassured you and apologized to you, today we got to sleep in all the way to 6:00 am. That was good enough for me. After the blog last night I was bound and determined to get to sleep before midnight. All was set for this too happen, but then I remembered that book about bonds and could not help but pull it off the shelf and review the chapter called "Designing A Bond Portfolio". I had visions of sleeping in every morning and not having to worry about the opening of the market. Not having to listen to another earnings call report. Not having to read another 10K. Not having to open 50-60 stock related e-mails everyday and not having to be at the computer between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM at the market close. Then I said, I LOVE ALL THAT. Bonds are boring, but probably a great investment vehicle for many of you. Talk to a professional and seriously consider high yielding relatively safe corporate bonds with yields at least double the current 10 year yield of 2+%.

We made it into the office but know it would not be a productive day because we had our annual Holiday Employee party. This year they moved it from about 400 yards from our home in Dove Canyon to the Dana Point Yacht Club. It was a good time had by all. After some service awards and the passing out of the bonuses, your truly had the honor of saying a few words. We did not screw up in case you were wondering. We are blessed with a great team of executives and employees at PADI.

Before leaving for the event, the market made a nasty drop (FINALLY). More on that later.

The party was a hit and we headed back to the office to square up some portfolio issues and return some calls. Then it was home to spend some nice down time with the family. Devin and I went to Hanna's for a great meal. Sean and team did a great job with a whitefish called John Dory over a mushroom risotto and a tomato cumin chutney. Fabulous and relatively healthy to eat. Great Job and the Davino room is looking better and better. They had like mood lighting in there tonight. We saw quite a few friendly faces in the crowd. What a great night.

Then it was home and we started this blog at about 10:23.