And now for something completely different

UPDATE: Ok, cute impaired people, if that doesn't make your right-brains work, then how about these flying foxes that were separated from their mother after a big storm in Aussie-land?

FICO shoe to drop

As this link is stating, the big banks, facing the long-anticipated credit-card bust looming over them, are likely to severely cut available credit lines. Rightly so, given that in a financial panic those most likely to use credit are the least likely to be able to repay. But this will actually have a double-whammy on credit, since part of everyone's FICO score is the percentage of personal credit already used. Once credit lines are slashed, every holder of one of those lines of credit will get a commensurately lower FICO score, and, thus will not be able to borrow as cheaply as before.

Whether banks give a broad-based haircut to credit-lines, or base them on current credit utilization will remain to be seen.

The Force is Strong in this One

I haven't listened to it with the volume up yet (Maddie's typing beside me, and I don't want to distract her), but clearly this little Penguin's got something going on.

It's raining

No, not financial doom & gloom, just rain.

We get very little in the way of weather out here (lots of climate, but little actual weather). It isn't snow, but I'm thrilled nonetheless. (c:

Thirty More Years

Since most folks are mostly invested in equities, I thought I'd provide an example of what's happening in the bond world. This's a very subjective data-point (my 401k), but it shows the perspective that the big financiers have on things pretty well.

This's also a good testament to the fact that one should adjust risk tolerance over time -- this is a diversified bond portfolio, but it's still much higher risk than someone near retirement should have had. Looking at a 401k like this just prior to retirement can really swing your perspective towards socialism, fast.

Luckily, many of us have 30 more years for things to work out. :)

ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC 7.75000% 11/01/2012 ↓-32.87%
AMKOR TECHNOLOGY INC SR NT 9.25000% 06/01/2016 ↓-34.36%
AVENTINE RENEWABLE ENERGY HLDG 10.00000% 04/01/2017 ↓-73.97%
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP 5.45000% 06/15/2014 ↓-11.98%
BOWATER INC DEB 9.50000% 10/15/2012 ↓-71.62%
CENVEO CORP SR SB NT 7.87500% 12/01/2013 ↓-27.05%
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP 6.87500% 11/15/2020 ↑4.25%
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTL INC 7.50000% 11/01/2014 ↓-21.38%
CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS DEB 7.250% 10/15/2027 ↓-75.49%
CLEAR CHANNEL COMM NOTES 5.500% 09/15/2014 ↓-67.57%
COLUMBIA HCA HEALTHCARE MTN BE 8.70000% 02/10/2010 ↓-8.92%
COLUMBIA HCA HEALTHCARE MTN BE 7.75000% 07/15/2036 ↓-41.17%
DEAN FOODS CO SR NT 6.90000% 10/15/2017 ↓-15.75%
DENNYS HLDGS INC SR NT 10.00000% 10/01/2012 ↓-22.00%
DILLARD DEPT STORES INC 6.62500% 01/15/2018 NT ↓-48.89%
DOLE FOOD INC SR NT 8.87500% 03/15/2011 ↓-31.11%
FORD MTR CO DEL DEB 8.87500% 01/15/2022 ↓-67.18%
FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD 8.37500% 04/01/2017 ↓-3.49%
HERTZ CORP SR SB NT 10.50000% 01/01/2016 ↓-43.47%
ITT CORP NEW DEB 7.37500% 11/15/2015 ↓-25.14%
LIBERTY MEDIA CORP DEBENTURES 8.500% 07/15/2029 ↑11.49%
LOWE'S COMPANIES INC BONDS 5.500% 10/15/2035 ↓-30.60%
MAGNACHIP SEMICONDUCTOR S A 6.87500% 12/15/2011 ↓-91.22%
MEDIACOM BROADBAND LLC & MEDIA 8.50000% 10/15/2015 ↓-7.06%
MICHAELS STORES INC SR SB 11.37500% 11/01/2016 ↓-72.00%
NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP INC 9.00000% 10/15/2015 ↓-46.03%
PEP BOYS MANNY MOE & JACK 7.50000% 12/15/2014 ↓-47.90%
QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTL INC 7.50000% 02/15/2014 ↓-24.99%
R H DONNELLEY CORP SR NT-1A 6.87500% 01/15/2013 ↓-73.41%
REMINGTON ARMS INC NEW 10.50000% 02/01/2011 ↓-23.12%
RITE AID CORP SR NT 8.62500% 03/01/2015 ↓-64.77%
SMITHFIELD FOODS INC SR NT 7.00000% 08/01/2011 ↓-21.50%
SOLO CUP CO SR SB NT 8.50000% 02/15/2014 ↓-24.44%
SOUTHWEST AIRLS CO DEB 7.37500% 03/01/2027 ↓-23.30%
STONE CONTAINER CORP SR NT 8.37500% 07/01/2012 ↓-47.30%
TIME WARNER COMPANIES INC 6.87500% 06/15/2018 ↓-18.94%
TIMES MIRROR CO NEW DEB 7.25000% 03/01/2013 ↓-80.89%
TRIBUNE CO NEW NT 4.875% 08/15/2010 ↓-65.62%
U S CONCRETE INC SR SB 8.37500% 04/01/2014 ↓-25.40%
UNISYS CORP SR NT 8.00000% 10/15/2012 ↓-41.58%
UNISYS CORP SR NT 8.50000% 10/15/2015 ↓-42.17%
UNITED RENTALS NORTH AMER INC 7.00000% 02/15/2014 ↓-23.58%
WEYERHAEUSER CO DEB 6.95000% 10/01/2027 ↓-30.83%