Don't Cry For Me Argentina

Megan McArdle does a fine job of defending AOL CEO Tim Armstrong but I fell obliged to nitpick this point about the restructured employer match to the 401(k) program:

For those who haven’t been following along at home, a recap: Last week, AOL Inc. announced that it was changing the way it handled its 401(k) match. Instead of putting the matching money in as workers put in their contributions, it would award the account-match dollars in a lump sum at the end of the year. Moreover, if you left the company during the year, you’d lose all of your matched funds.

...

What he said about the effects of changing the 401(k) match isn’t exactly true, however -- it’s not just people who leave the company who will pay. All the AOL workers who contribute to a 401(k) will miss out on gains they might have made over the course of the year, had AOL stuck with its old program. In a boom year, that could add up to thousands of dollars.

Well, yes, in a boom year it would be financially advantageous to have invested money during the year rather than at year-end. On the other hand, in a down year, such as 2008, the year-end lump sum structure would have saved equity investors some money relative to investing during the year. On the third hand, the stock market has more up years than down years.

And - last hand - I have grave doubts about that "add up to thousands of dollars" claim. Let's consider a highly motivated AOL professional earning $200,000 per year. Per this site, they would have been eligible for a maximum match of 3%, or $6,000:

The company, which owns TechCrunch and, it goes without saying, employs me, matches 50 percent of up to 6 percent of our pre-tax income (or a 3 percent maximum match, for the non math-majors).

So let's take 2013 as a "boom year", with the S&P 500 up roughly 30%. A lump sum invested at the start of the year would grow by $1,800. That is nearly $2,000, so I suppose "thousands" could apply.

But of course, that is not the relevant comparison. I let the OCD take over and dredged up the monthly close of SPY, , an ETF which tracks the S&P 500. An investment of $500/month at each month end from Feb 1 to Jan 2, 2014 would have represented a total investment of $6,000 and an ending value in Jan 2014 of $6,398.43. A $400 return on $6,000 is lot less than 30%; 6.7%, actually.

Now obviously there are possible paths for the market to take that would lead to equal monthly investments showing net growth of 30% by year end. For example, it would be helpful if the market would swoon in Janauary, crater over the summer and then rally heroically late in the year.

However, my guess is that there are not many AOLers earning $200,000 a year and not many examples of a year where the S&P showed that kind of behavior. So this hypothetical loss of "thousands" to some AOL employees sounds like a tremendous longshot.

I should add that Ms. McArdle is hardly alone; here is another account:

2. You miss out on gains. "As a participant, I want the money as soon as possible," says Frank Fantozzi, president and CEO of Planned Financial Services, a Cleveland-based firm that runs retirement plans for 50 companies, all of which deposit 401(k) matches with each paycheck.

"And as an investor," adds Fantozzi, "I want to get the money in the market as soon as I can. Getting the money on Dec. 31 theoretically means you miss out on a year of earnings."

In 2013, for example, when the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index rose 30%, investors that had to wait to get their matching contribution on the last day of the year missed out on huge gains.

"Huge" gains? A 6.7% averaged 2013 return for an employee getting a max match on $50,000 per year would have been $100. If you think that is huge, wait'll you see what I've... oh, never mind.

Comments

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

Its why I want to be the guy at the bottom of the stairs at Fox HQ when there's a fire drill:)

[centralcal]

"Shamoo" is a new one on me, here. Any hints?

lyle: AA, female, Jehmu Greene

Also, frothing at the mouth liberal and loony.

[Danube on iPad]

I have read in the past that Texas has a better case for secession than the other states, because of some provisions related to its entry into the union. Can't remember any of the details.

Thanks again to all for the good wishes. I will toast JOM with an ice cold Grey Goose Martini at Ruth's.

[narciso]

No, I would say he's an idealist, I am too, but frankly sometimes I feel like Francis Urquart

[Beasts of England]

Wikipedia says Shamoo is a social justice organizer. Is that better than a community organizer, or is it equally vapid?

[daddy]

I'm just glad that Shirley Temple was never in a movie directed by Woody Allen or Roman Polanski.

[narciso]

Tomato, Tomatoe, beasts, i think Greene has a Sharpton connection,

the Scahill piece in yesterday's Daily Greenwald, had a semblance of fact, in so far
as one can ascertain, any tool, no matter how effective lose it's effectiveness over time,

[daddy]

MarkO,

Do you know what time tonight we're supposed to start hating each others guts? I can't find tip-off on my TV and may be dog walking.

[narciso]

Yes, what could go wrong;

She was a member of the Citizen's Debate
Commission and previously served on the Board of Directors of the American Prospect Magazine; Demos; Youth Vote Coalition; The Entrepreneurial Development Institute (TEDI). She has also served as an Advisory Board Member of the Partnership for Public Service; Campus Green Vote; Vote for America; The White House Project's Vote-Run-Lead Project; and Freedom's Answer. Greene was a co-founder and Board Member of the 2030 Center, an economic and public policy organization for young adults.

[narciso]

On the May 4, 2012 edition of America Live, referred to fellow debater Tucker Carlson

Why the frack is she there;

as a "bow-tying white boy", in a discussion about Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren's decision to list herself as a member of a racial minority in the Association of American Law Schools desk book, a directory of law professors, in the 1980s and 1990s, because her great-great-great-grandmother was listed as Cherokee. Carlson told Greene to stop name-calling, but Greene denied calling Carlson a name. Host Megyn Kelly later apologized to Carlson and her audience for the remark on behalf of the program, calling it "an inappropriate name" that was "not consistent with our standards".[9] The "inappropriate name" was defined as a racial, or ethnic slur, since it refers to Tucker Carlson's race as being white.[10][11][12] Multiple news outlets identified the comment as inappropriate and that Greene did not apologize on air.[13][14][15] Later it was reported that Irena Briganti, Group Senior Vice President at FOX News Channel & FOX Business Network said, “Jehmu apologized to Tucker by phone after the segment and he accepted her apology.”[16][17]

[narciso]

Minitrue, it's what's for dinner;

http://minx.cc/?post=347082

[Old Lurker]

Daddy, I think Texas thinks it had a special promise too.

[narciso]

well it was a Republic before it was a State

[Old Lurker]

But at the end of the day you cannot force disparate groups to stay married, and you certainly cannot force that by applying some parts of the contract (Constitution clause regarding secession) while not enforcing the other parts (states rights).

So yes, this is the unintended consequence of encouraging our Balkanization, our open borders, and our fiscal irresponsibility, our abandonment of religion...not to mention the rewriting of our history and that of the the whole history of mankind.

[Jim Eagle]

Actually,

"Put plainly, Texas agreed to join the union in 1845 on the condition that it be allowed to split itself into as many as five separate states whenever it wanted to, and contingent only on the approval of its own state legislature. For more than 150 years, this right to divide—unilaterally, which is to say without the approval of the U.S. Congress—has been packed away in the state's legislative attic, like a forgotten family heirloom that only gets dusted off every now and then by some politician who has mistaken it for a beautiful beacon of hope."

Now this is from Slate so very much left leaning. According to the author there was no special stipulation in the entry of Texas into the Union to allow Texas to succeed on their own volitiion.

I need to do more research on this.

[daddy]

Wonder how we get away with our Choose Life plates here in Florida? Don't see any Chooose Choice or Planned Parenthood plates. Maybe we're next. Every one of our priests cars all have Choose Life plates as do a lot of our parishioners.

Even up here our Legislature is trying to pass some Bill to create a bunch of new License Plates. What the heck is going on? Is it now some new national crisis that we must have our Elected State Reps across America go in and argue about New License Plates?

And who speaks for the poor Criminals having to punch out all those new plates in Prison?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Pretty tepid day for english football Premiership prior to the upcoming 5th Round FA Cup weekend. Let's see... oh... Chelsea held to 1-1 draw by West Brom. The Title is absolutely a 4-way race. And oh-- my Southampton Saints get a road WIN and close in on ManU's 7th place. Nice.

[narciso]

derivative of Zinn, Beard, et all

http://theothermccain.com/2014/02/10/intellectuals-and-the-total-state-jamyersons-dilettante-marxism/

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

In Florida you can get over 50+ special license plates. Save the Panther, Golf Capital of the World, University of Florida, even University of Georgia, etc. Every State university and college have their own plates. Every cause has their own plate. Every armed service has theri own plates. You get my point? No Visit Alaska yet:)

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

The American women are puking all over the ice in curling right now. GB just posted a 7 in the fourth end for a 9-1 lead in the fifth end.

Richardson and McCormick. I don't get it as they suck at the Olympics every time they go.

Is there some home cooking on these delegations cause they suck every time as does the skip for the men BTW?

[Beasts of England]

@narciso: This relates to a theme I've mentioned many times here at JOM. THe left has dozens and dozens of these nefarious initiatives queued up and rolls them out without fail. This leads to the non-left playing defense and behind the curve.

These schemes are almost always presented in terms of goodness. Who could be against 'fairness'? They are focused and relentless and until the non-left grows some damned leadership, it's, well, turtles all the way down...

p.s. I suggest that everyone read narciso's link at 5:49

[Eric in Boise]

There are probably at least thirty kinds of special plates in Idaho (one for Corvette drivers? Seriously?). Since they all generate extra revenue through higher annual registration fees, I expect we will see thirty more at some point.

[narciso]

It is Mark Lloyd's vision, no matter who the actual FCC chairman is, he thought private media, was the main obstacle, to 'Chaves's wonderful Democratic revolution,' a problem they have more or less reslved over there,
Correa in Ecuador, the sanctuary of Assuange,
has tried similar tricks, Kirschner in Argentina has seized the newsprint,

[Mr Mustard]

Some were deleted for the sake of redundant in-breeding.

2. Andrew Rosenthal is the son of A.M. Rosenthal.
4. Arthur Sulzberger Jr. is the son of Arthur Sulzberger.
5. Barbara Amiel is the wife of Conrad Black.
6. Barbara Ledeen is the mother of Simone Ledeen who is the daughter of Michael Ledeen.
8. Benjamin Netanyahu is the son of Benzion Netanyahu.
11. Dalck Feith is the father of Douglas Feith.
14. Daniel Feith is the brother of David Feith.
15. Daniel Feith is the grandson of Dalck Feith.
17. Daniel Pipes is the son of Richard Pipes.
21. David Wurmser is the husband of Meyrav Wurmser.
22. Dick Cheney is the father of Liz Cheney who is the daughter of Lynne Cheney.
24. Donald Kagan is the father-in-law of Victoria Nuland and Kimberly Kagan
25. Donald Kagan is the father of Frederick and Robert Kagan.
26. Donald Kagan is the father of Robert Kagan.
31. Elliott Abrams is the son-in-law of Midge Decter and Norman Podhoretz, and brother-in-law of John Podhoretz.
38. Gertrude Himmelfarb is the wife of Irving Kristol and the mother of William Kristol.
45. Jonah Goldberg is the son of Lucianne Goldberg.

Neoconservatism: it's a real family business.
---------------

[daddy]

p.s. I suggest that everyone read narciso's link at 5:49

I can't, Beasts.

I'm too busy trying to figure out why Karl Rove thinks it's improper for Rand Paul to bring up Clinton horn-dogging hypocrisy 2 and a half years before a Presidential Election.

[Jim Eagle]

Mr. Mustard,

You forgot that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the first Neo Conservative.

[narciso]

Well there is a clue, daddy, in the fact that
Rove, as with Ensign, Buckley fils,and a few others who have displayed a certain antipathy toward the Huntress all walked on their wives,

it's not an absolute certainty, but it is a variable to consider

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

Shouldn't that post by Mr Mustard be so and so begat so and so just to fully neo the neocons?

;)

[Tonto]

Isn't Jonah Lucianne's nephew?

[Tonto]

OK, I looked it up. Dana was right and I was wrong. Jeeze Louise.

[narciso]

A walk down memory lane;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndvMjHn4i1A

[Captain Hate]

Palin also has a college degree which Rove doesn't. But remember, she's the dumb one. And a quitter.

[Mr Mustard]

Greg Sargeant-WAPO

"What’s next? The dream among Dems has long been that if the price of total obstruction became too high, enough Republicans could be coaxed off to split from the Tea Party and join Dems in coming together on proposals that would probably have majority support in Congress, such as a budget deal, immigration reform and infrastructure repair to create jobs"

The demise of the TP influence; inevitable.

[narciso]

Elliot Abrams disspointed me during the Florida primary, when he all but pinned a red bandana on Newt, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have interesting insites,

Both Kristol fils and the Pod, could do with some of their parent's engrained skepticism,

[MarkO]

daddy,

We can be friends until tomorrow. Around 7 EST. Then again after the game.

Which of our teams will show up? A weird year.

[narciso]

there's a similar thing with Dr, Evil, his record on campaigns,

[daddy]

On behalf of JOM I want to personally thank our Jews for having so many babies that we won't need to import illegal braniacs from Mexico. Mazel tov!

Narciso,

Since Rove thinks we can't talk about hypocrisy in the War on Women, does he still approve of us talking bad about ObamaCare, or should we shut up about that also and simply discuss designer license plates and new names for the Redskins?

Off with the dogs now. Cold as the dickens and very, very weak tea from Mt ReDoubt right now, but click back on in about 2 hours and see if it doesn't look ready for prime time around sunset.

Thanks MarkO. Happy Animosity.

[narciso]

So it's like the Coyote and the Sheepdog?

[Account Deleted]

What songs would be best, should the pickers on JOM decide to generate YouTubes (or better yet, a spliced YouTube) such as the one Boris did? I'd love to see and listen to a medley done by JOMer pickers. Maybe Prelude in D or Cantata 147 for a starter (the piece by Boris lead me to search Bach for something iterative) and then...?

[Mr Mustard]

Tom Joad; We hear you.

"Life in the Central Valley revolves around two intricately related concerns: the quality of the air and the quantity of the water. Although Fresno is the state’s fifth-largest city, it is really just a sprawling farm town in the middle of the nation’s most productive agricultural region, often called “America’s fruit basket.” Surrounded by mountains, which trap the pollution created by a surging population, interstate transportation and tens of thousands of farms, the valley has noxious air, even on good days.

The political atmosphere surrounding crop irrigation is equally toxic. Some farms in the western Valley — crippled by cuts in water allocations, salt buildup in the soil and depleted aquifers — now resemble the dust bowl that drove so many Tom Joads here in the 1930s. Farmers line highways with signs insisting that “food grows where water flows,” while environmentalists counter that the agriculture industry consumes 75 percent of the water transported by California’s byzantine water system.

Locals assess the situation in numbers and colors. Meteorologists compile and trade rainfall statistics with all the regularity and precision of batting averages, but without any of the fun. The air quality index — ranging from a “healthy” green to a “hazardous” maroon — occupies an ominous presence in the day, not unlike the color-coded terrorism alert scale adopted after 9/11.

Experts offer dire warnings. The current drought has already eclipsed previous water crises, like the one in 1977, which a meteorologist friend, translating into language we understand as historians, likened to the “Great Depression” of droughts. Most Californians depend on the Sierra Nevada for their water supply, but the snowpack there was just 15 percent of normal in early February. And the dry conditions are likely to make the polluted air in the Central Valley — which contributes to high rates of asthma and the spread of Valley Fever, a potentially fatal airborne fungus — even worse.

The current crisis raises the obvious question: How long can we continue to grow a third of the nation’s fruit and vegetables?"

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Boehener and his crew will be out at the end of this year. Absolutely no ability to lead. There will be a conservative speaker in January 15-- suggestions?

[MarkO]

daddy,

Others have no idea what Duke/Carolina means. They think they know rivalries. There is simply nothing like this.

[narciso]

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch;

http://mideastafrica.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/02/11/the_sisi_spring

[Threadkiller]

http://shoebat.com/2014/02/11/brotherhood-expert-malik-obama-helped-lay-groundwork-911-attacks/

?

[narciso]

Well how about that;

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/02/11/feds_mexican_tycoon_used_super_pacs_to_influence_us_elections

[Beasts of England]

@Rick: I play so little classical music on guitar that it would be better to let someone else suggest a composition. I'd be more than happy to try if boris, Gus, or someone else take the lead.

[Mr Mustard]

Malik is off the mark. Obama is totally protective of Israel, out of pure terror. Don't ask NetanYahoo, though. It's never enough for the likes of him.

[Threadkiller]

suggestions?

I have only one:

S. 540 – Debt Limit Extension: NO.  This measure suspends the federal debt limit until March of 2015.  I have two principle objections to the measure.  First and foremost, it does nothing to bend the debt curve down – a debt curve that the Congressional Budget Office again warns will begin dangerously expanding within two years, reaching unsustainable levels that threaten the future stability and prosperity of the nation.  Second, instead of authorizing a specific amount of debt, it simply vaporizes the debt limit entirely, re-establishing it at whatever amount the Treasury Department has borrowed by next March.  Although borrowing might be constrained by appropriations, appropriations will no longer be constrained by borrowing.  I recognize that the debt limit must be raised as long as deficit spending continues, but I have always insisted that it be increased by specific amounts necessary to finance the deficit over a brief time span of several months and be accompanied by the concomitant reforms to place the nation on the course back to solvency.  This measure does none of that.

http://mcclintock.house.gov/2014/02/debt-limit-extension-s540.shtml

[Jim Eagle]

MarkO,

Is Bily Packer still alive and who would he be rooting for- both by my recollection.

[Beasts of England]

"What’s next? The dream among Dems has long been that if the price of total obstruction became too high, enough Republicans could be coaxed off to split from the Tea Party and join Dems in coming together on proposals that would probably have majority support in Congress, such as a budget deal, immigration reform and infrastructure repair to create jobs"

WaPo? You obviously took this from The Onion.

[Beasts of England]

The Iron Bowl would like a word with you, MarkO...

[henry]

The Game wants you whippersnappers to get off its lawn.

[Mr Mustard]

"You obviously took this from The Onion."

I blame this on your inexperienced 'yoot'.

[Mr Mustard]

"will begin dangerously expanding within two years, reaching unsustainable levels that threaten the future stability and prosperity of the nation."

So, NOW you show concern. Set the Wayback to 2008 and see how your pov evolves.

Wait! Did I say evolve? Mea culpa. Correct to 'tears ACL'. Now hobble that.

[Account Deleted]

Beasts,

I was just looking for something similar to the piece Boris played wrt iteration to start a set. I'd be tickled with anything you guys select.

[Rob Crawford]

So does "impeach" send a comment down the worm hole?

[Danube on iPad]

Jonah is Lucianne's son.

[Rob Crawford]

Must have been what I called Obama in light of the FCC's new "policy".

[Jim Eagle]

My all time favorite classical guuitar:

Rodrigo's Concierto de Arunjeuz

With full orchestra it is spectacular.

[narciso]

well keepinhg Krugman and forcing Mike Doran out, doesn't inspire much confidence,

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/02/new-princeton-program-subject-to-american-studies-assn-israel-boycott/

[Jim Eagle]

Then there is this guy who can't hold a candle to Gus and Boris:)

BTW, I think he was in his 80's making this vid and recording.

[Danube on iPad]

It appears that Mr. Mustard finds something shocking - nefarious, even - in the fact that people with like political views marry one another, and that their children have similar views. It's particularly troubling, of course, when they're Jews.

[Danube on iPad]

Upon looking at his other posts, I see that Mr. Mustard is Dana. Sorry I responded to him, although it!s always fun to demonstrate how stupid he is.

[Jim Eagle]

DoT,

Please tell the young man or lady serving you tonight that your first martini is on me. Tell her to email me for my credit card and I am gladly spending it on you. Ruth Chris has a good wine selection last time I was there (in DC). Have fun.

BTW,

Who in the hell in the state that gave us Microsoft and the Seahawks thought that Patty Murray was some kind of intellect to be a senator?

Don't answer, I know. It wasn't Jim MIller and glaster.

[narciso]

How is Ruth Chris', Danube, I've never been,

[MarkO]

Billy. The pride of Wake Forrest.

[narciso]

I was referring to this film earlier;

http://www.fivefeetoffury.com/2014/02/11/wild-in-the-streets-star-christopher-jones-dead-at-72/

[Jim Eagle]

Mrs. JiB sent this to me just now. Why?:)

Taking Care of You

Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and eat less that is manufactured in processing plants.
Avoid eating food that is handed to you through a window.
Live the 3 Es -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
Play more games.
Read more books than you did last year.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Your Outlook

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake.

[DrJ]

narc,

Obviously I'm not DoT (and Happy Birthday) but Ruth's Chris is outstanding. I've only been to the Phoenix and Bethesda locations, but you'd be hard pressed to find better beef anywhere.

Yes, it is expensive, and everything is a la carte. But it really is good, and well suited to special occasions.

The meeting in Bethesda was the first time I met the Lurkers and the Clarices. The one in Phoenix was when a group of us conference organizers took George Rathmann, the keynote speaker, out to dinner.

[narciso]

Interesting I didn't know who had done the narration;

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/nbc-olympics-coverage-calls-ussr-one-of-modern-historys-pivotal-experiments/

[narciso]

good to know, Dr. J.

[centralcal]

I was terribly disappointed in my one visit to a Ruth's Chris.

About to head home from work, so can't explain why till later.

[narciso]

they have some good writers, but they can be counted on one hand;

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/10/british-jihadists-torture-syrian-rebel.html

he did much of the work on Benghazi along eith Lake.

[Beasts of England]

Good advice, JiB! I'm very fond of the ten minute silence. One of the benefits of yoga for me - no noise and no distractions. A two-fer.

[Sue]

Y'all think we'll ask permission to secede? What part of Texan isn't clear?

Just kidding. We have too many on the government dole. If we were going to go we should have gone 20 years ago.

[Sue]

Narciso,

I've never been either.

[Danube on iPad]

I love it. I've only been to the ones in Beverly Hills and here, but they're really special. Nothing but prime beef, beautifully served in sizzling butter. And yes, pricey.

Thanks for the offer, JiB - I'm gonna pretend it's on you.

[Jim Eagle]

Westminster is on. Sporting dogs first.

I once had two Chessie's and that one looks great.

[narciso]

What were they thinking?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/11/how-aipac-botched-its-biggest-fight-in-years.html

[Jim Eagle]

My favoirite Ruth Chris is in Weekhawken at the landing for the NY Waterway ferry overlooking the skyline of NYC. Its in the building that contains the computer system records of Dean Witter and Morgan Stanley.

One of the reasons, that an the same facilities in Jersey City, we survived financilally after 911. Little known fact.

[mad jack]

NK: Much to my surprise I have found myself watching Premiere League soccer/football. Very entertaining. I think the venues and the fans make it work for me, along with the quality of play. Anyway, at the start of the Liverpool - Arsenal match they had a formal one minute of applause, timed by the ref, to honor the passing of an old footballer. No moment of silence for these folks. Is that something new or a long tradition in English football? By the way I'm happy to see that the Red Sox east kicked some Arsenal butt.

[Sue]

I've been to Del Friscos in Dallas which someone who has been to both said they were about the same.

[Beasts of England]

Best steakhouses in the country:

1. Pappas Bros. - Houston
2. Dickie Brennan's - New Orleans
3. Sparks - Manhattan

Honorable mention: III Forks - Dallas

Worst steakhouses:

1. Chris Steakhouse - New Orleans
2. Shula's - All locations, as far as I'm concerned

Best mail-order steaks:

1. Lobel's - New York

n.b. from a guy who's a vegetarian 300 days per year

[Bori]

I have been to several from Puerto Rico to California and yet to be disappointed. Pricey but you get what you pay for. Out of Steak Franchises it is perhaps the best in terms of consistently delivering a great high quality product.

[Jim Eagle]

mad jack,

Let me answer for NK. BPL is a great sport for watching since the thrill is not in making goals but in watching goals being missed:) I am a big Chelsea fan as NK knows. We were season ticket holders as is Frederick's godfather now. Great stuff.

Yes, in the UK, you sing not a moment of silence. Its all about the hymn of appreciation.

[narciso]

I know it's nowhere the same quality, but I had an unsatisfactory meal at a jJohnny rockets, even though they've been good almost every other instance,

[clarice]

CH, I have to say you made me laugh out loud (again).

[Jim Eagle]

Beasts,

Best yet for me is Delmonicos and second is Smith and Wollensky, especially the one on Governor Cut off of South Beach in Miami where you can sit next to the rip rap and watch the cruise ships leave at night fall.

[Sue]

Three Forks, on the Dallas North Tollway, is where I meant, not Del Friscos. The prime rib is very good there DoT if you are ever in Dallas.

[Sue]

We did some real estate work for the owner and for some reason I'm remembering they also on Del Friscos. His name is Del.

[Jane-curling is on!]

"Vapid" would be a compliment to Shamoo.

Stephanie I have no idea who the players are on this year's curling team. It's such a small world that last time I actually knew some of them on both teams - or at least knew of them.

But it's been a long time since I've curled.

[Sue]

He was very rude, for the record.

[clarice]

narc, th portions at Ruth Chris' are so enormous, I always had to split a steak with someone. But I thought the steaks and salads there were very god.

[mad jack]

Thank you, Jack. I've been enjoying watching the games and as a rookie fan I'm trying to pick a team to go with. I'm leaning to Liverpool because the Man U -Liverpool relationship seems like a Yankees - Sox type of rivalry but in my heart I'm a bottom of the Table kind of guy so I might have to go with a cellar dweller as well unless that is a total breach of protocol.

[Threadkiller]

This is the best I have had in San Diego:

Filet Mignon Alla Godfather

One Pound Filet Mignon butterflied with prosciutto, mozzarella, fresh mushrooms, marinara & barolo wine. Suggested wine: Brancaia $39.95

http://www.godfatherrestaurant.com/dinnermenu.html

[narciso]

thanks all, how do they arrange the prosciutto,

[mad jack]

I've told CH before that he needs to post a warning before some of his riffs. I've spilled or choked on more than a few beverages laughing at some of his posts.

[Beasts of England]

Snark alert: got a text from my ex that the American figure skating pair were on the tube. I told her that I was surprised at the difference in height between the two (6'-4" and 5'-0") - didn't think that was ideal. She replied that it seemed to work pretty well for me and my last two girlfriends... Zing! ;)

[narciso]

yes, it's like they are nearly always on the other side;

http://babalublog.com/2014/02/11/the-atlantic-council-the-u-s-was-on-the-wrong-side-of-history-for-not-imposing-economic-sanctions-on-south-africa/

[Centralcal on iPad]

Home from work. My disappointment is probably an odd one. We were a group of five, all ordered steak, a wide variety of sides, wine, etc. The meal and the service excellent. But, as DoT mentioned above, steaks are served "sizzling" with butter. I could actually see the tiny beads of fat wafting in the steam centered over our table as each of us was served.

I enjoyed the meal very much, but not the greasy, beefy smell in my hair, on my skin, on my clothing afterward. It was really icky in the car coming home. I couldn't wait to strip out of my clothes and hit the shower. If only they could serve them with a wee bit less sizzle? I smelled like I had cooked my own steak and quite a few others too. :)

And, changing subjects abruptly, Obama - fresh off his French state dinner is coming to Fresburgh this week - what on earth for, I do not know. Maybe with his phone and pen he will executive order the drought to end and all the illegals to be legal, etc., etc., etc.