Carnival of the Vanities #163

Welcome to this week's edition of the Carnival of the Vanities. I'm honored to be the host this week and hope I can live up to the great tradition of this carnival.

Per my usual carnival policy, I'm listing the posts in the order that I received them. There's a clear benefit to being listed early in a carnival, and I do this to encourage people to get their entries in early. So instead of grouping posts by subject, rating or any other measure, I'll be posting them by date and time received. (Creative, I know, but give me a break. I'm a personal finance blogger after all!!!)

Before I begin, here are a few comments about the posts below:

1. Everyone who submitted before the deadline got in. I'm more of a "the more the merrier" type of blogger, so if someone took the time to submit, I put them in. The readers can decide if the posts are any good or not. (In my opinion, some of them qualified for the Bonfire of the Vanities more than the Carnival of the Vanities, but I'll let you develop your own opinion.)

2. If I got your submission after the deadline, you didn't make it in. As a finance nut, the rules compel me to do this. Besides, everyone had a whole week to submit their posts.

3. Some of the best posts (in my opinion) are near the end. Don't cheat yourself by not reading down that far (FYI -- my favorite is the "how men pick a wife" post). ;-)

4. Who reads all these political blogs!!!??? Not me, that's for sure. But I guess everyone has their audience.

5. I'm not a big believer in long-winded intros to posts. You came here to read what the submitters wrote, not what I did. As such, I'm brief in my summaries.

6. In many cases, I simply used the wording provided by the submitters to describe the piece. After all, who better to intro a piece than the author?

7. Why do most wait until the last minute to submit? What, you people have a life?

With that said, let's get the show on the road!

Thursday, October 27

11:40 PM -- We start with a series of podcasts (sorry, you'll need an iPod or MP3 player to listen to them) that cover what political bloggers were talking about last week. Includes pieces titled "Harriet Steps Down - It's a Plot!" and "Calling a Terrorist a Terrorist - at NPR!" I'm not a podcast listener (yet!) so I can't vouch how good or bad these are, but the author certainly is prompt and thus earns our first spot this week.

11:41 PM -- A very close second place is a very interesting post on energy (yes, I said "interesting" and "energy" in the same sentence). It's generally not something you think would be a good read, but the summary really draws you in: "One of the ways that the country's energy usage could be transformed is through the widespread use of a distributed energy grid. This post is a compilation of the information that I have been gathering about the feasibility and necessity of a distributed grid." I found the piece to be very informative and solid.

11:42 PM -- Last but not least for the 10-27 early birds was "just a good Halloween reminiscence" according to the author. It details the author struggling with what he should dress up for on Halloween. I can relate -- I was stuck between Darth Vader and Batman myself until my wife put a kibosh on the whole "dress up" idea.

Friday, October 28

12:17 AM -- I can check "reading a post about Joan Rivers and racism" off my to-do list after reviewing this next post. I can't say that the post is my cup of tea, but the author does a decent job of covering the issue -- including a blow-up by Ms. Rivers on the subject.

3:47 AM -- Are people really blogging/working at their computers at this time? I guess so! Anyway, here's a post on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome which asks, "Are the simplistic 'keep the baby on his back' instructions really endangering them?" The post doesn't have an answer but seems to favor on the stomach sleeping for babies. Read the post then decide for yourself.

12:28 PM -- What will it take for labor unions to stop shrinking?  Ironman at Political Calculations finds a local bricklayers union that's growing by acting more like an entrepreneurial business than a labor union. Very interesting indeed.

2:01 PM -- Want a philosophical view of the war in Iraq? (And I mean REALLY philosophical!) Then check out this post titled Placating The Tyrants.

4:15 PM -- In On Multiculturalism: A Reader Comment and Response the author questions the term "multiculturalism" in an attempt to reach one agreeable definition. Does he succeed? You be the judge.

4:38 PM --  This is the conclusion of a two part series about morals and murder in Judaism. The bottom line: "It is a pity that in this day and age people are more crooked than in previous times, but with G-d’s help we will merit to once again have righteous judges with the coming of the Messiah and the re-building of HaShem’s Holy Temple and the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin, speedily and in our days."

4:43 PM -- This post notes that the Internet is causing a sea of change in many areas and asserts that graphic designers must learn a whole new skill set if they are to become web designers. They can no longer be sure that the viewer will see exactly what they had in mind.

Saturday, October 29

12:42 AM -- Finally! An entry from a personal finance blogger! In this post, he talks about trimmables. What is a trimmable? It’s something you’re paying for on a monthly basis that you could remove and it would not negatively impact your life.  Read this post and see how you may be able to save money without changing anything you do.

8:58 AM -- Here's a post about personal security with the position that there are always ways to increase your personal security, if you only take on some responsibility. This post may help you or someone you know, so be sure to check it out. It ends with this admonition: "You may find yourself in a bad situation, but there are always options. You have choices that can influence your situation. You cannot change the past, but you can change the future. You can refuse to be a victim."

3:40 PM -- Which is better when financing your home -- one loan or two? I won't spoil the answer (completely) other than to quote the author: "So you see, there are concrete advantages to having your loan split into two pieces." What are the advantages? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out.

Sunday, October 30

11:40 AM -- This gives an "insiders view" of the folly's of the Stated Income Loan -- a mortgage where the borrower "states" his or her income to qualify for the loan.  In itself, it doesn't sound bad, but this post contains "the rest of the story".

1:09 PM -- This post contains "a few things I've learned about blogging, some learned through trial and error, some learned through the help of more experienced bloggers." My favorite: "#8 There will always be people who hate what you write. Don't take it personally." So true!!

2:16 PM -- Here is a post that lists how each Senator voted concerning the Coburn Amendments and a list of the 33 Senators up for re-election in 2006. According to the author, "The list includes NY Sen. Hillary Clinton, for whom defeat in this Senate race would mean quite a setback in her plans for the White House in 2008."

8:49 PM -- They Wanted A Hog, But Got A Scooter talks about the indictment of Scooter Libby instead of Karl Rove (which the liberals REALLY wanted). Decide for yourself whether it's all over yet -- or not.

Monday, October 31

3:31 AM -- In Bush On Road To Success, the author says, "Everyone is focused on the past and present; not the future. What do you think people will say about Bush in 30 years?" Good question. Nixon, Carter, and Reagan all are thought of differently today than when they were in office.

6:22 AM -- Cheryl Swoopes is out of the closet. See why this blogger is wondering why it's such a big announcement.

11:36 AM -- "Conservatives are currently livid with their leadership, because they perceive the latter to be snatching defeat from the jaws of long-sought, hard-won victory. If the Republican political leadership is serious about its own future, it will realize that the base is right."

12:15 PM -- From the author: "In today's Washington Post, Colbert I. King, who I normally pay little attention to for reasons that will become obvious, uses the death of Rosa Parks, some would say cynically so, to attack advocates of originalist interpretations of the Constitution and judicial restraint. As is usual for Mr. King, the logic is somewhat lacking."

12:37 PM -- The indictment of Libby by special prosecutor Fitzgerald has left more questions than answers.  If he was, in fact, the beginning of the phone tree, why was he not indicted for leaking her name?

2:13 PM -- School fundraising season is coming, and with it, those catalogs full of overpriced items you don't want and wouldn't give as gifts.  A look at one Detroit-area school system that is giving an alternative.

5:34 PM -- Details of a Saudi government "fatwa" on soccer rules, published in the newspaper Al Watan. All I can say is "yikes!"

6:47 PM -- Highlights on the Third Annual Blogger Costume Party. This year's theme: Firefly.

8:38 PM -- This will tempt you into reading: "My sister was very resistant to the idea of an SUV and fuel economy was another major desired feature. So how did they end up in a Toyota Highlander? Read on and find out..."

8:48 PM -- A true story from the Mental Archives of Elisson...about seeing real wealth for the first time.

8:54 PM -- Cat eaten by pumpkin! Photos included! 'Nuff said.

9:00 PM -- Life just got tougher in the Small Office as a shining star makes a million dollar mistake. Some advice on how to fix and how to move forward.

9:57 PM -- In a surprise move earlier today, temporary Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers withdrew her acceptance to President Bush's Spooky Halloween Extravaganza. Miers cited a White House ban on shaving cream fights as the reason for the withdrawal.

11:24 PM -- "Her life was an inspiration to all of us in the south and her courage will always be remembered." A post about Rosa Parks' influence on America.

Tuesday, November 1

12:31 AM -- A simple question for anti-war protestors.

3:05 AM -- To maintain our economic preeminence in the face of rising competitors, we need to change our regulatory environment and education methods to cultivate small businesses and creativity.

3:31 AM -- This piece takes a critical look at psychological research which claims to show that religious people are racially prejudiced.

3:34 AM -- Tells how men really choose a wife.

5:43 AM -- Were those, and other unimaginable feats of escape, a magician's trade secret
...or was he a twentieth Century Shaman? Some thoughts on Harry Houdini.

1:33 PM -- A call for Conservatives to push on for more recognition.

2:36 PM -- Commentary and four limericks about Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito.

3:13 PM -- The close Mars approach last weekend was grossly misreported by one press agency after another -- who was copying whom? And why not ask an astronomer?

4:54 PM -- Explains what's REALLY going on with the Alito nomination. Cute. (In a wacky sort of way.) Note: Lots of pics, so it's an easy "read". ;-)

4:58 PM -- The Governator says that corporate political contributions need shareholder approval. Does this include the cigar industry?

6:00 PM -- This post examines the results of research to place the toxic hazard tests of both natural and man made chemicals in a context of relative threat to mankind. The result: showing familiar and safe foods ranked by alleged threat to often maligned synthetic chemicals. I didn't see McDonald's pancakes in this list -- am I missing something?

Whew! 42 posts!!!

Thanks for visiting the Carnival of the Vanities! If you want to know a bit more about Free Money Finance, take this quick tour of the blog I wrote when FMF was recognized by Business Week.

Comments

[Barry Welford]

Nice going, FMF. It's great to see when virtue is rewarded. This format also signals better the effort involved in staying on top of the flood. As you said, there are good entries all the way through, so it encourages you to check through them all. Perhaps the only addition might be to add a few stars on those entries you particularly liked. However I think this is a great tradition to start. Thanks for ensuring my entry on graphic design got written up exactly as I would have wished. :)

[mensa B]

Thank you so very much. I'm really enjoying reading these entries. Excellent job! (Forty two posts??) That has to be an all time record!

[Charlie Quidnunc]

Great job on the Carnival! Thanks for putting up the reference to my podcast. By the way, you can listen on your computer too. You don't need an MP3 player or iPod. You subscribe on your PC and you can listen there or synch your portable (if you have one) and listen on the road.

User's choice!

[The MaryHunter]

Great job with the carny, thanks. For my part and that of my fellow blog writers, we wait to see what the best post of the week is... never more annoying to submit early something that's pretty good, just to then post something even better before the deadline.

Of course, NO procrastination involved whatsoever. Nosir.

Oh, is that ours that was listed LAST, at EXACTLY 6 pm?? >8-o

[muse]

Wonderful!
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/2005/11/how-i-do-hh-vs-latest-carnival-of.html

[Ezzie]

Wow. Thanks for the link, and comment. Much appreciated.

[Jacqui]

Thank you for hosting, very nice job!