Just found this in my drafts, dated 3/13/09. Never got around to publishing it and saying all I wanted to say, but I think alot of it is still applicable now, so I’ve decided to go ahead and publish it unfinished.

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A couple thoughts of my thoughts on the video:

• It seems like Jon Stewart spends alot of his time blaming CNBC and Jim Cramer for the financial crisis. The truth is that there were many aspects of our culture and economy that got us entangled in this mess, only one of which was the financial media. In my mind, Cramer is one of the most down-to-earth and pragmatic (if overcaffeinated and entertainment-focused) of financial advisors; he relates to the world of finance professionals the way Gary Vaynerchuk relates to the established world of wine tasters and connoisseurs. It’s unfair that Stewart takes out his frustration on Cramer, rather than talking heads like Charlie Gasparino and Maria Bartiromo (or other, non-CNBC members of the financial media). They almost assuredly would not agree to come on his show and be berated the way Cramer did, hoping to show that he could take the criticism and admit his own mistakes (while not apologizing for those of his peers or of the rest of the industry) and was ready to start mapping a way forward.
• It was unfair of Stewart to roll clip after clip sans context and without giving Cramer a chance to respond to them, shouting out tape numbers like he was reading off a docket. It’s obvious that the videos were taken out of context; I’d be surprised if the tapes were actually of Cramer confessing to taking actions of questionable legality (spreading negative rumors regarding tickers against which he held a short position, messing around with futures trading to give a certain impession about a stock, etc) he actually took as a hedge fund manager. He just seems to be explaining ways in which one can influence stock price as a manager that are not easily enforceable, in an unfortunately inarticulate manner.
• It annoys me the way the crowd polarizes the discussion. They clap after every clever thing Stewart says, as though he had made some excellent point “against” Cramer.

Here’s the bottom line: Cramer, while at fault for many things, is not the one to blame for this mess. Furthermore, the way Stewart hung him out to dry is unconscionable. He likes to do this to the people he intends to berate, putting on the face of comedy and deliberately making them as uncomfortable as possible (see also: his 2004 interview on Crossfire) while subjecting them to a trial by media, where the laughter of an audience that has come that day for the sole purpose of being entertained serves as judge and jury. Don’t get me wrong: I like Jon Stewart and his show, for the most part. I agree with a great deal of his points about what is wrong with the media and respect our difference in opinion and viewpoint. I see his show as a campaign against the knownothing-ism of current politics and the frighteningly [11/09: Not sure what I meant to say…]

Love this statue. First picture I took with the iPhone.

“Don’t be a hero. Don’t have an ego. Always question yourself and your ability. Don’t ever feel that you are very good. The second you do, you are dead.” —Paul Tudor Jones

Not only is Jones an amazing trader and reader of the financial markets as well as a class act all around, but many of his trading philosophies translate well into everyday life. (More here.)

jennabee:

Regina Spektor - The Calculation.

whoa. i’ve listened to this like 5 times in a row. amazing.

I feel like such a tourist.

loving the new theme, “not quite”. still think i need to lighten up the background a little though

only in france…

(via iwantmyhotpocket)

jgh:

In the film, Shia LaBeouf attends my alma mater.

hate to burst your bubble, but as i understand it he attends princeton, which is comprised of shots of penn and at least one scene in a well-known yale lecture hall. apparently penn just didn’t have the necessary brand name. as if that’s not bad enough, his character apparently attends a frat party at the castle, which as we all know makes him an insufferable douche by default.

(n.b.: i’m still going to see it, conscientious objections aside)