Goldman Sachs in Illegal Bid to Buy Facebook

If you've thought about quitting Facebook before due to privacy concerns... Well, another concern has just arisen.


Salon Reports:


The “great vampire squid” of finance, Goldman Sachs, has invested $450 million in the emerging great vampire squid of cyberspace, Facebook…. The Goldman deal may be an end-run around the rule, with Goldman not selling Facebook shares to its clients, but rather selling shares in something it (Goldman) owns. If this is the game, and if the SEC lets it happen, the 500-shareholder rule has become meaningless — and markets are all the more opaque at a time when transparency is more needed than ever. Opacity is a growing issue. A thriving shadow marketplace has emerged for big startups that haven’t done IPOs, so big that the Securities and Exchange Commission is, at least in that space, looking into the wheeling and dealing. For good reason: Many if not most of the investors in these markets have no idea what the true financial picture may be of the shares they’re buying.


Not only that, but it looks like this is an illegal deal with Goldman (we-took-your-tax-dollars-and-gave-ourselves-record-breaking-bonuses) Sachs! !


Zero Hedge reports:


Well, the capital injection that so duly empowers Facebook is basically an uncapitalized bonus pool for Goldman Sachs. You see, it is highly unlikely that Goldman is actually materially investing in Facebook, particularly at these valuations (is facebook really worth more than Time Warner and eBay, after the private market liquidity discount?). What Goldman is doing is employing its financial engineers to allow its HNW investors to sidestep and circumvent the laws of the land as feebly enforced by the SEC. Its not as if this is a secret, it was published in the NY Times!!! Basically, Goldman has created a spit in the face of the SEC, Facebook hedge fund. 


But then again, Zero Hedge goes on to explain it all in one simple sentence:


You see, this is not about Goldman’s attempt to create capital gains through investment, its about their attempt to create income through commissions, fees and spreads. 


Read more.

More on Ayumi Hamasaki Getting Married to the Big Lebowski

Now, I figured it out. It makes sense! Ayumi Hamasaki has actually married the Dude from the Big Lebowski!

The humorous article about Ayumi Hamasaki getting married to that guy Manny Schwartz, who is described as an "actor" in his bio got me many funny comments.

Thanks.

Manny & Ayu

See? I told you she married the Dude!

I did some more research, and thanks to friends, I have found out more about Manny Schwartz's illustrious career as an "actor."

First of all, the only thing Manny has acted in was a music video by Ayumi Hamasaki - funny that -whereby Manny plays the part of her husband.

He has also appeared in a jeans advertisement twice over the last three years.

Not a very storied career!

What a loser! Look at what his FB name is: Manny69!

My source is a very-well connected Japanese writer who wishes to remain anonymous... She added that, "Getting married to Mr. Schwartz is just something that Ayumi Hamasaki is doing now as it interests her. Once she loses interest, she'll toss him away.... It's what narcissist Japanese actresses do.... Don't you remember Jeff and Seiko Matsuda?"

That's right! I remember that now.... So, in all actuality, this was a shrewd career move by Manny! Er, I mean, the Dude!



Expect to see him on extend his career on Japanese TV... That is, if he can learn the language better than Arnold Schwartzneggar can speak English! Or is this really a publicity stunt?

Damn! I knew I should have stuck with my acting career!

Another Dumb Japanese Star Marries Dumb Gaijin! Divorce in the Cards!

(Update at bottom)

You know, sometimes, when you are walking down the street, you see this awesome babe walking along, holding hands, with this stupid looking guy. Well. this is one of those times.

But then again, if you didn't know who she was, you might think she was an awesome babe. If you've ever heard her "music" you might think, "Top 40 Retread Girl." (same old same old....)

But that's just my opinion.....

He was quoted as saying, "I hope she doesn't lift up the sheets before getting 

into bed because, 'There's farts under there!'"

The guy may be stupid looking (actually he looks stoned), but he's pretty smart. It's the girl who is the stupid amongst the couple. On top of that, They have only known each other for  4 months or so and they got married!?

How stupid can anyone be? (Of course, like I said, he's not that stupid.)

Quicky quiz:


Question: You are a loser actor with a dead end career. One day you meet rich Japanese superstar singer.


Do you:
a) Marry rich Japanese woman
b) Hold out for something better
c) Dedicate yourself to your career
d) Say "No!" in the hopes of meeting Liz Taylor upon your next hospital stay

I predict their divorce by March of 2012. I'll bet you a half a donut on that one!

Japanese super pop star Ayumi Hamasaki has married some guy who is claimed to be an "actor" from Austria.

Right. An "Actor." That means he works as a waiter at Denny's while waiting for his big break in show business.... Him and 500,000 "actors" just like him in Hollyweird.

Hee har har! Do they even have actors from Austria? Before you retort that phrase, then let me preempt that comment by saying, "Can Arnold Schwarzneggar act?"



I wish gambling were legal in Japan. I'd start a pool and pick their divorce to be no later than March 2012. Any takers? No?

I didn't think so.

Update:

Alert reader Ira Hata sends in this screen capture of Manny's Twitters....

Check out his comments. In one he writes; "Things are gonna change in 2011. I'm going to have a beautiful wife." (Does he imply that, "Finally things are looking (pardon the pun) up?"

Also, Ira adds, that Hamazaki "Comes (pardon the pun) with money....!"

Terrestrial TV Stations Getting Cold Feet?

All the major TV stations in Japan were supposed to stop broadcasting in analogue on July 24, 2011. There was one piece of information that wasn't made public until now, and that is that the Japanese government wanted the TV stations to stop broadcasting regular programming on June 30, 2011.

The government plan called for the TV stations to air only a notice that TV sets that cannot pick up Digital would only receive "snow."

As Yomiuri reports:

Commercial TV stations are likely to continue analog TV broadcasts until noon on July 24, deviating from a government plan to phase in terrestrial digital broadcasts and end regular analog service by the end of June, sources said.

This means the TV stations will not participate in a planned June 30 to July 24 transition period during which the government hopes analog broadcasts will be reduced only to a notice saying terrestrial TV broadcasting will go exclusively digital at noon on July 24.

After the changeover is complete, TV sets incapable of digital reception will display only "snow" on their screens. TV stations plan to start broadcasting an image of a snow-filled screen repeatedly in announcements to begin as early as this month to avoid confusion among TV viewers after the full transition.

The government is so unorganized that it is not even funny. Here we are 7 months from D-Day for these foolish TV stations that agreed to go into huge debt to go digital and the government - as is par for the course - hasn't got their ducks in order.

Hell, they stopped giving people so-called eco-point discounts on these digital ready TV sets already! (Now, don't get me wrong, I think these eco-points discounts, are a sham and the government has no business offering people discounts for products on the free market...) But if they are going to do it anyway, you'd think they would continue to allow credits to people to buy a digital set for at least a year after conversion... But no!

The government can't fill in a pothole in the road on time and on budget; who thinks they can control and run an entire country switchover to digital smoothly?

Let me make a prediction right here. When the stations stop broadcasting in analogue, they will lose viewers in huge numbers and they will receive a massive amount of complaints. This will affect their sales. I predict that the government and the broadcasters will start to quarrel and, before April 2012, some of the TV stations will request that they be allowed to broadcast in analogue also.

This will cause even more confusion and complaints amongst the people, manufacturers, broadcasters and the government. And that will, in turn, make TV an ever more undesirable method of advertising. This will also hurt TV viewership ratings.

The Japanese government will realize that they made a mistake by making digital broadcasting mandatory and then they will try all sorts of "fix-it" remedies - all of which will fail.

These sorts of events will help lead to TV Tokyo and TBS's bankruptcy by 2015.

Your Japanese Good Luck Oracle for 2011

Today is Jan. 3, 2011 and today I did my "Hatsumode." Hatsumode is the first day to visit the temple for the New Year... 


Wikipedia says this about Hatsumode:

Hatsumōde (初詣 hatsumōde) is the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, newo-mamori (charms or amulets) are bought, and the old ones are returned to the shrine so they can be burned. There are often long lines at major shrines throughout Japan.

Most Japanese are off work from December 29 until January 3. It is during this time that the house is cleaned, debts are paid, friends and family are visited and gifts are exchanged. It would be customary to spend the early morning of New Year's Day in domestic worship, followed by sake—often containing edible gold flakes—and special celebration food. During the hatsumōde, it is common for men to wear a full kimono—one of the rare chances to see them doing so across a year. The act of worship is generally quite brief and individual and may involve queuing at popular shrines. The o-mamori vary substantially in price.

Well, today wasn't exactly my first day to visit the shrine. Actually I went yesterday but I went too late and couldn't pick up my good luck fortune for the next year, my Omikuji, as the shop at the shrine was closed. 

So, I went today. I have to have my Omikuji as I need confirmation that this year is going to be the best year so far in my life....

Wikipedia says this about Omikuji:

Omikuji (御御籤, 御神籤, or おみくじ) are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Literally "sacred lottery", these are usually received by making a small offering (generally a five-yen coin as it is considered good luck) and randomly choosing one from a box, hoping for the resulting fortune to be good. (Nowadays, these are sometimes coin-slot machines.)

The omikuji is scrolled up or folded, and unrolling the piece of paper reveals the fortune written on it. It includes a general blessing which can be any one of the following:

• Great blessing (dai-kichi, 大吉)
• Middle blessing (chū-kichi, 中吉)
• Small blessing (shō-kichi, 小吉)
• Blessing (kichi, 吉)
• Half-blessing (han-kichi, 半吉)
• Near-blessing (sue-kichi, 末吉)
• Near-small-blessing (sue-shō-kichi, 末小吉)
• Curse (kyō, 凶)
• Small curse (shō-kyō, 小凶)
• Half-curse (han-kyō, 半凶)
• Near-curse (sue-kyō, 末凶)
• Great curse (dai-kyō, 大凶)

A common custom during hatsumōde is to buy a written oracle called omikuji. If your omikuji predicts bad luck you can tie it onto a tree on the shrine grounds, in the hope that its prediction will not come true. The omikuji goes into detail, and tells you how you will do in various areas in your life, such and business and love, for that year. Often a good-luck charm comes with the omikuji when you buy it, that will summon good luck and money your way.

Of course, as I just knew I would, I got the Great Blessing Omikuji. This means that this year will be very lucky for me - this, also, as I knew would happen.

Dai-Kichi, the Omikuji for Great Blessing....

Perhaps you can't go to a shrine or temple this year, so, just print out the Omikuji above and fold it up and keep it in your wallet or purse this year. It is sure to bring the bearer good luck!  

Good Luck to you in 2011!

China Beats Japan.... Again! Breast Enlargement for the Masses!

Well, the new year just started and China comes out with a device that is light years ahead of japan: It's a breast enlargement device that makes women's breasts larger through jiggling them.

Japan lags behind with old technology

OK. Don't believe me. Here's the video from Topless Robot:



The comments from Topless Robot are priceless:

Normally it's Japan that leads the world in breast technology, but China has taken a major leap forward, and the day is slow enough that I thought that I could recognize their achievement. Behold the Top Charming Breast Stimulator, which is a device women can put into their bras or bikini tops that gently shakes the breasts until... well, until they get bigger.


In case this is somehow a difficult concept to grasp, the video demonstration is a full five minutes long, just to make sure you get it. Yep. Five full minutes of jiggling boobs. It's science!

2011's 1st gratuitous cheesecake photo on this blog 

The readers even get in in the act with some great comments too!


* Would I sound like a pig if I said all hot girls ages 18-36 should be mandated by law to wear these all the time? Now, I'm no chauvinist, I don't care about makig breasts grow larger per se (although that is a nice side effect), I just like to watch 'em jiggle!


*Yeah fairly certain that does make you sound like a pig. I'm now grossed out and leaving the internet for the rest of the day. thanks.


* If just shaking something made it larger, every guy would have a 6 foot penis.


* Oh, I thought you said SIMULATOR. That would obviously infringe several Japanese patents. But stimulators...well, I can see the Chinese taking the lead there.

Major Television Stations in Japan on Death's Doorstep

The major terrestrial TV stations in Japan are in big trouble. On July 24, 2011, they will stop broadcasting analogue and start digital broadcasting. On that day they will lose at least 30% of their viewing audience. If they are losing money now, what will they do when the estimated 30% of the people who do not own a digital tuner drop off?

I have written extensively, during 2010, about the coming collapse of TV Tokyo, TBS TV and TV Asahi in Japan before. Read those articles here, here and here.

Now, after spending five days at my in-laws house this New Year's I can definitely attest to the coming demise with anecdotal evidence.

Booooooooring

My father in-law is 72-years-old. My mother-in-law is 68. These folks are typical prime target audience for a station like TV Tokyo.

These are folks who have seen TV all their lives. The Internet is still a new thing to them. My in-laws are the kinds of folks who turn on the TV when they wake up in the morning and leave it on all day whether they are watching it or not. They are terrestrial TV's prime audience.

Why are these people the typical prime target for a station like TV Tokyo or TBS? Think about it.

Who has the time to sit around and really watch TV for 2 or 3 hours a day, everyday (like people did 30 years ago)? Well, the only people who do have the time to do so are either:

1) Inactive
2) Poor
3) Retired or aged
4) Handicapped or ill

Think about that. Now, if you were a sponsor, would you spend money on TV advertising for people who fit any of the descriptions above? No. You wouldn't.

That's one huge problem for these dinosaur TV stations that have thousands of employees and a dropping revenue base.

In fact, I was told that, in TV Tokyo's case, their sales are dropping by 5% a month and they are losing more than one million dollars a month.

But there's another, more subtle problem that I have discovered during this New Year's visit that makes me want to share it with you; it used to be, that coming to the in-laws house drove me crazy as they, like I mentioned, would watch TV all the time.

At my house, we do not have a TV and I do not want my 7-year-old son watching it. So, it would pain me whenever we visited the in-laws as the TV was on constantly....

Not this year. We have been here for 5 days now and they only turned on the TV 3 times that I saw, and each time was just for 10 or 15 minutes. Then they'd turn it off. After coming here annually for the last 15 years or so, this recent behavior had me curious so I asked my father-in-law what was going on. I asked him why they hadn't been watching TV like they did before. I was wondering if they were being kind to us as they know we don't watch TV and don't approve of our son watching it either...

Well, it wasn't anything like I was expecting. My father-in-law told me that they didn't watch TV like before because he said, "The Internet is more interesting."

I was so surprised. Of course, I'd agree. Yesterday, when my family and in-laws all went outside for a few hours, I grew curious. I mean, they have this expensive new-fangled system, yet they don't watch as much as they used to? Hmm....I sat here doing some work and then I watched TV for 20 minutes or so to see what the new system was like.

My in-laws have a brand new plasma TV and they get all the analogue channels and Chidigi (the analogue stations on digital) and both BS and CS digital. I flipped through the stations for a while and thought (as I usually do with TV) "Who'd watch this crap?"

I think the BS and CS stations have a chance to survive as most of these stations are small and have staffs that number under 100 people. But the Chidigi stations, like TV Tokyo or TBS, that have well over 1,000 employees are dead.

Just because their signal is digital, people are not going to watch the same old crap. Hello TV Tokyo, TBS and TV Asahi! The problem is not your platform, the problem is your content; it sucks and is boring.

On top of that, some of the channels asked for "pay per view" yet they were showing movie like "Kramer vs. Kramer." No joke! No one is going to pay for that! Why not rent it or watch it on Youtube? At with those you can watch it when you want - with no commercials!

I did watch a bit of some other movie about the CIA but gave up after 20 minutes because of commercials.

After flipping through the channels a while and seeing lots of Shopping TV and commercials, I turned the TV off. Not only was the content the same old boring stuff, but, the tuning system is confusing... Instead of one block of channels to pick from, you now have three...

It's not convenient at all.

If older folks like my in-laws have turned away from TV; if 30% of the TV audience is dropping off this July; if the content is going to be the same old thing; and Japan's economy stays in the doldrums - which it will. Then I stick by my predictions:

TV Tokyo, TBS and TV Asahi will not survive 2015 in their current configuration. Expect TV Tokyo and TBS to go bankrupt first.

What happened?

1) No one has time to sit around and watch TV anymore.
2) TV demands that you adjust your schedule to fit theirs. That doesn't work anymore.
3) Minor stations only have to support 40 ~ 80 workers. Big stations need to support thousands. There is no revenue base for that anymore.
4) Other forms of entertainment are much more satisfying and time-flexible.

Considering the above and now, throw in the older folks coming to the conclusions that TV isn't interesting anymore then, there you have it.

Are there any stations that will do well? Yep. I predict that Cartoon Network will always do well.