[Thanks Stevie!]

Some wise words from John Bogle…

1. Beware of market forecasts, even by experts.
2. Never underrate the importance of asset allocation.
3. Mutual funds (or, unit trusts) with superior performance records often falter.
4. Owning the market remains the strategy of choice.
5. Look before you leap into alternative asset classes.
6. Beware of financial innovation.

I remember a time when banks lent money to people. Now it’s the other way around.

›› Thomas L. Friedman quoting a lawmaker on the television

Do not mistake this for some run-of-the-mill Ibiza ‘chillout’ album. Nu Balearica, mixed by one half of Lemon Jelly, is an absolute gem. Warm melodies, dreamy synths, down tempo disco (if such a thing can even exist) and the beautiful packaging & artwork makes this a highly recommended compilation album. You know that Repeat Album function on your music player? It was designed for albums like this one.

The Abarth Coupe is slated to come out in 2010 and it’s a sports coupe based on the body of the Fiat 500. With Abarth at the controls and under the hood, this two-seater Coupe promises to be a small, fast and fuel efficient car which even BMX scallywags might call ‘a proper car’.

Some of the book covers sport some absolutely stunning design work . It’s hard to believe they were all designed many decades ago. In fact, I actually recognize some of the covers which I remember reading in my younger days at the old National Library.

Clone stamp. Color Eyes. Nose - 20%. Clone stamp. Clone stamp…

Funny and nice attention to detail.

Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many Obstetricians/ Gynecologists aren’t able to practice their love with women all across the country.

›› From a rather brief collection of hilarious verbal lapses by George W Bush

If ever there an art direction to quite accurately reflect Of Montreal’s zany brand of music, this video would be it. (Their album, Skeletal Lamping, is pretty good, too.)

This weird-looking and endangered animal is described as looking like ‘an oversized shrew’ and a ‘slow moving clumsy runner’. Also known as the Agouta, the nocturnal Hispaniolan Solenodon has glands (in the armpits and groin) that give it a ‘goat-like smell’. To shard the already low self-esteem of this species, the females have their teats near their butts.

But hey… these guys can inject their prey with a venom-loaded bite. That’s quite… bad-ass.

It’s been a wild ride through 2008 and the new year looks like it’s gonna drag our wallets through the mud. Having said that, there are people on the other side of the world who are going through shit that makes you want to throw up.

Yeah, belated happy new year to you, too.