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Active versus Passive……versus Common Sense!
By Ted Schwartz, CFP®
The biggest shift (and debate) during my decades in this business is the move from active management to passive. Active management means that your investment has a portfolio manager who is tasked with picking your investment from the universe of choices. His job, obviously, is to be above average in his choosing so that you do better than average in the returns you receive versus the risk that you take. A passive investment merely tries to duplicate an index of investments with no decisions made by a manager. The idea here is to do average with as little expense as possible incurred.
The battle over which of these ideas is superior has raged for more than a decade with both sides presenting evidence that they have the superior position. Both sides have logical arguments to make, but…the field has been tilting towards the passive side. Investors have voted with their feet, leaving actively managed mutual funds for Vanguard low cost index funds and ETFs (exchange traded funds). My belief after watching this for twenty years is… in a good market (where the trend is clearly up), you are probably better off in low cost index investments that capture average returns. The data shows that relatively few active managers outperform in these markets and also shows that these instances of outperformance tend not to persist (i.e. this year's winning fund is unlikely to be next year's winner).
So, does that mean we should all only own passive investments with a buy and hold for the long term discipline? I think the answer to this is….use some common sense! Remember, passive investments include zero risk management and you will always capture an average share of all losses in market declines. Let's say you owned a passive investment in the Nasdaq index in early 2000. Stock prices were well over ten times their normal valuations, but there were lots of pundits explaining that this was a "new paradigm". Passive investors were set to lose 78% of their principal by sticking to their long term buy and hold strategy. The Nasdaq index was at 5048 in March of 2000 and is at 5058 as I write this in July of 2016. An optimist might say "see, I told you to just hold onto it and it would come back". A realist would say that, including 16 years of inflation, you are nowhere near having the buying power you had in 2000 when you made this ill-advised investment.
Common sense would tell you that when stocks are selling for over ten times their normal valuations, you should own less of them than normal. The expected future return on investing in those stocks was at an all-time low due to their being so overpriced. To manage your future risk and returns, any rational person should have been thinking that they needed to actively manage their allocation to this passive index. This is common sense. Failing to use common sense in investing can be very costly.
One piece of good news is that we now have thousands of passive indices to invest in and some have been designed to control your risk better than the older indices. These are often referred to as "smart beta" products, a term that annoys me as much as fingernails running across a blackboard. That said, they tend to reduce your exposure to investments that have gone up the most (think overpriced) and therefore are worth considering as you allocate your money. They do not replace common sense! It is the investor's job to manage risk and return by deciding how to allocate money in a portfolio. Diversification is definitely step one. You want to own assets which have low correlation to one and another, so you don't end up with all your eggs in one basket. Second, it is an investor's job to buy the eggs that are on sale and sell a few of the eggs that are overpriced.
Unfortunately, this process is neither simple nor always immediately pleasant. An investor who decided that technology stocks were way overpriced in early 1999 and sold some of his tech stocks would likely be kicking himself by the end of the year. Almost all of the returns that year came from tech stocks. The rest of the market languished all year and posted disappointing returns. In hindsight, that investor would have saved themselves a great deal of capital in the long run by sticking to the simple discipline of using their common sense. Market returns do not reflect common sense in the short term, but the long term payoff can be tremendous.
Our common sense answer is that a good portfolio…..is actively managed and makes use of as many low cost, passive investments as possible. The old adage that most return come from asset allocation decisions seems to be right on. However, the world is not static and your portfolio requires attention as the world turns.
FLOW: Volume 7 — One Month In; A Smaller Barrel
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part seven of our series unveils the significance of obtaining a sustainable cash flow in high-yield stocks.
It has been one month since I opened my FLOW account; investing $150,000 in high yielding stocks.
When I selected my 20 investments, I did not choose based on how each had performed in the previous month or year. The investment value was presented in each company's ability to produce cash flow.
I had to remind myself that this was the goal after the value of the portfolio declined to $140,137 within the first week; a cool $10,000 loss, or about 7% in five days of trading.
But this investment was developed to increase cash flow through acquiring businesses that could produce. Rather than focus on price, the value of the underlying business is what we will instead choose to concentrate on.
Besides the downturn in the account, we also received our first dividend check. With the TD Ameritrade account I created, I requested that dividends be paid out each month. On February 2, $432.67 was deposited into my savings account. This represents an annual return of 3%. I expected this percent to increase once our investments reached the ex-dividend date, which is the date stock must be owned by in order to have a right to the dividend.
After a full month of investing, I predicted the annualized yield to reach 11%.
Sustaining a Steady Cash Flow
Fortunately, the portfolio is beginning to produce satisfactory results. By the end of January, the account value had reached $157,489. Although I expect the principal value to fluctuate, the cash flow should preserve the investment.
Here's my FLOW investment summary:
- 20 investment positions
- 10 investment categories
- Categories: convertible/preferred, covered calls, emerging markets, foreign governments, go anywhere (manager discretion), high-yield (junk bonds), REIT, mortgage debt, infrastructure, individual stocks (of the stock category, there are 6 individual stocks)
Since the last time of purchase made in the end of January, we have seen a spike in prices. Consequently, conditions for investing are not as favorable. However, for a cash flow yield, there are still opportunities with these 20 investments.
So, where does this leave us? In a slightly less favorable place, but a place that is still providing consistent cash flows.
The next step is to begin the weeding process. This is probably the most important practice of all, as it is where we evaluate the holdings to see if they are continuing to provide a consistent cash flow. If an investment shows a declining ability to produce a flow, we will then sell and replace with investments that we feel can generate the desired results.
In summary, I'm planning to keep my account open for the long haul, and expect to continue reaping the gains of the cash flow while I ride out the volatility of the stock market. I will be reporting back with updates as changes are made to the portfolio.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Individual investor experiences and results will vary.
FLOW: Volume 6 – Tracking the Portfolio's Progression
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part six completes our series by taking a closer look at the specific investment opportunities that were chosen to enhance the performance of the FLOW portfolio.
When I chose the 20 investments for this portfolio, I did not choose based on how they had performed over the last month or year. Although the yield each investment presented was likely due to poor performance recently, the overall investment value was presented in each company's ability to produce cash flow.
Despite reminding myself of this logic, the value of the portfolio declined to $140,137 within the first week of the initial investment being made — a cool $10,000 loss, or about 7% in five days of trading.
But this investment was selected for the cash flow opportunities and the faith that the chosen businesses could produce such returns. So rather than focusing solely on price, the value of the underlying business is what we will continue to concentrate on.
Identifying Success through Dividend Production
As a result, this means removing the S&P 500 as a benchmark for success. The success is created off of dividend income generated from a portfolio. Outperforming the S&P 500 doesn't generate revenue; it's the production of dividend income that leads to an increase in profits.
As the portfolio continues, buy and sell decisions will not be dictated by the performance of the S&P 500, or the 20 individual investments. In the future, we will either look into upgrading to higher quality investments with greater income-generating capabilities, or sell the investment if the company's ability to generate cash flow no longer supports its ability to pay the dividend or if the price is much greater than the value.
As we progress, I will provide updates on the cash flow and will keep readers informed of the decisions I make, whether it's upgrading to investments with higher cash flow or seeking other income-generating opportunities.
FLOW: Volume 5 – Understanding Price Movement
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part five of our series dives deeper into portfolio development and helps readers understand what creates value in today's changing market.
The downturn the stock market experienced in the final weeks of 2015 and the first few weeks of 2016 set up a prime time to invest.
I went into the new year thinking that I would take on five investments at a time. If the market fell, I would buy the next lot.
As chance would have it, the first lot was purchased on January 12th. The following lots were purchased on January 15th, January 19th and January 20th.
The portfolio was invested more quickly than expected, but the declining prices in the market provided a favorable opportunity, with a jump in current yield occurring right off the bat.
Removing the Panic from Portfolio Development
The declining prices have led many investors to fret over their portfolios, with the anxiety and fear being that they will lose all their money. But if the investment was made with the belief that the company will not only continue to generate cash flow, but overall growth in the future, then the anxiety is more emotional and less analytical.
I have observed that poor investment decisions are often dictated by price movement. However, price movement is very different than a company's ability to continue generating earnings and to grow those earnings over time. There are times when a decline in price reflects verifiable concerns, but price movements alone can be very misleading. A rising stock price may put an investor at ease, creating a false sense of security.
Investors make mistakes when they let emotion creep in and impact behavior and investment decisions. When plowed over by the hype from greed or the hysteria from fear, investors seldom make rational decisions. This type of behavior only creates optimal opportunities for those not falling prey to emotions.
Value is what you get; Price is what you pay
I seldom hear of investors providing the price they are willing to pay in order to generate a stream of cash flow. In our FLOW portfolio, we were willing to pay $150,000 for a stream of cash flow of $17,580 annually, or 11.72% of the portfolio.
I don't know if this is what will eventually come of it or if the portfolio will be significantly lower, but I wanted to make sure the price of $150,000 for 20 different investments could create a value worth at least $15,000 a year (in this case $17,580).
Value is different than price because value represents cash flow to us. Since we are value-conscious investors, we are intently keen on paying attention to potential cash flows that are expected to be received. Unfortunately, few investors spend the time necessary to focus on this critical element. Instead, many financial brokers' attention is placed on stock price and its up or down pattern of movement.
If you pay too much, you receive very little value. No matter the amount of cash flow a company generates, the overall impact felt is the price that was paid to buy that investment. When purchasing an investment, you can often determine the value by how much cash flow is being received now, as well as in the future.
As I mentioned before in FLOW: Volume 1, Warren Buffett's investment philosophy is all about value in purchasing a stream of cash flow for as little as possible. His quote, "Price is what you pay. Value is what you get" clearly summarizes this.
With the $150,000 invested in cash flow generation, my thinking now turns to the possibility of buying the whole company as the investment process begins.
FLOW: Volume 4 – Building a Strong, Sustainable Portfolio
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part four of our series uncovers the various reasons why investors select particular investments when creating a portfolio, as well as the importance of each component.
In building a portfolio, I always ask: what is the purpose of this particular portfolio? It seems like a simple concept to be purposeful with what to invest, but often times this imperative thought escapes the process.
This question may seem like common knowledge to some, but it is of vital importance for an investor to ask.
What Are You Investing For?
Investing comes with many trade-offs. Generally speaking, higher yields often imply lower capital appreciation, and vice versa. 10% yields are eight percentage points above the S&P 500. Companies that are on a fast growth trajectory tend to retain the cash they have for further growth.
Investors do not have the same goals, needs or investment objectives. Some investors want outright appreciation in order to beat the stock market. Others are concerned with protecting the downside. And then there are the investors that want the highest income possible. Consequently, I believe investors should ask what purpose is this investment for?
For the FLOW portfolio, the investment objective is maximum cash flow with the current yield. For high-yield, investors should expect a lower rate of capital appreciation in order to achieve their goal. If you are looking for maximum capital appreciation or total return, you will not find it in a high-yielding portfolio such as this one.
Portfolio Characteristics
- 20 Investment Positions
- 10 Investment Categories
- Categories: Convertible/Preferred, Covered Calls, Emerging Markets, Foreign Governments, Go Anywhere (manager discretion), High-Yield (junk bonds), REIT, Mortgage Debt, Infrastructure, and Individual stocks.
The main objective of the FLOW portfolio relies on the investment's ability to create cash flow, which will either produce a capital appreciation over time, or will distribute a cash flow directly to the investor.
Consequently, the volatility in the value of this portfolio should not matter. It is only important that the investments continue to sustain the 10% or more cash flow distribution.
Future total returns will also be functionally related to the level of valuation that a company can be purchased at. Lower valuations can lead to higher future returns generated by price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) expansion as a result of a reversion to the mean. Consequently, if valuations are low enough, which could also be the source of an above-average current yield, this can result in high or above-average future returns that can be accomplished even through investing in lower growth entities.
Is Climbing the "Wall of Worry" Still an Option?
By Ted Schwartz, CFP®
From March of 2009 until 2015, the stock market climbed a "wall of worry", rising dramatically throughout the six-year period. In the wake of the strongest financial crisis since the Great Depression, we experienced great unknowns as we embarked on unprecedented government policies to stimulate the economy. This process was a slow recovery, as banks were reluctant to grant loans, and we were forced to face many other issues that caused a great level of economic uncertainty. Throughout it all, the market shrugged off the concerns, slowly ascending with little volatility as it marched towards ever loftier valuations of assets.
Since the middle of 2015, we have been in a downward spiral of decreasing markets and increasing volatility. Falling energy prices have gone from a positive for consumers to a negative for the economy. Slowing growth in China, ending government stimulation, and a general sense of unease have all steered the market downwards. It appears that we no longer have the ability to climb the wall of worry that remains in front of us.
Investing for the Long Haul
We are not sure what will turn markets and cause them to rebound from the doldrums. We are certain; however, that the fundamentals of investing have not changed and will not change. Stripped of emotions, you are investing now in order to receive a future income stream from your money. Reassuringly, the income stream you can expect from your investments is certainly higher now than it was at the beginning of 2015. With about half of all stocks having fallen 20% or more from their highs, both the dividends and valuations look pretty attractive for the long haul. That is the key for us. While stock prices are driven by emotions in the short-term, they are guided by earnings, dividends, and growth in the long run.
At Capstone, we think now is a great time to lock in cash flow to your portfolio. If you can add investments with attractive interest and dividends (especially dividends that are likely to grow over time), you can use that cash flow to help survive the current market turbulence and set yourself up well for the future. While markets are volatile and emotional over the course of shorter time periods, dividends and interest are surprisingly stable throughout market cycles.
If you can concentrate more on the cash flow (and pay less attention to the short-term market mayhem), we believe you will be richly rewarded in the long haul. As the famous investor Sir John Templeton pointed out, you want to buy investments at the "point of maximum pessimism", which is where we seem to be now. It's possible for things to get worse (there is no certainty of market emotions being reigned in before the damage escalates) but….we are somewhere in the area of making good long-term investments. It is a good time for contrarian investors to climb the wall of worry.
FLOW: Volume 3 – Taking the Financial Plunge into High Dividend Funds
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part three of our series evaluates how increasing risk and investing in high dividend funds can generate an increase in cash flow over time.
Below is my experience in finding an investment whereby I acted as the owner of a business and followed Warren Buffett's true sense of investing.
As the stock market continued its downward spiral, I went off in pursuit of finding a reasonable investment. I thought about investing in a liquor store. I thought about a venture in the real estate industry.
Both opportunities likely would have delivered optimal returns, but I opted for something different. Instead, I discovered that the recent market decline had opened up the chance to dive in and explore some interesting investments that I had not seen in over four years.
With $150,000 set aside, I was eager…not to invest based on speculation, but rather, for the underlying ability of the business to generate cash flow.
Adopting a Higher Level of Risk for a Greater Return
In my search for investments that would grant financial independence, I decided to skip the liquor store investment and pass on the real estate venture. I knew I was more interested in learning opportunities with higher potential reward in exchange for more effort and risk. As a result, I settled on companies with high yielding dividends, master limited partnerships (MLPs), real estate investment trust (REITS), and closed-end funds (CEF), all of which I knew would provide me with a 10% return.
Ever since I heard Buffett and Munger discuss owning an investment as a business, I have thought about applying this philosophy to my financial choices. In Chapter 8 of The Intelligent Investor, author Benjamin Graham discusses the idea of buying a company with a partner. There may be some days when the partner comes running into your office saying the business is worth half as much as the day before and he wants to sell to you. The very next day, this same partner comes running in saying the business is now worth twice as much and he wants to buy out your share.
In reality, the business does not swing in value by that much. As I indicated in Flow #2, returns are based on three key factors: the cash flow that is generated and paid to you, the amount by which you can increase this payment each year, and finally, the price you are able to sell it for.
Selecting Investments That Work for You
In his book, Graham advocates that people should not partner with this type of person as they are proven to be fickle. Instead, he believes individuals should invest on their own and focus primarily on what the business can provide in cash and how it can increase that amount each year.
For me, detecting an investment that provided the beneficial outcomes I sought came in the form of high dividend yielding companies, master limited partnerships (MLPs), real estate investment trust (REITS), and closed-end funds (CEF). From here, I created a list of 170 investments to further evaluate. My goal was to narrow this down to 20 in order to limit the individual risk of each going out of business. Narrowing down my choices also allowed me to watch my basket closely and follow the progress of each investment.
Now that I knew what my investment would be, it was time to develop the portfolio…
FLOW: Volume 2 – Exploring the Real Estate Investment World
In our most recent series written by Jamie Cornehlsen, Denver CFA and founder of Capstone, FLOW examines how we seek out investments and make selections based on current market trends and future forecasts. Part two of our series takes a look at the positives and negatives of real estate investing.
After deciding against purchasing the liquor store, my next move was onto real estate. I have several friends that thrive in the area of real estate investing and have learned that hiring a management team can provide relief from having to do the maintenance and the management yourself, so I began the search.
I focused primarily on residential properties as well as multi-family units.
I had determined that I wanted to get at least a 10% return with this investment. Looking at the real estate industry, I figured I could get a minimum of a 7% return and in some cases, as great as 17%.
Recognizing the Three Components of Return
All investments have three components of return: earnings or cash generated each year, growth of earnings, and (hopefully) increase in valuation. Earnings are the cash flow that is generated and paid to you. The growth of earnings is the increase in those expected earnings over a period of time. Last, the increase in valuation is the upturn in price per unit from the time you buy to the time you sell.
In terms of stocks, earnings are dividends that are paid to you. If a particular stock is paying a 10% dividend yield, you as the investor can expect 10% from dividends. The increase in earnings is the rise of dividends each year paid out to you. If the stock was purchased for $10 and the dividend was originally $1 per share, but increased to $1.30 over the course of five years, then the increase in earnings was 30% total, or 6% per year.
Last, you might have purchased the stock for 10 times a dollar of earnings and sold for 15 times a dollar of earnings. This represents a 50% increase in the valuation over five years, or 10% per year. As a result, you would have a total annual return of 26% per year: 10% for dividends, 6% from growth in earnings, and 10% for appreciation.
Wouldn't a return like that be nice to get now a days? Unfortunately, the stock market has only averaged about 4.5% a year for the past 15 years.
Looking into the real estate market, I found homes that I could rent and expect to receive a 7% return from the rental income. I estimated I could increase the rent by 2% per year, and expect to see a 1% increase in the valuation.
I looked at buying a home for $150,000 and charging an annual rent of $10,750 or 7%. I could expect the rental income to increase from $10,750 in the first year to $13,450 at the end of a five-year period; roughly a 1% increase per year. At the end of five years, I could anticipate selling the property for $165,000, which in total would earn me a return of 10%. This would be good!
The Reality of Real Estate Investing
However, weighing into this grand plan would be the cost of annual maintenance, the expense of personally managing the home or hiring a property manager, and the toll of having a potentially unruly renter.
In the end, I decided that although I might be able to earn a great return on a real estate investment, I would still have to put up with the risk and hassle of managing the rental to some extent, in which the costs may outweigh the benefits of such a return.
My next FLOW post specifies how and what I decided to invest in.
Can You Chase a Winner in Investing?
One of the most frequent behaviors in 401-K plans is for participants to move their money to the fund choices that did best in the past year. It is a good use of common sense — to think that the fund that did better has a smarter manager and is a better place for making money in the future than a manager whose fund did poorly last year.
Unfortunately, research does not back up this concept. S&P (Standard and Poors) keeps a scorecard that tracks whether or not outperforming funds continue their success over time. This month, they released their updated findings. Their research tracks funds across several time frames, various fund types, and also filters funds by top quarter and top half. The basic idea is that if fund managers' good performance is due to their skill rather than luck, it will continue over time. Sadly, the research they do almost uniformly shows that this is not the case. For instance, of the funds that were in the top quarter of US stocks for a one-year period in September of 2013, only 4.28% remained in the top quarter in September of 2015. Far from persisting, there is some indication in these numbers that they do worse than you would expect by pure chance. There are some areas where managers seem to operate a bit better, such as emerging market bonds and multi- cap funds (that is, funds where the manager can decide whether to buy small, medium, or large size companies and can move amongst the areas according to their discretion).
Many would take this as a sign to always choose a passive index over an actively managed fund. At Capstone, we don't think that is necessarily the best conclusion to draw from the data. We do think that expenses make it difficult for managers to outperform indexes over time, especially in large and transparent indexes. So, it makes sense that a great manager can show his mettle more frequently in thinly-traded emerging market bonds than in the S&P 500 Index. We think it also makes sense that managers can perform a bit better in a multi-cap fund, as they are able to use their skills more if they aren't constrained in terms of what they can buy and sell.
We also think a healthy mix of passive indexes and skilled managers remains the best way to capture gains and regulate risks. Looking at who performed well last year delivers results that are largely due to chance. Looking under the hood of a fund at the philosophy, process used, culture of the people involved (e.g. is your manager putting your interests above his or hers, do they have skin in the game by investing in the fund themselves, etc.), and the performance of the fund can give you accurate long-term results.
Simply looking at how funds performed last year is why all fund literature reminds you that "past performance does not necessarily predict future results". Research says much the opposite.
By Ted Schwartz, CFP®
How Impact Investing is changing the Financial Advising Industry
For many individuals, financial investing and philanthropy aren't often placed in the same category; however, more shareholders are turning to a new method of investing that merges values and promising financial returns together.
Impact investing, otherwise known as ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) investing, is the act of making investments into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention of producing a positive social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. This form of socially responsible investing serves as a guide for various investment strategies. Simply put, impact investing is about identifying a meaning behind your money.
Earlier this month, a company called ImpactAssets launched two new products with the idea of impact investing in mind. According to the company, the Microfinance Plus Note and the Global Sustainable Agriculture Note were developed to offer minimal interest rates and provide a strong liquidity feature and are available to end-investors with a minimum investment of $25,000.
The Microfinance Plus Note allows ImpactAssets to lend to regulated emerging market organizations that generate small business loans, while the Agriculture Note is designed to encourage sustainable farming cooperatives that help farmers around the world stabilize their profits and farm productively.
These two products are just some of the examples of the blooming impact investing options for end-investors, many of whom anticipate their investment dollars to closely match their personal values and also wish to see the value of their investments expand.
The Enticement of Impact Investing
Impact investing challenges the long-held beliefs that social and environmental issues should only be addressed by philanthropic organizations, and that market investments should focus entirely on delivering the highest of financial returns.
What makes impact investments so appealing to advisors and investors alike is that they do not focus primarily on philanthropy, but rather an alternative investment with a socially and economically beneficial twist. While many advisors are skeptical of the success of such investments, the truth of the matter is that more and more brokerages are getting into impact investing. Firms are experiencing a demand from more of their clients to create products that generate a positive impact and advisors are losing assets to larger firms.
To learn more about impact investing and how to incorporate strategies into your investment opportunities, contact us today.
Stay tuned for part two on how impact investing is changing the way millennials spend their dollars and prepare for retirement.


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Nutrition And Eating Disorders (Eating Right)
Western society's obsession with dieting and weight management walks hand in hand with an increasing number of eating disorders. Building on the concepts of basic nutrition, this title examines how an eating disorder can destroy a healthy body.
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Honda Odyssey vs Dodge/Chrysler minivans
I didn't test drive it or sit in the swivel seats. I did sit in the driver's seat and liked it better than my 2005. It sits lower and is better for short legged people like my wife. Mine sits up higher and her toes only touch the floor.
This one had a sticker price of $32,000.00 It has the leather seats, all power including the third row folding seat and tail gate. GPS, with backup warning. Adjustable peddles, Eight way power driver and passenger seats. Halo lighting, Infinity sound system, with steering wheel mounted audio controls, movable rear windows, with fold down sun screens. A nice moveable center console, with two cup holders for back seat passengers.About the only thing it didn't have that I noticed, was the television, sun roof and the DVD monitors. With them gone, it just gives you more storage. Not sure if this one had the heated seats or not.
wow, massive recall. I am so not surprised. There have been tons of recalls on caravans thru the years so what's the big deal on recalling this...guess the lawsuits are what's prompting the blind stance.
They are trying to make them LOOK nicer, but they really should work on quality and safety. I'd much rtaher pay in the $30's for a bare bones Odyssey or Sienna and feel I got that quality and safety.
thegraduate Posts: 9,731Well, a bare bones Odyssey or Sienna isn't even close to $30k, so you're in luck.
Just to bring some info to the table (something that may not have been re-hashed in awhile), here is where the pricing table of the Odyssey currently stands.
$32,695 EX-L w/DVD
$34,895 EX-L w/DVD and NAV
$36,895 Touring
$39,095 Touring w/DVD and NAV*
*2008 will represent the mid-model change for the Odyssey, in which the Touring will come only equipped WITH DVD and NAV.
It will also feature VCM on all models, tri-zone temperature control on lower models than before, and a few other features that I can't seem to remember right now. For more info, check out Vtec.net and look for the Honda press release info for 2008 in the rumors and news section.
wow, massive recall. I am so not surprised. There have been tons of recalls on caravans thru the years so what's the big deal on recalling this...guess the lawsuits are what's prompting the blind stance.
They are trying to make them LOOK nicer, but they really should work on quality and safety. I'd much rtaher pay in the $30's for a bare bones Odyssey or Sienna and feel I got that quality and safety.
What massive recall? I haven't heard of any.
I think Chrysler has come a long way with quality control. Have you looked at the recalls on Honda's transmissions from 1999-2002? Some of those people have traded trannys 2,3, and 4 times. Most of Chrysler's tranny problems were garages using the wrong fluid.
My 2005 Dodge GC has had one recall in two and a half years and that was only for a possible pinched hose, that I had looked at when I got my oil changed. With all the electrical stuff I have on that van, everything has worked as designed from day one.
You can't beat a lifetime warranty on engine and drive train, if you keep that van.
It's got many features on the new one, no other van has and all the safety features Honda and Toyota has. I think Chrysler will do quite well selling them.
carcom2 Posts: 212Wow - what I difference comparing a Touring to the base. I saw a # of Touring T&C's in the lot and looked through the window. Much better looking than the base model.
Now I'm psyched to see the Limited or even something with leather.
I assume you don't have a degree in mechanical engineering since you know so little about seat belts and are so easily lead by erronious info put out on the internet. I own one of those 03 DCX minivans and also have a degree in mechanical engineering. First have you tried the test shown on the Utube video? It does not work on my van, you must push the red button into the retainer at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch before the seat belt releases. The front (driver and passenger) belts have the red button protruding from the retainer, while the second and third row seats have the red buttons flush with the retainers and require them to be depressed at least by the same amount. How do you account for this? Please don't post if you don't know what you are talking about.
Your seatbelts are set up opposite of mine. My front two seatbelts have the red release button flush with the retainer. All of my PASSENGER belts have the red release button protruding from the retainer. These are the ones that are the GEN 3 belts.
We have also noticed that are daughter's car seat had completely UNBUCKLED from the van a few times - for no apparent reason at all. We were thankful we did not get into a wreck during one of those times.
When I do the ball test on our REAR Gen 3 belts - they do NOT pass. Again, my 2 front seats are good (pass the ball test with flying colors)... it's my back seat belts I'm worried about (where my CHILDREN are).
Regardless of my degrees (which I do have), I'm going to draw my own conclusion about the information I have found.
We can respectfully disagree.
I assume you're a mature, respectful adult - engineering degrees and all.
Got a chuckle out of the last two posts. Mechanical Engineers are pretty smart(I have a brother who's one). They aren't the only ones who are however.
Try the this test, with the passenger seatbelts buckled without your daughter or the car seat installed see how much the red button must be pressed in before the seat belt releases.
oops sent this twice - edited to delete
I already have.
All it takes for the passenger (GEN 3) seatbelts to unbuckle is for the red release button to become FLUSH with the retainer. We're talking less than an inch compression.
In addition, it doesn't take much pressure at all for the buckle to release. During a collision, a loose cell phone, or child's toy... or even an elbow or foot could accidentally release the seat belt and have a child ejected from the vehicle. (And it's already happened to other families. Chrysler has settled millions of dollars in lawsuits, but still refuses to do a recall.)
My driver and side passenger seat belts are different. It takes MUCH MORE pressure to release them. Also, the red release button has to be forced INTO the retainer pretty DEEP for the buckle to release.
If you look at the list of models affected, you will see that my vehicle (02 Caravan) only has Gen 3 belts in the rear, which is consistent with what I'm finding.
I believe only your rear belts are affected too.
Is it POSSIBLE my children will be ejected during a wreck? YES.
Is it PROBABLE? Probably not.
But after obtaining this knowledge and doing my own testing with my own seatbelts, I am going to be a VERY cautious driver until we get this van replaced with an Oddy.
Each family needs to weigh their own risks vs probability.
My family is choosing to replace our vehicle as soon as possible. Until then, I'm going to limit projectiles in our van and drive as cautious as I can.
(Although, it's not me I'm worried about driving... it's all the other idiots out there on the road.) :mad: :sick:
"I believe only your rear belts are affected too." Nope
aaron_t Posts: 301Those are all not including $635 destination charge. For comparison:
2008 T&C Pricing, with destination:
$28,430 Touring
$36,400 Limited
The LX & Touring models have three option pakcages each plus individual options to play with.
With the trims/features/options of minivans ranging from $22k to $45k, it's hard to compare any particular vehicle trim level to antoher. I may regret it, but True Delta's comparison is a reasonable tool to commonize features between competing models. The MSRP of the 2008 Chrysler minivans undercut Honda and Toyota on a feature by feature basis except for powertrains of the base models.
I'm planing to drive from eastern ontario to burnaby british columbia in the spring of 2008. My odyssey has 181,00 kilometers on the engine. The engine has been maintenanced according to the dealers recommendations faithfully. I'm concerned about taking a 4000 kilometer trip with an engine that is 8 years old. For example, would head gaskets fail if I were driving between 6 to 8 hours per day for about 5 days. Has anyone taken this kind of a trip with a 1999 honda odyssey?
No I wouldn't worry about that if the eninge is running fine and not using any oil. That's really not that many kilometers in the greater scheme of things. I have a brother with a Ford Ranger with 255,000 miles on it and it still runs like new and he routinely drives it from Lousisana to Iowa. Routine maintenance is the key and sounds like you've done that.
Probably the easiest 4,000 kilometers your van's ever done, won't even tax the head gasket(s).
Best Regards,
are there certain things that need to be checked ahead of time prior to a 4000 kilometer trip? i.e. radiator, tranmission, fluid etc? Or should I just bring it to a dealer for a check over prior to going?
Assuming that you've been maintaining the van all along you're probably good to go. That said, how long since you've had the coolant flushed, the hoses and belts replaced, the brake fluid flushed and the brakes checked?
While none of the above are a really big deal, if you're 400 miles from the nearest large town the last thing you need is a radiator hose or some such to go sour on you. Another thing to consider is when is your next oil change due? It's kind of a pain to have to stop for an oil change mid trip.
Another good thing to do is to evaluate the condition of your spare tire. Once again, getting a flat in town is no big deal, but of you're a long way from nowhere and the rubber on your spare is old and cracked, you may very well not make it to the next tire shop.
FWIW, I took two 2,000+ mile trips this summer in our old 1998 Grand Caravan with 150,000 miles on the clock and had absolutely no worries about it going the distance. Said another way, it's really no big deal for a well maintained older car to go on long road trips. ;-)
Best Regards,
Thank you for your feedback. I have a clear idea now of how to prepare based on what you've said. I can see the years of appropriate maintanence are going to pay off now. My wife is often concerned about the cost of things especially when going to the dealer. I'm not necessarily worried about cost of labor and parts, that's just the way it is. I'm more interested in knowing that mehcanic knows what he's doing and can admit when he's not sure. I l also prefer to know that I've got the attention of the dealer and that people are listening. Over the years I've built a good relationship with the dealer and given them lots of money but, now I see the pay back; I don't have to replace it based on high mileage alone.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling but many thanks. The rad flush is due and so is brake fluid.
maryh3 Posts: 263I have 172,000 on my CT&C. I loved the new 08 T&C so, I ordered one. Wanted it before X-mas when we plan to do a 800 (each way) mile trip to see family like we do every year. It looks like my new 08 T&C may not arrive on time so I did the following:
Received a mailer from a local Dodge dealer offering a $19.95 oil & filter change and a coupon for a free 23 point safety check. Dealer did a good and honest job and said low front brakes, nothing else. I then asked them to check the suspension since everything is still original except struts and shocks which I replaced at 143,000. Dealer said bushings are worn. Brake job at dealer $200, bushings $200. Paid only $19.95 for the oil change.
Have had only 1 brake job -- at 105,000 with Midas who gives free pads for car life. Replaced front brakes for $90 instead of $200 with Midas's free pad replacement warranty (still pay for labor though). Said they can do bushings for $150 but it is not unsafe if I do not replace them, just noisy and perhaps bouncier. If my new van does arrive in time I won't replace them.
Within this last month we have taken this high mileage van on three 200 mile trips. Goes fine. Suspension is worn but adequate.
If you have maintained the vehicle reasonably well (and I am not NEARLY as good as some of these posters) you should be fine.
looks like we might finally get rid of lemon caravan. woohoo.......... It's a 98, has had lots of maintenance, unfortunately with lots of repairs. Looks like it needs one more, but I don't think we'll do it. Power steering has a leak.
So if things work out, husband will trade it in for a toyota truck, as old as maybe the van or slightly newer, but hopefully we'll have better luck with it.
Wish us well the next few months that we can somehow budget that in.
marine2, thanx for the nice comments. I just spoke to her again, she still has the gas leak problem and has missed a few days work dealing with it. So even though it's free, it's not, kwim? She said they had to call the fire dept because it had pooled up so bad in her driveway. Yikes.
Then she said her son was pinned in the sliding door and her husband had to work frantically to get that child out, not to mention the dog being pinned. At least it was a big dog I know, not funny, but I can't help it.
She also said her brakes are worn. She has to brake about a block away. LOL Well, that's what she said. So more time off work to get that fixed. What gets me is that this car is newer than my car which I bought March 07 and she's had that many problems.
My van is a 98 and it started having problems within a week or two of having it, but darn, it wasn't as many as that. Not sure what quality control is like these days, but they failed on her van.
sigh.....it stinks when all you can afford is this. I told her to force Chrysler to take it back, but she won't. I know her and she'll keep dealing with all that. I'd be a wreck right about now.
So yeah, at least I can hope and pray we'll be rid of ours soon. The phenomenal deal we got early on on it has been spent towards repairs. I won't even count the regular maintenance. Right now we are holding it together with spit until we can get something else.
you sound like us with our first dodge. We have a 93 shadow and our 16 year old is now driving that. We bought it when he was 2 years old. We kept it in great shape and other than the typical chrysler crap paint, it's been good to us.
Good luck to everyone else on their car buying.
marine2, thanx for the nice comments. I just spoke to her again, she still has the gas leak problem and has missed a few days work dealing with it. So even though it's free, it's not, kwim? She said they had to call the fire dept because it had pooled up so bad in her driveway. Yikes.
Then she said her son was pinned in the sliding door and her husband had to work frantically to get that child out, not to mention the dog being pinned. At least it was a big dog I know, not funny, but I can't help it.
She also said her brakes are worn. She has to brake about a block away. LOL Well, that's what she said. So more time off work to get that fixed. What gets me is that this car is newer than my car which I bought March 07 and she's had that many problems.
Leaked so bad she had to call the fire dept. because it pooled up in her driveway? I would think most of it would have run down a driveway onto the street. If not, all she would have had to do is hose it off.
Having to break a block ahead to get it to stop in time?
I have to wonder if she's telling you the whole truth. That sliding door has a sensor on it that will make the door pop open if anyone touches the edge of it while it's closing. Same with the rear hatch. The whole thing sounds fishy
I owned a 1994 Dodge Caravan 3.3L for 11 years that gave us good service for the 170,000 miles that we owned it. The transmission did need to be rebuilt once, but that was done at less than 50,000 miles under the new car warranty. It was fine for the rest of the time we had the van. There were really no other major costly repairs that we had to do. Struts, brakes, one starter, along with the usual maintenance stuff (plugs, oil and transmission fluid changes, filters, wipers, etc). Never needed any A/C work, and I think it was still on the original exhaust (including catalytic converter) when we traded it in for a PU truck. I think our overall TCO (total cost of ownership), including acquisition, fuel, maintenance/repairs, insurance, etc was $0.26/mile.
Now, there's been some changes in our family and my wife wants another minivan (she's currently driving a Subaru Outback wagon). But, I have mixed feeling about buying another DC minivan because of all the bad press about drive train issues. I'm not worried about the smaller stuff because I can do almost all of the other work (brakes, struts, etc) myself. I'm leaning towards the Honda Odyssey. Either one will have to be a used vehicle, but the Odyssey's, are $5K-$8K more expensive than the DC products for comparable years and mileage. I can find a low mileage 1-2 year old T&C for $12K-$14K, while a year older Odyssey seems to be running more like $18K. Should I gamble on a DC product, figuring I have $5K-$8K to thow at it, or go with the more reliable Odyssey. Note that we intend to keep this van as long or longer than we had or Caravan, so longevity is a major consideration, not trade-in value. :confuse:
blackexv6 Posts: 503Have your researched reliability for the Honda Odyssey transmissions?
They have a really poor history of failures. There was a class action lawsuit for the '99-'01 models. The '02-'04 models also have numerous failures reported.
The '05-'06 models have the same transmission as the '02-'04's so don't expect longevity there.
'07+ Odysseys have a redesigned 4-shaft tranny shared with the Pilot & Ridgeline trucks. Have to wait for reliablity data on these models.
Overall, if you can afford one, I think you are better off with the Honda. They drive like new after 150k+ miles & are worth a good trade when you're finshed. I know that re-sale is not a factor in your decision but it is nice to see at least $5k for an 8 year old van (We got $5k for a 2000 Odyssey with 165k miles).
sebring95 Posts: 3,238My take (and an Odyssey owner at that) is that $5,000-$8,000 on a used model is a TON of money. It's not a guarantee that the Honda will not need the same amount of repairs so if you're happy with what the DC van offers, I'd say go for it. We mainly bought the Ody for some of the features and the 8 passenger capability. Otherwise, I would have probably gone the DC route myself. I know plenty of folks with DC vans that don't have problems and are more than happy with them (my mother is on her 3rd Caravan that's about to pass the 200k mark).
I am sure she put in some drama to her story, but I was there for the smelling of the gas after that repair. It was clear as day that something was not right. I expect to smell some gas after refueling, not when the thing is half used. The braking, well, having had issues with the caravan's brakes, albeit a 5 year old one, I did have to brake well in advance. So that much I believe without exaggeration. Not to mention since we had brake problems in snowy upstate NY, darn skippy I braked a block out.
That snow did a number on the underside of the vehicle. I don't know if other cars have issues with rust and snow damage like ours did. I kept it garaged and hosed it quite a bit, but darn! Of course, we have a 93 shadow and the paint on that was never terrific.
Sensors do occasionally malfunction, but that I had heard from a friend who had an imported van. I just have never trusted power sliding doors myself. Us getting power windows was a big step for me
I spoke to another close friend of mine who has a caravan one year newer than mine. We almost wet our pants laughing because all the stuff going wrong with mine is happening to her right now. Luckily she has a friend of a relative who can fix them for cost of parts. I was afraid to know what it would cost for us. We just give up, kwim?
Luckily dh was able to find a used Tacoma that he wanted and they were willing to take the van. I feel like we cheated them in the deal. ROFL.
If you looked at my carspace, you can see what a work horse those vans are. I can load it up moving my Daughter, like I did. Or carry two electric wheel chairs or scooters at once and still put a passenger in the back. Which was the main reason I bought my Dodge, stow n go. Great idea Chrysler had. Sets it apart from all the rest.
I am glad it has worked out for you guys. I hear either extreme, people adore this vehicle and have had good luck with it or the opposite extreme like mine. I would have been inclined to keep mine longer if I felt confident about it, but I just never could.
Thank God it never left the kids and I stranded like it did my one girlfriend. I had to pick her up an hour away in the middle of the night at -45 degrees northern NY winter. I will say this, it was practical when the kids were little, when it wasn't in the shop, of course But I did find out that my van could hold 3 half frozen kids, two addtl adults and the tow driver on the floor. yes, the tow drivers truck wouldn't kick over. rofl
I had to drive him up to Watertown to get some addtl fuel for his hydraulic lift maybe, can't recall, and then drive him back to his truck and it STILL would not start. But my little caravan kept on ticking
But I'll pay a little extra maintaining the Honda and hopefully won't have the repairs like the van. I wonder if it has to do where they were manufactured, or just that myself and two very close friends got lemons, altho we bought ours in different states, NC for us, OK for one and MO for the other? hmmm.....
Blackexv6 and sebring95 - thanks for the comments. Yeah, I've been diving into the transmission issues on both vehicles. I'm leaning towards a late model T&C, either mid '07 on or earlier than May '06, that still has the longer period power train warranty. Don't need 8 passenger (or even 7, for that matter) capacity any more, so that feature of the Odyssey is a a non-issue.
I think in the end it's going to come down to money, or more properly, value. Unless I stumble upon an Odyssey who's price difference is significantly less than the $5K-$8K I mentioned in my earlier post, I'm going with a low mileage T&C.
This discussion has been closed.


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Lindsay Lohan's probation has been revoked and a bench warrant has been issued for her arrest after she admitted failing a court-ordered random drug test stemming from her DUI case.
The bench warrant is being held until 8:30 a.m. Friday when the actress, 24, is due to appear in court.
In her Twitter statement Saturday, Lohan -- who was released from rehab Aug. 24 after serving nearly two weeks in jail -- said she is ready to face Superior Court Judge Elden Fox.
She could get 30 days behind bars.
Said the actress, "I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences."


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CCW on a motorcycle
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October 31, 2012, 08:02 AM
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I am also from Maryland, ride a motorcycle, and like to carry when I'm in PA, Del, Va, etc.
While on the bike, I usually don't plan on pulling out the gun for the reasons stated previously. For me, carrying while on the bike is just for convenience--so I don't have to leave the weapon on the bike or off of me. It stays on me and stays concealed
I've used several holsters, but what I've found best for me is the NRA Tactical Holster--I like it's overall concealability factor in general; sits on the waist comfortably, no issues getting on/off or riding the bike. I know there's lots of debate about having a weapon in one's groin, but like everything else, with the right weapon, training, awareness, and using the holster as it was intended, I find it works well and very safely.
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It took Jennifer Roeser of McGee Creek Ranch about five or six months to plan the 240-mile journey the ranch's 100 mules would make from Independence — near Mammoth Lake — to Sylmar for the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles Aqueduct opening.
"The effort involved finding out if the project was feasible and possible, finding routes, getting permits and authorization, and taking care of logistics of caring for the animals and the people," Roeser, the trek boss, said Monday.
The "100 Mules Walking the Los Angeles Aqueduct" performance parade arrived in the Santa Clarita Valley at mid-afternoon Monday, a few hours behind schedule — "We're operating on mule time," one spokeswoman said — and aboard trucks –— permits couldn't be obtained for the Neenach-to-Whitney Canyon leg of the trip, organizers said.
The journey commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles Aqueduct opening. A ceremony is planned at "the cascades," where the Owens Valley river water has tumbled into the San Fernando Valley for 100 years.
Conceived by artist Lauren Bon and organized by her Metabolic Studio, the performance art recognizes Los Angeles' dependence on the Owens Valley water and the important role played by mules in building the aqueduct.
During the summer months, the mules work at McGee Creek Ranch as carriers to haul gear and riders up the mountains adjoining the Owens Valley. Roeser said the animals were well conditioned for the trek because of the nature of their work.
"Mules were mostly used during the building of the L.A. Aqueduct during 1913," said Luke Painter, a wrangler for McGee Creek Ranch. "The crew originally utilized caterpillars to move pipes, but found they couldn't move them in tight spots, so they used mules to pull the pipes. They made it possible to complete the project on time."
Some 45 people from the ranch are moving the mules south, passing through three counties and nearly 50 communities along the way.
About 15 people ride with the mules while the rest serve as ground support hauling hay, grain and water.
Jaime Lopez Wolters, who scouted the entire trip, said he had to research back-country roads and coordinate with local authorities for cattle crossings and open pathways.
"An important consideration is reading the mules and knowing their characteristics and behavior to know who can be together and which ones need to be separated," said Lopez. "The mules travel roped together in groups of 10. A lot of thought goes into it."
The crew will begin around 4:30 a.m. today to catch the mules one by one from a large pen where they roam freely overnight. The mules will be fed and saddled, and by about 8:30 a.m. the crew and mules will be ready to travel to Sylmar for the ceremony at the aqueduct cascades.
Barring "mule time," of course.


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Left to right: Meg Barnett Kelly '85 (New Jersey), Vicki Fleck McGuire '85 (Pittsburgh), and Cindy Bruno Acton '85 (Virginia) participated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in New York City. Combined, they raised over $3,500 to fight women's cancers. The three have been friends through high school and IUP and continue to get together a few times a year to celebrate their friendship!
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Here's 5 Reasons Why You should Upgrade to the New 2012 Edition
As one of the 19,000 owners of the first edition of 31 days to build a better blog, we figured you didn't need a long winded sales page to explain the challenge — you already know what to expect.
So we thought I'd share with you 5 specific reasons why you might want to upgrade to the 2012 edition of this brand new blog changing challenge.
Rebuilt from the Ground Up
Two years is a long time in blogging, and much has changed since the original challenge in 2009. This new edition has been rebuilt from the ground up, so you can be confident you'll be learning and doing what matters for bloggers today.
Further Reading and Case Studies
Each step now has even more detailed learning with the addition of further reading resources. They've been hand picked to take your knowledge of each step even further. Also included are case studies from blogs, big and small, who are doing it right. This will allow you to gain insights into blogs you may not have heard of, and learn from their expertise.
Socially Integrated
You can now share, connect and collaborate with like minded bloggers at similar stages of the challenge with all steps now integrated directly with social media. Learn from not just me, but tap into the the collective insights of nearly 20,000 bloggers.
Bonus 7 Additional Days
On top of the 31 days, you'll also get a additional 7 days in a bonus mini ebook. These new steps cover branding, research, making your posts findable (not just for SEO), and much more. There were created from the collective feedback from people like you, who were at various stages of the challenge.
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We've saved the best until last. As you're an owner of the first edition, I wanted to make it even easier for you to upgrade to the new version — you can pick up a copy at half the normal price! Grab yourself this latest edition for just $14.95. But don't delay, as this half price offer is only good for the next few weeks. This 50% discount is exclusive to owners of the first edition only.
Let's Make 2012 the Year of the Blog
You might have worked your way through every step of first edition, perhaps you're still using it as a reference, maybe you only got part way through and life got in the way, either way there's loads of blogging goodness to be found in this new release. Let's together, take our blogs to another level in 2012!
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If you're not satisfied with the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog PDF work book within 60 days, just let me know and I'll refund your money – that's how confident I am that this is a resource that will help you build a dramatically better blog.
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There are several scouts -- likely more than a dozen -- in attendance at Comerica Park as the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels prepare for the second game of a four-game series.
Both teams are in second place in their respective divisions. Both are expected to be strong contenders to make the playoffs. Both appear to be seeking help in the trade market.
And both are starting young pitchers who are likely targets for potential trade partners.
Tigers right-hander Jacob Turner (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his fifth career start, while the Angels will counter with right-hander Garrett Richards. Richards (2-1, 4.21 ERA) will be making his 10th career start.
Nick Castellanos and Turner, 21, are likely the first two names brought up by other teams who talk trade with the Tigers. The Tigers seem unlikely to trade Castellanos, but they might be willing to trade Turner or another young pitcher if the right deal came along.
The trade deadline is July 31.
-- Download the "Detroit Tigers on MLive app" for your iPhone or Android and follow Chris Iott and James Schmehl on Twitter to keep up with news on the Tigers.


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"It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" Trailer Released
Nickelodeon has released the trailer to It's a SpongeBob Christmas, a full-length stop-motion animated TV special starring the network's superstar sponge to save the holidays from one of Plankton's evil schemes to get the Krabby Patty formula.
Official Synopsis:
This holiday season, Nickelodeon will present it's first full-length stop-motion animated special, "It's A SpongeBob Christmas!," inspired by the classic Rankin/Bass (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town) specials, and the popular SpongeBob song released in 2009, "Don't Be a Jerk, It's Christmas," written by Tom Kenny (voice of SpongeBob) and Andy Paley.
In this new thirty-minute SpongeBob SquarePants special, Plankton vows to get his Christmas wish – the Krabby Patty formula – by turning everyone in Bikini Bottom bad by feeding them his special jerktonium-laced fruitcake. John Goodman guest stars as Santa Claus.


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The original "Darkness" game is mostly famous for getting slow-roasted by Yahtzee on his way to the Escapist and gamer love/hatedom. And to be honest…it was a bit of a muddled mess of a game. It wanted to be all things to all people.
If nothing else, the sequel is pretty clear: it wants to be one thing, and that one thing is a fairly linear first-person shooter.
So far, after two hours of play, there's nothing brilliantly original here in terms of mechanics…but there's also nothing they've gratuitously screwed up, either. Using your guns and your evil demon arms in tandem is easy to do and lots of fun, although it also means the challenge is largely "How do I want to kill this guy?" rather than "How am I getting through this level?" We do like that dual-wield is not only possible, but heavily encouraged, and the executions are utterly ridiculous, in a good way.
One thing we're seeing, though, and it's starting to be worrisome, are bugs. Lots of bugs. Enemies tripping and falling through the floor-type bugs. Also, when things get too intense, the frame rate glitches.
So far, "The Darkness II" is a game that might be solid getting compromised by a lack of polish. We'll have a full review in a few days.
image courtesy 2K Games


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Feijoa vodka, sour apple liqueur, honey and apple juice teamed up and served in a wine glass.
This drink is high on rum with a hint of mint.
High on berries and lemongrass, this vodka drink is a real cooler.
Vanilla infused tequila and vanilla liqueur served in a martini glass topped with a grilled lemon.
Cranberry , mango and pineapple juice combined with dark rum. Served in a tall glass with a slice of dragon fruit.
Peach puree with sparkling wine makes for an elegant drink. Enjoy!
Wine, vodka and fruits topped with apple soda.
Gin, martini, cherry juice and liqueur shaken and served with cherries on top.
The classic martini with vodka and scotch.
Vodka, fruit juice and sparkling wine with an orange twist.
How about some alcohol-infused food to keep you warm this winter and add an edge to your meals?1) Tequila Fired Chipotle King PrawnsRecipe by Vikas Seth, corporate head chef, SanchosIngredients:24 pieces King prawns, deveined with ...
While most of the country celebrates India's 68th Independence Day, a large part of it suffers in silence. This report doesn't intend to dampen the high spirits of people looking forward to a long weekend, ...


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Nope. Not for me.
It's a beautiful pattern, and the Malabrigo yarn is like knitting with butter, it's so delicious and creamy. Not to mention warm. But it's not flattering on me for some reason.
And so, onward ...
to the beret.
I had just enough of the yarn (a swap from the lovely Jen) left.
Very pleased with this one. It keeps my ears warm even on freezing cold


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- Jessica Simpson tells ladies not to change for anyone. (Pop Eater)
- Jeff Conaway back home but still struggling for sobriety. (E! Online)
- Marla Maples may be 46 but still looks good in a bikini. (Celebslam)
- Gwyneth Paltrow talks healthy food with Jamie Oliver. (Mind Body Green)
- Clark Duke hits on January Jones. (Just Jared)
Nightly News: Jessica Simpson Says Don't Change; Jeff Conaway Back At Home


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Talk of Messi's genius is flawed
Ever since Barcelona and Pep Guardiola invented football in 2009, the praise has come full and fast, a blue and purple tsunami of love for unparalleled genius.
And it's fair enough. Xavi is the best midfielder of his day, Andres Iniesta the most elegant, able to pass, trick and score with effortless beauty. The most extensive gush is reserved for Lionel Messi. A genius, apparently, but is he actually any good?
People constantly praise the ability he has in that special left foot. Yeah, that special left foot, but not both his feet. The man is half a genius. He plays with his left foot wherever possible because he is a coward. If he were a true genius he would be able to pass as well, shoot as well, or feint as well with his right foot as he could his left. His cowardice prevents him from using his right and embracing his weaknesses. Look at a true great: Michael Owen. Say what you want about him, but he's never been afraid to shank a weak shot ten yards wide with his left foot.
Latterday received wisdom is that Messi's only real competitor for the title of the greatest player ever is his Argentine counterpart, Diego Maradona. Tish and fipsy, Maradona is streets ahead, both on and off the pitch, the combination sealing his superiority by a clear distance. Maradona dragged an average Napoli side to a legendary title win, their first, second and only Scudetti. Napoli were not a bad side by any stretch of the imagination, but they were no Barcelona. Without Messi, Barcelona have Pedro, Villa, Busquets, Mascherano, Xavi, Iniesta and Pique to get by on. They'd in all likelihood still win the league or run Real Madrid close. It wouldn't be far fetched to say that without Messi, Barcelona would still have the strongest squad in the world.
Not Maradona, though. Take Maradona out of the Napoli side and there would be no chance for that team to win the league. That's why Maradona shows up Lionel Messi as a footballing charlatan.
But that's not the end of it. Maradona is reported to have spent much of his time at Napoli abusing cocaine. Now, if Maradona could play so exceptionally, defining a decade, all while suffering the side effects of drug abuse, then surely without the handicap he would have been even better.
The trouble didn't end there. He allegedly cultivated a close relationship with the Neapolitan mafia, he missed so much training he was fined $70,000 - in those days, that's not far off the scale of fine handed to Carlos Tevez. He even fathered an illegitimate son. Did that stop him? No. Napoli's championships bookended two runners up placings, a UEFA Cup and a season as top scorer. He even found time to vaccinate Milan with a twenty-five yard header. He was always able to treat his personal affairs as nothing but background music. Clean-living Messi, on the other hand, is at his peak, totally focused on football.
Maradona's most telling showing up of the Messi praise is his performance in international games. In 1986, Maradona scored five goals, made five assists while captaining his side to a World Cup.
How did Lionel Messi get on in 1986? He didn't even play. But when he did play, in 2010, Argentina were a shambles. Granted, their preparations had included calling up 36-year-old Martin Palermo. They were managed by a loose cannon on an extended comedown (Maradona again), but they still had Tevez, Aguero, Demichelis and the mighty Jonas Gutierrez at right-back, and got nowhere. The blame must lie solely with Lionel Messi. He's just not good enough to inspire.
Lionel Messi: is he that good? Just look at his scoring records. Last season he scored 53 goals in 55 appearances. Undeniably impressive but understandable given the hard yards he makes everyone run for him at Barcelona. This year, he's scored 26 goals in just 22 games. I know what you're thinking, it's an improvement. But wait a moment, isn't this instructive of his massive selfishness? The traits of egotism reflected in the fact that only he believes he is worthy of scoring?
In the past, Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho have been cast out for their problems with authority, but Lionel Messi has risen above that. He has decided that he is Barcelona's authority. Surely the team can't stay together at this rate, and it will be Messi to blame.
Egotistical, one-footed and definitely not as talented as Maradona. Those self-important bloggers have got this one wrong. Lastly, how many good corners can you remember Messi taking? Exactly.
Also, he's no use in a wall.
Alexander Netherton is editor of surrealfootball.com
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text:
Graham Schofield developed his critical eye for makeup through science. A chemist at heart, Graham fuses his keen knowledge of the science and artistry to serve as an instructor at the EI School of Professional Makeup. He loves chemicals and aims to incorporate them in all aspects of his designs. His passion for mold making and life casting, coupled with his cynical attitude, make for his eclectic pieces of work.
He hopes knowing the mechanics of makeup and SFX creation will help him outshine any of his competitors and make him one the one of the top contestants.


text:
- Score:
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Author Comments
Rated 5 / 5 stars
Rated 5 / 5 stars
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Rated 5 / 5 stars
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Rated 5 / 5 stars
one of the best humor series
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Rated 5 / 5 stars
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[Jimbo4CP] Argentina, We stand ready.
Hi. I'm James, although many of you will know me as Jimbojoy. I am running to be your Prime-Minister (CP) for April, and I'd be grateful if you would consider giving me your vote.
Foreign affairs are a crucial part of running the country. As Minister of Foreign Affairs for most of this year, I have always needed to make sure my relationship with our allies is excellent, and that my contacts around the world are constantly reporting information to me.
As I type, I am helping to organise our allies to aid us in a battle that is soon to happen on UK soil: An airstrike by Argentina against us! My intelligence suggests they want to attack due to real life ideology over the Falkland Islands, rightly ruled from London. The islands are not even in the game and yet Argentina wants to attack to try and trigger a population boom- we cannot allow them to succeed.
Our return of fire will be a swift-counter attack!
I will do my part to make sure we have all our allies fighting for us when the battle opens, but each of us also has out part to play on the battlefield! Please, conserve your strength, prepare, and give it your all when the battle opens, whenever that may be! Fight smart, and join our IRC channel #MoD for free supplies and up to date orders throughout the battle. This will not be an easy battle, but by being more intelligent, more organised, and more united in the cause of our country we will prevail!
More from the campaign trail - I'm running for the top job this month for a variety of reasons. Firstly I'm coming off the back of two terms as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2013, which has given me a huge insight into international relations, allowed me to forge contacts around the world and I want to put this to good use. We are only as well represented in world politics as we allow ourselves to be. I know that I am the person in the eUK with the most relevant, useful and diverse expertise in this area who is running for the job that demands just those attributes. I've spent hours this year talking with Serbs, be it about their empire, production bonus or just about trips to Belgrade and shared experiences. I've hung out with ACT nations to better educate them on the eUKs methods of operations, itself bettering relations and the potential for their fighters to join us in battles, and given our country representation to our ally and superpower neighbour Poland, through my personal friendship with Marvin, the Polish President who is highly influential whether in office or out of it. I think it might be fair to say I'm the right guy to handle the reins to help our country hold the disproportionate amount of respect that we hold, despite our small size. We may be an island nation of fewer players than many of our foes, but with strong leadership emulating the days of Talon Karrde, Iain Keers and Jamesw we can show just how awesome we are.
The last tranche of government I need to outline is defence, or in some cases offence. I will not shy away from the opportunities offered to us by conflict now they have come calling. I hear the cries for UK wars to gather True Patriot medals, and support making sure that we get as much action as we can. I know of at least one country with which I can secure a TW should the Ireland and Argentine conflicts come to an swift end, and I am also prepared to personally invest in the eUK on the battlefield this month, as I fully believe the CP should tank hard. I have the resources this month to help on that front, and challenge people to fight me for BH's in not only UK battles, but those of our allies.
The MU league is a great way of improving gentle rivalry between units and I want to ensure that it is updated once a week, with one milestone where awards and prizes are given out. I will ensure that the MoD I choose holds this as a high priority. The Minister of Defence will also help out with the Sunday strikes that everyone enjoys so much! I want the eUK Armed Forces group to remain strong this term, and my good friend Rodney Mckay will no doubt continue to work his hardest to provide great co-ordination on their end. I can only promise to match the zeal and enthusiasm of all those in this endeavour to ensure the eUK has the best service available to all who choose it. I echo this sentiment for all departments and I hope, through this document and those that will follow it that I can convince you that I am what we need as Country President (Prime-Minister) for April 2013.
That brings this edition to a close, please ask away in the comments with queries - I will do my best to answer them!
😃Look for my Cabinet and Finance plans in the coming days. Subscribe to make sure you get them. Till then friends,
Thanks for reading!
You know, Thatcher also used the war with Argentina for political support. 😛
You'd totally have my vote if I only had British CS. Too bad I'm forced to stay here a little longer. Good luck anyway!
JIMBO4CP !!! Wooohoooooo...... My own comrade who came right after me back in 2010 is becoming CP :.)
What is this?You are reading an article written by a citizen of eRepublik, an immersive multiplayer strategy game based on real life countries. Create your own character and help your country achieve its glory while establishing yourself as a war hero, renowned publisher or finance guru.