I am definitely not one to invest into stocks.  In fact, my first two attempts at jumping on penny stocks turned out horribly. One buy came off the back of a friends University Research Project, and was de-listed in months, and the other wasn’t much better.

I came across this article today on bloggingstocks.com “Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors“ and found a few interesting cheaper stocks I might actually want to play around with in the coming year. It does contain the usual suspects like Google (over $600 per share), and Apple Inc. (over $300 per share), but it also contains a few interesting nuggets, such as Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (ASTM, $2.64), Timberline Resources Corp. (TLR, $1.01), and Kaminak Gold Corporation (KAM, $2.80) to name a few.

I thought it would be interesting to setup a fake portfolio on google finance, spend $1,000 per stock in fake money today, and watch and see how the portfolio performs. It took some time to set this up, so if any of you want to download the google finance OFX file, you can download it from me, here. You may have to right-click the link and “save file as”, or “save target as”, in order to download it.

From Buzzfeed: This video of world champion freediver Guillaume Nery’s special dive at Dean’s Blue Hole is stunning. It’s filmed entirely on breath hold by the French champion Julie Gautier and I feel like I am out of breath every time I watch this.

This is amazing to watch. I would be freaking out. As it turns out, Deans Blue hole is the largest underwater sinkhole in the world, almost 700 feet deep, in the Bahamas.

Notice a few things:

• 1:02 – this is the best angle of the accident, that shows how clearly Vettel clipped across the tarmac into Webber, and how Webber did not move one bit.
• 1:33 – watch how team principal Christian Horner screams “MOVE” as he watches the accident start to unfold. It seems pretty clear here that the only person he could be talking about was Mark Webber. If that’s the case, did he expect Webber to just relinquish the lead after just being told to change his cars fuel settings to a reduced horsepower configuration?

2-3 laps prior to this accident taking place, webber was told by his race engineer to change his engine map to one which would help conserve fuel. As the McLaren’s were really pushing the RB’s, they were gulping more fuel than they had planned. With the team instructing him to do so, they were essentially asking Webber to start backing Vettel and the McLaren’s into him – or – putting him in a position at that point where his lead would become seriously in jeopardy.

So the question is: if RedBull only instructed Webber and not Vettel to change his engine mapping, how did they not see this coming? Did they inform webber of this change, and to expect Vettel to try something? How would you expect Webber, the driver with the higher # of points, to react to the news that the team has essentially decided they want Vettel to win the race? I would be fuming mad if I were Webber at this point.

What really drives me mad is the reaction and response from everyone at the Redbull team. First, the hugging and condolences for Vettel once he returned to the paddock, then the response from the team that it was Webber who was in the wrong for not allowing his teammate to pass.

Mark, it seems like you have more than your foes on track to fight in the battle for the championship this season. Good luck with that mate!

Updated:

• Martin Brundle “RedBull clearly favour Vettel“

There are three weather classifications used in Antarctica used for work and travel:
Condition 3 – normal

• Wind speed is less than or equal to 48 knots
• Visibility is greater than 1/4 mile
• Windchill temperature is greater than -75°F

Condition 2 – restricted travel

• Sustained wind speed 48 knots to 55 knots
• Wind chill temperature -75°F (-60°C) to -100°F (-73°C)
• Visibility 100 feet to 1/4 mile

Condition 1 – Only ‘mission critical’ travel. Personnel usually restricted to buildings.

• Sustained wind speed 48 knots to 55 knots
• Wind chill temperature -75°F (-60°C) to -100°F (-73°C)
• Visibility 1/4 mile to 100 feet

They are very clean, and modern themes, that are super easy to administer.

DONT FORGET TO USE MY COUPON CODE:  “LEE4EB5WOO” OR YOU WONT GET 50% off!