Citigroup

When I started Diversity 2 (needs authorization), a million dollar dream portfolio on Google Finance back in April 06, 2008, I had no idea that it would be a witness of the 2008-09 financial crisis. 

When I bought 160 shares of Citigroup Inc. at USD 15.22, I noted "Citigroup still has a lot of potential. I must buy now because I buy to hold, not to speculate." Silly me. This was just over three months after I bought 2076 shares of the same at USD 24.08. Since then, it has gone to an all-time low of ninety seven cents which makes the current 4.68 (as I write this) a bit easier to swallow. 

Performance-wise, the portfolio which cost $979,434.26 is now worth $904,580.10 in market value. That is an overall return of -11.01%. The stock market is climbing up, for now.  

(written around 10 AM Central on August 26, 2009)

An explanation is in order: What happens to the "spam" I get

Dear friends,

I think I owe everyone who writes in to me an explanation. Whenever I get a message (call, text, email, or so on) that I deem to be "spam", I may choose (at my option) to:

1. do nothing 
2. delete it and do nothing 
3. report it and/or delete it and do nothing 
4. report it and/or delete it and/or do the victory dance and do nothing 
5. something else 

Basically, I am not obliged to follow a certain action when I get a "spam" message. This is not saying that I will not try to stay consistent, it just asks you not to depend on me on being consistent. 

Sincerely,
kushal

Permutations and combinations - a cryptic message to self

36 * 36 * 36 * 36 * 36 * 36 = 2 176 782 336

That is over 2.1 billion possibilities!

Death penalty

What do you think of death penalty? What do you think of death penalty in the US?

Recommended reading: Capital punishment in the United States.