http://apps.facebook.com/lending-club/

It’s Facebook members lending to Facebook members. It’s called Lending Club. They explicitly state “We are not a bank.”

Ummmm…. has anyone ever heard of the FDIC?

Great for borrower. Let’s see, you can’t get a real loan. I know, you can use Facebook’s Lending Club to travel around Europe this summer and just pay the 10k back with your part-time job this fall.

Not a bank means—-not a bit of regulation. Bank rates are where they are at because they have default rates figured in. Banks are also competing to loan you money with thousands of other banks. They are also competing to hold your money with thousands of other banks. These three aspects set the rates.

Why is Lending Club not affected by the basic economics that thousands of other institutions need to live by?

Fact: They are.

Remember, without regulation they (the owners) can, quite simply, declare Chapter 11 or 7 insolvency in a year or two without thinking about it and also walk away with millions.

“…some analysts are concerned”

Ya think? Has the entire investment community lost it’s mind? Really?

1 divided by 90 is equals a current return of 1.1%. If all these people want to give me their money, I could double this and keep some for myself.

And I don’t care if it’s not a forward looking P/E. This is ridiculous.

Those who use the word “sweety” with strangers and those who don’t.

Those who fill up the ice tray and those who don’t.

Technorati Tags: blogs, Business Strategy, Facebook, Localmatters, marketing, Web2.0

And that’s where it stops.

The point here is that making it to the playoff depends on things even more specific than the cliched “Good passing” or “Clearing the puck well.”

The difference is this: A defenseman has the puck in the the slot, he sees a winger on his left on the board heading across the blue line. But there is an opposing player crawling up on him. It’s a scoring chance for him if he lifts the puck. Or it’s a scoring chance for the other team if he doesn’t.

Strategy is the cumulation of a thousand tactical moves.

Technorati Tags: blogs, Business Strategy, Localmatters, marketing, Web2.0

Technorati Tags: blogs, Facebook, Localmatters, marketing, Web2.0

Probably not. Facebook is what the internet was in the late 1990’s. Facebook apps that are popular are selling their traffic to new apps who are buying users trying to monetize their apps in turn so they can sell their traffic to another app? advertisers? Remember, all this has to lead back to some kind of purchase of a good or service somewhere.

Otherwise, the model dries up. Sound familiar?

Technorati Tags: blogs, Facebook, Localmatters, marketing, Web2.0

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/19/could-facebook-become-the-next-microsoft/

Look for www.skinewscentral.com!

Coming Soon!

Skier Safety tips

• If sking backcountry or after a fresh storm and you notice a pending avalanche make sure to yell as loud as you can “Hey guys, watch out for those pesky avalanches”

• Always ski alone. You then will never be bothered with someone elses injuries or have to look for their bodies after a snowslide.

• Carry a big gun. Always.

• Always contact your local VFW on every day before skiing informing them where and when you will be skiing. In case of an emergency, these war-trained vets have a great deal of time on their hands and can help you out with search and rescue.

• When skiing onto a merging trail, always yell “Get the fuck out of my way.” Then proceed to gain extra speed so they know you mean it.

• Before ordering food at the hill-side cafetaria, make sure to yell a racial remark back into the kitchen such as ” I hear you frickin’ dip shits make a mean god damn burger.” This is skier slang for “Please, sirs, put everything on it.” This will ensure proper calorie intake for the day.

•Wear as much neon as you can.

• Always order two pieces of pizza storing one in your ski jacket pocket. This will come as a pleasant surprise on your next vaction or will come in handy in case of avalanche.

• Helmets are completely and utterly useless. Similar to “Sweethearts Day” being invented by Hallmark, helmets are bullshit propoganda invented by the ski industry to sell more equipment.

• Remember that all ski patrol are dim-witted hicks incapable of holding even ditch-digging jobs. When they warn you of impending avalanche danger, ignore them as they are only trying to keep you away from their private stash of fresh snow.

• Heroin and skiing mix pefectly.

• The faster you ski, the faster you get to the bottom, the less time you spend on the slope. According to the laws of physics, math and statistics you have a lesser chance of collision.

• Snowboarders are superior to all skiers and always have the right of way. If one runs into you, immediately apologize as it is omnipotently your fault.

•Drinking copius amounts of water at high altitude only makes you pee more. Substitute ketchup instead.

• When you suspect you have broken a major bone or snapped a major arterie in an accident, always remember herbal remedies and gregorian chants have and always will be superior to modern medicine. Carry such things as Guta Kola, St. John’s Wort, Wickus and sheet music in your guatemalean fanny-pack.