Monday Randomosity (plus Hindenburg Omen)

• US tax dollars well spent!  Paying Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly.  “The federal government is spending $2.6 million to make sure prostitutes in China drink less on the job.”  Seems more like an anti-stimulus package to me.  Just saying.
• Oh, low volume day in the stock market.  But not a nice pullback considering the open.  Tech remains week.  Without tech and banks, forget about it.
• What’s the hubbub about the Hindenburg Omen? The Omen, a technical indicator which uses a plethora of data to foreshadow a stock-market crash, was tripped again on Friday, marking the second time since Aug. 12 it has occurred. 
• But… wait for it… The Omen has been behind every market crash since 1987, but significant stock-market declines have followed only 25% of the time. So there’s a high likelihood that the Omen could be nothing more than a false signal.
• Jerry Brown vs. Meg Whitman:  The California Governor’s race, via bobbleheads.  The Sacramento River Cats  on Friday held their own kind of gubernatorial election - a bobblehead contest. The team gave away 2,500 bobbleheads in the likeness of Whitman and Democratic candidate Jerry Brown.  Team spokeswoman Rebecca Brutlag says the Whitman bobbleheads were snatched up first, making her the winner.
• Philadelphia wants to tax bloggers $300. Even though small-time bloggers aren't exactly raking in the dough, the city requires privilege licenses for any business engaged in any "activity for profit," says tax attorney Michael Mandale of Center City law firm Mandale Kaufmann. This applies "whether or not they earned a profit during the preceding year," he adds.  Call the moving truck.  Time to move beyond the city limits!
• Porn is now available in Iraq.  Woohoo!  Freedom rocks!
• Free just costs too much these days.  And not everyone can afford it.  Stampede on for Obamacare in NJ.  Just two people in New Jersey will begin receiving coverage Monday under new plans created by federal health care reforms.  …  Two policies are available, with premiums ranging from $212 to $768 monthly, depending on age.
• As for me… Back to the dentist this afternoon.