6 Free Financial Modeling Lessons...and More.

Google just announced that they're giving away their sought-after Google Voice application to students with email addresses ending in .edu. If you qualify, go here to get yours:

http://www.google.com/googlevoice/students.html

This can really simplify your life by giving you one number for all your contacts. You're welcome.

More good news. A recent study published in the European Heart Journal claims that working as few as 3-4 hours of overtime per day increases a worker's risk of heart disease by as much as 60%. Out of the 6,000 workers studied, 369 of them (over 6%) developed heart disease that led to death, heart attacks, or angina.

This is significant because we're talking about civil servants here, not investment bankers. So the 4-hour daily overtime that drove these people to heart disease amounted to a 60-hour work week. Total. How many hours per week does the average investment banker work?

I'm reminded of a guy named Shelley who was in my office when I first got started. He was always a stress case, was 34-years old (seemed ancient at the time), and he still lived with his mother. One day some stock moved in the wrong direction and Shelley's pump seized right at his desk. Hell of a mess. He managed to survive, but it was a pretty serious heart attack. At 34.

I might sound like a ball buster with this post, but bear with me (yes, bear with me - not bare with me- I have even less interest in seeing you naked than - not then - you have in seeing me naked). This is something that needs to be said. The English language is a beautiful thing, and the Internet is killing it.

Typos are one thing. We all make mistakes, and when your (not you're) fingers are fat enough to send the Dow crashing 1,000 points, misspellings are the least of your worries. No one is going to give you crap about the occasional typo.

The same cannot be said about intentional carelessness. Every modern Internet browser that I'm aware of offers real-time in-line spell checking. If you're using Firefox or Chrome, a big, ugly red line shows up under every word you misspell. How much time does it take to correct it? If you're trying to make an important point about a serious topic, a bevy of misspellings only detracts from your argument.

I know it's easy to dismiss this as being "only" an Internet forum, and spelling and grammar aren't important in this venue. I'd be hard pressed to disagree. But you have to wonder if the bad habits are bleeding over to your corporate communications. It's not likely that someone would tell you. More likely, your boss or co-workers will just think you don't give a shit, or worse - that you're a moron.

I can't leave you guys alone for five minutes.

I ducked out during market hours yesterday to catch a private screening of Iron Man 2, hoping to come back and let you know whether or not it's worth seeing (short answer: see it). When I got back I found that I missed all the real explosions, like the Dow tanking 1,000 points thanks to what looks like a trading error.

Does anyone else see how fragile this 13-month, 74%+ rally is? I mean, that's the thing that struck me the most. It almost looks like the market is looking for an excuse to crash, and any excuse will do. Those who buy into Elliot Wave theory know that the market is at a triple-fagliachi no-holds-barred double-down super-duper top, the likes of which have never before been witnessed. So that can't be good. But can anyone show me a fundamental reason for the market to almost double in a little over a year? Didn't think so.