Paulson, Bernanke and Cox updated congress today regarding a $700 billion bailout.  So far, the market is responding positively, and gold and oil are down.  On a less important note (though no doubt more important to some people), Google is launching the Android phone today (Gphone), and TechCrunch is liveblogging about it.  It will be available in the United States for $179 on October 22nd, in the UK in November, and in the rest of Europe in 2009.  I haven't been able to find any information as of yet regarding a Canadian launch.  However, say what you will about HTC's Android product, I'm still happy with their flagship phone, the Touch Diamond.

Here are a few interesting articles and videos that I've collected over the past week.  If you've written about or covered something interesting and entertaining over the past seven days that you think should be included in the next "Weekend Edition" post, feel free to contact me using the form on the Contact page of this website.

Wallstrip's Julie Alexandria discusses wind (video).

Ryan Waggoner tests out Mint.com (the TechCrunch 40 winner from 2007) as a personal finance tool.  He also compares it to Mvelopes.com here.

Though it's an older post, The Financial Blogger gives 3 Reasons Why Personal Finance Should Not be Personal.

Microsoft has launched a series of "I'm a PC" commercials to counter the popular Apple ads.  These replace the commercials with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld.

If you haven't already heard, the markets aren't doing so well today.  Lehman Brothers, who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saw its stock plummet by 95%!  Bank of America also declared that they'll buy Merrill Lynch for around $29 a share ($50 billion in total), which is a 70% premium over the stock's closing price on Friday.  The reaction so far today, predictably, has been a 26% gain in Merrill and a 14% drop in B of A.  Everything considered, $300 billion in value was lost on the markets.  Since events like this affect us all in one way or another, I'd highly recommend doing some further research into what's going on in our financial system.

Here are a few interesting articles and videos that I've collected over the past week.  If you've written about or covered something interesting and entertaining over the past seven days that you think should be included in the next "Weekend Edition" post, feel free to contact me using the form on the Contact page of this website.

MSN Careers lists famous bosses we love to hate.

Jason Calacanis interviews Mark Cuban (video).  While it isn't short, but it's definitely worth the time.

Want Mark Cuban to invest in your business?  Here are 10 rules to follow.

Clever Dude covers why he loves his discover business card.

Vertu announces their new 3G device.

Our MPP, Bill Murdoch, has been suspended by the Progressive Conservative Party.  I never intended to write about politics on this blog, but Bill is one of the local heroes in our area.  He's been re-elected in every election since he won initially in 1990, but is now unsure of his status within the party after stating that John Tory, the party leader, should get a new job.  My understanding is that the public feels Murdoch's comments are more or less justified, as many are unhappy with the major blunders Tory made leading up to the last election.  I tend to agree, and I don't see how this can possibly turn out well for the Conservative Party.  You can read the full story in the Toronto Star.

Kanye West was arrested at LA airport following an altercation that included a TMZ.com cameraman.  He made bail about an hour ago.  Mahalo is tracking the latest news sources on this story.  You can watch the video of the incident here.  I am fully aware that this counts as celebrity gossip, which I will be doing my best to avoid blogging about in the future.  I just couldn't resist this time.

Here are a few interesting articles that I've collected over the past week.  If you've written about or covered something interesting and entertaining over the past seven days that you think should be included in the next "Weekend Edition" post, feel free to contact me using the form on the Contact page of this website.

MSN Finance looks into why people pay extreme prices for art:

http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/savingsdebt/insight/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6424291

More information on the Robber Barron Collection by Studio Job mentioned in the article above can be found here:

http://www.dezeen.com/2007/12/09/robber-baron-by-studio-job

Steve from The Property Pundit discussed how to screen potential tenants using MySpace.  Though it was posted almost a year ago, it's still a great review:

http://thepropertypundit.com/2007/11/28/using-myspace-to-screen-tenants

Wsbtv.com covers a family who racked up a cell phone bill totaling almost $20,000:

http://www.wsbtv.com/money/17390103/detail.html

Yahoo Finance lists five different ways to cheaply boost your home's value:

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/105712/Cheap-Ways-to-Boost-Your-Home%27s-Value

Like every other technology fan on the internet, I've been trying out Google's new Chrome browser over the past few days.  As you would expect, it's pretty good, and I understand why Google would want users to access their online products through their own browser as opposed to one created by another company.

However, one thing I'm not so sure about is the tab placement.  I got used to it pretty quickly, but I imagine it could become frustrating if someone wanted to install one or two toolbars, adding extra lines of separation between the browsing area and the tabs.

It may or may not be the fastest browser out there, but it's definitely close.  Some people are also focusing on other metrics that are important to them, like CPU load, where Internet Explorer 8 comes out ahead.  Nevertheless, Google Chrome is still an amazing browser.  I could spend much more time covering all the positives, but I'd like to keep this post short.  Bottom line: try it out.

Try as I might, I simply don't like Tesla.  And believe me, I've tried!  There's just something about the car's tiny dimensions and the company's incomplete showroom that turns me off.

Some may say that the Lexus LS600h or the new Mercedes Benz S-Class hybrid aren't true competitors because they're not 100% electric, but they are premium automobiles in a much truer sense than the Tesla Roadster and for the price, premium is what everyone should be expecting.

The Lexus and Mercedes offerings may not be overly sporting, but the Fisker Karma is.  Now since there's an environmentally friendly sports car coming that's worthy of competing in the premium class, how long can the Tesla hype continue?

As interest in truly premium electric cars continues to rise, another competitor is also coming onto the scene.  The Lightning GT is fully electric, and produces the equivalent of 700bhp!  While it may not ever be sold in North America, it's nonetheless a much better interpretation of what a premium electric sports car should be.  Visit UK MSN Cars for the full story.

Here are a few interesting articles and videos that I've collected over the past week.  If you've written about or covered something interesting and entertaining over the past seven days that you think should be included in the next "Weekend Edition" post, feel free to contact me using the form on the Contact page of this website.

A far out article I found via Digg.com that speculates on how we might one day achieve interstellar travel after all (don't hold your breath):

http://io9.com/5040272/four-reasons-not-to-give-up-on-interstellar-travel

FrugalTrader of Million Dollar Journey posts his monthly net worth update for August 2008:

http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/august-2008-net-worth-update-127.htm

Freshome shows off 16 of the most unique beds you'll ever see:

http://freshome.com/2008/03/18/16-of-the-most-extreme-modern-beds-youll-ever-see

Sympatico/MSN Finance covers seven ways to get rich faster:

http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/savingsdebt/insight/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8309394