I’ve been here in the Valley since 1989, so I’ve heard alot of these things through the years. But recently I was sent a list that compiles some of the more entertaining geek slang that’s been in use over the years. A couple of them were new to me, they might be to you too…

Assmosis – The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard.

Blamestorming – A group discussion of why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.

Dorito Syndrome – The feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction triggered by addictive substances that lack nutritional content. “I just spent six hours surfing the Web, and now I’ve got a bad case of Dorito Syndrome.”

Ohnosecond – That minuscule fraction of time during which you realize you’ve just made a terrible error.

Swiped Out – An ATM or credit card that has been used so much its magnetic strip is worn away.

If you’ve got others you like, leave them in the comments. Hope you got a little chuckle, I sure did.

Attribution: Wellington Grey

NOT!

In a world overrun by meaningless statistics, I found this. It made me laugh. But then I also thought it was a little scary. Obviously the creator of this chart is being tongue in cheek over statistics run amok – there is no relationship (certainly not cause) between the number of pirates and global temperature. But just by showing such a thing, people can get the wrong idea fast. Like any other tool, used responsibly, statistics can be a great help. Used irresponsibly, statistics can cause great harm. Next time you see data, remember to be skeptical until the the source is validated!

So you want to know the impact of global warming? Just pour hot liquid in this mug and you’ll see what happens as the sea level rises! For a mere $11.95 you too can have this great novelty mug. See the images watch the sea level rise! What an interesting use of phase change material, recently I posted an entry on tile that changes color with temperature. If you want a mug, you can get one here.

With all the recent fuss about celebrities going commando, this may not matter. But, for those women who wish to keep private areas private, here’s an invention for you. CramerJapan Athletic Solutions is now marketing panties that are resistant to infrared cameras which apparently are now being used by the paparazzi to expose that which modest people like to keep covered.

So, if you think this might be a problem, go over to CramerJapan and pick up some “lead knickers” for a mere 2,000 yen (about $17.50.) There’s reportedly a bra made from the same material in development as well…

Originally published at Montara Energy Ventures.

Back in June when Calpine’s reorganization plan was announced, the stock traded at $2.93 per share. On that day, we predicted that the shares would slide (in the face of a post-announcement pop to $3.21/share) to a level that would more accurately reflect the value for shareholders.

Yesterday, the issue closed at $1.39/share. It has traded as high as $1.55/share today.

Does this mean Calpine is a bad company? No, not at all. It does mean that the reorganization plan and the company’s desire to “go it alone” leave investors with limited near-term upside. On the contrary, if Calpine invests in expansion of the geothermal portfolio and slims its fossil fuel portfolio to profitable plants, this is potentially a good long-term investment – particularly now that the shares are trading at a level closer to intrinsic value.

Where do the shares go from here? It depends on the execution of the reorganization plan, natural gas prices, and non-fossil fuel generation investment decisions. If these work out favorably, there should be a nice appreciation. If any of the 3 are out of line, expect the issue to stay flat or even fall a little further. Caveat Emptor.

The principals of MeV hold no position in Calpine.