On XM

I have been considering financial blogging recently. The problem is that people like Jim Cramer can go on television, flog a stock relentlessly and watch it shoot up 10% the next day, but I couldn't recommend a stock without being prosecuted for financial shenanigans.

It's a pity because I see a great deal to skewer with the stock picks which are on today. Perhaps I should start a new segment: Bad stock pick of the month. In which, I would highlight a stock never to buy for your portfolio.

Al Salem: Lying about the passenger figures.

There is a discrepancy in passenger figures between that reported by the shipping line in 2005 and what it is claiming now.

In 2001, the shipping line, Al Salem, reported a capacity of 1100 passengers. Recently, the website has been revised to show an increased capacity of passengers, coincidentally, the same number carried by the ferry when it sank.

According to the Internet Way Back archive, the Feb. 2005, the passenger figure is reported as 1100. There were about 1500 people on the ship, including 100 crew.

From the internet way back archive:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050216095510/http://elsalammaritime.com/pvessels.html