Last night the NY Giants pulled off a huge upset in Super Bowl XLII. According to Super Bowl lore, whenever a team from the old NFL (like the Giants) wins the Super Bowl, the stock market goes up. But when a team from the old AFL (like the Patriots) wins, the stock market goes down. Coincidence? I think not… The “Super Bowl Predictor” has correctly predicted the direction of the Dow Jones Industrial Average 81% of the time, so… Buy! Buy! Buy! (Just kidding.)

Anyway, here are some interesting articles from the past week or so…

» Are Mortgage Rates Tied to the Federal Funds Rate?
JD tackles a common misconception in hopes of setting the record straight.

» Back to the Basics: How to Get Out of Debt
A nice rundown from someone who’s walked the walk. Also be sure to check out his podcast!

» What to do When You’re Screwed by a Broker or Financial Advisor
This article provides a nice rundown of instances in which you should seek legal action after being wronged by a financial professional, and also provides a bit advice on how to proceed.

» If You Truly Invest for the Long Term…
This is great advice — in fact, the stock market’s rocky start to 2008 was barely even on my radar until some stressed out colleagues brought it to my attention.

» What Price are You Paying to Have it All? The Supermom Myth
SVB takes a step back and considers the value of stopping to smell the roses. Can you really have it all, or do you need to pick and choose

» Seven Bad Decisions That Cost Me Over $1,000 Each
Not only does Ron pull together a list of big money mistakes, but he also digs in and examines exactly how he got himself into trouble in the first place.