Monthly Archives: August 2012

Nonlinear Thinking: Earthworm Robots

Posted on August 9, 2012 by macromon

Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. – Albert Einstein. The boys and girls at MIT, Harvard, and Seoul National University  are keeping busy.  This is truly amazing.   Here’s to imagination getting you from … Continue reading →

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Bonds Away?

Posted on August 8, 2012 by macromon

The 10-year Treasury yield is starting to bump up against some key resistance levels around 1.68-1.70 percent.   Can’t tell you what it means in these  squirrelly markets, but it is confirmation of the rally in equities. We’re waiting for the … Continue reading →

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The Einstein of Money

Posted on August 8, 2012 by macromon

Roger Lowenstein  has a nice review in the WSJ of Joe Carlen’s latest book,  The Einstein of Money,  about the life and times of the great value investor, Benjamin Graham.    Mr. Graham’s youngest son is a friend of this … Continue reading →

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PetroBlahs

Posted on August 7, 2012 by macromon

This dog has hurt us big time over the years. So much for state-directed capitalism and one reason, in our opinion, why the markets are shitting BRICs! Back in 2008 Goldman Sachs listed Petrobras’ share price at $60, now-a-days it … Continue reading →

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Enter the Draghi (Plan)

Posted on August 7, 2012 by macromon

The only thing new in the “Draghi Plan”, as far as we can see,  is the potential big bazooka #4  — unsterilized (?) purchases of periphery bonds by the  ECB. Still,  though, countries will have to submit to conditionality — … Continue reading →

Posted in ECB, Euro, Italian Yields, PIIGS, Sovereign Debt, Sovereign Risk, Spain | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Times They Are a-Changin’

Posted on August 7, 2012 by macromon

One in five people reach for their phone as a 21st Century replacement for the post-coital cigarette, according to a recent report from mobile security company LookOut. It’s just one more extreme example of how the smartphone has become a … Continue reading →

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Priceline down a hundo in AH

Posted on August 7, 2012 by macromon

Take a look at this daily bar (including AH trading) . Glad we’re not drinking there. Priceline.com has fallen down the elevator shaft, dropping over $100, or about 16 percent,  in after hours after missing earnings and guiding lower.   The … Continue reading →

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Factoid of the Day: The New Energy Hogs

Posted on August 7, 2012 by macromon

A single Google search takes about as much power as turning on a 60 watt light bulb for 17 seconds, and server farms now use at least 1.5 percent of the world’s electricity.    –  Popular Science

Posted in Energy, Technology | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

China: The SIC BRIC

Posted on August 6, 2012 by macromon

Great Ted talk titled,  Behind the Great Firewall of China.  China has 500 million internet users so it’s worth a listen. Michael Anti (aka Jing Zhao) has been blogging from China for 12 years. Despite the control the central government has … Continue reading →

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August Presidential Polls vs. Final Vote Count

Posted on August 6, 2012 by macromon

It’s August and time to start thinking about the Presidential election though nothing really matters until after Labor Day,  in our opinion,  especially in a race that is so tight.   The latest Gallup tracking poll of registered voters has the … Continue reading →

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