Eurozone

 

• If Greece Quits Euro, Its Ruin Will Be Pointless http://t.co/2DotggME Suggests Greece will face more pain if leaves E-zone than stays $$ May 17, 2012
• Experts Try to Chart Path for Exit From Currency http://t.co/dtIAoo3g Let’s see, where is that manual for unscrambling eggs? Mmm… $$ May 17, 2012
• On the E-zone: the politicians, like sorcerer’s apprentices, thought they could reshape Europe; end up fighting forces beyond their power $$ May 17, 2012
• The Running of the Bank Depositors http://t.co/WC7aN5LP Governments r smaller than economies, which r smaller than cultures $$ #fightgravity May 17, 2012
• Governments are smaller than economies, which are smaller than cultures.? The Eurozone is a huge experiment that igno? http://t.co/YUqGTSLN May 17, 2012
• Greek President Told Banks Anxious as Deposits Pulled http://t.co/mx5626V2 If u thot u faced a conversion 2 new drachmas, ud w/d euros2 $$ May 16, 2012
• ECB Said to Stick to Current Crisis Stance as Tools Reviewed http://t.co/vSKBTnax No worries; ECB policies r meeting the challenge $$ 😉 May 16, 2012
• Bet on Greek Bonds Paid Off for ?Vulture Fund? http://t.co/nrka09y7 While Greece is in disarray, makes full pmt2 hedge fund Dart Management May 15, 2012
• Lightning Strike Delays Hollande Trip http://t.co/G0hgIGsP Weird, but he gets to Germany anyway to have a disagreement w/Merkel $$ May 15, 2012
• Hazardous Greek-Exit Scenario http://t.co/LZooTMlf WSJ goes through the steps and effects of an orderly Greek exit, should there b1 $$ May 15, 2012
• European Officials Warn Greece http://t.co/WJ4Wmk5B No way to kick Greece out; what do you do if they refuse to pay? $$ #enduredefault May 14, 2012

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Rest of the World

 

• Hugo Ch?vez’s Enemy No. 1 http://t.co/LtdZXcM7 Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda state & candidate selected by the united opposition May 19, 2012
• Kolatch Bullish on Argentina?s Debt http://t.co/8dfUoRdv When someone is willing to cheat others, he is more likely to cheat you $$ #FTL May 17, 2012
• Iranian Rapper Fears for His Life After Fatwa http://t.co/AD27SHZY Interesting how killing ceases 2b murder after cleric issues fatwa $$ May 16, 2012

 

Bond Markets

 

• US insurers seek $300 mln cat bond cover http://t.co/rNw0b4hu There’s a hard property reinsurance market, so alternatives r attractive $$ May 18, 2012
• Junk-Debt ETFs Set Markets ?Abuzz? After Record Trades http://t.co/Zzq4BHV2 New ways of putting biggish HY positions on/off quietly $$ May 18, 2012
• @Fullcarry @munilass At least the Treasury yield curve is “out of this world.” Have long Tsys on as a hedge in my bond strat, when2punt? $$ May 17, 2012
• Every two years, the annual shareholder filing for the iShares Trust, which holds the big bond ETFs, doubles in size: now 20MB $$ May 15, 2012
• RT @Munisrgood: @munilass More room to go. If you subscribe to Hoisington’s predictions, (I do to an extent) 30 yr tsy could be 75-100 l … May 15, 2012
• +1 Needle in red zone $$ RT @groditi: HY CEF wavg premium 15%; min -8.27 max 67.3%; +1.1stdevs; sample-size: $11B (40 funds) #YieldChase May 14, 2012
• Euro-Zone Fears Drive Bund Yield to Record Low http://t.co/sNntlOYU Opposite risk: Germany might leave EZone; ECB actions disliked $$ May 14, 2012
• Euro Officials Begin to Weigh Greek Exit as Euro Weakens http://t.co/nERx6dAG Note the shift, indicates the bailouts may b over 4Greece $$ May 14, 2012

 

Elderly Poverty

 

• See pg 26 4 details http://t.co/NnS2Jyo2 Figure is low IMO b/c 25% “don’t know” what they have saved. They r prob below $50K, so ~60% <$50K May 17, 2012
• Report says “Overall, slightly more than one-third have saved less than $50,000.” http://t.co/NnS2Jyo2 Still thought the % was higher, ~50% May 17, 2012
• Same here RT @ballenmo: @AlephBlog @fundmyfund 20%? I?m surprised the number is so low. May 17, 2012
• +1 that’s what I think RT @fundmyfund: @AlephBlog 20% of 50 and 60 yr old dont have 50K to their name, not to mention saved for retirement May 17, 2012
• Expected worse RT @MoneyMag_Penny 20% of workers in 50s & 60s have saved less than $50,000 for retirement: Transmerica http://t.co/PqWIm74w May 17, 2012

 

JP Morgan

 

• Lawrence Lindsey: Why Washington Hates Jamie Dimon http://t.co/dZEzVnOq Not a diplomat & does not perform kowtows to politicians $$ $JPM May 18, 2012
• For JP Morgan Trader, From ‘Caveman’ to ‘Whale’ http://t.co/U2iXH2uJ It is often dangerous to win, next step is try to win big & fail $$ May 17, 2012
• Romney Vowing Dodd-Frank Repeal Hits JPMorgan Risky Trades http://t.co/Y9aMyHR0 Tough sell; existing law had enuf pwr, but regs didn’t use May 14, 2012
• The core problems with JPMorgan’s failed trades http://t.co/HktxLRnq When that illiquid, putting positions into runoff only solution $$ May 14, 2012
• Dimon Fortress Breached as Push From Hedging to Betting Blows Up http://t.co/Rc5TXU9E $JPM too big relative 2market; hard2mark prices $$ May 14, 2012
• Bank Order Led to Losing Trades http://t.co/00llzrIO $JPM ‘s Efforts2Shield Itself From European Market Fallout Prompted Disastrous Bets May 12, 2012

Buffett & Newspapers

 

• Why Warren Buffett is buying newspapers http://t.co/a6qVZAet It certainly isn’t for economic reasons; he overpaid, plain & simple. $$ $BRK.B May 18, 2012
• Warren Buffett buys into ‘declining’ newspapers http://t.co/BYmAmiZT $MEG does have TV and data businesses, not sure how much that helps. May 17, 2012
• Berkshire Buys Media General Newspapers for $142 Million http://t.co/ISIniNZG add in a $400 million term loan with an rate of 10.5% $$ May 17, 2012

(As an aside, if you read any of my comments on Buffett, newspapers, and Media General, I made the mistake of think that he had bought Media General, when he bought most of their newspapers, a portion of the company, and lent them $400 million at 10.5% with a first priority of payment in bankruptcy.? Now that I realize my mistake, I can?t say whether Buffett got a good, bad, or indifferent deal.? Apologies for the mistake.)

 

US Economy

 

• ?One Recession Away? From Next Bull Market ? John Mauldin http://t.co/WwOL8nj7 5 min interview, short-term bearish, long-term bullish $$ May 17, 2012
• Paul Krugman’s Simple — or Is It Simplistic? — Reasoning http://t.co/0lmcAVSQ Is there any level of govt spending or debt that is2much? May 17, 2012
• North Dakota Tops US States in Credit Ranking as Florida Rises http://t.co/cttmsatF Amazing what energy & the influx of elderly will do $$ May 17, 2012
• North Dakota Tops Alaska in Oil Output http://t.co/Ulo7jzcU The US potentially has more hydrocarbons than Saudi Arabia. TX, ND, AK $$ May 17, 2012
• RE: @bloombergview The two papers look pretty good, but would the bureaucracy have the guts to rein in a boom based o? http://t.co/mvScOD74 May 16, 2012
• Tom Frost: The Big Danger With Big Banks http://t.co/414ZAkTV Fine, but it was mortgage lending that led the crisis, not invt banking $$ May 16, 2012
• When I used to mix sound, there was a knob on my board called “contour.” That’s what QE is to the Fed.? When I would ? http://t.co/DC0O0kjS May 17, 2012
• Midwest Sees a Sand Rush http://t.co/815yYdBQ Fracking Spurs Demand for the Stuff, Sparking a Mining Boom?& Vexing Some #midwestboom $$ May 14, 2012

 

US Politics, Regulation, and Culture

 

• SEC Probes Role of Hedge Fund in CDOs http://t.co/wMUFuoPt Don’t forget the blame due the yield hogs 4 their inadequate due diligence $$ May 17, 2012
• Dental Abuse Seen Driven by Private Equity Investments http://t.co/QzEb161T Long article on unscrupulous dentists that harm poor kids 4 $$ May 17, 2012
• The creeping disaster for USPS is that as they cut services, they become irrelevant. The internet changes everything? http://t.co/ION20cep May 17, 2012
• School-Test Backlash Grows http://t.co/RIiaRg1Z Some Parents, Teachers & Boards Rebel, Saying Education Is Being Stifled $$ #room4both May 16, 2012
• Please apply the same logic to the liberal justices of the court, who have flouted the Constitution for far longer. http://t.co/gEsZGazC May 16, 2012
• Jerry Brown vs. Chris Christie http://t.co/T0uyb6iC More states r realizing that the road2fiscal hell is paved w/progressive intentions May 15, 2012
• California Deficit Swells to $16 Billion, Governor Says http://t.co/LJT9Dl1s & http://t.co/2Rg8E98K CA in self-reinforcing neg spiral $$ May 14, 2012
• Obama Hits Romney on Bain as He Raises Wall Street Money http://t.co/09M2hhHK “The pot calls the kettle black.” $$ (has 2ba better phrase) May 14, 2012
• Midnight Was Movie Hour, Nap Time in New York Air Tower http://t.co/cNT0C080 Long piece; parts of the FAA r seriously messed up $$ #unions May 12, 2012
• Trouble in Coal Country for Obama http://t.co/dJoko2Aj If persists, could mean Obama wins popvote, Romney win the election $$ #kingcoal May 12, 2012

 

Companies

 

• Tsst… $COP is no longer in the refining biz, it spun of $PSX which is.? FD: +COP, +PSX $$ Oh, and selling the comp? http://t.co/LxFTP91s May 17, 2012
• Facebook ($FB) announces that they will no longer accept General Motors ($GM) cars in exchange 4 advertising exposure $$ 😉 #lamejoke May 15, 2012
• Avon Shares Tumble After Coty Pulls Bid http://t.co/SVZ4zZgN Coty might b better off creating the parts of $AVP it wants organically $$ May 15, 2012
• Margin Call: The Most Exposed http://t.co/4v2IsU16 Interesting what CEOs have borrowed against shares of the companies that they run $$ May 15, 2012
• Yahoo CEO’s resignation spotlights tech action http://t.co/mUF19hRa We keep the board of $YHOO around 2make that of $HPQ happy. FD +HPQ May 14, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

• Paper Plane Champ Watches His Record Fly, Fly Away http://t.co/zdPMR62e Division of labor in design & tossing-> paper airplane record $$ May 18, 2012
• @ReformedBroker You really had lunch w/Mauldin? Cool, I know he is friends w/ @ritholtz ; I just reviewed his recent “Little Book.” $$ May 17, 2012
• When people get 2 deep into a sliver of knowledge, they get dumb RT @jasonzweigwsj: is your sense of self an illusion? http://t.co/PHUXLmdB May 17, 2012
• 5. They sometimes bring specialized knowledge of the topic at hand. 6. They tend to write for users, not reviewers o? http://t.co/T3oElbxQ May 17, 2012
• Going for Gold?or Whatever http://t.co/F6kSto8O Secret to an Aging Olympian’s Endurance: Don’t Let Training Get in the Way of Fun $$ May 16, 2012
• When you show up DD, you usually make me smile $$ RT @DoubleDeuce: Wisdom: “try to convince, don?t gripe” by @AlephBlog http://t.co/kDwSKgYJ May 15, 2012
• ?Trigger-Happy? Investors Boost IPO Insurance Through Litigation http://t.co/GQKdNia3 Looks like Errors & Omissions coverage applied 2IPOs May 14, 2012