Sorted Weekly Tweets – The Aleph Blog

Posted on 31 August 2012 by David Merkel

Innovations

30 Innovations That Will Change The World http://t.co/D96omMBz Fascinating list; bookmarking it because I don’t have time now $$ Aug 31, 2012
How ‘Oxygen Foam’ Can Save People Who Aren’t Breathing http://t.co/XIlyIHHA Injectable oxygen can keep people alive when lungs hav probs $$ Aug 31, 2012
Laser-Guided Bullets Will Change The Future Of Warfare http://t.co/N3SFpO7Z Changes bullets into mini-guided missiles $$ Aug 31, 2012
This Nanoparticle System May Lead To A Cure For Cancer http://t.co/GwOYpVDt Clever fusion of drugs, polymers, nanoparticles & infrared $$ Aug 31, 2012
Power Felt Feeds Off Your Body Heat To Generate Electricity http://t.co/Ni5R7oKW If cheap enough could power developing world cellphones $$ Aug 31, 2012
A Tiny Microscope That Attaches To A Cell Phone Could Save Lives Around The World http://t.co/hzOJbdmb & it only costs $10! Amazing $$ Aug 31, 2012
5 Ways Researchers Use Microbes To Make Energy http://t.co/SZVM7ucB First 2 seem most promising. Butanol great replacement 4 ethanol $$ Aug 31, 2012
The Amazing Process That Enabled Paralyzed Rats To Run Again http://t.co/1kMOVWLs Several different technologies used in concert $$ Aug 31, 2012
Check Out The Cancer Detection Program That Won Top Prize At Google’s Science Fair http://t.co/JxZiBuLo WIll save life & pain 4 women $$ Aug 31, 2012
See How Scientists Print Skin That Will Help Treat Burn Victims http://t.co/GNTUZSaU Amazing. Again, the cost will determine viability $$ Aug 31, 2012
This Concentrated Solar Cell Could Be Powering Cities ‘Within Years’ http://t.co/bs57lQoC If this gets cheap enough, will change energy $$ Aug 31, 2012
How This Small Machine Turns Human Waste Into Clean Water Vapor http://t.co/F4jeyerr Neat, is it less expensive than current methods? $$ Aug 31, 2012
The Secret To Making Food Packaging You Can Eat http://t.co/rDYiQG2s Talk about your childhood wishes: you can even eat the dishes $$ Aug 31, 2012

Economics

The Riddle of the Resilient Economy Solved?? http://t.co/okKEWBBI I think many people factor future tax burdens & inflation into their views Sep 01, 2012
Bernanke on The Safe Asset Shortage http://t.co/a8HUxlIh When u become a large part of the market,distort price signals, difficult 2 exit $$ Aug 31, 2012
Not if you count in the rise in debt and unfunded liabilities $$ RT @TheStalwart: America is better off than it was four years ago Aug 31, 2012
‘The Economy Stole My Retirement’ http://t.co/xl4C2t7S I’m sorry; no one owns a retirement, it is not an entitlement; work is good $$ Aug 31, 2012
If Interest Rates Go Negative . . . Or, Be Careful What You Wish For http://t.co/Aw8w6nL3 A fundamental boundary u should not break $$ Aug 29, 2012
U.S. Firms Move Abroad http://t.co/IzSQIbLy US has some of the highest corporate tax rates in world, w/too much social engineering $$ Aug 29, 2012
True, Even if QE does nothing $$ RT @BubblesandBusts: @AlephBlog Even admitting this, Fed may be trapped by stock market expectations Aug 29, 2012
Fiscal Crunch Time in the Nation’s Capitals http://t.co/ys63PPFM Long article on sagging GDP amid difficulaties 4 China’s municipalities $$ Aug 29, 2012
Sadly, yes. Add in student loans for debt-slavery. $$ RT @jasonzweigwsj: Are Debtors? Prisons Coming Back? http://t.co/RU4JOuoM #WSJ $$ Aug 29, 2012
The unintended consequences of QE: not what you think http://t.co/K5ewheL7 QE both inflates and deflates doing almost nothing on net $$ Aug 29, 2012
Richard Koo is overrated, as is damage from austerity. $$ http://t.co/C3iqZ9kR Aug 28, 2012
If I had $1 4 every lame QE3 comment, could fund vacation 4 the Fed RT @ReformedBroker: QE3: SHUT UP, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. http://t.co/IXa3LWgJ Aug 27, 2012

Europe

BOE’s Haldane: Tear Down This “Tower Of Basel” To Stop Crises http://t.co/lNi9DcUc International standards are ill-enforced & squishier $$ Aug 31, 2012
France’s Hollande speeds launch of state investment bank http://t.co/pq7wx0Kl Governments involved in lending help create bubbles $$ Sep 01, 2012
Judgment Days Arrive for Euro Crisis http://t.co/rGebFIc9 September will be busy for the Eurozone. Strap in and enjoy the ride. $$ Aug 31, 2012
Spain Unveils New Financial Reforms http://t.co/zTXMukSr Subordinated debt & government absorb losses, as depositors & investors flee $$ Aug 31, 2012
El-Erian: Who Will Determine Greece’s European Future? http://t.co/nt2cbSux The weaker Italy & Spain r the more the EZone protects Greece $$ Aug 31, 2012
Europe banks find a rare funding window in August http://t.co/TiA8mWXq Can hardly think of assets with a worse risk/return ratio $$ Aug 29, 2012
Deposit flight from Spanish banks smashes record in July http://t.co/U6IECe9B Uncertainty leads to safe-haven-seeking $$ Aug 29, 2012
Turks to EU: No, Thanks http://t.co/A8ck9PAu Turkey grows much faster without the Euro; why end a good thing? $$ #ignorethedebtbubble Aug 29, 2012
France Debt ?Significantly Overvalued,? General Re Says http://t.co/jsmNoyIL France is the core EZ country closest to tipping $$ Aug 28, 2012

Politics

Romney Can Take His Dad?s Idea and Cut Mortgage Tax Break http://t.co/fyL75Wfq Grandfather it, a least 4 a while $$ Aug 31, 2012
I don’t believe someone whose views have shifted radically $$ RT @dpinsen: @AlephBlog He’s telling you what he stands for now Aug 31, 2012
Please, Ron would have been far more skeptical here $$ RT @FriendsRonSmith: Mitt’s hitting it out of the park tonight! Aug 31, 2012
Note on last Tweet: I am not voting 4 Romney; I have no idea what he really stands 4, given his past. Will go 3rd party, if I vote 4 prez $$ Aug 31, 2012
How to Beat President Obama http://t.co/xeX1Nx6W “Obama is losing independents, his base is less enthusiastic, the economy stinks” $$ Aug 31, 2012
Time to Get Serious on Medicare http://t.co/lA70rLtf The elephant in the room for both parties: what will you do with Medicare? $$ Aug 31, 2012
Four Years Later, and a Million Miles From Safety http://t.co/8PkUAJe6 We have not solved TBTF, repo funding, margining, and much more $$ Aug 31, 2012
Republicans Vow 2 Transform Obama?s US by Less Govt http://t.co/aKQ6NnbW Even Reagan only held Federal Register 2 no increase; shrink? Wow Aug 31, 2012
Obama Second Term Would Defy Confidence Measure http://t.co/u8q7zWOz Only reason this race is close is the Reps had no strong candidates Aug 31, 2012
Ryan Pledges GOP Rebirth http://t.co/BQUC2BFx Nice thought, but who will have the guts to cut entitlements or defense or reform taxes $$ Aug 31, 2012
Piecemeal reform that gives the financial sector what it wants would be the worst of all worlds. $$ Repeal it all, pu? http://t.co/BIEKHmS7 Aug 30, 2012
It is days like this that I am grateful that I do not own a TV, or I would be tempted to waste time watching the Republican Convention $$ Aug 29, 2012
Paul Ryan?s Intellectual Muse http://t.co/7yaywBOx Hayek was not a “no government” guy as much as a “limited government” guy $$ Aug 28, 2012
Sen. Corker: Bernanke’s Fed Feeds ‘Perverse Addiction’ http://t.co/xm6uk91h Current policy absorbs $$ from savers to finance US deficit Aug 28, 2012
Will they have the courage to use it, didn’t use their power last time RT @The_Analyst: OLA is some progress, no? http://t.co/FSj8m52D $$ Aug 28, 2012
Didn’t fix TBTF or remove bad regulators RT @CFAInstitute: Sheila Bair: 2Yrs After Dodd-Frank, Y Isn?t Anything Fixed? http://t.co/LaH1CZgI Aug 28, 2012
10 things the post office won?t tell you http://t.co/fLu0qjBC Point 8 I have a lot of experience with, but true of many govt buildings Aug 28, 2012
Partisan Finger-Pointing Misses Real Deficit Story http://t.co/mLrTSMkH Not dealing w/real issues until we deal w/entitlements $$ Aug 28, 2012

China

China?s Growing Economic Crisis http://t.co/LTHw4mss The Communist Party is running out of paces to create fake growth $$ Aug 31, 2012
Credit crisis in China?s richest province Zhejiang http://t.co/anbzYY4k “This is pervasive throughout China,” said Chovanec $$ Aug 29, 2012
China?s bad-debt nightmare http://t.co/YVz8mGMX Another aspect of Chinese malinvestment coming due $$ Aug 28, 2012
Latest missive out from Michael Pettis. Very bearish on commodity prices & Chinese GDP growth. rebalancing Chinese economy will be difficult Aug 28, 2012

Other

Start-up savior? Killing convertible debt http://t.co/eVS2LEDB Proposed Alternative: An modified form of convertible preferreds $$ Aug 31, 2012
Quebec Whodunit: 1/4 of Province?s Syrup Reserves Go Missing http://t.co/cTE4hm6A Did not know that Quebec provides 75% of all syrup $$ Aug 31, 2012
Weekly Wrap: Bernanke speaks in Wisconsin http://t.co/ud7Zklz5 An oops from NPR Marketplace. Jackson Hole is in what state? $$ #Wyoming Aug 31, 2012
Hidden Truths about Calories http://t.co/qHhxA0Kw A Food is Not a Food, A Body is Not a Body, A Microbe is Not a Microbe, A Cal is Not a Cal Aug 31, 2012
?Virtually Untreatable? Tuberculosis Threat Rising http://t.co/He85pwV7 Existing drugs proving useless. TB: coming 2 a country near you $$ Aug 31, 2012
Twelve-Year-Old Programmers Help Fuel IPhone Game Frenzy http://t.co/wSks2b4p SImple computer languages let kids make games, learn2code $$ Aug 29, 2012
Quake ‘Swarm’ Hits California Town http://t.co/r4C07l1f This would be pretty nerve-wracking to have almost constant small quakes $$ Aug 28, 2012
When you homeschool you can never tell the next question; just had a 10 minute discussion w/kids 5 & 6 on franchising, good discussion $$ Aug 28, 2012
‘ @ballenmo 5th is 18, 6th is 15 1/2 — came from a visit to Buffalo Wild Wings where 1 kid tried 2 use coupon only good @ company stores $$ Aug 28, 2012
4 those of you who know me, I review a lot of books, & PR flacks send them 2me in a wide # of ways. 1st time I got 1 via $AMZN today $$ Aug 27, 2012
When “biggest X” is going on, where X is university building campaigns, skyscraper, private equity deal &c credit cycle is about2go bust $$ Aug 25, 2012
Active in Cloud, Amazon Reshapes Computing http://t.co/OmFFCGHu $AMZN is like the cable industry of old: grows rapidly, profit in future $$ Aug 28, 2012
This is why I say it will be a while before high end real estate recovers. NJ suffers as finance shrinks $$ http://t.co/o0VOsQgb Aug 28, 2012
Watson gets ready 4 more uses as $IBM works on voice interface, & broadens its knowledge http://t.co/1QIXoyFA & http://t.co/9kY8Rjiz $$ Aug 28, 2012
This is a reason why the definition of income matters more than the rates it gets taxed at. Many rich people legally ? http://t.co/KR7GQKFK Aug 28, 2012

Rest of the World

Asia’s Tide of Cash Hems in Policy Makers http://t.co/X71xRllk Today’s exhibit on effects of loose monetary policy from US, EU, Japan $$ Aug 29, 2012
Poor in India Starve as Politicians Steal $14.5 Billion of Food http://t.co/OoZWUIQY Food aid should bypass governments or don’t give $$ Aug 29, 2012
Brezhnev Bonds Haunt Putin as Investors Hunt $785 Billion http://t.co/3mNVdpXK Don’t tell me nations don’t default on debts $$ Aug 28, 2012
Canada Says ?Anonymous? May Attack Energy Firm Computers http://t.co/ag4AePsp Threats2Canada?s critical infrastructure r real&will persist Aug 28, 2012

Financial Market Dynamics

Oh No ? Another Post About High Frequency Trading? http://t.co/68PTROlW HFT is the solution to fragmentation of venues 4 executing orders $$ Aug 31, 2012
High-yield ETFs Drive One Tenth Of Bond-Trading Volume http://t.co/IQqjOZ7N That’s significant, & will increase HY mkt volatility $$ Aug 31, 2012
How to dodge market touts and traps http://t.co/3Od4CfBZ Chuck Jaffe goes after promoted penny stocks, similar 2 what I have said $$ Aug 31, 2012
At least a few of us knew that $$ RT @EddyElfenbein: “Short-Selling Bans Don?t Work. Period.” Who knew? http://t.co/SZTfWQIs Aug 30, 2012
Pimco?s Ivascyn Beats Gross?s Flagship http://t.co/o17OhNEh Pimco is misunderstood because of the PR they do w/Gross & El-Erian $$ Aug 29, 2012
How to get a jumbo mortgage now http://t.co/KT74aDe4 One of the more optimistic things I’ve seen in residential real estate lately $$ Aug 29, 2012
SEC Commissioners Fault Schapiro Over Money-Market Rule Debate http://t.co/JgP5t3nb Significant tax probs w/float NAV, acctg probs w/capl Aug 29, 2012
Floating NAVs [4 MMFs] could prove taxing http://t.co/vDnF2eKR I remember when I tried to use a ST bond fund 4 checking; messy tax-wise $$ Aug 28, 2012
The Averaging Down Clown http://t.co/ZmPFEnQ0 This is more a question of time horizon and quality; I average down a lot and make $$ Aug 28, 2012
How Young Homeowners Lost Out by Buying http://t.co/maoi8gWT Remember, homes r primarily an expense & not an investment $$ Aug 28, 2012
Hertz Wins Bid to Buy Dollar Thrifty http://t.co/piYuPHI7 Did not know that Enterprise controls 50% of mkt, Hertz DT 26%, Avis 18% $$ Aug 28, 2012
Presidential Life Corporation To Be Acquired By Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company http://t.co/oSZ3Pgkp This will not end well $$ #FTL Aug 28, 2012
States Review Insurers’ Capital http://t.co/exgPRO0A State regulators may require addl capital 2b held against non-GSE mortgages $$ Aug 28, 2012

Occupy Wall Street

“I don?t have any sympathy for anyone who has any semblance of middle-class life in this country — no sympathy” http://t.co/Kt8m8E0v #OWS Aug 29, 2012
Last tweet shows attitudes of some in #OWS . Can’t fight something w/nothing, though. Organization will always beat disorganization $$ Aug 29, 2012
Examples: Spartan & Roman armies could beat the less organized that had far larger armies. A real political movement organizes, unlike #OWS Aug 29, 2012
“The article sounds like #OWS is reduced to its fringe elements, which will be unpredictable, but?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/fU6jkYYu $$ Aug 29, 2012
‘ @jmiah_th read the Bloomberg article on #OWS http://t.co/Kt8m8E0v It almost seems like they are falling apart if the article is right $$ Aug 29, 2012

Comments

@carney Reminds me of how AIG collateralized their sec lending w/AAA subprime RMBS, or the guy who tried 2 get a loan out of me by pledging+ Aug 31, 2012
@carney 5x the amount of a microcap stock w/ no earnings & neg net worth. Stock cratered and was worth zero 18 months later $$ Aug 31, 2012
The Central Bank of Sweden Prize RT @jasonzweigwsj: why the Nobel Prize in economics isn’t (exactly) a Nobel http://t.co/JqhAg4i5 #WSJ $$ Aug 31, 2012
+1 $$ RT @TheStalwart: #FF: @diana_olick. If you’re not following her, you have no idea what’s happening in real estate. Aug 31, 2012
@crampell Post hoc propter hoc fallacy — QE inflates assets *and* liabilities; it does nothing on net Aug 31, 2012
@SaraMurray What a cute kid. Aug 31, 2012
RT @maoxian: @niubi The plural of Ordos is Overdos. Aug 31, 2012
@The_Analyst She has always been kind to me. Don’t know what to say, I tend to give everyone room in this complex environment $$ Aug 31, 2012
RT @asymmetricinfo: Goodnight, tweeps. Remember: in 100 years, your great-grandchildren will be struggling to believe that anyone cared. Aug 31, 2012
@The_Analyst Heidi is a friend of mine. Why are you so hostile? Most journalists on finance learn as they go, she is better than most. $$ Aug 31, 2012
‘ @BettyInTheLoop Romney will do best being authentic, whatever that is for him; efforts to remake a candidate into what he is not fail $$ Aug 30, 2012
@JeniecePrimus Thanks for the compliment. I try to be as fair as possible, down to my contracts, and the disclaimer on my blog. Aug 30, 2012
It is a loser $$ RT @ritholtz: Jeb Bush Slams Republican Anti-Immigrant Stance as Losing Recipe http://t.co/CyWrYZiF via @BloombergNews $$ Aug 30, 2012
@17thStCap This time he mentioned that he liked $GM; I’ll continue to hold on to my $HMC, but it made me think. FD: +HMC Aug 29, 2012
@moorehn Now, that, made me laugh — caught me needing a laugh too, thanks. Aug 29, 2012
RT @dakyne: @JamesGRickards Nice rebuttal! The gold standard wasn’t the problem–the problem was the price was set too low during the 20 … Aug 30, 2012
RE: @bloombergview Shows why economists are dumb. Unemployment is high because labor is plentiful globally, & wages f? http://t.co/Oyo8MKjH Aug 30, 2012
“Russian money and influence already extends to Cyprus. Short hop to Greece ?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/j5csjNuY $$ Aug 30, 2012
“”Economic growth is stabilizing at a slow pace.” Nothing to see here. Move along. $$” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/3Zqe9ARY Aug 30, 2012
@groditi I think post-WWII until Roe v Wade, most politics was quieter, w/noise behind closed doors. History pre-WWII & politics was ugly $$ Aug 29, 2012
@danprimack Right, and look at the DEF 14A forms — to test, pulled up the board of Amerus Group in 2006, since bought out by Aviva Aug 29, 2012
“Toss in some moderate sideshows: Japan, Switzerland, Australia. This era is a mess.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/WGd2wq0v $$ Aug 29, 2012
@ReutersFlasseur @historysquared @firoozye slow preparation on the off-chance of unwinding the Eurozone $$ Aug 29, 2012
‘ @BergCT When I read that, I thought, “I get the politics of demonizing the 1%, I do not get the politics of demonizing the ~75%.” $$ Aug 29, 2012
RT @KeithMcCullough: “Bernanke has becomes a 21st century Pangloss, hoping for the best and quite unprepared for the worst” @JamesGrickards Aug 29, 2012
RT @KeithMcCullough: “Fed has effectively declared currency war on the world” @JamesGRickards Memo from the front: http://t.co/X71xRllk Aug 29, 2012
@susanweiner Scope out the overall idea of what u want to say, then list ~10 articles that will say that. Write, seek feedback, repeat $$ Aug 29, 2012
@grossdm She has worked there long & hard, and from my dealings with Fidelity, has helped to transform them from being only mutual funds $$ Aug 29, 2012
RT @Convertbond: Priceless RT ?@lemasabachthani: RT @Darlington_Dick: Morocco has eur-denom bond maturing on 10/2020. Trades 170bp tight … Aug 29, 2012
@GuardianJessica Would have phrased it more delicately; when some ppl who r selfish have kids, they expand the spheres of their selfishness Aug 29, 2012
@eddtorial I have Tweetdeck up in front of me, and it all people are talking about. I am reading a good book by David X. Martin on risk $$ Aug 29, 2012
RT @jarstone: @TheStalwart As American’s we have a choice to make in this election. We can end up like the NY Times or the Wall Street J … Aug 28, 2012
Used to work near there $$ RT @GlobeStcom:Philadelphia Stock Exchange building in receivership, @NewmarkKF 2market #CRE http://t.co/nOrn1qgK Aug 28, 2012
RT @The_Analyst: Book Review: “Bailout” by @neilbarofsky, or: Why I’ll Never Work in DC & Why Main Street should blame Govt Not Wall … Aug 28, 2012
I just reviewed: ‘The Crisis of Crowding: Quant Copycats, Ugly Models, and the New Crash Normal… via @alephblog $$ http://t.co/1XMjYKr3 Aug 28, 2012
@DavidSchawel Renting offers flexibility. Owning is a commitment w/large fixed costs. Y tie up capital in 1 levered undiversified asset? $$ Aug 28, 2012
NB: Yuan may b overvalued $$RT @saraeisenFX: Yuan forwards trade at biggest discount to onshore rate since March 2009 on growth slowdown Aug 28, 2012
Commented on StockTwits: There is a time and place for renting vs buying — what are your resources, needs, time hor… http://t.co/WVL0UOaD Aug 28, 2012
@jonsticha Just this: Reagan was pragmatic, but did not want to be… w/majorities in Congress he would have been far more transformative $$ Aug 28, 2012
Garbage. If Reagan had had a strong majority in Congress, he would have balanced the budget & done more on social iss? http://t.co/azU1Zx84 Aug 28, 2012
RT @yvessmith: Why Neil Barofsky?s Book ?Bailout? Matters: Matt Stoller is a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. You can follow … http: … Aug 28, 2012
RT @ampressman: Brought my daughter to the office this morning to impress her with my piles of folders, pens of much ink and assorted tc … Aug 28, 2012
‘David Frink, a spokesman for Dell, said the company?s bonds are a ?more accurate market indicator,? which are ?tradi? http://t.co/fRXkjiEz Aug 27, 2012
@neilbarofsky My review is out; loved your book: http://t.co/j4QtKVFJ $$ Aug 26, 2012
@The_Analyst I try to release them at the same time. Aug 26, 2012
@The_Analyst Sorry, but I feel late to this one as well. Top reviewer at Amazon has 99/109 positive votes, from a poorly written review $$ Aug 26, 2012
@DynamicHedge FRED has come a long way; used it when it was a bulletin board. Now it is a treasure trove free on the Web $$ Aug 25, 2012
@DynamicHedge http://t.co/geIHWOCP 3M LIBOR minus http://t.co/mA2gVMNj 3M T-bill yield Aug 25, 2012
Ripple effects RT @SoberLook: Post: “The crash of the Dutch housing market reminds us of a much older market bubble” http://t.co/1UsSPRYi $$ Aug 25, 2012
Miss your stuff too, when my blog was down 4 a wk, it was tough $$ RT @jennablan: cc: @kenli729 RT @unstructuredfin So sad without my blog Aug 25, 2012