Sorted Weekly Tweets – The Aleph Blog

Posted on 28 September 2012 by David Merkel

My week on twitter: 34 retweets received, 1 new listings, 33 new followers, 40 mentions. Via: http://t.co/SPrAWil0 Sep 27, 2012

Energy

Natural Gas Cars Are On The Road; Potholes Remain http://t.co/T9KxgbCa Optimistic that CNG & LNG will get enough distribution 2b viable $$ Sep 29, 2012
United Airlines will study Delta’s refinery bid http://t.co/iHEuWvfp This will not end well; fundamentally different businesses $$ $UA $DAL Sep 29, 2012

Rest of the World

Japan Data Show Recession Risk Growing http://t.co/UArgdWd4 “Find someone who is optimistic about the economy & ask them how they can b” Sep 29, 2012
Shanghai Bonded Copper Stocks May at Record, Survey Shows http://t.co/MMrqmsmi Glut of gluts, what will China do with a flat economy? $$ Sep 28, 2012
Toyota Unplugs Electric Car Hype http://t.co/s36gMkcZ Indeed it is hype, better 2 run cars on Natgas or gasoline $$ less waste 4 now Sep 28, 2012
China Bankrolling Chavez?s Re-Election Bid With Oil Loans http://t.co/y3tAN7WF China wants oil, Chavez wants $$ , a match made in… Sep 28, 2012
SNB Disputes S&P Estimate of Bond Purchases http://t.co/eC1AxRkc Well of course they would dispute it, harms their policy credibility $$ Sep 28, 2012
Spanish Bonds Slump as Marchers Plan Further Protests http://t.co/Sq3eiO1n Eurozone is a political construct, will agreement persist? $$ Sep 28, 2012
Why Asian Airlines Reign Supreme http://t.co/yNcjYfce It is amazing how great service drives the rankings $$ Sep 28, 2012
The real extent of China?s economic hard landing http://t.co/n6g2jBCP By one measure, China’s real GDP growth rate is 1.6% $$ Sep 24, 2012
Is China Burning? http://t.co/PxfPOebV China stirs up anti-Japanese hatred to divert attention away from the weakening economy $$ Sep 24, 2012
India Bids for ConocoPhillips Assets in Canada http://t.co/cIc6wlut Spidey sense says India will get the worse of it $$ FD: + $COP Sep 24, 2012
Aussie Debacle Flags China Hard Landing as Iron Market Melts http://t.co/8PKnupSl China sneezes, the Australians catch a cold $$ Sep 24, 2012
How weak must the Danish economy be, for them to do this? Are their banks in that bad of a shape? $$ http://t.co/vNR7Utt5 Sep 24, 2012

Credit Markets

Junk Bonds in US Poised for Biggest Retreat in 4 Months http://t.co/rIqU3rjt 2 early 4 a washout; no significant defaults on the radar $$ Sep 29, 2012
U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rates Fall to Record Low of 3.4% http://t.co/EB2UZaic Those that r not inverted can refinance; tough 4 rest $$ Sep 28, 2012
Mortgage-Bond Spreads Cap Biggest Weekly Drop Since December ?08 http://t.co/cjGISver Anticipates Future Fed buying, doesn’t help much $$ Sep 22, 2012

Central Banking

Money For Nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve http://t.co/QoHuWfGb Independent, non-partisan, non-conspiracy-theorist documentary comingsoon Sep 29, 2012
Bernanke Put: Beware of Easy Money http://t.co/bPsdilQM The lure of free money brings out the worst in all of us. $$ Sep 28, 2012
Plosser Says QE3 Risks Fed Credibility, Won?t Boost Jobs http://t.co/ffkpU2Jh Right; once we r @ the zero bound the Fed is impotent $$ Sep 28, 2012
Fed Helps Lenders? Profit More Than Homebuyers http://t.co/CYz6O8r0 Offering 2buy RMBS benefits existing holders more than anyone else $$ Sep 28, 2012
Sean Fieler: Easy Money Is Punishing the Middle Class http://t.co/Lg2yzUCs Who gets benefits of productivity improvement? Ppl or Govt $$ Sep 28, 2012
A time of hoarding and inflation fears, 1930s edition http://t.co/wOkNf0Uj @izakaminska tells us about inflation worries in the 1930s $$ Sep 25, 2012
Signs Of The Gold Standard Are Emerging From Germany http://t.co/YPLrNcvz Not likely; would be interesting 2c Germany go Euro -> Gold $$ Sep 24, 2012
‘Free’ Checking Costs More http://t.co/QXxPaQCH Another casualty of Fed policy, which disproportionately hurts those less-well off $$ Sep 24, 2012

US Politics

U.S. Unease Over Drone Strikes http://t.co/Hlc2djCz This is yet another reason y much of the Muslim world hates the US $$ Sep 28, 2012
US Ties Libya Attack to ‘Powder Keg’ in Mali http://t.co/998UPNLd When did the Obama administration know this, y wasn’t it disclosed? $$ Sep 28, 2012
Ryan at the AARP http://t.co/ZgXiPrkr He didn’t trim his ideas and still won applause. AARP leaders more liberal than members $$ Sep 24, 2012

Market Dynamics

Where stock market will be in fall of 2016 http://t.co/AolvDXon Seiver’s model indicates a flat market for the next four years $$ Sep 29, 2012
Wrong: An Easy Strategy For Bulking Up On Yield http://t.co/HYbdXqzT Better to buy companies w/strong dividend capacity than high divs $$ Sep 28, 2012
New Wave of Workers Tries Novel Approach: Save More http://t.co/sE9pp03d Everything old is new again; save $$, do not rely on returns Sep 28, 2012
Ken Fisher: Bull Market Is Halfway Done http://t.co/xDEa0MXq I am a moderate bull now, but I find that large cap leadership could fail. $$ Sep 28, 2012
Are financial advisers worth their fee? http://t.co/HdRYJ3ak Gamma: value of protecting an individual from buying high & selling low $$ Sep 28, 2012
Prospects for Stock and Bond Returns Are Dim http://t.co/IYAVPFAU The performance difference will depend on inflation vs deflation $$ Sep 24, 2012
Pension Crisis Looms Despite Cuts http://t.co/9ZW8eUeR Eventually state constitutions will be amended 2 roll back existing benefits $$ Sep 22, 2012
Borrowing Against Yourself http://t.co/kB7IVuN2 Debt against investments is usually a bad idea unless ur a specialist in the business $$ Sep 22, 2012

Miscellaneous

Auto-Insurance Cost to Rise 2.8% to $839, Group Says http://t.co/8XLCC4CE Insurance companies pass costs & reduced interest through $$ Sep 28, 2012
Scientific Reproducibility: Begley’s Six Rules http://t.co/8EkCDsMP Following the 6 rules would reduce the # of articles published $$ Sep 28, 2012
Gordon Moore’s journey http://t.co/PHYlU3Nq Long Q&A w/a founder of Intel; An accidental entrepreneur who knew his weaknesses $$ FD: + $INTC Sep 24, 2012
Bronte Capital?s short waves http://t.co/EHhxTO4j Do not underestimate John Hempton; bright guy. Very good @ spotting bad ideas/frauds $$ Sep 22, 2012
Yale Versus Norway http://t.co/aSF8PEZR Worth a read. My sympathies r w/Norway here, but I fear they r tooting their horn @ a bad time $$ Sep 22, 2012
Cheating Upwards http://t.co/UtDtRjSD Children r less ethical now than 35 years ago, who were less ethical than 35 years ago, who were… $$ Sep 22, 2012
Push to Let College Students Carry Guns Picks Up Steam http://t.co/ke6zM1Si Who is responsible for my protection? Me or the Govt? Me $$ Sep 22, 2012
How to Stop Hospitals From Killing Us http://t.co/QKOsAOpy Should b known: going 2a hospital can kill you. 6th leading cause of death $$ Sep 22, 2012

Responses

@AOverheard Could b a good move, would have to review the Stat statements. I sold my shares at a split-adjusted $290. Buying debt:no-brainer Sep 29, 2012
@historysquared In the process of raising 8 children (5 adopted) I have seen 1) those w/limited abilities expand them 2) those w/great + Sep 29, 2012
@historysquared abilities waste them. 3) those w/great abilities improve them, & 4) those w/limited abilities improve only a little Sep 29, 2012
@groditi Of all the companies that I own $SPLS worries me the most. Stronger than bricks & mortar competitors, but can they beat $AMZN? $$ Sep 28, 2012
@munilass I think both of those insights r correct; algorithms r only as good as the problems they r applied 2; most people don’t like logic Sep 28, 2012
RE: @bloombergview Well reasoned.? No arguments here. $$ http://t.co/ChJ9BDib Sep 26, 2012
RE: @bloombergview “Luck” happens when preparation meets opportunity, There are exceptions like Sixto in South Africa? http://t.co/JmFQSDFB Sep 26, 2012
@volatilitysmile All financials, or just depositary financials… would agree if it is the latter. Sep 25, 2012
@pjackson @LaurenLaCapra @_tpr @japhychron As an example, consider the tax reform act of 1986; almost all tax preferences lost. $$ Sep 25, 2012
@pjackson @LaurenLaCapra @_tpr @japhychron Or prepare for the day of the “grand bargain” where everyone’s ox is gored 4 the good of all $$ Sep 25, 2012
@pjackson @LaurenLaCapra @_tpr @japhychron I think you have to plan for the day of crisis, so that you can be ready to say, “Do this.” $$ Sep 25, 2012
@MerrittJennifer @LaurenLaCapra It would not be immediate, but housing prices would fall, & so would refinancing $$ Sep 25, 2012
@pjackson @LaurenLaCapra @_tpr @japhychron Lauren asked what we would do, not what was possible. Only a crisis will see actions taken $$ Sep 25, 2012
@japhychron @LaurenLaCapra @_tpr so that Medicare covers less: cheap fixes & palliative care; state rtees: deal to reduce all benefits $$ Sep 25, 2012
@LaurenLaCapra @_tpr @japhychron Hard to fit into a tweet; phase out GSEs & Int ded, shrink FHA, ag lending, scale back SS, redo Medicare + Sep 25, 2012
@LaurenLaCapra @_TPR @japhychron Ultimate Q is how many things we *can/should* subsidize, particularly w/GSEs, entitlements, state rtee bens Sep 25, 2012
RE: @bloombergview When the government or Fed buys the securities of companies, it plays favorites. We should make th? http://t.co/3ndyaApd Sep 24, 2012
@GregorMacdonald Re: gold, have u seen this? http://t.co/5rPvqfEz Re: solar, have u seen this? http://t.co/tZiaP5mV Wonder what it costs? Sep 22, 2012
@abnormalreturns Stocks r correlated w/inflation expectations. Gold is negatively correlated w/real rate of interest. Facts. $$ Sep 22, 2012
@etpxp Hard to do a real test. Sep 22, 2012

Retweets

In praise of all-cash compensation. RT @EpicureanDeal: Defending the Indefensible http://t.co/a7pGhqLr featuring @LaurenLaCapra Obvious $$ Sep 22, 2012
RT @volatilitysmile: “a failed president is running slightly ahead in the polls of a challenger who has a real CV but is so politically … Sep 24, 2012
At low OASs?! No $$ RT @PIMCO: Gross: How many Treasuries you own is not the question. How many 3 and 3.5% 30 year mtges is. Own mortgages Sep 24, 2012