Sorted Weekly Tweets – The Aleph Blog

Posted on 15 March 2013 by David Merkel

US Politics & Economic Policy

Employers Blast Fees From New Health Law http://t.co/FfuBRO2HQp Phases in the added costs of covering sick people previously uninsured $$ Mar 15, 2013
Conservative Groups Warn GOP Lawmakers About Deals With Obama http://t.co/vui4GOINCw If this were a 2-player game, would have been solved $$ Mar 15, 2013
Gundlach: Investors are asking the Wrong Question http://t.co/xA1UgvCica ht: @ReformedBroker QE as a permanent affair w/which we have 2 live Mar 15, 2013
New Group Pushes Corporate-Tax Overhaul http://t.co/P3dwgqQON6 Trying 2 End Double Taxation of foreign profits. Hasn’t worked so far $$ Mar 14, 2013
The Almighty Dollar Is Back http://t.co/F3iP3Zblyk Skeptical. Waiting for the Fed to announce increase of QE to send the $$ back down Mar 14, 2013
GIs Fighting Nazis Last Time Factory Workers Toiled Longer http://t.co/pVMlMGFRQ0 This is optimistic for new hiring $$ Mar 14, 2013
Grand Bargain Taxes, Entitlements Cuts Await Deal Makers http://t.co/gJZ2c4Uc17 My sense is that we r heading 4 another deadlock $$ Mar 14, 2013
Refusal to Expand Medicaid May Cost Employers $1 Billion http://t.co/kpxJmCeZvT Pressure is going to grow to eliminate PPACA & Medicaid $$ Mar 14, 2013
US Growth = Inventories http://t.co/dOIp5n9sPH Much of the presumed growth in the US is just rebuilding of inventories to a peak level $$ Mar 12, 2013
GOP Budget Establishes Contrast With Democrats http://t.co/ocLQndOvsP No chance of it being passed, but gives an idea of where 2 sides r $$ Mar 12, 2013
SEC Charges Illinois Over Pension Funding http://t.co/MxEF6hPYPy This is how it should be. No one gets punished in the slightest. $$ Mar 12, 2013
Note from last tweet: a lot of ppl want to punish bankers, what about state officials who lie – they r much bigger, where is the outcry? $$ Mar 12, 2013
Fed mulls putting a ‘not for sale’ sign on its assets http://t.co/uZAcaHmLeO A sign of weakness from the Fed; they know they r trapped $$ Mar 10, 2013

Roman Catholic Church

Jesuits Had Past Struggles With Popes http://t.co/P8Vy8YEifr In the RC church, they have top liberation theologians &their top opposition $$ Mar 14, 2013
Ten things you probably didn?t know about the Jesuits http://t.co/tFijZNMkV9 If the Church have defined anything to be black… amazing $$ Mar 14, 2013
The sins of the Argentine church http://t.co/FTzKlsq1I7 New Pope may have been complicit w/Military Dictators killing their enemies. $$ Mar 14, 2013
The Changing Church http://t.co/mDPol6orR5 Interesting 2c change in locations of Cardinals. Size of RC church overstated, many not active $$ Mar 14, 2013
How Is the Pope Elected? http://t.co/j8p5L9dB5I A little late, but I thought this was an interesting infographic on papal elections $$ Mar 14, 2013
African Catholics Look to Black Pope to Safeguard Tradition http://t.co/vxZrJJDgvv US Media does not get how traditional most Catholics r $$ Mar 13, 2013
Black Smoke Signals No New Pope http://t.co/9qp8nzlbRb More & less unity in RCC than commonly thought. More: Europe, Less: elsewhere $$ Mar 12, 2013

Financial Markets

To all of the fixed income followers out there: someone asked me today to recommend good bond blogs. What would you recommend? Mar 15, 2013
Highest Bond Yield at Auction in a Year Could Be Sign of Things to Come http://t.co/fShhD5iAlp Or it could be a buying opportunity $$ Mar 15, 2013
$OAK Founder Knows How to Get an Edge in Investing http://t.co/TaRQSiK5gI “Experience is what u get when u didn’t get what u wanted.” $$ Mar 14, 2013
Smallcap Stock Volatility Index Hits All-Time Low http://t.co/l6tCXV7VS4 Complacency is the rule of the the day among small cap stocks $$ Mar 14, 2013
5 ways Warren Buffett invests that you don?t http://t.co/AeCs8fqe6g Good job describing what parts of Buffett’s strategies can b mimicked $$ Mar 14, 2013
Team Alpha Retirement Portfolio: Dividend Investing Vs. Annuity Purchasing http://t.co/HNHqI40vDP Example of y I don’t read Seeking Alpha $$ Mar 14, 2013
New Carlyle Group Fund Lowers Bar for Investors http://t.co/xiCTwy07Zk As @reformedbroker aptly put it, “Muppet Bait” Avoid. Avoid. $$ Mar 14, 2013
Fidelity to Expand ETF Relationship With BlackRock http://t.co/d4PIiCb7oh Fidelity says “Me 2,” by partnering with $BLK . No value added $$ Mar 14, 2013
moving down-market http://t.co/qP0YSWKubG @researchpuzzler has it right, inviting small accounts in means opportunities r getting worse $$ Mar 14, 2013
Historical S&P 500 Price to Sales (P/S) Chart http://t.co/dm2ZhDDgtE Useful little chart – around avg now, but profit margins r a record $$ Mar 13, 2013
SP500 Bull and Bear Factors – Not so Fun Damentals! http://t.co/5OjwvLbLPw Bull factors: QE, Buybacks, Yen. Bear: Econ data, Earnings mo $$ Mar 13, 2013
Gold Sales From Soros Reveal 12-Yr Bull Run Decay http://t.co/ze7DSsdIkN Makes me want 2 do a piece on $$ weighted vs time weighted on $GLD Mar 13, 2013
Why (Most) People Hate Good Financial News http://t.co/PZcf1usKD1 Regret is a strong force in psyche of amateur investors: missing out $$ Mar 12, 2013
How Much Of The Stock Market?s Growth Is Caused By Its Shrinking? http://t.co/Kfxipqvr1Y I would be skeptical here; capital changes weak $$ Mar 12, 2013
Securities Lending: Worth The ?Risk? http://t.co/AZxSKFzM2T When done right, sec lending is almost free money, the risks r low. $$ Mar 12, 2013
New ETF Underway for Distressed Debt http://t.co/Wp3ZPwaZqj Bad idea. Creating indexes for distressed bonds will be hard, Won’t attract $$ Mar 12, 2013
Firms Send Record Cash Back to Investors http://t.co/n0vNv0ppei A sign of economic weakness; there are few places to invest for growth $$ Mar 10, 2013

Wrong

Wrong: Amazon Preparing Bid For Barnes And Noble? http://t.co/qYB3yE6u8U Combination would not be allowed by the FTC $$ Mar 13, 2013
Wrong: Why Insurers May Be Unprepared for the Next Big Storm http://t.co/WuJIpvtVBj Most P&C insurers have more than adequate reserves $$ Mar 13, 2013
Wrong: The US can?t afford a Chinese economic collapse http://t.co/9vskptvxvx We can afford it; China won’t affect much in the US $$ Mar 12, 2013

Rest of the World

China s Next Potential Bubble: Hello, Anybody Home? http://t.co/IstgcTQZCN Trapped. Potential sellers need prices 2 stay high, buyers low $$ Mar 15, 2013
Embrace consumption, IMF’s Zhu urges China http://t.co/TAc5toyktZ Easier said than done. Party not ready to give people more freedom. $$ Mar 15, 2013
Nordic Testicular Cancer Mystery Prompts Chemicals Probe http://t.co/LqwH8klTLq Interesting, might be a combo of genetics & environment $$ Mar 15, 2013
Jeffrey ??s Japan Stocks http://t.co/lvhM6LFXAv?s-japan-stocks/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Weak yen drives Japan stocks up $$ Mar 15, 2013
Recent cyberattacks could be part of a Chinese military strategy started nearly 20 years ago http://t.co/NxZ99g2ZKo Explains what is up now Mar 14, 2013
Brazil?s Richest Family Forging $13 Billion Niobium Dream http://t.co/2MHbOkhHPd Stronger flexible steel from a Brazilian tech company $$ Mar 14, 2013
Even Berlusconi Can?t Slow Bulls Boosting Euro View http://t.co/PV2mGvfHRr Great 4 core Eurozone, bad news 4 the fringe Eurozone $$ Mar 13, 2013
Chinese inflation hits 10-month high http://t.co/rGZJHoZsqj The end of the cycle comes when Chinese inflation gets out of control $$ Mar 13, 2013
Snow Causes European Travel Chaos http://t.co/tz3afCLET9 That’s one thing about weather & climate, constantly changing & always will $$ Mar 13, 2013
Should You Bond With Azerbaijan? http://t.co/gpE429eGa8? by @jasonzweigwsj | Emerging market govts are better run than developed govts $$ Mar 12, 2013
Norway Fund Flees Currencies Tainted by Stimulus Addiction http://t.co/X7YasIGkKn Rational response2 depreciating currencies: hail Norway $$ Mar 12, 2013

Banks

JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon showed too much hubris and too little humility http://t.co/4feQB2Q6Jx @moorehn highlights cultural problem @ $JPM $$ Mar 15, 2013
Bubble Exchange: Technology vs Financials http://t.co/BJKoaFfjdo Suggests that financials, not tech, will do better in the future $$ Mar 15, 2013
EU Said to Plan Concession on Tax Credits as Bank Capital http://t.co/Ss3J4KBGbv Deferred Tax Assets should not be allowed as capital $$ Mar 15, 2013
Deferred Tax Assets r only valuable if a company makes $$ in the future, which for a bank in distress is less likely; should not b capital Mar 15, 2013
Beware of a New Banking Bubble http://t.co/gr5c2S9NaI Three recent deals involved premiums of 32% to 83% above tangible book value $$ #fire Mar 14, 2013
Fisher and Rosenblum: How to Shrink the TBTF Banks http://t.co/pNfzML2A22 Could work, roll back safety net, keep pieces small, holdcos fail Mar 14, 2013
5 Big Questions for the Future of Retail Banking http://t.co/sCKi6QjfCu Branches buy/sell, online/mobile, layoffs, interest margins down $$ Mar 14, 2013

Companies & Industries

Lawmakers Examine Ethanol Credits’ Affect on Gas Prices http://t.co/5RHXnKcuFG Wasteful program doesn’t aid conservation adds 2 pollution $$ Mar 15, 2013
5 beloved tech products that were sentenced to death http://t.co/bg4S90UHlZ Impending death of Google Reader makes writer wax nostalgic $$ Mar 15, 2013
Google and Bing Say the Future of Search Is Conversational http://t.co/mx2gfh6oSr Software improves ability 2 understand contextual data $$ Mar 15, 2013
Herbalife short-seller sues banks, Icahn over alleged fraud http://t.co/NaL4X9aXW3 Losing investor throws good $$ after bad, will not win Mar 14, 2013
Evolv, Making Hourly Workers More Profitable, Lands $15 Million http://t.co/DDEyoCk7Ay Improves retention of the employees u want 2 keep $$ Mar 14, 2013
Lincoln?s Cooper Shuns Shoot-For-Moon Funds After Goldman http://t.co/7PdLGT5TGb This does not make me feel better about $LNC. Avoid. $$ Mar 14, 2013
How Benjamin Franklin Invented the Mail-Order Business http://t.co/TC6DmWsZck A look at the precursors to mail-order retail. Interesting $$ Mar 14, 2013
Lego Builds New Billionaires as Toymaker Topples Mattel http://t.co/jxkqNatzZk Family controls 75% of the operation through Kirkbi A/S $$ Mar 14, 2013
8 Megatrends Defining the Oil & Gas Industry http://t.co/Taz5Dsujwh Nationalization, Ending subsidies, Green, New frontiers, LNG, M&A $$ &c Mar 14, 2013
Blackstone Said to Get $2.1 Billion Loan for Home Purchases http://t.co/qDg7DrSBGk I’m skeptical, don’t think renting homes is scalable $$ Mar 14, 2013
Many hospitals, doctors offer cash discount for medical bills http://t.co/ckLOHxh1TH ht: @dpinsen | Sometimes ucan pay less w/o insurance $$ Mar 13, 2013
Gas Rigs Drop to Fewest Since 1999 as Drilling Declines http://t.co/b3YztqbTqs Almost like the old days when they would flare off natgas $$ Mar 13, 2013
Starr Proceeds With Fight Over $AIG Rescue http://t.co/WPNIOyib7B I don’t think he will win, but Greenberg will get his day in court $$ Mar 13, 2013
Beating The Downturn By Degrees http://t.co/9BT69ix6Fs Good summary article on the for-profit educators $$ Mar 13, 2013
Liberal-Arts Colleges Dangle Deals to Woo Students http://t.co/v3Qd07x8AD Pay for 4 years & never have 2 pay again; u *can* finish 4 free $$ Mar 13, 2013
InTrade Online Betting Site Shuts Down Abruptly http://t.co/Rb0Ppald2u A long shot from the start, current bettors may b stuck w/the loss $$ Mar 12, 2013
Green Cars Have a Dirty Little Secret http://t.co/wk5UfvYiYn Producing and charging electric cars means heavy carbon-dioxide emissions. $$ Mar 12, 2013
Uninsured Americans Get Hit With Biggest Hospital Bills http://t.co/6QeybZMIz8 First value of insurance is buying power lowering prices $$ Mar 12, 2013

Other

Jim Gaffigan Is the King of (Clean) Comedy http://t.co/RhUM30krSU Heartening 2c clean humor getting attention; certainly harder 2 do $$ Mar 15, 2013
The Bearded Man http://t.co/ub5n07UjFZ I’m no trendsetter. If you’re out of fashion long enough, eventually u accidentally get in fashion $$ Mar 15, 2013
Does money taint the sharing economy? http://t.co/yTjd3w8ThO If you want an organization to last, there must be a profit margin $$ Mar 15, 2013
Scientists find how deadly new virus infects human cells http://t.co/YLfoqPbvJ1 Disease is similar to SARS. Infected 15, killed 9 $$ Mar 14, 2013
Former Ravens May Outnumber Ravens http://t.co/SIxpATVmC6 Noticed in Baltimore; curse of the Joe Flacco contract; less $$ for rest of team Mar 14, 2013

Retweets & Replies

‘ @tradewins @moorehn The problems are concealing data from the regulators, & Dimon perhaps concealing what he truly knew at the time $$ Mar 16, 2013
@TWealthMgmt Yeah, they are good, & I mentioned them. Seems many bond blogs have folded; they had a finite maturity 😉 Mar 15, 2013
@nelson3748 Railroads r scarce; impossible to replicate; has a big moat w/pricing power; trucking has no moat; scale is needed Mar 14, 2013
I just left a comment in “5 ways Warren Buffett invests that you don?t – Jonathan Burton’s Life Savings – MarketWat?” http://t.co/2tjAaDwkV7 Mar 14, 2013
Yes, but the nice thing about Pi day is that it has been a round RT @EddyElfenbein: Celebrating Pi Day seems so irrational. Mar 14, 2013
@EliHoffmann Don’t get me wrong I *like* dividends & have for a long time. They r more frail than the new advocates assume Mar 14, 2013
@EliHoffmann There r other things he got wrong re insurance, but the faith in dividends is naive. They get cut in bad periods like the ’70s Mar 14, 2013
@EliHoffmann Annuities r guaranteed by state guarantee funds Mar 14, 2013
@DavidSchawel Thanks, but r u bullish on it or neutral? Mar 14, 2013
@DavidSchawel How successful? Mar 14, 2013
No RT @pdacosta: VZ president says Chavez, now close to Christ, had a hand in choice of South American pope http://t.co/WYR2izYIsk Mar 14, 2013
“Pretty cool. Billy Joel took a chance on the student, and it was beautiful. Kid had moxie.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/YBUfXDNSGH $$ Mar 14, 2013
UCan say that again RT @ReformedBroker:Muppet Bait MT @researchpuzzler:Don’t miss your chance 2 play w/big boys of PE http://t.co/5fg2tLPXS3 Mar 14, 2013
Listening to broadcasters in Rome, it reminds me of the Super Bowl when the power went out; gotta say something, but not much to say… $$ Mar 13, 2013
. @scott_matagrano Also, $AIG’s domestic life companies were BK until rescued b/c of sec lending… long story: http://t.co/EmnSclWqVS $$ Mar 13, 2013
@scott_matagrano Not *quite* riskless. There were some bond trades I could not execute b/c we could not get the shares back. Mar 13, 2013
@merrillmatter I don’t but some of my clients do. Mar 13, 2013
@ReformedBroker Hey Josh, where is that indicator now? Mar 12, 2013
@weelifeworkplay Saw that, but property tends not to vary in value as much as currencies do. Owning land tends to preserve value, mostly $$ Mar 12, 2013
@prchovanec In a word, overvalued. P/E measurements of value fluctuate too much b/c earnings varies more than sales or book $$ Mar 12, 2013
@exMBB I avoid life companies that primarily write variable business; the accounting quality is poor. No opinion on $PNX $$ Mar 12, 2013
@SagittaCapital I’m afraid that one is a ‘No.” I don’t have a lot to say there. Mar 12, 2013
@60Minutes @sherylsandberg That’s dumb. It could just be rudeness, or ego, and the same applies to boys. Will to power <> leadership $$ Mar 11, 2013
@prchovanec P/E is more significant in the short-run. CAPE10 & Q-ratio more significant in the long run. $$ Mar 10, 2013

FWIW

My week on twitter: 48 retweets received, 11 new listings, 51 new followers, 55 mentions. Via: http://t.co/cPSEMLXpb8 Mar 14, 2013

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