US Fiscal & Monetary Policy

 

• Obama?s Budget Would Cap Romney-Sized Retirement Accounts http://t.co/3xC4YflVFO Might indirectly harm smaller accounts, article states Apr 05, 2013
• Obama Budget Plan Would Curb Social Security Growth http://t.co/3wvyDuN3tE Small curbs; reinforces idea: can’t trust Govt on inflation Apr 05, 2013
• Obamacare Sticker Shock: Are You Ready to Pay Double? http://t.co/hKaBmRzQMZ Getting bad enough that the Democrats might undo Obamacare… Apr 04, 2013
• ?Greatest bond bubble in history? will burst in economic chaos, says Stockman http://t.co/SuFObaenCK Collins & Aikman makes him Cassandra Apr 04, 2013
• How the Fed fueled an explosion in subprime auto loans http://t.co/g7r3Likl56 Cheap AAA financing + personal stories of aggressive lending Apr 04, 2013
• Who will be the next Fed chair? Here are Wonkblog?s odds. http://t.co/44Bqhho05m Every one of these is a horrible idea, especially Yellen $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Krugman should be careful tossing out the phrase ?cranky old man stuff.? It tosses like a verbal Boomerang. #livesinaglassshouse $$ #stones Apr 01, 2013
• Stockman Warns of Crash of Fed-Fueled Bubble Economy http://t.co/wsxbP1tsTe Krugman called Stockman?s piece ?cranky old man stuff? $$ Apr 01, 2013
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Face New Problem: Profitability http://t.co/KobaLaMezt Some in Govt plan on keeping F&F under govt control $$ Apr 01, 2013

 

North Korea

 

• Understanding Kim Jong Un?s Tantrums http://t.co/EeGXEUuvcH Has 2 prove tough guy bona fides to generals, while pushing modest reform agenda Apr 05, 2013
• North Korean Nukes: How Worried Should We Be, and What Is Kim Jong Un Thinking? http://t.co/vsoaHvzQvI Mutual deterrence of first move Apr 04, 2013
• Scooping Up North Korean Coins http://t.co/Sokc9jIfZe Jimmy Rogers picks up some unusual numismatic coins from North Korea. $$ Apr 01, 2013

 

Eurozone

 

• Merkel Losing Allies in $700 Billion Shift to Renewables http://t.co/CEh2j8TE4p For a science PhD, she certainly tends 2 magical ideas Apr 05, 2013
• Draghi Considers Plan B as Sentiment Dims Post Cyprus Fumble http://t.co/Wbu9ggM2cd Unwinding the Euro would be appropriate #unforcederror Apr 05, 2013
• Le Fracking for Geothermal Heat Drawing Ire of French Oil http://t.co/5KHqRtfdO9 The French tie themselves in knots: irrational policies Apr 05, 2013
• EU Unemployment: Titanic in Perspective http://t.co/uSxKOfNLn5 Summary of the EZone unemployment problem, culled from many websites Apr 04, 2013
• A weakening Germany in a weaker EU http://t.co/CsuZ3KQ86x But can Germany rescue itself; whole EZone slowing down; time 4 action Mario! 😉 Apr 04, 2013
• World from Berlin: ‘Germany Isn’t Living Up to EU Responsibility’ http://t.co/ozzZJbr5xR But what will Germany do when it has2rescue France? Apr 04, 2013
• Audi Wants to Change a 45-Year-Old U.S. Headlight Rule http://t.co/V0aOqzGRi0 Only high & low-beams r allowed; Audi wants more variety Apr 04, 2013
• Cyprus Turks Share Pain as Banking Crisis Revives Talk of Unity http://t.co/VmHELItCED Serious talks will come through younger politicians Apr 04, 2013
• The ECB Fragmented Monetary Policy http://t.co/o8o8d0nucY Eurozone no longer has single monetary policy; euros not worth same everywhere $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Euro Zone Unemployment Hits Record High http://t.co/lLgg6ZQVKg Fringe Europe suffers from the political dreamers post-WWII $$ #breakup Apr 03, 2013
• Money Funds Meet Zero Yields by Breaking Buck Taboo: Euro Credit http://t.co/uD672kwCfP Short-term finance hits the wall in Eurozone $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Slovenia?s Jazbec Inherits Bank System to Avert Bailout http://t.co/MDrCmuYmEk Don’t care how smart u r; pain involved in deleveraging $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Texas wants its gold back! Wait, what? http://t.co/HuH7vg53Z8 This is a rational response to kleptocracy a la Cyprus. $$ Apr 02, 2013
• Developing Nations Retreating from Euro as Reserve Currency http://t.co/tH91Uw76SC Predictable; can reserve currency allow confiscation? $$ Apr 02, 2013
• President Hollande Failing to Control Unemployment Crisis http://t.co/XojVG1pZMl It would require considerable deregulation 2fix France $$ Apr 02, 2013
• Sundown in America http://t.co/hpeIDbcvzl Much as I have not liked Stockman, the logic is decent; he is arguing for the free markets. $$ Apr 02, 2013
• Mitch McConnell Prepares To Give Barack Obama The Political Shellacking Of A Lifetime http://t.co/AqOqm1Vwey Worth a read, PPACA is a dog $$ Apr 02, 2013
• Wrong: Confessions of a Keynesian heretic http://t.co/MnUyIqdIZ2 Another believer in monetary alchemy, but not fiscal alchemy $$ #endthefed Apr 01, 2013

 

Japan

 

• Wrong: Japan?s Brave New Monetary Era http://t.co/NxIU0Ovc4J Doing the same thing over & over & expecting a different result. Won’t work Apr 05, 2013
• Japan’s Yen UnCompetitveness – Fukushima and the Yen – Hara-Kiri http://t.co/4UfjiH40XM Export > Import favors yen fall; now is vice-versa Apr 05, 2013
• Kuroda to Bernanke: My Bazooka Is Bigger Than Your Bazooka http://t.co/4d2ocM3BJN “I can destroy my nation faster than u can. Nyaah! Nyaah!” Apr 05, 2013
• Bank of Japan in Bold Bid for Revival http://t.co/DyKXQFLpsC We must devalue & inflate our way to prosperity! Apr 04, 2013

 

Church v State

 

• Next few tweets will b controversial: Founder’s thoughts on “No establishment of religion” applied to the National govt, not the states Apr 04, 2013
• Laws favoring certain churches persisted in various states until 1850s, & some had religious test oaths for officeholders into 20th Century Apr 04, 2013
• The “test oaths” died for lack of use, clean up in the 1900s, was largely perfunctory. The next tweet contains today’s story Apr 04, 2013
• Proposal would allow state religion in North Carolina http://t.co/SZIXiT2Xht Won’t pass modern constitution muster, but would in early 1800s Apr 04, 2013

 

Other US Politics

 

• Seven Dumb Things Bankers Say http://t.co/2A5GTQn59w Among them that the big banks aren’t too big, & that the economy is not 2 financialized Apr 06, 2013
• Deep in the Red of Texas, Republicans Fight the Blues http://t.co/UP2ZmRA4Fi Texas, future blue state, must motivate voters to care Apr 05, 2013
• ‘Dear Airline, Here’s the Problem…’ http://t.co/6fBnR48kb0 Customized surveys home in on problems so airlines can fix complaints fast Apr 04, 2013
• Pro-Gun Laws Gain Ground http://t.co/QXGXNbDwyZ Since Newtown Massacre, More States Ease Regulations Than Bolster Them Apr 04, 2013
• Tough Calls on Prenatal Tests http://t.co/I4037KsAt8 Beware false positives; If u get a positive, do a 2nd invasive test 2 check Apr 04, 2013
• 5 big Dodd-Frank battles http://t.co/Z7CfTuUVUA Volcker Rule, consumer bureau battle, random ratings, derivatives fight all on agenda Apr 04, 2013
• Health Insurers Prevail in Medicare Fight With Washington http://t.co/Z8TskpLoi6 Another example of the perversity of the PPACA $$ #abolish Apr 03, 2013
• Court says Stockton, California may proceed with bankruptcy http://t.co/DTgMt85Er1 Largest muni bankruptcy will challenge guarantors $$ $AGO Apr 02, 2013
• Banks Win Dismissal of Substantial Portion of Libor Suits http://t.co/HzdRoTIYS8 Difficult 2 prove particular damage 2 claimants. $$ #toobad Mar 31, 2013
• Frats Worse Than Animal House Fail to Pay for Casualties http://t.co/ViKN3I1Tb8 Very long article: national fraternities avoid liability $$ Mar 31, 2013

 

Financials

 

• Wrong: Beware of those who cry ‘bubble’ about bonds http://t.co/DHvp60swjB Article argues about wrong classes of bonds; Tsys not bubble Apr 05, 2013
• As Business Lending Rises, Concerns Emerge About Profit http://t.co/D8bdwXm5Re May b no defaults now, but loan pricing tighter than exp loss Apr 04, 2013
• The Lurkers of Wall Street http://t.co/odjuKYZodt @reformedbroker Of “desk analysts” that turn to Stocktwits when they can’t find news Apr 04, 2013
• Freeh Says Corzine?s Risky Strategy Helped Fell MF Global http://t.co/wSDrswvoYB B wary when companies pursue biz askew from main biz Apr 04, 2013
• HSBC Converts Loan Clients to Enter Junk Top 10 http://t.co/2yj8hHMW4E Pay more in yield, but gain flexibility from fewer covenants Apr 04, 2013
• Bond Traders Club Loses Cachet in Most Important Market http://t.co/7Hw4frsFOn It’s just not worth it 2b a primary UST dealer w/direct bids Apr 04, 2013
• Financial ETF Falters Amid Bearish Bets as Bank Earnings Loom http://t.co/axMByUp3Zd Ratio of $SPY to $XLF is rising http://t.co/zz0tdIslzq Apr 04, 2013
• I miss working in a life ins investment dept. You get to see all of the prospectuses for bizarre credit deals; u *feel* the credit cycle $$ Apr 04, 2013
• Bitcoin?s largest market crashes after wild price swing http://t.co/SAEdfFOmAN Smile when u say Bitcoin & “crash course” in same sentence $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Gross Says Buffett, Soros Careers Fueled by Expansion http://t.co/1WaBuu49bu Honest Gross; Taking 2much credit risk briefly looked good $$ Apr 03, 2013
• Mortgage Gamble Pays Off for Wells http://t.co/S82N3MwglF Doing balance sheet lending w/an option to sell if conditions r good $$ FD: + $WFC Apr 03, 2013
• Willow Fund as a Cautionary Tale for Investors http://t.co/UUsO9xUE2n Large strategy changes r always red flag; invalidates track record $$ Mar 30, 2013
• Does Blame Predict Performance? http://t.co/K79d7gJgqS “Blame cultures” can improve investing by identifying &fixing problems w/foresight $$ Mar 30, 2013
• Carl Icahn Unleashed: Wall Street’s Richest Man Is On The Attack — Just Ask Michael Dell http://t.co/Nck6h50plR Was interviewed 4 this $$ Mar 30, 2013

 

Other

 

• Is Jeffrey Loria the Worst Owner in Sports? http://t.co/B5qrnvM9c3 & Rent-seeking in professional sports http://t.co/QmhopqxwAw ?cc @munilass Apr 04, 2013
• Gold Slumps Toward Bear Market as Investors Cut Holdings http://t.co/2dOeIfPl4r Positive self-reinforcing liquidation of ETF units, mebbe Apr 04, 2013
• A Man in the Mirror http://t.co/85QSn5dSSM Bill Gross says great investors have had a huge tailwind from growth of credit. What comes next? Apr 04, 2013
• Firefox 20 is giving me fits w/a Javascript bug keeps popping up boxes that say “Error: missing ( after for” Also no posting 2 stocktwits Apr 04, 2013
• Visa Demand Jumps http://t.co/MlszY9pJ9y Employers Set to Quickly Reach Cap on Skilled Foreign Workers $$ Companies race to get ltd # visas Apr 02, 2013
• Republican Born Roosevelt Digs Deep for Texas Oil Found With CO2 http://t.co/DJ0DBx6YGV CO2 injection liberates tight oil in West Texas $$ Apr 02, 2013
• Buffett?s Missed Airlines Bet http://t.co/eEf37K7iOI Remember Buffett invests like baseball w/”no called strikes.” No fat pitch 2 swing @ $$ Apr 01, 2013
• Suzy Weiss: To (All) the Colleges That Rejected Me http://t.co/5jzMZGzSe9 Satirical article:useless things colleges look 4 in applicants $$ Apr 01, 2013
• Airline Returns Refute Buffett Aversion 2 US Carriers http://t.co/CD3fFjhcOo Dead cat bounce & that qualifies2undo the history of losses? $$ Apr 01, 2013

 

Overly Large Nonbank Financials

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• $NLY $GLD $SPY $VWO ticker list 4 publicly traded Miscellaneous Financial Services companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/OIrnSfE5jY Apr 04, 2013
• $AMP $BLK $BAM $SCHW $MS $UBS list of tickers 4 publicly traded Investment Services companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/6QiByewpnV Apr 03, 2013
• $AIG $BRK/A $CB $CNA $HIG $L $TRV list of tickers 4 publicly traded P&C Insurance companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/2jVlnE5oVT Apr 03, 2013
• $GNW $LNC $MET $PL $PRU $UNM list of tickers 4 publicly traded Life Insurers companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/cSoZnSL3LZ Apr 03, 2013
• $AFL $CI $PFG $UNH $WLP list of tickers 4 publicly traded Acc & Health Insurance companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/5JFJCzxZOm Apr 03, 2013
• $DFS $GE $SLM list of tickers 4 publicly traded Consumer Financial Services companies w/ > $50B in assets $$ http://t.co/4KPicolqgc Apr 03, 2013

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Replies & Retweets

 

• @probability_wtd Many things concern me, including this. Really difficult 2c the government keeping their hands of pension monies. Apr 06, 2013
• Buffett isn’t simple RT @researchpuzzler: my latest #wsjexperts comment, on lessons from Buffett http://t.co/vA3sdSIp11 HT @alephblog Apr 05, 2013
• @LaMonicaBuzz They have both assets & liabilities in the yen; they try 2 keep it even, effect should b small | FD: + $AFL Apr 05, 2013
• All significant energy use improvements have been more efficient use of oil, gas&coal RT @finemrespice: http://t.co/oBrHYmgszO <- Insanity. Apr 05, 2013
• I would be fine w/that RT @Nonrelatedsense: @AlephBlog strikes me as better to eliminate dividend taxes for C corps Apr 05, 2013
• “Just a market for speculators, because nothing physical is traded that producers want to hedge?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/2IvwG2nAt9 $$ Apr 05, 2013
• @neilbarofsky Really glad for you. I rarely get to meet any heroes. She was prescient. Apr 04, 2013
• RT @DavidSchawel: MOAR mREITS: Blackstone backed Ellington Mortgage $EARN files for $100mil IPO. Let no yield hog be left without a 12% … Apr 02, 2013
• @The_Analyst 15-20 years ago Apr 01, 2013
• ‘ @The_Analyst Real-time, this is 18-20 years ago, but it illustrates modern problems. It will get closer to the present as I move along $$ Mar 31, 2013
• RT @DavidSchawel: CS lessons from Cyprus: sr. bank debt no longer safe, uninsured bank deposits have been nailed in, and capital control … Mar 30, 2013

 

FWIW

 

• My week on twitter: 44 retweets received, 3 new listings, 58 new followers, 45 mentions. Via: http://t.co/cPSEMLXpb8 Apr 04, 2013