Archive - Sep 2015

Did Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott just lose his job because of fears that a probe and audit of the "data" and "statistics" behind global warming could threaten to destroy Goldman Sachs' best laid cap-and-trade, emissions trading scheme and carbon tax plans?

No risk, no gain. But risk can deliver staggering, crushing losses if it isn't limited or hedged. Times are going to get harder going forward, for all the reasons that are already visible in today's headlines. So what can we do to make our own lives easier as times get tougher? Here are three suggested strategies...

Having completed his militarist plans, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears to have gone full fantasy-tard with his latest "plans" for the demographically-dead and debt-destroyed nation. "Creating a strong economy will continue to be my top priority," Abe said, a goal he has stunningly under-achieved as Japan heads for its 5th recession in 4 years, but, as Bloomberg reports, it is his new "arrows" of economic hope that has left analysts scratching their heads - 20% economic growth (when its gone nowhere for years), a higher birth rate (as the aging of the nation accelerates and interest in sex plunges), and allegedly a goose that lays golden eggs (well why not?). The collapse of Abe's approval says it all about his 'plan'.

Are some Chinese banks ramping up their exposure to shadow conduits on the way to obscuring massive amounts of credit risk? Moody's says yes...

There was a very troubling 100 second interval at the end of Yellen's 50 minute, 5,000+ word speech in Amhert on Thursday, in which the 69-year old Yellen suddenly seemed unable to read the words on the page, was rereading the same phrase over and over, paused for long stretches at a time, and then had a violent reaction that forced her to end her speech prematurely. Watch it again below. But more disturbing was the Fed's reaction. As the WSJ reports, a Federal Reserve spokeswoman declined Friday to say if Chairwoman Janet Yellen resumed a normal work schedule or sought follow-up medical attention a day after she appeared ill near the end of a long speech in Amherst, Mass. Ms. Yellen returned to Washington on Friday.

Yellen's reaffirmation of a likely rate before year-end helped lift the dollar.  Look for some consolidation ahead of the US jobs data.  

"If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to al Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train and equip program guidelines"...

Perhaps it is because the world has grown habituated to its unique set of "liquidity" problems, but California's record, and ongoing, drought has not been receiving much media coverage in the rest of the country in recent weeks. Perhaps it should be, because according to a report by CBS Sacramento, the Mountain Meadows reservoir also known as Walker Lake, a popular fishing hole just west of Susanville, ran dry literally overnight, killing thousands of fish and leaving residents looking for answers.

Some people will never learn... ever. What is happening today is nothing more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The iceberg has been struck, we’re taking on water, and this sucker is going to sink. Game Over.

Vichy shit happens...

When it comes to debt-to-central-government-GDP ratios, the US is second only to the poster child for Keynesian insanity...

"We screwed some folks..."

The caste of climate alarmists reminds us strongly of assorted doomsayers throughout history. They have almost become a kind of priestly caste, accusing us of committing the alleged “sin” of capitalism, even while they reserve for themselves the right to partake of its fruits to an extent few others are able to (as Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore notes, “environmentalism has become a religion”). Mind, we don’t believe genuine environmental concerns should be ignored, but AGW looks more and more like a contrived non-issue. The hysteria that has been on display of late is probably an indication though that its proponents are actually losing the debate.

Forget currency collapses, capital outflows, crashing confidence, and current account carnage, there is one major reason why Brazil - no matter what - will not bounce back quickly...