This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Introducing DARPA
Dear Readers,
Today is Zero Hedge's ten month anniversary. What started off as an experiment in focused distributed content has become a site which has clocked over 30 million hits, has over five hundred thousand recurring monthly readers, and touches on virtually every aspect of economics, finance and capital markets. Having some modest influence on broader policy through our objective and systematic unmasking of complex "behind the scenes" issues has been merely frosting on the cake for us, as well as some degree of validation that our pursuit of the unvarnished truth is the right approach. We are happy that we now have the support of over 50 contributors (and many more waiting to be unleashed) as we grow and as topics we could never hope to cover alone but deserving of a detailed examination appear.
If we have learned one thing in these ten months, is that the old "soapbox" media model is dead. The future belongs exclusively to distributed content, where constant reader feedback is critical to fine-tuning and expanding any given theme or topic. This realization is why we are happy to present to you our latest product: the Distributed Analysis and Research Portfolio Aggregator page, or “DARPA.”
For many of you DARPA will not be a novel idea: leveraging on the concept developed originally by the somewhat secretive Value Investor Club, if not its various and less-secret offshoots. We will provide a platform where anyone and everyone will be able to present sophisticated, bottom-up, fundamentally driven theses, analyses and write-ups, in very much the same way that traditional analysts present research ideas. While the focus at present is predominantly on credit ideas, the modular interface permits virtually any product to be presented as an investment idea, including equity, convert, cash and derivative credit, preferred, stub and merger arb. However, where Zero Hedge will differ materially from the prevailing trope of secretive investment clubs that limit author participation to 250 or so members annually. Zero Hedge will have no such limitations. In fact, we hope to make DARPA the most democratic, distributed, open research platform available, and eventually convert it to a fully-blown untethered "ratings agency" where content is provided exclusively by readers, and, more importantly, evaluated, and commented on exclusively by readers. Each research piece will be rated purely on its merit by other DAPRA members, with the top research pieces and top authors prominently featured.
As noted, Zero Hedge is read monthly by over half a million people. Of these, about 30% originate from major financial institutions: investment banks, traditional asset managers, hedge funds, and others. Therefore the attraction of a DAPRA concept will be twofold:
i) to share one's top ideas with the key decision-makers of the financial community, and
ii) to have one's analytical talents noticed by the key portfolio managers. Expanding on this idea, we will soon develop a "marketplace" for research ideas, where research requests can be targeted to specific authors, and where DARPA analysts with established reputations can offer their analytical services to assorted portfolio managers.
Once we have a sizable cadre of DARPA members, we will streamline the rolodex and open it up to consultancy requests by asset managers for any of the thousands of registered Zero Hedge users who have proven their analytical skills on DARPA.
In essence, we have two main goals with DARPA:
i) to make obsolete the traditional rating agency model, by replacing it with a fully distributed, peer-rated, democratic research platform, and
ii) to provide an a la carte analyst/portfolio manager/trader talent retention service. If, for example, fund manager X wants a research write up on any number of ideas in, i.e., the energy space, DARPA will provide an existing inventory of top rated energy industry contributors. Such retention could be either temporary, in the form of a consultancy agreement, or permanent, as a full-time hire.
We are confident that the over ten thousand unemployed hedge fund workers who are currently presenting their various investment theses (if their headhunters deign so) to money managers who use the recruiting process merely to "fish" for ideas, will be very happy to present their ideas to DARPA, and the over 100,000 dedicated professional asset management executives and decision makers who read Zero Hedge hourly.
As part of DARPA, it gives us great pleasure to present to you nearly 1,000 full credit tearsheets developed in collaboration with our partners at High Yield Blog. By presenting detailed, in-depth quantitative financial information, usually reserved for clients of much more expensive databases, these reports will facilitate much of the distributed analysis presented on Zero Hedge, as well as a serve as a quick reference on virtually any 'on the run' global High Yield name for the convenience of our fixed income-focused readers. And as the representative universe consists of both American and European companies, our readers on both sides of the Atlantic will find this a most useful service.
Zero Hedge is also in discussions with several strategic partners with whom we hope to provide even more core research content as we build out DARPA into what we hope becomes the "go to" portal for not just objective, sophisticated credit analysis, but for distributed, comprehensive, unbiased research across all product classes.
We will run the DARPA service for free during its initial beta test. Subsequently, eventually a modest fee will be assessed, although authors of the top 20% highest rated ideas will have free access to the site. As for broader access to Zero Hedge, we are committed to maintaining free access the blog in its current format. Though we may launch certain add-on premium services in the future, what you see on the blog today will continue, free of charge.
And as any service is only as good as its content, we hope that our readers will immediately realize the benefits of presenting their sophisticated research ideas to the platform that addresses the broadest range of finance professionals. Therefore, any registered Zero Hedge member who wishes to be able to submit content to DARPA on an ongoing basis should contact darpa@zerohedge.com with an attached representative sample or submission proposal.
We hope that DARPA will be useful to not just our professional financial followers, but will serve to educate, enlighten and reach our entire readership.
- 29198 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -


Interesting. Hmmmmm. So, is this kind of like helping out the little guy?
I've known about DARPA for many years now. There is one thing you can be absolutely 1000% certain of: Helping out the "little guy"...is NOT part of the program. But they have been quite effective is helping create the means with which to spy on and kill the little guy. At that they have been quite effective and successful.
Of course I must have this DARPA confused with this DARPA
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
http://www.darpa.mil/
We're not talking about the same place right? Are we? (please tell me I have them confused and the name is a coincidence)
you beat me to the punch...i was going to raise
a red flag with the acronym....
and yes the military kills the people it is supposed
to protect....
You seem to be alive and well.
i am but john kennedy, robert kennedy, malcolm x,
martin luther king jr, john lennon, plus 13
soliders at ft hood are not.....nor are the victims
of the world trade center or oklahoma's murrah
building....
that's just for starters....
ps. in case the point was not clear i am implicating
the cia and their plutocrat masters in the deeds
to destroy.
Women in summer would like to become beautiful. Everything can grab other's eyes is their best friends.Products make them beauty and confident is their favourite. Look in the street,you can see many different types of make up to show women's personality.
Welcome to the shop, the following is our products, free shipping.
Soccer Shoes Cheap Soccer Shoes Nike Soccer Shoes Adidas Soccer Shoes Nike Soccer Shoes sale Adidas Soccer Shoes sale UGG UGGs UGG Boot UGG Boots UGG Boots Sale Cheap UGG Boots UGG Boots Cheap Women UGG boots ugg boots cardy ugg cardy boots Nike Air Nike Air Max Nike Air Max Shoes Nike SB Nike Dunk Nike Dunk SB Nike Dunk SB Shoes Nike Shox Nike Shox Shoes Timberland Timberland sale Timberland boots Timberland boots online Timberland on sale New timberland boots Women Bags Women Bags Sale Women Handbags Women Handbags Sale Women New Bags Cheap Bags Cheap Bags On Sale UGG UGG boots UGG boots sale UGG boots short Short ugg Short ugg boots Ugg boots tall New women bags New women bags sale New women bags sale online Louis Vuitton Handbags Gucci bags Nike Nike Shoes Nike Shoes Sale Nike running Nike running shoes Nike trainers Nike trainers shoes Timberland Timberland boots Timberland boots sale Timberland boot Timberland boot sale Timberland boots cheap Men timberlands MBT MBT Shoes MBT Chapa GTX MBT Men Shoes MBT Women Shoes Discount MBT Shoes LV Handbags Gucci Handbags Chanel Handbags Chloe Handbags D&G Handbags Dior Handbags Fendi Handbags Hermes Handbags Jimmy Choo Bags Marc Jacobs Bags Miu Miu Handbags Mulberry Bags Prada Handbags Versace Handbags Yves Saint Laurent Balenciaga Bags Burberry Handbags LV Handbags Gucci Handbags Chanel Handbags Chloe Handbags D&G Handbags Dior Handbags Fendi Handbags Hermes Handbags Jimmy Choo Bags Marc Jacobs Bags Miu Miu Handbags Mulberry Bags Prada Handbags Versace Handbags Yves Saint Laurent Balenciaga Bags Burberry Handbags
Those who want to become most beautiful in the world should try them. Just ones can make you different. Girls who want to grab your boyfriends's heart is necessary to use them.
We are taking back the acronym.
Make an offer to sell your site.
Its obvious you cannot run it to its fullest potential.
Beautiful creation, Mr. Yang, however its time that its turned over to people who can handle the next level.
But what would we do in the afternoons then?
http://tinyurl.com/yb7fkty
"This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time."
This is freaking awesome! I joined yesterday and we're moving outta Lou's basement!
Is that a movie quote?
Fight Club
Hey, I worked for DARPA! Best bang for buck of any government spending program, bar none! Reputation tainted by Bush, Poindexter and Total Information Awareness program.
DARPA + best "bang" for the buck = the irony of the phrasing is just...gorgeous.
We love you, but indeed it was a crapronym. let's press on...
now arpanet was father to the internet, not so bad.
edit..fat finger
Oh please. So much technology came out of DARPA, it's not funny. This internet thingy, for example. That item has literally changed the world. Tyler's proposal would have been impossible twenty years ago. VLSI technology, the computer mouse, AI software - all were created at DARPA, or by DARPA grants to outside firms. They probably waste a lot of money (what government agency doesn't?), and they have a long list of failures as well, but overall, they have created things that have benefited everyone's lives.
+1
Huh? Computer mouse was Xerox, AI software has been around much longer (LISA anyone?) and as for the internet thingy, well the TCP/IP protocols were started by founding from DARPA to a small group of Stanford graduates, but with the Unix operating system University research is what really drove and propelled the "internet thingy" - the first true TCP/IP network WAS NOT military owned.
And besides DARPA is now just ARPA, and if you really want to see what nice things these guys get up to try HAARP on for size.
On the financials side, I think this new DARPA could become big enough to take on GS - would love to see distributed analysis p0wning the big hegemons
You're pretending to be thick right?
It was chosen for hilarious name confusion purposes.
Black Thursday...
Sounds a lot like an automated valuation model for the mortgage brokers..... Just look at the results at Fannie Mae.... DARPA wants your input, so DARPA can suck all of the water out of the lake.
Sounds a lot like an automated valuation model for the mortgage brokers..... Just look at the results at Fannie Mae.... DARPA wants your input, so DARPA can suck all of the water out of the lake.
Come on you lugs! No more DIAPERS. Get into your DARPA!
Wow. I've never been this close to Marla before. She smells good. I mean nice. Should I say something? Maybe I could impress her with my knowledge of DARPA.
Excuse me, did you just SMELL my hair?
Uh sorry. I got a cold.
OUTFRIGGINSTANDING stuff, ZeroHedge.
"MARK IT ZERO, DUDE"
Much kudos to Zero Hedge, yet again, for undertaking this latest venture! Truly a great day for McGraw-Hill and Morningstar.
I'll volunteer to be in charge of the annual DARPA swimsuit calendar.
LOL.....
Dang, Robo, I was hoping for a pic of Darpa Conger.
"Who Wants To Annul An Idiotic Marriage To A Millionaire?"
More. Meat.
Is this a request for a curvier woman, or for more women. Your post is not clear to me.
Agreed...painfully thin.
tragically thin
Thin? Not where I'm looking...
"More.Meat."
Is that a reference to the SyFy original movie Cyclops because damnit i hope it is
Fascinating. . .
A bikini with a gripper surface.
What will DARPA inspire next?
it's a grip her surface, but not so much meat on the bones
Oh I dunno. There appears to be enough cracks and crevices for me to hook my belaying device into. ;-)
edit..deadish "save" button
don't f@#k with the music
congratulations
Bringing about a better world on a timeline that leads to zero. Not sure why, but best to make it as comfortable ride to the end as possible.
Shanky, now that 1090 is history, where are you looking?
1121 my original upper target - minis have a gap from 1104 to 1109 that may need filling - watch the upper trendline on SPX RSI for possible reversal point - follow the daily indicators on your fav index, they are the only things that have not lied all the way up. The IH&S played out to the number (luckily). The dollar is key as well.
Shanghai peaked at 3478.01 on 8/4/9...
I was just going to say, this should be mildly entertaining, until the lights go out. All my thoughts seem derivative these days.
Saw that earlier before your post - was wondering what it was...
Diggin it.
Has it only been 10 months? Feels like 10 years. DARPA? I'm not sure there will be much interest in equities after what I expect we'll see over the next two years. 2012 may not be the end of the civilized world, but I doubt most Americans will be worried about their 401(k)'s.
which is why our core focus is on credit.
Thanks. I realize that there are several TD's, but I love the blog. Please share my appreciation with everyone in Project Mayhem.
I give you a lot of credit, and the bond market rules
Hmmm, so I have to figure out how to put "GOLD BITCHES!!!" in an analytical write-up.
I'll get on it.
I am Chumbawamba.
Yo! Chumbawamba, might you perform "Dutiful Servants and Political Masters" from your "Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records" LP? Or even better, "Three Years Later" from the "Bullshit Detector 2" compilation?
T.D. - I love your sense of humor. Maybe we can have a little sub-category called PAM within the framework of DARPA.
"Tyler Durden - Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men(women) who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."
We have got our Great Depression Now...
Congratulations on the evolutionary leap; this looks/sounds fascinating. You may be slightly optimistically estimating the readership numbers (unless the mirror sites really add that much), but kudos on a most imaginative development.
Well I check ZH about 20 times a day, so I think the numbers are accurate, and if stupid a$$ YHOO keeps messing with their homepage throwing all sorts of stupid popups all over the place, ZH will be by homepage...
I gave up YAHOO and went back to Google exactly because of this reason.
That, and I do not like the new look. preferred the old look.
At least Google gives me options of what I want showing on my home page.
Dear Yahoo.... I paid for my account, quit screwing with the view.
Some might be skeptical of the value of research or investment ideas published online. Here's a study of the value of investment ideas offered at the referenced Value Investors Club site.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1499341
In sum, the author finds that the ideas on the VIC site from January 2000 to December 2008 do have value, relative to a benchmark, though more value on the long side, than short side, and more value in small caps rather than large caps.
Way to step on DoD toes!
http://www.darpa.mil/
Great idea. Looking forward to seeing how you execute this.
.
If DARPA is successful, and actually "helps out the little guy" one should ask themselves who controls the DNS servers on this small planet?
It's a noble cause -soon to be captured by the elite.
Fight like hell Zero Hedge...the little guy can't handle the truth if it exposes the pigmen. And they are not to be exposed...or are they...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8de2W3rtZsA
.
People can use alternative root servers http://www.open-rsc.org/
I like your ideas and thoughts. While chat with my friends talking about it.
Thanks for another great addition to an already awesome website. I just want you to know that if you ever try to leave me.......I'll kill you.
Yeah, you think people want to know your identity now, wait until you try to shut down the site! We don't care if they have threatened your unborn children, damn it, the site stays up!
Great Idea. I'm unemployed but I have credit and equity buyside experience. I'll contribute. One thing I wonder about, if someone becomes relatively influential and they are employed at a fund and their research is able to move the market does a subpoena show up at their desk one day from the SEC?
Seems like a risk most employed people will be unwilling to take these days as I assume posting investment ideas with great detail is probably a cause to be fired at most funds (even if those investments aren't implemented at the fund).
Cool idea, it could be great.
gosh, what a sexy concept. Luv it.
"Pump and Dump"... filtering out propaganda may be a daunting task if this really catches fire...
ZH's naming this DARPA is their way of playing psy-ops on the feds
whats andy say on buildout
Hm, interesting. Bold.
My, this next year got even more interesting.
I have a friend, a really brilliant guy. Disappeared off the face of the earth for about 18 years. Surfaced in Australia. He had been recruited by DARPA out of grad school and worked on things he cannot talk about, ever. The fact that he moved to the furthest available place on the planet, into the middle of the W. Desert (underground dwelling) and to this day will not say a word about what he did for 18 years to anyone would scare the bejeezus out of me, if I hadn't already come to terms with the fact that on a long enough timeline...
On an unrelated note, I just interviewed for a PM position with a Pertobas subsidiary (lost my US job 2 weeks ago) and Brazil is really hopping. Haven't decided about the job yet, I have to go to Malaysia in December for another (short-term) project, but I am seriously considering permanent relocation. Did get mildly robbed while I was there (Recife) though. Wasn't as bad as the average dental appointment. My mugger was rather lackadaisical about the whole thing. Certainly cost me a lot less than Whirlybird Ben has recently.
Best of luck on the next phase of ZH's evolution. I truly appreciate this site and everyone who contributes to it.
"The fact that he moved to the furthest available place on the planet"
Say what?
Furthest available from the USA. The Western Desert of Australia. Slightly more hospitable than Antarctica.
2012 skynet goes active.
A Project Mayhem position with a Petrobas subsidiary: suffice it to say I'm intrigued.
Project 'Management' position unfortunately, though any project I run always involves plenty of Mayhem. I will keep my handlers at ZH informed of any relevant intelligence.
So he disappears for 18 years, refuses to talk about what he's been doing during that time, and he's a friend? You sure you're not talking about an ex-wife?
Hypersonic flight...
Thanks for all the hard work guys, much appreciated .
Can't wait to pay for the upgrade to the new site!
You guys deserve it.
*applause* and many years more ...
MARK IT ZERO
BOOM BABY...DOGGY STYLE
“Of these, about 30% originate from major financial institutions: investment banks, traditional asset managers, hedge funds, and others.”
And, …“over 100,000 dedicated professional asset management executives and decision makers who read Zero Hedge hourly.”
How were these numbers determined?
Yeah, interesting right? Unless they divulge that info on their own.
In concept the idea is amazing. But how am I to trust the "30% that originate from financial institutions?"
Again, conceptually love the idea.
www.sitemeter.com
rather basic questions for anyone who runs a website
Biff Malibu
Financial institution originations could be determined by IP address tracked by any suite of web analytics software (or even using the most basic Google Analytics for free).
However, in the realm of web analytics, it looks like ZH need some work. No one uses the term "hits" anymore, it's traffic, as a hit is really a request for anything from a page to be loaded. Stick with visits (sessions) to measure traffic. If anyone has questions feel free to reach out to me.
This is real and substantial revolution. I am excited for you.
You can seize the means of production, or you can ignore them and become the means of production.
Holy fuck, I hope it works. I'm not sure you have enough time, but its cool to go down trying.
Watch your six. Don't get coopted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz0BE-gl_UI
If you make money, you should permanently rent a huge big screen display in times square and sequentially show each legislator's face and caption describing the latest stupid thing he or she did in the past week. Just continually scroll through the house, the senate, the executive branch, the FED and advertise all the dirty laundry 24/7 365 day a year. Votes, corruption, bribes, stupidity, failure to read legislation. Make the captions into a nice rhyme so every one will remember.
Better yet, pay for it through an Obama stimulus grant.
Make each member so recognizable that they have no where to hide. Kids will point as they pass on the street and say, "daddy he's a bad man for passing TARP", and the dad will say, "son what do you expect from somebody who doesn't read legislation", and the son will say, "daddy, even I can read".
You get the idea.
This is brilliant, and i hope an actionable idea Mark Beck!
Brilliant.........and legally actionable by anyone whose face is on the billboard. There is a very good reason ZH is not based, not even the servers, in the US.
But, there are plenty of ways to skin a Congressperson. Keep thinking and posting.
I thought truth was a defense?
What's that legal saying? There is truth, there is legal truth and then there is legally provable truth.
The evil ones obscure in order to destroy. But there's always another way over the flooded river as soon as you accept the bridge in front of you is destroyed. They may be smart but we are smarter once we give up playing their rigged game by their rules.
They own the legal system. Short circuit the system. Go around it. I find it interesting that a new movie called "Pirate radio" is just coming out. Pirates don't respect the old rules but neither do they sit around waiting to be caught by the old rules.
ZH is an example of the new rules.
I hear what you are saying. I do. We are in strange territory nowadays.
But I fail to see how showing someone on camera--someone talking on camera in a public venue making public laws--could ever be possibly construed as actionable slander. If what you say is as bad as it is, C-SPAN would have been sued into oblivion ages ago.
To your larger part about routing your message around the system barriers, I totally agree. I did it way back in the day when I hand-edited a photocopied conspira-fanzine and mailed it around the country to my reader base of five. Rules should always be tested. Back in the 90s William Cooper was trying hard to get people all over interested in local FM radio below the FCC enforcement threshhold. He was a decade or so too early; nowadays we could all stream content to each other across a city if we configure the net well enough and anyone with a transistor radio could swim in alternative viewpoints.
Desperate men do desperate things. We must move beyond considering how sane and reasonable people will respond to irritation or outright assaults.
If a message as described is placed on the billboard, the powers that be (assuming they don't like it) will find many different ways to pull it down, including personal pressure on the owner of the billboard and nuisance law suits against the billboard owner and the person/entity with the message.
If the only thing that's put up is video or pictures of various law makers without editorial comment underneath, what exactly is the message and who will pay attention? It's the comments that will burn their asses. C-Span makes no direct judgement nor offers their own commentary on what they broadcast. C-Span invented PC. Besides, the counter attack against the message and billboard will not come directly from the lawmakers but instead from their minions.
All I'm saying is there are much more effective ways of accomplishing this than to waste time and money on something that will get quickly pulled down. Don't rely on the legal system to protect any of our rights because we have none if they decide it's no longer convenient for us to believe we do.
Please remember this. The only reason we're even tolerated at this time is because they're winning. It's as simple as that. Get their backs against the wall and there will be blood. Mostly ours in fact.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml2Ae2SIXac
I've said for a long time--more years than I wish were true--that all this will end with blood in the streets.
If you listen to Fiat Lux on Haus der Luege you will hear the blood hitting the streets.
CD - One cannot be rational with the irrational. You know this. Fear begets fear and the rule of law is THE prophylaxis for a self governing society. This is why our society is failing. There is a process of judicial exclusion that is destroying the very substance of our society. And substance can never be completely replaced with myth.
I think the problem stems is not just from irrationality but from ignorance; at least on the part of the public. I take the subway to work, and I often find myself looking around at the people on the train --- reading, listening to music, doing crosswords, sleeping, etc. I can't help but think to myself how many of these poor saps understand what's going on around them? They go to work, get their paychecks, they do their thing, and the believe that government is acting in their best interests. Blanket statements coming out from compassionate-sounding politicians sound soothing, "We must do the right thing." "Failure is not an option" "yes, we can" etc...
People start waking up when they start losing their jobs, when gas goes to $4/gallon. What we see as inevitable, inevitably will occur only when enough people see the effects of the problems first hand -- and even then the problems must cascade ceaselessly, for government is really good at deflecting responsibility by finding scape goats.
Very well put Daedal .. but wouldn't it be nice to enjoy that very ignorance, if only but for a few moments of each passing day?
As 125842 noted, truth is not a defense. In the USA, falsity is an element of the tort. (That means that the plantiff must prove that the statement was false. If truth were merely a defense, the defendant would have to prove the statement was true, something that can be difficult to do.)
More importantly, because the people mentioned are public figures, one must also prove _NY Times_ malice in order to successfully sue for defamation or libel. I.e., the publisher of the alleged defamation must have acted with "reckless disregard of whether [the statement or publication] was true or false." NY Times v. Sullivan, http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0376_0254_ZS.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._Sullivan"
NY Times malice" has been a very important 1st Amendment protection for journalists and bloggers in the USA since the 1960s. It makes it very difficult for public figures to recover for defamation or libel; it's one of the few cases that every American (especially bloggers or those commenting in a public forum) should know about.
That said, those criticised could bring nuisance defamation lawsuits against ZH in order to run up fees in the hope of shutting down the ongoing negative publicity for themselves and other public figures.
If they cant get past ZH motion to dismiss, which would be filed instantly, how are they going to run up their costs? Especially in this legal market -- I bet I could construct a pretty good law firm right now in any major city just from all the unemployed and soon to be unemployed attorneys.
Wouldn't wish it on my enemies but you've never been divorced?
No, actually it is not.
Defamation is a tort which involves the invasion of a person's interest in his or her reputation and good name. Costello v. Hardy, 2003-1146 (La.1/21/04), 864 So.2d 129; Fitzgerald v. Tucker, 98-2313 (La.6/29/99), 737 So.2d 706, 715.
A successful claimant in a defamation action must establish the following elements: (1) defamatory words; (2) publication; (3) falsity; (4) malice; and (5) injury. Rogers, supra.
If even one of the required elements of the tort is lacking, the cause of action fails. Costello, supra; Douglas v. Thomas, 31,470 (La.App. 2 Cir. 2/24/99), 728 So.2d 560, writ denied, 99-0835 (La.5/14/99), 741 So.2d 661; Kosmitis v. Bailey, 28,585 (La.App. 2d Cir.12/20/96), 685 So.2d 1177.
Even when a plaintiff makes a prima facie showing of the essential elements of defamation, recovery may be precluded if the defendant shows either (1) the statement was true, or (2) the statement was protected by a privilege, absolute or qualified.
Costello, supra; *1210 Doe v. Grant, 2001-0175 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1/29/03), 839 So.2d 408, writ denied, 2003-0604 (La.5/2/03), 842 So.2d 1102.
Great response. Nice to see the legal eagles reading this site. Welcome.
You demonstrate exactly what I'm talking about. Very difficult to do much in the legal system that can't be done much more quickly with some muscle and special ops.
I always remember the golden rule. There is little doubt who is exercising that rule over the past few years. While I agree the legal system can be a refuge, we were shown how the Chrysler bond holders fared in the legal system. I believe that was just the first shot across the bow.
If the powers that be want us crushed in the legal system, they'll either find a way or change the rules. Either way, valuable time will be lost fighting a rigged game by their rules. Of this I'm certain.
+1
So, what do you do when the govt. defames you?
Use K-Y and smile smile smile.
WOW- never bothered to check where ZH's server(s) are. Never it even crossed my mind one may actually need to host in Sweden! Are we so close as Orwell says "In times of mass deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act" ? Are we ? Holly smokes!
BTW, clicking around ZH's hosting provider, they have a great (as both bandwidth and price)
Tunnel service (OpenVPN) here: http://prq.se/?p=tunnel&intl=1
And here is a great, and I mean GREAT (as price and as in "blows
the socks off of a 10 times more-expensive cisco") with very easy
and powerful user interface, and yes- it does support OpenVPN.
http://routerboard.com/index.php?showProduct=56
You may have to find it on the "resellers" link or
ebay as this site is wholesale and has minimum order
in the hundreds.
Disclosure: I am happy user of RB750 and soon PRQ, but
have no interest of any kind in promoting either.
I like research, I like distributed content and I like Zerohedge.
This move is a "Good Thing".
Not cool, ultra cool ! Thank You again zero hedge !
Whatever it helps putting a nail in GS coffin by empowering the little guy sounds like a great idea.
Not commenting much lately (as I am not an expert) but still reading you several times a day.
Couple interesting charts here.
http://oahutrading.blogspot.com/2009/11/es-perspective-rising-or-setting...
Zerohedge continues to amaze me as to the great length they sacrifice themselves, in efforts to spread the word, reach the unreachable, explain to the masses that WE WILL NOT BE TAKING THIS SHIT ANY LONGER!
And now this...exposing brilliant minds to the masses, sicking every last drop of ideas of others to such a high level opportunity as research analysis. OPENING IDEAS IN THE WAKE OF DESTRUCTION IS MADDENINGLY INSANE AND I LOVE IT. DID YOU GET THAT WASHINGTON? HEY GS...IS ANYBODY THERE OR DID YOU BITE YOUR HEADOFF YET TO SPITE YOUR FACE!
As you will see, in the pages and pages of Zerohedge, history in the making and stories within stories, that bring new insight and speak of our darkest fears. I applaud you and pray protection over we who know between right and wrong and are willing to take the path less taken. Thanks again, for bringing us together to learn from each other continually. I will be forever greatful for the bit of sanity you have given me, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE SHIT I'VE LEARNED I DIDN'T KNOW AND HAD TO RESEARCH! So power on DARPA! Tyler(s) and Marla(s) we salute you!
What sacrifice?? On the contrary i think they are making good money out of this site and would be making it paid site soon to mint more money.
Why shouldn't they make money out of this site. You don't think Cramer gets paid for lying to you (along with the rest of Big Media). It took a lot of courage (and work) to build this site with no guarantee of any reward. Anyone who provides a valuable service should be paid and the more valuable the service the better the pay should be (at least in a rational market). Thanks, ZeroHedge and I, for one, hope you make a bundle for your hard work.
What's up with you? I guess people should work their asses off so an anonymous ungreatful asshole should resent their efforts. People have to eat! You my friend should eat shit and die.
Hey shitbird,
When you are emitting as much content--useful content--that ZH does, and you have to float the costs of production associated with all that content (time, hardware, bandwidth, cigarettes, inflatable dolls, etc) I think you will sing a whole different tune.
But you never will make such content will you? Nope, you'll just come here and snipe.
Like a shitbird.
Inflatable dolls? You mean Marla is an inflatable doll?
Say it ain't so, Marla. Say it ain't so.
Marla is no inflatable doll. She is an erudite and tenacious character, good to have on our side.
that I named my own inflatable doll Marla is another matter completely, mere coincidence.
Anatomically correct I assume?
Nicholsong, absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. Thank you!
Let me just set the record straight here. Zero Hedge enjoys the time, effort and (most importantly right now) capital of its senior staff, without which there would be no Zero Hedge. Zero Hedge is not cheap to run and no one, even near the top, is getting rich off the site at this point.
I'm obviously not going to get into specifics on finances, but one only needs the most passing command of basic math to see that it's difficult to construct a "making good money" model for Zero Hedge right now.
Obviously, we hope this changes, but most of the senior staff aren't in it for the bucks. Rather, we'd like to have more resources to pour into the site, and thereby expand functionality and content for its users. For starters, we'd LOVE to double our FOIA budget.
Finally, the day we start to see the kind of funds coming into Zero Hedge that will sustain it and provide for a bit of growth, we'll yank the donate link you see on your left there.
Good luck and God bless. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated.
hey marla.................... fogettaboutit
hey marla...................fogetaboutit
fogetaboutit
Forget about it.
Amazing... Zero Hedge is taking it to the next level. Awesome. I will be contributing soon.
soon? yeah-----------right
This is a very good idea, and actually made me realize that I never submitted a single full research report to this site. I will share some of what I am working on currently, in detail.
Kudos from someone who has perpetually worked outside of the establishment. I am sure all realize how much of a threat this is to the status quo as well as an opportunity to truly change the modus operandi.
Reggie. I love your work. How bad did you get hit today. I'm demoralized. I've been trying to short REv everyday. Finally did. It went up $2 right after. I'm scared what these fucks have up their sleeves.
As i read this, i thought that you would like this. This is definitely your area of expertise, i believe you will have a field day in this area.
Were you intending to post a link with that seemingly unfinished comment?
Best luck with that!
I am no investor, at least while I can keep surviving as R/D engineer. Yet I spend some excellent time here.
BTW, keep in mind some of us use ad-blockers and just prefer directly supporting worthy sites.
Are there ads on ZH? I've been using ad blockers for so long now (predating my ZH lurking) that I don't think I've ever seen one here.
Uh... Isn't any trading in this environment just contibuting to the bubble? Wouldn't a longer term project be proposing the next model? It seems one's either a soldier, or a target.
Here's I point I'd like to offer on that;
A major part of the problem is the system of public financing, where enormous bills, stuffed with enough goodies to gain sufficient support, are rammed through the system. That's not budgeting. The process of budgeting is to prioritize needs and desires, then decide where to draw the line between what can be afforded and what cannot. In the US, some years ago, there was a discussion about the "line item veto," where the president could delete any item he wished from spending bills. Obviously this would remove all power of the purse from the legislature and likely be unconstitutional. In the spirit of actual budgeting, a possible solution would be to break these bills down to their constituent lines and then have every legislator assign a percentage value to each line and then re-assemble them in order of preference. The president would then draw the line at what would be funded. This would divide responsibility, allowing the legislature to prioritize, while giving the president final authority over total spending. Since making the cut would be graded on a curve, there would be much less incentive to trade favors and the percentage system would allow legislators to fine tune their granting of favors to other legislators and lobbyists. Since local spending by the national government would be reduced, a local public banking system which recycled wealth back into local infrastructure would fill the hole.
Call it the Recovery After Potential Termination of Useless Resource Environment.
The credit snapshot report on DARPA is very very average. No insight in those repoerts.
I agree. A handful of financial statistics constitutes credit analysis? No schedules of debt maturities, no real analysis of cash flows and their sensitivity to changes in revenues, margins, etc.? No word on covenants, pension obligations, corporate assets pledged as collateral against other debt, etc.? No comparison of spreads versus treasuries to comparables?
I don't get what the audience for credit analysis of individual corporate bonds is supposed to be. Individuals buying corporate bonds need to buy a diversified portfolio of them since the best you can do with a bond is get paid back at par and the worst you can do is lose most or all of your principal. To get competitive pricing on corporate bonds you need to buy them in pretty large quantities and even then you need access to a Bloomberg terminal or some other accurate source of bond pricing to ensure you don't get raped on the price. If you don't have a few million $ to invest in corporate bonds you're probably better off buying a low expense corporate bond mutual fund managed by somebody with a good track record. That's if you even want to buy corporate bonds now given that spreads on investment grade and junk debt are back below where they were prior to the Lehman collapse.
If the audience is hedge funds, the examples of analysis shown don't even begin to scratch the surface. I have never worked in a hedge fund but would think a decent credit analysis has to be at least 10 or 15 pages just to cover the basics, albeit with an executive summary in front.
ZH has been saying the markets are unhooked from the underlying fundamentals (I agree with them) and now they're launching a service that offers fundamental analysis of corporate credit.
Great idea.
How about exposing macro-ideas and long term trends?
Sometimes you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right"
The Grateful Dead
There are plenty of ideas for DARPA here:
http://pensionpulse.blogspot.com/2009/05/why-is-small-beautiful.html
If top hedge funds are buying or accumulating a stock, I track it and want to know why.
Is that your blog Leo?
Yes it is.
I like it.
Far out!
Instead of a Disruptive Technologies Office (DTO) you
can have a Disruptive Discussions Office (DDO) :-)
so...
zee giant begins to wake
congratulations Tyler et al
- you guys must make some great coffee
good luck
Stuff like this is exactly why ZH continues to be my most read site. I literally have it opened on my screen at work all day long (and then for a couple hours when I get home). Keep up the great work guys.
+1
I love Tyler (and Marla) like a fat kid loves cake.