The Big Picture |
- Governments Worldwide Raise Acceptable Radiation Levels Based Upon Politics … Not Science
- How to Get More Click on Twitter
- The Belated Mortgage Fraud/Crisis Investigation
- CineStar 3 Axis Gimbal: Aerial Cinematography
- 10 Mid-Week PM Reads
- CNBC: William A. Ackman, Pershing Square Capital
- The Fed, Stocks & Chimichurri
- Did Google Kill The Longtail ?
- FOMC intent on being the BoJ
- Apple’s Superlatives Amongst Superlatives
| Governments Worldwide Raise Acceptable Radiation Levels Based Upon Politics … Not Science Posted: 25 Jan 2012 10:30 PM PST Instead of Protecting People, Governments Cover Up by Raising "Safe" Radiation LevelsAmerican and Canadian authorities have virtually stopped monitoring airborne radiation. Neither American nor Canadian authorities are testing fish for radioactivity. Does that mean that we don't have to worry about radiation from Fukushima? It is a little hard to know, given that what is deemed a "safe level" of radiation is determined by politics … rather than science. For example, current safety standards are based on the ridiculous assumption that everyone exposed is a healthy man in his 20s – and that radioactive particles ingested into the body cause no more damage than radiation hitting the outside of the body. And one of the main advisors to the Japanese government on Fukushima announced:
In the real world, however, even low doses of radiation can cause cancer. Moreover, small particles of radiation – called "internal emitters" – which get inside the body are much more dangerous than general exposures to radiation. See this and this. And radiation affects small children much more than full-grown adults. Indeed, instead of doing much to try to protect their citizens from Fukushima, Japan, the U.S. and the EU all just raised the radiation levels they deem "safe". Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen says that high-level friends in the State Department told him that Hillary Clinton signed a pact with her counterpart in Japan agreeing that the U.S. will continue buying seafood from Japan, despite that food not being tested for radioactive materials. And the Department of Energy is trying to replace the scientifically accepted model of the dangers of low dose radiation based on voodoo science. Specifically, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley Labs used a mutant line of human cells in a petri dish which was able to repair damage from low doses of radiation, and extrapolated to the unsupported conclusion that everyone is immune to low doses of radiation: In reality, not only is there overwhelming evidence that low doses of radiation can cause cancer, but there is some evidence that low doses can – in certain circumstances cause more damage than higher doses. As I pointed out in April:
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| How to Get More Click on Twitter Posted: 25 Jan 2012 07:30 PM PST |
| The Belated Mortgage Fraud/Crisis Investigation Posted: 25 Jan 2012 03:30 PM PST The most interesting news from the SOTU address was the very belated appointment of a mortgage investigation task force, the Office 0f Mortgage Origination and Securitization Abuses. You may recall that back in April of 2011, I presented to the National Association of Attorneys General a short keynote speech. It was titled “How Systemic Bank Fraud Contributed to the Financial Crisis.”In particular, you should review pages 14-17, and 22-30. But meanwhile you may be asking why in 2012 — 4 years after the great financial collapse, 3 years after the recovery began, and in the last year of the President’s term — Mr. Obama finally decided to investigate the role of Fraud in the entire crisis. The politics are obvious: Both Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party were very unhappy with the bailouts, and even more unhappy with the lack of prosecutions. So its obviously good politics. But the suspicions on the Left have already begun; consider:
That is way too negative — but the suspicions of the Obama administration, and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner aka the Banker’s friend — is not unwarranted. ~~~ What is the thought process about this? Is this the real deal investigation? Will this commission uncover anything, or is this cover for a white wash? What say ye? |
| CineStar 3 Axis Gimbal: Aerial Cinematography Posted: 25 Jan 2012 01:57 PM PST Move over helicopters! There’s a new way to capture amazing aerial video. Meet the remote-controlled octo-copter named Cinestar. Its 3-axis gimbal holds a camera rock-steady during flight. You have to see the shots it takes to believe it.
CineStar 3 Axis Gimbal from tabb firchau on Vimeo. |
| Posted: 25 Jan 2012 01:30 PM PST My afternoon train reading:
What’s on your iOS device? > Gee, Why a Congressional Approval Rating of 9%? |
| CNBC: William A. Ackman, Pershing Square Capital Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:57 AM PST Growing J.C. Penney ~~~ Pershing Square’s Charity Event |
| Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:45 AM PST The Fed, Stocks & Chimichurri ~~~ The Fed has extended its low-interest-rate forecast to 2014. In addition, it indicated a continuing commitment to extend the maturity of the Fed’s portfolio. In other words, excess reserves and huge liquidity provisions are here for longer than many previously thought. How long they persist will actually depend on many factors. However, the intention of the Fed, as long as Bernanke is Chairman, is clear. The same approach is at work at the other major central banks of the world. We track this on Cumberland’s website, www.cumber.com. The aggregate size of the combined G4 central bank balance sheets is about 9 trillion US dollars equivalent and is rising. G4 is the US Fed, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank. Massive liquidity is likely to encourage more risk taking over time. It will fuel a further rally in stock prices. It will encourage higher prices in precious metals. It will encourage acquisition of financeable assets of all types. We remain fully invested in our US stock market ETF portfolios. Our international portfolios are overweight the US and underweight Europe and Japan. Now to a tasty tidbit. While in South America we picked up this item from our chef at the Alto Puelo Lodge. Alejandro is a skilled chef from Buenos Aries who travels to the fishing lodge when there are guests. He is responsible for an added few pounds which I now must struggle to remove. He makes his version of a spicy mix that is used in various dishes and especially on an asado, or barbecue. We asked him if he knew the origins of the mix. He said it all started with the British, who were in La Pampa province, near Buenos Aires. They were eating an asado. My fishing colleague Michael Azeez verified the location personally. He has been there. Anyway. The British asked, “Give me curry” to their cook, who was a Gaucho. The gaucho did not understand the precise nature of the Brits' request, so he made up a spice mixture. He had dry oregano, dry peppers, garlic, and salt. Some hot oil and Chimichurri was born. Not in Patagonia but in La Pampa. Now there are a thousand recipes. Alejandro’s version at the Alto Puelo Lodge was terrific. We are back. The bull market continues. The Fed continues. I need to plan another fishing trip. Final musing: I know there are some FOMC members who like chimichurri. I wonder if Bernanke likes it. ~~~ David R. Kotok, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer |
| Did Google Kill The Longtail ? Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:30 AM PST Via SEO Book, comes this interesting look at how Google is impacting search results: > click for full graphic
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| Posted: 25 Jan 2012 09:59 AM PST The FOMC commentary on the economy and inflation is pretty much unchanged from the statement they gave in Dec. They continue to believe the economy has been expanding moderately, notwithstanding some slowing in global growth. The only real change of substance was they replaced the time frame of keeping rates ‘exceptionally low’ from mid 2013 to late 2014. This squares with an extremely dovish Fed where 2 of the 3 new members are so and now 8 of the 10 voting members are. Lacker, a new voting member and one of the 2 remaining hawks, dissented and didn’t want to specify the time frame. Bottom line, the Fed continues to believe that pinning rates at near zero is the cure all and seem to ignore the experience so far in the US and certainly what Japan has gone thru. This is NOT economic stimulus as they seem to think. Also, calling for where rates will be by late 2014 is a waste as anything can change in economic growth and inflation well before then. What the Fed is trying to do is jawbone the yield curve with their words. |
| Apple’s Superlatives Amongst Superlatives Posted: 25 Jan 2012 08:35 AM PST By now, everyone knows that Apple had a blowout quarter: Q1FY12 sales of $46.33 billion, profits of $13.1 billion, with gross margins of 45%, translates into EPS of $13.87. But the data points that surround the company today are simply astonishing. Consider these astounding Apple facts:
Last, my favorite chart set, via Dan Frommer: >
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