The Big Picture

Uptown Passover
Succinct Summation of Week’s Events 3.3.15
Net Migration Between California and Other States: 1955-1960 and 1995-2000
Nobel Prize for Economics
10 Good Friday Reads
2016 McLaren 570S Coupe

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 04:00 PM PDT

This Passover, we’re taking our seder “uptown”. Hope your Pesach is as funky fresh as can be!

This song and all Six13 songs are completely a cappella — created with nothing but the human voice.

Speaking of which, we released our brand new album TODAY! It’s called Six13, Vol. 6: Thirteen. It We’re extremely proud of it and hope you’ll buy one at Aderet Music or download it on iTunes!

Succinct Summation of Week’s Events 3.3.15

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 11:00 AM PDT

Succinct Summations week ending April 3^rd

Positives:

1. Initial jobless claims fell to 268k, the lowest level in 15 years.
2. Euro-area economic sentiment rose to 103.9, the highest level in nearly four years.
3. Pending homes sales increased 3.1%, the highest reading since June 2013 and above the 0.3% expected rise.
4. Personal income rose 0.4%, better than the 0.3% expected rise.
5. S&P/Case-Shiller home price index rose 0.87% and 4.56% y/o/y, in line with expectations.
6. Markit manufacturing came in at 55.7, slightly better than the 55.3 expected.
7. The S&P 500 finished the quarter in the green for the ninth consecutive time.
8. Unemployment came in at 5.5% and wages rose 0.3% m/o/m and 2.1% y/o/y.

Negatives:

1. NFP came in at 126k vs expectations of 245k, the lowest number since December '13
2. US Private Payrolls added 189k jobs in March vs the 225k expected.
3. The Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index fell from -11.2 to -17.4 in March.
4. Consumer spending rose 0.1%, up from the -0.2% fall in February, but below the 0.2% expected change.
5. ISM manufacturing fell to 51.5, below the 52.5 expected and the slowest expansions since May 2013.
6. Construction spending fell 0.1% m/o/m, in line with expectations.
7. January and February payroll were revised lower by almost 70k.

Thanks, Mike!

Net Migration Between California and Other States: 1955-1960 and 1995-2000

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 09:00 AM PDT

Source: US Census

Nobel Prize for Economics

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 06:00 AM PDT

Source: Dilbert

10 Good Friday Reads

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 04:00 AM PDT

Its Good Friday, and the start of Passover. Here are your 3 day weekend at home morning reads:

• Opening Windows: A once-dominant software giant is determined to prove that life begins again at 40 (The Economist)
• G.M. Bets Big on a Resurgent Cadillac (NY Times)
• Why Data Breaches Don't Hurt Stock Prices (HBR)
• The Monetarist Mistake (Project Syndicate) see also Milton Friedman, Monetarism, and the Great and Little Depressions (Uneasy Money)
• Tidal and the Future of Music (stratechery)
• Wal-Mart, GE Pressure Has States Changing Tune on Gay Rights (Bloomberg) see also Indiana’s Religious Conservatives Surrender (Bloomberg View)
• The Best Way to Find an Airfare Online (WSJ)
• Why Obama chose the Iran talks to take one of his presidency's biggest risks (Washington Post) see also Iran nuclear talks: a very simple guide (Vox)
• How the Gluteus Became Maximus: Debate among scholars about the true origin of a preference among males for curvier backsides. (The Atlantic)
• Adam Riches on Bill Murray: 'Ghostbusters made me want to be funny' (The Guardian)

What are you reading?

The deficit as a proportion of GDP

Source: Office for Budget Responsibility

2016 McLaren 570S Coupe

Posted: 03 Apr 2015 03:00 AM PDT

The next McClaren is an “affordable supercar — as others have written, its much more than just another run of the mill 911-fighter.

I really like the styling (but abhor the lack of manual stick shift). The two-tone color scheme really works, building upon what the Audi R8 “Blade” revived.

That orange is reminiscent of Lamborghini (or my Jeep Rubicon), and the stealthy gray is a but subdued for my taste. IMO, the pearlescent blue (seen in X-Box Forza) or even the P1 Yellow (of P1 GTR fame) are better choices than orange or the gray.

McLaren is getting serious about being more than a niche automaker: They plan a new model launches may every year until 2022.

From McLaren:

“The new 570S Coupé is a classic sports car with a mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout and a carbon fibre chassis. The M838TE twin-turbo V8 engine produces 570PS (562bhp) and 600Nm (442lb ft), with 30 percent of components bespoke to the Sports Series. Power is delivered through a seven-speed SSG transmission and transmitted to the road via Pirelli P-Zero™ Corsa tyres, and this power is brought under control with standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes. The Sports Series has its own newly developed suspension system along with 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Track' handling settings.”

PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 3.2 seconds
0-200 km/h (0-124 mph): 9.5 seconds
Top speed: 328 km/h (204 mph)

Source: McLaren

Videos (and more photos) after the jump

You car notes:

The Coupé is the first bodystyle to be shown in the Sports Series, highlighting the latest evolution of the McLaren design philosophy. The 'shrinkwrapped', aerodynamically-optimised form will be seen in public for the first time at the 115th New York International Auto Show. The McLaren design team has created a shape of beauty highlighted by details such as the rear flying buttresses that increase downforce as well as adding grace, and complex door tendons that direct additional air to cool the mid-mounted V8 engine.

The Sports Series features an evolution of the 3.8-litre V8 twin turbo engine, named M838TE, with 30 percent of components bespoke to the new model. Engineered by McLaren, it produces 570PS (562 bhp) at 7,400 rpm, and 600Nm (443 lb ft) of torque at 5,000-6,500 rpm. Power is delivered through a seven-speed SSG transmission, and transferred to the road through the rear wheels. This power is brought under control with standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes, fitted behind a newly designed range of forged alloy wheel options with P Zero Corsa tyres as standard from McLaren technical partner, Pirelli – 225/35/R19 on the front and 285/35/R20 on the rear.

The unique carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis has been newly designed with more of a focus on day-to-day usability, offering improved ingress and egress from the cabin. It is incredibly strong and stiff yet weighs less than 80kg, offering optimum levels of protection. This lightweight structure, and the use of aluminium body panels, contributes to a dry weight of as low as 1,313kg (2,895lbs), almost 150kg lighter than its closest competitor.
Minimised weight and a turbocharged engine doesn't just bring great performance. The 570S also delivers excellent fuel efficiency and emissions for car that is also a member of the 200mph club, with fuel economy of 25.5mpg on the EU combined cycle, and emissions of 258g/km. For the US market, this means exemption from gas guzzler tax.

Source: Bloomberg