This is from Bloomberg…..
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co. and Morgan Stanley, which earned a record $24.5 billion in 2006, suddenly have become so speculative that their own traders are valuing the three biggest securities firms as barely more creditworthy than junk bonds.
I don’t know why people aren’t making a bigger deal out Click Here to continue reading.
For anyone who is curious, a former Iranian deputy defense minister has defected to the west and is being questioned. At least, that is the official story. There is lots of speculation flying round about why and how he left. The Iranian government was swearing that he had been kidnapped for awhile.
Since this dude’s last official capacity in the Iranian government was in 2005, he probably has a fair amount of knowledge that is of interest to the US. But most people seem to think that Israel is the one questioning him.
You can read the Washington Post article on the subject here. You can read the Pajamas Media article on the subject here. Hat Tip: Belmont Club
I found this really cool series of videos on Youtube where a street magician demonstrates and then explains how a bunch of cool magic tricks are done. Unlike most videos of this nature, the tricks are actually pretty decent. I found it very interesting, although I already guessed how a few of the tricks were done.Click Here to continue reading.
Here is an excellent post by Brad Setser on the yen carry trade. Here is an Economist article wondering how much longer it can last….
I doubt you will ever see that as a headline in any British Newspaper. But if the various blogs put out by members of the British police are any guide, my post title is not too far from the truth. The British police are a very frustrated bunch.
For a good example of what I Click Here to continue reading.
One of the great struggles of my life is the attempt to escape tribal thinking. To a large extent, I think it is natural for people to think “my country, right or wrong.” But the idea that my team is above all encompasses more then just the idea of country. We forgive things in ideological Click Here to continue reading.
Have you heard about how a thousand odd young Danes are rioting because the city of Copenhagen sold a building?
If you have, you have properly only seen it mentioned in passing. But we here at the Ethereal voice believe that picture is worth a thousand words. So take a gander at the following clips from the riots.
Before we start, let us say that we are trying very hard to be fair. To best of our knowledge, both of the videos that we are showing have been approved by the protesters themselves. We don’t want people to think that we are just trying to smear them. Here is a video showing the Danish protesters taking action against the police….
Please note that Danish protesters were using Molotov cocktails and firecrackers as well as stones throughout the riot. I am not sure how well this comes through on this video. I am not even a hundred percent sure that they were using Molotov Cocktails at this particular event. But if I understand the video rightly, they were using firecrackers.
This next clip was posted by someone sympathetic to the protesters. It purports to show the police using excessive force.
All we can say is that we were not outraged.
In case you think we are taking those videos out of context, here is an “essay” explaining the cause of the conflict in great detail. It is written by a protester.
It you want a different view of the matter, this post from the Gates of Vienna should get you started. And yes, we know the Gates of Vienna is written by a bunch of subhuman extreme right wing conservatives.
Here is another right wing post on the subject.
The point is not that Marines blow stuff up. The point is that they like blowing stuff up.
HT American Digest
Consumers like I once was think that a shipment is a box with an address. You have a product, you put it in the box, you put the address on it, and you put it on the truck. If things were that simple at Acme, I would not be working twelve hour days to try Click Here to continue reading.