#America Shrinking Brains?

America Shrinking Brains?

Score Below Average On Global Tests

(Associated Press)

American adults score poorly on global test
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This should come as no surprise to anyone that the intellectual levels in the United States have been drifting lower over the past couple of decades. In fact. this trend plays havoc with demographers and media types who are constantly dumbing-down their programs and content in order to adjust to the lower common denominator. Why the shrinkage in brainpower? Numerous reasons exist; ranging from I and X toys, immigration demographics, costly elitist education, drug use, celebrity culture and poor diets, just to name a few. And in the long-run this trend will have serious economic, political, social and military implications. It is a National Security risk and huge economic disadvantage that cannot be fixed in a few years.

Beyond the tests.scoring and reported reasons maybe the deeper cause lies in the shrinkage of American leadership - the pictures captioned below tell a tale of a nation lacking in the quality of character, skills, knowledge and capabilities that its people deserve and who would act as role models for its future generations.

Dr Peter G Kinesa
October 11, 2013

Or Shrinking Leadership?  

FIRST FINANCIAL INSIGHTS: CREDIT BUBBLE BIGGER THAN 2008

FIRST FINANCIAL INSIGHTS: CREDIT BUBBLE BIGGER THAN 2008: 

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CREDIT BUBBLE BIGGER THAN 2008 (Also Read Recent "The Telegraph" Article )  How could credit circumstances be worse than 2008? Did we not le...

"Why would you ever trade government guaranteed bonds for highly-levered, riskier, de facto bank equity that poses as a debt instrument? Is there a smell of personal interest here?" 

International Bank Regulator - 2013

Did you ever wonder who was selling all those long treasury bonds to the Fed? Where was all that money going? Bonds? Investments? Bonuses?  Well, gleaning from the content, in both the FFI and The Telegraph articles, the money trail looks pretty clear. Here is what we make of it, in a nutshell.

Big Banks sell their bonds to the Fed, then take the proceeds and buy other Banks' debt, that may be converted to equity should the other Bank's ratio fall, say, below 10%. An event that is almost certain to occur once rates spike upwards and all the Banks have to mark to market monetary assets. Marked to market accounting of these assets is sure to result in write-offs that correspondingly affects each Bank's capital structures. These debt instruments are simply a clever way to inject capital into the banks, so that they remain solid even as the rest of us suffer when interest rates rise.

This is also what you call a "Country Club Bail-Out' that quietly escapes the attention and scrutiny of  the media, pundits, public and, of course, our brilliant politicians. So under the radar, Uncle Ben is shelling-out up to $85 Billion monthly, to shore up Banks prior to the much anticipated interest-rate driven write-offs - "without congressional authorization." Nice trick. What's worse? Even if you explained this simple shell game to those political wizards, sadly there is no guarantee they would show even a slight flicker of understanding. 

For the stability of the financial system this is, however, a good move and should avoid the recording of losses by Banks provided that the conversion price provides for an equal dollar for dollar exchange of securities. Afterwards though, the capital positions of these Banks could be exposed to market fluctuations - so it is still fraught with risk issues down the road.

Banksters should also be personally happy with this short-term bail-out insurance, provided to protect their loans, businesses and  huge bonus entitlements  Who loses? Well, in the end it's the taxpayers who are quietly bailing out the Banks, without anyone being the wiser simply because they are doing it ahead of time with an invisible financial wand. Real estate will also get clobbered, unless owners have hedged their positions; say, by shorting long bonds. And long-term the economy and future generations will get to pay the biggest price!    

Just clever, sneaky or magical finance? Or fraudulent tricks? Hmm.

Dr Peter G Kinesa
September 21, 2013  

The Real QE Magic... 
Is it DEBT or EQUITY? 


   

#Fukushima LEAKS - #BBC News: Japan to Build ICE WALL?

FUKUSHIMA LEAKS

Japan to Build ICE WALL?

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Real Plans - Not Kidding!

As promised, we are just going to keep an eye on this story, as what happens here could have serious economic implications on a already struggling Japanese economy. And when things get real desperate how ridiculous could things get? Well, can you believe that Japan is seriously starting to look at an ice wall as the first line of defense against the radioactive leaks -that are actually getting worse according to this BBC article.That is sure to have every one running back for more Sushi next week.

Anyway we could not help but come up with a few more engineering solutions to resolve this problem:

1) Build a Giant Water Vacuum - Suck up all the radioactive water; bottle it in containers that you sink in the ocean near underpopulated areas. Hoover systems have preliminary drawings underway. 

2) Construct a Floating Island - Move Fukushima on to the specially-designed floating island and then have it towed into the middle of the ocean somewhere safe. Wrap it up in a radioactive-protective-plastic suit cover, and then sink it. Italian engineers are apparently drafting this brainwave.

3) Install Intergalactic Anti-gravity Barge - This barge is placed under the whole Fukushima reactor site then transported into space where it is jettisoned  in a way so not to return back to earth. We hope! Our friends at NASA say they have a  prototype, built for Detroit, available for testing. 

While we had our comedy team come up with these zany hair-brained ideas  -  who knows, maybe one these programs will trigger a thought that moves them towards an effective engineering solution? Oh yeah, we forgot to mention another bright idea we had  - Build Ice Walls!  

Dr Peter G Kinesa

September 9, 2013

Top Secret Intergalactic Barge 

" Space Disposal XZ239L2"

  

   

#JAPAN - Fukushima; OLYMPICS ANYBODY?

JAPAN - Fukushima; OLYMPICS ANYBODY? 
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2020 Olympic Site?

We are going to continue to follow this story and post informative and insightful articles. Clearly there are more events, concerns and implication that should fall out here. The linked story warns us about the radioactive Ocean plume that may hit North American shores by 2014.  We have other concerns such as food exports, travel, fish-stock and even the 2020 Olympics. 

An omen of things to come - as athletes start to practice in specially-designed suits.  

Dr Peter G Kinesa

September 2, 2013  

Who needs a torch?

The Marc Faber Blog Childish Remarks: "The FED Asset Purchase Disaster?"

The Marc Faber Blog : Childish Remarks -The Asset Purchase programme of the Fed has been a complete Disaster

Doctor Faber's conclusions are first premature and more than likely wrong. 

In fact, it will be difficult to measure how effective Fed policy has been or will be as history has yet to unfold. Had Uncle Ben not implemented this program, then interest rates no doubt would be much higher than they are today. There are a lot of very nervous long-bond holders who were obviously more than happy to pass their holdings back to the Fed. Everyone is living in fear of a sharp spike in the long rates that would absolutely clobber the principal market value of these bonds.

But QE is not just about keeping rates low, it is also a crafty way to hold asset values in place, including the equity market. This may actually be its main purpose. The last thing the Fed and Obama needs is to have huge bond losses realized and recorded by banks, portfolios, and other financial intermediaries.

Such losses would vacuum up all the liquidity in the repo, bond and money markets faster than Lehman's 2008 debacle, as well as knocking the proverbial crap out of their respective equity boxes. Think about it - this prevention is moping up about 40 billion (possibly more) monthly in marked-to-market accounting losses that would be caused by sharp rate  increases.

Like the Fed we are holding back a few cards here, but in all likelihood, there is more to the Fed's QE policy actions than meets the eye - and Marc should be a little more careful with his remarks - they come across as premature and childish! 

And that's being kind.

Dr Peter G Kinesa 
August 28, 2013 

Marked to QE Market

Uncle Ben's Converted Losses 

                

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS -Jim Rogers #Gold #Commodities #USDollar

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS:

Week Ended, August 25, 2013

DR. PETER G. KINESA'S
INTERNATIONAL INSIGHTS

"PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS"

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

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The Jim Rogers Blog 

 War in Syria Commodity Prices go to Moon? 

Does this mean we should land on the moon again for bargains? Folks could be waiting there right now looking for our business. Who, we wonder?

Commodity prices are ready to shoot upwards whether there is a war in Syria or any big event somewhere else on the planet. Syria is somewhat irrelevant in this regard as markets are poised more on fundamentals to lift skyward.

The world is more fragile today than it was twenty years ago for obvious reasons. More people, fewer resources and wider geo-political tensions and instability. For more worries you may add in climate change, wildfires, water supplies and worst - fewer and fewer pollinating bugs. And that's the war we are really losing sleep over.

Bottom Line: Anyday, anything, or anytime - LIFT OFF ALICE!

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

First Financial Insights

August 24, 2013

To the Moon...

The Jim Rogers Blog

Financial Calamity - US Dollar Collapse? 
(Read and Hear More)

Just cannot see eye to eye with Jim on the collapse of the US dollar, albeit the financial calamity is more or less a hangover from the 2008 Meltdown and remains plausible. Indeed we had  forecasted such a collapse two years back, by 2020. Bonds yes; but a currency short is fraught with too many pitfalls.

There are many reasons behind the likely stability embedded in the US dollar in such times. Two are big ones. One,  it will simply win by default because other currencies that are competitive, in any significant way, should be that much worse off in the turbulent economic times ahead. Remember, the US is a Hegemony with about 60 -70% of the world's resources and economies within its influences and/or control. There is little else in terms of a viable surrogate exchange media that could handle the global financial volume and liquidity needs as well. Former communist countries have huge credibility issues to overcome to garner any trust for this role.

But most importantly - they have bigger GUNS! In the end, that may be all that matters. 

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

First Financial Insights

August 22, 2013 

Pentagon 2020 Outlook:

 Continues to See Strong US Dollar

Faber Buys #Sprott - Is On-Going Disclosure Required? 

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"BUY GOLD???"

While we have long held a position that in the long-run there is no legitimate or logical reason based on sequential forward events, and both historical asset-class performance and purchasing power losses over the past thirty-three years to own this object, yet this psychotic placebo continues to attract the attention of speculators.  Nouriel Roubini had candidly referred to it as a "barbaric relic" - his kind diplomacy is respected. 

So why do promoters such as Dr Doom continue with there promotions despite all this? We can presume that they understand the psychosis of small investors attracted to such a cure all placebo and operate to take advantage of their fantasy. The above purchase of Sprott affirms the possibility of such a tactic by promoters. 

But the most important issue is not whether to buy or sell this object - the real issue is disclosure. That is will the promoters advise the public of subsequent sales before they are effected or will they cleverly front-run them in various de facto forms ahead of small investors, underneath the radar of a complex myriad of international rules, laws and regulations?

Funny thing, we really don't expect  answers to these questions any time soon.

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

First Financial Insights 

August 20, 2013  

Just Keeping them ... 

 

#JAPAN - Radiation Leaks Escalate - Markets Nervous?

JAPAN - Radiation Leaks Escalate - Markets Nervous?

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Stop the Nukes?

Continuing to keep an eye on this radioactive hot spot as it has significant implications on just about everything; including the Japanese money markets, economy, currency and world energy prices.  

Should pressure from this growing public concern force Japan's return to fossil fuels, then it should add further to global oil demand, moving prices much higher. What is really more concerning are the effects of this radiation on living and environmental conditions. Is there a possibility of turning parts of Japan into a giant nuclear wasteland? Remember too, the same folks trying to fix this problem were the ones who caused it! Einstein did not think that this was a good idea.

Lets not also forget that this will dampen interest in nuclear power, as an alternative to fossil fuel, around the world. Not good for an industry that is already struggling with slowing demand. But a positive change for fish stocks and those who depend on them for survival.

Meanwhile, do you ever wonder about the intelligence of our species?

"Jack, let's build a nuclear reactor?"

"Where Steve?"

"How's about by the ocean near lots of people and fish that sits on a fault line exposed to large tidal waves?"

"Are you sure Steve?"

"Certainly - it is the most economically viable choice"

Now imagine that some form of this line of simple reasoning actually occurred. Worse. It will probably happen again. 


Dr Peter G Kinesa
August 14, 2013

Remaining Fukushima Fish demand  vote?

JAPAN-- What if the water becomes contaminated?

JAPAN -- What if the water becomes contaminated? (read more - The New York Times)

What? Their water is radioactive?

Not just a passing concern nor high speculation, but a possibility that can be assigned some level of probability. Perhaps something you would not normally be concerned with when thinking about markets, however a wide-scale disaster of this sort could cause an unprecedented collapse in Japanese securities' markets. The nature of this disaster could make significant portions of the island nation just unlivable.

Anyway we remain skeptical about what authorities are disclosing and this lack of transparency,promptness and accuracy does not create a lot of confidence in competencies. We are assigning much higher levels of risk because we fear the unknown, unknowns that could emerge out of nowhere. Try to explain to clients why you didn't see this one coming,

Anyway, for sure, we are staying away from coastal properties as long-term investments. To be forewarned, is to be forearmed - invest wisely.

Dr Peter G Kinesa

July 27, 2013

ITS OK TO BE SMART

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS - BLOOMBERG, ALJAZEERA, PAUL KRUGMAN

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Week Ended July 21 2013

 DR. PETER G. KINESA'S 
INTERNATIONAL INSIGHTS

"PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS"

VISIT OUR WEBSITE 

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The Marc Faber Blog: Somewhere down the line we will have a Massive Wealth Destruction

Just a short post noting that Marc's 50% prediction is in line with what we suggest is a possible valuation adjustment in our July 17th comments on Paul Krugman's Blog - Prophecies of Maestrodamus.

Not a hard one to figure out as it is really just "present value mathematics" whereby if long 30 year bond rates double, then their market value dips by 50%. Very straightforward mathematics that no amount of economic theory nor policy measures can override as it is simply a hard conceptual constraint. Mathematics cannot be persuaded, legislated nor negotiated with - and that should come as no surprise to anyone.

Down the line, looks to be a scary turbulent road ahead. 

We will post more comments from this blog later on.

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

July 21, 2013

What waits down the line?

By every account, all negotiations with mathematics have resulted in a win-lose situation. Some things are just absolute.

Dr Peter G Kinesa

July 21, 2013  

Bloomberg BusinessWeek - The Social Media Bubble is Quietly Deflating

Just a few months back, you may recall, along with Jim Rogers, we raised concerns about Facebook and generally the whole social media industry, referring to it as a generational fad and having difficulty seeing how a sustainable business model could be developed. Moreover, whether such tools or derivatives could find useful and profitable transitions into business markets. Guess what? Looks like the markets are tuning into Mr Rogers and ourselves as VC (Venture Capital) funding has plummeted to 2% this past quarter.

As one insider notes; what a business - "thinking about how to make people click ads"  And that pretty well sums up the industry's "Critical Success Factor" and how you build any sort of Sustainable Competitive Advantage around it, remains a puzzle.

Anyway we still believe that the big ticket, high margin objects just simply requires good ole face to face contact -  a little of that human touch!

INVESTORS INSIGHTS - February 18, 2013  

JIM ROGERS - Facebook is not an Investment, it's a Waste of TIME  

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

July 20, 2013

Not a Happy Camper

Comparing the social media frenzy to the dot-com bubble may not be such a good analogy, albeit in both cases you can observe that common sense gave way to a strange fear of missed opportunity combined with unrealistic expectations. The other common ground was that object business measures, standards and principles no longer applied . Market history repeated again.

And for some strange reason this won't be the last time. Humans? Go Figure?

Dr Peter G Kinesa

July 20, 2013  

Bloomberg - Spanish 10-Year Bonds Decline as Italian Yield Rises to 4.48%

In light of our market alert, regarding Portugal's Bonds, earlier this week, along with the growing concern for adverse circumstances in Europe, even more focus is now being given to European Bond Markets. Market activity in these markets may now have greater bearing on the global financial system than US treasuries. No kidding?

Similar to Japan, bond values and rates in the US appear to be hand-cuffed at low levels for some time. Moreover, enjoying the reserve currency status allows the US to gather the loose liquidity in the global system and harbour its flight and fright capital, thereby easing any upward rate pressures. Plus, an interest rate increase state-side would be absolutely devastating to the US economy at this juncture - and just pour gas on a stumbling economy's fires. 

Underlying the European bond markets are chronic diseases that  show no signs of abating - in fact there is growing evidence to the contrary. Like Japan and Middle East countries, Europe suffers from a physical economic overcapacity issue that cannot be resolved by abstructionist economic measures. Limited and declining physical economic inputs can only lead to one result - declining economic outputs. All of which is made worse as populations grow and per capita output consumption ratios thusly sink even further. Bad "Real" News!

Particularly after Cyprus, we are seeing signs of desperate central bankers pulling out devious last stops to cure the terminal economic cancer. The markets in Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal are at the greatest risk of crashing global bond prices. They are "bonded" by a common concern with a staggering rippling potential affecting markets with traumatic head to toe  effects. 

Our main message here - this one ain't over yet; 'cause, "it ain't over, 'til its over"  

PLATINUM WEALTH PARTNERS

July 19, 2013

A Bonding Crisis - the future is yet to come...

While the rest of the world may think that the FED is the driver behind global rates, largely because of the US reserve currency status and its trading volumes - we are not so certain, and believe as Grandma use to say "the devil is in the details - at Lehman Bros?" And so when all hell breaks loose; something small and overlooked is often perpetrating the angst.

Of course, then there was Yogi's wisdom - a great "Bondplayer" too  

Dr. Peter G Kinesa

July 19, 2013

The New York Times 

The Prophecies of Maestrodamus

Paul Krugman

Comments:

"I know one thing; that I know nothing" Hmm. I think we could all learn from one of Socrates’ last thoughts - but you never know!

Still we could attribute much of our current mess to too many who believe they know - then later we find that even simple notions were somehow forgotten. Or a fog had set in. (- R. S. McNamara).

Despite what may be economic headlines today, Greenspan's legacy may be his contribution to our current low interest rate trap - that has lasted for much too long. Getting out of it could trigger a massive deflation of financial assets - causing an unprecedented ASSET VALUE WRITE-DOWN. Evaporating years of value in moments.

A mere 2% rise in rates, for example, could deflate financial assets by as much as 50% - wiping out the equity boxes of financial intermediaries and banks , while creating massive unfunded pension and insurance fund liabilities on the basis of marked to market accounting calculations. =ing HUGE liquidity CRUNCH.

Moreover, the total value of US federal debt could grow substantively with a mathematical pen stroke, which has little to do with deficits or economic theory and activity. And I don’t even want think about what could happen if rates should revert to levels over their historic mean; it would be devastating.

So it seems that the Maestro knew how get us into this trap, but did not know how to get us out of it - but then again "who knows?" And as far as we know, he's still on first...

INVESTORS' INSIGHTS

Juky 17, 2013

I don't know?

ALJAZEERA - (English) Worldwide PC sales keep sliding

Lenovo (China) Top PC Maker???

Bad news for everyone, except China as they take the leadership position in another market that has long been dominated by American makers for decades. Who do we blame this on? Management? Tablets? Consumers? Or China's low cost producer strategy for an industry where products are becoming commoditized, as it really does not take that much to do the reverse engineering. Again China is following a "national business strategy" much like Japan did from the 60's onwards in automotive and consumer electronics.

But the real issue is what good is the WTO? How does it ensure that everyone is on an equal playing field when labour, environmental, and health standards are barbaric is contrast to North America. Add to all that a fixed currency to the US dollar and this game becomes a one horse race.

But who loses big time? North American and European union and salaried workers. In fact, in America the real hourly wage, according to St Louis, FED statistics have not risen much since 1982! So, where are the unions???

Beyond all this meaning more doom and gloom for the ordinary American worker, here 's list of PC makers facing tougher times as this saturated market begins to consolidate. Smaller players will be forced to merge or simply fade away into the sunset - while margins face continued presures from commoditization.

TOP Five PC Makers
  41% (est) Market Share

Lenova
Hewlett Packard
Dell
Acer
Asus

INVESTORS' INSIGHTS

First Financial Insights

July 16, 2013 

Those were the days - "in our home towns... and they ain't coming back"

- Bruce Springstein