Robert M. Petry, CFA, CAIA
Global Risk, Macro Analysis, & Alternative Thinking
Friday, April 19, 2013
Hiatus
Friday, March 8, 2013
Past Couple of Weeks on Twitter
The Real Reason Boomers Buy Bonds zite.to/12ZZllb via @zite
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 19, 2013
Fascinating #qwafafew talk tonight on behavioral analytic feedback for portfolio managers.
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 20, 2013
Keep us posted on what happens March 5th. “@rpetry: Some in Congress are starting to get it --scribd.com/embeds/1265845…”
— Hồng Loan (@hongloan) February 25, 2013
A Bitcoin for Your Thoughts bit.ly/Z46DPr
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) March 1, 2013
Hope history is rhyming, not repeating-- Dangerous Times: How Euro-socialism Set off a Fascist Bomb zite.to/YFXGtJ via @zite
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) March 2, 2013
Only with fiat money is Fed needed & fails miserably-- Debunking the Myths about Central Banks cato.org/publications/c… via @catoinstitute
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) March 2, 2013
Open Source Finance 1. QuantLib - An Interview with Luigi Ballabio zite.to/XMGvKM via @zite -Should be something to keep an eye on.
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) March 3, 2013
Hackers Pull Off $12,000 Bitcoin Heist bit.ly/VLQ6lG
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) March 7, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
This Week on Twitter
Great CS analysis of equities in a world of low real-rates and inflation effects.scribd.com/embeds/1247816…
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 11, 2013
Recreating the Asset Bubble:The Fed's Plan for Economic Recovery (see bottom graph on net worth/GDP) bastiat.mises.org/2013/02/recrea…
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 12, 2013
Looks Like You Sent in the Wrong Gold! chzb.gr/158RJfR
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 12, 2013
How A Rookie Excel Error Led JPMorgan To Misreport Its VaR For Years bit.ly/UaApUb
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 12, 2013
Greenspan saying equity prices driving the economy more than fiscalstimulus #bsasmarketdinner
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 12, 2013
Greenspan on gold: human interest in gold is ubiquitous and makes no sense # bsasmarketdinner
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 13, 2013
Greenspan on gold: only medium of exchange not requiring counter signature or credit #bsasmarketdinner
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 13, 2013
I think Greenspan just said "debt com bubble." I'm going to use that brilliance! #bsasmarketdinner
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 13, 2013
Best quick summary of Austrian Business Cycle Theory I have read: "Recession Don't Do List" - mises.org/daily/6366/Rec…
— Robert Petry (@rpetry) February 18, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
This Week on Twitter
Also on Twitter, Mark Mobius goes over the rising boom in commodities and how that will benefit the emerging market investor. But he warns not all areas of every emerging market will benefit equally and top returns will go to smart, hard-working, active investors."We like the place... because it is suitably devoid of law.”ft.com/cms/s/0/a35051… My piece on Cayman and offshore secrecy.
— Sam Jones (@samgadjones) February 8, 2013
It’s unlikely all #commodities will see the same demand growth; the trick is to identify which correlate to trends. s.frk.com/11W9ryz
— Mark Mobius (@MarkMobius) February 8, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
From the Village: The Prisoner
Like the more modern show “Lost,” “The Prisoner” is set on a surreal island. McGoohan has no idea how he got there and all his attempts at escape are thwarted. Unlike “Lost,” “The Prisoner” uses hip, mod stylings to send up a very libertarian message about the relationship of the individual to civil society. Just what are the limits to liberty and how are they reconciled with the needs of the institution? All the visual cues for a modern social(ist) utopia permeate the show but they don’t fit McGoohan’s sensibilities as a free man.
In true collectivist fashion, McGoohan’s character is only ever referred to as “Number 6.” We never really learn his true identity. Is he really still Agent Drake from “Danger Man?” One series followed right where the other left off. As Johnny Rivers sang in the opening have they finally “given him a number and taken ‘way his name?” The mystery of personal identity and what it means is a theme that flows through each episode.
The show always starts with a montage of McGoohan quitting his government agent job in a heated dispute. His resignation is processed by a Kafka-esque bureaucracy. McGoohan’s new independence threatens an un-named institution. (Possibly his old employer? Maybe Danger Man’s enemies?) They gas and kidnap him, depositing him in The Village on an unusual island. In each episode he wakes to be questioned by a shadowy figure.
#6: “Where am I?”
Voice: “In the Village.”
#6: “What do you want?”
Voice: “In-for-mation.” ... “We want in-for-mation.”...
#6: “Who are you?”
Voice: “The new number two.”
#6: “Who is number one?”
Voice: “You are (slight pause) number 6.”
#6: “I AM NOT A NUMBER! I AM A FREE MAN!”
Does Number Two want Six to give up state secrets or valuable data? Is Number Two really looking for information? Or is Number Two so wired into the collective, is his individuality so far lost, that he only wants what the others want? Are his desires in unity with the others: do they all want in formation? Is the real goal here to get Number Six to conform with the collective and think properly? When Number Two pauses in his answer about Number One, is he being evasive or did he insert a comma? Think about how that changes the meaning of the response. Who is really responsible for, or in charge of, Number Six?
The episodes then continue with Six’s newest escape plan. He struggles with his own identity against the pressures of near absurd conformity. A battle of wills invitably leads to a mental defeat of Two. But even with Two defeated, Six’s control over his own escape proves ever illusory and he remains trapped on the island.
My favorite episode would be “The General.” Curiously, it is episode number 6 in the series. There is enough going on in that one episode to fill another blog post. So I think we will leave that for a future time.
In its heyday I could never really get into “Lost,” probably because I’ve seen “The Prisoner.” I know how good that format can be and how the show can really be about something. If you’re not familiar with the series, do yourself a favor and rent a few episodes. They are definitely worth your time.
Be seeing you.