Monday, May 18, 2009

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VIX and More - Chart of the Week: Retail Sales. "a reminder that while things may have improved somewhat from March, for the most part, the economy is still as weak as it has been in at least three decades, probably a lot longer."

Indian stocks vault 17.2 pct on election euphoria, forcing trading shutdown.

India by Jim Rogers. "Yes, India is changing and growing. There will certainly be more opportunities and excitement of every kind as the middle class continues to develop. India will be fascinating over the next couple of decades, but be careful of the longer term. India really is not a rational country. The English mushed India together in the panic of independence in 1947, but little heed was given to ethnic, religious, linguistic, historic, national, or geographic considerations which is one reason India has had problems with every one of its neighbors since. India as we know it will not survive another 30 or 40 years. This of course does not have to end in disaster, but it probably will given the chauvinism of its government and the way history has always worked."

Business cards made of meat?

Biologists on the Verge of Creating New Form of Life. Now isn't that just great?

Report: CIA Chief Recently Warned Israel Not to Bomb Iran in Secret Visit.

Cuba's Undersea Oil Could Help Thaw Trade With U.S. "potential deep-water reserves at 4.6 billion barrels of oil and 9.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas" could entice the US to pretend they are good neighbors.

Treasury Bear Will Worsen - Barron's. Andrew Bary cites fundamental reasons to support his belief that the 30-year yield, now 4.1%, could hit 5% by year-end.

How to make a Russian omelet.

Medtronic's Healthy Future - Barron's. "Wall Street's got it wrong"

An armed gang disguised as Federal police has broken into a jail in northern Mexico and freed more than 50 prisoners.

France to Declassify Transsexuality as a Mental Illness.

But it seems that Russia may be a little behind the permissiveness curve.

More elephant antics (pic).

"I have noticed that everyone who has ever told me that the markets are efficient is poor." - Larry Hite

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