The unimportant news thread

Started by Lethevich, March 05, 2008, 07:14:50 AM

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Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

BBC: Sleeper trains are being revived across Europe.


https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64950747

greg

It was surprising to see CNN cover this, but it's great that they did. They broke down the issue and explained it well.


"Why the rate of single men in the US looking for dates has declined"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK4y6C1Uuhw
Wagie wagie get back in the cagie

DavidW

Quote from: greg on March 18, 2023, 09:05:10 AMIt was surprising to see CNN cover this, but it's great that they did. They broke down the issue and explained it well.


"Why the rate of single men in the US looking for dates has declined"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK4y6C1Uuhw

I knew about that issue.  Online dating apps are a mistake.  But also those 20 somethings are surprisingly just completely friendless many times.  Not just no romantic partner, but no social life whatsoever.  Combine that with the almost complete lack of social mobility and high levels of depression that gen Z face and you have a real crisis on your hands.

Karl Henning

Quote from: DavidW on March 18, 2023, 09:41:42 AMI knew about that issue.  Online dating apps are a mistake.  But also those 20 somethings are surprisingly just completely friendless many times.  Not just no romantic partner, but no social life whatsoever.  Combine that with the almost complete lack of social mobility and high levels of depression that gen Z face and you have a real crisis on your hands.
Doesn't matter how introverted one may be (some people nearest me are so) socializing is crucially important.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

greg

Quote from: DavidW on March 18, 2023, 09:41:42 AMOnline dating apps are a mistake.
Yes.


Quote from: Karl Henning on March 18, 2023, 11:48:18 AMDoesn't matter how introverted one may be (some people nearest me are so) socializing is crucially important.
Very true.

I feel like that I'm most comfortable if I spend ~95% of my time completely isolated from everyone else, but that 5% is more important than you'd think 5% of something would be. Seeing a friend once in a while is definitely a plus, even if it means I might have to delay some other things.

Mostly the benefit being that it shakes things up a bit, adds some variety.
Wagie wagie get back in the cagie

LKB

Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

Todd

#5048
UBS agrees to buy Credit Suisse for more than $2bn

Credit Suisse has been a basket case since it bought First Boston.  I remember having to deal with some of CSFB's secondary market detritus in the late 90s when it was hit by the '98 crisis.  It was then hit hard in '08.  Now it is gone.  (But this banking kerfuffle is small potatoes, amiright?)  And the Swiss now have a real deal SIB.  What fun will next week bring?
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Todd

Risky Credit Suisse Bond Wipeout Upends $275 Billion Market

Bondholders got screwed.  Oh well.  Fortunately, this is mostly a European problem, with spillover to Asia.  US banks did not go cuckoo for CoCo puffs.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Todd

Scientists deliver 'final warning' on climate crisis: act now or it's too late

Regular warnings scare; final warnings terrify.  I suspect this IPCC report should be precisely the catalyst the developed world needs to plan for a move away from economic growth-based models, which are inherently antithetical to ecological stability; to accelerate the conversion away from carbon-intensive energy production by investing the trillions of additional dollars needed each year above current investment levels in renewable energy; to move away from industrialized farming and actively pursue a dear food policy to discourage excess caloric consumption and food waste; to move away from private automobile ownership, even if EVs, and rely much more on centrally controlled transport, especially in urban areas; to implement policies which incentivize/coerce populations to live in dense urban centers; and to transfer the needed tens of trillions of dollars of wealth, technology, and future income from the developed world to the developing world to ensure equity and to avoid a repeat of ecologically harmful development for the majority of humanity.  Or not.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Pohjolas Daughter

#5052
Quote from: Todd on March 20, 2023, 05:17:44 AMRisky Credit Suisse Bond Wipeout Upends $275 Billion Market

Bondholders got screwed.  Oh well.  Fortunately, this is mostly a European problem, with spillover to Asia.  US banks did not go cuckoo for CoCo puffs.
From what I recall, I heard that the Saudi National Bank owned about 10% of the company (bought for over 1.5 billion according to a Forbes mag. article).  Apparently a "casual comment" about not putting any money into them (in terms of help), caused (at least in part) the panic.  In any event, from what I've read, they were having some various problems which weren't dealt with in the semi-recent past.  I'll try and find a link (if you and/or others like) to the NPR story.

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Todd

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on March 21, 2023, 01:16:28 PMFrom what I recall, I heard that the Saudi National Bank owned about 10% of the company (bought for over 1.5 billion according to a Forbes mag. article).

The Saudis' actions have been well reported.  The Saudis say the loss has no material impact on the bank, its plans, or overall financial stability in the Kingdom.  Given that Aramco just reported profits of $161 billion, and that the company's opaque operations are typically thought to mask the company's true revenues and profits, and the relationship between the company and crown is obviously cozy, the Saudis have some capital to play with.  I doubt they wanted to lose money, but their actions may have limited their losses.  Despite the changes to the US, European, and world banking systems, there is still excess risk in the entire system, all supported by a decade and a half of inexcusably expansionary monetary policy. 
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

LKB

The Pentagon is trying to speed up delivery of the Patriot and M1-A1 systems to Ukraine.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/21/politics/us-patriots-ukraine/index.html

Still look's like they couldn't be employed before autumn, but l suppose any progress is welcome.
Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Dry Brett Kavanaugh


Todd

From CNN: Too big for Switzerland? Credit Suisse rescue creates bank twice the size of the economy

I do enjoy how the corporate press conflates concepts when comparing assets to GDP.  If such things concern serious people, perhaps Swiss, European, and US lawmakers should reconsider systemic risk and venture to break up SIBs. 
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Dry Brett Kavanaugh


Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot