Credit for these amazing images to Anton Balazh, who created them using data from NASA. Yes, yes, we know that the vertical scale is grossly exaggerated (a normal relief map of the Earth would be as smooth as a pool ball), but distortions like these provide useful visual information regarding land use, patterns of human habitation etc.
Chris and Georgina didn’t let his condition put them off, and adopted Toby and his best friend Quinton, after they were both rescued from a hoarder's house by the RSPCA...
'After a difficult start in life we are just glad we found them when we did. We can prevent Toby from further harm and ease any potential problems his EDS may bring.'
Re the potential problems of Ehlers-Danlos, see the Wikipedia entry. Lots of photos at the first link. I frankly didn't know that Ehlers-Danlos occurred in animals, but apparently it's also seen in dogs -
"The largest set of Russian dolls is a 51-piece set hand-painted by Youlia Bereznitskaia (Russia). The largest measures 1 ft 9.25 in (53.97 cm) in height, the smallest 0.125 in (0.31 cm) in height. The set was completed on 25 April 2003. When all 51 pieces are lined up together touching, they measure 11 ft 2.25 in length. To break this record both the number of dolls in the set and the height of the tallest must be broken."
Image via. I wonder if she painted each doll's face and the art on the torso, or does the latter represent an applique of commercially printed art? And each of them must be incredibly thin.
Excerpts from commentary by John Authers at Bloomberg:
"It is no longer acceptable to insult people on the basis of their race, sex, or sexuality, which is as it should be. However, it now appears to be OK to attack people because of their age. Look through WallStreetBets traffic and disparaging references to boomers come thick and fast. This incident is an opportunity to get one over on a generation who have houses, guaranteed pensions, subsidized healthcare, and paid off their college bills decades ago.
The demonization of boomers is growing alarming. One WallStreetBets post with 27,000 likes starts “All you ****king Boomers enjoyed the golden age of America...” If that seems reasonable in a way, just imagine replacing the word “Boomers” with a racial term. The level of inter-generational distrust is terrifying.
While personal animus isn’t justified, the same cannot be said for the notion that there is generational injustice. Plainly, the Baby Boomers had a great deal, and the Millennials and those who follow them have a terrible one. (Full disclosure: I’m in Generation X and my children are in Generation Z). Generational conflict is set to be a critical fissure for the decades ahead, particularly as the number of retirees swells relative to the number in the working population.
In particular, there is the intractable issue of pensions. Many defined-benefit plans appear to be in real danger of failing to meet their guarantees, at least in the U.S.; defined-contribution plans the world over appear likely to leave people with inadequate income in retirement. Does society do everything it can to honor commitments to retirees (and thereby widen the generational gap still further)? Or are we on course for some reckoning in which older people surrender some of the benefits they have been expecting? This question is central to the next book club selection — The Great Demographic Reversal by Charles Goodhart and Manoj Pradhan — which we will be discussing in a live blog on the terminal on Feb. 3."
A "black swan" event in the stock market has moved from the financial pages/websites to front-page news on major media because it carries overtones about the proper conduct of capital markets. Here is some informed commentary from an email newsletter by John Authers from Bloomberg (boldface added):
When this week started, I had a long “to do” list of topics to cover.
Difficulties in distributing Covid-19 vaccine and the race against virus mutations;
Inflation risks, and the chances of a bond market “tantrum”;
The dollar and the overwhelming consensus that it is due a further fall;
The chances that post-Brexit Britain might now be a “buy” despite everything;
Fourth-quarter earnings season and what it portends for the economic recovery;
The oil market (the price of Brent crude has trebled in nine months);
The chances for a re-made U.S.-Chinese relationship;
Yet another political crisis in Italy and its implications for the euro.
These are all important issues. If you have thoughts about any of them, drop me a line.
Beyond that, you’ll have to discuss these topics amongst yourselves because I’m writing a fourth newsletter in a row about a small video-game retailer in the U.S., which was worth less than $1 billion at the beginning of last month. And yes, GameStop Corp. really is the most important issue for markets.
... I won’t waste time in recounting what is now a familiar narrative. But to bring you up to date, this is the performance of GameStop’s share price over the last month:
It’s hard to believe this won’t become a pivotal event in the history of finance. Here are some of the biggest questions it raises:
Libertarianism vs Paternalism
This is an eternal debate. Freedom means the freedom to mess things up. But governments have a responsibility to citizens, and companies have a responsibility to clients, to reduce the risks that the actions of some will harm others. Driving is the most popular analogy. Paternalism demands that manufacturers fit cars with seat-belts, but libertarianism permits people to take the risk of not wearing them.
There is a line to be drawn. Within markets, it is best to set a few simple rules, enforce them, and leave everyone as free as possible. That way the invisible hand can work its magic. But if the invisible hand really thinks that GameStop is worth $25 billion, something has gone wrong. The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering what to do, and there is plainly a regulatory issue here. Meanwhile, the decision by Robinhood Markets Inc., the main broker used by the Redditors, not to accept trades in GameStop on Thursday has already prompted class-action lawsuits from clients. For arguments against paternalism, look at the comments below the piece by my colleague Conor Sen arguing that Robinhood did the right thing.
As day traders are the Davids in this drama, up against hedge-fund Goliaths, their supporters in Congress include progressive Democrats such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Elizabeth Warren. The politics will be unpredictable. But a few points seem clear:
Regulators must respond with equity. Any suggestion that they are defending hedge funds against retail investors would be disastrous. Anything that clamps down on retail trading will have to be balanced by a serious attempt to stamp out “naked shorts” — the practice of selling a stock you don’t have, which led to the imbroglio at GameStop;
The issue of whether Robinhood and others really engaged in “gamification” — making trading more like a game, and helping to get people addicted to it — needs to be addressed. I think they have a case to answer.
The need to protect people from losing money they cannot afford to lose should remain paramount. Redditors complain it would be unfair to stop them from taking risks that are allowed for hedge funds. There’s a good reason for this, though. Hedge funds are restricted to wealthy people who can afford losses, while others deserve more protection. I am sure that opinion will make me unpopular.
There is no libertarian objection to stopping behavior that endangers others. Libertarians can agree that nobody should be allowed to drive a car when drunk. Distorted markets, and particularly asset bubbles, lead to malinvestment and wasted capital, and ultimately to lost jobs. The Federal Reserve is adamant that it cannot and should not attempt to identify and deflate bubbles before they grow too big. Incidents like this suggest that they need to be more active.
His column continues with thoughts about the Future of Shareholder Capitalism and Accoutability for the Global Financial Crisis. I'm going to blog separately some of his thoughts on Intergenerational Conflict.
Addendum: "This is a good 13-minute video from a Twitch livestream, in which a finance expert, Alexis Goldstein, explains to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) how Robinhood makes its money." (via BoingBoing)
Very interesting that the GameStop phenomenon is not being driven just by small-investors on Reddit, but also by major financial companies that may be riding or front-riding these extraordinary stock moves.
Not a real one in the photo - but still impressive. This one was created by the exhibits staff at the Cincinnati Museum Center.
According to Guiness World Records, "The largest bird's nest was built by a pair of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and possibly their successors, near St Petersburg, Florida, USA and measured 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) wide and 6 m (20 ft) deep. It was examined in 1963 and was estimated to weigh more than two tonnes (4,409 lb)."
"Each year, the Social Security Administration releases data showing the popularity of first names throughout the country, state-by-state. And each year, the Star Tribune analyzes that data to determine which names are most popular in Minnesota, both currently and over time."
Clearly the name Stanley is in a long-term decline:
At the link you can type in any name to check its popularity. And today I learned that Emersyn, Remi, and Saylor are a girls' names. (why? I must have missed something in pop culture)
In my file cabinet I have a thick folder documenting and quantitating cacography (poor spelling) among medical students. This humorous chalkboard reminded me of that material, which I'll need to dig out some day and compile for a blog post. So I'll just leave this here for now. Sent to me, source unknown.
Patrons in a bar in Tampa Bay celebrating the Buccaneers' recent win over the Green Bay Packers. I can count 3 masks (plus two used as chin supports) among the 30+ faces visible. This in a city which recently had 20% coronavirus positivity rate among residents. *sigh*
My local community has requested feedback from the public:
"In preparation for the upcoming recruitment and selection process, the Mayor and Common Council are asking for input from residents, city staff, and community and business leaders regarding the traits, characteristics, and skills they feel are most important in selecting the next City Administrator."
I have to be careful not to mock them for this effort, but I truly don't understand how a survey like this can produce meaningful guidance to the committee. How does one place relative ranks on calmness, integrity, optimism, flexibility etc. And frankly, "practices active listening" sounds like a checkbox on a fifth-grade report card.
I think it's wonderful that they seek guidance from the community, but I honestly can't see how something like this survey can be helpful. Very likely my background doesn't provide relevant experience in personnel management.
I'm always fascinated by special effects in movies. This video explains in 8 minutes how some remarkable renderings are achieved. Fascinating. But I still don't understand...
"The moose’s long, bulbous snout is still considered a delicacy among indigenous communities. Jellied moose nose is similar to European head cheese, trapping cuts of moose nose within a gelatinized broth...
A moose’s nose contains both white meat (from the bulb of the nose) and dark meat (from around the bones). The fur must be removed prior to cooking, either by being singed off over an open fire, peeled off after the nose has been boiled, or simply skinning the nose. Chefs then slice the nose and simmer it with onions, garlic, and an array of other spices, which may include cinnamon, cloves, allspice, or mustard seeds. Meat from other parts of the moose’s head, such as the ears and lips, may be added to the mix. Once the concoction has cooled down, the cook lays the pieces of meat in a loaf pan, douses them with broth, and places the mixture in the refrigerator so the broth can solidify. The resulting jelly is served like a loaf of bread and eaten in slices.
... be sure to wash the nose thoroughly before cooking."
