Article archive
26 Mar 2013 OT - One very dry demo
Mark Shaw demos Ultra-Ever Dry, a liquid-repellent coating that acts as an astonishingly powerful shield against water and water-based materials. At the nano level, the spray covers a surface with an umbrella of air so that water bounces right off.
Mark Shaw demos Ultra-Ever Dry, a liquid-repellent coating that acts as an astonishingly powerful shield against water and water-based materials. At the nano level, the spray covers a surface with an umbrella of air so that water bounces right off.
25 Mar 2013 Southeastern and Oakmark comment on the Dell bid
Bill Nygren, co-manager of the Oakmark Fund, added, "Given the wide range of estimated values for Dell shares, if all else is nearly equal, we believe a proposal is superior if it allows investors who want to remain invested in Dell the opportunity to do so."
Bill Nygren, co-manager of the Oakmark Fund, added, "Given the wide range of estimated values for Dell shares, if all else is nearly equal, we believe a proposal is superior if it allows investors who want to remain invested in Dell the opportunity to do so."
23 Mar 2013 Keeping it real
...financial repression - holding interest rates below the rate of inflation - is a levy on savers that provokes less protest than in Cyprus, but has similar effects on purchasing power over the long run.
...financial repression - holding interest rates below the rate of inflation - is a levy on savers that provokes less protest than in Cyprus, but has similar effects on purchasing power over the long run.
23 Mar 2013 OT - 2013 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: The Existence of Nothing
How do we grapple with the concept of nothing? From the best laboratory vacuums on Earth to the vacuum of space to what lies beyond, the idea of nothing continues to intrigue professionals and the public alike.
Join moderator and Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson as he leads a spirited discussion with a group of physicists, philosophers and journalists about the existence of nothing.
How do we grapple with the concept of nothing? From the best laboratory vacuums on Earth to the vacuum of space to what lies beyond, the idea of nothing continues to intrigue professionals and the public alike.
Join moderator and Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson as he leads a spirited discussion with a group of physicists, philosophers and journalists about the existence of nothing.
22 Mar 2013 Methane hydrate joins shale gas and deep sea gas
Methane hydrate is found all around the world beneath the seabed near continental margins as well as in the Arctic under land. Any combination of low temperature and high pressure causes methane and water to crystallise together in a sort of molecular lattice. Nobody knows exactly how much there is, but probably more than all the coal and oil put together, let alone other gas.
Methane hydrate is found all around the world beneath the seabed near continental margins as well as in the Arctic under land. Any combination of low temperature and high pressure causes methane and water to crystallise together in a sort of molecular lattice. Nobody knows exactly how much there is, but probably more than all the coal and oil put together, let alone other gas.
18 Mar 2013 Euro zone crisis - What will savers do?
If the authorities hold real interest rates negative, as they are in Britain, for example, then the effect on the after-tax purchasing power of savers after two to three years, may be as big as the Cypriot levy.
If the authorities hold real interest rates negative, as they are in Britain, for example, then the effect on the after-tax purchasing power of savers after two to three years, may be as big as the Cypriot levy.
06 Mar 2013 Exchange-traded funds dumping gold holdings at rapid rate
The sell-off is partly a reflection of broader negative sentiment towards gold, as investors become more confident in the global economy and put their money into riskier assets such as equities.
The sell-off is partly a reflection of broader negative sentiment towards gold, as investors become more confident in the global economy and put their money into riskier assets such as equities.
Dataroma's opinion:
"Riskier assets" ? So equities which in aggregate have actual underlying earnings, which grow over time with the economy, are deemed riskier than gold which has zero earnings ( in fact negative earnings considering commissions ) and whose only source of value is what the next guy is willing to pay for it! What nonsense.
"Riskier assets" ? So equities which in aggregate have actual underlying earnings, which grow over time with the economy, are deemed riskier than gold which has zero earnings ( in fact negative earnings considering commissions ) and whose only source of value is what the next guy is willing to pay for it! What nonsense.
06 Mar 2013 GE Races Caterpillar on LNG Trains to Curb Buffett Cost
“We are entering a new era where natural gas will be a major fuel,” Lorenzo Simonelli, chief executive officer of GE’s transportation unit, said in an interview. “If you believe the price advantage over diesel is going to stay here for the next 10 to 15 years, then LNG is a revolutionary fuel.”
“We are entering a new era where natural gas will be a major fuel,” Lorenzo Simonelli, chief executive officer of GE’s transportation unit, said in an interview. “If you believe the price advantage over diesel is going to stay here for the next 10 to 15 years, then LNG is a revolutionary fuel.”
06 Mar 2013 Berkshire's BNSF Railway to Test Switch to Natural Gas
"This could be a transformational event for our railroad," BNSF Chief Executive Matt Rose said of the plan, which hasn't been publicly announced. Shifting to natural gas would "rank right up there" with the industry's historic transition away from steam engines last century, he said.
"This could be a transformational event for our railroad," BNSF Chief Executive Matt Rose said of the plan, which hasn't been publicly announced. Shifting to natural gas would "rank right up there" with the industry's historic transition away from steam engines last century, he said.