Capitalogix: Just for Fun

As the Olympics unfold in Sochi, countries continue to compete in the global economy. This chart, by the Economist, shows how ‘thin’ the Emerging markets really are. For example, the market cap of Google equals the market cap of all 379 Brazilian stocks.

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links:

Is Your To-Do List Actually Just A Productivity-Killing "List Of Shame"? (FastCompany)
It's All in Your Head: 9 Reasons You Can't Resist a List. (Hubspot)
Multi-Vitamins Won't Boost Health, Waste of Money. Research finds no health benefits. (CBS)
The Scientifically Best Times to Drink Coffee During the Day. (PopSci)
Why Did Russia Choose Sochi? (NYReview)

Trading Links:

China Surpasses US as World's Largest Trading Nation. (Wilmott)
How Much Value Does The Financial Industry Create? (The Week)
Can Robots Manage Your Money Better Than You? These Startups Think So. (NPR)
Decoding the Myths of Managed Futures. (Voices)
Big Commodity Trading Advisers were profitable in 2013 after two straight years in the red. (Institutional Investor's Alpha)

Posted at 05:04 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Ideas, Just for Fun, Market Commentary, Trading, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 29, 2014

Fake Conference Call Site Captures White Collar Existential Tension & Dread

Conference calls are often mind-numbing and frustrating. ConferenceCall.Biz is a site that captures that brand of white collar existential tension and dread ... as performance art.

via Zach Scott.

It is a simulated conference call in which the participants seem perpetually talking at cross purposes, coming into the conversation late, and expressing frustration that they’re discussing material they’ve already covered. Lucky you, it even has distracting background sounds, like a dog barking.

The audio and images are randomized so that each conference call proceeds in a new way.

It's kind of like the Eagles' song "Hotel California" ... you can check-in any time you like, but you can never leave (at least until you close the browser window). From the sound of it, the ConferenceCall.Biz participants have been attempting to get the deliverables to management for a long time.

Posted at 03:07 PM in Art, Business, Gadgets, Just for Fun, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 25, 2014

Global Risks 2014: The Key Risks Indentified at the World Economic Forum

Just read a pretty good analysis of "Global Risks" (where Global Risk is defined as an occurrence that causes significant negative impact for several countries and industries over a time frame of up to 10 years).

A key characteristic of global risks is their potential systemic nature – meaning that they have the potential to affect an entire system, as opposed to individual parts and components.

Here are the Top 5 Global Risks, based on likelihood and severity of impact.

via World Economic Forum.

So, the big issues are: Financial Crisis caused by or in conjunction with ... Social Problems (employment levels and income disparity), Environmental Issues (e.g., climate and weather), and/or Cyber Threats. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise ...

The WEF article is much more nuanced and worth reading if you are interested.

On a related note, here is a video clip where Jon Stewart discusses the World Economic Forum:

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

It is a little funny to think about a group of the world's wealthiest people gathering in an secluded mountain enclave to discuss concerns over income inequality.

Posted at 03:56 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Just for Fun, Market Commentary | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 12, 2014

Here Are Some Links to Start Your Week

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links:

$292 Million Down The Drain: White House Fires Main Obamacare IT Contractor. (ZeroHedge)
Consumer Electronic Show 2014 ‘Best Of’ Awards Lists Roundup. A list of lists. (TIME)
Awesome: A New York Times bot is second-guessing NFL coaches on Twitter. (GigaOM)
2013's Most Striking Fine Art Photography. (HuffingtonPost)
The 40 Most Viral YouTube Videos of 2013. (Mashable)

Trading Links:

Confessions of an Institutional Investor. (Big Picture)
Hugh Hendry Throws In the Bearish Towel: His Full Must-Read Letter. (Zerohedge)
Rasmussen Investor Index Reaches Six-Year High. (RasmussenReports)
Here Is a List of Market Predictions for 2014. (StockTwits)
The Probability Problem. "Unlikely" happens with surprising frequency. (PragCap)

Posted at 05:07 PM in Art, Current Affairs, Gadgets, Just for Fun, Market Commentary, Trading, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Video of a Dog Finding and Eating Some Not-So-Well-Hidden Chicken Nuggets

Ingenious ... the dog uses a tool to get what it wants.

Let's say you are a dog that wants some chicken nuggets.

Unfortunately, those nuggets are frustratingly out of your reach.

Lucky for you, nobody is around to stop you (even if they did install a hidden video camera to figure out how you do it).

It is a great way to illustrate innovative problem solving:

Step 1: Move a chair into position.
Step 2: Leap onto the chair and then onto the counter, making sure not to disturb anything on the countertop.
Step 3: Make way past the sink to toaster oven (where you know your prize resides). Open the oven to expose the nuggets.
Step 4: Knock the tray of food to the ground so you can easily eat (otherwise known as 'hiding the evidence').
Step 5: Practice your "ashamed" face to use when the humans force you to watch a video of your misdeeds.