Category: Aggregated

The least one can say of the psychiatric treatment given to Andreas Lubitz, the pilot who killed 149 people as well as himself in crashing the Germanwings aircraft into the Alps, is that it was not very successful. Indeed, its outcome was about as disastrous as any in the history of medicine, but that may not be entirely its fault: perhaps the whole idea of such treatment was misconceived in the first place. It seems to me likely (though I could not swear to it in a court of law) that Lubitz’s problem was one of character rather than of … Continue reading →

Parents often agonize over what names they give their children; they may be trying to spare their child from cruel schoolyard rhymes or attempting to connect their being to a meaningful symbol or place. But a new video is bringing to light key research which indicates that the names we are given at birth can actually have even more long-term affects on our lives than you may think – from our choice of profession to where we end up in the world. In fact, this research even suggests that we may not have much real control over our own life decisions … Continue reading →

Although Russian President Putin has worked to form a strong and lasting partnership with Washington – in fields as diverse as fighting terrorism and exploring outer space – the spirit of goodwill and bilateral relations has not been reciprocated. US-led NATO forces continue to push inexorably towards the Russian border, while plans are in progress to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, which threatens the strategic balance in the region, thereby paving the way for another arms race. At the same time, the United States and its allies have launched a number of disastrous and illegitimate wars against … Continue reading →

Somehow, like it or not, the world turns. Today’s hegemon becomes tomorrow’salso-ran. Today’s reserve currency becomestomorrow’s toilet paper. Today’s cock o’ the walk becomes tomorrow’s dinner. Hey, we didn’t create this system. We don’t even especially like it. But that’s just the way it is. Whether you already have made a fortune, or are trying to build one, you need to be very careful about what currency… or currencies… your wealth is denominated in. The End of History? Governments were set up to take control. Ruling elites – by force of arms – established laws, protocols and armies to try … Continue reading →

Amid a cacaphony of pundit parroting about strong US auto sales — which culminated in CNBC’s now infamous “car-stock arbitrage” recommendation — we have said repeatedly that at the margin, growth is being driven (no pun intended) by lenders’ willingness to extend credit to underqualified (read: subprime) borrowers. This was later confirmed by Goldman in a note which pointed out that subprime loans accounted for more than a fifth of all US new vehicle sales in January, which is 500bps above the post-crisis norm of 16%. Furthermore, as of January, the percentage of new vehicle sales attributable to subprime loans had … Continue reading →

Magnesium is an essential macromineral that performs a huge number of important roles in the body. It is responsible for regulating enzyme reactions (including reactions that create RDN and DNA), transporting essential ions across our cell membranes, assisting in the production of ATP, and much more. All of our major organs require magnesium to function properly, and without it our bodies would spiral out of control. Despite its biological importance, however, the average person is seriously lacking in magnesium. In fact, according to the American Chiropractic Society, an estimated 68 to 80 percent of the American population suffers from a … Continue reading →

We are now in the month of April—–so the Wall Street Keynesians are back on their spring “escape velocity” offensive. Normally they accept the government’s seasonal adjustments in stride, but since Q1 is again hugging the flat line or worse, it seems that “bad seasonals” owing to an incrementally winterish winter explain it all away once again. Even today’s punk jobs number purportedly reflects god’s snow job, not theirs. What’s really happening, they aver, is that jobs are booming, wages are lifting, housing prices are rising, consumer confidence is buoyant, car sales are strong and business is starting to borrow for growth. In fact, everything is so awesome that one … Continue reading →

It’s hardly a surprise that Google gives us an inflated impression of our own intelligence. The search engine has the answer to every conceivable question at touch of a keyboard, turning even the most ignorant into instant boffins. But faking intelligence doesn’t have to be high-tech. Here are several other ways to look like the genius in the room. Cover up Skimpy clothing may be sexy (depending on the wearer, of course), but it will also make you look dumb. Intelligence is not associated with impressive abs or slim thighs, and studies have found that we judge both men and … Continue reading →