The Great Debate
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November 20th, 2009

How to finance the war in Afghanistan?

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This is a question that is likely to hit home for Obama all the way over there in China. Join Discussion

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November 18th, 2009

Crisis? What Crisis?

Tags: MacroScope, emerging markets, , , , , ,
Are we now getting blasé about the latest crisis? Not so long ago, perfectly respectable economists and financial analysts were talking about a new Great Depression. The world was on the brink, it was said. Now, though, consensus appears to be that it is all over bar the shouting. Is the world safe? Join Discussion

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November 19th, 2009
9:25 am EST
Not only is it too soon to celebrate, we are now plunging headlong into economic catastrophe in the west, leaving the reins of true power firmly grasped in the hands of the architects of this misery - the banks.
-Posted by Dave
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November 19th, 2009

A rising tide of capital controls

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Easy money in the United States, a falling dollar and growing flows of funds seeking better returns in emerging markets are touching off a new round of capital controls in hot emerging markets, a trend that could accelerate and will at the very least increase market volatility. Join Discussion

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November 20th, 2009

Remembering how to forget in the Web 2.0 era

Tags: Great Debate US, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,
Forgetting has always been the norm and remembering the exception, but since the emergence of digital technology and global networks, forgetting has become an exception, author Viktor Mayer-Schonberger argues in a new book. How can we fight back against digital memory? Join Discussion

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November 20th, 2009
2:25 pm EST
“Forgetting plays a central role in human decision-making,” he argues. “It lets us act in time, cognizant of, but not shackled by, past events.” Not quite. If you forget something then by the very nature of forgetting you cannot be cognizant of the past. Memory is important. Learning the lessons of past mistakes is something we have failed to do for thousands of years. Digital memory makes it easy to review past history and keep the lessons of mistakes past clearly in mind so that they can be accounted for this time around. More importantly, this new ability to "remember" is vitally important for citizens. It is very easy for leaders and elected officials to gloss over past misdeeds. But now they can be held to account. Digital memory puts power in the hands of individual people and this is a very good thing. It is true that one can be shackled by fear if one attempts to live in the past. But memory itself is not responsible for fear. Only the human heart and ignorance of the facts bring fear. Memory then serves to shine a light on the road traveled. It helps us to get our bearings on our current position in life. And helps us to define our next starting point for new action.
-Posted by Benny Acosta
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November 17th, 2009

While the music plays funds gotta dance

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With just a few short weeks until the end of the year, look for many fund managers to take on more risk in an effort to salvage their annual return figures. Join Discussion

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November 18th, 2009
4:11 pm EST
In and around the hedge, nomatter what they try and sell you, it's always Groundhog Day. Always. Only the groundhogs have now completely morphed into lemmings, vaunting rancid vaporware as though it were The New Commodity. Even so, not all of them jump at once. Why, you ask? Here's why: because it would be just too fantastic if that entire species were to become suddenly extinct.
-Posted by The Bell
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November 19th, 2009

A freakonomic view of climate change

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Many scientists say that reducing carbon dioxide emissions is key to preventing climate change, but the authors of the book SuperFreakonomics say that geo-engineering is the route to take to save the planet. Join Discussion

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November 19th, 2009
11:01 am EST
Analogy: a smoker is found to have an early lung cancer. It is pointless to debated whether he should either (a) stop smoking or (b) have the cancer excised. He must do both. We must Both decarbonise our economy (which will itself deliver a much wanted boost to the world economy by creating jobs in energy conservation and renewables)and sequester the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It's a bit like walking along and chewing gum at the same time. Some cannot do this, but most, with a little application, find that they can.
-Posted by Richard Lawson
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November 16th, 2009

Live Debate: Breast cancer screening and mammography

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In recent months, skeptics have turned their attention to cancer screening tests more than ever, from breast to prostate cancer. Some say that these tests do more harm than good, while others call them lifesavers. Should you and your loved ones get mammograms? Join Discussion

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November 16th, 2009

Trade lessons for climate negotiators

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As hopes die for securing a a binding treaty in Copenhagen, climate brokers could still learn useful lessons on how to structure the negotiations. Join Discussion

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November 16th, 2009

China’s yuan, not the dollar, is too cheap

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The dollar has fallen too much against the euro and some other currencies, because China, Japan and other Asian exporters have been unwilling, in varying measures, to abandon currency mercantilism and let their currencies rise in value as free markets would require. Join Discussion

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November 16th, 2009

Goldman, Morgan Stanley shrink commodity books

Tags: General, rolfe winkler, ,
Both Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley reduced the size of their commodity trading books during the third quarter, according to their latest filings on Form Y-9C Join Discussion