“I was labeled a Marxist after my speech in Hong Kong,” said the CIO from Tokyo, rather puzzled by the attack. You see, we’d been discussing the oldest conflict in all of economics; the fight between labor and capital for society’s economic spoils. How that conflict is resolved, determines the political construct of nations. “Following the Great Depression and WWII, Keynesians strived to put everyone to work.” So wit

Week-in-Review: Mon: Chinese holiday thru Thurs, Aussie Jan bldg aprovals -2.9% (+22% yoy), Indonesia CPI lower (core 4.5%), PMI’s (Japan 56.6 vs 55.2, Korea 50.9 vs 50.8 prev, Indonesia 51.0 vs 50.9, India 51.4 vs 50.7, Russia 48.0 vs 48.8, Turkey 52.7 vs 53.5, EU 54.0 vs 52.7, Germany 56.5 vs 54.3, France 49.3 vs 47.0, Italy 53.1 vs 53.3, Spain 52.2 vs 50.8, UK 56.7 vs 57.2, Sweden 56.4 vs 52.2, Norway 52.8 vs 51.4

Hope all goes well… “The Broncos of course,” answered the waitress, with a strong Chinese accent, delivering a bucket of pre-Bowl Buds, unaware I was kidding. She was wearing an oversized Manning jersey, an equine cap; brand spanking new, bright orange and blue. So with minutes to go before kick-off, I asked the college exchange-student who would win the Super Bowl? “Broncos,” she replied, with utter certainty, a tad

When my children laugh, really laugh, I laugh too. And sometimes bite my lower lip, wiping away a tear. When they hurt themselves, I get angry; a primal, protective instinct I suppose. And when I read of atrocities, I make jokes. To shield myself from the horror of what we’re capable of. But when a friend dies, leaving behind his beautiful wife and young children, I just cry. And when I cry, I head into the mountains

“I’m the man,” said O, adjusting his cool blue tie, admiring himself, winking. “I’m the man,” his lip curled up into a presidential smile.  “I’m the man.” And blowing a goodbye kiss into the mirror, spun on his heel, headed onstage. To a standing ovation. Global president’s tuned in, eager to hear Obama’s well-telegraphed pronouncement. Yanukovych slouched in his ornate Ukrainian throne, turning the wide-screen’s vol

Hope all goes well… The great bull elephant charged into new-year, leading the herd. Beneath his feet the earth trembled. The dust lifted, swirling high, concealing the multitude in his wake. America’s GDP had hit new all-time highs of $16.2trln. The mkt capitalization of its publicly traded companies rose to new heights, touching a January 22nd record of $19.8trln. “Squeak!” shrieked an Argentinian mouse, terrified,

Hope all goes well… “Sorry mate, but I got a good excuse,” texted the CIO, having just abruptly hung up on me. “That was an unfortunate case of (1) delivery man ringing the bell, (2) wife in the shower, (3) maid bathing my 2yr old, (4) my 5yr old, 7yr old, and his 7yr old mate being trained to not answer the door alone, and consequently (5) wife, maid, 2yr old, 5yr old, 7yr old, and 7yr old’s mate all yelling at me a

Baby Bai cried. Incessantly. Uncontrollably. You see, hungry Baby Bai’s bowl was missing one itsy bitsy soybean. And why? Well, Daddy Dang saw the PMI data print below 50 for the first time in 6mths. And concerned that his factory job was in jeopardy as Beijing bureaucrat’s re-engineer growth from low-quality over-production to low-quality services, Dang raced to the bank. And requested the return of his renminbi’s f

“I believe we have a duty to care for those who came before us, for those who come after,” he said. And he has. He does. A decade ago, his father-in-law was slain as he lay in bed with his wife. A random act of violence, committed by impoverished young burglars. In South Africa. “Afterwards, my mother-in-law moved in, became the second mother to our children,” he continued, describing the profound depth of her impact

“You’re too early mate, don’t come yet, markets are ahead of themselves,” said the speculator. And I knew he must believe it. Because he’s tried for years to fly me down to his polo estate, and I’d called to announce I’m coming, to explore an investment theme. “Kirchner’s finished, in Oct 2015 we’ll have new leadership, maybe Socialists, even Radicals, though they’ll look more like Lula or Chile than Chavez,” he expl