What If We Never Run Out?

May 3, 2013 in Montana

by lizard

A young doctoral candidate in international relations—Nussaibah Younis—got some nice NYT op-ed space to advocate for regime change in Iraq. Also, this is 2013.

NOBODY wants another civil war in Iraq, yet events are propelling it in that direction. War can be averted only by a new political understanding among three main groups — Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds — but Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has become too divisive to deliver it.

So the United States, together with Iraq’s neighbors, must press Mr. Maliki to resign so he can be replaced with a more conciliatory figure.

Last week, Iraq experienced the most serious escalation of violence since 2006, when it slid into civil war. Now it risks being sucked into a catastrophic vortex of regional violence centered on Syria.

To contrast this doctoral candidate’s call for a collaborative coup to install a more “conciliatory figure” for the people of Iraq, I suggest reading Charles Mann’s piece at Mother Jones (first printed in The Atlantic), provocatively titled What If We Never Run Out of Oil?

Apparently, Japan is heavily invested in finding a way to tap Methane Hydrates, hoping that form of energy could do for them what fracking has done for meeting US demand.

It’s an interesting read, and certainly more encouraging than the possibility of Iraq coming apart at the sectarian seams.

Liz’s Weekly Poetry Series: Clinton Group Philosophy Statement

May 3, 2013 in Montana

by lizard

Brian Schweitzer won a seat on the board of the Stillwater Mining Co. I certainly don’t have any special insight into what that means for Montana’s open senate seat, but that of course won’t stop me from speculating.

Brian’s stance on “clean” coal, Keystone, and guns has already received some scrutiny from the left, as evidenced by a Daily Kos piece titled Brian Schweitzer: bold progressive or just another fossil fueled politician?

It would be a mistake to define Schweitzer’s populism as progressive. It would also be a mistake to expect a popular Montana governor to be everything a lefty like myself would want.

Instead of getting into all the pros and cons of a Schweitzer run for senate right now, I thought I would take a different approach.

Language fascinates me, and this week’s poem is a found poem featuring language taken straight from the Clinton Group’s philosophy statement. This group is a New York based, globally diversified hedge fund that, along with Brian, spearheaded the attempted takeover of the Stillwater Mining Co.

Enjoy!

*

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Through our fundamental research
trading and risk management
we
recognize and dynamically allocate capital
to attractive
opportunities.

Our expertise
across the capital structure, markets and globe
provide us with
a unique macro vantage point.

Our deep re-
search and op-
portunistic trading
help to ensure we
optimize our portfolios

while limiting risk.

Our quantitative equity strategy
combines behavioral
and other market inefficiencies
in an unbiased, multifactor approach.

The system,
which was developed in-house,
is based on ten years of actual, time-tested trading.

It uses leading research
on statistical arbitrage and adaptive systems
that recognize repetitive market behavior and patterns.

This data-intensive investment approach
seeks to successfully identify
and combine the hidden factors
that drive the returns
of individual securities and market segments.

—Clinton Group