Age is beauty at Wimbledon on Ladies Day

July 12, 2015

It was Ladies Day at Wimbledon and much to revel in. Not least that the winners were now mature, young ladies even though they had all been precocious teenagers when they first hit the top. Serena Williams won her 21st Grand Slam (Wow!) and her 4th in a row. Martina Hingis teamed up with Sania Mirza to win the doubles in an exciting turnaround after being one set and 5-2 down.

Beauty is relative but there is little doubt that I rejoice far more in “oldest” winners as the years go by.

Serena Williams, 34 this year

Serena 2015 (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin via Yahoo)

Serena 2015 (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin via Yahoo)

Martina Hingis, 35 this year and Sania Mirza, 29 this year

Hingis Mirza - 2015 - photo Facundo Arrizabalaga-EPA

Hingis Mirza – 2015 – photo Facundo Arrizabalaga-EPA

 

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Lack of ethics institutionalised at American Psychological Association

July 11, 2015

That members of the American Psychological Association actively participated in and helped to design the torture programme during the Bush era has been known for some time. But for over 10 years the APA has shielded its members and covered up their involvement. In fact they have had an Ethics Officer whose primary job has been to conceal the lack of ethics. The New York Times has details about a new investigation report which focuses on the failings of the members of the American Psychological Association.

NYT Editorial:

The first detailed accounts of the brutal interrogation program the Central Intelligence Agency established after the Sept. 11 attacks noted that psychologists and other medical professionals played key roles in abetting the torture of terrorism suspects. However, much about their role and their degree of responsibility in one of the most macabre and shameful chapters of American history has remained shrouded in secrecy.

A new report by a former federal prosecutor, first disclosed by James Risen in The Times, contains astonishing, disturbing details. It found that top members of the American Psychological Association, the largest professional organization of psychologists, colluded with officials at the Pentagon and the C.I.A. to keep the group’s ethics policies in line with tactics that interrogators working for the agency and the military were employing. …….. 

On Friday, Physicians for Human Rights justifiably called on the Department of Justice to begin a criminal investigation into the psychologists association’s role in the Bush administration’s torture program.

The Obama administration has so far refused to prosecute the torturers. As more evidence about this program comes to light, that position becomes increasingly indefensible.

There are no “good guys” if the behaviour of the “good guys” is no different to that of the “bad guys”. And the degree of “badness” is worse, I think, when the bad behaviour is institutionalised and not just that of rogue individuals.

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865,000 evacuated as Typhoon Chan-hom heads for landfall today

July 11, 2015

Close to a million people have been evacuated and almost 30,000 fishing boats have been recalled to port as Typhoon Chan-hom approaches Sheijiang on the East China coast.

CRI: More than 865,000 people in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang have been evacuated as super Typhoon Chan-Hom, the second typhoon to hit China in two days, approaches.

A total of 28,764 ships had been recalled to port as of 10 p.m., Friday, and several cities were already reporting heavy rain and strong gales, the provincial flood, typhoon and drought headquarters said.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a red alert, the highest level, on Friday morning for the super typhoon.

At 0900 local time on Saturday, the typhoon was around 115 kilometres southeast of Zhejiang province over the East China Sea and forecast to make landfall in Zhejiang on Saturday in the afternoon. It could be the most powerful typhoon to hit the area since 1949.

Image from Pacific Disaster Center:

Typhoon Chan-hom July 10th 2015

Typhoon Chan-hom July 10th 2015

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O learned judge! O idiot judge!

July 10, 2015

Oakland County in Michigan is stuck with her for a long time yet. She probably has no children – one hopes. But Oakland County residents cannot complain now. They elected her.

Lisa Ortlieb Gorcyca is a judge for the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County, Michigan. She was elected to the court on November 4, 2008, for a six-year term ending on January 1, 2015. On November 4, 2014, Gorcyca was re-elected unopposed for another six-year term commencing on January 1, 2015, and expiring on December 31, 2020.

Oakland Press:

An Oakland County circuit judge who sent three children to a juvenile detention facility for refusing to speak to their father compared the kids to cult leader Charles Manson.

Oakland Circuit Judge Lisa Gorcyca declared the children of Maya Tsimhoni in contempt of court last month and ordered them held at Oakland County Children’s Village until they attempt to have a relationship with their father or they turn 18.

The three — ages 9, 10, and 14 — have been incarcerated for more than two weeks.

And as a reader writes in to the Oakland Press:

There have been many outrageous decisions made by judges over the years, but Judge Lisa Gorcyca’s recent order to send three children to spend detention until they turn 18 is one of the most appalling orders ever! Comparing these children to Charles Manson shows this judge is nothing short of insane.

She needs to resign immediately or be removed. Murderers and robbers get more lenient sentences, yet innocent children are sent away? This action by Judge Lisa Gorcyca will cause detrimental affects on these children. But then, what does she care? She is on a power trip evidently because after all, she is the all-wise judge! Pathetic!

Barry Baumann,

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“Global warming” on vacation as July temperatures rival last November

July 10, 2015

Reality seems quite different to the fanciful computer models of the alarmists. Where has the imagined global warming gone? Of course “global warming” is not something that can be experienced or observed. Global temperature is an artefact. It can only be calculated from “adjusted” and “homogenised” data where the past has been cooled and continues to be cooled with every year that passes. The algorithms used to adjust and homogenise real data seem to be designed to produce pre-determined results. From raw temperature data, there is no evidence of man-made global warming.

We had 3 days here in Sweden over 30ºC last week. The fantasists began talking about a “heat wave”. Since then it has felt like March or November. The maximum today will not exceed 13ºC.

(Note that in the UK, on one day last week – and based on one temperature reading at an airport – it was claimed that it was the hottest day for 200 years. Even if the sensational conclusion was correct – which it was not since it was hotter in 1976 – it would only demonstrate that it was hotter 200 years ago and long before man made emissions were of any significance).

DagensNyheter:

November Chill – in the middle of July
The summer warmth is conspicuous by its absence. And the mercury can hardly get to more than 12 degrees in Stockholm. It is as cold as last November.

The summer warmth will have to wait a good long while. Low pressures are relentless in Sweden – and today it is colder than in a long time. The temperature in Stockholm just before midday is about 12 degrees. It is as cold as the beginning of November last year.

“This is unusually cold and far below the normal temperature”, says Eva Strandberg, meteorologist at SMHI.

It does not appear that it will be much warmer anytime soon. “During the next 10 days or so it does not look like there will be any high pressure. The unstable weather will dominate and perhaps with a few days up to 20 degrees. There is a continued risk of showers”, says Eva Strandberg.

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Greek proposal is for European taxpayers to provide €5,000 handout per person

July 10, 2015

Why did Tsipras bother with the referendum?

The Greek proposal now is for much the same reforms that were rejected by the referendum. Except that now a debt write-off of about €54 billion is also demanded. That is about €5,000 for each of the 11 million Greek population to be funded by the taxpayers of the other European countries. It is not cash in hand of course but whether handout of cash or cancellation of debt, it costs the same.

The proposals are to be approved by the Greek parliament today and even if the hard-left vote against, it should go through with the help of all the centre-right votes. I suppose it will all get approved – with French pressure – on Sunday. But the bottom line is that every Greek citizen will effectively be getting a handout of €5,000 each from other European taxpayers.

It is not debt relief after a natural catastrophe or a war that is being asked for. It is debt relief for mismanagement. It is debt relief for earlier profligacy – for a bloated public sector which awarded itself generous pensions at 55; for years of  tax evasion and corrupt big projects. And it was done during a period when other more prudent European countries were considering raising the retirement age. Some of that profligacy will be corrected but far from all of it. This bailout is unlikely to suddenly bring “good housekeeping” to the Greek house. It will not prevent Greece from being constrained and stifled by the Euro straitjacket. Further bailouts will be needed.

For the Eurozone it will be a patch-up exercise for a fundamentally flawed common currency system. It is fundamentally flawed because it is being seen as a tool to bring about political and fiscal union when it should just be a natural – and inevitable – consequence of political and fiscal union. In the long run the Euro has to be shrunk or dismantled. Debt relief for the Greeks now is a precedent that establishes it will always be on the table for future mismanagement.

Past bad behaviour being rewarded for the sake of a grandiose concept of a Holy European Empire.

 

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French socialists trying to rescue their Greek comrades

July 9, 2015

That Yanis Varoufakis was a marxist economist is no great secret though he likes to call himself a libertarian marxist. (I have no great opinion of the black magic of economists in general and especially since they are all theorists which backcast but can never make a forecast. But a marxist economist pushes the bound of credulity).  His forced resignation from the post as Finance Minister was the token, cosmetic gesture made by Tsipras to the creditors. Syriza is a strange blend of socialism and marxism and nationalism. Among the group of creditors it has become apparent that the French socialists are going out of their way to try and save Tsipras and they are desperately trying to help Tsipras come up with a good “socialist” plan that can pass muster with the other creditors.

Now it seems that French econmists are actuually helping Tsipras draft proposals which must be presented today.

BBC: 

The Greek media have reported that financial experts from France are helping Greece put together its reform plan. It’s a story that has been backed up in the French press too.

But France – which has taken a largely conciliatory tone towards Greece – has denied any of its officials were involved.

AFP quoted one un-named official as saying: “France wants to help things along and very much backs an agreement, but in no way are we helping them draft the proposals.”

That French officials will not be acting in the name of France is obvious. But it is equally obvious that French nationals – acting in an “unofficial” capacity, but with the probable knowledge and blessing of the French government – are helping the Greeks to draft their proposal.

Good luck to them. But the best for all is for Greece to leave the Euro and stay in the EU.

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Chinese crash gives new investing opportunity

July 9, 2015

The 2015 Chinese stock market crash has different drivers but resembles the 2007/2008 crash in investor behaviour.

Many domestic Chinese investors made a great deal of money with the recovery in late 2008/ early 2009. My guesstimate is that any real recovery from the current crash cannot come until the 6 month freeze just introduced on large stockholders selling shares is withdrawn. But since investing in the Chinese market is now possible through a variety of funds, there is an opportunity coming. My estimate is that the bottom is when the Shanghai Composite Index is driven down to about 3,100 at which point the market will be grossly undervalued. The opportunity will come in the subsequent “bull” market when stocks will be driven up into “overvalued” territory again.

I am a strong believer in “track record” and that past behavioural patterns repeat or, at least, change very slowly.

My investments are far too small to be of any significance in the big picture. My strategies are therefore all based on detecting and riding the waves of behaviour exhibited by others. And so I will be looking to making some investments in about 4 – 6 months with a target of 30-40% growth over the following 6 months.

China investing opportunity

China investing opportunity

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No evidence of any global warming in robust Arctic and Antarctic ice extents

July 8, 2015

After 40+ years of an imagined, man-made, global warming, the ice extent at the poles and in the Greenland Ice Sheet seem pretty robust – individually and collectively.

No further commentary is necessary.

Arctic Ice Extent – 6th July 2015

Arctic Ice Extent 6 July 2015

Arctic Ice Extent 6 July 2015

Antarctic Ice Extent – 6th July 2015

Antarctic Ice Extent 6 July 2015

Antarctic Ice Extent 6 July 2015

Mass of Greenland Ice Sheet 

Greenland Icesheet mass 2015

Greenland Icesheet mass 2015

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Cosby admitted in 2005 that he was a sexual predator

July 7, 2015

No further defense is possible.

Why are the courts delaying? Why not put him in the same cell as Rolf Harris?

Reuters:

Comedian Bill Cosby testified in 2005 that he had obtained Quaaludes with the intent of giving the sedatives to young women in order to have sex with them, according to court documents unsealed on Monday. Cosby, 77, made the admission during testimony in a civil case brought by a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand, who alleged that Cosby tricked her into taking drugs before he sexually assaulted her.

The case was settled for an undisclosed sum in 2006 but the documents in the case were unsealed on Monday after the Associated Press went to court. ……….

Cosby testified that in the 1970s he had obtained seven prescriptions for Quaaludes, the brand name for a sedative and muscle relaxant that was widely abused as a recreational drug in the 1970s. 

“When you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these Quaaludes for young women that you wanted to have sex with?” Cosby was asked in the 2005 deposition.

“Yes,” he replied.

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