There Will be Frogs
It’s the time of your life that may last a lifetime.
Castro resigned in a peaceful transfer of power, leaving sad Cuban exiles all over the US in Miami. Kosovo declared independence, not impressing Russia. Now on to the lead story.
My Hero! Not a character from Naruto, the above is the greatest animal to ever roam the great green earth.
Beelzebufo had a wide mouth and powerful jaws, plus teeth. Skull bones were extremely thick, with ridges and grooves characteristic of some type of armor or protective shield.
The name comes from the Greek word for devil, Beelzebub, and Latin for toad, bufo (pronounced boo-foe).
So…. AWESOME! Powerful jaws PLUS TEETH! How does it get better than that! Oh, right: ARMOR. And an awesome name: Armored Devil Toad.
Sorry, I have to change my pants. Why? Below is what happens in my pants when I read articles about giant armored devil toads.
I can’t believe I gave my panties to a geek.
In the minutia department, here’s some popular mechanics for yo’ ass. 5 valentine’s day gifts for huge nerds apparently. Well, they’re hitting they’re target market I suppose. Gift one: stupid. Gift two: gay and stupid. Gift three: screams mega-nerd, and expensive, just like the previous two, but at least does something interesting. Gift four: putting aside the attractive ladies in the photo, if I’m going to buy my lady a leopard print or pink handheld electrical device, it’s going to have a vibrating motor, multiple settings, and not cost $430. Sorry, Taser Inc. Gift Five: I already spent way more than that to get a woman, why would I buy a second vacuum cleaner? Please.
You know, I’m getting input here that I’m reading as relatively hostile.
Global economics dance break!
Whoops! The Swiss maybe should focus more on their core competencies, like laundering Nazi gold.
Here’s some Financial Times. I commend it as a good strong source for global economy news, and you can get a free registration that will let you read 30 articles a month. That’s all I have anyway.
Asian mills agree higher iron ore price
By Jonathan Soble in Tokyo, Geoff Dyer in Shanghai, Anna Fifield in Seoul and Javier Blas in London
Published: February 18 2008 05:41 | Last updated: February 18 2008 12:12
Global steelmakers face a sharp increase in iron ore prices after Japanese and South Korean producers agreed on Monday with Vale, the Brazilian group that is the world’s biggest ore supplier, to a 65 per cent rise in term-contract rates beginning on April 1.
The increase is the steepest since a 71.5 per cent jump in 2005 and is above the market initial consensus of a 50 per cent increase, although in recent weeks some had predicted that prices could double.
Steel shares in Japan and South Korea rose on investor relief that such an extreme scenario did not materialise and hopes that the industry would be able to pass part of the price rise on to consumers.
Eugen Weinberg, a commodities analyst at Commerzanbank in Frankfurt, said: “The extent of this rise goes far beyond consensus estimates and points to an unquestionably strong demand for steel worldwide.”
As the first price agreement between steelmakers and a big ore producer for 2008, the deal will set a global benchmark for the industry.
Chinese steelmakers traditionally accept the same rates as other Asian producers and the deal will also guide agreements involving ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer, and Australian ore suppliers Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.
However, Rio said it would continue to negotiate to “obtain a freight premium” that reflects the fact that its mines are closer than Vale’s to the main Asian steelmakers’ customers.
The steel industry also faced a sharp increase in cocking coal prices, analysts said. Coal prices last week surged to an all-time high, boosted by supply disruption in Australia and South Africa and a Chinese ban on coal exports.
Soaring demand from Chinese steelmakers has driven iron ore prices up more than four-fold since 2003. Producers worry that the proposed takeover of Rio by BHP would erode their pricing power even further by leaving most of the world’s ore supply in the hands of just two groups. The latest price rise is likely to strengthen opposition to the proposed deal.
Nippon Steel, the world’s second-biggest producer, spends about 35 per cent of its operating budget on buying iron ore, meaning the price rise will push its production costs up by about 23 per cent. Analysts said Asian automakers, shipbuilders and other steel industry customers would ultimately absorb much of the rise, however.
“There will be some margin pressure but the environment is still good for passing on costs,” said Frederic Gits, analyst at Fitch Ratings.
Shinya Yamada, analyst at Credit Suisse, said makers of high-grade specialty steel – mainly Nippon Steel and its Japanese rival JFE – were in the best position to pass on the price increase, while lower-end producers in China were most likely to suffer.
He said attention would now focus on negotiations over coking coal, another key raw material, the price of which is expected to rise even more sharply than that for iron ore.
Nippon Steel, JFE and South Korea’s Posco confirmed their agreements with Vale. Baosteel, China’s largest steel-maker, refused to comment on the deals but officials indicated that the industry in China was likely to accept the 65 per price rise.
Shares in most listed Chinese steel companies rose on expectations that the mills would be able to pass on higher costs to customers. In Tokyo, Nippon Steel ended 3.2 per cent higher and JFE rose 6 per cent, though Posco slipped 0.2 per cent in Seoul.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
That is strong. I highlighted the bad (65% increase) and the good (high demand for steel globally means that there’s economic activity going on somewhere).
More Whoops! Also, I can’t source it, but reports have Turkish Wheat harvest projected to decline 10% this year. Good stuff.
By night’s end, I predict me and her will interface.
DING DONG THE HDDVD IS DEAD. YEA! I am now vindicated for my long position of holding that Blu-Ray would win. I know many of you out there were with me, and I will give you a high five and a pat on the ass in celebration for our role in slaying the HDDVD beast.
Mmmm. Oil is up over $97 $98 a barrel, stuff, people-places. Other things.
It’s really human of you to listen to all my bullshit.
Politking time!
I did a little bit of highly sophisticated statistical modeling over the weekend. Look for my spread in an upcoming Statsgirl magazine. Funny?
Ok, anyway, I applied some abject guess work and totally unfounded assumptions to the 2004 election outcomes to predict how the 2008 election might look.
Clinton v. McCain:
Basically, take 2004 but move Wisconsinin and New Hampshire from Clinton and give them to McCain. Electoral votes break down McCain 290, Clinton 247. Clinton could run with George Washington as her running mate and it wouldn’t change the basic result: she loses.
Obama v. McCain:
An improvement over Clinton in that at least the people of Wisconsinin stay in the blue camp, but New Hampshire loves them some McCain. McCain 280, Obama 257.
Obama/Bloomberg v. McCain:
I have a feeling that I probably undersold the swing to Obama. This is likely an “at least” scenario from the blue side. New Mexico, Nevada, Wisconsinin, New Hampshire, and Iowa all swing to Obama here… but the kicker is that Ohio also swings blue, bringing it’s 20 votes and the victory. Obama 288, McCain 249. Again, that’s an “at least” because Colorado, Missouri, Arkansas, and Florida could all also end up playing blue as well.
So, as much as your vote does matter in any election anywhere, and as much as if you live in Texas you vote doubly doesn’t matter, you’re vote matters now… a little bit. It’s better than nothing, so stop bitching.
If you are a democrat, and you long for the oval office to be yours again (wua hahaha!), then you must vote for Obama [and hope he picks bloomberg]. Much like Obi-wan, he is your only hope.
However, if you are a republican, your choice becomes ever so more interesting… and sinister. Irony, some would say, since sinister derives from latin for “left”, and redundant some would say because you’re republican and by definition sinister. Smartasses, I know.
You could vote for McCain, or Huckabee, or Romney, or Paul. I’m still voting for Paul (as is my former business professor, come to find out). Paul is 90% genius, but he’s also 99% uncharismatic and 10% crazy, neither of which are traits that people really want to elect. but voting for Paul is a message vote to identify that section of the population that still longs for smaller government and free markets.
A vote for McCain, Romney, or Huckabee is wasted. McCain’s already won, Romney has endorsed McCain and started begging for the VP nod, and Huckabee is a creep (and did I mention McCain already won?).
Ah, but Texas has an open primary, yes yes? So, as a republican, you could vote for… Hillary? Support the candidate that is a sure fire loser in the election? Support the opposition to Obama so that they are forced to continue their battle all the way to the convention, wasting money, energy, and potentially causing such hard feelings it divides (temporarily) the democratic party? Yes, yes?
Ah, sneaky, yes, yes? So, democrats go vote for Obama. Republicans go vote for Hillary. Let’s set some records this election.
No more yanky my wanky. The Donger need food,
Devil Toad
