BRIEFS

A recent furore erupted over a spreadsheet error involving the work of two Harvard economists whose findings stated that the debt ratio to GDP matters. 

Debt, they concluded, was a drag on future growth.

The findings were a tough swallow for liberal Keynesian economists and a windfall so to speak for those who want more stringent fiscal policies.

So what do you think happened? Three liberal, Keynesian-bred economists from the University of Massachusetts reviewed the data and found a spreadsheet error. 

How many spreadsheet generated documents have errors? Well, here's a link.

What is egregious is the three used the error to attack other findings of the report that were in no way related to the error. The lead UMASS economist has close ties to the Obama administration which openly opposes any real fiscal austerity. The other two are wanna-bes. 

A policy wonk, right or left, is just another wonk. They're not your friend.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/88-of-spreadsheets-have-errors-2013-04-17

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What's the drug of your choice?

For most of us it's O2, oxygen. On Wall Street so claims British neuropyscopharmacologist David Nutt it's cocaine. And he says it contributed the the financial crisis, according to a CNBC report.

 Before you bust up laughing and call the guy a weirdo ( and you thought we we're going to say nut), read the piece.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100650821


From what we read a glut of hogs may hit the market this year as feed prices fall. (See Thursday reads). Recall last year's US drought.

The quote below, given all the deflation worries making the rounds now, we'll see how prices turn out and who is more correct.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., the operator of 622 restaurants across 42 states, expects food commodity costs to rise 4% to 5% this fiscal year, with pork among the biggest increases, Chief Financial Officer Lawrence E. Hyatt said on a conference call in February.

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