THE CHINA PROBLEM

As the chart in this article shows concern about whether China's once robust growth will turn into a paper tiger grows.

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2014/03/14/another-worrying-chart-on-china/

ECONOMIC MUSICAL CHAIRS

Is it 4% or 6% or 7.2%?

Just what is it? That's right, we're talking about the big C, China, and it's projected growth for this year.

The sure thing is there are many predictions. Does it really matter? Yea, it does because perception rules on Wall Street.  Well, in this case the perception of central bankers in the US and UK, to name a couple. And it matter to the ECB.
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/13/faber-sees-china-growth-at-4-good-news-for-its-gigantic-bubble/

ONLY WHERE?

And a lot of readers think this is only happening in America.

Not so fast. These are not-so-subtle pleas on the one hand for sovereignty and on the other for one world government.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-eu-critical-course-of-the-german-high-court-a-958018.html

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

A couple of important reads from the WSJ to digest and then watch the developments.

The odds of any of these central bankers getting it exactly correct are slim, slimmer and slimmest.

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/03/13/the-feds-age-of-inflation/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=MarketsMain

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/03/11/is-the-boe-determined-to-be-behind-the-curve/

TRANSPARENCY

Despite what those T-shirts say, old men don't rule. It's the pharmaceutical and banking industries that rule. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-06/spare-me-your-transparency-please

And it's not just New York surgeons picking the healthier candidates to keep their mortality and mistake rates low; it's medical practitioners across the board everywhere. How many practitioners you think look forward to treating diabetics, many who are on three or four diabetic medicines a day?

Diabetics heal slower, get infections easier and often suffer amputations. DM is a nasty vascular-neuro-toxic disease. Listing calories on labels is akin to the seat belt law. Yea, it saves a few more lives, but studies show people because they feel safer drive more recklessly or, to put it kinder, spend more time driving beyond their actual driving skill.

And then there's the running-a-red-light-camera-at-every intersection fiasco. In California where violators can opt for traffic school to show their contrition, it became common price for offenders to compare their fines. The variation in those prices exceeded what one often sees on a slow day at NYSE.

"Dallas Buyer's Club," the movie two actors won academy awards for, had it correct: the FDA and big-pharma are two of your worst nightmares. Transparency is just another ploy to keep the rabble from getting too restive.

Now that's your real nightmare.

LONG OR SHORT IN THE TOOTH?

As always it's a personal decision.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/06/investing/bull-market-five-years/index.html?iid=Lead

JAPANESE CONSUMPTION TAX

The land of the rising sun is soon to become the land of rising consumer taxes. Everyone knows what the annouced consequences are suppose to be, cut national debt and create a surplus. That only leaves the un-intended ones. The future of Abernomics could rest in the balance. 

http://www.bondvigilantes.com/blog/2014/03/04/japan-hikes-consumption-tax-in-april-will-retail-sales-spike-in-march-only-to-collapse-afterwards/

WASHINGTON-WALL STREET WAY

A lot of people either missed or ignored it. But here's a person who apparently didn't, a leading WSJ article recently about Freddie and Fannie, two government rip offs, politicians, bankers and their ilk refuse to let endure the ignoble death it so justly deserves.

Forget mom, apple pie, dyslexic children and Roth IRAs. This is a good old fashion example of American business done the Washington-Wall Street way.

http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/2014/03/05/bruce-berkowitzs-bogus-bombast/

A QUICK LOOK

A quick, precise look at the European Central Bank and its meeting later today and how the euro might respond to any changes.

http://www.marctomarket.com

A FOLLOW UP ON ECB MEETING

What did and didn't happen.

http://www.fxstreet.com/analysis/daily-market-recaps/2014/03/06/

A DISSENTING VOICE

A voting member of Federal Reserve raises concern about stock values. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/feds-fisher-raises-concern-over-stock-values-2014-03-05?link=mw_storieslike

THE ONE YOU DON'T SEE COMING

Most of us being of presumed sound mind and wearing life jackets realize the danger of getting too many folks on one side of the boat.

This may not be the best of the best analogies, but the constant deflation banter is sorta like if I hear about one more silly Kardashian episode, I am going to take a laxative.

You may not associate reflation with cathartics. But there's more than one way to get cleaned out. And for many investors reflation may just be the elixir nobody wants to swallow.

http://www.minyanville.com/business-news/markets/articles/Michael-Gayed-Oversold-Deflation-May-Mean/3/5/2014/id/54043