Global Macro / Markets / Investing:
- Coinbase: The Heart of the Bitcoin Frenzy – NY Times
- Bitcoin Explodes Above $14,000 – Korean PM Fears “Serious Pathological Phenomena” – Zero Hedge
- Stronger Labor Unions Could Do a Lot of Good – Bloomberg
- Move Over, Cushing: Houston Emerges as Key Oil Trading Hub – WSJ
- The 2018 Outlook for Major Central Banks – Bloomberg
- Largest Crypto-Mining Exchange Confirms It Was Hacked, Over $50 Million In Bitcoin Stolen – Zero Hedge
- Bitcoin Bears Are Excited About Futures – Bloomberg
- The Bitcoin bubble – how we know it will burst – The Conversation
Americas:
- United Nations official visiting Alabama to investigate ’great poverty and inequality’ – Al.com
- Patagonia CEO Explains Why They Are Suing President Trump – Time
- The U.S. leads in artificial intelligence, but for how long? – Technology Review
- Cuts to homeowner tax breaks could cost Republicans in 2018 races – Reuters
- Does the Senate tax bill really offer a tax break for private jets, as key Democrats claim? – Washington Post
- ’Holy crap’: Experts find tax plan riddled with glitches – Politico
- The GOP Tax Plan Would Make America’s Housing Shortage Even Worse – Bloomberg
- House Conservatives Warn About Spending After Backing Tax Cuts – Bloomberg
- What Happened to the American Boomtown? – NY Times
- Low Food Prices Are Hurting Farm State Economies – WSJ
- Not only are Americans becoming less happy — we’re experiencing more pain too – Washington Post
- Canada scraps plan to buy Boeing fighters amid trade dispute: sources – Reuters
Europe:
- ECB Caught In Sprawling Scandal After Bonds It Owns Implode – Zero Hedge
- It’s Official: Putin Says He’ll Run for Re-Election – Bloomberg
- ECB’s Mersch: Euro area recovery continues to be robust – ForexLive
- Plot to Assassinate U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May Is Foiled, Sky Reports – Bloomberg
- ECB’s massive bond-buying program is no longer crucial for Greece, prime minister says – CNBC
- UK has 48 hours to agree potential deal or Brexit talks cannot progress – The Guardian
- Jean-Claude Juncker ’fears Theresa May’s Government will collapse next week without Brexit deal’ – The Telegraph
Asia:
- Japan Embraces the Robot Takeover – Bloomberg
- Sinopec sues as China loses patience with Venezuela – FT
- A Bitcoin Frenzy Like No Other Is Gripping South Korea – Bloomberg
- Japan rethinks care as it confronts ‘pandemic of dementia’ – FT
- A Chinese province next to North Korea is educating its citizens about nuclear war – Quartz
- China’s Infrastructure Binge Is Set for a Major Slowdown – Bloomberg
Trans-Tasman:
- Blockchain Scores Major Win as Australian Exchange Plans Shift – Bloomberg
- Same-sex marriage bill set to pass Parliament without amendments, could be legal in days – ABC
- Defence tells Oakey residents toxic pollutants no health risk, just don’t eat the local produce – ABC
- Burning coal for power “like burning dollar notes” in era of cheap solar – Renew Economy
- Government shelves plans to drug test welfare recipients, citing lack of Senate support – ABC
- Canavan: QLD Labor ‘xenophobic’ for vetoing Adani loan – 9News
- Is this the end of the road for Adani’s Australian megamine? – The Guardian
- If you’re promised a tax cut this Christmas, read the fine print first – The SMH
- NSW government can build stadiums or get re-elected, but not both – The SMH
- Worst result since 2008: Bill shock shuts wallets across Australia – The SMH
- Australia’s first offshore wind farm wins international funding – The Age
- Australia’s biggest wind turbine blades trucked 530km to far west NSW wind farm – ABC
- Chinese influence on Australia is ‘fabricated’ by media, China claims – The Guardian
- ‘A Disgrace: Politicians have embarrassed themselves with the citizenship mess’ – The Monthly
- Energy regulator smashes illusion of “cheap” coal power in NSW – Renew Economy
- House values down in Auckland and Christchurch, up strongly in Wellington – Interest.co.nz
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And now, something disturbingly disturbing:
https://medium.com/@jamesbridle/something-is-wrong-on-the-internet-c39c471271d2
A lot of waffle and a response that probably would be best coming from Skippy talking about how the neoliberal version of society means everything is for sale, including the minds of our kids. 😀
But if you want to see what all the fuss is about in 10 seconds watch this.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1418668/kids-left-traumatised-after-sick-youtube-clips-showing-peppa-pig-characters-with-knifes-and-guns-appear-on-app-for-children/
Then decide how much worse these animations could get, while kids watch them whilst their parents have no idea.
Wontsomebodythinkofthechildren.jpg
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-driving-times-longest-in-national-lifestyle-survey/news-story/9eb693f3e61ad36e277ac9c6e0ad8825
NEW ZEALAND: ‘This is a social and economic disaster for the country’ – Phil Twyford hits out over housing report | 1 NEWS NOW | TVNZ
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/social-and-economic-disaster-country-phil-twyford-hits-over-housing-report
The dire state of the housing market has been laid out to the new minister in charge in official documents today. … VIEW & READ more via hyperlink above …
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Officials: Housing causes ‘stark’ inequality between young and old … Stuff / Fairfax NZ
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99631572/officials-housing-causes-stark-inequality-between-young-and-old
The failing housing market is leading to stark inequality between the old and young and the rich and the poor, officials told the new Government as they took office.
This inequality is harming the health of Kiwis, the country’s productivity, and the Government books.
The briefings for incoming Housing Minister Phil Twyford show a 45,000 home gap in Auckland, as was previously reported by Stuff. Twyford maintains the previous Government intentionally kept the number secret. … read more via hyperlink above …
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Surge in demand for social housing revealed in briefing paper | Radio New Zealand News
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/345663/surge-in-demand-for-social-housing-revealed-in-briefing-paper
Meet NZ’s newest housing idiot – MacroBusiness Australia
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2017/11/meet-nzs-newest-housing-idiot/
By Leith van Onselen
Apparently Auckland’s housing market is no longer in “crisis”, according to the National opposition’s housing spokesman, Michael Woodhouse: … read more via hyperlink above …
The Kiwi Tories should be ashamed of themselves ! …
Govt spent $44,000 for homeless man to live in motel for 58 weeks … Radio New Zealand
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018624596/govt-spent-dollar44-000-for-homeless-man-to-live-in-motel-for-58-weeks
Housing Minister Phil Twyford says New Zealand’s longest tax-payer funded emergency housing tenant, Robert Erueti, should never have been evicted from his HNZ home. … read more via hyperlink above …
Westpac report says migration is already slowing and this will ‘reinforce downward pressure on house prices’ | interest.co.nz
https://www.interest.co.nz/news/91300/westpac-report-says-migration-already-slowing-and-will-reinforce-downward-pressure-house
A report by Westpac says net population growth from migration will drop from over 70,000 a year currently to around 10,000 a year by 2021, which will reinforce downward pressure on house prices.
Entitled They came, they saw, they’re leaving, the report by Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod says a downturn in migration was underway even before the new Labour-led government is able to tighten migration settings.
“And expected policy changes will reinforce recent trends,” Ranchhod says.
“We expect lower net migration will see population growth slow from over 2.1% per annum to 0.8% by 2021.” … read more via hyperlink above …
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National Party housing spokesperson responds to Phil Twyford’s first big policy speech on how he will tackle housing affordability, housing availability and home ownership | interest.co.nz
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/91285/national-party-housing-spokesperson-responds-phil-twyfords-first-big-policy-speech-how
By Michael Woodhouse*
This Government is quickly making a habit of breaking its promises.
Since it came to power the only thing that’s been consistent has been its walking back of its major policies and it’s no different in housing. … read more via hyperlink above …
… in response to …
The new Housing Minister sets out how he plans to “build communities”, deal with homlessness, “build 100,000 affordable homes for first home buyers”, help renters, and sort out the tax incentives | interest.co.nz
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/91200/new-housing-minister-sets-out-how-he-plans-build-communities-deal-homlessness-build
Posted at … https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2017/12/general_debate_8_december_2017.html/comment-page-1#comment-2095576
NZ’s new housing minister lashes policy malfeasance – Leith van Onselen … MacroBusiness Australia
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2017/12/nzs-new-housing-minister-lashes-policy-malfeasance/
Hot on the heels of his masterful speech to the Salvation Army setting the framework for Labour’s housing reform agenda, New Zealand’s housing minister, Phil Twyford, has been presented with a damning briefing on the state of the market, which has caused “stark” inequality between young and old. From Stuff.co.nz: … read more via hyperlink above …
Catch 22 for first-home owners overcome for young Auckland couple | Stuff.co.nz
https://i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/99659437/catch-22-for-firsthome-owners-overcome-for-young-auckland-couple
Natasha King, Matt van der Haast and their two children, Jamie, 5, and Emily, 2, first featured on Stuff a year ago, when they were living with King’s father in order to save money for their first home.
The couple was the first to sign up for a house in the new Belmont subdivision in Pukekohe under the Special Housing Areas legislation, which meant the completed “affordable” houses in the subdivision could not be sold for more than 75 per cent of the median house price in the Auckland region, which was $578,250.
At that time most developers had shied away from the subdivision saying it was not possible to build a house for under $600,000 in the greater Auckland area. … VIEW & READ more via hyperlink above …