JTOBrien

Market Risk 10.22.12

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:54:30 -0400

This is a model for measuring Market Risk in the overall equities markets. There are the short term indicators of which a simple average is calculated and a simple average of long term indicators. The short term are plotted on the horizontal axis and the…

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Relationships and Shifting Contexts

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 06:37:21 -0400

One of the benefits of my work is the opportunity to work with some outstanding people throughout the country. And as diverse as any population segment in America is, there are some common, not universal, traits. One of those is small and medium sized…

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Intermediate Objectives MapReblogging Bob Sproull’s take on...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:31:20 -0400

Intermediate Objectives Map

Reblogging Bob Sproull’s take on Intermediate Objectives Map
A Link to NOVACES

Posted: 01 Sep…

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Impact of eBook trends in...

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:38:08 -0400

Impact of eBook trends in Education?

http://www.statista.com/statistics/232861/global-e-book-revenue-by-region/

The digital disrupter,…

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mAd Men! View Postshared via WordPress.com

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:06:52 -0400

mAd Men!

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Awesome!

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:04:31 -0400

Awesome!

UK Water Pumping Station Converted Into Sophisticated Modern...

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:19:05 -0500

UK Water Pumping Station Converted Into Sophisticated Modern Home
Lavinia, freshome.com

Camouflaged in the north of England, UK, this exceptional two-story building is the result of a notable architecture conversion. The Pump House is the contemporary and sophisticated version of a former water pumping stat…

IBM 5 in 5

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:07:10 -0500

http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2011/12/the-next-5-in-5-our-forecast-of-five-innovations-that-will-alter-the-landscape-within-five-years.html

Forecast of 5 innovations that will alter the landscape within 5 years.

·    People power will come to life
·    You will never need a password again
·    Mind reading is no longer science fiction
· The digital divide will cease to exist
· Junk mail will become priority mail

"Like" this kid's pic. His dad is trying to win money for Christmas

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:24:59 -0500

http://www.litemix.com/cc-common/gallery/photos.html?album_id=304068&p=18468472#/101/18468472

“Like” this kid’s picture. His dad is trying to win money for Christmas.

Economies of Scope

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:35:31 -0500

Economies of Scope

Conflict Management

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:12:42 -0500

Conflict Management

A Kodak Moment to Reconsider the Value of IT - Robert Plant - Harvard Business Review

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:11:16 -0400

A Kodak Moment to Reconsider the Value of IT - Robert Plant - Harvard Business Review

Article 1 Section 4

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:27:00 -0400

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day

Notice the curious start of the Congressional Session, the first Monday in December. Evidently, the Christmas Holidays were not too important to them. In the 1700’s the modes of transport were so slow that a return to home for many Congressman could not have been practical. It wasn’t changed until the passing of the 20th Amendment in 1932. I have to admit, I did not know this.

It’s also worth noting in the first paragraph the boundaries drawn around the Senators. Remember, the State Legislators chose the Senators in the beginning. So Congress was forced to honor the Rights of States in this manner. Too bad the States have no rights today. Would change a lot of the dynamics in politics.

Article 1 Section 3

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:23:45 -0400

1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

2: Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

3: No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

4: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

5: The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

6: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

7: Judgment in Cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Here is what seems to be a seeming contradiction to the democratically bent founder’s thought processes. Instead of choosing the selection of Senators by popular vote within the states, as the House of Representatives, those Senators were selected by the Legislatures of each State. In those days the Senator followed the instructions of the State Legislature. Thereby ensuring that States’ Rights would not be trampled upon by an overreaching central government. Senators faced with decisions to vote against the choice of the State Legislatures faced removal. Later when Amendments changed the method to popular election within the States, the Senators loyalties shifted to the popular policy and has been a contributor to the accelerated grab for power of a central government that can only be described as a ravenous life destroying octopus whose appetite can not be satiated.

Article 1 Section 2

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:00:06 -0400

1: The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

2: No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

3: Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.2 The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

4: When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

5: The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

It’s interesting to consider the Electoral College and the intentions of the Founders. Imagine if the only people who had input into the political process were those who had a stake in the outcomes. Meaning. only those who had property (the predominant wealth measure of that day) and would have been subjected to the vagaries of the political process. Today, anyone over age 18 has the opportunity to have input into the political process. What would the landscape look today if this was the reality?

Constitution Article 1 Section 1

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:00:06 -0400

Article 1

Section 1

All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The framers of the Constitution were compromising between the two prevailing sides of the Convention. Those who did not want the large populous states to exert their will over the smaller ones, and those who did not want to be governed by a minority. This bicameral system addressed both concerns. It is interesting to note that the powers were qualified with a limitation of “herein granted.” as opposed to assumed at some future date. Remember these were men who abhorred central governments who overreached! That is why they risked their lives and fortunes to fight the Revolutionary War. Even the most ardent of the centralists would be appalled to learn that the central government has usurped the powers of the States and run amuck in the lives, businesses and policies throughout the land.

Power outage Palm Beach international airport

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:22:51 -0400

The power went out at pbia this afternoon. Security was stalled a few minutes then resumed again. Vendors are all out. Gates are functioning. Overheard a comment on the walkie talkie of a sky cap that the front doors were locked and people couldn’t get in. Another great day traveling.

The Constitution 224 years later

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:35:05 -0400

Today marks the 224th anniversary of the Constitution. The preamble reads

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

1. Notice the capitalization of proper nouns. People, Order, Union, Justice, Tranquility, Welfare, Blessings, Liberty, Posterity, Constitution. These are virtues for any sovereign to aspire.

2. United States. A state is a sovereign in and of itself. No where else in history has a group of sovereigns come together to form a Union of sovereigns. This in and of itself proves to be an historic and epic event.

3. Take note of the goals. There were only six goals outlined in the preamble. They are as follows;

a. ….in Order to form a more perfect Union. Order is used to denote a goal to bring about a disciplined and organized process of improving the new nation with its goal to be perfect. Notice that does not mean it will be perfect.

b. ….establish Justice. To me this is curious. As if justice did not exist prior. During this period following the Revolution, the Confederation of States there was political, judicial, and economic chaos. The goal was to bring about a means of establishing a judiciary to mediate the wrongs.

c. ….insure domestic Tranquility. Meaning to put in place measures, processes to maintain order within the borders.

d. . ….provide for the common defence. Notice defence is not capitalized. Every sovereign must be capable of raising arms to secure its liberties.

e. …promote the general Welfare. Don’t jump to the conclusion that Welfare was defined as the current definition as providing monies to any and every one. Promote the general Welfare. Promote….Promote….Promote….does not mean the same as PROVIDE welfare.

f. … and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. Simply secure freedom from the perniciousness of foreign powers for themselves and subsequent generations.

Stay tuned for more on the most historic document created by man for the governance of man.

Thank you bank of america.

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:05:37 -0400

Thank you bank of america.

Coppock Curve as of 10/31/10

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:35:45 -0500

The Coppock Curve as of 10/31/10 continues to decline. Is the momentum of the DJIA coming to an end? As you can see in the chart above in the 2004 to 2005 time period, a decline in the Coppock Curve did not translate into a decline for the DJIA. It is in periods like the one we are in now that the DJIA can correct itself in a sideways fashion. It will take more tea leaves to forecast a downturn.