Surprise! BRICS’ squabble over rents/shares torpedoes their development bank notion. Yep, collaboration sucks! goo.gl/mag/2lHnWu5
@Planck confirms a lopsided heat/density distribution at largest universal scale. Ghosts from pre BigBang multiverse? tiny.cc/gecbuw
I’d like to see Ms Gillard carry the day. Narrowly.
TPP draft (like KORUS) apparently prohibits exemption for mobile-phone unlocking is.gd/hRQng8
Good! RT @TradeDiversion: World trade: The other conclave | The Economist econ.st/12SqTKr
Silly, but … “Hitler finds out Google Reader is shutting down” is.gd/VFbKMp (Ganz was astonishing in Downfall, btw).
@insteconomics almost all FTAs have been disappointing. Avg ~2% preference. Most change since ’70s due to unilateral cuts or WTO accession.
@SincDavidson I’m impressed by your teaching satisfaction numbers! is.gd/51SKZQ
Obama’s top trade goals (TPP, TTIP) ignore a crucial relationship. USA was the hub for Atlantic/Pacific trade in 1948 but chose more wisely.
There’ve been rats in the apostolic ranks since the Last Supper. Now seems the Vatican can’t trust Cardinals either::http://t.co/b3RPI3bAav
Now you tell me? Romans had no number zero. The first annus domini, 1 AD, denoted the year AFTER the birth of Christ in (curiously) 1 BC.
We are paying HOW many billions for these? “The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.. has a huge blind spot directly behind it” is.gd/GlFqnM
China in 2013: 13.5% of world PPP-GDP (#2, USA 19.4%); tariffs 9.8%; trade share of GDP 54%; share world exports 10.6 (#1, 2011)%
USA in 1913: 18.9% of world GDP (#1, UK 8.9%); tariff avg. 40-45%; trade share of GDP 6.4%; 22.1 share world exports 22.1% (#2).
That TTIP projection undated, however. Must somewhat depend on outlook for Euro zone (& counterfactual)
EU Trade Comm’s guess at welfare boost from TTIP; Eur130bn consumer surplus (0.5-1% increase in joint GDP) is.gd/pqU0I2
Obama to seek funds for the Brain Activity Map project in March. Here’s the original outline: first, worms and flies. http://t.co/nSfzPdSLYe
snlester Apparently, a CO2 increase helped end the ice age: nyti.ms/147MNo9 I blame the dinosuars, with their damn SUVs.
TTIP will likely improve USA non-tariff, services access to EU -> AU should also now seek a services (+ investment, standards) deal with EU.
Will TPP or TTIP cut tariffs? Probably not so it matters. In 90% of FTAs the ‘competitive’ gain is ~2%. Duties > 15% are not cut in ? cases.