Articles on President Obama’s birth certificate coming out of the closet, another serious look at the myth of the benefits of debt supported university education, how Goldman Sachs created food inflation, how not following well thought out regulations created the Fukushima tragedy, a look at bubbles, and a useful test on whether your politics and economics adds up to you being Gandhi or Stalin.

Also Morgan Stanley’s take on inflation, how high energy prices can solve our energy problems, and what we learned about Michael Ignatieff.

The proof -- President Obama's Long Form Birth Certificate

Wall Street Journal -- Born in the U.S.A.
Do conspiracy theories ever have anything to recommend them?

Related.

New York Times -- Obama Releases ‘Long Form’ Birth Certificate
President Obama on Wednesday posted online a copy of his “long form” birth certificate from the State of Hawaii, hoping to finally end a long-simmering conspiracy theory among some conservatives who have asserted that he was not born in the United States and was not a legitimate president.

 

A scathing indictment of an education system that mythologises the university degree, charges enormous sums for it, and delivers a declining quality of education.

n+1 – Bad Education
The Project On Student Debt estimates that the average college senior in 2009 graduated with $24,000 in outstanding loans.

Quote worth quoting.

“Since 1978, the price of tuition at US colleges has increased over 900 percent, 650 points above inflation … But while college applicants’ faith in the value of higher education has only increased, employers’ has declined … wages for college-educated workers outside of the inflated finance industry have stagnated or diminished … The result is that the most indebted generation in history is without the dependable jobs it needs to escape debt.”

Frederick Kaufman blames food derivatives designed by – you guessed it – Goldman Sachs for the dangerous food price spikes.

Foreign Policy – How Goldman Sachs Create the Food Crisis
Demand and supply certainly matter. But there's another reason why food across the world has become so expensive: Wall Street greed.

There is regulation, and then there is enforcing them. How the regulators blew it in Japan. Thanks to Jeremy of Tokyo for sending this in.

New York Times -- Culture of Complicity Tied to Stricken Nuclear Plant
Given the fierce insularity of Japan’s nuclear industry, it was perhaps fitting that an outsider exposed the most serious safety cover-up in the history of Japanese nuclear power.

Related. Thanks to Ken of Tokyo/Hong Kong for sending this in.

Bloomberg -- Japan’s Terrifying Day Saw Unprecedented Blown Roof Expose Tepco Fuel Rods
Makoto Nagai was sitting in his third-floor office at 2:46 p.m. on March 11 when the earthquake alarm buzzed.

A very random walk trying to figure out where asset prices go next.

Economist – Bubbles and Busts
WHEN does a bull market become a bubble?

Our good friend Nick of Victoria sent us this great site that lets you check where you are on the economic and personal freedom matrix. (ed’s note – I tested  like Gandhi the green box).

The Political Compass – Test
There's abundant evidence for the need of it.

 

A useful asset allocation model in these confusing times. Thanks to Russell of Victoria for sending this in.

Pdf below -- MPW Asset Allocation - Q2 2011

Morgan Stanley discusses low income country inflation. Yes it is serious.

Morgan Stanley – EM Inflation – Surprising and Rising
There's nothing more effective in getting the market to focus on EM inflation than an upside surprise in Chinese inflation and an immediate policy response.

Related.

Pdf below -- Scotia Commodity Price Report

How high energy prices can solve our energy dependencies.

Prudent Bear -- Hegelian energy outcomes
The philosopher Friedrich Hegel propounded the triad of thesis, antithesis, synthesis as one of the major logical processes by which knowledge gets advanced.

Feeling good about Michael. (ed’s note – the ultimate insult, the news that the Tories have switched Michael for Jack as the target of their venom). 

Globe and Mail -- Four things we’ve learned about Michael Ignatieff
With all the scrutiny he’s received in recent years, it’s sometimes easy to forget that this has been Michael Ignatieff’s first national campaign as Liberal Leader.