Usd was steady in Asian session as volumes were thin. Majors were range bound for most of the morning with a jolt of risk aversion as news of the latest missile test by North Korea hit the market. Yesterday US data was broadly better then expected giving the Usd a temporary reprieve from selling. However we see this bullish sentiment to have a very short half life. US consumer consumption unexpectedly revised to 2.3% from 1.9% while inflation indicators eased moderately. Markets are still uncertain about how much of the US downbeat economic condition is already priced in to the Usd. However even if a large portion of weakness is already accounted for we believe that when traders will actually see the disturbing data which corresponds with a recession such as negative GDP or Wedne
Police in Orlando, Florida were doing a “Kicks for Guns” exchange, in which police give out shoes or a $50 gift certificate in exchange for someone giving up their gun, when a man brings in a missile launcher. This man showed up at the event wanting to trade a missile launcher for some Reebok shoes for his daughter.
Since the exchange comes with a no-questions-asked policy, the man’s identity is kept anonymous. He did however tell the Orlando Sentinel that the missile launcher was found in a shed that he had to tear down sometime last week.
The man said, “I didn’t know what to do with it, so I brought it here,” and that “I took it to three dumps to try and get rid of it and they told me to get lost.” All in all police were able to get more than 250 guns during this event.
Andres Serrano hits it right at times. I post this because of the process of public art. It has so little to do with what artists do, rather those who decide what can and can’t be accepted in public.
Picture link from We make money not art
The TOR-M1 (aka SA-15 Gauntlet platform) is one of the most advanced of the worlds self-propelled point-defense SAM systems. Certain Russian sources would have you know that the SA-15 can take out anti-radiation missiles (ie HARM, ALARM) at ranges between 3-5 km, and aircraft out 12km. Interfax said the Tor-M1 system could identify up to 48 targets
