Brixit

The Economist (a London based newsweekly) is running a cover story about the potential for Britain leaving the EU.  Amusing cover cartoon showing Britainna in full costume (Roman helmet, Union Jack on shield) riding a fighter plane style ejection seat.  Apparently Brussels bureaucrats have riled up the ordinary Brit voter to the point that they might vote "leave" if a straight forward "In or Out" referendum were presented to them.
   Unfortunately, 50% of Britain's trade is with other EU members.  If Britain withdrew then all this trade would be subject to EU tariff, which will hurt, a lot.
   If the Brits are so dumb as to stiff arm their best customers, we ought to offer to let them into NAFTA.  

Cameras, Cameras, Cameras

My trusty but aging Kodak Z1485 all plastic Point-n-Shoot is showing its age.  It's getting flaky, I have to whack it with my hand to get the color to show properly in the view finder.  It refused to take pictures under indoor lighting the other day.  The paint is wearing off the plastic making it look shabby.
  So, when a Nikon flyer fell out of my Wall St Journal, I gave it a look see.  Overwhelming.  Nikon is advertising 20 different models at prices from $79 to $2999.   They break down into three broad classes, the Coolpix point-n-shoot ($79 to $299), the Nikon 1 a larger point-n-shoot with interchangeable lenses($499 to $999) and the big black pro cameras with interchangeable lenses and thru the lens viewfinders  ($479-$2999). 
   Looking at the meager specs provided with each camera, it wasn't clear what each model offered, other than price.  The all claimed 10 megapixels and up.  9 megapixels gives as good an image as 35 mm film ever did, so even the bottom of the line $79 model can make photos as sharp and crisp as anyone needs.  Nikon doesn't talk about batteries.  I have no idea if batteries are included, rechargeable, buy-able at the super market, Lithium Ion, how long they last, and will the camera show you the state of charge? 
   All have zoom lenses.  The point-n-shoot lenses are speced as such and such a power (10x, 14X and so on)  The interchangeable lenses are speced in millimeters  (18-55. 30-110)  It is beyond my mathematical ability to convert from one to another. 
  And, Target is the store that carries all this hi tech goodness. Lots a luck trying to get a Target salesclerk to give you anything more than the price. 

There will be consequences

Such as?  Obama was trying to jawbone Syria's Assad away from using nerve gas on his own people.  He was trying to sound tough, like he was uttering a threat. 
  Didn't sound very tough to me.  Probably didn't sound very tough to Assad  
  Making vague threats make you look flaky.

Greece, has largest merchant marine

From the Wall St. Journal.  The legendary Greek shipping magnates are still legendary.  Greece has 4072 merchant ships.  More than Japan, or Germany, or the US.  More than any one nation in the world. Not bad for an economy swirling down the drain. 
  According to the Journal, the shipping interests threatened t o pack up and move elsewhere back in the 1970's.  The Greek government caved, and Greek shipping enjoys low taxes and freedom from regulation to this day.

Hobbit, the movie

It  hasn't come the Littleton yet.  Internet reviews are equivocal at best.  Most make the observation that there isn't enough material in the single volumn Hobbit story to fuel three movies.  Probably true.  I'm an old Tolkien fan, I'll see the movies anyhow. 
   The Brit papers have been making a big thing of technology.  The flick is in 3 D and 48 frames/sec.  The Guardian quotes viewers claiming that the extra frame rate gives them headaches and makes them dizzy.
Well, 3D can do that.  I suppose.  I find 3D annoying, the glasses never fit well, and the focus isn't very good.
  But the 48 frame/sec is harmless.  In fact, movies have been projected at 48 frames/sec since the 1920's.  The frame rate has to be high enough to prevent flicker, which is quite annoying.  The exact frame rate needed to smooth out flicker is variable, depends upon the circumstances.  Darkness helps, which theaters have.  American TV runs at 60 fields per second in well lighted rooms.  European TV runs at a mere 50 fields per second, and you can see it flicker.  It's bad enough that the Europeans were selling "100 hertz" TV sets to eliminate flicker caused by the 50 fields per second sets.
   Motion illusion is different from flicker.  Good motion illusion requires a far slower frame rate than flicker reduction needs.  In fact, some one back in the depths of time (1920's) discovered that although the projectors had to run at 438 frames per second to suppress flicker, they did not have to change the picture that fast.  A 2:1 savings in expensive 35mm film occured when the projector advanced the film on every other frame.  So the film advances at 24 frame per second, and the projector displays each frame of movie film twice.
   For the Hobbit, they are claiming to use revolutionary technology, and advance the film on every frame.  Newsies, and reviewers have been talking this up, claiming a miraculous improvement in the viewing experience.  Which gives great joy to the Hobbit marketing droids.  But in real life, it won't look any different from standard movies.   

Sell your Greek Bonds, for 35% of face value

The Greeks are making an offer you can't refuse.  They will buy back their bonds.  But they will only pay 35% of the face value.  Your choice is take  65% haircut now, or risk getting nothing in the future.  The Wall St Journal recommends bond holders take this deal now. 
  Can't say I don't agree with the Journal. 

So who gets blamed if we go over the fiscal cliff?

Good question.  If hitting the bottom of the fiscal cliff hurts as much as we think it will, fingers will be pointed.   Paychecks will get  smaller in January as withholding bumps up and as the FICA tax holiday comes to an end.  Ordinary folk will probably see their withholding tax double.  That ought to bring 'em up fighting mad.
   If Congress passes anything, Obama will have to sign it, otherwise he will take the blame for all the bad stuff that follows. John Boehner probably has the House in hand enough to pass anything reasonable.  He ought to do so.  The Senate will be under tremendous pressure to pass it, what ever it is, 'cause if they don't, everyone will blame them.  And no Senator likes that idea. 
  The circular firing squad is in place.  Who ever fails to keep us from going over the cliff will get shot.