Category Archives: Future

Don’t Take My Word For It

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: March 6, 2010
In John Mauldin’s most recent letter, he had these wise words (among others) to offer… I queried several venture capitalists, who see literally thousands and thousands of business proposals. While lots of people are working on it, they are aware of nothing on the near horizon. Water may be my #1 concern about the future. It [...]
Also posted in Desalination, Economics, Water | Leave a comment

The Biggest Opportunity Right Now

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: May 25, 2009
…is the downside in US Debt. I want to make sure everybody I know, who wants to learn, understands how bond duration and intrest rate risk combined with the current economic storm…is creating a dramatic climax and great opportunity out of the last 27 year bull market in fixed income products sold by the US Government. So…if you [...]
Also posted in Economics, Markets | Tagged | 1 Comment

Getting Really Long Oil, Really Really Soon

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: May 5, 2009
It’s days away, maybe a week, depends on what the dollar does. But I think…since… …the volatility of oil has collapsed: and since the curve is also collapsing… I feel it is likely a smart time to buy at least half as much 2012 crude oil call verticals, as I ever plan on owning. I’ll save [...]
Also posted in Markets, Oil, options | Leave a comment

What if Oil hasn’t bottomed?

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: April 12, 2009
Consider for a moment, hypothetically that the recent spike in oil brought just enough investment to solar and oil both, that combined with the supply side of oil, and solar R&D…could solar potentially be ready to breach a tipping point, towards grid parity? Could expensive energy be behind us? Look up the history, on how the internet got so cheap.  Recall: [...]
Also posted in Economics | Leave a comment

UPDATE:Implied Volatility of Gold, Post Treasury Bid

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: March 22, 2009
We saw a surge in the implied volatility of gold, after the FOMC announcements on Wednesday.    (click to enlarge) FWIW, I’m thinking now is a good time to dump my life savings into 2010 and 2011, bull call spreads on GLD, GVX, amongst other things…talk me out of it. UPDATE. I wrote this post around 4:30 on sunday.  I realized, [...]
Also posted in Gold, Macro | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Protected: Change for the better…

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: February 8, 2009
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Also posted in Leading | Leave a comment

Path of the Planet

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: January 3, 2009
This post will come as no surprise to Engineers who have studied controls, or to others like Nate Hagens and Gregor Macdonald.  But, looking at the earth like a multi-variable-non-linear system, with feedback loops designed to keep her in equilibrium, have been struck by the equivalent of a delta function it has never felt before. See, when [...]
Also posted in Engineering | Leave a comment

There is no Spoon

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: August 17, 2008
Any heavy internet user, who likes thinking about humanity, will thoroughly enjoy this clip. Promise. Of course the title of this post…is a subtle refrence to the greatest movie of all time. This TED talk, reminded me of it…just a little.
Also posted in Ideas | Leave a comment

Predicting Prediction Markets to Succeed!

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: July 19, 2008
I was listening to an audio version of the economist, when I had to drop what I was doing when I heard them mention Prediction Markets. A quick google search pointed me to intrade.com. Very cool. People bid on contracts that expire at either 100 or 0.  It’s a market for a betting pool as [...]
Also posted in Ideas, Money | Tagged | Leave a comment

Developers & Desal

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: June 23, 2008
If you think I’m making up the problem of water scarcity, or you think it’s a problem for places far far away, or it’s just another hippy trend that isn’t real – talk to the developers in California who have piles of wood stacked up that they can’t turn into houses because the state won’t [...]
Also posted in Desalination, Water | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Thinking Outside the Box: Rising Oil & Frozen Juice.

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: June 15, 2008
As oil rises, and urbanization trends continue, I’m thinking about what might happen.  Shipping rates go up – duh.  So, I think sales and margins will improve for concentrated solutions, where the competition selling finished products will be squeezed. Eg. Canned frozen juice vs the 2L of ready to drink stuff.  If you have to ship [...]
Also posted in Economics, Ideas, Thinking Outloud, Trends | Leave a comment

Alliance of Compassion & Enlightened Self Interest

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: May 31, 2008
Put me down on the ‘ambassador’ list. How can we give credible hope to the bottom billion? Alliance of Compassion & Enlightened Self Interest. Watch this until the end, think hard about the Nokia advertisement at the end, and have a good weekend!
Also posted in Leading | Leave a comment

What the HEK? A Chinese Water Bottler, Blank Checks

By Jeffrey McLarty | Published: May 23, 2008
So, ‘Blank Check’ Company, Heckmann Corp. (HEK) recently announced they bought a Water Bottling company in China. I’m like – wow – what a great business to be in right now. Probably a scam. The chart exploded this morning. Some heavy money traded the shares north of $8.50, then it pulled back [...]
Also posted in Economics, Money, Trends, china | Tagged | 1 Comment