Readings & Viewings – 7^th May 2016

You might have heard about Malcolm Turnbull dreadful interview on Sky News with David Speers, in which he failed 14 times to answer the question about what the cut in company tax would cost. Here it is.

And for something completely different: comedian Tom Gibson’s “Hard Chat” interview with Bill Shorten.

It seems to me that the fundamental question about Donald Trump is whether he represents a terrible mistake by the Republican Party, or a kind of proletariat revolution against the Wall Street bourgeoisie. Here’s a convincing article that argues the former.

This one says it’s a revolution.

And this one says both Trump and Clinton (Hilary) are “deeply flawed”, and it’s an appalling choice.

Personally I think it’s just a big stuff up by the Republicans and that they will now lose handsomely to the Democrats in the November election. At least I hope that. Here is an examination of what could happen if Trump becomes President.

Or maybe it’s just the price we have to pay for living in a marketplace culture.

And why are evangelical Christians supporting Trump?

And here are some of Trump’s finest (not) moments from the campaign so far.

Did social media ruin Ted Cruz’s campaign?

Fantastic speech by Michael Bloomberg about fragility of democracy.

Oil isn’t the only commodity threatened by Tesla. The other is platinum.

Carl Icahn has swapped out of Apple and into Xerox. Here’s why.

10 everyday things that are illegal in North Korea. Amazing, and horrifying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGU_BrRlvB8

Nth Korea is having its first congress in 26 years. It’s a Kim Jong Un coronation.

Terrific video discussion between fund managers Matthew Kidman, Steve Johnson and Romano Sala-Tenna, about five stocks that supposedly, but not necessarily, have demographic tailwinds.

I heard this interview the other night on Late Night Live about fashion, and how we’re all now under the thumb of the global clothing industry, and own four times as many clothes as we did a few decades ago.

…and then I saw this piece on Bloomberg about how spending on clothing as a percentage of total spending had fallen from 14 to 3 per cent. Putting the two together, the answer is that the price of clothing has collapsed, thanks to China. We’re buying more and spending less.

A nice reflection on Leicester City winning the Premier League.

There are lessons for business in Leicester City’s success.

How to be a better forecaster.

David Attenborough’s top 10 moments.

Xi Jinping’s Silk Road dream has hit a speed bump in Thailand.

This was a great Radio National Big Ideas programme that I heard during the week about…venom.

Seven robots you need to know about.

Good piece by Fairfax’s Peter Martin about the budget: the more he looks at it, the more he likes it.

James Kirby says that Scott Morrison has “invaded” the superannuation system.

‘The bank of Mum and Dad’ isn’t helping anyone.

There was a bit of a flurry during the week about whether Australian Craig Wright invented Bitcoin, using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. Here’s the original story on the BBC.

Here’s one on the ABC saying experts are divided…

And finally: Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto.

It was Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholder meeting last weekend. Warren Buffett used it to pay out on hedge funds.

Perpetual’s Nathan Parkin says safe, stable stocks hold most of the risk.

Happy Birthday Eagle Eye Cherry, the Swedish singer songwriter, 47 today. Here’s Save Tonight, which I like a lot.