Source: Ritholtz - Chart Porn

Source: Ritholtz Archive:

17 Aug 2011

Barry Ritholtz has another great post about the housing market over at The Big Picture. In addition to his analytical insights, he pointed out two great tools for looking at housing markets across the country.

The first is a Rent vs Buy interactive from Trulia:

Second is the Wall Street Journal’s chart of price-to-income ratios (compared to the 1985-00 average).

(related WSJ article)

(1) Comment

Too Big to Fail

In: Bailout Finance Housing Source: Ritholtz US Economy

30 Jun 2011

A pretty comprehensive explanation of the financial crisis. (via The Big Picture)

(4) Comments

Housing Prices (1890-2011)

In: History Housing Source: Ritholtz

15 Apr 2011

Updated chart of the classic Case-Shiller housing price index. On the one hand it looks like the decline may be bottoming out – but on the other, there is still massive intervention supporting the market and we could very likely overshoot fair value.

No Comments

Nuclear Fear Mongering

In: Interactive Maps News Media Science Source: Ritholtz

19 Mar 2011

Ughhh. Type in your zip code and see how close you are to a nuclear plant!! There’s even a red target painted on the reactor!!! I’m primarily posting this so I have an excuse to link to this excellent article, which explains in detail what’s going on in Japan and why you shouldn’t run out to buy potassium pills and start digging a fallout shelter. I might also point out that we conducted 140+ atmospheric atomic tests in Nevada – I’m not saying that was a particularly intelligent or healthy thing to do, but let’s maintain a little perspective about fallout risks, shall we?

(via the always excellent Barry Ritholtz)

(1) Comment

Bailout Scorecard

In: Bailout Finance Source: Ritholtz US Economy

18 Mar 2011

Despite media spin, the United States is a long way from getting all of the bailout money back. (via Ritholtz)

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Why Traffic Jams Happen

In: Science Source: Ritholtz

7 Mar 2011

I hate traffic. Nothing makes me hate humanity more (except perhaps watching commercials – thank god for DVRs). If you want to know more about why we drive the way we do, read Tom Vanderbilt’s Traffic (which, somewhat strangely, includes no diagrams). (via Ritholtz)

Here’s a life-scale experiment that illustrates the shockwave effect:

(4) Comments

America’s Economy Ain’t What it Once Was

In: Source: Ritholtz US Economy

6 Feb 2011

I have realized, after numerous conversations about politics and economics, that many people haven’t grasped that the economy doesn’t work the same way it did when they were growing up. As a commenter on The Big Picture said:

The role of a healthy financial sector is to support the “real economy”. But now it’s the opposite, like the tail wagging the dog.

(1) Comment

Carbon Counting, Global Warming, and Dumbass Comments

In: Environment/weather Science Source: NYT Source: Ritholtz

23 Dec 2010

Charts of carbon dioxide levels evidence

The New York Times has an excellent article and accompanying charts about the scientist who first discovered rising CO2 levels. I came across the article via Barry Ritholtz’s blog, where he delivered this lovely bit of snark:

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, lack of scientific knowledge, ability to repeat discredited memes, and lack of respect for empirical data. Also, be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor even implied. Any irrelevancies you can mention will also be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are anonymous after all.

(3) Comments

Housing Market Data Mining

In: Finance Housing Source: NYT Source: Ritholtz US Economy

7 Dec 2010

Floyd Norris presents some interesting data indicating that it was the least expensive homes whose prices went up the most, and are now falling the fastest. Barry Ritholtz sees this as more proof that the bubble was in credit – not housing.