Forget the Cinco de Maio. You have to have your tequila with salt alone because the lime harvest has failed. And guacamole is way too expensive to gobble what with the avocado crop also down. Moreover today the Bolsa Mexicano de Valores is spoiling the fun by launching its derivatives market. Luckily it is also the May Bank Holiday in Britain, Israeli Memorial and Independence Day, and a holiday in Japan. So today's blog is blissfully short and we can all go out and enjoy the sunny day. Viva la primavera!

Today's lead article is about our investment in the Internet of Things. And in a day devoted to the investment prowess of Warren Buffett I write also about the cleverness of a non-Omaha-based investment guru, George Soros. I write (again) on the logic of investing in Eastern Europe despite the Ukraine crisis. We have news about Mexico, Israel (despite being officially on holiday), Finland, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Ethiopia China, Brazil, Singapore, and Omaha (Neb.)

*The Motley Fool out of Singapore today floated the idea that Warren Buffett would buy out Global Logistics Properties, GBTZF. It is a biggie in deal-making in factories, warehouses, and transport in China, Japan, and Brazil, and operates real estate funds aimed at investors in these countries and Canadian and Singaporean pension plans. Its Executive Director, Jeffrey H. Schwartz, is an American like Buffett. NB: This share will be covered for us by Harry Geisel who has rejoined the team after retiring a 2nd time from the US State Dept. He is an American too, with a nice skepticism re: Motley.

 *The Internet of Things, a current hot slogan, refers to links and connectivity untouched by human hands across geographic distances to manage inputs during production or distribution of goods, food, or services; and also making the home-owners' security and utilities more automatic. It is a slogan. But now it applies to our Nokia!

NOK today launched a $100 mn connected car fund to research and invest in firms engaged with smart vehicles where it expects growth to flourish with its help. Thanks to its mapping service, Here, this is now one of the 3 areas Nokia is building out with the money it got from Microsoft for its handset business.

Automakers are developing intelligent dashboard navigation systems which tell drivers where traffic is blocked and summon help in an emergency, as well as helping them find their way. Nokia already provides mapping data to Amazon.com, Microsoft, Yahoo! and some car-makers like BMW. Rival players include Intel, Apple Carplay iPhone, Tesla and Google Maps. The (terrifying) ultimate goal is to enhance the driving experience and save time and fuel with self-driving vehicles. Before that I expect the driver will hear a warning if he is too close to another vehicle.

The money will be invested through a new fund managed by the $700 mn Nokia Growth Partners of Sunnyvale (Cal.) However, the news was announced yesterday in Beijing at the Global Mobile Internet Conference by NGP investors David Tang and Lu Guo. In addition to the Chinese techies, this is the first move by new Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri who took office last week.

 *George Soros's family fund put 4% of its vast wealth into Teva stock after deposed CEO Dr Jeremy Levin was replaced by Erez Vigodman. A boring Israeli businessman replaced a global rockstar.

Last week in the Q&A ofter Teva reported, CEO Vigodman commented on the rush of mergers and restructuring in the drug industry. He said: "while the focus remains on fixing [Teva's] foundation and driving organic growth, we are aware of the opportunities around us, including potential larger transactions as long as they meet clear criteria. We might engage in such a transaction one conditions admit." He added: "I strongly believe that first we need to be much more focused on the way we close the gaps before we make a big transaction here, although I don't rule it out." (Quotes from Globes Israel English website which scooped www.Seekingalpha.com yesterday.)

I bailed out of most of her holdings after the kerfuffle at prices near where TEVA is today just as the Soros mishpachah (family) was buying. Maybe there is something to be said for a cost-cutting businessman rather than a rock star. I disagree with the conclusion that Teva may "jump into pharma's deal frenzy" drawn by Fiercepharma.com unless it is in generics, which Teva pioneered.

Today (while Israel is closed) Teva got FDA approval for a label extension on its Synribo (omacetacine mepesuccinate) subcutaneous injection for chronic myeloid leukemia pateints who do not respond to 2 or more tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Teva is developing a support program for when the drug launches (in the current quarter) to make the home-administered jab easier and faster. Until now patients taking the drug had to visit their doctors 2x/day for 2 weeks, a schlepp.

*Allana Potash today announced that its strategic investor Israel Chemicals Ltdwill chip in $330,000 to a $590,000 2-yr agricultural program to map Ethiopian fertility levels. This will be done via 600 field trials to find out where the potash is needed. It will also pay another $60,000 to the Ethiopian govt for its Agricultural Transformation Agency joining the program and training up a corps of Ethiopian post-graduates to develop fertilizer expertise under a MOU, probably in Israel. ICL's Yoram Cohen, its general mgr for Africa, is on Allana's Board. We switched out of ISCHF to ALLRF mainly because of political uncertainty in Israel over the taxation and cleanup of Israel Chemicals' Dead Sea Works. ALLRF is up 7.8% today.

*We switched from Toyota Industries to Orocobre which is developing the Olaroz lithium-potassium brine mine in Jujuy (Argentina); TYIDF to OROCF. The latter (as ORE) rose over 3% today Down Under maybe because so many other markets are closed. We bought despite Argentina risk for the Australian company because our Frida la Latina liked the mix of stuff in the salt-lake (and a separate borax deposit in another Argentine site acquired from Rio Tinto plc) 2 years ago. OROCF (ORL in Toronto; this is a real multi-market stock) is funded by Jujuy Energia y Mineria Sociedad del Estado (owned by Jujuy Province which can stop Cristina Fernandez in her tracks) and by Toyota Tsusho Corp. OROCF stated in a regulatory ASX announcement 8 weeks ago that it is on time and one budget at Olaroz which will produce up to 17,500 metric tonnes/yr of battery grade lithium carbonate for auto use for 40 years, up from a prior estimate of 16,400 tonnes/yr. The potash is not valued now given price uncertainty but during the next 40 years it will come into its own too.

*Writing in www.seekingalpha.com, Andres Allende hesitates about tipping Vale in favor of Petrobras, which I find unimaginable. Vale suffers from government interference in a much smaller measure than PBR. Moreover it can gain needed clout to retain Guinea concessions from the Brazilian government, which I think will help VALE. Politics aside, if China and India grow this year, it is the lowest cost iron ore supplier to them. It has huge potential ore sources and a solid balance sheet to fund developing them. It has reduced the silly tax charges Brasilia tried to impose. VALE is down because price drops feed on themselves, but it is starting to reverse. Andres Allende CFA is a British analyst formerly withAllianz Global Investors but Spanish rather than Portuguese-speaking. In my view,val comprar VALE.

*The slow boat in China continues to drag down Canadian Solar. Having halved our stake we are now free agents with no money at risk. I think that cleaning up the air in China is no longer up to purchasing managers however bearish their reports. The China air cleanup will be sponsored by the Beijing govt because it is a political imperative. CSIQ stands to gain as Chinese demand takes out some of its desperate competitors who are cutting prices beyond reason. We aren't going back in yet, but we aren't selling more either.

*The CFO of Pure Technologies has resigned effective May 31. to pursue other opportunities after 8 years. She probably got bored and there is no hint of foul play. Korn Ferry is seeking a replacement for PPEHF.

*I bought Lenzing ordinary shares on the US market despite being warned off this by Harry Geisel, mainly because my discount brokerage doesn't offer trading alongside the blue Danube in Vienna. I bought LNZNF at $61.60 heute with E-trade.

*Compugen reports May 19 and may wind up in the black at last. CGEN's share is up today on hope.

Fund notes follow:

*The European Commission's economic forecast published today says that Poland, the largest ex-Communist country admitted to the European Union will outperform almost all other euroland countries this year and next. Polish GDP will grow 3.2% in 2014 and 3.5% in 2015. In 2012 Poland was hit by slowdown in Russian markets and grew only 1.6%, but now it is refocusing its exports westward. Its growth will only be exceed by its smaller neighbors, Latvia and Lithuania. The reasons are: high Polish domestic demand and public investment, plus more sales to Germany. These trends not only compensate for the negative impact of the Ukraine crisis, the Brussels Commission argues, but may even become self-perpetuating. Geo-politics aside, buy iShares MSCI Poland Investable ETF. EPOL is down again on Ukraine worries today.

*Gold mining and gold ETFs are up today on the chaos in Ukraine. While gold is a preventive holding against inflation and printing of fiat money without limit, gold serves other functions as well. It is a unit of account (in particularly the one used to gift your mistress so she doesn't reveal your racist rants.) It is a portfolio diversifier from stocks and bonds. It is a store of value. And it is a medium of exchange in a crisis, especially if you are a German Jew or Vietnamese boat person fleeing your country. You sew gold coins and thin bars into the seams of your clothes.

Today's rise I think is simply exit from the ruble. And possibly also from the renminbi, because Japan's markets are closed. SPDR Gold, GLD, an ETF gains along with my cache in www.bullionvault.com and Iamgold, IAG.

*Fibra Uno will pay a dividend of 0.327 Mexican pesos on May 9. FBASF.