06/28/2007 - Letters to the Editor: Alaska
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: We received a lot of mail from readers concerning the recent articles by our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King and his description of his trip to the wilds of Alaska. Byron has prepared a sampling of letters and comments. 06/27/2007 - The Politics of "Passing" Legislation...
By Jim Amrhein
Greg’s Note: Jim’s back with a bit about Dr. Death. You may have noticed that Dr. Jack Kevorkian has recently been released from prison. It passed as a minor blip on the media radar, but it’s an important development nonetheless. Jim analyzes the unspoken possibilities that surround doctor-assisted suicide. He comes up with some alarming scenarios and ends with a novel conclusion. 06/26/2007 - Running a Car on Salt Water
By Mike Shedlock
Greg’s Note: Mish called me today and said that he was optimistic. After my associates picked me up off the floor, I regained my composure and calmly asked, “About what?” Mish replied, “Salt water.” Fortunately, those who picked me up off the floor the first time were still standing nearby. They managed to catch me before I did a crash landing on the floor a second time. Regaining composure, I replied, “Salt water?!” It seems Mish has been busy sniffing out new technology. 06/25/2007 - Corruption Smothers Oil Industry in Iraq
By Dan Amoss
Greg’s Note: Strategic Investment’s Dan Amoss provides you with a look at how rampant corruption has decimated the Iraqi Oil industry. In the ethnically Kurdish north, massive siphoning and smuggling has destroyed the vast network of pipelines. Further, in the Shia dominated south, tens of millions of dollars worth oil get smuggled every week. And then there’s the massive Iranian influence in Basra… Finally, Dan takes a look at the underground status of Iraqi Oil production. 06/22/2007 - Inflation Begets Inflation
By Fred Sheehan
Greg’s Note: Russian real estate developers…Australian railroads…the wedding at Cana…Mexican Tortilla protests…beef eating gold miners…indoor ski slopes in Dubai…spinning diamonds and centripetal force. Fred Sheehan finds a way to connect all of these things in this essay about inflation’s unintended -- and generally unseen -- global consequences. 06/21/2007 - Ron Paul’s Missed Opportunity
By David Gonigam
Greg’s Note: Dave Gonigam returns with a note on the increasing popularity and visibility of Whiskeyman Ron Paul. Paul’s done well in the televised debates and he’s created a firestorm of ‘net support. But considering this increased exposure, has he done all he can to translate his brand of libertarianism to the uninitiated liberals and younger conservatives? 06/20/2007 - "A Gold Nugget from Alaska"
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King has been regaling us with tales from the Yukon, all about his recent trip to Alaska. Here is one tale that is a nugget of a story. (Sorry, dear readers, I can’t help myself today.) If you care to comment, send your nuggets to greg@whiskeyandgunpowder.com. 06/19/2007 - “Pretty High Land”
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Byron’s back with an account of his recent trek across Alaska’s oil country. He’s astounded by the sheer majesty of the land. And he’s also quite stunned by the sheer force of human ingenuity and grit that allows development of oilfields in such craggy and bitterly inhospitable terrains. 06/18/2007 - Will China Dump U.S. Treasuries?
By Mike Shedlock
Greg’s Note: I called Mish today and asked him to write about the possibility of China dumping U.S. Treasuries. It seems to be on everyone’s mind. Is it going to happen? What are the implications? Is this what’s behind the current bond rout? Are these even the right questions? Mish takes a stab at answering all of those questions and more. 06/15/2007 - Your Cash is Trash, and So Are Most of Your Investments
By Doug Casey
Greg’s Note: Doug Casey presents you this thought experiment: “pretend you sell every single investment that you own right now. What would you then do with all of that cash?” He goes down the list of possible investments…and ends up with an interesting sector with promising potential. 06/14/2007 - June 14, 2007: The Day “Peak Oil” Became a Household Word
By David Gonigam
Greg’s Note: New Whiskey shooter Dave Gonigam presents a new development in the realm of Peak Oil. Or, more exactly -- he details a coming surge in public awareness about Peak Oil. You may have already seen this morning’s Drudge Report headline that linked to an Independent story on Peak Oil. Dave thinks this is the beginning of a trend of major media coverage. Is this a good thing? 06/13/2007 - Big Growth Opportunities in Wellhead Equipment
By Dan Amoss
Greg’s Note: The other day I found $25 in a pocket of my dirty shorts. Disregarding the fact that I owed it to Jim Amrhein, I went out and spent it on pinball and vodka. Made for a nice little respite. You might be surprised to find out that, with new technology, we can now wring “forgotten” oil and gas out of old fields. Kind of like that $25. Strategic Investment’s Dan Amoss presents his take on this “enhanced oil recovery” below. 06/12/2007 - There’s Money to Be Made in Alaska’s Resources
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Byron’s back with another review of his recent Alaskan oil and gas “safari.” He explains how darned hard it is to find resources up there -- and if you do -- how darned hard it is to get them out after you find ‘em. This difficulty has stoked fear in the heart of Exxon’s CEO -- a proposed gas pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope down to the lower 48 could cost as much as $30 billion to build. 06/11/2007 - Rampant Inflation
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about rampant inflation. "Isn't the CPI back in the Fed's comfort zone and are you a deflationist?" I responded. "Yes and Yes" said Mish. With that response I was momentarily confused. No longer. Mish went on to talk about the definition of inflation and how the meaning of the word has changed over the years to the advantage of the bubble blowing Fed and Government. 06/08/2007 - Trading Grains Can Deliver Serious Gains
By Kevin Kerr
Greg’s Note: Whiskey’s resident Maniac Trader, Kevin Kerr, is back today with a look at the grain market. He says there’s more money to be made in some of the forgotten grains than corn, and even in other commodities like gold and oil. 06/07/2007 - From Russia With Love
By Dan Amoss
Whether it’s reasserting control over strategic energy supplies, allegedly ordering the assassination of enemies like Alexander Litvinenko, or silencing all dissent in the press, Russian President Vladimir Putin is behaving like a classic James Bond villain. He claims to be taking these actions for the benefit of the Russian people, but I suspect he’s looking out for himself and his buddies. 06/05/2007 - The Unfair Witch Project
By Jim Amrhein
Greg’s Note: Here’s the second installment of Jim’s coverage on the potential dangers of teachers psychoanalyzing their students’ writing. He provides a strange example where a high school student got arrested after turning in an edgy writing assignment. 06/04/2007 - $7,200,000.00
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King reports more news from Alaska. This news, in particular, is 140 and more years old. But don’t wait that long to tell us what you think, dear readers. 06/01/2007 - $59 Trillion in the Hole (and Counting)
By Mike Shedlock
Greg’s Note: Mish called me today asking for $11,000. $11,000?! I silently pondered, as I almost fell to the floor. Regaining composure, I calmly responded, “What for?” “To be precise,” said Mish, “you need to put up $11,434 as ‘your fair share.’” “Fair share of what?” I asked. It seems that in spite of what this administration is saying about reducing the deficit, expenses are soaring through the roof. Costs are simply hidden off the books. Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security seem to be the culprits. 05/31/2007 - Letter to the Editor: A Man in the Street
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: One of our Whiskey articles from last week, “A Man in the Street” by our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King, brought us a lot of e-mail. There was one letter in particular that caught Byron’s attention. Here it is. 05/30/2007 - Attack of the Homicidal Stepford Students
By Jim Amrhein
Greg’s Note: Here’s Jim with a follow up (of sorts) on his piece about the Virginia Tech incident. He slams the media again and then turns to the press’ focus on the shooter’s writing. Should his teachers have done more after reading his violent stories and plays? Jim addresses this question below. 05/29/2007 - Who’s “The Decider” Now?
By David Gonigam
Greg’s Note: I’ve got a new Whiskey shooter for you today. His name’s Dave Gonigam and he’s got 20 years experience in TV news. He’s worked with such big networks as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. He reports on the recent developments on the Iran situation and a potential intrigue within the White House. 05/25/2007 - "By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper"
By Byron King
IF EVER THERE were truth to the motto of a city, the motto of Vancouver fits the bill. What a great city! I have been traveling to and from Vancouver for well over 20 years, and I just love the place. 05/24/2007 - Health Care Costs Soar: What Are We Getting for It?
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today and said healthcare costs are soaring. "So what are we getting for our money?" I asked Mish. It seems like not much. The U.S. has the highest costs and the worst performance of six nations studied. There are a half dozen programs out there from Bush to "The Arnold" to Families USA all with their own ideas. 05/23/2007 - S.O.S. Cutty Sark
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King reports on a recent loss to British and American culture, and to the world’s maritime history. A fire severely damaged the 19th-century clipper ship Cutty Sark at the vessel's dry dock in Greenwich, East London. For the past six months, the ship has been undergoing reconstruction and refit, but now the task has expanded greatly. We at Whiskey & Gunpowder and Agora Financial have no relationship with the ship’s owner, the Cutty Sark Trust. 05/22/2007 - A Man in the Street
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent encountered another member of the Fourth Estate yesterday. From the sound of it, things could have gotten bloody. Here is Byron’s account. 05/21/2007 - Help Wanted: A Leading Contrarian Indicator
By Fred Sheehan
Greg’s Note: Our pal Frederick Sheehan examines Pimco’s decision to have Greenspan on as an advisor. Could he be their contrarian indicator? Fred takes a look at the Maestro’s past track record. Also, Fred is completing a biography of Alan Greenspan. Stay tuned for more about Fred’s book. 05/18/2007 - Stir-Fried Stocks
By Mike Shedlock
Greg’s Note: Mish called me today, wanting to talk about “stir-fried stocks.” “That doesn’t make any sense,” I said to Mish. “Of course it does,” he replied. “It’s all part of the same tune but with different lyrics.” I was afraid to ask just what that meant, so I sat back and listened. Mish went on to talk about the bubble in the Shanghai index and the sound bites that some are using as justification. He even has a chart comparing the bubble in China with the Nasdaq. 05/16/2007 - Dhandho Investing in Commodity Companies
By Dan Amoss
Greg’s Note: Can a commodity company have a moat? What if commodity prices eventually go down, approaching the cost of production? Strategic Investment’s Dan Amoss addresses those questions today, providing specific analysis of Mittal, BHP Billiton and the Brazilian iron giant CVRD. 05/15/2007 - A Glimpse Behind the Mass Media's Curtain of Deceit...
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Jim's back. And he's got a fistful of scorn for the major television news industry, NBC in particular. He thinks they mishandled the aftermath of the Virginia Tech tragedy. 05/14/2007 - Chart Your Way to Profits
By Steve Sarnoff
Greg's Note: Whiskey's resident options guru Steve Sarnoff presents you with his analysis on using support and resistance indicators in your options plays. 05/11/2007 - Practice Makes Perfect
By Steve Sarnoff
Greg's Note: Whiskey's resident options expert, Steve Sarnoff returns with a candid discussion on the risks implicit in options speculation. He then discusses ways to plays options without risking your capital -- "paper trading." That way, you can get a feel for the action without risking your hard earned dough. 05/10/2007 - Retail Sales Bomb
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about the disaster in retail sales. Sales were supposed to be weak because of the weather and an early Easter. "Weak" does not begin to describe what happened. Results were horrid pretty much across the board. Is this finally the start of a sustained pullback in consumer spending? If so the result will be ominous. Read on and find out. 05/09/2007 - "I Won't Rob You"
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King has been following developments south of the U.S. border, in Venezuela. Recently, Venezuela was in the news for seizing the oil production assets of several Western oil companies. But there is more going on down there than just an energy play, and here is Byron's report. 05/08/2007 - Of Irritations and the World's Greatest City
By Marc Faber
Greg's Note: Dr. Marc Faber returns with a discussion on personal irritations and then he turns to the question of "Is there a world's greatest city?" He's quite well traveled, so he's got a lot of experience that would help him address that question. You might be interested in some of the more contrarian places he describes near the end of today's piece. 05/04/2007 - Real World vs. Financial World
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about the real word as compared to the financial world. "And how is the real world?" I asked. "Just fine," said Mish. "Fine!?" I asked incredulously. "Sure," responded Mish, "as long as you exclude housing, capital spending, jobs, a sinking GDP, the negative savings rate and everything else, too." Mish has some charts and commentary supportive of his position. Read on and find out. 05/03/2007 - Offshore Technology Conference Update
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Outstanding Investments and Whiskey & Gunpowder energy man Byron King returns with his account of the Offshore Technology Conference he attended recently in Houston. He details such varied themes as the stunning achievements in offshore drilling to the possibility of tapping undersea algae to produce biofuel. 05/02/2007 - Don't Get Caught Naked
By Steve Sarnoff
Greg's Note: Today's batch of Whiskey smells faintly of something new...something akin to speculating with stock options. Options Hotline's Steve Sarnoff presents a discussion of selling options as opposed to buying them. Does he think selling options is a good plan? Nope -- in some situations you can lose money that you haven't even invested yet! 05/01/2007 - Flationed Out
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Here's some vintage Whiskey I dusted off since more and more people have started writing about stagflation. Here you go... Mish called me today talking about stagflation. Immediately, I became suspicious, but, in a rarity these days, the conversation proceeded along normal terms and I understood (more or less) what he was saying. I asked him if he was on the verge of throwing in the towel on deflation. "Oh no," he said, "and I want to explain why." 04/27/2007 - Standby Commodities
By Kevin Kerr
Greg's Note: Our resident Maniac Trader -- Kevin Kerr -- recently offered Whiskey readers an excerpt of his new book, which follows below. Please enjoy! 04/26/2007 - Beware of Windfall Profits Taxes
By Dan Amoss
Greg's Note: Dan Amoss from Strategic Investment returns today to discuss the global oil picture. He notes that, historically, technology hasn't reversed depletion in an oil field. He then points out that oil doesn't take its price as a "pure" commodity -- many other factors such as fear, politics and taxation make their ugly way into a barrel's cost. He then turns to the prospect of further political nastinesses in Nigeria, Venezuela, Algeria and beyond. 04/25/2007 - The Knowledge-Based Economy
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about "The Knowledge Based Economy." It seems someone sent Mish a write-up based on the idea that we no longer need manufacturing jobs and the U.S. can thrive on R&D, branding, marketing and other value added services. The concept is summed up in what is known as the "Smile Curve," with manufacturing right at the bottom. 04/24/2007 - Bakhtiari's Event of the Century
By Byron King
Greg's Note: In this article, our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King brings us up to date on the views of Ali Samsam Bakhtiari, a retired director of the National Iranian Oil Co. We at Agora Financial and Whiskey & Gunpowder are pleased to present this important perspective on the world's energy situation from one of the world's leading and most respected authorities. 04/23/2007 - A Nation Paralyzed -- and Soon Polarized
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Here's Jim Amrhein with analysis on last Monday's tragic mass murder at Virginia Tech. It's the second part of his series on the Second Amendment. 04/20/2007 - "The Government's New Math: 3.5% - 5.1% = 1935"
By Fred Sheehan
Greg's Note: Fred Sheehan's back to analyze the government's calculation of the Consumer Price Index. Apparently they've invented -- and perfected -- a "New Math." Sounds interesting. Can we believe the CPI numbers the gov't cranks out? Seems like we can't. What are the implications of faulty CPI calculations? Fred goes into more detail below. 04/18/2007 - Armies of Geologists
By Byron King
Greg's Note: How many geologists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Or a better question might be, how many geologists does it take to keep the light bulbs burning? Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King has some interesting news from the geology schoolhouse. And in this case, it is a very big geology schoolhouse. 04/17/2007 - The Vista/Dell Experience
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today to talk about "the Vista/Dell experience." "Did you actually upgrade to Vista with all the problems people are having?" I asked. "No, no upgrade, per se -- I needed a new laptop, and my requirements and timeline forced me into the choice I made," responded Mish. Still, I was laughing my head off at the things Mish went through to get the new computer running properly. Some were his fault, and some were not. Mish has some choice words to say about Dell support and a hilarious episode involving opening software boxes from Microsoft. 04/16/2007 - "Relax, the Over-all Market Probably Won't Tank"
By Marc Faber
Greg's Note: Almost seven years ago, BusinessWeek told us "Relax, the Over-all Market Probably Won't Tank." Marc Faber recalls this headline and draws our attention to today's market. Should we "relax" today? Possibly not, if you ask Dr. Faber, who describes interrelated forces of credit tightening, the recent poor performance of financial stocks, and the slowing of American consumption growth. 04/13/2007 - Corridors of Power
By Byron King
Greg's Note: What happens "on the other side of the light switch?" Byron addresses that question today. Apparently, the electricity generation and transmission businesses have undergone extensive changes after deregulation and privatization. The free market has finally forced her way into the electricity sphere. Where exactly does the juice that powers your toaster come from? It may be generated somewhere extremely far from your kitchen... 04/12/2007 - Subprime Ground Zero, Part II
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King was in Long Beach, Calif., last week attending a conference on petroleum. We asked Byron to take a look at the California business climate. This is the second part of Byron's two-part article on the subject. 04/11/2007 - Subprime Ground Zero, Part I
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King was in Long Beach, Calif., last week attending a conference on petroleum. But we noticed that Southern California is also home to many of the players in the unfolding debacle of the subprime lending situation. We asked Byron to take a look at the California business climate, and this two-part article is what he reported back to us. 04/10/2007 - Containment Is Spreading
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: I called Mish today asking about "containment." The reason I called is that Ben Bernanke is saying that housing is well contained, and Bush is bragging about the unemployment rate being better now than under Clinton. "Just what is the containment story?" I asked Mish. Mish calmly replied that "Containment is spreading." "That doesn't make any sense," I replied. "Indeed," said Mish, "but you would never understand that from all the news articles talking about containment." He went on to explain containment myth and reality. 04/06/2007 - (Trigger) Happy Days are Here Again...
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Jim Amrhein returns to analyze some recent developments in the realm of the Second Amendment. It seems that gun rights might have enjoyed a decent victory in D.C. recently. 04/05/2007 - Leverage Blackens a Blue Chip
By Dan Amoss
Greg's Note: Strategic Investment's Dan Amoss returns with a continuation of his analysis on New Century Financial Corp. The once strutting "New Shade of Blue Chip" has filed for bankruptcy, plummeted from the NYSE, dropped about 95% and has now settled on the pink sheets. What a mighty fall. Dan examines the problems with "asset-light" companies that overleverage themselves. And then he turns to the banks willing to lend to these "New Blue Chips." 04/04/2007 - The Los Angeles Oil Patch
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King is spending the week in Long Beach, Calif., attending the annual convention of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). In the article, Byron discusses Los Angeles and its oil patch. We did not know that the Los Angeles area was one of the world's great oil provinces. 04/03/2007 - Capital Spending: Myth and Reality
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about capital spending. "Isn't Bernanke calling for a second half pickup?" I asked. "Yes, he is," said Mish, "but that talk is all predicated on the Goldilocks theory." And the numbers just don't add up. "Goldilocks will be in hibernation the second half," claims Mish. Nonetheless, Mish did have a backhanded compliment of sorts to say about Bernanke versus Greenspan. But that comes with a huge tradeoff. 04/02/2007 - Stalin Lives!
By Byron King
Greg's Note: In this article, our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King takes a look at an intriguing news item from Russia. Our resident oilman describes a recent report on what Russians are watching on TV, and makes some points that cover topics ranging from Joseph Stalin to Russian resource nationalism and the state-controlled company Gazprom. 03/30/2007 - Foolproof Recession Indicators
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today to talk about "foolproof recession indicators." Trying to get the upper hand (but failing), I asked Mish, "Haven't economists predicted 16 of the last eight recessions?" It seems Mish has been looking at three excellent indicators that have very good track records on their own accord, but two of them when paired have a perfect seven of seven with no misses and no false positives dating back to 1960. The three indicators Mish is looking at are housing, money supply, and an inverted yield curve. The latter two combine to make a foolproof indicator. 03/29/2007 - Happy Birthday, Col. Drake
By Byron King
Greg's Note: In this article our Peak Oil correspondent, Byron King revisits the memory of the man who started the Age of Oil, Col. Edwin Drake. And what better time or occasion on which to recall the great man than on his birthday? In the process we revisit a Whiskey & Gunpowder classic. 03/28/2007 - Golden Rule: Looking for Profits in All the Right Places
By Kevin Kerr
Greg's Note: The Maniac Trader returns! Kevin Kerr's back with a primer on today's gold market. Please enjoy... 03/27/2007 - Neutering the Great American Thriller -- The True Hollywood Story
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Here's a review of the newly released film "Shooter" from...you guessed it -- Jim Amrhein. The book the movie sprung from happens to be one of Jim's faves -- and he's less than happy with the big screen translation. Read on to find out what he didn't like about the movie. 03/26/2007 - Do You Know the Way to Prudhoe Bay?
By Byron King
Greg's Note: We have a true Whiskey & Gunpowder opportunity for some of you. Do you want to go to Alaska for a geology field trip with our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King? Byron needs some interested people to sign up for what promises to be a truly unique travel adventure and educational opportunity. Please note that the sponsor of the trip, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), is not associated with Agora Financial, LLC, and Agora is not arranging or organizing the trip. But just as we did with the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (ASP) last fall, we think that great opportunities deserve to be promoted. 03/23/2007 - Levered Technology, Unlevered Drillers
By Dan Amoss
Greg's Note: Strategic Investment's Dan Amoss returns today with an extension of the private equity discussion opened by Byron King earlier this week. He compares Motorola and offshore drillers - and closes with a bit of polite advice for the private equity guys. 03/22/2007 - Of Carnivores and Carbon Whores...
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Jim Amrhein returns today with an ironic analysis of PETA and greenhouse gases. The connection might not be what you expect... 03/21/2007 - Energy and Private Equity, Part II
By Byron King
Greg's Note: Our Peak Oil correspondent for Whiskey & Gunpowder, Byron King, has recently become the editor of a sister newsletter called Outstanding Investments. Outstanding Investments concentrates on investments in things like energy and other natural resources, and the issues that affect those investments. In the second half of this two-part article, Byron is looking at the role of private equity in the energy industry. 03/20/2007 - Energy and Private Equity, Part I
By Byron King
Greg's Note: You may have read that our Peak Oil correspondent for Whiskey & Gunpowder, Byron King, has recently become the editor of a companion newsletter called Outstanding Investments. Outstanding Investments concentrates on investments in things like energy and other natural resources, and the issues that affect those investments. 03/19/2007 - Pension Plans and Chasing Yields
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about pension plans. It seems several states are seriously in trouble and some have started to chase yields in an attempt to catch up. But it's not just government pension plans that are chasing yields. Do you know what your own 401(k) plan is doing? Are you sure? Mish has some practical advice from "mom" about 401(k) plans. 03/15/2007 - Conservation Crushed in a Carbon Footprint...
By Jim Amrhein
Greg's Note: Jim Amrhein returns today with a side effect of the great ethanol boondoggle that you might not have heard about. Please enjoy... 03/14/2007 - History of Financial Disasters 1763-1995 (Book Review)
By Byron King
Greg's Note: In this Whiskey classique, our favorite historian of the oil patch, Byron King, reviews a remarkable new study of the major financial disasters of the past 240 years. When we brought Byron onboard at Agora Financial a couple of years ago, we thought he was just your basic, run-of-the-mill lawyer, geologist, and Peak Oil guy. But take a look at Byron's discussion of financial disasters. He does not even mention Col. Drake or Titusville. 03/13/2007 - The Easy Society
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today and said the first wave of the tsunami has hit. Much bigger waves will follow. Interestingly enough, even Fed governors like Susan Bies are talking about big waves. Those in "The Easy Society" are about to learn a lesson in fiscal prudence that will not be forgotten for a long time. Just what is "The Easy Society"? Read on and find out. 03/12/2007 - Employment Trends
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about employment trends. "Do you have any good charts?" I asked. Note to myself: Please remember to be careful when asking Mish for "stuff," or you might get flooded with it. Hot off the presses, here are some very interesting charts annotated by Mish on various employment trends. So what are the implications of these employment trends? Read on and find out. 03/09/2007 - When Too Many Investors Think Alike, Nobody is Thinking!
By Marc Faber
Greg’s Note: Dr. Marc Faber returns today to give you a comprehensive collection of the four stunning investment manias he’s witnessed in his more than 37 years in the biz. He covers the precious metals boom of the ‘70s, the Japanese asset boom of the ‘80s, the emerging markets mania of the ‘90s and, finally, the high tech boom. He then asks how these manias can lend some understanding to today’s market. 03/08/2007 - 'Atlas Shrugged' - 50 Years Later
By Mark Skousen
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ayn Rand's presents the following essay by Mark Skousen. He talks about how the book renewed the promise of liberty a half century ago. But he also points out some ethical problems within Ayn's tome. Greg's Note: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Whiskey presents the following essay by Mark Skousen. He talks about how the book renewed the promise of liberty a half century ago. But he also points out some ethical problems within Ayn's tome. 03/07/2007 - Google, Microsoft and Evolution
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about Google versus Microsoft. "Isn't one company a software giant and the other an advertising giant?" I asked. For now, anyway, it seems that is the case. However... "The question is not about the now," said Mish. "The question is about the future." So just how do these giants stack up? Read on and find out. 03/06/2007 - A Function of Price and Technology
By Byron King
Greg's Note: In this article, our Peak Oil correspondent discusses (what else?) Peak Oil, in particular a recent article on the topic in The New York Times. Are things really, as the title notes, just "a function of price and technology"? Our own resident oilman Byron picks up the ball, runs with it, and as he crosses the end zone, he ponders the subject. 03/05/2007 - Avalanche of Lawsuits
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today and said, "An avalanche is coming." "In Colorado?" I questioned. "Yes," said Mish, "but also in Arizona, Florida, and Ohio." "Avalanches in Florida?" I thought to myself. Further conversation revealed that Mish was not talking about snow, but rather an avalanche of litigation over housing. Back on track with the avalanche issue, I seem to recall Mish predicting this about eight months ago or so. How close is that avalanche in litigation to bottoming? Read on and find out. 03/02/2007 - Revisit Fundamentals When the Market Panics
By Dan Amoss
Greg's Note: What an odd week in the markets! Devoted to continuing coverage of the absurdities in life, Whiskey presents a macro-tinged analysis of this week's strange activity from Strategic Investment's Dan Amoss. 03/01/2007 - Pension Envy & Lobster Traps
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me today talking about pensions and lobsters. It seems that some states are in what amounts to a lobster trap when it comes to promised benefits. How bad things are varies from state to state. States that have over promised are going to be faced with huge tax increases or cutbacks in services or both. Read the article for a link to see an interactive map of how your state is doing. 02/28/2007 - Update on Yesterday's Massive Market Moves
By Chris Mayer
Greg's Note: I wanted to send you a red-alert on the massive moves in the global markets yesterday. Here's a quick update from Capital & Crisis' Chris Mayer covering the strange situation. 02/27/2007 - You, Robot
By Jim Amrhein
Greg’s Note: Do you feel comfortable knowing that cameras often record your actions without your knowledge? It bothers the living heck out of me -- even though I rarely have something to hide. Jim Amrhein takes up these issues today -- and provides some morbid logical progression to the potential results of such widespread and haphazard surveillance. 02/26/2007 - From Paper Assets to Real Assets: An Assessment From the Pampas
By Fred Sheehan
Greg’s Note: Fred Sheehan returns today with a historic analysis of the string of financial calamities that struck Argentina over the past 150 years. Might these calamities parallel the present state of the U.S. markets? And, if paper assets eventually wither to worthlessness, what might be a better type of asset to own? 02/23/2007 - The Shell Answer Man, Part II
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: In Part I of this two-part article, our Peak Oil correspondent Byron King described a recent visit by the president of Shell Oil Co. to Pittsburgh. In Part II, our own oilman Byron relates a few questions that he posed to the Shell chief executive. 02/22/2007 - The Shell Answer Man, Part I
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: The president of Shell Oil Co. paid a visit to Pittsburgh last week. And our Pittsburgh-based Peak Oil correspondent Byron King paid a visit to the president of Shell. Here is Part I of Byron’s account. 02/21/2007 - Worst Single Debris Event Ever
By Byron King
Greg’s Note: Look, up in the sky. It’s a bird. No, it’s a plane. Hey, it is debris from the recent Chinese anti-satellite test. Our roving Peak Oil correspondent and Naval War College man Byron King takes a look at what happened and ponders the meaning. 02/20/2007 - State Tax Revenues
By Mike Shedlock
Greg's Note: Mish called me last Friday talking about the huge windfall California is getting in state tax coffers because of Google. "That's interesting," I said. "California must be doing well, then." "Not exactly," said Mish. "Schwarzenegger is more than just a little optimistic." "What about other states?" I replied. Mish wanted the weekend to work on it. He took a look at California, Michigan, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, and Massachusetts. Those states represent a huge chunk of the nation's population. So how are they doing? 02/16/2007 - Peak Oil Shock
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