The results of Crimea’s referendum appears to be solidly in favor of the Crimea joining Russia. This was to be expected since the majority of the residents of Crimea are of Russian rather than Ukrainian descent and most speak Russian. The only problem is that Crimea isn’t physically connected to Russia (much like Alaska isn’t connected to the U.S.).
Russia Eyes Crimea’s Oil and Gas Reserves Read More »
Ukraine: Three Views By John Mauldin All eyes are on Ukraine as the drama continues to unfold. Today, for an early Outside the Box, I’m going to offer three sources on Ukraine. The first is a note that I got from the head of emerging-market trading at one of the world’s largest hedge funds. This
How Events in the Ukraine will Affect the World Read More »
By Dennis Miller In July 2007, our national debt was $8.9 trillion. Six years later, it has nearly doubled to $16.7 trillion. The cancer has metastasized. While the fiscal cancer continues to grow, pensioners are about to battle another type of cancer—one that is eating away at the money they thought would sustain them through retirement.
Kiss Your Pension Goodbye! Read More »
By Jeff Clark, Senior Precious Metals Analyst Bear markets always end. Has this one? Evidence is mounting that the bottom for gold may be in. While there’s still risk, there’s a new air of bullishness in the industry, something we haven’t seen in over two years. An ever-growing number of industry insiders and investment analysts
Doug Casey: “Gold Stocks Are About to Create a Whole New Class of Millionaires” Read More »
Asbestos litigation has been a hot topic since asbestos was banned in 1977. For more than 30 years new cases have continued to be diagnosed. As more and more cases of asbestos continue coming in, the trend in asbestos litigation in the United States is on the rise, with respect to average settlements, costs, attorney’s fees, and outside financing. Those who have been exposed to asbestos and suffered, as a result, may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, hospital bills, and lost wages.
Current Trends in Asbestos Litigation Read More »
For two centuries the Kurdish people have been fighting for independence from their Arab neighbors. The Kurdish region is located along the border where Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria meet. The Kurds have been subject to repression and often genocide but continue to fight for independence. Today we will look at the most recent economic skirmish between the new Iraqi government and the Kurds. At first, it may appear that it is simply a battle for Oil revenue but there is more to it than that.
Iraqi Government Threatens Action Against Kurds as Oil Exports Set to Begin Read More »
The environmental impact of “fracking” has been the subject of some debate in recent years. It is the process of pumping water and some other agents into oil wells under pressure in an effort to open cracks in the rock and allow the oil and gas to get out. This process is largely responsible for the massive expansion in U.S. natural gas production allowing us to approach energy independence. So oil companies are very protective of the technology. Environmentalists on the other hand have ascribed everything from water pollution, drought and earthquakes to the process. In today’s article, we will look at a new wrinkle to the fracking debate relating to off-shore fracking.
New EPA Rule Requires Chemical Disclosure for Offshore Fracking Read More »
If you’re ready to do some investing, you need a broker to be able to buy stocks, options, and pretty much anything else. Deciding on the right broker for you can be difficult. If you’ve made the rounds of the local brokerage firms you’ll notice a trend: they all charge a lot in commissions. If you start looking online you’ll notice the commissions are decidedly lower but are these brokers a good deal or just a good deal of trouble?
Choosing a Brokerage Firm Read More »
A wave of violence has swept parts of Iraq at the start of 2014 as the central government fights back against Al-Qaeda aligned militants in Anbar Province. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) reportedly took control of Ramadi and Fallujah, bombing police headquarters and killing dozens. On New Year’s Day Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent in reinforcements to take back control of Anbar Province’s two largest cities. The clashes kick off 2014 in much the same way as 2013 ended – a return to violence in a country that had seen important security gains in recent years.
Violence Threatens to Thwart Iraqi Oil Resurgence Read More »
Some say Australia is a great place for start-ups: Internet literacy levels are high among the population, emerging businesses have access to affordable serviced offices from a lead office rent agency and there are many accelerators and incubators for new companies to join. At the same time, others are decrying a lack of investors, as well as insufficient government policies for this field. Yet two new initiatives in this segment, one private and the other one public shine a ray of hope for the future of Australia’s IT and tech startups.
Two New Initiatives to Propel Australia’s Startup Scene Read More »
