History is littered with financial failures. Every century has had its successes and financial blunders. As new ideas and technologies take hold, they push out the old. This is known as “creative destruction” and has been the engine of progress for thousands of years. Companies that once revolutionized and dominated new industries – for example,
Great Financial Failures in U.S. History Read More »
Imagine getting out of your 20 hp. car and cranking it to start it, getting whacked by the handle and breaking your wrist, while your neighbor trots by shouting “get a horse” and your other neighbor happily puffs by in his Stanley Steamer. This was life in 1900… people died of the flu and intestinal infections and
Trends: Population, Health and Technology Read More »
For centuries now, Africa has been a wild and unknown place full of impenetrable jungles and steeped in mystery earning it the name the “Dark Continent”. Several countries in Africa including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, and Rwanda are embarking on ambitious projects to provide centers of upscale housing and high tech jobs in an effort to join the 21st century. Are these just “pipe dreams” or are they the wave of the future?
Will Africa Finally Shed its “Dark Continent” Image? Read More »
On his way back from the Yalta conference in February 1945 where US President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Great Britain’s Winston Churchill and the Soviet Union’s Stalin, the American president made an unscheduled stop in Egypt where he met with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdel Aziz ibn Saud aboard the USS Quincy, in the Suez Canal’s Great Bitter Lake. The basis of the meeting was to ensure that Americans would have an uninterrupted supply of oil.
Mideast Oil Loses Some of its Power Read More »
Gold has been outperforming both stocks and long-dated Treasuries in recent weeks. Below are four possible scenarios for the yellow metal looking out several weeks: A short-lived rally induced by Syria An inflation-fueled and sustainable push higher A rally shot down by increasing fears of deflation A sharp no place else to hide rally War
Is Gold’s Bullish Turn Sustainable? Read More »
he rise of humans from fearful creatures huddled around cave fires to the dominant species on the planet largely parallels the evolution of weaponry. Different subgroups rose and fell, spreading their culture or declining in influence as they either came up with the new best thing with which to slaughter their neighbors or fell behind in the innovation game. Club, axe, spear, atlatl, sword, longbow, crossbow, catapult, gun, bomb, artillery, really big bomb—all have had their day.
We even delineate historical epochs by naming them after the dominant weapon technology of the time: Stone, Bronze, Iron, and the modern era, which might accurately be termed the Gunpowder Age. Over time, the one constant has been to invent a technology that conferred an advantage on the user in battle—or else served as protection against what the other guy had. And the reason for wielding any given weapon has always been to maim or, preferably, kill one’s adversary. Before one got one’s own self killed, of course.
No More “Blood in the Streets” Read More »
Often we have preconceived notions about what affects the price of gold. Commonly it is believed that inflation is the primary factor in the price of gold but in an article entitled Is Gold really a good Inflation Hedge? I showed the history of Gold and how it really was a fear hedge rather than
Poor Economy = Low Gold Price? Read More »
Soon after President Obama was elected, he made a commitment to place the USA on a path to reducing carbon pollution. On June 25th, 2013, he took his most ambitious step yet towards fulfilling this commitment, by unveiling his new climate change action plan, containing proposals to reduce carbon emissions at the domestic level, as well as leading global efforts to combat climate change. These proposals have clear implications for business and industry, as well as for the domestic consumer.
A Look At the US Government’s New Pollution Policies Read More »
Just a few years ago the chatter was that “Peak Oil” was here and all the oil that could be found had already been found. But all that has changed, now new oil and gas discoveries are being made at a frantic pace. This is not new. The cycle goes on. When prices of oil or gas
Key Oil and Gas Discoveries of 2013 Read More »
An interesting thing about the uptick in gold prices over the last couple of days is the number of people asking me if I think gold has bottomed. This is somewhat amusing since we all know that no one can time a market, and the questions are coming from my peers—professionals who should know better.
Timing the Bottom of Gold Read More »
