The big news this week was the outbreak of a computer virus called “WannaCry”. According to CyberSecurity company Symantec makers of Norton Security, WannaCry is a “worm that spreads by exploiting a vulnerability in the Windows operating system. Once installed, it encrypts files and demands a payment to decrypt them.”
Cyberattack! Ransomware and The Future of Computing Read More »
There’s no doubt that cars are safer today than they used to be. In 1970 there were 25 automobile fatalities per 100,000 people in the United States according to Wikipedia. In 2014 that number had shrunk to 10 per 100,000 even though the number of miles driven increased by almost 300%. Technological advances along with stricter government regulations have combined to contribute to the increase in car safety. Here are some of the recent innovations that have helped.
Auto Safety Trends Read More »
Has oil seen the bottom? Where oil will be by Christmas 2016? Are lower oil prices a boon or bane for the economy? Will Electric Cars and Uber hurt or stimulate the economy? In an exclusive interview, Oilprice.com talked to award-winning economic commentator Mike “Mish” Shedlock about all this and more.
Mish on Oil, Lithium, Uber and More Read More »
In June 2015, when real estate billionaire Donald Trump announced that he was joining the host of candidates for the Republican Nomination for President he was considered to be either a “long shot” to gain the nomination or a joke. But on Thursday May 26th, the Associated Press announced that Billionaire and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has reached the magic number of delegates necessary to clinch his party’s nomination. The development comes after a small number of unbound Republican delegates told the AP that they would support Trump at the Republican National Convention this summer.
Trump Reaches Magic Number of Delegates Read More »
Oil prices have shown signs of life over the past few weeks, as production declines in the U.S. raise expectations that the market is starting to adjust. As a result, Brent crude recently surpassed $40 per barrel for the first time in months.
A growing list of companies are capitulating, announcing production cuts for 2016. Continental Resources, for example, could see output fall by 10 percent. A range of other companies have made similar announcements in recent weeks. The energy world has been speculating about declines from U.S. shale, and the declines are finally starting to show up in the data.
Oil Won’t Stage A Serious Rebound Until… Read More »
In today’s article, we have an interview that Oilprice.com recently did with Carl Larry, Director of Oil and Gas at Frost & Sullivan, a consultancy that conducts research on oil and gas markets, to get his thoughts on the state of oil in 2016. Mr. Larry has spoken at oil conferences around the world as well as been a contributor to CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg and PBS. From APPEC in Singapore to OPEC in Vienna, his views and insight into the oil markets are highly regarded. Experience in the industry has covered financial funds to commercial producers to physical trading shops. His specialties include hedging presentations and training, trading strategy and forecasts, speaking engagements on oil forecasts and macro oil economics, and consulting for C-level management in Oil and Gas.
Will Oil Prices Rebound in 2016? Read More »
To understand why financial warfare and the oil weapon is so common, you must understand how it came into existence and what it has achieved. The oil weapon first came into existence in 1965, when Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal. What resulted from this was a declaration of war by France, England, and Israel. As a way to counter this invasion, Saudi Arabia decided to ban exports to England and France. Although this embargo turned out to have minimal economic impact, it was a beginning.
The Evolution of Economic Warfare and the Oil Weapon Read More »
Recently, France decided to crack down on those people who make cash payments and withdrawals and who hold small bank accounts. In 2011 Italy began working to end the right of landlords, tradesmen, and small businesses to perform large transactions in cash. Spain has outlawed cash transactions over €2,500. In Sweden, the use of cash is being steadily eliminated. Denmark’s central bank, Nationalbanken, has another justification for ending its use of banknotes—producing paper money and coinage is not cost effective. Israel also seeks to end the use of cash. A 2012 law in Mexico bans large cash transactions, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison. In 2014, Uruguay passed the Financial Inclusion Law, which limits cash transactions to US$5,000. And In the US, federal law requires banks to file a “suspicious activity report” (SAR) on their customers whenever a customer requests a suspicious transaction. (In 2013, 1.6 million SAR’s were submitted.) As to what may be deemed “suspicious,” it may be any transaction of $5,000 or more, but it may also mean a series of transactions that, together, exceed $5,000.
Governments Around the World Outlawing Cash Read More »
Why believe in something for which there is no evidence? The answer lies in decision theory.
God, Pascal, China and Japan Read More »
Water has jumped into the critical news with the recent declaration of mandatory water conservation by California Governor Jerry Brown. But California isn’t the only place where record drought conditions have caused concern. But according to experts there is hope.
Game-Changing Water Revolution Read More »
