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07.16.18- How gold nanoparticles could improve solar energy storage
"Instead of using ultraviolet light, which is the standard practice, we leveraged the energy of visible and infrared light to excite electrons in gold nanoparticles," said Laura Fabris, associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the School of Engineering who led the work with Fuat Celik, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. Read More |  |
07.14.18- These 5 Sectors Will Boom as Robots Take More Jobs
That is the future with automation. Here’s how it works: The Economics of Automation: Automation lowers the overall cost of goods and services by increasing efficiency. Robots can often perform tasks quicker than humans, and work around the clock. One estimate says by 2025, robots can decrease the cost of labor in the U.S. by 22%. And that estimate is accounting for only automating 25% of jobs that could be automated. Read More |  |
07.13.18- US "Asleep At The Wheel" – As Nuclear Industry Faces Collapse
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), “US nuclear power: The vanishing low-carbon wedge” examined 99 nuclear power reactors in 30 states, operated by 30 different power companies. Read More |  |
07.12.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: The Danger
A week or so ago I wrote an article about what amounts to an upcoming Civil war. Well frankly it’s already going on, it just hasn’t reached the shooting stage. But I got wildly differing opinions about what we see happening out there. It was interesting to say the least. On one hand, I got responses that completely agreed with me. That the rise of the really fringe far left, had gotten completely out of control, and on the other hand were emails suggesting that I was blowing this out of proportion. Read More |  |
07.11.18- And Now, for Somethimg Entirely Different: A Nation Built On Lies
The world becomes more chaotic by the day. Good luck finding a politician, business icon, or religious leader who is not bought and sold by corporate or special interests. Finding truth telling honest leaders in today’s world is virtually impossible. Read More |  |
07.10.18- Why The Coming Oil Crunch Will Shock The World
My years working in corporate strategy taught me that every strategic framework, no matter how complex (some I worked on were hundreds of pages long), boils down to just two things:
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07.09.18- Energy Is The Key To Everything
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07.07.18- Crude Oil Makes Another
On Tuesday, July 3, the price of nearby August NYMEX crude oil futures rose to a higher high at $75.27 per barrel. Meanwhile, the Brent active month September futures contract has not been able to make it back above $80 per barrel since reaching a high of $80.50 on May 22. Read More |  |
07.06.18- The New Oil Cartel Threatening OPEC
“The timing is right. The boom in U.S. oil and gas production gives us greater leverage against OPEC,” the Times of India quoted an Indian official as saying last month after the formal start of said talks. The two countries, after all, account for a combined 17 percent of global oil consumption and they are the ones that would be the hardest hit if prices rise as a result of OPEC’s actions. Read More |  |
07.05.18- The End Of The Petroleum Age Will Thrust Us Back Into The 19th Century
Here is what I have been able to gather, from reading Steve St. Angelo’s website, www.srsroccoreport.com: Suppose you have the opportunity and the means to create a gold mine, and decide to undertake the challenge; you invest in the building and installations of the gold mine, and in all the related salaries to carry out the building of the mine, by paying for all expenses in gold; finally the gold mine is selling the gold it produces, in exchange for dollars. So now you have an abundant income in dollars, because your mine has been a successful venture. Hurray! Read More |  |
07.04.18- The Energy Cliff Approaches: World Oil & Gas Discoveries Continue To Decline
If the world oil industry doesn’t increase its capital expenditures significantly, we are going to hit the Energy Cliff much sooner than later. According to Rystad Energy, total global conventional oil and gas discoveries fell to a low of 6.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent (Boe). |  |
07.03.18- This Is How Much U.S. Households Lose As Gas Prices Rise
The increased pump prices are now eating into the disposable income of the average American household that will have a total of $440 less to spend this year on other goods and services because this money is expected to go for buying higher-priced gasoline. The higher spending on gas could offset one-third of the gains from the tax cuts, with low- and middle-income families feeling the pinch much more than higher-income earners, according to S&P Global economists Beth Bovino and Satyam Panday. Read More |  |
07.02.18- Keynesian Economics Is an Artifact of Cheap Energy
Of the many delusions of modern economics, perhaps the greatest is that the dominant Keynesian model reflects permanent dynamics of advanced economies. Economics, along with other social sciences, makes an implicit claim that its econometric claims are the equal of the “hard sciences” of physics and chemistry. Read More |  |
06.30.18- Crude Oil and Gasoline Prices –
Correlate the weekly prices of wholesale gasoline and crude oil over 30 years. The correlation is 0.987—near perfect. Rising or falling gasoline prices will follow rising or falling crude oil prices. In My Opinion: Crude oil and gasoline prices will continue to rise from their low ($27.56 for crude oil) in January 2016—for several more years. Corrections will occur along the way. Read More |  |
06.29.18- Can Trump Counter Soaring Gasoline Prices?
The 180-degree turnaround in the oil market from May is pretty staggering, even for an oil market steeped in volatility and uncertainty. In late May, rumors of higher output from Saudi Arabia and Russia led to a crash in prices, and led to speculation of another lengthy downturn. By late June, however, it isn’t clear that even a massive 1-million-barrel-per-day increase from OPEC+ will be enough to fill the supply gap. Read More |  |
06.28.18- Jeff Bezos Is Preparing To Sell Space Travel Tickets
Blue Origin, a space travel startup owned by Bezos, will start selling passenger tickets in 2019. Rob Meyerson, senior vice president at Blue Origin, just made the announcement at an Amazon Web Services event. Meyerson wouldn’t comment on how much the space travel tickets will cost. Read More |  |
06.27.18- WTI-Brent Spread Narrows On Canada Oil Crisis
For the past few weeks and months, WTI suffered a steep discount relative to Brent, a reflection of a series of factors that made North America well supplied with oil, while the rest of the world saw supplies tighten significantly. U.S. shale production has soared over the past few years, but really accelerated at a blistering pace in 2018. North America has been overflowing with oil, and much of the additional supply has been routed through Gulf Coast export terminals, if producers can get their oil out of West Texas. Read More |  |
06.26.18- And Now. for Something Entirely Different: Insurrection is Here... How Long do We have Until Civil War 2.0 Starts?
These ominous uprisings are taking various forms but the most visible and aggressive ones involve Antifa-style “occupy” socialist and anarchist street mobs dedicated to taking down ICE – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal government policing agency that is part of the Department of Homeland Security. Read More |  |
06.25.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Images of Children Crying
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06.23.18- The End Of Growth
Certainly the statistics reflect this. Suicides in the US are up 30% since the turn of the millennium, obesity is at epidemic proportions, mortality rates are rising especially among white working-class Americans, and our national opioid addiction is now the “epidemic of epidemics.” To these we can also add falling birthrates and the truly startling shift towards a younger age for the onset of depression; declining from age 30 now to age…14(!) Read More |  |
06.22.18- What Will Follow The Age Of Oil?
Besides production, IHS analysts also raised their estimates of gas supply in the United States that is economical at prices below the US$4 per MMBtu Henry Hub benchmark price—from 900 trillion cubic feet in 2010 to 1,250 trillion cubic feet. Thanks to this consistent cost decline, IHS expects natural gas to come to account for almost half of power generation in the country by 2040, from about 42 percent today.Read More |  |
06.21.18- U.S. Overtakes Saudi Arabia In Recoverable Oil Reserves
The U.S. added nearly 50 billion barrels in 2017 and now has an estimated 310 billion barrels of recoverable oil, which are equal to 79 years of U.S. production at the current pace of output, Rystad said. Apart from the Permian, where more reserves per well are drilled, new areas and formations that have been geologically proved boosted the U.S. recoverable oil resources last year, according to the Norway-based energy consultancy. Read More |  |
06.20.18- Oil, The Petrodollar, And The Next Emerging Market Crisis
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06.19.18- Norway Looks To Build Its First Offshore Floating Wind Farms
“Wednesday next week I will have a meeting with different stakeholders in offshore wind and discuss both the opening process and the regulatory framework,” the minister said, adding that he hoped the parties could come up with a proposal by the fall. Read More |  |
06.18.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: The Fourth Industrial Revolution Is On The Horizon
Increasingly, data is being harvested from every aspect of our day-to-day lives. From our purchases to the number of steps we take to our sleep habits or Facebook rants, it’s all being recorded. The information is then being used to advertise to us, to map our neighborhoods and even to sway elections. And this process of data extraction is only accelerating. It is the backbone of world being built around us. Read More |  |
06.16.18- Areas Of The World More Vulnerable To Collapse
For example, while the United States is still the largest oil consumer on the planet, it is no longer the number one oil importer. China surpassed the United States by importing a record 8.9 million barrels per day (mbd) in 2017. This data came from the recently released BP 2018 Statistical Review. Each year, BP publishes a report that lists each countries’ energy production and consumption figures. Read More |  |
06.15.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Washed, Bleached and Rinsed
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06.14.18- Europe Is Awash With
Oil in ships around European shores was 12.9 million barrels on average in May, accounting for 26 percent of all global floating storage, and more than Asia-Pacific’s 9.7 million barrels of oil stored, according to estimates by oil analytics company Vortexa. Read More |  |
06.13.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Trouble Brewing in Emerging Markets
But just as U.S. stocks have run into higher volatility and major drawdowns in recent months, EM stocks have also encountered head winds. A major reversal of EM stock gains is emerging. The reason U.S. stocks and EM stocks have moved together is not difficult to discern. Both asset classes are what economists call “risky” assets, in contrast to “safe” assets such as developed-market government bonds or even “risk-free” assets such as short-term U.S. Treasury bills. Read More |  |
06.12.18- "Oil Shock!"
Today we wander out to the tail end of the bell curve… look around for black swans… and raise scandalous questions. “Judging by internet searches for the term,” says Bloomberg commodities analyst David Fickling, “an oil shock is the last thing anyone should be worried about.” It is true — “oil shock” is an orphan term, unloved, unwanted — and unsearched: Read More |  |
06.11.18- Facing The (Horrible) Future
I’d like to tell you a short story based on a movie that has had a profound impact on me. I'll get to the story in a moment, but first, a little background on the movie... It's called Griefwalker (by Tim Wilson) and it focuses on the life and wisdom of Stephen Jenkinson, a theologian and philosopher who worked as an end-of-life specialist for many years. Because we all must face death in our lives, inevitably our own someday, I highly recommend this movie and Stephen’s work to everyone. Read More |  |
06.09.18- "Its' Crazy": Texas Roiled By Unprecedented Labor Shortage As Shale Industry Hires "Just About Anyone"
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06.08.18- A Mini Fusion Reactor Reached Temperatures Hotter Than The Sun
Over the past few years, there have been a number of nuclear fusion breakthroughs, with different teams sustaining hydrogen and helium plasmas for varying amounts of time. We’re still a way off useful nuclear fusion reactors, but it seems we’re taking steps in the right direction. Read More |  |
06.07.18- Industrial Commodities vs. Gold – Precious Metals Supply and Demand
Crude oil acts differently from gold – and so do all other industrial commodities. What makes them different is that the supply of industrial commodities held in storage as a rule suffices to satisfy industrial demand only for a few months at most. By contrast, gold inventories are in theory large enough to satisfy fabrication and industrial demand for 70 years (“in theory” because this is under the assumption that there is no monetary or investment demand for gold). This is in fact one of the reasons why gold is the money commodity. [PT] Read More |  |
06.06.18- Why Have Oil Markets Turned So Bearish?
At 09:16 a.m. EDT today, WTI Crude was down 0.05 percent at $64.72, while Brent Crude traded down 1.05 percent at $74.50. Brent prices touched their lowest in nearly a month, since May 8, the day on which the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Read More |  |
06.05.18- The South China Sea: A Geopolitical Powder Keg
Saturday at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a much covered and annual international security forum in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis pulled no punches, stating that Beijing’s moves in the disputed body of water was intended to intimidate its neighbors. The former Marine Corps four-star general, who served as the Commander of U.S. Central Command during the Obama Administration, said that the U.S. is willing to work with China on a "results-oriented" relationship. Read More |  |
06.04.18- Why Oil Markets Should Fear
Not only did Trump step up trade penalties on China, announcing a few days ago that tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods would go forward, but he moved to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union, the U.S.’ closest allies and trade partners. The tariffs will include a 25 percent levy on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Months ago, Trump proposed these tariffs, but repeatedly offered exemptions to allies while U.S. officials negotiated with their counterparts to come up with a resolution. Read More |  |
06.02.18- World’s Largest EV Battery Maker Sees IPO Valuation Plummet
Prices for lithium and cobalt have soared. Graphite and rare earth prices are making a comeback. Nickel, where EV-related demand is still tiny, has been caught up in the euphoria and longer term the bellwether metal for the industry, may benefit the most. Read More |  |
06.01.18- Is A Natural Gas Pipeline Between Alaska And China Realistic?
This declaration of interest is hardly worth a headline, but one outtake from the meeting with Sinopec’s president, as reported by Alaska’s Energy Desk Rashah McChesney, is worth mentioning. The president of China’s largest refiner said, “After some of the work we did, in terms of assessment and evaluation in technology, economics and in terms of the resources of Sinopec — I think there’s a lot more work for us to be done than originally imagined.” Read More |  |
05.31.18- The Energy Model That Can Predict Gold Prices
When trying to predict gold prices, investors usually look at one or several drivers: interest rates, U.S. dollar fluctuations, above-ground gold stocks, equities, bonds, commodity prices and even debt levels. But on their own, how reliable is each for predicting either short-or-long-term medium gold price movements? For instance, you have probably heard that gold bears an inverse correlation to interest rates. The logic here is simple enough: Investors shift their money from non-interest yielding assets like gold to high-yield assets like bonds and stocks when interest rates are climbing. Read More |  |
05.30.17- Art Berman: Think Oil Is Getting Expensive? You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.
Art explains how the current glut of oil created by the US shale boom -- along with high crude output by both OPEC and non-OPEC producers -- is a temporary anomaly. Fundamentally, we are not finding nearly as much oil as we need to continue the trajectory of the global demand curve. And at the same time, we're extracting our reserves at a faster rate than ever. That's a mathematical recipe for a coming supply crunch -- it's not a matter of if, but when: Read More |  |
05.29.18- WTI Crude Futures Tumble,
As Saudi Arabia and Russia signal they will restore some of the production they’ve curbed to drain a global glut, Bloomberg notes that the market awaits a meeting of OPEC and its partners in Vienna late June as extreme positioning starts to get unwound...Read More |  |
05.28.18- Crude Capitulation Continues: WTI Hits 6-Week Lows After Russia, Saudi Comments
As Bloomberg notes, oil earlier this month rose to the highest level in more than three years after President Donald Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran and plunging Venezuelan output fueled supply concerns. With OPEC and allies achieving a key goal of eliminating the global surplus despite record production in the U.S., traders now are weighing whether Saudi Arabia and Russia will go ahead with their plan to revive output without reaching consensus with allies. The group are set to meet in June to decide its next steps. Read More |  |
05.26.18- China and Russia Envision a Yuan-Denominated World
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There’s always a boom tomorrow” — Susan Ivanova “Babylon 5” The petro-yuan on its own may well become enough of a disruptor to unseat the USD as the ruling currency of global trade. But it turns out it was only the first what may be many Chinese incursions into markets previously monopolized by the greenback. Read More |  |
05.25.18- Drought Conditions In The Southwest Are So Bad That They Are Already Being Compared To The Dust Bowl Of The 1930s
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05.24.18- Steel Tariffs Raise Costs For
“Clearly the tariffs themselves will lead to cost increases for oilfield steel, Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) and line pipe (LP) in particular. Beyond that, shortages of oilfield steel products will develop – and are already developing – further driving up costs to oil and gas producers. A sizable number of products are simply not available domestically, OCTG in particular, and costs have already risen significantly and will likely continue to do so,” said John Tintera. Read More |  |
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05.22.18- The Shale Oil Ponzi Scheme Explained: How Lousy Shale Economics Will Pull Down The U.S. Economy
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05.21.18- There is a water war brewing out West that will decide the fate of 40 million Americans
Everyone knows how important water is to sustain life, but we’re about to find out how important water is to sustain American life as we know it. Weather patterns and conditions have been changing for years throughout the American West — no, not due to “human-caused climate change,” but just normal, evolutionary climate change, which has taken place since the birth of our planet. Read More |  |
05.19.18- Seasonals And Cycles Confirming: Natural Gas Flashes A ‘Buy’ Signal
Our research team has been following the energy sector quite intensely with Oil and Natural Gas making an impressive move. A little known seasonal pattern in Natural Gas has setup recently and we have alerted our members to this play which is already up over 16%. Our advanced price modeling systems and Adaptive Dynamic Learning Cycles have recently triggered another buy entry point which we share in this article but first look at the seasonal chart showing the month which Natural Gas is generally strong. Read More |  |
05.18.18- $100 Oil Is One Explosion Away
You will find out that a long range Burkhan – 2H missile will have directly hit the Saudi Royal Palace in Riyadh. The reaction to this missile will be swift and severe. Within the hour Saudi Arabia will have declared war on Iran. And within 24 hours the Saudis will have retaliated through a direct attack on Iran. Once that happens, all bets are off as to how high oil prices go Read More |  |
05.17.18- Will $100 Oil Kill The U.S. Economy?
$100 oil is not as painful as it once was. There are a few reasons for that. The U.S. is now a significant oil exporter, helping to lessen the damage to its trade balance. Also, the economy uses less energy per unit of GDP than it used to, becoming slightly more efficient with each passing year. Read More |  |
05.16.18- China Aims For
Chinese EV sales doubled in April, with the government-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showing 81,904 sold that month, or an 11.5-percent increase compared with the same period last year. In total, that means China sold 1.9 million vehicles. Read More |  |
05.15.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: How to Calculate the End of the World
The young woman was tried as a witch in Youghal, Ireland in 1661. It was alleged that she kissed another woman “violently” and that the victim experienced fits, cramps, and visions. In another instance, she kissed the hand of an imprisoned man who subsequently died. Today, we think of “witchcraft” as hocus-pocus. We deny any cause-and-effect relationship between Ms. Newton’s kiss and the prisoner’s death. Myth, in other words. Read More |  |
05.14.18- Biofuel Breakthrough Uses Algae To Create Hydrogen
During photosynthesis, green algae utilize harvested solar energy to split water, release oxygen into the atmosphere and produce biomass that functions as an excellent feed-stock in the blue biorefinery. During photosynthesis, the green algae utilize harvested solar energy to split water, release oxygen into the atmosphere and produce biomass that functions as an excellent feed-stock in the blue biorefinery. Read More |  |
05.12.18- Weekend Rant: Trump Is A Disaster
Trump wants to cut EPA funding by 23 percent and to cut funding for restoration programs for the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay by 90 percent. He wants to pay for the upkeep of national parks by expanding oil and gas exploration on public lands. Read More |  |
05.11.18- Oil Is Back
Yet that may not last. My models predict a long-term rise in energy demand and energy prices. Of course, the same amount of energy has always been around. It’s just a question of technology, geopolitics and price as to whether the energy gets to where it’s needed when it’s needed. Read More |  |
05.10.18- Another Step Towards Collapse of Petrodollar
Ken Schortgen, Jr., The Daily Economist, recently penned an article about Nigeria approving a currency swap agreement with China, stating, Read More |  |
05.09.18- Can Volkswagen Compete With Tesla?
During the April 3 annual shareholder meeting, Diess said VW is preparing to manufacture as many as 3 million EVs per year by 2025. To get there, the company will be spending 40 billion euros ($48 billion) on the lithium ion batteries needed to hit that sales volume. Read More |  |
05.08.18- Arctic About-Face: Oil-Opposing Alaska Natives Now Lead Charge To 'Drill, Baby, Drill'
When Shell first showed up in 2007 with a fleet of drillships and support vessels, and parked them in the migration path of the bowhead whale in the eastern Alaska Beaufort Sea, the Inupiats went to court. An injunction from the US Ninth Circuit stopped the company and started a chain of problems that would ultimately defeat Shell’s multibillion dollar Arctic initiative. Read More |  |
05.07.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Taking The Pulse Of A Weakening Economy
Central banks have been running a grand experiment for 9 years, and now we’re about to find out if it succeeds or fails.For 9 unprecedented years, central banks have pushed the pedal of monetary stimulus to the metal: near-zero interest rates, monumental purchases of bonds, mortgage-backed securities, stocks and corporate bonds, injecting trillions of dollars, yuan, yen and euros into the global financial system, all in the name of promoting a “synchronized global recovery” that in many nations remains the weakest post-World War II recovery on record. Read More |  |
05.05.18- Floating Solar Plants Gain
Like in China and a few of the Southeast Asian nations, India is seeing a spurt in what are called “floating solar plants.” In late 2017, the country inaugurated its largest such floating plant, a 500 kw (kilowatt peak) by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). This one floats on 1.25 acres of water surface of a reservoir, and has 1,938 solar panels, which have been installed on 18 ferro cement floaters with hollow insides. The project uses high-efficiency solar panels and a floating substation has been set up on the reservoir itself to convert the output into 11 kV. Read More |  |
05.04.18- Eight Geopolitical Risks That Could Send Oil Prices Surging
In recent weeks, a perfect storm of nearly erased global oil glut and simmering—and at times flaring—tensions in the Middle East and the worst production loss without an armed conflict (Venezuela) have supported oil prices and boosted them to levels last seen in November 2014. Read More |  |
05.03.18- OPEC Production Cuts: Is Russia Complying?
Russia pumped a total of 10.97 million bpd of oil in April, unchanged from March, and slightly above its quota under the production cut deal, according to energy ministry data, as carried by Reuters. Russia’s pledge in the OPEC/non-OPEC deal is to shave off 300,000 bpd from its October 2016 level, which was the country’s highest monthly production in almost 30 years—11.247 million bpd. Read More |  |
05.02.18- Oil Prices Crash As U.S. Dollar Regains its Footing
- U.S. federal subsidies for renewable energy, which includes biofuels as well as renewable electricity generation, has declined by 56 percent since 2013, dipping to $6.7 billion in 2016. - Renewable energy receives about 46 percent of total energy subsidies. - A great portion of the federal support in 2010 came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly referred to as the “stimulus” program following the financial crisis. Read More |  |
05.01.18- Stable and scalable photo-electrode “strongest candidate yet” for renewable
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04.30.18- The Oil Curse Comes to Washington
Prices rise and prices fall. So, too, they fall and rise. This is how the supply and demand sweet spot is continually discovered – and rediscovered. When supply exceeds demand for a good or service, prices fall. Conversely, when demand exceeds supply, prices rise. Producers use the information communicated by changing prices to make business decisions. High demand and rising prices inform them to increase output. Excess supply and falling prices inform them to taper back production. Read More |  |
04.28.18- And Now, for something Entirely Different: Are Social Justice Warriors Snowflakes? Or Just Cold…
A large dog runs madly around his house like a wild animal, trying to jump over the fence whenever he sees me. I find this strange because I am no threat to him. If he wants to socialize with me, he could have politely negotiated with his Buddhist human. I think he is being victimized by himself. I feel similarly towards people who are easily offended. I don’t know what is wrong with them. Read More |  |
04.27.17- Geopolitics Beat Fundamentals
The EIA yesterday reported that U.S. drillers had produced an average 10.586 million barrels daily in the week to April 20, a record-breaking production rate. The authority added that in the same week crude oil inventories had increased by 2.2 million barrels, which went counter to analyst expectations of a draw or a much smaller build. Read More |  |
04.26.18- This Discovery Is Changing Solar Energy Forever
In a collaboration led by Rice University and Los Alamos National Laboratory found that to be the case with a perovskite compound touted as an efficient material to collect sunlight and convert it into energy. The press release likens the discovery as some materials are like people. Let them relax in the sun for a little while and they perform a lot better. Read More |  |
04.25.18- A New Lithium War Is About To Begin
Lithium, or “white petroleum” as some call it, has become a crucial element in today’s high-tech economy. Demand for lithium is soaring, and producers are frantically searching for new sources of supply. Prices have doubled in the last two years, rising as high as $16,500 per ton. Read More |  |
04.24.18- Here’s Why Gas Prices Are Skyrocketing Right Now
Who recalls the oil embargo of 1973? That was when the Arab-dominated Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced they were cutting oil exports to the United States and other countries that provided military aid to Israel during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. In six months’ time, gas prices had quadrupled. Prices remained higher even after the embargo ended in March 1974. But that could never happen again…Or could it? Read More |  |
04.23.18- The New Alaskan Oil Rush
The Houston-based supermajor has estimated that there are at least 300 million barrels of recoverable oil in its "Willow Discovery" along Alaska's Western North Slope, and these appraisal wells seem to strongly support that projection. More importantly, this discovery could represent just a fraction of the available reserves along the North Slope, and ConocoPhillips plans to keep exploring the area over another busy exploration season next year. Read More |  |
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More recently, in our book The Money Bubble,James Turk and I extended this concept to bankers, observing that in times of very easy money, bad bankers drive out good: Read More |  |
12.20.18- The One Man Who Could
Political initiatives led by several Arab countries, the UN, U.S. and EU, are to all intense and purposes null and void at present, as without clarity about the power of the LNA these deals may well fall apart. A potential removal of Haftar from the delicate balance of power that has been created in Libya will also put anti-IS and Al Qaeda military operations in doubt. Read More |  |
04.19.18- Amazing Energy Continues
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04.17.18- Is OPEC's Mission "Accomplished"?
The International Energy Agency said in its latest Oil Market Report that the supply overhang has pretty much vanished, thanks to OPEC’s efforts at limiting production. “It is not for us to declare on behalf of the Vienna agreement countries that it is ‘mission accomplished’, but if our outlook is accurate, it certainly looks very much like it,” the Paris-based energy agency wrote. Market fundamentals are on a similar track compared to last month’s report. The IEA kept its oil demand forecast at 1.5 million barrels per day (mb/d), although it noted that the back-and-forth on trade tariffs between the U.S. and China puts the demand outlook at risk. For example, a 1 percent decline in global GDP growth would result in a reduction in demand growth by 690,000 bpd. Read More |  |
04.16.18- Continuously Rising Energy Costs Will Cripple The Economy
Those with the most optimistic views about the amount of resources in the ground become especially concerned about climate change. The view seems to be that it is up to humans to decide how much energy resources we will use. We can easily cut back, if we want to. Read More |  |
04.14.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Democracy: The God That Failed
In 2001, academic Hans-Hermann Hoppe scribbled a book bearing the soaring title Democracy: The God That Failed. Hoppe’s work amounts to a one-man war dance against that most holy of secular divinities. Hoppe’s primary tort against democracy? It wastes. It forever takes the short view. Hoppe uses the economic concept of time preference to nail home his point. Read More |  |
04.13.18- World War III: The False Narrative that Fuels Conflict in Syria and Beyond
Just as Trump announced intentions to get out of Syria, Assad did something unspeakable. According to Assad’s opposition, the Syrian government “once again” used chemicals weapons on civilians. At a time when the war is almost won for Assad, he decided to re-ignite international calls for his ouster by senselessly murdering about the same number of civilians the Las Vegas Shooter killed. Seems logical, right? Well, there goes the Syrian exit! Read More |  |
04.12.18- The Oil Eating Bacteria That Can Clean Up Crude Spills
Meet Alcanivorax borkumensis, or A. borkumensis for short. This rod-shaped microbe lives in all of the world’s oceans with a special preference for oil-polluted areas, as it uses hydrocarbon molecules for food. The bacterium’s genome was sequenced more than 10 years ago by a couple of researchers from the German Research Center for Biotechnology. Read More |  |
04.11.18- Oil Prices Likely To Soar
Even as President Trump mulls $100 billion in additional tariffs on China, as reported last week, U.S. officials took to the airwaves over the weekend to downplay the significance of the trade dispute. Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro, considered one of the main voices pushing for stiff tariffs, sounded more low-key (for him) on the Sunday talk shows. “We’re listening to the Chinese. We’re willing to work with them,” Navarro said on NBC News’s “Meet the Press.” Although he went on to add: “But we’re clear-eyed about this. We’re moving forward on a measured way with tariffs, with investment restrictions,” he said. “What we want from China is very clear. We want fair and reciprocal trade.” Read More |  |
04.10.18- The Winter That Will Not Quit
As we move forward into spring it is a lot colder then we would expect in a seriously warming planet. The headlines for the weekend of the 7th of April read: Record-breaking, ‘ridiculous’ April cold and snow set to hit northeastern U.S. this weekend “Temperatures in the New York City are expected to drop as much as 20 degrees below normal. The Arctic blast will be cold enough to dump snow from Washington to Boston. Read More |  |
04.09.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Will Civilization Collapse |  |
04.07.18- The Absurd Myth That Solar & Wind Power Will Solve Our Energy Predicament
Thus, solar and wind power are nothing more than fossil fuel derivatives. However, if you are an individual that does not believe in the fossil fuel terminology, then we can substitute it by saying solar, and wind power are nothing more than coal-natgas-oil derivatives. Read More |  |
04.06.18- Bahrain Discovers Largest Oil Field With 80 Billion Barrels In Reserves
Oil Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said the kingdom has not yet determined how much of the oil can be easily extracted, according to the Associated Press. The oil fields were discovered in the offshore Khalij al-Bahrain Basin, which covers some 770 square miles in the shallow waters off Bahrain's west coast. Read More |  |
04.05.18- Why Oil Producers Are Liking $60/barrel Over $100/barrel
These traits are a recipe for a successful investment. And over the next several years, there is one surprising industry who could offer investors all three. Can you guess which one I’m talking about? Believe it or not, I’m talking about big oil! Read More |  |
04.04.18- ‘Petroyuan’ to propel currency internationalization
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04.03.18- The Chinese Oil Futures Market Has Opened. Here's What It Means
It has been promised for 25 years. Its coming has been heralded as a world-changing event. It has launched a thousand headlines in the last few months. And it happened this week. But if you blinked you would have missed it. What am I talking about? Why, the launch of a Chinese yuan-denominated oil futures contracts on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, of course! Or, in more headline-appropriate terms: The Birth of the Petroyuan! Read More |  |
04.02.18- Lockheed Martin Patents Nuclear Fusion-Powered Fighter Jet
If the latest patent from the defense company serves as a benchmark, nuclear fusion technology could revolutionize the aeronautic industry and eventually begin the quantum leap from fossil fuels to compact fusion reactors for the industry. Read More |  |
03.31.18- Fusion a Step Closer: Lockheed-Martin Gets Patent for Portable Fusion
Back then, I pointed out the basic resemblance of Lockheed's device with a much earlier patent of Philo Farnsworth, taken in 1964-1965, for IT&T, for a device about as big as a softball, and which, reportedly, was able to sustain a fusion reaction for about half a minute, an unbelievable accomplishment, especially for such a small device. Farnsworth's device, after some initial hoopla in the press, was shuffled right off the stage and was never heard from again. Read More |  |
03.30.18- On The Yuan-Oil Futures Contract & Gold
Regular readers will be aware that we were among the first to alert western financial markets that China would introduce a new oil futures contract priced in yuan, months before it was officially admitted that the plans for the contract were being finalised and a date for trading was being planned. Trading in the new Shanghai oil future commenced last Monday, and on the first three days trading there were 151,804 contracts traded with a turnover value of 65bn yuan. It is the first futures contract listed on China’s mainland available to overseas users, putting them on the same footing as domestic investors. Read More |  |
03.29.18- It’s Official: China Launches New Petroyuan Futures Contracts
On March 26 China will finally launch a yuan-dominated oil futures contract. Over the last decade there have been a number of “false-starts,” but this time the contract has gotten approval from China’s State Council. So did China actually follow through? The answer is yes. Read More |  |
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The death toll from the drug war is much less than the actual warfare throughout the world. However, his sentiment is quite appropriate because a significant percentage of the world’s violence could be prevented with a flick of a pen by ending the war on drugs. Read More |  |
03.27.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: The Death Of Democracy
Anyone who thinks democracy doesn’t matter may be in for a rude shock later this year, when we know the result of America’s mid-term elections. The Deep State is on course to take control of Congress. Read More |  |
03.26.18- Cracks Now Appearing in the World's Major Oil Industry
When the oil price fell below $100 in 2014, it spelled doom for the U.S. and global oil industry. As oil prices continued to decline, energy companies were forced to increase their debt and reduce their capital expenditures (CAPEX). Cutting CAPEX spending while adding debt aren’t a good recipe for positive financial earning in the future. Read More |  |
03.24.18- What Trump’s Tariffs Mean
The Trump administration announced a suite of tariffs that could affect $60 billion worth of Chinese products, a move intended to step up pressure on what the administration argues is China’s efforts at intellectual property theft. The Washington Post reported that after President Trump’s aides brought him a package of $30 billion worth of tariffs on China, he told them to double the figure. Read More |  |
03.23.18- Scientists Are One Step Closer To Nuclear Fusion
The work of these scientists is detailed in an open paper published in Nature Communications, and is led by Jorge Rocca, University Distinguished Professor in electrical and computer engineering and physics. Read More |  |
03.22.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: How To Keep Yourself Perfectly Brainwashed In The Matrix
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03.21.18- Two Weeks Before Death, Stephen Hawking Predicted HOW The UNIVERSE WILL END
Hawking completed a theory outlining his prediction for the end of the universe just two weeks before his death and the work has emerged. According to CNBC, the world-famous physicist, who died last Wednesday at the age of 76, was a co-author of a mathematical paper in which he sought to prove the so-called “multiverse” theory. According to a report by U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times, this theory imagines the existence of many separate universes other than our own. Read More |  |
03.20.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Triggering War. A Manufactured “Catalytic Event” Which Will Initiate An All Out War? Are We Going to Let this Happen Again?
Kindly consider forwarding it Professor McQueen’s article to your friends and colleagues, crosspost it on alternative media and blog sites. The threat of World War III is real, yet there is no anti-war movement in sight. In the US, Canada and the EU, the peace movement is defunct, ignorant of the broader implications of nuclear war. Read More |  |
03.19.18- Human agriculture laborers soon OBSOLETE: U.K. researchers grow the world’s first crops using nothing but drones and robots
The researchers claim to have successfully grown the world’s first crop of barley without any humans stepping foot in the entire land area covered by the crop. They managed to do all the seeding, spraying, monitoring, and even harvesting with nothing but drones and robot tractors, which means that the entire process was done with fully-autonomous vehicles and machinery. Read More |  |
03.17.18- BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH IN ENERGY: Investor Warning
Hundreds of billions of Dollars were invested in the U.S. Shale Energy Industry by investors who were looking for a higher return on their money than they could receive from banks or other financial institutions. Read More |  |
03.16.18- The Dawn of Solar Windows
The view from the office of Ioannis Papakonstantinou at University College London affords a great perspective on a wasted opportunity. He points to the university hospital, a tall oblong block adorned with decorative green glass strips. They look modern but serve no purpose. They don’t even let in light. “What are they doing with these green surfaces?” he asks. “Nothing. Would you ever put a conventional solar panel there? Never.” Read More |  |
03.15.18- Blockchain in action: stabilising the grid in Germany and the Netherlands
A quick view into the future: it is the year 2030 and Paul, a homeowner with his own photovoltaic system and battery storage, checks his electricity bill. His neighbour Sam got 12kWh of solar power from Paul’s house roof today. Amanda, the elderly lady a few blocks away, has consumed 5kWh of solar power from Paul. Both charges Paul sees on his online portal. The transactions are registered with a blockchain and the compensation is immediately credited to Paul’s bank account. Read More |  |
03.14.18- The Power Has Shifted In LNG Markets
It was a statement that most liquefied natural gas (LNG) buyers don’t necessarily want to hear; in fact, it goes against the fundamental changes currently underway in global LNG markets. Yesterday, Yury Sentyurin, the new head of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), an industry group representing gas sellers, said, in comments carried by Bloomberg Markets, that LNG prices still need to be linked to oil prices to keep revenue predictable for producers, particularly since some US$8 trillion worth of investment in the fuel is needed by 2040. GECF members include Russia, Iran, Algeria and Qatar (currently the world’s largest LNG producer), and its headquarters are in Qatar. Read More |  |
03.13.18- This Revolutionary Technology Could Deliver $22 Oil… In A $70 World
We’re focusing on one little company - Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX:PQE.V; OTCQX:PQEFF) - which is unlocking trapped oil in U.S. oil sands for as little as $22/barrel. Technology is their key advantage. Their patented Liquid Extraction System is the first ever to generate production from Utah’s 32-billion-barrel heavy oil resource. Read More |  |
03.12.18- The Rise and Coming Fall of the
But if your business is struggling and you needed free debt in order to survive, you’re not going to make it in a rising-rate environment. That one in five US corporations faces bankruptcy when rates rise is a testimony to how much of an illusion the underlying health of the US economic landscape truly is. Read More |  |
03.10.18- IEA Predicts Nightmare Scenario for OPEC
Over the next three years, the US will cover 80 percent of the world’s demand growth, the IEA says in its newly-released Oil 2018 annual report. Canada, Brazil, and Norway will cover the remainder, leaving no room for more OPEC supply. The irony is that the substantial gains in output from shale will only be possible because of the OPEC cuts, which has tightened the market and boosted prices. Read More |  |
03.09.18- 44 Things You Didn’t Know About Oil
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03.08.18- China’s Staggering Demand for Commodities
It’s said that in China, a new skyscraper is built every five days. China is building often, and they are building higher. In fact, just last year, China completed 77 of the world’s 144 new supertall buildings, spread through 36 different Chinese cities. These are structures with a minimum height of 656 feet (200 meters). For comparison’s sake, there are only 113 buildings in New York City’s current skyline that are over 600 feet. Read More |  |
03.07.18- The Truth About U.S. Energy Dominance
While the 'news' about production is fact... The bigger question is the narrative of US global dominance in the energy markets and the ugly narrative-bashing reality that USA is still a net-importing nation - somewhat battering the "security" meme Trump crowed about. Read More |  |
03.06.18- IEA Predicts Nightmare Scenario
Over the next three years, the U.S. will cover 80 percent of the world’s demand growth, the IEA says in its newly-released Oil 2018 annual report. Canada, Brazil and Norway will cover the remainder, leaving no room for more OPEC supply. The irony is that the substantial gains in output from shale will only be possible because of the OPEC cuts, which has tightened the market and boosted prices. This fact is not lost on OPEC producers. "If you are a shale oil producer, who brought you back? It was OPEC," the UAE’s oil minister Suhail Al Mazrouei, said at a recent industry conference, "Without OPEC there’d be chaos in the market." Read More |  |
03.05.18- Ukraine Freezes After
Russian gas deliveries to Ukraine were supposed to restart on Thursday following a foreign court ruling aimed at ending years of disputes between Kiev and Moscow, including two halts to Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine. But Gazprom unexpectedly refused to resume deliveries, returning the prepayment for supplies made by Kiev, claiming amendments to a contract had not been completed. Read More |  |
03.03.18- The World’s Largest “Virtual Power Plant”
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03.02.18- The Shocking True Story of How Global Warming Became the Biggest FakeNews Scare of All Time
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03.01.18- Rising geopolitical tensions in Middle East and Asia ‘key risk to oil prices in 2018’
Oil markets have been well supported recently, thanks to production curbs by Opec since the beginning of last year, as well as robust demand growth. The weakness in the dollar has also supported oil prices, as it makes oil and other greenback-denominated commodities cheaper for countries using other currencies at home. Bank of America Merrill Lynch predicts the price of Brent to average $64 a barrel this year, while Goldman Sachs forecasts it will rise to $75 a barrel in three months and average $75 in the next six to twelve months. Read More |  |
02.28.18- Solar power is the new "cool"
Now it seems solar power is the new "must-have" – and it's powered by Google. That's the trend emerging in the US, along with China the world's leading solar power exponents, though experts here say the same pattern is likely to apply in New Zealand. So how come the sun has become so cool? It began with a study by Yale University by Dr Ken Gillingham(involving about 4000 solar photovoltaic systems in Connecticut in 2015) which showed peer pressure, not cost, was the single biggest driving factor in installing solar power. Read More |  |
02.27.18- How The Fed Could Hammer Oil Producers
A rising interest rate cycle. A trend that has only been accentuated by the Federal Reserve’s aggressive plans to accelerate interest rate hikes and ongoing concerns over an impending major stock market correction. And while it is too early to jump on the “Death of the Bond Bull Market” sentiment swirling around Wall Street, the current direction of interest rates could be worrisome for U.S. oil producers. Read More |  |
02.24.18- U.S. And China To Face Off
As political and economic crises mounted in Saudi Arabia, and oil prices continued to remain relatively low on world markets, there was also speculation as to whether the offering in Saudi Aramco would even be viable. While courted by Western stock exchanges due to the size and prestige of the listing, it has been suggested that a trade sale to a People’s Republic of China (PRC) consortium would serve the objectives of both the PRC and Saudi Arabia. Read More |  |
02.23.18- Why The Next Oil Boom Will Be
The world’s most important industry has been carrying on without any significant changes in its day to day routine for far too long. But now, the new tech on the block has its sights set on the multi-trillion-dollar oil and gas sector. It’s official: Blockchain technology has infiltrated Big Oil. Read More |  |
02.22.18- Canada’s Oil Crisis Continues To Worsen
The situation is going from bad to worse for Canadian producers who can’t seem to catch a break. Canadian railway operators are fighting harsh winter weather and finding it hard to supply enough cars to move both crude oil from Alberta and grain from the Prairies. Read More |  |
02.21.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different:Panama: Still an Easy
I’ve learned that if you’re traveling and you don’t know how to proceed, watch what the locals are doing. After a few moments, I saw a woman dart into the street across two lanes of traffic. She paused briefly in the middle of the street, while cars whizzed by in both directions only inches away. When traffic paused for a moment, she sprinted across the remaining two lanes to the other side. Read More |  |
02.20.18- How To Avoid Blackouts Using 100% Renewable Energy
The inconsistencies of power produced by wind, water, and sunlight and the continuously fluctuating demand for energy often hinder renewable energy solutions. In a new paper, which appears in Renewable Energy, the researchers outline several solutions to making clean power reliable enough for all energy sectors—transportation; heating and cooling; industry; and agriculture, forestry, and fishing—in 20 world regions after all sectors have converted to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. Read More |  |
02.19.18- Coal Fueled Teslas
About 30.4% of electricity in the United States is generated from coal. About 19.7% is generated from nuclear. So over 50% of the US power is from coal and nuclear. The remaining is as follows: natural gas = 34%, hydro = 6.5%, wind = 5.6%, biomass = 1.5%, solar = <1% plus other misc. sources. Read More |  |
02.17.18- Clean Oil That Only Costs $20
Oil production has risen by 5 million barrels per day (bpd) since 2010, an increase of nearly 100 percent. New technology, particularly techniques in shale oil drilling, has opened up vast new opportunities for oil and gas companies. The proof is in the numbers. In 2017, the United States averaged 9.3 million bpd. This year, the EIA predicts that U.S. oil and gas production will reach record levels, averaging 10.3 million barrels bpd to surpass the record reached in 1970 (9.6 million bpd). Read More |  |
02.16.18- Russia Is Taking Over Syria’s Oil And Gas
In accordance with an energy cooperation framework agreement signed in late January, Russia will have exclusive rights to produce oil andgas in Syria. The agreement goes significantly beyond that, stipulating the modalities of the rehabilitation of damaged rigs and infrastructure, energy advisory support, and training a new generation of Syrian oilmen. Still, the main international aspect and the key piece of this move is the final and unconditional consolidation of Russian interests in the Middle East. Read More |  |
02.15.18- Is History Repeating Itself In Oil Markets?
That was the warning from the International Energy Agency, which said in its latest Oil Market Report that a “second wave” of shale supply threatens another downturn. Total global oil supply is expected to grow faster than demand this year, which could lead to another downturn. It’s a conclusion that the IEA tried to emphasize in previous reports, but the message finally seems to be sinking in. Read More |  |
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02.13.18- Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News
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02.12.18- Party On, Dudes
Techno-rapturists are celebrating what seems to be a blindingly bright new golden age of energy greatness. Independent oil analyst Art Berman, who made the podcast rounds the last two weeks, put it in more reality-accessible terms: “Shale is a retirement party for the oil industry.” Read More |  |
02.10.18- Weekend Rant: Bombshell Testimony of FBI Informant Implicates Many for Treason
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02.09.18- Future U.S. Oil Production Will Collapse Just As Quickly As It Increased
Why? There are two critical reasons the current record level of U.S. oil production won’t last and is also, a house of cards. First of all, oil production profiles tend to be somewhat symmetrical. They rise and fall in the same manner. While this doesn’t happen in every country or every oil field, we do see similar patterns. For example, this similar trend is taking place in both Argentina and Norway: Read More |  |
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02.07.18- The Extent of Global Warming Deception and the Damage is Not Hyperbole
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02.06.18- Oil Prices Ravaged By Financial Turmoil
The steady decline of the U.S. dollar has helped drive up crude prices for weeks, but that came to an abrupt halt last week. A rebound for the greenback led to a steep decline in oil prices on Friday. At the same time, sudden turmoil in the broader financial system also bled over into the oil market. Volatility in the stock market flared up on Friday, sparking the sharpest single-day upheaval in years. Read More |  |
02.05.18- US oil production hits 10 million barrels per day for first time since 1970
U.S. oil production hit 10 million barrels per day in November for the first time since 1970, highlighting the power of shale oil and natural gas boom. More than 6 million of those barrels came from shale, the Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday. Read More |  |
02.03.18- The Nuclear Posture Review: The World Will Not Surive the American Neoconservatives’ Doctrine of US World Hegemony
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02.02.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Gold-Backed Cryptocurrencies... Icing on an Already Tasty Cake
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02.01.18- The Earth's Magnetic Field Is Shifting, Poles May Flip: "This Could Get Bad"
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01.31.18- Texas Set For Another Oil Boom
The December 2017 reading of the index was 188.8, up from 151.2 in December 2016. This is still far below the peak of 314.2, which was reached in November 2014, a few months after the price slide began, but it’s much better than 2016 readings. In fact, the TPI has been rising for 13 months in a row. Read More |  |
01.30.18- The Deliberate Attack on Tour Health and the Attempted Coverup and
I wanted to begin a little differently today, with a quick note to those of you who see the value in this broadcast, and the importance of questioning the mainstream narrative, as well as the two-party paradigm. As William Faulkner said: “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.” Read More |  |
01.29.18- Three Wild Cards That Could
As I write this, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is above $66 a barrel while Brent crude is breaching $71 a barrel for the first time since December 2014. That means, as of yesterday’s close, WTI has risen 12.2 percent for the month; Brent 8.1 percent. Now, I’ve written about the narrowing of the global crude oil balance for some time. But it’s looking more and more like that balance is arriving quicker than anticipated. Read More |  |
01.27.18- This Oil Stock Crushed It in 2017, but It Could Do Even Better in 2018
That said, as good as Diamondback's performance was last year, two potential catalysts could make 2018 an even better year. Read More |  |
01.26.18- Weak Dollar Drives The Oil Rally
Mnuchin surprised reporters when he seemed to express support for a weaker U.S. dollar, which flies in the face of longstanding U.S. government policy supporting a strong greenback. The dollar dropped sharply on the news, raising fears of a campaign by the U.S. to push down its currency to gain an edge in exports. Read More |  |
01.25.18- 100x faster, 10x cheaper: 3D metal printing is about to go mainstream
We've been hearing for years now about 3D printing and how it's going to revolutionize manufacturing. As yet, though, it's still on the periphery. Plenty of design studios and even home users run desktop printers, but the only affordable printing materials are cheap ABS plastics. And at the other end of the market, while organizations like NASA and Boeing are getting valuable use out of laser-melted metal printing, it's a very slow and expensive process that doesn't seem to scale well. Read More |  |
01.24.18- Solar supercapacitor creates electricity and hydrogen fuel on the cheap
The UCLA device is a hybrid unit that combines a supercapacitor with a hydrogen fuel cell, and runs the whole shebang on solar power. Along with the usual positive and negative electrodes, the device has a third electrode that can either store energy electrically or use it to split water into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen atoms – a process called water electrolysis. Read More |  |
01.23.18- Why China Can’t Shake Its Coal Dependency
You see, China entered 2017 aggressively trying to reduce coal capacity. The state-run Xinhua News even said last November that China was on track to cut its total number of mines to 7,000 by 2018. But despite having a wealth of different energy sources – from (undeveloped) natural gas and oil to renewable sources like wind and solar – China remains dependent upon coal for most of its power generation and heat. To keep up with expanding demand from an expanding population, China on average is bringing a new coal-fired energy plant on line every week. Read More |  |
01.22.18- The Best Places In The World To Mine Bitcoin
Currently, more than 60 percent of all bitcoin is mined in China, and these miners have picked their location wisely. The remote Sichuan mountains enjoy a cool year-round temperature and cheap electricity provided by small-scale hydro-electric facilities, averaging from $0.05 to $0.08-cents per kWh. Recent rumors, however, suggest that this could all come crashing down. Read More |  |
01.20.18- Will The Dollar Survive The Petro-Yuan?
At the very least, if the dollar’s future role diminishes, then there will be surplus dollars, which unless they are withdrawn from circulation entirely, will result in a lower dollar on the foreign exchanges. Read More |  |
01.19.18- Will The Coming Big Oil Price Drop Cause The Next Stock Market Crash?
Furthermore, there was a previous trend in the 1980’s that suggests we are setting up for a MAJOR stock market crash. I discuss the details of the current record net commercial short positions and the similar setup that took place during the 1980’s in my newest video, Will The Coming Big Oil Price Drop Cause The Next Stock Market Crash? Read More |  |
01.18.18- Reviving uranium mining at
Take one of the world’s largest and most iconic geological features, add the spectre of nuclear power, the threat of environmental ruin, and then lay it at the door of the US’s arguably most controversial President and you have a story that is guaranteed to grab attention. Read More |  |
01.17.18- Saudi Arabia May Be Pulling Off The Biggest Market Manipulation Scheme
If you or I pulled a stunt like this, we’d go to jail. (And our faces would be plastered all over the news, our families shamed, and our savings would be taken away.) Read More |  |
01.16.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Is Going Shirtless a Necessary Freedom?
Men can do it without legal restrictions. And although it may not seem like a big deal, it is one of those lingering inequalities that give fodder to otherwise over-the-top feminist movements. It would be better to fix the few actual inequalities that still exist. Women around the world participate in the “free the nipple” movement. They challenge local laws which restrict women from going topless while allowing men that freedom. Read More |  |
01.15.18- Algae May Be Green Energy’s
This is not the first fuel cell powered by what is called biophotovoltaics. A biophotovoltaic, or BPV, is a solar cell that uses microorganisms to turn solar energy into an electric current. Algae are particularly suitable for these cells, since they grow quickly and, again, are cheap to produce. These, however, were also genetically modified to convert solar energy into electrons more efficiently by minimizing the loss of electrons during the conversion. Read More |  |
01.13.18- Financial war may escalate into massive EMP attacks as final showdown looms
This ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) satellite was launched as the U.S. government’s January 31st payment deadline looms, and will be used against North Korea, the sources say. Since North Korea is a proxy and is really too analog to be affected by an EMP attack, this is clearly a veiled threat at the Swiss controllers who hollowed out the U.S. and built up China. Read More |  |
01.12.18- The Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown Continues Unabated
RECENT reporting of a huge radiation measurement at Unit 2 in the Fukushima Daichi reactor complex does not signify that there is a peak in radiation in the reactor building. All that it indicates is that, for the first time, the Japanese have been able to measure the intense radiation given off by the molten fuel, as each previous attempt has led to failure because the radiation is so intense the robotic parts were functionally destroyed. Read More |  |
01.11.18- And Now, for Domething Entirely Different: The Focus Shifts From Trump To Hillary And The Corrupt FBI
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01.10.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: The Trump Monster
However, I’ve repeatedly been asked to comment on the liberal press (worldwide, but particularly in the US) reporting false news regarding Donald Trump. This, of course, is an ongoing trend, but the reports appear to be increasing in frequency, severity of criticism and, indeed, pettiness. Read More |  |
01.09.18- Low Cost Renewables Are Creating A New Middle East
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman, to name a few, have set some ambitious goals to boost the construction of clean energy facilities and the use of renewables in their energy mix in the long term. As global solar and wind costs continue to drop and make those energy solutions increasingly competitive, the Middle East is expected to continue to move ahead with renewable projects this year, according to UAE’s outlet The National. Read More |  |
01.08.18- Oil Prices Could Soon Drop 50%
Much of this gain reflects the determination of the world’s two largest oil exporters – Saudi Arabia and Russia – to limit output in order to firm up prices. The duopoly of Saudi Arabia and Russia has proved much more effective than OPEC at maintaining the discipline needed to control oil prices. OPEC members such as Iran and Iraq are notorious for cheating on OPEC quotas. The duopoly is more disciplined. Read More |  |
01.06.18- More Antarctica Strangeness: Now It's a Fossilized Forest
As one might imagine, there are those taking this fossilized Antarctic forest as evidence of the Flood. But there's a teensy weensy "catch": Read More |  |
01.05.18- FBI Launches New Investigation Into The Clinton Foundation
The probe will focus on pay-for-play schemes and tax code violations, according to law enforcement officials and a witness who wishes to remain anonymous. Read More |  |
01.04.18- Iranian Crisis Could Send Oil To $100
The protests in Iran were the main driver of the bullish sentiment in the oil market. Anti-government demonstrations swept across the country in recent days, and unlike the widespread protests in 2009, the current rallies are related to economic woes and are also taking place in more cities than just Tehran. “Growing unrest in Iran set the table for a bullish start to 2018,” the Schork Report said in a note to clients on January 2. Read More |  |
01.03.18- A "Bomb Cyclone" Is Set To Detonate Off The East Coast
Winter Storm Grayson, a very large and powerful winter storm is threatening the East Coast of the United States with heavy snow, intense winds, and record-setting low temperatures. Winter storm watches and warnings have been issued for many coastal regions in north Florida to Maine from Wednesday into late Thursday. Read More |  |
01.02.18- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Delta Force Raids Obama Stronghold in Thailand
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01.01.18- How Much Death and Destruction Awaits Us in 2018?
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12.30.17- The Biggest Oil Story Of 2017
In the first half of the year, there were several weeks when the U.S. topped 1 million barrels per day (mb/d), but exports averaged about 750,000 bpd between January and June. Read More |  |
12.29.17- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Six Best Ways to Raise
A lot of these practices are ingrained in us from our own childhoods. That was when we were on the receiving end of the parenting. It is easy to accept that these parenting practices are harmless, or even necessary, because we all experienced them and “turned out fine.” Read More |  |
12.28.17- Renewable Electricity Generation Surpasses Nuclear For First Time Since 1984
This outcome reflects both seasonal and trend growth in renewable generation, as well as maintenance and refueling schedules for nuclear plants, which tend to undergo maintenance during spring and fall months, when overall electricity demand is lower than in summer or winter. Read More |  |
12.27.17- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: The individual vs. group mind control
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12.26.17- Breakthrough In Hydrogen Cracking Could Create Clean Fuel
Hydrogen fuel cells have been one of the most exciting areas of green energy for a long time. After all, a vehicle that runs and produces water as its only output would be a great innovation. Yet, hydrogen fuel cells have remained a frustratingly difficult technology that has made little progress in become a serious power source in any major market. Even with the backing of one of the biggest car companies on the planet, hydrogen fuel is still lagging far behind electric vehicles. This result is driven by a number of interconnected issues. Yet perhaps the most serious challenge for hydrogen-based power is the prohibitive cost associated with the technology.Read More |  |
12.25.17- Ten Thousand Times Brighter than the Star of Bethlehem
But history has proven that men are traveling through the medium of time not the vast expanse of space – all men, throughout all time. It is an equation that a child can deduce. There is no argument… Haphazardly and mostly blind, we hope to see a bright portent, a perfect sign, and a light to guide us to the endless tomorrows we all suspect that await us. Read More |  |
12.23.17- The Solar Tech That Is
Aera Energy, a joint venture owned by Shell and ExxonMobil, is building California’s largest solar energy project in the San Joaquin Valley, where 1.7 billion barrels of heavy oil have been extracted since operations began in 1911. Read More |  |
Oil Prices Could Soon Drop 50%
Much of this gain reflects the determination of the world’s two largest oil exporters – Saudi Arabia and Russia – to limit output in order to firm up prices. The duopoly of Saudi Arabia and Russia has proved much more effective than OPEC at maintaining the discipline needed to control oil prices. OPEC members such as Iran and Iraq are notorious for cheating on OPEC quotas. The duopoly is more disciplined. Read More |  |
12.21.17- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: Why Is Eric Holder Freaking Out?
All the King’s horses and all the King’s Men could not put Humpty Dumpty Holder back together again! Eric Holder has engaged in behavior which should have already sent him to prison. And if he would have gone to prison as the government offiical most responsible for the murder of Border Patrol agent, Brian Terry, then former President Obama would go to jail as well because of his role of ordering Holder to ship thousands of guns to the Mexican drug cartels, via the DOJ, in order to launch attack the Second Amendment in America. Read More |  |
12.20.17- 100x faster, 10x cheaper: 3D metal printing is about to go mainstream
We've been hearing for years now about 3D printing and how it's going to revolutionize manufacturing. As yet, though, it's still on the periphery. Read More |  |
12.19.17- Canadian Oil Prices Plunge To $30
Western Canada Select (WCS), a benchmark for oil from Alberta’s oil sands, has plunged in December, falling to just $30 per barrel at the end of this past week. WCS typically trades at a discount to WTI, reflecting the differences in quality from lighter forms of oil, as well as the extra transportation costs to move oil hundreds of miles out of Alberta. But a discount is usually something like $10 per barrel, not more than $25. A price deterioration of this magnitude has not been seen in years. Read More |  |
12.18.17- Is A Petro-Dollar Versus Petro-Yuan Showdown Coming Today?
Just a few short days after Chinese regulators gave the greenlight to petro-yuan futures trading, signaling an escalation in the war against dollar hegemony, President Trump is reportedly set to accuse China of “economic aggression” in efforts to “undermine international order” during his national security strategy speech on Monday. Read More |  |
12.16.17- The Great Oil Swindle
When it comes to the story we're being told about America's rosy oil prospects, we're being swindled. At its core, the swindle is this: The shale industry's oil production forecasts are vastly overstated.
And the swindle is not just affecting the US. It's badly distorted everything from current geopolitics to future oil forecasts. Read More |  |
12.15.17- Is The Oil Glut Set To Return?
The IEA’s December Oil Market Report dramatically revises up the expected growth of U.S. shale, which goes a long way to torpedoing the excitement around the OPEC extension. Late last month, when OPEC agreed to extend its production cuts through the end of 2018, the U.S. EIA came out with data – on the same day as the OPEC announcement – that showed an explosive increase in shale output for the month of September, up 290,000 bpd from the month before. Read More |  |
12.14.17- Gold Will Soar… As China Kneecaps the Dollar
Using force to compel people to accept money without real value can only work in the short run. It ultimately leads to economic dislocation, both domestic and international, and always ends with a price to be paid.– Former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul Read More |  |
12.13.17- Is Oil About To Collapse?
Let’s be clear, I am not necessarily talking about a return to the sub-$30 of the beginning of 2016 here, but a return to the more recent lows around $42 before too long is distinctly possible, and if that happens, who knows where we go from there? There are, as I have noted in the past, reasons to believe that the long-term path of oil is still upward, but more immediately there is one dominant factor that keeps adding downward pressure, large and still growing supply from North American shale producers. Read More |  |
12.12.17- The Billionaires Betting On Space Travel
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, the world’s second richest man after Microsoft’s Bill Gates, is funding rocket company Blue Origin to the tune of $1 billion a year. Blue Origin has been putting together a rocket factory in Kent, Wash., for several years. The company also plans to launch its rockets from a NASA launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the near future. Read More |  |
12.11.17- Russia May Turn To Oil-Backed Cryptocurrency To Challenge Sanctions & The Petrodollar
As RT reports, Russia, Iran and Venezuela have more than one thing in common. All three are major oil producing nations dependent on the dollar since the global crude market is traditionally dominated by contracts denominated in US currency. Read More |  |
12.09.17- How Middle-East Chaos Will Raise Your Cost Of Living
The price of almost every product on the market increases as the price of oil goes up. When the price of oil goes up, it costs more for companies to transport goods to your local stores, and they are more than willing to pass those costs on to the consumers. Obviously, it will also cost you a lot more to get to and from work. Surging oil prices will most certainly guarantee that your cost of living surges as well. Read More |  |
12.08.17- Every Recession Since 1971 Has Been Preceded by THIS – And It’s Happening Right Now
As the graph below shows, since President Nixon cut the dollar’s last ties to gold in 1971, every single spike in oil prices has had the effect of throwing the economy into a recession. Read More |  |
12.07.17- Markets Are Unprepared for a Government Shutdown
I’d say the odds are 50/50. Actually, I put the odds of a shutdown at about 55%. There’s certainly enough substance here to be wary. The government could shut down because of disagreements over defense spending, funding for Trump’s wall with Mexico, deportation of illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children (the “Dreamer Act” also referred to as “DACA”), funding for Planned Parenthood, funding for Obamacare (called “SCHIP”), disaster relief and more. There’s not much middle ground between Democrats and Republicans on many of these hot button issues. Read More |  |
12.06.17- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: U.S. military to declare martial law as DOJ, FBI criminality exposed
Such radical action is necessary, “Because of corrupt judges appointed by [former U.S. President Barack] Obama and a Congress stacked with shills for Israel, so Trump may be forced to declare martial law to impose military justice,” is how one Pentagon source put the situation. Read More |  |
12.05.17- This Tiny Moon Has More Oil & Gas
On Titan, the largest of Saturn’s 62 moons, hydrocarbons naturally rain down from the skies in a “dreary drizzle” and collect in the form of vast lakes and dunes. This has long been known or at least surmised, but now we have proof and quantitative data thanks to NASA’s Cassinispacecraft. Read More |  |
12.04.17- And Now, for Something Entirely Different: REVEALED: Bitcoin’s Price in 2020
This July, software grandee John McAfee donned the fool’s cap… and brought down roars of laughter upon his head… This bedlamite actually predicted bitcoin would reach $500,000 by the end of 2020. $500,000! His forecast was rooted in the lunatic assumption that bitcoin would close 2017 at $5,000. Read More |  |
12.02.17- OPEC Extension Sends Oil Prices Soaring OPEC followed through on its promise, extending the production cuts through the end of 2018, bringing relief to an oil market that had grown jittery in recent days. Oil prices traded in a relatively narrow range after the meeting and appeared muted. But once concerns over a selloff calmed, oil prices rallied once again on Friday morning. Read More |  |
12.01.17- The Biggest Threat To Lithium-Ion Batteries
Most of these announcements usually cause little more than an indifferent shrug simply because it would take too long for the discoveries to attain any sort of commercial viability, especially in competition with lithium-ion batteries, which are also the object of research to make them more reliable, more efficient, and safer. Read More |  |
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As I've written recently, I observe this is due more than anything else to a widespread demoralization society is suffering from.
Increased demand for battery materials used in electric vehicles and energy storage is what's supposed to reignite interest in the mining sector now that the China-induced supercycle in commodities demand are levelling off.
When Alaska’s governor Bill Walker headed with a trade delegation to China earlier this week, he must have hoped to bring back good news about an 800-mile gas pipeline project that would see the state’s gas reserves flow into an increasingly gas-hungry Chinese economy. However, the only news the delegation 
After issuing clear warnings on this program that sub-$50 oil prices were going to be short-lived, oil expert and geological consultant Art Berman returns to the podcast this week to explain why today's $70 oil prices will go higher -- likely much higher -- and start materially contricting world economic growth.
WTI Crude futures are down almost 10% from their highs last week (near $73), testing back to a $65 handle, breaking below critical support levels and testing the major uptrendline...
WTI Crude futures plunged in early Asia trading - touching a $65 handle for the first time in over a month - after Saudi Arabia and Russia proposed easing output curbs. 
The worst drought to hit the Southwest in decades continues to grow even worse, and many are already comparing this current crisis to the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. Agricultural production is way down, major rivers are running dry, and horses are dropping dead from a lack of water. The epicenter of this drought is where the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico all come together, but it is also devastating areas of north Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as well. Portions of seven states are already at the highest level of drought on the scale that scientists use, and summer won’t even start for about another two months. 
The imposition of steel import tariffs and quotas will directly burden Texas oil and gas producers with higher costs for oilfield steel goods, which could result in job losses, reduced activity, and smaller companies struggling to absorb additional costs, the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers (TAEP) 
Few Americans realize that the U.S. economy is being propped up by the Shale Oil Industry. However, the shale oil industry is nothing more than a Ponzi Scheme, so when it collapses, it will take down the U.S. economy with it. Unfortunately, the reason few Americans understand how lousy the economics are in producing shale oil and gas is due to the misinformation and propaganda being put out by the industry and energy analysts. 
“The situation hasn’t improved. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that a water war of sorts is close to breaking out throughout the West and Southwest…”
“It is our belief that Natural Gas will continue to climb higher moving well above the $3.00 level before the end of…”
If you wake up tomorrow and oil prices have spiked to $100 per barrel, here is what will have happened.
The timing is fit for a movie plot climax!
It’s not a widely known fact that the 2010 oil spill caused by the explosion on BP’s Deepwater Horizon platform could have been even worse were it not for bacteria. Several species of marine bacteria that feed on ingredients in crude oil and natural gas bloomed during the spill, feasting on Louisiana light, sweet crude. Now, one of these species has been found to be a particularly promising candidate for a champion against oil spills.
I was thinking the other day, what if someone was so afraid of the truth that they wanted to stay in the matrix of lies their whole life, what would someone who loves fantasy and lies have to do to remain perfectly brainwashed all the days of their lives? You are probably thinking, why would someone want to be brainwashed their whole lives? It shouldn’t surprise us since we actually see this phenomenon every day. People want to remain in their fantasy paradigms instead of waking up to the truth only they don’t articulate it to themselves so bluntly. Instead people subliminally tell themselves they would rather not wake up to any truth. People regularly indulge in artificial pleasures and stories to keep their minds entertained, so entertained that they don’t have the ability to see the truth. 
If you allow companies to borrow money at nearly zero interest, most will borrow as much as they possibly can. After all, if you can achieve a paltry ROIC of 2%, you’re making money that costs you 1% to borrow.
The bond market is about to enter a phase we haven’t seen in over 70 years…
Speculation continued into early 2018 about who — or which organization — would be the ultimate buyer of the five percent stake being offered for sale in Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, Saudi Aramco.
Big Oil is due for a disruption.
Canadian oil producers can’t get a break. First it was the pipelines — there are not enough of them to carry the crude from Alberta’s oil sands to export markets. This pipeline capacity problem has been forcing producers to pay higher rates for railway transportation, which has naturally hurt their margins in no small way. Now, there is a shortage of rail cars as well.
It was 5:00 pm on a Monday afternoon in Panama City. Walking up Avenida Balboa – the main drag that hugs the coastline – I came to a busy intersection with no crosswalk or even a traffic light. I needed to cross it to get to a 5:15 pm meeting. All four lanes were jammed with rush-hour traffic.
Researchers have proposed three different methods for providing consistent power in 139 countries using 100 percent renewable energy.
Several countries are making proclamations that state all new cars shall be electric by a certain date. Who decided on electric cars? I know they sound “clean” but where does that electricity come from?
The United States is in the midst of an energy revolution.
If finally happened…
Back in 2014, U.S. shale production was growing so fast that it ended up crashing the market. Now, history could be repeating itself.
As of this week,
While U.S. oil production reached a new peak of 10.25 million barrels per day, the higher it goes, the more breathtaking will be the inevitable collapse. Thus, as the mainstream media touts the glorious new record in U.S. production that has both surpassed its previous peak in 1970 and Saudi Arabia’s current oil production, it’s a bittersweet victory.
Normally, I don’t respond to comments about my articles. However, comments about my 
Oil prices fell back suddenly over the last few trading sessions, dragged down by some forces beyond the oil market.
The U.S. is expected to experience "explosive growth" in oil production in 2018 and will exceed Saudi Arabia's output for the first time and rival Russia, the world's top producer. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
The government of the United States is clearly in demonic hands. We are overflowing with proof. Take today (2-2-18) for example. A report from the House Intelligence Committee was released that is proof that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice (sic), and the Democratic National Committee are engaged in a conspiracy against American democracy and the President of the United States with the full support of the presstitute media. 
The blockchain has discovered gold (or gold has discovered the blockchain). Either way, this means several things. First, the decades-long dream of a gold-backed cybercurrency may finally be realized. Second, gold and probably silver are looking at a big new source of physical demand. Third, the huge number of gold-related initial coin offerings (ICOs) in this largely unregulated pipeline will require buyers to learn how to tell the legitimate offerings from the scams. 
"The shield that protects the Earth from solar radiation is under attack from within. We can’t prevent it, but we ought to prepare..." is the 
Texas is set for another oil boom, with production this year expected to hit a record high. That’s 
Welcome to 
The 2018 oil rally is happening at breakneck speed.
Diamondback Energy delivered a market-crushing return last year, gaining nearly 25%, which outpaced the more than 19% return from the red-hot S&P 500. That outperformance is even more impressive considering that most oil stocks lost value last year after investors bailed on the sector when oil prices tumbled during the summer. That said, crude came roaring back by year-end, which catapulted Diamondback Energy's stock because of how briskly it's growing output.
Defying gravity, WTI and Brent soared to new heights this week, pushed along by an unlikely ally: U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Desktop Metal – remember the name. This Massachussetts company is preparing to turn manufacturing on its head, with a 3D metal printing system that's so much faster, safer and cheaper than existing systems that it's going to compete with traditional mass manufacturing processes.
Thanks to Mother Nature and administrative decision-making, China’s drive to reduce the use of coal has hit a roadblock.
Deep in China’s Sichuan mountains, miners are chipping away at complex mathematical puzzles in hopes of unlocking one of today’s most prized assets, bitcoin.
This might seem a frivolous question, while the dollar still retains its might, and is universally accepted in preference to other, less stable fiat currencies. However, it is becoming clear, at least to independent monetary observers, that in 2018 the dollar’s primacy will be challenged by the yuan as the pricing medium for energy and other key industrial commodities. After all, the dollar’s role as the legacy trade medium is no longer appropriate, given that China’s trade is now driving the global economy, not America’s.
The oil market price is setting up for one heck of a fall. Now, could this large oil correction cause the next stock market crash? Time will tell. However, the indicators in the oil market are showing the largest net commercial short positions in history. The current net commercial short positions in the oil market are even higher by 174,000 contracts than the level when the oil price fell from $105 in mid-2014 to a low of $30 at the beginning of 2016.
Proposals to rip up a moratorium preventing uranium mining around the Grand Canyon have received sharp criticism and bullish support in almost equal measures. But, as always, the devil is in the detail, so how far does the current moratorium go and what is being proposed in its stead? Dr Gareth Evans finds out. 
Should women be allowed to take off their shirts in public?
Algae are probably one of the most attractive directions of scientific development when it comes to finding new green energy sources. They are cheap. They can be used either as a direct source of oil to make biofuel from, as 
The ongoing war over the control of the financial system, and thus control over the future of the planet, is reaching a dangerous crescendo, multiple sources agree. Most significantly, the U.S. military distracted world attention last week with a fake feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and his former consiglieri Steve Bannon while they used SpaceX to launch their secret Zuma satellite, Pentagon sources say.
The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and NPR will never tell you, but the criminal is Hillary, not Trump. It has come to light that the FBI edited down FBI Director Comey’s investigation of Hillary in order to make it look like nothing was amiss. Comey’s conclusion that Hillary was “grossly negligent,” a conclusion justifying felony indictment for mishandling of classified information, was replaced with “extremely careless.” The Chairman of the US Senate Homeland and Government Affairs Committee, Ron Johnson (R, Wis) has asked the current FBI director, Chris Wray, if the document was rewritten in order to protect Hillary. Senator Johnson is particular interested in the emails that show that some senior FBI officials were determined to prevent Trump from becoming US President. 
I don’t often comment on specific world leaders or isolated political events, choosing instead to look at the big picture as much as possible and what it may mean to the reader’s future.
Various countries in the world’s most oil-dependent region, the Middle East, have started to look above ground for generating energy to diversify away from their primary below-ground energy source.
Oil has had a spectacular run the past two years. From $29.42 per barrel on January 15, 2016, oil has risen to $57.36 per barrel as of last Friday, a 95% gain in less than 23 months.
While most of the USSA is freezing from record cold temperatures (one wonders how cold it is in Canada!), it seems appropriate to blog about this story which came into my inbox during the holidays from Mr. V.T., a regular article contributor here. As one might imagine, this prompt some really high octane speculation:
Exactly two weeks after we reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions 
Oil prices started the year on a high note as some geopolitical tension pushed aside bearish concerns. Both WTI and Brent opened above $60 per barrel for the first time in years.
Imagine a place with hundreds of times more natural gases and other liquid hydrocarbons than all of the known oil and gas reserves on our bountiful planet. As it turns out, that place is a comparatively small, smoggy and perpetually drizzly moon in our very own solar system, happily orbiting around Saturn.
