Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Price of Oil Can be Lowered
According to an article I read, and pundits on TV, ‘Perhaps 60% of today’s oil price is pure speculation’. The fact is, there is speculation as to how much speculation has driven up the price of oil. I think there is near universal agreement that speculation is having at least some effect in driving up the price of oil. Whether it's 60%, 30%, or even 20%, it's significant. Now I'm not an econometricist(?), so I won't throw figures at you. What I will propose is a way to remove speculation from the market, while maintaining a free and fair market.
First I want to state that anyone who understands markets knows that neither the government, trading firms, or speculators can control price in the long term. That being said, exchanges in their regulatory capacity, can do a lot to dampen speculation.
I don't know how many of you remember back in the 1970's when the Hunt brothers cornered the silver market. I'll give a short synopsis as I recall it. As I said, Nelson Bunker Hunt and his brother cornered the silver market, and were squeezing the shorts unmercifully. Unfortunately for the Hunts, the shorts were largely exchange insiders, and they were losing a lot of money. What to do?
When you have the power, you change the rules. Such as a ban on opening long positions and increases in margins. What happens? All of a sudden, the equation changes. If no one can open a long position, there is no one to buy. The price going down combined with increased margins to hold positions means ever increasing liquidations, leading to a downward spiral.
Since most of us, other than the oil companies, can agree the high price of oil is detrimental to our economy, and is against our national interest, there is even more incentive to change the rules here than there was against the Hunts. Perhaps it can be national policy for the CFTC to force/persuade the US and international exchanges that trade oil to increase the margin to 100% or some other high figure.
Let's look at this proposal. With the 1000 barrel light sweet crude contract traded on the NYMEX, the margin is between $7250 and $9788, depending upon whether you are a member or a non-member customer. This means that for under $10,000, anyone can buy 1,000 barrels of crude oil for future delivery. If that margin was moved up to 100%, at todays price of 131 for the July contract , a speculator would have to put up $131,000 to hold that contract. This would dramatically cut down on speculation, and would bring prices down drastically. Limits could also be put on opening long positions. In no time, the speculative portion of oils price would be worked out. This is a crude (no pun intended) proposal, but the "experts" could work out the details. It's pretty simple, so let's get this in motion. Even the fear of something like this happening could begin driving speculators out of the market, and bringing down the price. Meanwhile, I'm glad I filled up my cars yesterday, while gas was still under $4.00 here. Can't say that today.
If you like this story, feel free to DIGG IT!
Technorati Tags: crude oil, gas, speculator, speculation, exchange, CFTC, Nelson Bunker Hunt
First I want to state that anyone who understands markets knows that neither the government, trading firms, or speculators can control price in the long term. That being said, exchanges in their regulatory capacity, can do a lot to dampen speculation.
I don't know how many of you remember back in the 1970's when the Hunt brothers cornered the silver market. I'll give a short synopsis as I recall it. As I said, Nelson Bunker Hunt and his brother cornered the silver market, and were squeezing the shorts unmercifully. Unfortunately for the Hunts, the shorts were largely exchange insiders, and they were losing a lot of money. What to do?
When you have the power, you change the rules. Such as a ban on opening long positions and increases in margins. What happens? All of a sudden, the equation changes. If no one can open a long position, there is no one to buy. The price going down combined with increased margins to hold positions means ever increasing liquidations, leading to a downward spiral.
Since most of us, other than the oil companies, can agree the high price of oil is detrimental to our economy, and is against our national interest, there is even more incentive to change the rules here than there was against the Hunts. Perhaps it can be national policy for the CFTC to force/persuade the US and international exchanges that trade oil to increase the margin to 100% or some other high figure.
Let's look at this proposal. With the 1000 barrel light sweet crude contract traded on the NYMEX, the margin is between $7250 and $9788, depending upon whether you are a member or a non-member customer. This means that for under $10,000, anyone can buy 1,000 barrels of crude oil for future delivery. If that margin was moved up to 100%, at todays price of 131 for the July contract , a speculator would have to put up $131,000 to hold that contract. This would dramatically cut down on speculation, and would bring prices down drastically. Limits could also be put on opening long positions. In no time, the speculative portion of oils price would be worked out. This is a crude (no pun intended) proposal, but the "experts" could work out the details. It's pretty simple, so let's get this in motion. Even the fear of something like this happening could begin driving speculators out of the market, and bringing down the price. Meanwhile, I'm glad I filled up my cars yesterday, while gas was still under $4.00 here. Can't say that today.
If you like this story, feel free to DIGG IT!
Technorati Tags: crude oil, gas, speculator, speculation, exchange, CFTC, Nelson Bunker Hunt
Labels: CFTC, crude oil, exchange, gas, Nelson Bunker Hunt, speculation, speculator
Monday, May 19, 2008
Twin City Jihadists attack News Crew at Public School Madrassa
KSTP.com - News crew attacked during report at TiZA charter school.Amazing scene. Be sure to view the video at the right of the article. I'm sure there will be some well thought out excuse for what happened, but the truth is, Islamofascism is making inroads, especially in the Midwest. I thought it was just Dearbornistan, but apparently it's also Minneapolis St. Paulistan too.
And you thought this kind of thing only went on in Muslim countries. Well, here it is in America's heartland. Amazing that they let this Madrassa stay open.
I see two important issues here. One, why is there a taxpayer funded Muslim school, while we don't have other religious schools that are publicly funded? Two, what kind of lunatics are running this school and committing physical assaults on reporters airing this story? It makes me wonder if this is just the tip of the iceberg. If this is going on in Minneapolis, what's going on in Dearbornistan? I'm willing to bet it's worse.
DIGG This if you like.
Technorati Tags: Islam, jihadists, Minneapolis St Paul, Islamofascism, Muslim, TiZA, Tarik ibn Zayad Academy, Middle Eastern culture
Tarik ibn Zayad Academy (TiZA), which focuses on Middle Eastern culture and shares a mosque with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, came under fire after a teacher alleged that the school was offering religious instruction in Islam to its students.Actually, they were on the public sidewalk, not school grounds.
In an attempt to report about the new findings from the Department of Education, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS went to TiZA. While on school grounds, our crew was attacked by school officials. Our photographer was injured while wrestling with the two men over the camera.
And you thought this kind of thing only went on in Muslim countries. Well, here it is in America's heartland. Amazing that they let this Madrassa stay open.
I see two important issues here. One, why is there a taxpayer funded Muslim school, while we don't have other religious schools that are publicly funded? Two, what kind of lunatics are running this school and committing physical assaults on reporters airing this story? It makes me wonder if this is just the tip of the iceberg. If this is going on in Minneapolis, what's going on in Dearbornistan? I'm willing to bet it's worse.
DIGG This if you like.
Technorati Tags: Islam, jihadists, Minneapolis St Paul, Islamofascism, Muslim, TiZA, Tarik ibn Zayad Academy, Middle Eastern culture
Labels: islam, Islamofascism, jihadists, Madrassa, Middle Eastern culture, Minneapolis St Paul, muslim, Tarik ibn Zayad Academy, TiZA
Monday, May 12, 2008
Queers For Palestine- Self Hating Idiots
Zombie has a nice pictorial on the Nakba-60 Palestinian Festival in SF. I love the picture of this oxymoron, wearing the "Queers for Palestine" t-shirt:
I would love to take up a collection to send her to Palestine where she could educate her brethren Palestinians on the gay lifestyle she enjoys here, and which she could enjoy in Israel. Does she not realize that in Palestine or any other Arab country she would be arrested at best, hung at worst? She reminds me of someone like Finklestein, the self-hating Jew. She's a self-hating gay. She is such a sick and demented ideologue that she will support this oppressive fascist culture, that arrests, beats, and murders her fellow gays, while she works for the destruction of the one country in the Middle East where she and other gays can live free from fear of persecution. Another example of the mental disease called liberalism.
Technorati Tags: Israel, palestine, queer, gay, arab, nakba
I would love to take up a collection to send her to Palestine where she could educate her brethren Palestinians on the gay lifestyle she enjoys here, and which she could enjoy in Israel. Does she not realize that in Palestine or any other Arab country she would be arrested at best, hung at worst? She reminds me of someone like Finklestein, the self-hating Jew. She's a self-hating gay. She is such a sick and demented ideologue that she will support this oppressive fascist culture, that arrests, beats, and murders her fellow gays, while she works for the destruction of the one country in the Middle East where she and other gays can live free from fear of persecution. Another example of the mental disease called liberalism.
Technorati Tags: Israel, palestine, queer, gay, arab, nakba
Labels: Arab, gay, Israel, Palestine, queer
Friday, May 02, 2008
Olmert to be Ousted?
'It is doubtful that Olmert can continue serving as PM', said a senior law enforcement official. It's about time they throw out this corrupt "leader." I would have preferred that the Knesset or the citizens of Israel had become enraged by his morally bankrupt policies and thrown him out themselves, but I'll accept a criminal indictment for this corrupt official. Hopefully Israel doesn't get saddled with one of his handpicked flunkies. Israel needs to get rid of these people living in la-la land who believe that peace with Abbas is possible. There is about as much chance for peace with Abbas as there was with Arafat. To compromise Israel's security in search of this pipe dream is irresponsible and insane.
Olmert has been one of the worst prime minister Israel has ever had, as far as I can see. It amazes me that someone so incompetent can be elected to this high office. Of course, we've had our share of boobs as president, so who am I to talk? May the next one be a true and wise leader.
Technorati Tags: olmert, Israel, corruption
Olmert has been one of the worst prime minister Israel has ever had, as far as I can see. It amazes me that someone so incompetent can be elected to this high office. Of course, we've had our share of boobs as president, so who am I to talk? May the next one be a true and wise leader.
Technorati Tags: olmert, Israel, corruption
Labels: corruption, Israel, Olmert, prime minister
Red Ken Defeated by Boris Johnson for Londonistan Mayor
It's official, though the count is still dragging on. The bookmakers have paid off on Boris Johnson. The pro-terrorist, communist mayor of London is finally out, as the conservatives racked up an overwhelming victory in England. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Livingstone is also anti-Semitic anti-Israel. Ken Livingstone hates Israel and Israeli's with a vengeance, and in an incident with the Reuben brothers, was accused of anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant remarks.
Here's an example of an exchange this buffoon had with a reporter:
Technorati Tags: London, Ariel Sharon, Ken Livingstone, Israel, anti-Israel, Finegold
Here's an example of an exchange this buffoon had with a reporter:
- Finegold: Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard. How did tonight go?
- Livingstone: How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?
- Finegold: How did tonight go?
- Livingstone: Have you thought of having treatment?
- Finegold: Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?
- Livingstone: What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?
- Finegold: No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal and I'm actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?
- Livingstone: Ah right, well you might be Jewish, but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?
- Finegold: Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?
- Livingstone: It's nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.
- Finegold: I'm a journalist and I'm doing my job. I'm only asking for a comment.
- Livingstone: Well, work for a paper that doesn't have a record of supporting fascism.
Technorati Tags: London, Ariel Sharon, Ken Livingstone, Israel, anti-Israel, Finegold
Labels: anti-Israel, Ariel Sharon, Finegold, Israel, Ken Livingstone, London
Sunday, April 27, 2008
OBL Threat to Israel- Olmert, Barak, & Livni
Here's an article in the JPOST that would be a comedy if it weren't so pathetic. Olmert the clown says the government is aware of the dangers it faces, and knows how to counter those threats. I guess Sderot, Ashkelon, and the Nahal Oz refinery are examples of the governments good work in this regard.
Hopefully the comments are representative of Israel's opinion of Olmert. I haven't seen any comment that takes what he is saying as more than a sick joke. One such comment gave me the headline for this post (thanks Josh). It's not Osama bin Laden who is the threat to Israel. Right now the enemy is the other OBL, Olmert, Barak, Livni, and the rest of this regime in power. It's the cancer within, these treacherous leaders, leading the sheeple of Israel down the path of destruction and eventually slaughter at the hands of its other enemies. The pendulum needs to swing back to rationality, reason, and survival. Those in power, leading Israel down the path of suicide and destruction should be run out of office and tried for treason.
To not have learned from Israel's past mistakes and to continue down this suicidal path is criminal. The one thing we do know is that the Palestinians do not want peace. Anything they offer in that direction is merely a stalling tactic, a hudna, until the day they feel powerful enough to destroy Israel. Their goal is, was, and until things change, always will be the killing and murder of the Jews, and the elimination of all traces of Jews from the Middle East. If they can best carry out that goal with terrorism, they will. If they can best carry it out with a temporary truce, as they rebuild their armaments, then that will be the strategy.
I don't even want to get into the idiocy of continuing to supply fuel to these scum as they continue to try to disrupt and attack this supply effort at Nahal Oz and murder those helping them, so they can claim Israel is holding back on necessary fuel.
Technorati Tags: Israeal, Gaza, Palestinians, hudna, Middle Easst, terrorist, terrorism, OBL, Olmert, Barak, Livni, Nahal Oz
Olmert, however, expressed his confidence in Israel's ability to defend itself. "Without being arrogant, God forbid, I think that today we can say that the Israeli people have a government that can defend it; that it has leadership that knows how to care for its people's security and future," he said.
Hopefully the comments are representative of Israel's opinion of Olmert. I haven't seen any comment that takes what he is saying as more than a sick joke. One such comment gave me the headline for this post (thanks Josh). It's not Osama bin Laden who is the threat to Israel. Right now the enemy is the other OBL, Olmert, Barak, Livni, and the rest of this regime in power. It's the cancer within, these treacherous leaders, leading the sheeple of Israel down the path of destruction and eventually slaughter at the hands of its other enemies. The pendulum needs to swing back to rationality, reason, and survival. Those in power, leading Israel down the path of suicide and destruction should be run out of office and tried for treason.
To not have learned from Israel's past mistakes and to continue down this suicidal path is criminal. The one thing we do know is that the Palestinians do not want peace. Anything they offer in that direction is merely a stalling tactic, a hudna, until the day they feel powerful enough to destroy Israel. Their goal is, was, and until things change, always will be the killing and murder of the Jews, and the elimination of all traces of Jews from the Middle East. If they can best carry out that goal with terrorism, they will. If they can best carry it out with a temporary truce, as they rebuild their armaments, then that will be the strategy.
I don't even want to get into the idiocy of continuing to supply fuel to these scum as they continue to try to disrupt and attack this supply effort at Nahal Oz and murder those helping them, so they can claim Israel is holding back on necessary fuel.
Technorati Tags: Israeal, Gaza, Palestinians, hudna, Middle Easst, terrorist, terrorism, OBL, Olmert, Barak, Livni, Nahal Oz
Labels: Barak, gaza, hudna, Israeal, Livni, Middle Easst, nahal oz, OBL, Olmert, Palestinians, Terrorism, terrorist
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Fitna, The Jewish Response
Here's an interesting video.
LiveLeak.com - Fitna - The Jewish Response
Technorati Tags: Rabbi Meir Kahane, JTF, FITNA, Islam, Islamofascist, Koran
Labels: Fitna, islam, Islamofascism, Islamofascist, JTF, Koran, Rabbi Meir Kahane
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Some of The Hardest Working People in the Obama Camp
In a video post in DIGG, here are the Hardest working people in the Obama Campaign. There is also a post and video by Carl in Jerusalem, saying similar things. The videos are below.
Keep in mind that the two videos are from AlJazeera. Note how slanted their view is. They talk about Israel's lack of commitment to abide by agreements, yet fail to mention anything about the child murdering Palestinians. Apparently, only Israel doesn't follow through on agreements, while the Pali's are honest peaceful beings who do never lie and never murder civilians(sarcasm).
Technorati Tags: palestinians, obama, obama and the Palestinians
Keep in mind that the two videos are from AlJazeera. Note how slanted their view is. They talk about Israel's lack of commitment to abide by agreements, yet fail to mention anything about the child murdering Palestinians. Apparently, only Israel doesn't follow through on agreements, while the Pali's are honest peaceful beings who do never lie and never murder civilians(sarcasm).
Technorati Tags: palestinians, obama, obama and the Palestinians
Labels: Obama, palestinains
