Free Republic

Lyra makes a compelling case that European nations will collapse without food, oil, gas, and raw materials from Russia, while Russia is so close to self-sufficient that it can survive without anything from anybody. If he is right, then Germany, France, the UK, and others are basically committing suicide by toeing the deep-state line on Ukraine.

While China has said it would sit out sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, many of the country's tech firms have begun backing away from doing business in Russia. That’s according to a Friday (May 6) report by the Wall Street Journal, which said the Chinese government has called for businesses to resist pressure from the U.S. and other countries. Nevertheless, sources close to the matter told the Journal that several major Chinese companies are quietly cutting back on shipments to Russia, where they’ve dominated the market in a number of products. These companies include computer maker Lenovo...

It's official! Russian Central Bank announces that the ruble is tied to gold! 5000 rubles per gram. The Central Bank of Russia has officially announced that the Russian ruble will be tied to gold as of March 28, 2022, The rate is 5,000 rubles per gram of gold ingots. There are 28 grams in each ounce. 28 grams for 5,000 rubles per gram is 140,000 rubles. Are you following me this far? The conversion rate of rubles into US dollar is 100 rubles, 90 pounds, for each US dollar. If the rubles are tied to gold at 5000 rubles per...

BERLIN–German oil and gas company Wintershall Dea AG, one of the investors in the now frozen Nord Stream 2 pipeline, said it would write off its 1 billion euro, or $1.1 billion, financing in the project and won't pursue new energy ventures in Russia. Germany last week halted the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 project that would have doubled the capacity of an existing pipeline traveling along a similar route and linking Russian gas fields directly to Germany. The project was backed by a number of Western energy players, including Shell PLC, which said on Monday that it would end...

Goldman to make record bonus payout Staff at Goldman Sachs staff can look forward to the biggest bonus payouts in the firm's 140-year history after a spectacular first half of the year, sparking concern that the big investment banks which survived the credit crunch will derail financial regulation reforms. A lack of competition and a surge in revenues from trading foreign currency, bonds and fixed-income products has sent profits at Goldman Sachs soaring, according to insiders at the firm. Staff in London were briefed last week on the banking and securities company's prospects and told they could look forward to...

WHO REALLY destroyed the base of the economy by forcing the banks to make all those millions of bad loans, pulling the rug out from under the  banks and insurance cos. IN THE FIRST PLACEYou didn't know this?  Perhaps you didn'tknow that newsmen have agendas andDELIBERATELY hid the facts from you.

Banks link to solve bond insurers crisis By David Wighton, Aline van Duyn and Henny Sender in New York and Peter Thal Larsen in London Published: February 1 2008 19:53 | Last updated: February 1 2008 20:05 Leading US and European banks are joining forces to find solutions to the crisis among US bond insurers, whose problems threaten to exacerbate the impact of the credit squeeze. One group of banks, including Citigroup and Barclays, is examining options for supporting Ambac Financial, one of the leading insurers. Separate teams are working with other bond insurers, according to people close to the...

OK ... so I can't really say that on the air, but at least those of you who read the program notes will know how I really feel about this. The trick today is to avoid sharing this absolutely accurate word with my listeners. The vote was 284 to 141. There were 56 "Republicans" in the mix. The bill was a bone for the ignorant; an anti-price gouging bill. This was in response to the recent rise in gas prices. These politicians wanted to go home for the Memorial Day break and tell their constituents that there were actually doing...

The price of oil spiked to a high of $75 on Friday, April 21, amidst much speculation about just how long the upward trend in the oil price will persist. Meanwhile, talk continues in the press of the inevitable rise in gasoline prices at the pump in the warm weather vacation season in the U.S. The mainstream news media is floating yet another trial balloon before the American people, this one aimed at testing their collective response to idea of permanently high oil and gas prices. Should Americans react with the ambivalence that has become all to common in recent...

Capital movements due to fears over a possible US-Iran war, financial speculation or market meltdown are driving crude prices upward. Milan (AsiaNews) – Capital movements on commodity exchanges, not low supply are pushing oil prices upward. Brent crude has reached US$ 74 a barrel because of lowered refinery use and a backup in crude inventories that has left many a super tanker waiting to unload. Oil storage has become a problem since facilities are full in the Persian Gulf, Europe, the Americas and even Asia. Even Israel, which built huge embargo-busting oil depots to allow the country to survive every...

THE first day of the Democratic convention in Boston was dedicated to discussion of the party’s economic policy. Aside from John Kerry’s views on Iraq, it is the dollar in people’s pockets (or the lack of them) which will determine the outcome of the presidential election in November. The Democrats’ views on jobs, trade and public spending have a resonance beyond Boston. They impact on Europe and the rest of the globe because America is the world’s biggest economy. Worryingly, as far as Europe is concerned, Mr Kerry has tended to make more and more protectionist noises as his campaign...