Russian Production Decline Triggers Alarms

Russian oil production dropped in January for the first time in nearly 10 years. Abroad, the decline puts more strain on global oil supply following last week's refusal by Opec to increase output. At home, it could set alarm bells ringing in the Kremlin over fears it could negatively impact the inflows into state coffers needed to finance the ambitious social programs being promised by Dmitry Medvedev, the favorite to win Russia's Mar. 2 presidential election. (Thursday, February 7, 2008)

Russia has been the biggest contributor to global oil production increases over the past few years.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

Why the price of 'peak oil' is famine

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard International Business Editor

Vulnerable regions of the world face the risk of famine over the next three years as rising energy costs spill over into a food crunch, according to US investment bank Goldman Sachs.

"We've never been at a point in commodities where we are today," said Jeff Currie, the bank's commodity chief and closely watched oil guru.

Global oil output has been stagnant for four years, failing to keep up with rampant demand from Asia and the Mid-East. China's imports rose 14pc last year. Biofuels from grain, oil seed and sugar are plugging the gap, but drawing away food supplies at a time when the world is adding more than 70m mouths to feed a year.

Exxon wins $12b freeze on Venezuela assets

NEW YORK - Exxon Mobil Corp. has secured court orders to freeze more than $12 billion in worldwide assets of Venezuela's state-owned oil company, as it prepares to dispute the nationalization of a multi-billion dollar oil project.

The move limits Petroleos de Venezuela's room to maneuver as it fends off challenges from major Western oil companies over President Hugo Chavez's 2007 decision to nationalize four heavy oil projects in the Orinoco Basin, one of the richest oil deposits in the world.

(...)

According to documents filed last month in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Exxon Mobil has secured an "order of attachment" on about $300 million in cash held by PdVSA. A hearing to confirm the order is scheduled in New York for Feb. 13. Exxon also filed documents with the New York court showing it had secured a freeze on $12 billion on PdVSA's worldwide assets from a U.K. court.

This triggered oil prices increases on Friday as traders worried about Venezuelan retaliation.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

what do I do with the catalan final version I have of the Blair petition?

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

Sarkozy se pose en victime des médias

La reconquête de l'opinion décidée par Nicolas Sarkozy passe aussi par une pression accrue sur les médias. Jeudi 7 février, le chef de l'Etat a chargé son avocat, Thierry Herzog, de déposer plainte pour "faux et usage de faux et recel" - passible de trois ans d'emprisonnement et de 45 000 euros d'amende - contre le site Internet nouvelobs.com. La veille, celui-ci avait publié une information selon laquelle, une semaine avant son remariage avec Carla Bruni, le président de la République aurait proposé de reprendre sa vie commune avec son ancienne épouse, Cécilia.

(...)

Depuis plusieurs semaines, M. Sarkozy semble vouloir durcir ses relations avec les médias, alors que les premières difficultés de son mandat se présentent. Durant sa carrière politique, il avait, au contraire, fait de son rapport à la presse décontracté mais pas toujours amène un de ses atouts. Usant de confidences à caractère politique ou personnel, il avait poussé la transparence aux limites de l'impudeur comme l'ont montré les épisodes de son divorce et la révélation de sa liaison avec Carla Bruni.

Aujourd'hui, ses proches abondent de confidences selon lesquelles, le chef de l'Etat daube tel ou tel organe de presse ou tel ou tel journaliste au gré de sa mauvaise humeur. Sa conférence de presse du 8 janvier marque un tournant. Recherchant volontiers la complicité avec les journalistes dont, en privé, il tutoie quelques uns, M. Sarkozy avait montré ce jour-là une inhabituelle agressivité à leur égard.

This should be fun to watch. Sarkozy has now decided to paly hardball with journalists (including unprecedented court action against them), after all these years of 'playing' them. A backlash seems quite possible, we'll see how much control his friendly media barons really have...

But the gall of Sarkozy complaining about journalists digging about his private life is just unbelievable (and too believable, in the Bush era)

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

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So I woke up today awaiting the angry email from the library staff who deal with interlibrary loans at my university.  I keep them busy, and I think they know me for this line "well there's not a copy available in this country."  I'm sure that the clerks at the British library dislike for the same reason.

So I managed to top myelf looking for books written by Don Jose Maria Arizemendiarrieta, the Basque priest who founded the Mondragon Cooperative society.  I'm doing research for my Marxism class (We're reading Capital and the Grundrisse) on worker ownership of the means of production.  So  I've got three strains I'm researching.  

1. The Mondragon type- reformist

2. The Zanon Argentine recupereated factories type- radical libertarian.

3. The Venezuela program

So after an hour on the internent looking for a copy to buy, I finally locate one.  Which was great, since it was a huge pdf that looked to be the entire book.  Just one problem. It was in Basque.........

This has been my day.....

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

"The United States is the most insecure nation in the world.... They are afraid of even the most insignificant threats."

Events in the daily news here would keep the U.S. agitated for months, and perhaps induce hysterical security paralysis.

Words and ideas I offer here may be used freely and without attribution.

Got mugged on my way to the supermarket.

It was already getting dark while I was walking alongside a major road. Suddenly someone overtakes me. That was the first odd thing - I walk fast, I overtake other people, not the other way around. But well, then it was too late.  The guy turns, blocks my path, I hear a click, and there is a knife in his hand and a demand for my phone. A split second hesitation if I should dart sideways on the road - but then decide not to and follow what I've been taught. Just do what is asked, don't make eye contact, tell calmly what you're going to do.

I don't care about my phone. It was the cheapest model and I don't have a contract. There was less than 15 Rand (less than 1.50 Euro) credit left on it. I gave him the phone and asked if I could keep the SIM card. He said, "Fuck you" while he was already walking away. I guess that was a no.

I generally don't take anything of value with me when I walk after sunset - except for my phone and 20 Rand of contingency money. But today I was carrying my 1800 Rand worth broadband antenna in a plastic back and my bank card (separately and outside my wallet) with me for my shoppings. Could've been worse.

The biggest loss is the 70+ SMSes of my girlfriend where she tells she loves me. And the hazzle to get a new phone is an irritant.

But well. I'm fine, unharmed, and a little wiser. I hope the guy will feel bad about it one day.

That's it.

Be good, and Nomad, be careful !!

keep to the Fen Causeway

Obama 67%, Clinton 32% in the Washington State caucus, at 48% reporting.

Obama 69%, Clinton 30% in the Nebraska caucus, at 73% reporting.

Huckabee takes Kansas, gets 60% of vote, McCain 24%, Paul 11%.

Drew, ATinNM, where are you guys?