Greece’s economic crisis could signal trouble for its neighbors – washingtonpost.com

Posted by Matt in February 9th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Economy, Financial, Debt Crisis, Economic Crisis, Economic Problems, European Countries, Government Spending, Greece, Neighbors, Sovereign Debt

But the underlying economic problems facing Greece and some other European countries mean that radical cutbacks in government spending and more social pain are likely to follow as these countries move to avert a sovereign debt crisis, in which nations find themselves unable to pay on their obligations.
Greece’s economic crisis could signal trouble for [...]

A Financial Crisis That Just Keeps Moving – NYTimes.com

Posted by Matt in February 8th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Economy, Financial, Chairman Of The Federal Reserve, Chairman Of The Federal Reserve Board, Countries In The Euro, Economic Problems, Economy, Euro Zone, Fair Game, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Board, Financial Crisis, Financial Leaders, Greece, Henry M Paulson, Henry M Paulson Jr, Indebted Countries, Investors, Nonsense, Portugal, Subprime Mortgage, Treasury Secretary

YOU know we’re in trouble when we’re told that the economic problems in Greece, Portugal and Spain, the most indebted countries in the euro zone, are likely to remain safely contained in those nations.
After all, we heard the same nonsense in 2007 from United States financial leaders talking about the subprime mortgage mess. Both Ben [...]

The Financial Crisis and the Six Pillars of Russian Strength

Posted by Matt in March 3rd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Economy, Financial, Russia, Currency Devaluations, Currency Reserves, Economic Problems, Financial Collapse, Financial Crisis, Foreign Direct Investment, Further Project, Global Financial Crisis, Interbank, Micex, Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange, Peter Zeihan, Ruble Crash, Russian Government, Russian Ruble, Russian State, Russian Strength, Russian Trading System, Startling Number, Stock Markets, Vladimir Putin, Western Perception

By Lauren Goodrich and Peter Zeihan
Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russia has been re-establishing much of its lost Soviet-era strength. This has given rise to the possibility — and even the probability — that Russia again will become a potent adversary of the Western world. But now, Russia is yet again on the cusp [...]

American Power Is on the Wane

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2009 | no comment

Published in U.S., general, American Power, Bush Doctrine, Economic Problems, Heavy Backpack, International Terrorism, Logic, Money, Trade Deficits, Walkers

By what logic, though, should America lose more ground in the years to come than other nations, except on the vague proposition that the taller you stand, the further you fall?
…
As I suggested at that time [20 years ago], a strong person, balanced and muscular, can carry an impressively heavy backpack uphill for a long [...]

For Russia, A Dark Horizon

Posted by Matt in January 3rd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Economy, Russia, Budget Deficit, Company Towns, Contraction, Dark Horizon, Economic Growth, Economic Problems, Geographic Mobility, Housing Market, Investors, Limited, New Jobs, Nine Years, Price Of Oil, Russia, Social Infrastructure, Stock Market, Surpluses, Unemployment, Vacations

The price of oil is now about a quarter of what it was only a few months ago, and economic problems are building within Russia. Investors are gone; the stock market barely exists. After nine years of surpluses, Russia will have a budget deficit in 2009, and the solid economic growth of recent years may [...]

The Wizards of Oil

Posted by Matt in December 30th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Iran, Oil, Russia, Venezuela, Ambitions, Banana Republic, Dreams, Economic Problems, Global Recession, Hugo, Iran, Lumps, Mahmoud, opec, Opec Countries, Price Of Oil, Russia, Russian Leaders, Seeds, Venezuela, Vladimir, West Don, Wizards, World Domination

Russian leaders tell us that it is no banana republic, but notice that we DO need to be reminded of that fact or we might forget.
The article below lumps Russia together with Venezuela and Iran. I’m wondering if Russia has more in common with OPEC countries than the West?
Don’t gloat over the economic problems [...]