Supply, demand explain oil prices, regulators say

Fundamental supply and demand factors best explain the increases in crude oil prices in the last five years, a federal task force formed last month to examine the sharp run-up has concluded in a preliminary report.

... no evidence that speculators have systematically driven changes in oil prices between January 2003 and June 2008

- http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/22/supply-demand-explain-oil-prices-regulators-say/

[ how many of these blue-ribbon panels are necessary? they always come up with the same conclusion: no collusion. ]

[ tiredly, but lightly, x-posted ]

to put it in a trendy way (of which korzybski would hopefully approve): "playing semantics" is playing semantics.

- http://community.livejournal.com/conservatism/2954365.html?view=108115069#t108115069

happy 50th birthday, beth.

i know you better, and know more what was lost, with each passing year.

my love for you shall not die.

Cuba is to put more state-controlled farm land into private hands, in a move to increase the island's lagging food production.

Private farmers who do well will be able to increase their holdings by up to 99 acres (40 hectares) for a 10-year period that can be renewed.

Until now, private farmers have only been able to run small areas of land.

- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7514519.stm

[ lightly x-posted ]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/18/renegade.math.parents.ap/index.html

[ government schools stupidity ]

U.S. cities scrambling to meet rising mass transit demands
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/16/mass.transit/index.html

Need a mortgage now? Bring lots of cash
- http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/15/real_estate/Need_mortgage_bring_money/index.htm?cnn=yes

World Court urges U.S. to halt Mexicans' executions
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/07/16/mexico.court.ap/index.html

A brave young woman!
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/15/yemen.childbride/index.html

Activity Levels Decline Among Schoolchildren
- http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Parenting/story?id=5381392&page=1

First Europeans Shunned Neanderthal Sex
- http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5386234&page=1

Olmert's woes raise questions of ties to US Jews
- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_tangled_ties

German probes overlooked Nazi massacre in France
- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/ap_on_re_eu/france_nazi_massacre

It is forbidden to die in the Arctic town of Longyearbyen.

- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7501691.stm

as i remember the story, niebuhr came up with the prayer spontaneously, at the end of an unscripted sermon. someone thought it good, and asked afterward if they might copy it down. he said sure.

this may have been a case of him spontaneously vocalizing - which, incidentally, was a defense mounted against claims that martin luther king plaigiarized some of his academic work, since spontaneous-inspired expostulations are culturally common in african-american churches. wouldn't be surprised if someone used a variant on that defense in re obama and rev wright et al.

i've found myself "spontaneously vocalizing" bits in the course of writing the latest book - have taken much trouble to identify and extract them. interestingly, they were almost always from: atlas shrugged, the passion of ayn rand, or my years with ayn rand. fitting, given the plot-theme.

oh yes, this phenomenon has been cited re rand and garrett garrett's the driver.

- http://john-j-enright.livejournal.com/537790.html

US Lacks Long-Term Plan for Nuclear Detection, Says GAO - Dirty Bomb Concerns Remain; Security Gaps Still Exist

- http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5382716&page=1

Lama To Bless Critically Ill Cats
- http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16887962/detail.html

Scientists: Humans and machines will merge in future
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/15/bio.tech/index.html

A happily substantial discussion on charity in a libertarian society
- http://community.livejournal.com/libertarianism/2352423.html

Farmers kidnapped, beaten days after election for challenging land confiscation

- http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/07/15/zimbabwe.farmers/index.html

Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.

- Anais Nin

Fed Adopts Plan to Curb "Shady" Mortgage Practices
- http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5369494&page=1
[ ah, the economic illiteracy ]

McLaughlin takes heat for 'Oreo' comment
- http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/14/mclaughlin-takes-heat-for-oreo-comment/#more-8611
[ another non-controversy ]

Printer dots raise privacy concerns
- http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=5367960&page=1

( links for 07-14-08 )

http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2008/6/19/atlas-shrugged-loses-its-director.html

[ c/o integreillumine ]

Did Market Overreact on Fannie, Freddie? - http://abcnews.go.com/Business/PersonalFinance/story?id=5373707&page=1
[ The Economist will no doubt have some good analysis of this ]

Obama tells NAACP blacks must take responsibility
- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080714/ap_on_el_pr/obama_blacks
[ bravo obama! some good stuff in there: "[W]e have to do more in our own lives, our own families and our own communities," Obama said. "That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework and setting a good example."]

'World's oldest blogger' dies at 108
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/07/14/oldest.blogger/index.html

Lawmakers: 'Old Glory' Should Be Made in America
- http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=5373967

Council in England stops paying for all the traffic cameras in town
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1034919/Council-scraps-speed-cameras-fight-blatant-tax-motorist.html

Britain about to pass a law to mandate 12 months paid maternity leave
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1035150/Rosie-Boycott-Fenist-finds-silently-agreeing-family-rights-harming-womens-careers.html

For decades, Wall Street has banged the drum for de-regulation.

In capitalist America, the idea that financial markets are best left alone has been dearly held. And it has helped make America rich.

But the bomb-shell of the near collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns and the credit crunch has exploded some of that confidence in self-policing markets.

- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7500980.stm

[ what economic illiteracy. it is beyond astonishing. self-policing - in america? not for many, many decades. when the government manipulates every single variable, beginning with the value of money, it ain't self-policing any more! ]

22 miles of open ocean isn't keeping L.A. gangs away from Catalina Island
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/11/avalon.gangs.ap/index.html

Schwarzenegger Suggests He's Open To Serving In Obama Cabinet
- http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Vote2008/story?id=5365355&page=1

Referees Award More Points When They See Red
- http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5359750&page=1

FDIC will reopen IndyMac on Monday under new name - IndyMac Federal Bank
- http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/13/indymac/index.html

Obama says ‘little doubt’ country in recession
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25657232/

( links for 07-13-08 )