I have always been fascinated by what motivates people. What motivates Tiger Woods to pursue the goal of being the world’s greatest golfer? What’s the motivation driving Warren Buffett to continue purchasing companies instead of retiring in Tahiti? Or how about the motivation behind the trucks allegedly packed with euros parked in front of the …
Once the public furor and shrill media coverage have died down, it will become clear that events in Cyprus did not mark the death of democracy or the end of the euro, but potentially the beginning of the end of deposit “insurance.” If so, then three cheers to that. It may herald a return to …
“The United States was lucky to have George Washington as a Founding Father, because he had that same civic virtue, and of course he had read about and admired Cincinnatus.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger Last week, I drove from Florida to New York, and on the way, I listened to the audiobook Total Recall: My Unbelievably …
[Ed. Note: Our resident Harvard-trained geologist and ex-naval officer Byron King is back yet again. Today, Byron is exploring the sizeable risks and handsome rewards of offshore oil exploration. Enjoy.] Far offshore and deep beneath the seabed lies the future of the oil industry. There’s a long, fascinating story here. But the short version is that …
The Middle East mess affects all manner of scenarios for future price and availability of oil in the world. And later on, I’ll discuss a few scenarios. Recent headlines from the Middle East describe the battle between Israel and Hamas in and around the Gaza Strip. It’s quite a display of ordnance. Since Nov. 16, …
For some time now – years actually – I have pondered the nature of liberty. Or more specifically, what liberty actually means to me. And to be extra clear, I am not talking about the meaning in abstract or philosophical terms, but tangibly – in much the same way I might answer if asked what …
I live out in the country. Among my few neighbors is a man we like to call “Mr. Mow-it-All.” This guy has the most perfect lawn you will ever see. He mows religiously when the grass is green. We see him almost daily out there on his zero-turn John Deere riding mower, keeping his lawn …
Conservative activist and all-around muckraker James O’Keefe’s latest hidden-camera video draws inspiration from Milwaukee County’s controversial sheriff, amid the national battle over guns. Last Wednesday, O’Keefe’s Project Veritas released, “On Your Own” (with accompanying Twitter hash tag #OnYourOwn through his usual mass social network distribution), an undercover video that hammers home O’Keefe’s thesis: Citizens under …
It’s a pretty sad state of affairs in the Land of the Free when they have to pass a law making it illegal for the government to assassinate its own citizens. Yet that’s exactly what’s happening. Late last week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz introduced Senate bill S.505, “a bill to prohibit the use of drones …
For some years now, Swiss Banks have not been willing to take on U.S. clients because of the aggressive tactics of the U.S. IRS. Since they hauled UBS over the coals for harboring U.S. tax evaders and continue to investigate many Swiss Banks, the IRS has posed a threat to Swiss companies operating in the …