I read somewhere (please don't ask me where) that the Saudis drove prices way down in the 80s in order to put American oil producers out of business, and it worked. The article speculated that that is what has happened again, as the frackers need a certain price for their oil in order to be profitable.
You might have read it from me. Oil went down from $50 to $8 per barrel to shut out US production. This is a repeat to keep US frackers and Canadian (mostly Albertan) oil out of the market.
I have a customer who is in the oil business and I asked him that question. He said the drop in prices is designed to hurt Russia and it is part of the conomic sanctions resulting from their actions in the Ukraine. I think it's a two for one for Obama. I'm guessing he would be fine with the fracking companies suffering as well.
The effect on Russia is secondary to the effect on US and Canadian oil/fracking interests. This is an all out attack on the Ellis Wyatts of the world. We used to have such an Ellis Wyatt here in the Gulch, but he left because of some of the attacks by trolls.
I looked for 10 minutes, and I can't find his name. I remember that when I was trying to find people for various roles in Atlantis that this guy was a natural for Ellis Wyatt. He told me might leave. I PM'd him about that. Then he ... went Galt on us.
Hmmm. I certainly don't run a railroad, but I do run a small business. I am a dentist, and a sole practitioner, and the government and insurance companies are aligned to put me out of business. I am fighting a losing battle, but refuse to give up, because what I do is what I am. Dagny and I are alike in that. I also refuse to compromise on my principles and values. Like Dagny, I decided early on (12) what my life's work would be. Most of all, even though I know the way I work is a thing of the past, I can not give up because I know it is the right way.
Yes, we are. I do a fair amount of cosmetic dentistry ( less since the economic meltdown), but you are right. I consider esthetics in each procedure I do. Thanks
There is more competition for the Dagny role than for most, perhaps any, roles in Atlantis. I have numerous times admitted that I have what I call the "Dagny savior complex". For many of us, it is the last vestige that must go before we come to Atlantis willingly.
Wanderer got frustrated with some in the gulch who weren 't quite up to speed in his opinion. I remember him well. Sorry just seeing this thread now. I could have saved you that time.
The recent dip in oil prices was unsustainable. China is building too many roads. $5Au bought more oil stocks at the bottom. Had he known it was the bottom at the time, he would have bought more. But that's the way it goes with investing. Always estimate the risk/reward. The decline in oil prices was about as close to a sure thing as you will find.
Getting creative with my "persona" never occurred to me. (and the question was for $5Au, no you. And now I wonder why fivedollargold didn't just make his gulch name $5Au to begin with.. but maybe the $ isn't allowed.)
Back in the 1990s, I made a decent percentage of my net worth betting that gasoline prices would go up between February and May. That still is an outstanding bet. Now that I have a lot more money to protect, it is a little harder to take such a risk, but I am currently considering it.
Most of all, even though I know the way I work is a thing of the past, I can not give up because I know it is the right way.