...as the too good to be true maxim has been borne out...
mind numbingly, yet again. Our national (and world) vaycay
from high oil prices at the pump will end before Spring.
The King of Saudi Arabia has died this week at the age of
about 90. By the way, he had every right to; it's only a true
tragedy to those who loved and appreciated him, yet they
will count many millions. He served for decades, tried
to (and did) get along with the West, with very different
traditions and practices between our two major, diverse
geographical imperatives and our two nations in particular.
For the most part, he succeeded.
Even as the most influential member of OPEC, ( as Saudi
Arabia has possessed, still might, the world's largest
PROVEN petroleum reserves), their King would not blindly
agree with his fellow Arabs, as they and others often bitterly
complained. A powerful Arab cartel, yes, lockstep unity? --
all across the Arab Nations in the Middle East?--no.
Extremely unlikely, I rashly predict. The Bathist dream
will not occur soon. There, tribal, ever-quarrelsome, violent and
destructive behavior is so entrenched, (try for centuries) there
(and here), it is simply accepted because it happens; i.e., it's
dressed up as a legitimate cultural imperative merely because
it is so frequent.
How can a social, historical phenomenon be boring and
upsetting at the same time? That is my perspective today
...I might be more mellow and understanding tomorrow;
but banking on it is no more a stable proposition than that
of the markets.
Over the next few weeks or so, there will be an accumulated,
accentuated volatility situation in worldwide markets because
of the loss of this strong Middle East leader's stability, control
and command. Watch the DJIA (DOW) in February and March;
for significant losses/gains, as well as all around the world's many
other and different exchanges.
Please don't be shocked, such wide swings have happened
pretty routinely since 911. Our country was baptized into
the rest of long-standing Earth historical reality after that,
and we are weaker now; most everybody else but Americans
realize it.
Generally, people only remember two or three stats of earth-
shaking importance (paradigm shifts.) They often occur in
irregular intervals: "all at once", or once every 100 years,
roughly. I sincerely wish there were "regular shifts" in such
global affairs--alas, no.
Creeping chaos (anarchy, actually) marches on, as the Lemming
season of Run Amok begins again. Hope I'm wrong.
**********************************************
P.S.: Yes, the Saudis' society was /is positively antediluvian,
not allowing women to drive, severe alcoholic beverage
restrictions, and more. Are all these severities acceptable?
No...yet internationally, the now dead Saudi Arabian King
kept his cool, a very helpful attribute.
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These are times one must be sober and very observant.
ReplyDeleteAnd guess what? Sales of SUVs and manly pickups are spiking! Keep an eye peeled for that procession of Hummers down Madison Street. (vroom, vroom!)
ReplyDeleteWhen NOT IF, when the price of oil goes back up to seventy dollars a barrel or more and maybe an economic downturn later this year or next, I wonder how many Hummers will be heading to bank ruptcy court?
ReplyDeleteAs a little side comment here. I find it ironic several 7 well known apartment complexes, NEARLy new that have many vacancies turned down my insurance company that offered them 3 or 4 months advance rent for a furnished or unfurnished unit. There are many vacancies in these well known buildings near our town Loddy da ville.. They refused to slightly reduce their deposit. So they kept their many vacancies. An out of LODDY DA VILLE well known hotel got this money for my family and I to stay theri while mold was removed from my home, rehab, etc. Many strange things I see in this economy...
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