The Rude Awakening
Scotland, Edinburgh
Saturday, June 25, 2007 ------------------------- - Frontline crop reports from your farmers,
- More from Alaska, the dig on mini Hindenburgs,
- Russian gas - the ongoing story of the bosom and the lasso and plenty more…
------------------------- Joel Bowman, reporting a few thousand kilometers west of the Russian border… This morning we learned that Gazprom, the state-controlled gas company of Russia, and ENI, the Italian energy group, have furthered talks of building a pipeline into Europe to dispense Russian gas. The proposed pipeline, known as South Stream, would take the plunge into the Baltic Sea off southern Russia before surfacing again in Bulgaria. From there it would proceed through to either Italy (via Greece) or north again to a central European destination. Whether this pipeline will, as Vladimir Putin suggests, "…allow for an improvement in energy supply to Europe," or simply provide yet another strategic tool for Russia to control its neighboring countries, we are not sure. Negotiations have set aside 18-months for a study into the economic and political viability of the project and a further three years for construction. That gives Europe about four and a half years to either wean itself off the Russian gas bosom or accept another pipeline lasso. It may be something to keep an eye on, anyway. Moving along… This morning we present to you another swag of alternative energy emails but, before that, let's take a look at another mailbag…the mailbag of our resident resource trader, Kevin Kerr. The man they call the "Maniac Trader" has been out and about making contacts with farmers all over the United States. Kevin uses his boots-on-ground experience and first hand knowledge from the farmers planting (or not planting) these crops to trade the "ags" markets. Check out these frontline notes from a few of his faithful readers… -- Energy & Scarcity Investor Free Offer - 10 Days Left -- Here's Why You'll Get Our Newest $995 Investment Research Service Completely Free… It took us nearly two years of careful preparation. But we're putting the final touches on what should turn out to be one of our best performing stock research services over the next few years. It's called the Energy & Scarcity Investor and it'll cost at least $995 per year when we launch it in the next couple of months. But since you're a valued Agora Financial member, you can receive it 100% FREE. Read on Here: Energy & Scarcity Investor - 10 Days Left ---------------------------------------------------- 6/20 - Huntington/Wells Counties, Indiana: I am not sure where the USDA and CBOT get their information, but .3 of rain is not a market changing event. We are still very dry as are many in the state. We keep getting just enough to keep things alive. Yields have already been hurt due to the dry conditions. The only saving factor is if we get timely rain during pollination. The largest corn in our area is still at least 2-3 weeks from that so we do still have time to turn around. It's just plain too late for some later planted corn that has had less than an inch of water since it's been in the ground. We are definitely better off than some but far worse than others. Wheat harvest is within 7-10 days away, hopefully that will be better than expected. On the bright side of things, it hasn't taken very much $3.00 gas to keep the lawn mower going. *** 6/20 - South Central Minnesota: We are short of moisture in a very large area. 3.89 inches total rain since April 12th. Only .91 inches this month. The very high winds and warm temps are stressing the corn crop. Soils are so dry the canning company quit planting because there is no moisture to get the seeds to germinate. In 2006 we had a great crop because of all the spring rains which helped us thru the dry July and August. Bottom line, without subsoil moisture we will need very timely rains and the rains need to start very soon! *** 6/20 - Southeast Indiana, Decatur County: It sounds like we are in the same weather pattern as SW IL. Yesterday we got the sidewalk wet, but that was it. I checked a neighbors beans that need replanted as they were notilled in grass sod & got a shower to help germinate. After they were up, the sod sucked up most of the moisture that over 1/2 the plants died before they got sprayed. They need replanting, but no moisture in the ground. Another neighbor started wheat & it looks like short straw & yield both. My own wheat & alfalfa were replanted to corn as the Easter freeze did them both in. *** 6/19 - Perry, Oklahoma: Most of the wheat in northern Oklahoma is down due to significant amount of rain and the Easter frost. There are many growers that have not even taken there combine out because insurance has declared disaster on many field. [Relying on his own experience rather than the cacophony of dubious stats pouring out from every other guv'ment source, Kevin has managed to lock away some pretty tidy profits for subscribers to his Resource Trader Alert. Last year his average closed position was up a whopping 96%. For an example of how these trades work, take a look here: Hi-Ho Silver - Kevin Kerr's Resource Trader Alert Now over to the Rude readers for some more views… ----------------------------------- Dear Rude, Cynthia S Buist was a resident of the Great State of Alaska and I have personally visited the area slotted for oil exploration…ANWAR…and it is ripe for the picking. The long time residents of Alaska support oil exploration and production there, as the pipeline is a model for eco-friendly oil production and has no effect whatsoever on wildlife in the surrounding areas. The catch is only the very richest of people could ever visit and when they got there they would quickly realize that they wanted to spend as little time as possible in this hostile environment. In the summer you are immediately covered by bird size mosquitoes and in the winter the cold is prohibitive to all but the hardiest of humans who are well supplied and ADVISED of survival. Unfortunately we have our policy dictated by the masses of ill informed populace who couldn't survive there 10 minutes without the aid of paid guides. I think we should offer a mandatory paid vacation for all of those voting NO to oil and gas exploration in ANWAR. If this policy were adhered to we would have 100% support for more dependence on American Natural Resources and we could eventually pull out of the struggles of the Middle East that have been prevalent since the beginning of recorded history. Thanks for allowing me to share my opinion, for as long as we have men in battle, I will support them; however, I am very saddened by unnecessary bloodshed. CSB [Speaking of oil, ever stopped to think exactly how much of this finite source we are drinking down everyday? Another Rude reader provided us with this, rather shocking link. Just wait for the graphic to load on the lower right of the page and start counting. http://www.thecanadianoilsands.info/ Thanks Doug! -------------------------------------- Why I'm Willing to Give Away Over $11 Million by July 5, 2007 - Only 1 in 100 Will Qualify… -------------------------------------- Dear Rude, I've read your opinions on alternative fuels in the past, and for a long time I agreed with your evaluation of hydrogen - too expensive to transport huge amounts of hydrogen to fueling stations. But there appears to be a way around that. Hydrogen can be made from electrolyzing water. Everywhere has a water supply already. Everywhere has an electricity supply already. Bingo - everywhere could be a hydrogen fueling station with the right equipment and there would be NO transportation required. Which means, on the face of it, that hydrogen could be the most efficient fuel ever, from that standpoint. Furthermore, this isn't purely hypothetical. They're already doing it that way in Iceland. Of course, Iceland is very different from the United States - a lot smaller, more expensive to get gasoline to, but with abundant geothermal power. Nevertheless, the basic approach seems sound. Would you care to point out what's wrong with it?
Peter Scott
-------------------------------------- Dear Joel,
I certainly enjoy my regular dose of rude. Keep up the great work.
I wish to offer a small correction. Horse racing is my other investment passion.
The track record at Belmont Park for the 1 1/2 mile distance on the Dirt Course was 2:26.00 in 1973 when Secretariat destroyed the field by 31 lengths. His final time was 2:24.00, which translates to 10 lengths faster than the prior record. One length is equal to 1/5th of one second, therefore each second is equivalent to 5 lengths. (2 seconds = 10 lengths)
Rags to Riches winning time of 2:28.80 is exactly 24 lengths slower than the time of Secretariat. I guess if one were to look on the bright side, had she run against Secretariat she would have finished second, 3 lengths ahead of the thoroughly trounced boys.
Regards,
EJD, Henderson, NV --------------------------------- Dear Rude, I loved the letter on Kakistocracy. It is a perfect description of our government and the clowns currently in charge. Regards,
Michael DeLaMater ---------------------------------- Rude Endnote: Perhaps you have another word to describe your government…a fresh look on another alternative energy source…a report from the frontline of the housing sector…? Please send any opinions along to us here at aussiejoel@the-rude-awakening.com . Your 5-Minute Forecast is en route from H.Q. in Baltimore. We'll be back tomorrow. Cheers, Joel Bowman
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