Monthly Archives: December 2014

On This New Year’s, Remember: Forecasts are Almost Always Wrong

Posted on 31 December, 2014 by alfin2101

The economist-philosopher F.A. Hayek warned about “the limits of knowledge” and the “fatal conceit” exhibited by so many “experts.” The communists and socialists claimed that they could allocate resources and income better than markets. These false claims ultimately destroyed the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Folly of Prediction, Future | Tagged | 2 Comments

Re-Starting Civilisation After the “S” Hits the “F”

Posted on 29 December, 2014 by alfin2101

The modern world is built upon human psychology. The ability of humans to solve problems, or to work around them. The willingness of humans to endure difficulties and hard times, hoping for something better to come along. The modern world … Continue reading →

Posted in Rebuilding Civilisation, Survival Prepping, Technology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

You Can Buy Women and Girls as Slaves for as Little as $25

Posted on 28 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Women and children are taken from Russia mostly for prostitution. Their number is estimated at 30,000- 60,000 a year [16]. According to the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, over the past two decades, over 500,000 women … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Human Trafficking, Prostitution, Russia, Russian Womb Drain | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

This Christmas, Give a Thought to the Millions of Russian Orphans and Street Children

Posted on 24 December, 2014 by alfin2101

These institutions are not habitable; children are malnourished and in some cases starving and emaciated. They lie in their own feces and urine and in clothes that are old, torn, and not fitted to their bodies. Orphans lie still and … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Russia | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Deeper Undercurrents of Slowing Global Demand

Posted on 23 December, 2014 by alfin2101

The global economy never really recovered from the financial crash of 2007 – 2009. Artificial “stimulus” was applied to the economies of several nations, including the US and China. But the ground was not made fertile for a true “grass … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Dysgenics, Economics, Idiocracy | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

By His Own Shackles Bound

Posted on 22 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Putting all your honey in one jar is something no wise bear would ever do. By the same token, wise bears don’t shit where they eat. Perhaps this bear is not so wise after all. As the bear grows hungry … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Putin, Russia, Russian Oil Curse | Tagged | 14 Comments

Oil Prices: Everything You Think You Know Just Ain’t So

Posted on 19 December, 2014 by alfin2101

In July 2008, my Journal colleague Neil King asked a wide range of energy journalists, economists and other experts to anonymously predict what the price of oil would be at the end of the year. The nearly two dozen responses … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Oil Prices, Peak Oil | Tagged | 2 Comments

On Leaving Well Enough Alone . . .

Posted on 18 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Once upon a time, citizens of Ukraine were tolerant of the corrupt economic “co-dependency” between Ukraine and Russia. But something happened to rile the normally placid citizens of Ukraine. I’ll give you a hint: Ukraine did not invade Russia. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Russia, Ukraine | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Nothing is True, and Everything is Possible

Posted on 15 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Peter Pomerantsev is an ethnic Russian who was born in Kiev, under the USSR. He grew up in England. When he moved to Moscow as an adult, he fell in love with Moscow’s wild and intense euphoria where “anything goes.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Propaganda, Putin, Russia | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Murder Out There

Posted on 14 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Out of Wikipedia’s list of 50 world cities with the highest murder rates, the US provides 4: Detroit, New Orleans, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Rank Municipality Country Homicides (2013) Population (2013) Homicides per 100,000 24 Detroit  United States 332 706,585 … Continue reading →

Posted in Blacks and crime | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Nature of Russia’s Brain Drain is Changing

Posted on 11 December, 2014 by alfin2101

As Russia edges closer toward a political, economic, and territorial collapse, the number of professionals, businessmen, and creative artists leaving Russia is likely to angle upwards yet again. … the profile of the typical emigrant has changed. When the Soviet … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain Drain, Russia | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Nature of Russia’s Brain Drain is Changing

Upside to Low Oil Prices

Posted on 10 December, 2014 by alfin2101

We know that there is a downside to low oil prices. But there is also an upside. The typical American motorist, who spent $3,000 in 2013 at the pumps, might be $800 a year better off—equivalent to a 2% pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Energy, Oil Prices | Tagged | Comments Off on Upside to Low Oil Prices

Dropping Oil Prices: What Could Go Wrong?

Posted on 9 December, 2014 by alfin2101

First of all, don’t listen to the doomers. It is not the end of the world. Here are a few things that are likely to happen in the short term in North American oil plays: As oil prices drop, producers … Continue reading →

Posted in Doom, Economics, Energy, Oil Prices | Tagged | 6 Comments

Canada and Australia Each Have Larger Economies Than Russia

Posted on 8 December, 2014 by alfin2101

It is not that Canada and Australia have grown so awfully much. Rather, Russia’s economy has shrunk from a rough parity with Italy, to a rough parity with Spain — a loss of the greater part of $1 trillion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Russia | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Canada and Australia Each Have Larger Economies Than Russia

A Dog and its Bone

Posted on 5 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Image Source: Moscow Times In Aesop’s fable, a dog carrying a bone encounters its own reflection in a body of water. Thinking its reflection to be another dog, it attempts to seize the reflection’s bone. But when the dog opens … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Russia, Russian Collapse | Tagged , | Comments Off on A Dog and its Bone

Strategic Forecasting

Posted on 3 December, 2014 by alfin2101

What is Strategic Forecasting? Strategic Forecasting is a tool used by organisations to develop and support strategies for the future. More Strategic forecasting on a national and international level is performed by independent organisations such as Stratfor, and by governments … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Future | Tagged | 12 Comments

What Comes After the Collapse of Putin’s Russia?

Posted on 2 December, 2014 by alfin2101

According to respected blogger Brian Wang, Russia is close to collapse… Putin’s Russia, that is. More Brian points to a Wall Street Journal article which weighs Russia’s problems with debt and over-dependency on commodities, against Russia’s assets (in the light … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Putin, Russian Collapse, Russian Oil Curse | Tagged , | 2 Comments

If A White Person is Killed by a Black Person in the City, Does It Make Any Sound?

Posted on 1 December, 2014 by alfin2101

When a violent young black male was shot dead by a white police officer, the sounds of protest and outrage were heard around the world. When violent young black males beat a young white man to death with hammers, will … Continue reading →

Posted in Blacks and crime, Propaganda | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Russians Live and Speak Freely! (In Latvia)

Posted on 1 December, 2014 by alfin2101

Back in Russia, one can no longer speak his mind as freely as was the case several years ago. Government policies are shutting down freer avenues of expression. If one is not willing to follow the Kremlin talking points, one … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Russia, Transportation | Tagged | 4 Comments