Money woes

04Dec08

In the 1970s, the Shah’s massive public works and military buildup were buffeted by collapsing oil prices following the blowback from the embargo.  The economic dislocation that resulted in Iran led to public unrest and helped fuel a revolution, particularly when President Ford refused to support the Shah’s request for an artificial floor on OPEC [...]

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Happy days are here again

14Sep08

Every ten years I pull out and re-read my yellowed copy of A Canticle for Lebowitz  by Walter Miller, which I nominate as the best post-apocalypse novel ever.  For those who have never read it, the general idea is that humankind is doomed to repeat a cycle of nuclear war – dark age – renaissance [...]

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Amazing Bat Boy seen in Tehran

12Sep08

The vast level of unadulterated horse manure on the subject of Iran is a sight to behold.  But then again, after watching the McCain campaign at work this week, no one ever lost a US election by misunderestimating the intelligence of the “uncommitted” voter.  Witness Sarah Palin’s debut interview this week – she had no [...]

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Long, hot summer

08Aug08

According to my Ipod it’s 90 degrees in Tehran.  They are hitting triple digits nearly every day.  I myself have been stuck in a trial these past two weeks, and hasn’t ended yet.  What is fascinating is how little real news involving the Iranian nuclear issue has occurred since the beginning of August.
One of the lawyers [...]

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Bipartisan sanctions and economic war, again

16Jul08

Now it seems Senators Christopher Dodd (d) and Richard Shelby (r) have announced (July 15) yet another new “bipartisan” agreement on a new Iran sanctions package.  According to Dodd, they have reached a bipartisan agreement on legislation that will expand U.S. sanctions on Iran with respect to weapons proliferation, support for terrorism, and the destabilization of its [...]

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Two can play the sanctions game

11Jul08

The commodities markets in New York saw oil hit an all time record high of $147 a barrel on Friday as speculators wiped out a hopeful slide in prices mid-week.  Most accounts blamed fears of Iranian-US tensions as well as the meltdown of FannieMae and FreddieMac.  Gold and oil are spiraling upwards, as large brokerage houses, [...]

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