I'm the natural resources analyst for MoneyandMarkets.com, and I trot the globe to bring you the best in gold, silver, oil, and other commodity stocks
Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 by
Sean Brodrick
I'm the natural resources analyst for MoneyandMarkets.com, and I trot the globe to bring you the best in gold, silver, oil, and other commodity stocks
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Posted by: mike on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Great insights on how to cut fuel. I am in the transportation industry. ONe of the other things that can be done is to increase the amount of weight that can be hauled on a safely configured truck. If you increase it from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds, drop a thrid axle on the truck and enhance the braking capacity, you save about 30 billion dollars annually and millions of gallons of diesel. Unfortunately, we have been fighting this fight in Washington for 10 plus years. So sad to have such inept congrssional representation.
Posted by: Michael Paley on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Lets produce the $7,000 car that runs on compressed air (there is a hybrid version as well) and stop the dependency for good. Check MDI at http://www.mdi.lu/eng/affiche_eng.php?page=accueil
Posted by: Lenroy Bennett on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Hi Sean, Loved your article on "3 ways to Lower Gas prices" funny and informative. I'm getting a Hybrid as my next purchase! What are your thoughts on the Hybrids you've seen on the market so far? I talked to a guy who owns a Prius(Toyota). He drives abour 60km/day, and he only fills up once a month! Thanks Len
Posted by: Sean Brodrick on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Thank you all for the excellent comments. Mike’s idea on how to cut fuel used by the trucking industry is an example of the out-of-the box thinking that we need more of in Washington. Are the objections to this safety concerns? I mean, because it would be harder to stop a truck that has a heavier load? Or are the objections due to potential wear-and-tear on the roads? Or are they just loopy? Anyway, thanks for the idea. Leroy, I’ve heard from a guy who owns an auto dealership “wait till next year” on electric cars. There is some great technology coming our way. That doesn’t mean that the hybrids now are bad – especially if they fit your needs. My auto dealer acquaintance just knows my needs (a wife, 2 kids, etc) and thinks I’ll like the technology and pricing coming down the road. Deana, I’m glad you like my e-letter, and I hope you read some pieces by the other MoneyandMarkets.com writers as well. These are some of the smartest guys I know. Thanks again to all of you.
Posted by: Deanna Weber on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dear Sean, Kudos on today's eletter! I have never before been inspired to write but your piece today has revived my interest in Weiss. I agreed with your sentiments and appreciated your insights. I also found your presentation of ideas and candor refreshing without the expected hyperbolic (and often apocolyptic)tone as well as the pushy marketing of Weiss products in each email. These distractions often diminish content. Your eletter was a breath of fresh air. Thanks again for the informative and fine eletter. All Good Wishes, Deanna Weber
Posted by: Anna Griffith on Thursday, May 22, 2008
Lived in Guanajuato for 6 months. Have English friends with a home 25 yrds from the entrance to Valenciana. Now living in San Miguel de Allende, nearby. No commodities, just beautiful living! Able to live here in part because of your RCEs. Very interested in your comments. I thought the mine there was pretty much finished. Look forward to your observations. Anna G.
Posted by: lminsky on Wednesday, June 11, 2008
One of the MAJOR unmentioned reasons for the oil price hike is: The cost of exporting coal and other commodities to China. Transporting coal requires fuel to get it to ports and enormous amounts of fuel to carry it across the sea. The transportation of fuels, metals, grains, beef, chemicals, etc. is a huge, huge user of oil.
Posted by: Rod Leister on Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Hi Sean, thoroughly enjoy your commentaries. One thing that seems to be completely missing from the commentary in the US about oil is how the price of gasoline in the US is so ridiculously cheap compared to the rest of the world. Here in Australia we are now paying the equivalent of US$7 for a gallon of ordinary unleaded, the Europeans on balance are paying even more than that. The US accounts for a large percentage of gasoline consumed, surely your comparatively very low prices just encourage wastage particularly via vehicles that are very inefficient fuel wise? Australia is a huge continent, our distances travelled are similar to yours however over the last 10 years there has been a huge swing to use of smaller more economical vehicles right across the spectrum. This seems to be a part of the debate that ordinary Americans are unaware of. kind regards, Rod
Posted by: Randy White on Friday, July 4, 2008
Sean, I helped the city of Portland write their Peak Oil report. We were the first city in the US to prepare for peak oil, and our report is now reading like a business plan rather than a warning to prepare. My blog is www.lawnstogardens.com, there you will see the way the market is making money, and just wait until www.brightneighbor.com hits the streets in one month. Keep up the reporting!
Posted by: Sean Brodrick on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hi, Rod Thanks for reading my columns and writing in. You make some good points. I think higher gasoline taxes would be a good idea as long as the money from those taxes was specifically targeted toward public transportation. We need electrified rail in this country big-time!
Posted by: Sean Brodrick on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hi, Randy Thanks for the link. I'll take all the links I can get to useful peak oil sites. And as you show, the local approach is often the way to go.
Posted by: Derek Sloan on Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Hi Sean, I'm a young guy with nothing to lose, and a lot to gain. I want to get a leveraged position on gold and oil rises, but I'm not really into futures or CFDs because of the cyclical downside risk. I want to buy options on oil and gold rise. Are there any options available on USO, or any other oil tracking device? What's the simplest way to buy options on oil and gold increase? Thanks! Derek Sloan
Posted by: JP on Friday, July 11, 2008
Always like listening to you on Howe Street.
Posted by: Mike on Sunday, July 13, 2008
I think it is immoral to try to profit from peak oil considering Global Warming. With this recession capital is mobilizing and why not advise people to invest in promising alternative energies instead of pushing their money into the oil lobby?
Posted by: Ronald Newton on Sunday, July 13, 2008
I closely follow your recs on precious metals and have done well on both gold and silver. I currently hold positions in GLD and SLV. Friday our old friend Howard Ruff warned that Barclays is not buying the underlying silver required to back up their SLV. Their story is, they're having trouble finding enough silver. He's currently looking into GLD. What's cooking?
Posted by: Sean Brodrick on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sorry I haven't answered your emails recently -- it's been crazy busy. But here are few notes in return ... Derek,if you're going to use options, please don't do it in a half-hearted, scatter-brained manner. Options are the devil's drink, my friend, and you can get burned. You can make a lot of money -- but the odds of getting burned are high, especially if you're new to the game. I recommend you find a local investment professional for advice and AT LEAST attend an options seminar before you invest one dollar. JP -- I do recommend alternative energy in both my premium services and my reports. I don't consider investing in oil immoral. The real decisions on this are made at much higher levels than you or me. All I'm trying to do is help people protect their portfolios and potentially prosper in these savage markets. Ron -- good to hear from you. GLD and SLV are the places to be. I hadn't heard that about Howard Ruff -- I wish you'd included a link. We can't know for sure what these companies do behind the scenes, but Barclays is a reputable firm, so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. And you know, there's nothing wrong with owning gold and silver in physical form, either.
Posted by: Richar Weigand on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Hey Sean, I enjoyed your article "Alternative Energies that Work". Before dismissing Algae, check out Sapphire Energy and their process. They are utilizing algae not for biodiesel, but rather high octane gasoline produced at massive scale, on non-arable land. They claim the entire process will have the same chemical composition as gasoline,and will be completely compatible with all existing refining and distribution and fleet infrastructure.
Posted by: Bob Phinney on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Your 23 July post "Alternative Energies that Work" is right on, particularly since you identify the workable technologies. Most commentary gives us a confused mix of stupid ideas and good directions. From my political perspective, I recall that hydrogen cars and oil shale have been promoted by the present administration, which emphasizes their cluelessness.