In times of international turmoil among the large oil exporting nations of Africa and the Middle East, it is instructive to review how oil is distributed around the world – who owns it and who consumes it – together with the strategic implications for the U.S. Following is a summary of oil reserves, production, consumption, [...]

Have you ever seen the Space Shuttle or International Space Station in the sky? Most people haven’t, but they are very easy to see and you don’t need a telescope or even binoculars. You just have to know when and where to look. During the week of March 6, 2011, there will be several opportunities [...]

Oil is fungible (tradable under contract) – it can be used universally, so it’s a true world market – the largest market ever. It’s also a commodity, so prices go up and down depending on anticipation of future events and supply/demand balance. Just like coffee or orange juice that can go up in price due [...]

The inequitable distribution, ownership and consumption of crude oil provide the foundation for international competition, alliances and conflicts. Oil is the most voluminously traded commodity worldwide owing to its concentrated energy output, its versatility as a feedstock for essential industrial, agricultural and domestic products and its well established infrastructure for global transport, distribution and processing. [...]

The Internet was the result of some visionary thinking by people in the early 1960s who saw great potential value in allowing computers to share information on research and development in scientific and military fields. J.C.R. Licklider of MIT, first proposed a global network of computers in 1962, and moved over to the Defense Advanced [...]

As you may have heard, Verizon has announced they will begin selling Apple’s iPhone 4 on February 10, 2011. But, which company, AT&T or Verizon, has the best service for the iPhone and what can you expect from each company? In a previous article, I wrote about the differences in service provided by both companies. [...]

Volcanoes – Part 1 discussed where and why volcanoes occur with examples and the hazards they present. This chapter deals with historic volcanic eruptions and volcanoes as global threats together with the roles they have played in mass extinctions of life in the distant past. Historic Volcanic Eruptions: The June 6-9, 1912 eruption of the [...]

Volcanoes, along with earthquakes, are the most violent, unpredictable and destructive natural events that originate within the earth. They illustrate that earth is a living, dynamic planet in constant motion renewing and adjusting itself enabled by a molten interior and driven by a single natural force – gravity. Volcanoes – Part 1 will focus on [...]