Oil on troubled waters.

For the sake of the people that depend on it for their jobs I’m worried about oil. I’ve said it before, there is too much production for the level of demand. Transparency is supply and storage in large areas of the world sucks and markets cannot get a handle on the real picture. The rumour mill that sent prices soaring doesn’t seem to work anymore and I’m afraid that greed, self interest, protectionism, call it what you will see producers going for broke to get something out of an assert that will have less value, maybe no viable value going forward.

I was staggered when I read the statement from BHP Billiton chairman, Jac Nasser when he admitted a US$20 billion investment in U.S. shale was, in hindsight, a mistake. Kudos for admitting it I guess but one has to wonder why the management is still there. And, how many other multi billion-dollar mistakes have there been and who will have to pay to clean up the mess when the dominoes start to fall?

Back to Trump and Russia-Gate. The U.S. President certainly doesn’t seem to want to talk to the media. Indeed, he doesn’t even seem to be overly keen about being in the country right now. Maybe he thinks the meeting between his son, other members of the campaign team and a Russian lawyer who maybe has links to the Kremlin will just blow over. I don’t believe it will. What started out as talk of possible collusion has led to possible obstruction of justice and now possible treason. I’m old enough to remember Watergate and I’ve seen the movie. It’s different, yet not different and the result may be the same.

On another Trump related topic, the stock markets have long priced in the Trump effect from last year, cancel Obama Care, Tax Cuts, Infrastructure Spending and more. Thus far not much, not anything, some may argue, has happened. How long before markets realise that the price of stocks does not reflect reality and begin pricing in another Trump effect of a negative nature?

North Korea looks like it has ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile) capability. China is probably the only nation that has enough influence to prevent North Korea from going all out to achieving nuclear ICBM status. But I wonder how much it really wants to curtail its noisy neighbour? The last thing I’m guessing China wants is a united western sympathetic Korea on its border. With frequent technological surprises coming from North Korea one must wonder just where it is getting the kit and the know how from?

Banks are in the news again. Bailouts in Italy, troubles in Russia, more fines for others and thousands more layoffs.

Have you been to the doctor’s office and had your symptoms googled or searched on Wikipedia? I have. I also think that many of us (myself included) look online for medical information. How much doctor’s time would it save if patients could use an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system at home to narrow down or even make the diagnosis. It would save time and money. Such systems are coming. I think I would give them a go.