BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Iran's ayatollah willing to sacrifice economy, education and personal freedoms ]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/20/irans-ayatollah-willing-to-sacrifice-economy-education-and-per/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/20/irans-ayatollah-willing-to-sacrifice-economy-education-and-per/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/20/irans-ayatollah-willing-to-sacrifice-economy-education-and-per/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It really matters little what the outside world thinks about the current conflict in Iran over the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or whether the people in Iran are crushed by the totalitarian form of government that has been adopted. This is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of fact by definition. There is a supreme ruler and what he says goes.

Nothing is more important to the ruling elite than remaining in power -- not the economic well being of it's citizens, not the education of the rural population, not the personal freedoms of the man in the street, and certainly not the rights of Iranian women.

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Iran's ayatollah willing to sacrifice economy, education and personal freedoms originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ayatollah Ali Khameneifreedom of the pressIranIranian economyIranian electionsMahmoud Ahmadinejadpersonal freedomRepublican GuardSheldon Libertotalitarian rulewomens rightsSat, 20 Jun 2009 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Iran: Totalitarian rule begets totalitarian economy]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/iran-totalitarian-rule-begets-totalitarian-economy/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/iran-totalitarian-rule-begets-totalitarian-economy/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/iran-totalitarian-rule-begets-totalitarian-economy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The rulers of Iran are losing their patience with the election protests of the last few days. They are selectively tightening their grip on the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to travel and peaceful marches by disenfranchised voters that believe the reported results of a Mahmoud Ahmadinejad victory were a fraud.

The government is cracking down by not renewing visas for the foreign journalists, confining others to their hotels, and limiting all broadcasts and news outlets.

If anything can be gleaned from this, one only need take a brief glance at history to learn that a nation with totalitarian rule begets a totalitarian economy.

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Iran: Totalitarian rule begets totalitarian economy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economicsinthenewsIranIran election protestsMahmoud Ahmadinejadmiddle eastpoliticsShahiSheldon LiberWed, 17 Jun 2009 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Iranian miracles abound]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/16/iranian-miracles-abound/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/16/iranian-miracles-abound/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/16/iranian-miracles-abound/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Iranian government hand counted tens of millions of presidential election ballots in a couple of hours; less time than we count ours by computer -- an Ayatollahs' miracle for sure!

These results indicated that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was able to garner two-thirds of the vote. Given the Ayatollahs miracle, the public viewed this result as anything but.

Protesters expressing their extreme objection to the election results then created a miracle of their own when up to one million marchers hit the streets forming a 5 to 6 mile parade of discontent, claims of fraud, and in some cases calling the government a dictatorship.

Meanwhile Ahmadinejad who made references to disgruntled fans after a football game in slighting the protesters, hung around for a couple of days before appearing a day late for a conference in Moscow. He missed some of the key events but he did get a chance to mention how bad the US economy was doing, neglecting to mention that Iran's economy is showing signs of falling off a cliff. If he remains president that is a real possibility.

Meanwhile the pragmatist in me knows that the greatest miracle of all would be a recanting of the election results and the president stepping down. The Ayatollahs have asked for an investigation of the election results to appease the fuming population.

The results of this investigation being conducted by the same folks that created the fraud in the first place are easier to determine than any of my stock picks. Look for the results of the investigation to acknowledge that the vote count was off by some meaningless percentage, not affecting the outcome and leaving the results as they stand.

The Ayatollahs are all for democracy as long as they get to choose who wins. Perhaps in the future they will simply default to the patterns of authoritarian rulers before them -- massive election rhetoric, with only one candidate on the ballot.

Related stories:
Iran's great potential and its challenges!
Iran will waste four more years

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money.

Iranian miracles abound originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsIranIranian electionsiranian protestersIranianElectionsIranianProtestersMahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoudAhmadinejadOilrecessionSheldon LiberSheldonLiberTue, 16 Jun 2009 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Iranian president feels oil is too cheap]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/19/iranian-president-feels-oil-is-too-cheap/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/19/iranian-president-feels-oil-is-too-cheap/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/19/iranian-president-feels-oil-is-too-cheap/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

While most of us are pretty amazed at just how high oil prices have risen recently (ended the week at $116.69), one man thinks that oil is still pretty cheap compared to its true value. According to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, oil prices have yet to hit fair value.

Speaking in front of an oil and gas exhibition in Tehran, Iran's President stated that the Western world was "selfish" in its desire to obtain cheap oil. A big reason for the recent run up in oil prices can be attributed to the weak U.S. dollar, and Ahmadinejad definitely made it a point to bring up the weak currency, calling the dollar "a handful of paper" with no global support.

While I take most of what I hear from the Iranian President with a grain of salt, as far as the dollar is concerned, he does make a decent point. Over-exaggerated, yes, but still a valid point. The dollar has been steadily falling and with more interest rates on the horizon it will only weaken further as the year progresses.

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Iranian president feels oil is too cheap originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dollareurointhenewsIranMahmoud Ahmadinejadoiloil pricesSat, 19 Apr 2008 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Middle Eastern tensions push oil higher]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/25/middle-eastern-tensions-push-oil-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/25/middle-eastern-tensions-push-oil-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/25/middle-eastern-tensions-push-oil-higher/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Oil prices are off to a strong start this week, as traders are pushing prices higher in reaction to multiple concerns stemming out of the Middle East.

The first factor that is weighing on traders mind's is the Turkish invasion to Iraq. Tension between Turkey and the Kurds in Northern Iraq is nothing new to the area (and violence between the two goes all the way back to 1984), but the current activity is the first confirmed operation by Turkey since the United States began its Iraqi campaign in 2003.

Over the weekend, Turkey announced that one of its helicopters had gone down in Northern Iraq, killing 8 Turkish soldiers. In reaction to that news, Turkey stepped up its force by firing in excess of 40 salvos of artillery into the territory.

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Middle Eastern tensions push oil higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsIranIraqKurdsMahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoudAhmadinejadMiddle EastMiddleEastoiloil pricesOilPricesTurkeyMon, 25 Feb 2008 09:21:00 EST