Maxroom

New Technology Makes Natural Gas a Viable Replacement for Oil

I can only hope that the country and it's new masters (elected or appointed?) will see the wisdom in having our hydrocarbons pumped from on-shore US wells. I'm "betting" that the US financials will continue to contract for a while. Once they bottom out, we can pile onto NG producers, like CHK. Their true value will be revealed and their share price should rebound nicely.

Too Soon to Re-enter Oil Stocks?

Not exactly sure why CHK is listed among the "oil" stocks. Sure, it's energy, but it's not exactly "small" either.

But, in any case, I agee that it's a perfect time. I just added to my CHK holdings this last week - and I'm already in positive territory.

Implementing Pickens' Plan for Public Energy Policy

You have a very interesting article, with some insightful comments. Then, you get down to giving opinions - and completely lose it. When you write: "From a free market approach, the US should not try and pick which alternative engine will be used," you make everything you write after that suspect!

You are correct in saying that the US (government) shouldn't try & pick. But, the government also shouldn't impose dollars more in taxes. (your price chart is scary!) If there is a scarce resource, like oil, in a free market, the price will go up to where it is valued by the consumer.

I'm already seeing people make significant life-style changes: where they live & work, how they get to work, where they shop, and what they do for entertainment. Let's not encourage the government (that as you pointed out, contributed to getting us into this situation in the first place) to start making bets on what fuel is going to be the "best."

Instead, the government's role should be to GET OUT OF THE WAY. Quit taxing or subidising. Quit regulating and setting standards. When people want fuel efficent vehicles, they will be produced & sold. When driving an Escalade or Hummer get's unbearably expensive, people will buy a Vespa or live within walking distance.

At least I do agree with most of your stock picks. NG will be a bigger and bigger component of the solution. Solar and Wind will be big winners, too. How 'bout a couple of suggestions in those sectors?

In Light of Peak Oil, Financial Diversification Is a Bad Idea

Interesting and quantitative reasoning for what I think I've found myself intuitively (luckily?) gravitating to over the past few years. So much of my portfolio has trended to energy (NatGas, Oil & TarSands, CanRoyTrusts, and even Solar & Coal) that I've been concerned that I was not "diversified" enough. Here's an article that reasures me that I'm not crazy. [my picks might not be perfect, but there were/are reason to be energy/commodity heavy]