The euro is the wrong currency for Italy and has been from the beginning. Many thousand SMEs that relied on the ever depreciating lire went out of business. One can argue endlessly about the wrongs of that but it employed a lot of people whose lives have since been destroyed. Many have left the country to seek work and new lives elsewhere. They are among the best and will not return. Italy cannot recover. Tensions within also suggest it will break-up. Sud Tyrol wants to become part of Austria and other parts of the north want independence from Rome. The EU cannot fix this and is in danger of breaking up too unless it faces up to the reality that the euro is unfixable without a banking union among other things.

Thank you for the warning. I do not share your views about SA but am wary of contributors who pump stocks then dump them after readers have bought in.

Good article. I had my own thoughts published in this one seekingalpha.com/.../4168435-chinas-democracy-vs-u-s-tweetocracy

"And smart investors who put capital to work here stand to make LITERAL fortunes”

Where is here?

Britain really is in a mess. My thoughts were published in intros article recently

seekingalpha.com/.../4194338-britain-lost-en-route-empire-2

French banks are now caught up in the Turkey crisis too!

Interesting article. You might find this one of mine of interest to you and readers of your article seekingalpha.com/.../4168435-chinas-democracy-vs-u-s-tweetocracy

Another perspective on that low level of discovery is that it is the lowest since the 1930s. That predates the use of trucks, cars and planes for mass transportation of goods and people! Natgas will be one replacement for oil but will not eliminate the still growing need for it. I wrote this piece on gas earlier this year seekingalpha.com/article/4158962-gas-new-oil James

Nadia, very interesting and thorough article. I tend to look at other factors and one stands out for me; last year less than 4 billion barrels of new oil reserves were discovered due to massive cut backs in recent years on exploration capex. If demand increases in coming years, as is likely, then producers will struggle to meet demand. I am investing in oil service companies like DRQ that should benefit from a renewal in expenditure in the coming months and years. Bye. James at www.naturalelegance.ch

As an addition to my "connected world” - that started with $MTZ - I recently added #Corning, $GLW. Given its latest results I am pleased I did and I think there is a lot more upside both medium and long term with Corning’s fibre optic cable investments. Those investments were not welcomed by the short termers in the stock market but they are now starting to show who was right! James