Archive - Jun 8, 2011

I’m not sure what prompted me to consider this subject on my commute this morning, but it probably has to do with my reflecting on Memorial Day just passed. That and the fact that crude oil continues to trade around $100/bbl and the implications for energy prices going forward—for the consumer and the countries who supply them. One of those countries is Russia which produces 12% of the world’s oil. As one whose company sometimes does business with Russian firms, I’ve found it helpful to understand their mind-set as I do any foreign customer whose worldview originates from a different vantage point than my own. And one thing I have learned is that the Russian historical narrative of World War II is far different than ours. I must say that when it comes to what they once referred to as “The Great Patriotic War” their memories are more accurate in my view.