Oil rises towards $96, buoyed by supply risks/Coal Markets rocked

Oil prices are remaining at firm levels, buttressed by perceived supply side risks," David Moore, a resource analyst at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a research note.
The quarrel between Venezuela and Exxon has helped oil prices bounce back from this year's low of $86.11, but analysts said worries about the U.S. economy could cap oil's gains. U.S. data also suggested bubbling price pressures, raising the possibility of stagflation -- simultaneously slowing growth and rising inflation.
For more, go here.

Also: Coal markets rocked by Eskom’s ambitious plan

ESKOM’s plan to buy an additional 45-million tons of coal to replenish depleted stockpiles has been met with incredulity internationally, with analysts saying it overlooks severe global coal supply constraints, logistical challenges and price concerns.

This could be the first time that SA, a net exporter of coal, imports coal. A New York-based analyst, who declined to be named, said on Friday Eskom’s plan could be hampered severely by tight global supply caused by Indian and Chinese demand.

How do I sue ESK'MON!?

The power has just cut out at work here in Rosebank. Again. The only reason I'm able to post now is because we have a generator system, a backup for this sort of scenario. But others are not so fortunate. And this is happening like every freaking day.

This morning before I left for work the power was off. When I arrived home from work, off again. At work it went off twice. Lord knows how businesses deal with power outages during the lunch break; especially fast food places. That's when a lot of office workers (read: people with bucks) provide a surge of commerce. Keep this up and its basically like a Mafioso shooting you at the kneecaps. You're going be out of business big time.

I suppose salads aren't a problem to make for a power(less) lunch. Maybe we'll see some innovation. Obviously they can cook the stuff in advance and have it on standby, kept warm in special bags a la Mr. Delivery. Which reminds me; surely home deliveries could do really really well when people are paralysed (unable to cook in one suburb) whilst elsewhere food can be cooked and delivered. Anyone listening?

Personally the outages haven't affected me that much. Er...until today. |When I wanted to eat breakfast this morning the milk was vrot. I checked the label and it was due to go off after from the 25th (tomorrow) onwards. So who can I sue? Clover, or Eskom? Hundreds of thousands of other people are going through the same thing. Eeesh. And food prices are set to rocket as farmer's pass on their costs to us. Tourism is also likely to suffer. We may not be able to hold the 2010 World Cup. If you were sitting in Germany or Korea, would you want to visit a country that can't keep and lights on and is overrun with hijackers, murderers, corrupts commissioners and presidents? We'd better shape up or we are going to be a pariah again, as in a joke, a Bart Simsonesque underachieving cautionary tale of a country.

Seems like one of the habits we'll be changing in the immediate future is the milk we buy. Longlife from now on. I wonder what else? If everything is going to get expensive, will we see more people riding bicycles to work and eating less meat, or are we going to take the road more travelled (by car) and insist, force things to remain convenient and easily consumed, despite the obvious - that we are well past this sell by date?

Meanwhile, a tip for Eskom: why is Gauteng bearing the brunt of these blackouts. This is the engine of the subcontinent. Why not just turn off Bloemfontein?