Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) – “Russian natural gas exports through Ukraine to Europe halted for the first time in three years, threatening to create shortages as freezing weather spurred demand for power.”

It seems as if it’s going to be a long, cold winter. So much for global warming – and Hollywood told us the story once again – twelve years ago. 

Synopsis: Using his skills of master disguise, the Saint (played by Val Kilmer) eludes all pursuers as he assumes names associated with the various Saints. In this role after stealing from a Russian industrialist, the industrialist hires The Saint to steal a formula for cold fusion being developed by a young female scientist (Elisabeth Shue). Cold fusion is said to permit a nation to heat its citizens with only a few gallons of water.

Ivan Tretiak, Russian Mafia boss who wants to create an oil crisis in Moscow and seize power as a result sends Simon Templar, great international criminal, to England to get a secret formula for cold fusion from U.S. scientist Emma Russell. That formula will give Tretiak a source of cheap energy and a lot of money as result. Templar falls in love with Emma and they try to outwit Tretiak and his guerrillas, hiding from them in Moscow.

Once again, life imitates art. Late last night, the headlines over at Bloomberg.com blared out, Russian Gas Shipments to Europe Through Ukraine Are Halted

When I saw that headline, my brain instantly took me back to a scene in the film  - a film, which I had not seen since it was in the theater in 1997. It was Red Square and the ‘circus’ had come to town – much as it will on Pennsylvania Avenue in another thirteen days.

But then it was Val Kilmer. But then it was Elisabeth Shue! What a babe. Hot fusion is what I had in mind. Oh well, my wife’s relatives are freezing their dupchas off tonight.

The Cold War goes on – but on a different front – and waged in a different manner. Shit, it’s cold out tonight!

And folks are freezing in South Philly.

And it will be the long, cold winter of our discontent.

And the glow is off of the halo of  ‘the Anointed One’.

Without Apology I am,

Jeffrey Bennett

~About the Author ~
A veteran of Viet Nam, student of history (both American and film), Jeffrey Bennett has been broadcasting for nearly fourteen years as host of Perspectives on America. Jeff is considered the voice of reason on the alternative media – providing a unique and distinctive broadcast style, including topics such as health and wellness, news, political satire – with a twist, education and editorial commentary on current events through the teaching of history.

Jeff also publishes The Federal Observer – a daily on-line publication, which authored and spear-headed a petition, which ultimately caused new legislation to be signed by President Bush within 450 days of the events that rocked our world on September 11, 2001. In addition, he is the CEO of Kettle Moraine, Ltd., a production company for the daily Net-broadcast, and proprietor of Flying Eagle Gold & Silver, a precious metals firm, and it’s subsidiary, The Golden IRA, a division, which specializes in IRA and retirement account conversions to that, which holds precious metals, as opposed to instruments of paper.