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That's how Bill Mann describes the importance of the oil & gas industry in Russia. As we take stock of where we are at this moment, Bill discusses ripple effects for European countries, whether seizing property of Western companies would spell the end of foreign investment in Russia, why Energy Secretary Granholm's recent comments give him hope, rising raw material costs affecting companies like McDonald's and Domino's Pizza, and the J Curve. Plus - If Russia provides just 3% of America's oil supply then why have gas prices spiked in the US? Ricky Mulvey talks with Nick Sciple to get some context.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University, in conversation with Simon Rose, looks at the extraordinary U-turns being made in the field of energy, with oil, gas and even coal coming back, leading to amazing new alliances being made and with ramifications that can't yet be foreseen. He discusses the unintended consequences of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, one of which he fears may be to damage the historic reputation of Russia. And he gets excited by the idea of "virtual wards" being trialled by the NHS.

Most films are suffering the onslaught of The Batman, says James Cameron-Wilson, looking at the UK box office. This dark version of the Dark Knight, almost 3 long hours long, took £13.5m over the weekend, the 3rd highest since the pandemic. British indie comedy Ali & Ava made #9. James had reservations about Netflix's true-life survival drama Against The Ice, a Danish-Icelandic co-production. But he loved Portuguese The Metamorphosis of Birds, almost a new cinematic art form in itself, out in selected cinemas and on various streaming platforms.

Share Radio's tech genius Steve Caplin talks to Simon Rose about Amazon's new radio app and Apple's new phone and computer. Danish scientists have worked out how to tell if pigs are happy, hydroelectric dams could be replaced by electric trucks, the Belgians have come up with a way of cleaning solar panels while the FlossElf is a flosser with a camera so you can see if you're doing it properly.

For the past fifty years, nearly all major conflicts have been driven by economic power granted to tyrants by our dependency on fossil fuels. We must now recognise the awful footprint it has left in terms of human suffering, as well as climate change. The huge rise in fossil fuel prices will bring substantial dividends to those who look for opportunities to invest in the new ways of powering the economy, and could kick-start moves to a safer and cleaner world.

Buying any stock starts with an idea, but where do you find them? Consider this a starting spot for investors. John Rotonti talks with fellow Motley Fool analysts Auri Hughes and Yasser El-Shimy in a discussion about finding stock ideas and what to look for once you've found them. They discuss using 3rd-party research tools to discover new companies, what to look for in investor letters and 10-Ks, and the utility of “cloning” versus using stock screeners. Additional resource: how to Find Investment Ideas - https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/stocks/where-find-investment-ideas/

The fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine has investors asking a lot of questions. And while some in the financial media are eager to draw quick and hard conclusions, there are still a lot of unknowns. Bill Mann discusses the impact of U.S. and European economic sanctions, SWIFT (Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications) and why it's so important, Switzerland abandoning its neutrality in favor of freezing Russian assets, his continued interest in the oil & gas industry right now, and an important step anyone should take before making charitable contributions. The website we discussed is http://charitynavigator.org

House prices have soared in the pandemic boom – with the average home an astonishing £44,000 more expensive at £260,000, according to Nationwide. But mortgage rates are rising, the cost of living crunch is hitting hard, and the idea of a post pandemic Roaring Twenties seems very distant right now, so is a reckoning for Britain’s property market on the way? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dive into the housing market to look at why homes are now the most expensive they have ever been when compared to wages – and what could send them even higher or tip them into decline. They also look at the mortgage market, where the best bargain basement fixed rate deals have long vanished and rates have been rising rapidly. But while they might be going up, mortgage rates are still very cheap and the Bank of England is weighing up loosening some lending rules, so where does that take us next? Simon also has some advice for anyone whose mortgage fix is up for renewal this year. Spoiler alert: it’s to start looking into a new fixed mortgage now. And a reader question – and yes, this was a genuine one – of whether taking $1 million-plus in payment for a property in the Caribbean in crypto is a good idea? And finally, credit cards are dead: it’s all about buy now, pay later… or is it? There’s a new Avios-earning Barclaycard out and Lee’s excited. Find out why by listening to the end.

.. means the fear of being alone, and can be rooted in early family years. Adam Cox suggests this episode for those who want to build their confidence and move away from a yearning for dependency. It may also help people who have recently been bereaved.

Adam Cox is joined by Jonas Holst, from Blueair, to discuss new research which reveals parents' reluctance to send children back to school in light of the pandemic, and how air purifiers could be used to alleviate some of their concerns. They look what the ways schools can improve air quality in the classroom, and what Blueair does to help. https://www.blueair.com/